Well, this is awkward..

SURPRISE!
I'm {still} home...

Today marks 1 week since I had my SECOND knee surgery… and a little over 2 weeks since I was supposed to head back out on my mission. For anyone that’s interested or slightly confused, I thought I should explain. Here’s an update:

I was completely cleared medically, both by doctors and PT to return to my mission on August 10^th. 2 weeks prior to my departure date, I was running around the track (which I was cleared to do) and finished my workout with some of my Physical Therapy strength exercises. While doing a very simple jump series, I heard a pop in my knee and everything buckled. I struggled to walk home and was in a good amount of pain… but I refused to believe that anything major had happened. A week later, I went in to see my doctor and he was nervous about the pain and lessened stability of my knee, but couldn’t tell for sure what was wrong. I got an MRI, and brought the images back the same day to see what was up. The diagnosis was a little unclear on the specifics, but it was unmistakable that I had a new tear in my medial meniscus, and my ACL also looked partially torn. Either way, surgery was required. We scheduled the operation for August 14^th, 4 days after I was supposed to enter the MTC.

It's been a whole 7 days... and the surgery went really well! I am feeling good, and other than a good amount of swelling and bruising (see pic below..sorry it's gross) I am okay. I can get up and walk around a little bit without crutches or anything, so THAT is awesome J After going under anesthesia, the doctor did some tests and confirmed that my ACL was torn badly enough to need a reconstruction. They took out my {non-original} original graft from the first surgery, and replaced it with a “new” one. (The second graft was from a cadaver, hence the “ “ around new hehe) 

My projected recovery time is another 6 to 8 months. 

The whole process, again.

 Sooooo, at this point… I had some thinking to do. 

As is normal with any new, unforeseen change in plans, my mind was racing. What did this mean? 

Was this a test of my perseverance, resiliency, and determination to serve a mission? 

Or... could there possibly be something else that God had in mind? 

As a naturally independent, driven person, my immediate thoughts were “well, of course this is just another test! I passed the first one after having to come home and wait 6 months to go back out… even when other factors came into play once my return date got closer. But, I pushed through once… so I should be able to do it again, right?” Along with that, I thought about my desire to serve the Lord as a full-time missionary. Of course that is something that He would want me to do, he already told me that when I first left, so why would anything be different now? Serving a mission is a wonderful thing, a worthy cause, and would be an incredible experience that would benefit my life and future family… so why wouldn’t it make sense to go?”

The week before my surgery was one that I will never forget. I knew I had to find out specifically and directly what the Lord wanted me to do... and I was the only one that could figure that out. I stepped back from everything in my life; all of the distractions, people, opinions, and decisions... and I turned to my Father in Heaven. I believe strongly in personal revelation, and know that because our Heavenly Father loves us SO much, he is willing to speak to us directly and candidly. Especially when we open our hearts and mind to have that conversation.

With that belief, I spent each morning in prayer, and would continue throughout the day with my mind open to receiving a response from God. I gave literally everything I had to know Him and what He desired. I am learning how to recognize the promptings of the Spirit, and in this process have learned that the Lord speaks to each of us differently; however, it is always in a language that we can understand. Throughout the days of fasting, asking for Father's blessings, and attending the temple to worship and ponder... I felt Him speak to me.

And when He did, it was unmistakeable direction. 

Sometimes it's hard to know just exactly HOW to recognize the voice of the Lord in our life, especially when trying to discern between two good things. But this time around, His words were clear to me: 

The mission that He requires of me to fulfill is...at home. 

I’m sure at this point, some of you are curious as to what the heck THAT means for….. ma life plans? I’ll tell you. Cuz while I am learning that I am definitely not all-knowing, nor do I have even the slightest idea on why certain things happen… I know who does. God has a hilarious sense of humor sometimes, but He has got everything figured out!! He is in control, and He knows exactly what is in store for my life. The Lord has accepted my desire and willingness to serve Him, but He is going to use me somewhere else. I submitted my will completely. I opened my heart. And the Lord has shown me what I need to do next. I have to believe that the blessings that await will be even better than I could even imagine.

current pic of ma pretties... yay for bruising, and yay for recovery!

