Oh Shenandoah...

Well kids, this is it.  Tomorrow morning I graduate from college.  It is honestly so surreal. I never thought this day would ever come.  It has been one of those things that I hoped would happen, but it seemed so far down the road that to have it be happening tomorrow doesn't seem real. I have been so blessed to be able to go to school at Southern Virginia. I wouldn't trade it for the world. It took me a long time to decide on a school, but I know without a doubt that I picked the right one. I love the person that this university has turned me into. I have grown in so many ways here. Way beyond academics. The experiences that this school has given me are incredible and once in a lifetime.  I really could never adequately express the love I have for this school and how beyond grateful I am for the last three years.

This weekend is full of mixed emotions for me. This is such a major part of my life that I have worked so hard to get to, and I am thrilled that I finally made it.  I pushed through all of the work that sometimes felt near impossible, and managed to come out with a pretty good GPA. I can't lie, I am proud of the accomplishments that I will be celebrating tomorrow. At the same time, my heart hurts every time I think about leaving this place. Leaving not only SVU, but Buena Vista, the whole state of Virginia, and really the whole east coast. I am so in love with this place. So in love. I am also in love with the people here. From my very best friends, to my incredible professors and administrators, to the Buena Vista locals that I don't even know. I love them all.

When I left home three years ago, I cried and cried. Saying goodbye to my home, and my friends, and my family was so hard. This time is so much harder. I am leaving home again, but this time I'm not leaving with the comfort of knowing that I will be back in four months and everything will be (for the most part) as I left it. This time, I don't have any idea when I will be back. But I know it won't be the same. When I left home before, I knew that I would be seeing my family and friends again in four months as well. This time I am leaving people who have become my family, and I may never see them again. And that breaks my heart. But this is life. And it's wonderful and terrifying and beautiful and heartbreaking all at the same time.

This place and these people have my heart, and have definitely changed me for the better. I am so blessed.

Boston Strong

Okay. Obviously it has been a little while since I was on here. I think I got overwhelmed by my Thanksgiving idea and so I just stopped blogging completely. But I am back. And while there are probably plenty of things that I should update you on, that's not what I want to do right now. There are some other things on my mind.

This last week has been an emotional roller coaster for me, as I know it has been for the majority of Americans. I am already emotionally on edge because I am graduating in a week (which I will talk about in a later post), but the events of this week definitely magnified that.

The week started last Sunday with a forest fire burning my beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, mere miles from the houses of the people of Buena Vista.  Way too close for comfort. Fortunately, the fire was burning up the mountain rather than down; and the quick actions of local fire departments, and the blessing of rain that night, protected anyone from being hurt or even evacuated. Despite it being taken care of fairly quickly, and no real damage occurring; it shook me a little bit. I wasn't in any real danger at my house, but as I drove around the hillside the next morning, I saw how close the fire came to the homes on the other side of town from me. It scared me to think what could have happened, but I was so grateful that everything turned out okay. 

And then Monday happened. I immediately felt sick when I found out what had happened, and that feeling hasn't left me since. For some reason, this terrible act of violence affected me more than any other has.  I'm not sure why exactly, but I think it is a combination of me being old enough to really understand the significance of something like this, and the weird connection that I have to the city of Boston. For some reason, I have always felt like Boston was my city. I lived about 45 miles outside of Boston for a few years when I was really young, but since then I have only been to Boston once. Despite that, and the fact that I was born and raised over 2,500 miles away, I feel like I'm a Bostonian at heart. Because of this weird connection I feel with the city, the tragedies that occurred in Boston this week really hit home for me. It probably also had something to do with the fact that I am a lot closer physically to Boston than I ever have been to something like this. The whole thing just felt very close and very real. Every time I watch another news clip of the explosion, I can't believe it really happened. And I can't help but put myself in the place of those people who were right there at the finish line when it happened. It's terrifying. And sickening. And heart breaking. 

