Nature

So, I have been really enjoying taking pictures of nature. Is that weird or what? I don't know, I just love it so much. I mean, yesterday I went to Utah Lake and so what there is nothing to see but it is really relaxing to just be there and enjoy how it looks. And I actually haven't downloaded the pictures of the Lake just yet because I am waiting till I have taken lots of pictures to download them all. I never actually really noticed how beautiful nature really is. And really, it is absolutely magnificent!

remember going camping at the beach for the very first time. And well, it was a lot of fun. And we were so lucky that we had gotten there just in time, where the flood was over and dry enough to actually camp. Also when we left camping, we got even more fortunate that we didn't get rained on because as we were going it started rain. How neat it is to have the simple pleasure's in life. Hence, why now I love camping. You get to realize things that at times becomes such an easy to have simplicity but when you are out there in a different continent and in a 3rd world country. You realize how much, that thing is even much more valuable.
Visiting El Salvador, was quite the trip for me.
It had opened my eyes to what my parents
had live through and what they had to do in order to survive. I would do anything to go back again, but this time take pictures of the people, the culture, the homes, my family of course and remember it with the pictures. I love that my family has taught me the importance of receiving an education. To always fight for what's right, to never give up, to never let fear stop me from realizing my dreams. El Salvador is just different from being in the US. We are so lucky to have such a great opportunity to live in a free country. Yes, there is junk going on but you know, you can only do so much. The one thing that we can do is help those that are in need of help. Make people realize what they can do for themselves so they, that they do have potential and let them know that people care.
But anyway, there is a lot that we can do as long as we are able and willing to help others. Well, I will write more but I can't right now. So, I hope you all are having an amazing day.

What to do?

Well, today has been an interesting day. I was experiencing lots of neck pain and it was really bothering me. And well you know, it also doesn't help when your not getting enough sleep at night so your falling asleep at work a lot. Yeah, don't do what I do. I really didn't want to do any work today, at least this morning. I was falling asleep at our Training Meeting and then again while I was trying to read some article that I pulled off the computer. Oh gosh, that was wretched!
Anywho, I guess I am just ready to be done with this job. I dunno. Its like, I like it more when I am around my consumer's than when I am sitting there trying to plan things. I feel more productive with them then sitting there trying to plan stuff. And when I am sitting there, I want to just get up and leave. Its the most annoying feeling I keep getting. I guess that might be the spirit telling me to get with the program and find a job already as a Phlebotomist or an externship to be a phlebotomist because man, this IL Trainer thing is getting old real quick!
So, when I got off of work, I felt REALLY drained. I just wanted to take a nap but I had to make myself dinner and then get ready to go to class and go to class. And well, so I decided that the only way that I would actually feel better is if I started hearing Church Music. Well, guess what, it worked! It was Heavenly! Ok, I know, I am a nerd. But seriously, it calmed my nerves down a lot and it made going to school much more easier for me.
I love it when you can hear music that is soothing to the soul it does just what you need. Even more so when you ask in prayer to simply please let you go through the day in a more relax mode. I am thankful for those moment. I am forever grateful for those moments. I am grateful for those small answers to prayers that we are able to receive. I am very grateful to know that our Heavenly Father will give us those awesome opportunities. That I can see these great opportunities rise. I am forever grateful for my Saviour and His love He shows upon me. I love Him. And I am happy to have such a wonderful family and such great friends. And I say this in the name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.
love-me

Volunteer

Volunteering has been so much fun! I really enjoy it. Today has been a fun filled dayI have been doing volunteer work since 9am! I enjoy it so much. Its something that takes over a lot of time since, my last 2 yrs of high school until now and will continue forever. I encourage everyone to do volunteer work. It is such a blessing to bless others. I wish people could do the same. I think I gotten a lot of this from my grandma, however I don't know her very well, I mean I actually met her when I was 17 and passed on 5 months later. It was hard for me, because I didn't know her, she had been living in Central America and has been there since she was born and never came to California. So, of course that made things harder. I know, I when I have kids, I want my kids to meet their grandparents, to get to know them the best can while their grandparents are still alive and to interact with them. Grandparents are a lot of fun to have! Yeah, they spoil you rotten, but seriously who doesn't love that!
My grandpa he is so hilarious. He may be old but dang, he still knows how to be funny and tell funny jokes. I appreciate that a lot! I like a good joke. I love to be happy. I know people don't always see me serious... but its because I was sick for a long time and I was really specimistic. I never had a good time, I never was someone you really wanted to be around a lot of the times, I was angry at the world and other things too. But it was no one's fault that I could a disease.... more like something called Cancer. The "C" word, yeah, that is something people don't like to talk about it, but it happens. And I know, that I feel forever indebted for the people that toke care of me. I don't like it when people help me sometimes, it actually takes a lot for me to ask for help.
My mom would say,"its like pulling teeth for this girl to even accept help!" Its so true. But when I do finally accept help, I appreciate it that much more. Its a good feeling. Its like when I injured my knee. Oh gosh, that was wretched! I couldn't go up or down three flights of stairs. That toke the energy out of me, and to sit on the floor, nope, that was the worst! Luckily, some of my friends, put the smack down, and told me I HAD to stay put, they would take care of me. They kept having to lecture me....lol...."Veronica sit still!" that is what was said a lot. Its hilarious, I am soo grateful for having such awesome friends! I love them, they are awesome!!! They really make a difference! Well, anyways.
I just really wanted to write of how awesome my day has been. And how much I really enjoyed it! Thanks to everyone for all that you do. Take care and have an amazing day!

