A letter from my former self....

October 18, 1998
Dear Maegan,
Well I am told to write a letter about my hopes and aspirations for the future. Hopefully you will have lost some weight by now! Well anyway I hope you actually graduated from high school and made plans to attend college. Right now I am having a great time with life trying to have as much fun as I can before I have to start saving up for college and a car. I am excited to move away from home and move on with my life! This is my first year in high school and it's difficult but I think I will get used to it. I hope at 18 I will have a positive outlook on life and those around me.
I hope when you are reading this you have a really cool job like at the Gap or something. I hope you are making enough money to buy a nice car and perhaps you will have a cute boyfriend. (or a nice one) I also hope that by now you have a little idea of what you want to be. Me and Jessie have been talking about opening up a karaoke bar. We've planned it all out...I do hope you still plan on having kids eventually and make time for them. That is one quality I admire in my own mother. I hope you find a great guy that is strong in the church. As far as the world goes I wouldn't be surprised if when you are reading this there is a huge world war. I hope you are growing your hair out too. It looks pretty strange short. Well one thing I am trying to realize is that you could die off the world at anytime but you will live in heaven forever so take time to acquire a good home and lots of friends so that when you die and lose your worldly things then you can still have a happy eternity. Live righteously everyday as if that day determines your place in heaven whether it be a mansion or a Motel 6. Remember live faithful, have fun, and don't fall.
<3>

PS I love Aaron Christensen and my friends right now are Jessie, Kara, Brindee, Jyl, Shelece, Sheryl, Jennifer, Stacie, Becky, Emily, and Jenny.

So I found this letter today when I was cleaning...deep cleaning! It was a church assignment and it was meant to be read when we turned 18. I thought I would share it since it cracked me up to read about what my priorities were nearly eleven years ago! Things have definately changed...

Jersey Girls...

Lately I have been planning a trip to San Fran, Vegas, and the Grand Canyon with three of my closest girlfriends. I am so excited about the trip but the planning has got me thinking about my life before I met these three amazing women. At twenty I moved across the country to a city called Upper Montclair located just twelve miles from Manhattan. I moved in part to satiate my spirit of adventure and have new experiences. I knew that would happen moving somewhere all alone and to location so close to so many different cultures, events, and people. What I was not expecting was to come away so different than when I had arrived.

Growing up I was never a super social person. I didn't really like large groups and I think I was even a little unsure of myself. Someone made a comment me to me recently about how I am able to talk to anyone and make them feel comfortable. Man if this person would've seen me five years ago! Awkward, quiet, insecure...I also had very few close friends growing up and I keep in touch with an even smaller amount now!

I guess my reason for writing this is to recognize my fabulous New Jersey friends...From them I learn to have close relationships, I learned to serve and be served, I learned who I was and even better about who I want to become. Mostly I learned that no matter where we all end up we will ALWAYS have each other and even since moving away I always feel their immense support for me. I believe these relationships were not built by happenstance and that they have changed me for the good. I'll never forget the first time I hung out with them we made Sunday dinner together. Jill was giving me crap for being "one of those Utah mormon girls". Or the many times RiLee and I would have sleepovers and stay up late chatting like teenage girls. So many conversations with Shandis about life and watching her become this phenomenal mother that she is. Jenn and I and the weekend trips back and forth from Utah and Idaho. So many memories!

I am so GRATEFUL for them and I am so excited to spend time with them this summer camping, hiking, walking the Golden Gate Bridge, seeing the Hoover Dam and being with my ladies...well at least three of them. (Three can't make the trip) Someone once said that we become that with which we associate...I would feel honored to become even close to the caliber that these women are. I am blessed.

More pics....

This is my amazing "Julie hug"....

This would be my moment of innapropriateness with my friend Matt...

The ever-coveted "question game"...just for you Nathania! ;)

Food and Friends....

Thanks everyone who helped out to make this an unforgettable birthday! (My only regret was that my other roomate was MIA and I want her to come back soon!!!)

Have my cake and eat it too!!!...

So for anyone that knows me, I am not one who enjoys celebrating my birthday....can't explain it I just don't. This year I figured I was pretty safe given that I was in Utah for my birthday and my family isn't one for celebrating either....boy was I wrong! Apparently here in California, birthdays are not just a day but a whole week and if you are gone for your birthday never fear because they will get you on the other 6 days! This week has been full of free meals at great restaurants, flowers delivered to me (twice) and free movies with girlfriends. Oh yeah and did I mention since it is my bday week I got to control the radio in the cars, sit up front, and get my way! I have never felt so spoiled in my life and I am dreading next week where I will be forced to return to reality and abandon this notion that "it's my birthday so I get it my way!". Last night was the icing on the cake quite literally! My roomate and friend arranged to get me out of the house to pick up pizza from this new organic place that has GF pizza....when we came back my house was full of my california friends and a delicious GF spice cake made with love from my talented roomate. It was great to have so many people around to celebrate with me and I feel really blessed to have friends that care so much. Here are some pics although this is only from one camera so I may be posting more later!

I have been obsessed with Beyonce lately and I HATE that I am! I would never buy the cd for myself but now that I have it I am in love....

This is Brent seranading me on his "man-made" flying carpet with A Whole New World...It was pretty amazing...

A return to the list...

So remember the list I refered to a lot of last year? The list that was created in Junior High full of all the things I want to do before I die?

#45 Learn to Play Guitar

I have this great friend who is awesome. He offered to give me free guitar lessons so I feel like now is my time to get #45 checked off. No time like the present eh? My first two songs I am learning are Come Thou Fount and When You Say Nothing at All...I am so excited about this...I am not good at anything musical but I LOVE music and it is a HUGE part of my life...