And then the light in the darkness. The people. The wonderful, wonderful people. I can't get enough of the stories of heroism that have happened over the last few days. It's amazing how I can be blown away by the pure evil of some people while simultaneously being blown away by the pure love and selflessness of others. And the good definitely outnumber the bad. I am amazed by the citizens who ran to give help to the fallen, by the marathoners who kept running to hospitals to give blood, by the EMTs and First Responders, by the doctors and nurses, by the policemen, SWAT team members, and FBI agents who would stop at nothing to find the people responsible, by the man who called 911 after finding Tsarnaev in his boat, and by the resilience and strength of the people of Boston. The American spirit can't be broken. 

My heart is breaking for those people that were impacted by this senseless act of terrorism. My heart is also breaking for the state that our world is in right now. It's terrifying that tragedies like this are a part of our lives, and that people like the Tsarnaev brothers exist. However, it's comforting to know that amid these tragedies, people will emerge who are willing to do and give everything to help make it better. This last week my eyes have been opened once again to the evil that exists in our world, but also to the much more numerous amounts of good that exists in our world. 

Besides the comfort that can come from the good of people in the world, the greatest comfort can come from knowing that God is over all. As President Uchtdorf said in his inspired talk just two weeks ago, 

"...Understand and accept that darkness exists, but [don't] dwell there... There may be some among you who feel darkness encroaching upon you. You may feel burdened by worry, fear, or doubt. To you and to all of us, I repeat a wonderful and certain truth: God's light is real. It is available to all! It gives life to all things. It has the power to soften the sting of the deepest wound. It can be a healing balm for the loneliness and sickness of our souls. In the furrows of despair, it can plant the seeds of a brighter hope. It can enlighten the deepest valleys of sorrow. It can illuminate the path before us and lead us through the darkest night into the promise of a new dawn." 

This talk was not coincidence.

Pray for Boston.

 

The Sisters!!! And Mitch.... :)

Samantha Marie Crane

This girl never ceases to amaze me. Sam is most definitely the obnoxious, perfect older sister who her younger sister can never measure up to. Fortunately, more than resent her for it, I love her for it. I am so grateful that I have always had someone to set the bar so high for me. I really don't actually compare myself to Sam all the time, but I am thankful that I have her good example to motivate me to do the best that I can. I have always been grateful to have such a wonderful older sister to pave the way for me on all of the major things in life. Being first at everything would be a stressful job and I'm so glad that I have her to relieve me of that responsibility.

Besides being good at everything and setting a great example for me, my older sister is one of my very best friends. We have soooo many great memories and we can always count on having a great time when we're together. Sam totally gets me and we can talk and laugh for hours. Our phone conversations usually end up lasting way longer than either of us had planned on  because we just want to tell each other everything. We have so much fun and I live for those times when we are together and start laughing hysterically and literally don't stop for hours. We crack ourselves up. Sam was my very first best friend, and it was a good thing that we formed that friendship early so we could help each other cope when the other siblings showed up ;) I am so lucky to have someone as amazing as my older sister who I know will always be there for me. When I go home in just over a week, it will have been almost a year since I saw her last. And it really has been a little miserable to be so far away for so long. I am so grateful for the wonderful example and friend that Sam has been and always will be in my life. Love you Sambo! See you soon.

Alexis Ann Crane

My favorite baby sister. I absolutely love this little girl. Well, okay, to be fair she's not really a baby or little anymore....she's getting old. Lexi has always been the comic relief for our family. When she was younger, she was just a  weird little girl who never stopped talking, but she totally cracked us up. And she still does. She was my perfect playmate while we were growing up and now I love any chance that I get to hang out with her. I look up to Lexi more than she will ever know. That girl has so much going for her and I just want to take a class of "Life Lessons by Lexi" from her. She's so free and fun-loving and just seems to have the world at her disposal.

