I'VE BEEN READING IN MY JUICY JOURNALS

(a few not pictured,  and yes, I fold my agenda pages like I'm still in middle school) 

Last week in Activity Days we talked about family history and journals. It got me thinking...what have I been writing as my personal history?

I dug through some boxes in our storage room and found a few gems. The brown one I got for my baptism and starts when I'm in the 2nd grade. My very first entry is about the dentist. She pulled out my top two teeth at the same time. "After I got my teeth out we had some ice cream." It ends the day after one of my good friends in high school passed away.

I was transported back in time when all that was important in my very young life was the holidays. As I grew up and my handwriting changed, so did my confidence and testimony. The sparkly one goes through a few months in 2001 and includes my thoughts and feelings about September 11th, "It's horrible...like a bad movie."

The green flower one holds most of high school's "juicy details". Beginning in junior year it talks about my crushes, family and friend drama, school dances, and most important: my falling in love with Thomas Park. Sunday night I read every single page of that little journal and thoroughly enjoyed

myself as I feel head over heels for my best friend once again.

I had forgotten exactly how our relationship was before he served a mission. But honestly, it was real. It was true. It was perfect love. We separated for two years as best friends hoping for a bright future. Yes, of course I wanted him to be "the one", but that didn't stop me from living my life. I tried to focus on becoming a better person and strengthening my testimony. I knew that he was going to be an awesome missionary and light-years ahead of me when he returned, so I tried to do the same for him.

That was the key. That, and we were madly in love (still am).

This is why keeping journals is so important. As much as I try and remember the little details, my human mind can't do it. I'm so grateful I took the time to record them in those past days so I can 

turn to them and read and smile at where I've been and where I am now. 

I think that's another reason why I love blogging so much.

It's like my journal. One of the the many.

It's a free place to record photos of our lives and be uplifted by others. It's a place to express ourselves through words, design, photos, and more. It can't get lost, damaged, or fade away. And, it's super fun to start from the beginning and read where we've been. Plus, I'm on the computer much more than I am in my journal, so it works for me.

I also record little daily events in my "One Line a Day" journal (which is one of my favorite journals ever...it's so simple, can't beat it) as well as count my agenda and church notebook as journals too.  They're all recording my personal history and make me super happy!

Long story short...I love journaling and blogging totally counts.

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PS There are some sneak peeks of our house on Design by Caley