Love ya'll-
me

Fear...

So, for some odd reason I wanted to watch the movie: "A Walk to Remember" with Mandy Moore and well, some good looking fella that was her boyfriend in the movie. If you haven't seen it, I'm sorry, but I think I am going to spoil the movie for you...actually I am going to spoil the movie for you. Sorry, but you have been warned! Jaime, has leukemia....in otherwords cancer. She knew that it would be good to have treatment but she hasn't responded to treatment for 2 years. She ends up falling for this guy whom they marry at the end but she dies in the summer time. And he, he ends up falling in love with her. She tells him to promise her that he will not fall in love with her at about the beginning of the movie, and he agreed because at the time, he had no idea what was going on and he was in the "cool" club of friends, he knew not what was going to happen. Much like you and I, we can not predict our future.

Well, in a lot of way's I know how she felt through out the movie. Interesting, that all my real feelings showed how I felt in certain parts of the movies, things that was said was things that I was thinking. And ok, no, I haven't told a guy to 'never fall in love with me,' but I have wanted to. There was a guy that always tried to get my attention through out high school. And he tried and tried and tried, and each time I kept pushing him away and he asked me one day, why would I keep doing the same thing. Well, because I didn't want him to know what I was going through. Only I knew how I felt, only I knew what was going on and only I knew how hard it was to have the "Graves Disease" -aka- Cancer... later on, that's what my doctor labelled it and by later on was sometime in my freshman year in high school. I knew what I actually had. This guy, that was trying to get my attention kept going out of his way to help me or to do me a favor or whatever. And yet, I wouldn't say yes when he tried to get me to say yes to going out. Why? Well, because I felt it was my burden to carry and that I still had to work on accepting what I had was real. It was the real deal. I thought like everyone else thinks when they are in middle school and high school, "hey, i'm young, i can do anything, nothing can touch me, nothing can harm me and I can't catch anything (any fatal diseases, or just anything).' But to my dismay, i caught a bad virus. A tumor named cancer that could spread and become into a deadly cancer.

I actually finally told one of my good friends a year ago what I had while in school. He was shocked and at first didn't know what to say. He said I should have told him. I feel bad, that I never said anything. But now, I feel better that I can finally talk about it and feel ok because I have accepted what I have had.

I did have a tumor. It was pretty big, it could have been taken out. But the doctors didn't want to because I was only 12 or 14 years old. And I was very fortunate that with radiology it did the trick and made it go down and my medicines help a lot. Although I hated how much hair loss I was having. But heck, I was glad I didn't have to go through surgery. It was the scariest time of my life. But this time, time is precious. Life is beautiful. The blessings have been amazing. Life has really treat me well! And I have grown in a lot of ways. I really, try hard to not take life for granted. I know that I can be stinker at times but I really am trying to be better. I am not perfect but I am always striving to be better.

Yes, I did finally grew to accept what I had. And just like Jaime, "I don't need another reason to be angry at God." I don't. I felt that way. But I felt so a lone. I felt like nobody understood me or understood what was going on. I was in the same religion as my parents at the time, only because I was following the faith of my parents.

And then, one day it hit me, it was like a ton of bricks. "There is something more to life! Live! Be strong and fight! There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Endure to the end!" My teacher, whom had no clue what was going on with me (or might have, because he was good friends with another teacher at the high school that I was going at, whom was, well, still is best friends with my brother....but i never really told my brother how i felt) , he just wrote a simple note on one of my graded papers (it was my summer school class) "Veronica, your doing just fine. Stop trying so hard, your doing great." Man, that toke me a back, that hit me strong. I knew exactly what he meant, its the same statement that I wrote a second ago that came to my mind...."There is something more to life...." (look at above statement on this paragraph.)

Well, I did start fighting this wretched thing, this plague, this cancer. I found out soon before graduating, I was ok. And that I had fought a good fight and I was cancer free. Yeehaaa! I was so glad. Unlike Jaime, I got lucky, and I still alive and doing well. While all this was going on, I was still questioning where is God? etc... I was questioning a lot of things. Well, I found my answer. And now I have been saved. I know that though, it can come back. I know what the symptom's are. I know that if I have faith everything will work out, not in my time but in the Lord's time. He has a plan for us. We must be obedient and follow it. I know that it is not up to me to live or die. He knows what will happen to me. He knows what my future holds and what will happen next. I just have to be faithful. Its better said than done. Thats really true. But its a work in progress. And you just keep doing what you know to be right, asking in faith that things will work out and being prayerful is always helpful.

