13.1

so as many of you may know, two saturdays ago {june 8, 2013} i ran in my very first half marathon. and lets just say that it was an adventure. and a half ;)

the real question here is why in the heck would i be dumb enough to run a half marathon in the first place?  in january i recieved a text from my lovely cousin kelsea asking if i was a runner, to which my response was definitely not! she continued to ask me that if i wanted to run a half marathon with her in june. i dont know what i was thinking when i told her that i would, but it has always been on my bucket list so i figured why not, right? i had five months to train and things it was going to be great, or so i thought... running is hard enough as it is, but when its freezing, that just adds another level to the torture. needless to say, i only ran about three times until the middle of april. then i decided that i was in big trouble and should probably start running. so i ended up going like 6 times before the race? yeah.... who knows.

 

the night before the race comes... we pick up our packets and the nerves set in. what am i thinking? what am i doing? i am freaking crazy. thats about what my brain looked like. we were in bed and asleep by 9:30, which is pretty impressive for two teenage girls.

 

the next morning 3:15 came wayyyy too fast. we got up, drank some naked juice, and were on our way. as we reached the buses, kelsea looked at me and said "what are we getting ourselves in to?" um.... she's the one that dragged me into this. i was just along for the ride.

 

pre-race jitters

 

there were bathrooms and fires and a whole lot of waiting before the actual race started. they had pacers running the race and i lined up with the "i just wanna finish this thing" pace. the race started, i lost kelsea in the first mile, and things were going great up until just before mile six... im not going to go into details, but lets just say i ended the race with two blistered feet, a major side ache, and a bad case of stomach problems (all thanks to the naked juice.)

 

 

 

looking back at this experience, it makes me laugh harder than anything! i can say that i have ran a half marathon and i never have to do it again. call me crazy,and even though i couldnt walk normal for a week and my knee has been hurting ever since, but i will be returning next year and doing the race again. i invite you to join me! it isnt as bad as you think.

here's to training, running, and succeeding in next years utah valley half.

 

loves, britt

 

ps... i got another job today. a real one. yup. im a big girl now.

see ya later.

this week has been hard. i have had to say goodbye see ya later to some of the people i am the closest to. my sweet sister that lives out in new orleans and her adorable son, noa, flew out and surprised me for my graduation. i could not be happier to see them! and while all good things come to an end, their trip soon did too. i had to say goodbye to them on sunday night, and if you know me, you know that i was bawling uncontrollably. the hardest thing with this goodbye see ya later is that i dont know when i am going to see them next. they just finished their first year of law school at loyola university and still have two more years plus an internship in dc.

 

 

i love you so much tiff and ill see ya soon.

 

one of my very best friends for the past four years also left yesterday. after a quick temple trip on tuesday morning, we also said see ya later to elder jonathan david bradshaw. jonny has always been there when anyone needed a shoulder to cry on. he always was a great listener and always reassured you that no matter what, your father in heaven still loved you. the people of georgia are so lucky to have a man like him.

 

 

{dont mind how good we all look, it was early}

we love you elder bradshaw and we'll see ya in two.

 

one of the best things about having elder friends in the mtc is the packages!! emily and i both got packages ready for him and sent them off so he would get them the day he got there. emily sent him off a "greenie" package full of every single green thing that you could imagine, and me, being the dumb/never serious one, sent him off a candy bar "poster in a box". those of you that know me can probably imagine how much fun i had making this and how many times i said "why am i so funny?" and yes, i did send him mountain dew in the mtc... kill me.

 

 

 

i asked you to be completely honest and i appreciate that so much.

fun while it lasted.

 

i think that the biggest see ya later goodbye i said this week was to my life as a child. my mom called me an  adult yesterday and i almost peed my pants. i have known it was coming for a very long time, but i never thought it would actually make it here. im a big girl now, and in only 77 short days i will officially be out on my own and a freshman at southern utah university. i will paying for my own car payment, insurance, and even buying my own toilet paper! who knew it was so expensive??  

 

all the see ya laters ive said this week have only taught me even more that laughter truly is the best medicine. that getting things off your mind and forgetting about everything is the best thing one can do for themselves. that surrounding yourself by people you love and that love you can make even the worst of worst days become the best. i am so grateful for all the amazing friends i have (as seen in my last post) and for the love and support they give me. i have so many listening ears i can turn to. as for now, im just trying to let this all sink in and live up my easy life while i still can.

 

xoxo, britt.

 

two in one.

i know this is two posts in one day... but i didn't quite get all my feelings across in that last post of mine... i dont even know where to start. i am so unbelievably grateful for my friends and family. so this is to them, who knows if they're going to see it one day, but honestly that doesnt matter.

 

 

you see this beautiful girl right here? yeah, thats my best friend. her name is emily bradford. em and i have known eachother for a loonnnng time. we went to elementary school together, cheered at the same allstar gym, and cheered on the same high school team. regretably, this year was the first year that we became super close and basically inseperable. this girl means the world to me! she is always there when i need a listening ear and always willing to put me in my place, which happens more than i would like... :/ she always has a smile on her face and you rarely see her in a bad mood. you will find us creepin on some poor kids more often than not... its our favorite pass time!! :) emily is so motivated and dedicated to whatever she is doing. she puts her whole heart and soul into the things she loves and expects perfection. emily is a beautiful girl inside and out and i am so grateful to have her as a best friend! i cant wait to watch her cheer at byu this coming year! go cougs!!