The toothless grin

Let's talk about a kid with a missing tooth. Most likely, it hurt when he lost it… bonked his mouth, the tooth got yanked out, probs some blood and tears. For awhile afterwards, the kid must walk around with a giant, gaping hole in his teeth. The salty taste of drying blood is a constant reminder to the trauma-to-da-mouth he just experienced.

(…gross...)

It must have hurt a lot when he went sliding full speed into the counter, even though his mom told him to take his socks off in the house. And yeah, it probably was kinda weird adjusting to feeling a weird hole in his mouth where his old tooth once was. The whole process of losing a tooth is painful, and then there's the terrible waiting game of watching the new tooth grow in…. boooo.

BUT…
have you ever seen a kid with a missing tooth? Better yet, when he is smiling?

His smile stretches from ear to ear, and his eyes shine with triumphant joy. With the initial pain and shock of the tooth-losing process long forgotten, the little boy cannot wait to show everyone his missing tooth! I'm not talking about a specific child necessarily… but have you ever seen a kid who's NOT showing off his toothless grin?

(Just tryna paint an image here…)

Maybe he liked his baby tooth, and wasn't exactly planning to part ways with it… BUT, this kid took a painful and embarrassing and unexpected situation and ROCKED IT. Now, I'm not advising that all kids should go sliding face first into kitchen counters. But what I am saying.. is if YOU are going to accidentally (or not) find yourself in a not-so-pleasant situation, remember the toothless grin. The little boy may have been sad at first to say bye to his baby tooth, but now he is proud of his battle wound and eagerly awaits the growth of a bigger, better "big kid" chomper.

Sometimes the tooth-pulling biz of trials and setbacks ain't no fun, but you are one tough cookie for getting through it! Whatever your trial or goof-up is... give yourself some credit! Then after the self-help pat on the back, try and (honestly…) look on the bright side. Be proud of your toothless grin, or any other battle scar you may have gotten. More often than not, you can't change your situation. But you sure as heck can change how you THINK about it. Then when you do, you just might surprise yourself when you actually find some good that comes from it.

Here's my example story: *feels..you've been warned*

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Tough, independent, and all-knowing Brie enters the mission field. I was motivated. excited. focused.

-grit your teeth and flex your bicep for effect- 

Here's some of my "legit (dramatized)" thoughts before and during my training at the MTC:
"dang, this is kinda hard." ----> It's okay cuz I'm tough!
"hopefully I won't get homesick…" ----> psssh, I'm independent, i got dis.
"Learning spanish is going to be hard, and being an effective teacher? even harder."

----> duuuuude, I am ALL-KNOWING, remember?!

so obviously, I was ready to take on anything in the world.

Except… a reality check.

A two short weeks after the commencement of my training, I had an accident. I'll spare you the details, but basically, my tough, independent, all-knowing self was just a leeeeetle too much of all three. We were playing soccer… crazy close game, tied up with a few minutes left. Teammate takes the corner kick, and sends it flying through the air, right in line for me to make the best goal in the history of missionaries. ---------> Jump and land goes Brie!!!!!!……..

SNAP went my knee.

It wasn't quite as smooth as that rhyme, though..

Two weeks later, I was on a plane headed back home to the states.
On March 12th, I had emergency surgery on a torn ligament and two other important things in my knee. My complete ACL reconstruction/2x Meniscus repair surgery took about 3 hours… and the recovery?

6 months. 
at home. 

no walking for a month, and then 5 months of trying to get my strength back. 

Lots of sitting…waiting… definitely NOT on my mission.

"not exactly what I had in mind."

I'm sure that's what the little kid was thinking too before his counter-smacking-tooth-losing scenario.

(sock-skating and soccer bicycle kicks seemed like good ideas…)

I get that sometimes things just happen with no real explanation… but in my case (and the kid), the consequence was a direct result of a voluntary action. Honestly, I don't think that's what God had in mind either. He didn't MAKE me play soccer, or force me to hurt myself. He definitely knew it would happen, because as His children, he knows us pretty dang well. But he also loves us sooooo much, that he allows us to make our own choices. And sometimes, we make less-than the greatest choices, and have to deal with less-than the greatest outcomes.

