2014

This year has been quite a year, folks.

To be completely honest with you, I started this year in a not so great place, my anxiety was higher than normal, and I just didn't want to do anything, with anyone. All I wanted to do was sit in my room and watch Netflix (not that that is super bad or anything).

But then I got out to school again, and I met some completely amazing people, my roommates were great, my ward was amazing, and things started to look up!

In February, I turned in my mission papers, and I felt like 2014 was going to be the year of my dreams, the year for my bucket list. And boy, that was true.

God blessed me with so much this year.

From the time I was about five, I knew that I wanted to visit Paris, really since the Rugrats in Paris movie came out. In November of 2013, I learned that I would have a chance to get there. In fact, I would have the chance to go all over Europe. I was pretty scared since I suck at being social, right? I was going to a new country, a new continent with strangers! But oh, it was the most amazing experience. There were laughs, tears, confusion, but I met some of my best friends on that trip, and got to experience all of that with them.

When I was 16-years-old, my best friend started taking the missionary discussions/lessons from elders serving the Lord. I knew at that time that I wanted to do the same thing. I wanted to share the gospel with others because it was such a light in my life, and caused me to feel so happy. It had been my dream for yeas, and this year, I did it. I went and served the Lord in good ol' West Virginia, and I loved every second of it. Serving a mission was definitely the hardest thing I have ever experienced in my life, but I was able to become the person God knows I can be, or at least start on that path. It was such an amazing experience, and I am so grateful for all the people I had the privilege to meet. You have all shaped my life in so many ways.

2014 was not an easy year at all, but it was a year full of learning and growing and experiencing new things.

I am excited for what 2015 has in store. :)

XOXO, Sydney