 

 

kristee rowley and i have been best friends since third grade and have been through absolutely everything together. we met in our third grade class and clicked instantly ever since. even if there is time passed between us where we dont see eachother, its like we were together the entire time and we dont miss a beat! between our hallmark movie nights, taco amigo runs, and chasing after boys, this girl has become so so close to me. shes always there as a shoulder to cry on and makes me feel loved no matter what is going on in my life, she always takes time from her busy schedule to come talk to me when i really need someone and i appreciate that so so much. kristee has always been the best influence in my life and i look up to her so much! here's hoping that she remembers me when she gets called as the next general relief society president.

 

 

rylie elder is my go to party girl. i can always rely on having a good time when she is around! i met rylie cheering at orem high school. i am so grateful that we got so close this past summer and have shared all the memories that we have together. there is honestly never a dull moment with this lovely lady around and i love her to death. she has taught me to not care what other people think and to always be you no matter what. she is an incredible girl and i am lucky to have her around!

 

 

 

jonathan david bradshaw has been one of my best friends since my freshman year. jonny and i have shared lots of laughs and tears. so many times have we spent on hour long phone calls or drives around talking and talking. this kid was called to serve in the georgia atlanta spanish speaking mission and leaves in just a few short hours. i am going to miss the stern looks of disapproval and the words of wisdom keeping him in line. jonny taught me that you dont need to be embarrassed that you love the gospel. he showed me what it was like to wear your religion on your sleeve and stand for what you know is right. he has been one of my biggest examples through high school and i look up to him so much (just check out those heels!!) im gonna miss you elder! see ya in two!!

 

 

this gorgeous girl is my amazing sister, tiffany bascom lunnen. she has been there for me through everything. she is honestly the best big sister i could ever ask for. she is so caring and absolutely loves life. her creativity shines through in everything she does. when she does something, she doesnt just throw it together, its always extravagant and over the top, but thats why we love her. ever since she got married six years ago, i have realized how much i love her and how grateful i am for her in my life. tiff, you are aboslutely amazing. i love you to death and i can wait for my next trip out to new orleans to visit you!

 

 

 

and this, this kid, is nathaniel curtiss widmer. he is probably the sweetest person you have ever met in your entire life! he is so genuine and kind to every person he meets. i dont think i have ever met a person who is more happy and optimistic than he is. nate is a complete mountain man. im pretty sure that if he had the choice, he would move up to the mountains and live out there for the rest of his life. he is often found hiking and riding his motorcycle. nate has shown me to love nature and take advantage of what god created for you. nate is so loving and and so sweet. i honestly dont know how to put into words what i think about him,,, hes just perfect and i am so glad that he was out in my life the time he was. its crazy how things work out sometimes...

 

i have so many more great friends that i could give shoutouts to, but as for now this is it. i seriously have the best friends in the entire world, not like im biased or anything, and i am so grateful for each and everyone of them and the life lessons that they have taught me. im grateful that each of them were put into my life and the footprints they have left behind. my only wish is that as we grow up and grow old, we will all stay in contact and always be the homies that we are. here's to the memories we've shared and the many more that are to come!!

xoxo, britt

 

 

 

 

 

 

class of twenty 13.

as i sit here in my bed thinking of all the things that has happened in my life the past couple months, i am overwhelmed with emotions. there are so many changes that have already happened in my life and there are still so many to come...

as you can tell by the title of this post, i am now a graduate of orem high school. how did this happen? how am i this old, you may ask? well, to be honest, i ask myself the exact same thing every single day. how did i grow up so fast? when i look back and think of the seniors my sophemore year, i always thought that they looked so mature and so grown up, and when i look at myself i still see a baby. don't get me wrong, i am more than ready for this stage of my life and could not be more excited, i just dont understand how in just a few months i will be moving out on my own and off to college, and even more insane how one of my very best friends is leaving for two years to serve the lord in just a few short hours. time flies when you're having fun!! ;) can't believe how grown up we are! just look at us cuties...

 

and by far my favorite picture of them all....

 



 

 

i love my best friends and am so incredibly proud at the decisions they have made for the future. i think about the chances that i have to see all the kids in my senior class ever again and realize how slim they are. it's crazy to me to think that you never will see the kids that you have spent the last 13 years going to school with. i am so interested to see where life takes everyone and who ends up where.

 

as for now, im trying to make my last summer, before the real world comes at me full tilt, as memorable as i possibly can. i have so many plans for this summer and can't wait to fulfill all of them.

 

i know that my writing doesnt make sense all the time and jumps from place to place, and who knows if anyone actually reads this thing of mine, but sometimes all i can do is try to write my feelings out, just to get them out. thanks for the followers that are still actually there. i would love to promise that i'll write more, but i know that this is a total lie. if you wanna know about my life, you know how to get ahold of me. xoxo britt