#agency #weallhaveit

But GOD, our loving… kind… forgiving… and gentle Heavenly Father, will take all of the crappy times, sad times, and unfortunate events -even the ones that are our fault- and He will work all of them together for OUR GOOD. (D&C 98:3) Even when we goof up, make a stupid choice, and all that… He can and will use it to shape us and turn it into something grand. Preeeety awesome, I think.

The other day while reading, I came across a quote about pain and trials that caused a really cool "ah-ha" moment. It says:

"No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude, and humility…It is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come [to earth] to acquire." -Elder Orson F. Whitney.

Similarly, Elder Robert D. Hales has said:
"Pain brings you to a humility that allows you to ponder. It is an experience I am grateful to have endured…"

whaaaaaat?! mess-ups and boo-boos and and uh-ohs are good things? … I actually think I agree with that. I hurt my knee, returned home from my 18-month mission after only 4 weeks, and instead spent the summer in the states learning these weird things called "life lessons" that, looking back, I couldn't have experienced anywhere else. I also made sure to have some fun too…cuz I mean, why not?

SIX friends got married… and my sister and I planned (and ran) a bridal shower, wedding reception, and a co-ed baby shower.  I celebrated my 21st birthday and ate the best cupcake I've ever had. I went on THREE road trips and read EIGHT books. We completely organized the inside and outside of our house, garage, and backyard (All in like a week… just sayin) We had a family reunion with all 5 of my siblings and their families, something we haven't been able to do for a few years.

You see, God took this really unfortunate, frustrating, crud-bucket situation and said, "Okay, this'll work… Let's have her learn these lessons [here]." And that's what happened.

I really wish I could explain it better, because I have grown SO MUCH. 

I've learned to be tough and resilient, yet gentle. I've learned the value of family and the blessing of maintaining relationships. I've grown to see more of the eternal perspective of my life, and as a result, God's Presence has been even more real to me. I am more excited, more motivated, and more prepared in the right ways to finally serve as a missionary. I've learned that it is not about me... It never was :) It is about showing my Father I love Him by loving and serving His children. It's definitely still a work in progress… but I'm realizing that progress is the point! 

In less than 30 days, I will be RETURNING TO THE MISSION FIELD. Back to the Peru MTC on August 10th to finish my training (and avoid the soccer field…) then on the 25th I will fly to Cochabamba, Bolivia! 
ASNLDJCN IDJSLKJFLSDH:SALKJ!!!!!!!!!!!! GAAAH I'M SO PUMPED!

Thank you so much for your support, encouragement, and prayers. I have felt your genuine love and concern. By the time I leave {again} for my mission, I will have been home for 6 months. 6 months that I was NOT planning on turning out how they did… but then again, I'm so grateful that I'm not the one in control. Remember the car driver I talked about in Episode 6 of my Reality TV Show? (blog post #5)… yep. He's still drivin. Re-do's, plan B's, and second chances give us a unique perspective and strength that God can help us use for the next crazy turn that Life takes us on.
Next stop, Bolivia!!!




Before….

…After!

Dear Dad:

Thank you.

Those are two of probably the most overlooked and under-used words in the human vocabulary.
Right up there with "Brussels Sprouts"… (except those words can stay overlooked… dem veggies are gross).
BUT in an attempt to increase awareness regarding the neglect of these two words of appreciation,

I shall say them again.

Thank you.

"For what?" Well, for a lot of things. Thank you for the money, the clothes, and the permission to drive the car. Thank you for my cell phone, paying for my gas, and taking me out to eat. Oh, and thank you for paying for my college tuition, books, and a place to live while at school. The monetary contributions are VERY much appreciated…so yep, thanks for that.

but, don't worry, I promise I'm grateful for more than just the financial perks. (and those perks are preeeety sweet)

"Life lessons from Dad" have come in various forms… late night talks, early morning breakfast chats, before or after too many sporting events. It's always been about "the principle", and you never let a potential learning opportunity go to waste. Now that I'm older and out of the house (well, not currently… but ya know) these "life lessons" and the conversations in which we had them are some of my most cherished moments.

Me and you are a lot alike. I mean, like personality traits n stuff.
We enjoy the same hobbies, play the same sports, like the same food…
shoot, we even order the same meals at restaurants.
We brush our teeth the same, think the same, probably even look the same similar.
I love Momma with all my heart, (srsly mom, youda best!!) but ever since I was little I have always been a

daddy's girl.

