So good news! I am feeling a lot better. I have been getting to bed earlier, eating better food, and drinking more water. I still have a lot of room for improvement but I am making my way to an improved lifestyle! I have some more good news. Today I donated blood!!!!!

(See I got a cool shirt and a green band!)

Yeah! actually it has not even been an hour but I feel as energetic as ever (minus a tiny bit). Today was not my first time giving blood, it was my third :). The first time I gave blood (ARUP w/ school) it was cake the second time (American red Cross church) was just as easy and was my record fast time. It was 4.06 minutes, I was proud of my body and the nurse was impressed, he said that it was one of the fastest times that he had ever seen (normally a person will take about 8 minutes) This time (ARUP with school) was not quite as good, I am slightly tired and there was one split second right after when my legs felt like they were going to give in so I sat down and ate a lot of yummy snacks, but it was still great! I am just so grateful that my body can handle donating so well. I love to give blood and ever since I have been 17, it is something that I look forward to. I am so happy that I can give this service and I hope to make it a life-long tradition.

My resent unhealthy life style has made me feel useless and sick.

Yeah...So... I have not been doing so well on my sugar challenge, have you? I am renewing my challenge and this time I will have a day count on the side of my blog so you can see my progress...or failure :( . I plan on doing better this time, plus I will drink more water and get more sleep. It is plan "Make Amber Healthier, thus happier and more helpful" and it will work. My biggest challenge will be getting to bed early and waking up early. This is my first step to plan "Make Amber Healthier, thus happier and more helpful" because I have noticed that as I have been staying up later, I am too tired to exercise, to lazy to do homework, to stressed to eat healthily, and I just fell like blah. So I shall get more sleep! Lately, my mom has started saying, "who wants to be beautiful, smart, healthy, and happy? Than go to bed" I have changed the statement a little and made it my motivation. It goes like this, "Early to bed Early to rise, makes you beautiful, happy,kind, and wise." So wish me luck!

It was a beautiful day today! I started converting my personal progress achievements over to my new book. I am excited for the improved program, I know that it was inspired. I am almost done with personal progress, all I have left is the project for divine nature and to finish reading the book of Mormon. I am even on my way to getting the honor bee! I love the personal progress program. looking back on all of my projects and experiences, I realize that I am who I am because of my progress in Young Women's. It was also good to read what I had done in the past so that I could reestablish the habits that fell away.

In sacrament meeting today two elders spoke. In Michigan, we had two companionship's assigned to our ward, so hearing them speak was almost normal. However, I have lived in the 12th ward for almost five years and this is the first time that they have visited our ward in that time. It was surprising, but really powerful and uplifting.

I have only been on my challenge for a few hours and it is already super hard! I am stressed to the limit and ice cream seems like the only reasonable solution. :( We were like best friends before... I miss sugar. But I suppose it will all be worth it in the end so I will not give in tonight at least, although I could use some of that artificial happiness. You know when you have a million and half things to do but instead you just waste time on the computer? yeah... that's me right now. I am feeling pretty useless. (really long sigh) I should go do my homework... sigh...the homework that I have worked on for 8 hours today... the homework that I don't really care about at this point... It is time to come up with an equally important alternative... Solitaire!!!! if I win, this will be the 100th time in a row!!!!(j.k) while I eat the sinfully good cup cake that my dad just offered me. ;)

AHHH!!!!! The weather is crazy! this is the second day that I have had to walk home in snow/rain. (sigh) I guess it is okay though, It is somewhat refreshing, cold...freezing, but refreshing. Life is pretty much the same, except for my new goal to go off of sugar. Sugar is like a drug, it makes you feel so good but it is addicting and dangerous to have to much. Today my physiology teacher told us of her experience with her first patient. Mrs. Abbott was 18 years old going down the hall of the hospital to her first ever patient. When she got there her 35 year old patient was dead, the cause: Sugar. it is a silent Killer I am telling you! I think that it is dandy to have once in a blue moon but even once a week is probably too much. So, I am beginning my quest to be not sugar free, but sugar-less/more that none. :) I can have one serving of FHE treat a week and that is it. Plus if I go on a date I can have a little bit of sweetness because that could be rude to Delcine.



My definition of sugar: anything with sugar added (yes, I know that fruit and veggies have sugar but it is good sugar) , brown sugar and sweeteners included. I have a few exceptions... honey, agave, jam, berry syrup, and juice as in 100% yummy juice (I hardly drink it any way).

My biggest temptation will be Brownies, wish me luck!!!!)

Seminary

Hi friends! it has been a long time since I have blogged. It has been a long crazy week. For seminary I have recently started working in the special needs class. It is such a great experience! Sad news... one of my favorite students from that class is moving, Thursday was her last day. Her name is Barbara and she is super great. She has a hot pink wheelchair and pretty black hair. Her smile is the cutest thing ever! If you'd ever say something to her she would repeat it back in the same tone that you said it, only, a little more excited if the answer was yes, and less excited if the answer was no. There is one word that she does not repeat. If you say sing then she smiles, sits up, and shouts "hooray! Yes! Yes!" then she shakes her head back and forth while she waits for the music. I case you could not tell, she loves music While we would sing, she would sit and listen until she could catch word. She would sing that word with all of her might and then wait for the next familiar word. When the song was over she would clap and shout for joy and enthusiastically yell "again! again!" One time this happened and our teacher, Sister Robinson, said, "no we are done for now, okay Barbara?" Barbara's smile quickly faded, she looked down and deeply sighed. The whole class felt their hearts melt. We promised a song at the end and Barbara's smile slowly came back, she looked up at sister Robinson and said, "okay". We felt our hearts melt again. It was so touching to see. I am already so grateful for this seminary class and the experiences. I will admit that I fell into the worlds way of thinking that these youth are different. But now I see that they are the same as me. They all have different personalities with hopes, dreams, sorrows, passions, likes, dislikes, and they have such strong testimonies. I have been touched in so many ways. I still have the rest of the semester to work with them, so I am sure that you will be hearing a lot more about them. I will miss Barbara, but I know that she will bless lives where ever she goes.
Student of the day: Barbara. super great, loves to sing, great smile. favorite song: Choose the Right. loves to rock and high five.

So... I am officially done with my college applications! yeah! I am so excited, I can kind of breath again. I just hope that I don't start slaking in school because I am pretty much done being judged by colleges, my transcripts are in! Want to read one of my essays? I thought so.

Essay #1:

“Please write a brief biographical sketch about yourself. limit your response to 300 words”

I was born in Provo Utah while my dad was a BYU student, and spent my first birthday on the BYU campus. Shortly after my dad graduated from BYU my family moved to West Jordan Utah. When I was six we moved from Utah to New Mexico where I was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. When I was nine we moved to Michigan. In Michigan I was the only active member of the church in my school, so there were more than enough opportunities for me to test and strengthen my testimony. We moved around in Michigan for four years until my dad lost his job. Following a year of searching, he found one in Utah and we have not moved since. I have moved nine times in my life. As a result, I am excellent at working well with new people and ideas. I have eight siblings, one on a mission, one leaving on a mission, and another in college. When I was 16 I got a job to earn money for my future education. I ended up using much of that money helping my brother and sister with their missions. I enjoy learning and serving others. I have always loved nature. Hiking is one of my favorite things to do and I am always up for a new adventure. I am known for my positive attitude and contagious smile. I am a hard worker and dedicated to doing my best. When I set my mind to something, it gets done. The most important thing about me is my love for and testimony of my Savior. I know that He lives and loves me and wants the best for me