This may sounds redundant, but Lexi is also my best friend. I am so grateful for the wonderful relationship that I have with my sisters. We really have the best time together. Lexi always knows how to make me laugh. She is also insanely talented. I am jealous of her for soooo many reasons but so proud of the beautiful young woman that she has become. It has been hard on me to be so far away from this little girl, especially during these big times in her life. She probably thinks I'm crazy, but I hang on her every word and want to hear every detail of life at Burley High School. Lexi is an amazing girl and such a great example to me. I am so grateful for the close friendship that we share even when we are thousands of miles away. My sisters and I have become quite the little team and there is no end to what we can accomplish or the fun that we can have. I feel so blessed to have the sisters that I do. I have had countless moments of being so proud to be related to these great girls, and wanting to point them out to the world and say, "That's my sister!". Lexi is such a beautiful, smart, talented girl and I can't wait to see the things that she will accomplish in her life. Thanks for always being there for me Lex. Love you!

Mitchell Keith Crane

Where do I start with this kid? I liked him from the start and that definitely hasn't changed. I can always count on Mitch to do stuff with me. He will never hesitate to watch a movie, play a board game, kayak, hot tub, play video games, go for a bike ride, or go out for frozen yogurt with me. He even agrees to play tennis with me (which often involves him picking up balls for me). Almost anything I can think of that I want to do, he will be more than happy to do with me. He's going to make a great boyfriend/husband one day.

 I have so much fun with this kid (though I will admit I haven't always loved when he tries to have fun with me while my friends are over....). Once again, I am sad that I have been missing out on his growing up. Every time I go home he is taller and his voice is deeper. He is getting so old and cool. I am grateful for the good relationship I have always had with him (I am the favorite sister) and for the way that it has grown as we have gotten older. I was talking to him this summer when I realized that I was starting to see him more as a friend rather than just my annoying little brother. He is turning into a real person that I can have real conversations with. That totally freaks me out but I love it at the same time. I like to think that I have taught Mitch a lot in his little life, but I also know that he has taught me a lot too. I am so grateful for the relationship that I have with my little brother and that I know it will only continue to get better. I can't wait to get home and see how much taller he is than me this time. Thanks for being the coolest little brother ever Mitch! I love you.

Gilbert Keith Crane

I really love this man. I have such an amazing dad and I am thankful every day for everything that he does for me and the wonderful influence that he is on my life.

As with my mom, I am so grateful for the way that my dad parented us. It has always been done with nothing but love. I love that I have never seen my dad as the scary discipline enforcer (The, "wait until your father gets home...." kind). I can only vividly remember one time when my dad got really mad at me...and it was completely justified (though, let's be honest, the Nutcracker is a long play for a toddler to control her bladder through!). Part of the reason that I don't remember my dad getting mad at me very often is because I have always respected him too much to do anything that would upset him. I like to think of myself as having been a pretty good kid and I think a lot of that had to do with me simply not wanting to disappoint my parents. Because of this, I have been able to develop a much more friendship-like relationship with my dad. I love that.

I love that my dad instilled in me a lot of the same love that he has for having fun. While there are some things that my dad loves that I will never be interested in - like deer hunting or playing with people's bones and ligaments - we share a lot of the same interests. We love watching movies, playing board games, sitting in the hot tub, snow skiing, camping, hiking, four-wheeling, and eating spinach artichoke dip. I also don't think that you could find two people who love boating on the beautiful Snake River more than we do....except for maybe my siblings. I have so many great memories of me doing these things with my dad, and I love every opportunity that I get to spend a little time with him doing something that we love.

I have a lot of respect for my dad. Professionally, he is extremely accomplished and I never pass up an opportunity to brag about him a little bit. While a lot of people think that the salary that comes with being an orthopedic surgeon is the thing to brag about, that's never the first thing that comes to my mind.  There is definitely something to be said for the dedication and time that it takes to get to where my dad is today. I'm grateful for that example that he set for me. If he can get a 4.0 in his undergrad and then go on to be successful in I don't even know how many more years of schooling and training, I can certainly get through 3 years at SVU majoring in Family and Child Development. I also like to brag a little bit about what a cool job (I think) he has and how wonderful he is at it. I love when I hear people praising my dad for the good work that he did on their sister's husband's cousin's knee. He's kind of the best there is.