Basically… 
I love you a lot. 
Not just because we are a lot alike (that IS a plus too, cuz I think I'm pretty cool)…but because of SO much more. 

I love you because of who you are. 
And because of who you are, I love you because of what you have taught me. 
You are a provider, a mentor, a role model. 
You are a fighter for all things good, and will stop at nothing to ensure the safety of your family, both physically and spiritually. Through your example, I've learned to be gracious and respectful, stand up for what I believe, and laugh at my own jokes. I've learned that dedication and drive for a worthy goal will help you accomplish it, no matter the sacrifice it may take to get there. I've also learned that above all else, serving other people is the most important thing we can do to enrich our human experience.

So, to close… I will end where I began.

Dear Dad:

Thank you.

Thank you for…

Protecting our family.

Encouraging me to be brave.

Showing what it means to have integrity

Allowing me to struggle, even if it sometimes hurt you to watch.

Laughing at my jokes.

Saying you are proud of me.

Whether you're working in the yard, singing in church, or making omelets for breakfast… In everything you do, I am grateful for a Dad like YOU.

Sincerely,

you're biggest fan.

LET'S HAVE SOME FUN THIS WEEK!!!

(Simmons Family Reunion Coming Soon… #simmonshomeforsummer)

Happy to Take Out the Trash

It's pretty much expected that once it starts raining, you will have one of two emotions:

"look how pretty it is... I love the smell of rain!" OR "agh CRAP we left the garbage out and now its soaked...."

Can you imagine the two scenes? 

The first is a nice cute little girl frolicking through the rain puddles in cute polkadot gumbo boots havin a grand ole time enjoying the rare change in climate. The second? ...stinky, wet, garbage. And all the other negative poopy words and emotions associated with it. (there's that word poop again..) 

siiiiick.

Well anyway, yesterday we had some rain. I was expecting a "California-perfect-weather-always-so-I-guess-it-can-rain-a-little" type of thing. But really, it was a thunderstorm... a pretty good one too! Thunder crackin, lightning blazin, rain pourin type of storm.
For most Californians, the rain and moisture is appreciated. #drought2k15.
But, for THIS Californian *raises hand*, remembering it was garbage night made the rain nottttt so fun.

Good thing, necessary thing, but I was not a fan. I couldn't control it, and I was a tad annoyed. Me, Me, Me. "Boo rain, I don't want to get wet" "it's so winnnnndy" and other obnoxious complaints...

I always take the trash out; why can't someone else do it? 

(okay, I was home alone so no one else really could... but a girl can dream right?) 

I contemplated just staying inside, cuddling up in a blanket and watching Royal Pains. #NetflixFTW. Dad will come home eventually, so HE can take out the trash ;)
So I was obviously struggling.
Like... this was big time decision making: go out in the rain, or stay inside?

But THEN, I kid you not people... I had this crazy, weird, and extremely profound thought/realization/prompting... ya ready?

--------------> GET OFF YOUR BUTT and do what you gotta do.

... what in the world??

"Kay Brie, seriously? It's only taking out the trash..." 

After the way too major of an internal struggle, I put on my flipflops... left the comfort and warmth of my nicely insulated home, traversed the sludge and puddles, and lugged the trashcan down the driveway. 

And you know what? 

I'm so glad I did. (except I wore flipflops... that was a dumb idea) 

During the walk down the driveway and the return back up to the house... 

I stopped. 

I know it was only a quick trip to dump the garbage... 

but with the wind blowing and rain pouring, I marveled at my surroundings. 

I was caught in a rare, but blissful moment of clarity. I looked around at the dripping trees and dark sky... the same scene that seemed so unappealing before... but at that moment, it was So. Beautiful.

Not the calm, smooth, perfect type of beauty (doesn't exactly scream Thunderstorm)... but there was a sense of power. 

The power to Cleanse.   Purify.   Renew.

In the intensity and vastness of the storm, 

I was struck --not by lightning thank goodness ;) -- 

but with a resounding life application that seems to keep hitting home in my heart. 

Rain is necessary.

________________________________________________________________________________

In the midst of a sometimes stormy life, we are all given the opportunity to be cleansed. Many times we can stay in the comfort of what we know, and other times we just gotta go out in the rain. 