Yeah, life has its difficulties. Always remember, that there is others that have it worse, and there are others who feel your pain. Jesus Christ atone for sins, so we can return to our Heavenly Father and He has been through awhole lot more that what we can handle. And that we can be reunited with our family and friends. He knows us, and we are children of God. He loves us and will ALWAYS be by our side. I know that to be true. Because He has always been there for me. Thats why I am where I am today. And I thank Heavenly Father for all the many blessings! I know that the church is true and that He lives! I know that the scriptures are true and that the Temple is the most wonderful place to be. I know that with all my heart, that this is where I need to be because I have been given that knowledge and reminded of what I need to get done here. Thank you so much. In the name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.

love- me!

Never fear! Because with fear you won't be able to succeed. You won't be able to see your true potential! Be strong, be brave, have charity because "....charity never faileth."

"Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens." ~ Carl Gustav Jung

"Jesus did not wait to see how we would live before he gave his life for us"
~ Barbara Lockhart


So today is PARTY TIME!!! I passed my State Exam, now, I can officially do my 40 hr externship! I am SOOO happy. I can do something better than just hanging out and wait for something good to come and I can learn more about the Medical Field.

You know what though, " GOOD THINGS COME FOR THOSE WHO WAIT!"

I love the medical field, weird to think, because of my past of being in and out of the doctors, where I would use to hate going to the doctor but at the same time it got me out of school, which I hated being out of school because I wasn't able to learn everything that I needed to learn in order to graduate with better grades and I couldn't make it to the Honors Roll, and yet somehow, I manage to make it into the Dean's List. I want to do that again, get into the Dean's List again. Its a VERY good thing! I also made it, somehow to the Who's Who... something or another. Crazy, huh? That's what I think, anyway.

But you know, Heavenly Father blesses us in so many ways. He is the ultimate best! Like, if you need help, He will always be there! He will always carry you in times of needs. And He loves each and everyone of us. Thats why, He does what He does, so we can see His hands to help learn whats right, so we can return to Him. We must be obedient and willing to do His will. Because it ultimately is His will not ours. I'm so glad for the gospel and for the many opportunities that I get to do what's right. For the people I get to meet and interact with. For my family and friends. And for all the help I get from everyone and up above! For the Heavenly Gifts. I love thee, Heavenly Father, so much. Thank you so much for showing me the way. For reminding me that I need to stand in Holy Places, and need to be obedient in order to be blessed. I am soo grateful that I have such great room-mates that help me learn what is right, that help test me so I can be ready for my test and for their great example! I love that I have a wonderful family whom are supportive, that will cheer me on when I am doing what is right, and push me when I feel like I can't do it any longer also for believing in me. I am so grateful for the promptings of the spirit that I get. I love thee, Heavenly Father, you are so wonderful to me and those around me! Thank you SOOO much!! I say this in the name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Love-
Me!

Walking on Memory Lane...

Well, so today I was just chatting it up with a friend that is visiting from Sacramento, CA.....oh, how I miss beautiful Cali. And she and I were pretty much talking about things that we have done in the past, mostly silly things with our siblings and things with our families. Its soo much fun to remember those precious moments that happen in our lives! I love them because it reminds you of the silly things in life that you do, and it brings you back to your childhood. I love it.

Like one thing that we were talking about, well, I was reminiscing about, was that, because the way my house was set up where both restrooms had it set up that they were back to back close together. So, like if someone was in one restroom going pee and another person was doing the same thing, going pee, in the other restroom. If they wanted to talk to each other, they could, because the walls were pretty thin. Well, we would do that, atleast my siblings and I would...cause ofcourse kids are kids. Most of the time though, was that one would knock on the wall and not finish the song or whatever they would be knocking and would wait for the other to knock back the rest of the song or whatever was being knocked. And we would do that for maybe two minutes at times, until our parents, aunts or uncles or just somebody would yell at us to get out. It was funny and just something that we did as kids.

Something else that my older (oldest) sister and I, would always call each other once we all got cell phones and we, if time would permit, would always talk to each other about whatever. Well, a couple times I have ignored her call because I was in the restroom going potty. Well, I always call my sister back and let her know the reason for not answering the phone. Well, she would get upset with me (not seriously but being exaggerating) and tell me.... " Veronica, if you need to go pee, go. But, when I am calling you and you are going pee, answer the phone! Sheesh." and I would just respond...."...dude, chill, can't people go pee in peace, for crying out loud, you crazy, lady." My sister would always laugh because we would just funny stuff to each other. So now I answer the phone for my sis even if I am in the restroom. Its funny. She is a such a silly sis!

Anywho, this is all probably too much information for all of you to know, but oh, well. This is just the silly things in life that happens. Funny how families work and how they give you guilt trips to either make you feel bad or to embarrasse you because they can. Those stinkers. But you gotta love them. Sometimes you can't live with them, but the majority of the time, you can't live without them, because they mean the world to you.

well, I oughta jam. laters!
-Veronica

"To the world you may mean your one person, but to one person you may mean the world"
-anonymous



"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do."
Eleanor Roosevelt