I am so grateful for the way my dad is able to balance his professional and home life. I can't really remember how it was when I was younger, but I know that at least in recent years he always makes time for his kids. During the summer, I can always count on him calling to see if I want to go boating the second he is done working....even if he would probably rather take a nice long nap. Even during an extremely busy day (which is mostly every day) he will find time to talk to me on the phone if I call, or go to lunch with me when I'm home, or make a patient wait for him at the hospital while we finish our board game. I never ever feel like a burden to my dad. Despite his exhausting work schedule, he always makes me feel like the most important person in his life. Not enough children can say that about their fathers and I am so grateful that I can.

I am so thankful that I can always count on my dad to be there for me in any way that I need him. I love the time that I get to spend with him and am so grateful for the friendship that we share. He is amazing.

Thanks for everything Dad. I love you. 

Lucy Ann Smith Crane

AKA: The greatest mom in the world. This is kind of a huge undertaking to start with this great lady because they really don't come much better than her. I look up to my mom in more ways than I can count. Every time someone asks, "who do you know that is a good example of (insert good quality here)?" Without fail, the first person that comes to my mind is my mom. She exemplifies absolutely everything that I want to be.

I am so grateful for the way that my mom raised me. I have such a hard time in my FCD classes when we are talking about things that our parents did that weren't so great, or things that we saw in their parenting styles that we have vowed to never use on our own children. I can never contribute to these conversations. In my eyes, my mom was and is the perfect parent and I wouldn't change a thing. I have learned a lot about parenting in the last few years and a lot of times it makes me think that my mom must have a secret PhD in parenting. She does it perfectly.

I am, of course, grateful to my mom for everything she did and taught me while I was growing up. Some of  my favorite memories of her are of when she was taking care of me when I was sick. There is no better nurse. She is the perfect paper editor, the most selfless server, and her ability to remember things and always be on the ball amazes me. Simple as it may be, I always loved those times when I would briefly mention to her that I needed something like more hairspray on my way out the door, and when I got home from school there was a new bottle in my bathroom for me. I was always grateful that I never had to be one of those kids left sitting on the grass outside the elementary school because my mom got too busy and forgot to come pick me up. In both big ways and small, she has never let me down.

More than all of the countless things that she has done and still does for me, I am grateful for the relationship that I have with my mom. I have always been close to my mom but the older I get, the better friends we become. I still need her in her mom role, but she is incredible at the best friend role as well. I can't think of a single thing about me (or my friends) that my mom doesn't know. I tell her everything and there isn't an easier person for me to talk to. I know I can go to her with anything and she will always know exactly what to do or say. We never went through a typical teenage phase where we didn't see eye-to-eye or I felt like she didn't understand me. I have always valued my mom's opinions over anyone else's and trusted her to do what was best for me; and I have never been wrong in that.

My mom has been through a lot and she is hands-down one of the strongest women I know. I am so grateful for her spiritual strength as well and its influence on my life. I am so glad that she had the faith to be baptized into the LDS church when she was 16 so that I could be raised in a family that embraces those values and will be together for all eternity.

I am so grateful for the endless support that my mom gives to me and my siblings. She never misses a game, a match, a concert, a play, a recital, a clogging competition, or anything else that comes up. No matter what we are doing she is watching and cheering us on (and, of course, thinking we are the best ones there). I don't think I would be able to go to school so far away if I didn't know that, despite how hard it can be sometimes, I have the full support of my mom. I know that no matter what I do, she will always be proud of me and want the best for me.