And sometimes the looming clouds above seem to practically suffocate you as you try to make progress, and you just can't see ahead. 

OR you wear flip-flops and are completely unprepared, so you get a little more wet than usual. 

But the beautiful thing about the rain--

the cold of loneliness, the soaking of a heavy heart, the longing for better days--

is the transformation that always takes place. 

The surface is eventually cleaned; the roots are nourished; all the impurities are wiped away.

New growth can begin, and along with it, a fresh outlook and perspective.

So it is with our life!  

You could be enjoying a warm sunny day of success, peace, and all things hunky dorey, and then out of nowhere some cloud decides to come rain on your parade. All your fans, support system, and confidence run for shelter, and at that moment, you have two choices: 

Complain about taking out the trash... or rinse off and clean up a little :)

Do you get what I'm sayin to you?????? 

Choose to be the little girl in the gumbo boots, and go out and play in the rain. Or if you don't feel like playing... just remember that the rain is necessary.

The sun always comes out again, and with it comes a new day.

"O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for all things whatsoever ye stand in need. Doubt not, but be believing... and come unto the Lord with all your heart..." 

Life is Good #yaysun #dork #funny #nofilter

Get Over It: The Driver is in Control

… it's been 6 weeks since my ACL/2x Meniscus Surgery… 

And I'm finally WALKING! 

Recovery has been great, and everything seems to be on track. 
Mr. Doctor said I have 6 more weeks then I can begin j o g g i n g and increasing the intensity of my workouts. The first week of June I am scheduled for another follow up, where hopefully we can start the process of getting cleared to go back out on my mission! (As of now, we're not exactly sure what that process is… But it involves medical clearance and the O.K from church leaders). Still no soccer, but I think I'll be okay with that ;) 

The initial shock, frustration, and downright lameness of having to come home has worn off {i think}. Next, enter "So, Now What?" phase.  Every day I went from the bed to the couch to the computer to the couch then back to the bed. There was also some laying on the floor staring at the ceiling until my eyes glazed over. 

You may be thinking "Omgh that sounds like a dream to just do nothing all day…everyday…with a few days more of nothing…" but it wasn't. 

Okay, I'm dramatic… 

Really, I had plenty of things I could do that substantially added to my bed-to-couch-to-bed routine. Reading books, watching shows, playing the piano… So, what the heck had my panties in a wad?
----------------> I am a very independent, driven, forward-focusing person. 
Oh, and I like being in control. <--------------------

Just ask my mom about my 3 year old self asking to switch parent/child roles with her so that I could be in charge instead of her... But, when I tore my ACL--ironically trying to take control, this time in a soccer game-- everything changed. The past six weeks, I have felt completely… Dependent. Unmotivated. Dwelling on the Past. Out of control. Complete opposites of how I've always lived my life, everything I've identified myself with.

Can anyone say mid-life crisis? 

{Minus the mid-life, but add the drama} 

Gaaaaaah! It's HARD to give up control. It's HARD to accept that sometimes there is nothing I can do. And, it's REALLY HARD to admit that I don't understand everything. {namely, why certain things happen, for example} It's been painful, embarrassing, and all sorts of lame… But it's also been "good". I have a feeling that  these shenanigans are going to be preeeety beneficial to my growth, and ultimately, my life. *sighs*

Because here's what I've decided to do about the hard stuff, lame stuff, and the stuff I can't control:

Get over it.

In the wonderful words of the beloved Disney Princess Elsa… Let it go! 

Cuz in reality, aka life, there is only so much we can control. What I thought I had planned isn't turning out quite the way I hoped… Get over it. 

If you are someone like me who tends to base your entire existence on the "control" factor, it can be pretty eye opening when you realize… God doesn't work that way. Our purpose isn't to figure everything out, then carry out our life according to our plan… we are here on this planet to try, make mistakes, and recognize the Master's Hand throughout the journey. He is in control.

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Story time:
{I call it, the "Drive of Life" hehe} 

We are the backseat driver. We think we know exactly where to go and how we should get there, and we have a lot of things to say to the Driver. 
"Turn Left!"… 

"Jeez, why are you driving so slow?"… 

"I don't see the point of stopping here… can we get on with it?" 

Occasionally, the Driver will let us make the decision--because as the backseat driver we obviously know best--but sometimes, the Driver will completely ignore our suggestion and instead take a turn He has chosen. We may be confused and/or frustrated at this new change in course... we can't see how the Driver's turn could possibly make sense. (We're backseat drivers, we know everything!) Except, the Driver has not forgotten our end destination. The Driver has the map… He's been there, He knows what he's doing. 

Sooooo moral of the story, let's not be the backseat driver. Maybe we don't know exactly where we are going, or why we made that pit stop… but get over it, will ya? 
We aren't in control… The Driver is.

Yeah, I can't do a lot of things right now. And I guess you could say I made a little "pit stop" in my life with this whole injury thing. But while still trying to read the map and figure out where to go, I've decided to not stress too much... I'm letting My Driver take control.

Allow God to be the Driver of your life. 

He has our life in His Hands, so let's have faith that He knows where He wants us to be, 

and He will help us get there. 

Once you can do that, simply sit back and enjoy the ride. ;)

Part of that "not stressing" involved a quick weekend road-trip with my daddy-o to Utah! Complete with Spanish church audios, reading and acting out my sci-fi fiction novel, and singing our hearts out to Kelly Clarkson. Definitely a road-trip to remember :)

Erin aka 1st place Heptathlon winner at BYU aka best friend

Marlee's Engagement + Rita's Gelati = Happiness

Crying becuz it rained on us… but also cuz
SARAH in the flesh!!

Find beautiful people and
make them be your friend. That's what I did

So, Now What?

"What do you do all day?" "Are you bored?" "Are you going to go to school, or work, or anything like that?" --being interpreted as: 

"What are you doing with your life? Anything?" 

…Well, yeahhh…. I was planning on doing something with my life, thank you very much. The next year and a half or so anyway... I was going to be a missionary; not just someone who professed to believe in Christ, I wanted to flood the earth with the knowledge of Him. For a year and a half, I was planning to devote every thought, action, event, and purpose of every day to finding people who are looking for answers. Answers that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings.
That was my focus. 

Fast forward to now. 2 and a half weeks post surgery… I can't carry my own food to the dinner table.

(crutches:1 brie:0) 

I can't sleep through the night because my knee aches, cramps, and expresses its frustration with being hurt; I can't do any activity for an extended period of time because I get tired; I can't even kneel down to pray at night, so have resorted to standing on one leg and trying not to fall over when I close my eyes. Guess how much fun it is to walk everywhere on crutches, using a backpack to carry all your stuff? Not very.

Really though, the physical recovery has been a breeze. 

It's the mental recovery that has taken the biggest toll.

That itty bitty voice prompting me to call it quits in my soccer game was probably definitely right; that adds a fair share of guilt, knowing that my injury was self-induced. Every time someone asks (with definitely good intentions) what I do with all this extra free time and how I fill my days, it opens up a whole can o' worms --or emotions-- and the feels start comin out, usually in less than pretty eye leakage. sore subject? yep, a little. 

I am bored. Out of place. I want to be useful, productive...

K PAUSE. pausa. parece. halt. 

By now... you're either shaking your head in dismay, or you're annoyed by my obnoxious "feel bad for me" vibe. Frankly, I hope its the latter because I'm annoyed too. 
I only brought it up because this past week or so has been a tad of a toughie. It doesn't matter how many books I read, movies I watch, or desserts I eat, there is still something off. I had a good 2 or 3 days when I felt downright crummy for myself. With a long list of suggestions to stay busy and zero motivation to do any of it, it makes for the internal battle of a lifetime. Then I realized.. 

"hey! It's aiight homie. Everything is going to be okay. When weeks are tough, you are stressed for no reason and just reaaaally feel like poop, that is okay."<---inside-head-self-talk… I don't say poop in public ;)

Can we just take a second and think about how incredible this life really is? I mean honestly… cliche comment here we go: Life is a gift. 

and a pretty awesome one at that.

Usually we have an idea or a plan for what we want in our lives, and usually they are good, worthy goals! Then sometimes it may feel like your "gift" wasn't exactly what you put on your wish list… but just like those handmade socks your grandma gives you every christmas, you realize that "gift" may not be all that pretty, or something you weren't really asking for… but it is tailor made for YOU, unique for your situation, and loaded with endless opportunities ever heard of a sock bun?. 