I could go on for hours about the endless reasons why my mom is my biggest hero. In my eyes she is absolutely perfect and I love every second that I get to spend with her. She is beautiful and loving and funny and helpful and supportive and my very best friend. She will be lucky if she finds a guy who I think comes even close to being good enough for her. She's the best and deserves the best.

Thanks for everything Mom. I love you. 

Happy Thankful Month!

On Thursday I realized it was the first day of November which is a month full of gratitude. I decided I would be really clever and write one thing that I was thankful for on my Facebook status every day for the entire month. I thought that this would be a good way to recognize and express how thankful I am for all of the blessings in my life and it would be fun to share with all of my family and friends. I soon realized that I was not nearly as clever as I thought I was. Apparently this is not a new idea. Mostly all of my Facebook friends had this same idea and my news feed is now full of people being thankful. So, rather than follow the crowd, (which I really hate doing) I thought I would be thankful on my blog instead. Okay, that's probably not actually a super original idea either, but I liked it better.

I have had a huge realization recently of how blessed I am with the people in my life. I have obviously always been thankful for my friends and family, but sometimes it hits you harder than others. The last few months has been one of those times. So, instead of making blog posts of everything that I am thankful for (which really is waaaaaay too much to condense into 30 days of blogging) I have decided that I am just going to talk about who I'm thankful for. That sounds fun yeah?

Disclaimers:
-These people will be thanked in no particular order. I can't prioritize the people that I love.
-These people will not be thanked to the fullest extent that they deserve. Once again, there is way too much to be said than what I can (or want to) write on a simple blog post.
-This will not be an exhaustive list. There really is no way for me to thank every person that I love or who has impacted me in some way. So I will do my best, but just know that this isn't everyone.

Here we go.....

Sandy

The first part of this week was pretty exciting. As you probably know, on Sunday/Monday a massive storm was headed for the east coast. Hurricane Sandy. She was predicted to be the storm of the century. She was huge, strong, slow and, with the cold front and snow expected with her, she was not your typical hurricane. So, understandably, people were nervous. Many schools had prematurely closed and government officials had declared states of emergency up and down the coast. As for us in the western Virginia town of Buena Vista, there were varying degrees of concern. For those who had been here for the major storm this summer than downed trees and killed power for weeks; there was a lot of stress. For those of us who have been conditioned to not be bothered by a little wind and have seen the minimal effects of hurricanes on BV before;  we weren't too ruffled. I was a good kid and prepared like I was supposed to anyway though. I bought some water, charged my phone,pulled out my flashlight, and got my homework done that required my computer. Monday was a really weird/eerie day. It was dark and cold and quiet. Everyone was a little nervous, not knowing what to expect. We were all bracing ourselves for whatever might come (and secretly hoping it would be good enough to cancel school). By late Monday night, it was raining a little and there was a breeze, but nothing major. I woke up on Tuesday morning to near-freezing temperatures, snow, rain, and a slight breeze. But I also woke up to every tree being perfectly in-tact, light and heat in my house, no flooding, and a hot shower. While all of SVU was grumbling about the disappointment of the century and having to go to class bright and early, I was watching and reading news reports in horror at the damage that had been done so close to me (but let's be honest, I still wished school would have been cancelled too). It's weird to be so close (literally 2 or 3 hours away) to so much destruction and yet be perfectly fine. Really nothing happened here, and yet:

I have to throw this in here too. I have indescribable amounts of respect for these men. They never left. 

All in all, we got extremely lucky here and I know that there are huge numbers of people that were not near as lucky as we were. I also feel extremely lucky because of the huge amount of love that I felt during all of this. I have the most incredible friends and family who keep an eye on me from a distance. They never miss a beat and usually know what's going on here even before I do. I didn't even know we were expecting a hurricane until my sweet Aunt Vicki text me on Saturday to see how the weather was looking for us. Even though we ended up being completely fine here, it was so nice to get those texts and calls making sure everything was okay. I have absolutely the best people in my life. So blessed. I can't wait to see them all in just two weeks!!