Your "gift" is something special, if you choose to see it that way. 

the gift of a sock… gift of life… sock bun…endless opportunities… yeah? 

Gosh I'm hilarious.

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let's be real folks; 

I'm just an abnormally normal 20-something girl and {sometimes} I don't have any idea what I'm talking about. BUT, I have decided that in the midst of adjustments, set-backs, let downs, and "blah" days… I'm on a search for happiness.

we could all use a little bit more of that ^

Sometimes, that happiness is found polishing off an entire pint of ice cream with a good chick flick and enjoying every second of it. Other times, that joy will be found in the realization of so many wonderful lessons, opportunities, and blessings. It's obvious that some days are really super great, and other days are kinda on the lame side. And that is A-okay, because the highs and lows are the things that truly make life what it is: 

a gift.

eat some chocolate, take a selfie, and have a good day. you deserve it. 

Grateful for the Little Things

WOOOOOOP!! (say it with me.. come on, nice and loud) WOOOOOOP!! sometimes it's nice to just get a lil crazy and let out some emotion. For me, the wooooop sounded a little more like AGHKEJSUDHLJF… yeah, try and figure that one out. Mix a growing dose of cabin fever with a fairly high pain threshold paired with some drugs, I really don't know what I'm saying anymore. 

Anyway, hi there! Thought I would post an update regarding my status post-surgery. The big day was Thursday, March 12th and I was at the hospital pretty much all day. For all you medical peeps out there, they used an autograft from my hamstring to make a new and improved ACL ligament, and repaired my medial meniscus via sutures. They also found a wittle surprise when they got in there and had to cut out part of my lateral meniscus cuz it tore too. --i know fútbol got kinda crazy, but really Brie?--

mom and me pre-surgery!

home post-op..
pretty drugged

Before

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and

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After

Today I saw the doc again for my post-op-take-the-bandaids-off-give-me-a-lollipop-appointment. except I didn't get a lollipop :( He took the surgery suction sock off and all the bandages, and gave me the go ahead to take a shower! no more sponge bath for me! 
it's the little things, folks.

Disclaimer: the following content may be inappropriate for children (or those acting like children) 

Graphic images included, viewer discretion is advised.

hey that's me! poor lil knee...

self-disintegrating stitches! they make those?!

Sorry for the orange hue of ma leg… 
couldn't stay away from the self-tanner ;)

























Because they repaired my meniscus (stitched it back up rather than chop it up and take it out) that is good for the long run, cuz I'll need all that cushioning in my knee for the next long while of my wonderfully active life! Only downside is the month-long non-weight-bearing rehab.
^aka no walking. "armpit bruises for days!" sincerely, crutches.
BUT that's okay! Cuz after 4-6 weeks I can start walking… then I can start biking and jogging… then before I know it I'll be able to do anything! --except maybe play soccer. or teleport.--

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One of the many blessings of being slightly immobile is learning to be grateful for the little things.

Here are some things that may seem little, 

but I am sure as heck grateful for em!

-food-making skills. you go mom! Keep doing mom things, because all that 'mom'ing is really helpin me out.
really though, I can't even fill up my water bottle and take it to the couch myself…

-disney movies. do you realize how much do-good-be-nice-be-happy stuff is in those shows?! Big Hero 6 has my vote right now. Watch it on Norco and you'll like it even more.

-down time. I know it's only been a month and a half since the injury, but I am really likin the "forced to sit down and just BE" lifestyle. it's amazing how many types of roses you actually notice when you take the time to stop and smell them.

Referring back to the opening word of this post...

 WOOOOOP!!

that's what I said when I opened my email inbox this morning… Missionary Monday means emails from all my fellow mission buds! I have a lot of friends who have been out serving for awhile now, but this particular week hit me hard... Because of my Peru MTC friends. They left for their individual mission fields last week… and I would have been with them. So, without getting into the juicy deets and feels (that was my last post) I'll just tell you that I was more than excited to read everyone's update about their first week out serving the Lord :)

thanks for sending all those prayers up to the Big Man for me… they were felt on my end, and definitely heard on His. I am in good hands… I am on the road to recovery!

Thank you Chinese Fortune… you know me so well.