The Clan.

Made by Daniel

Another cheesy post. Sorry, apparently I am feeling sentimental these days or something. This summer, I met some of the most influential people in my life. Most of them probably don't know and will never know how much they've been a part of me changing. And that's perfectly okay with me, because I think perhaps I was just a small part of their lives and actually, quite honestly, they were just a small part of mine too. But somehow they managed to change me and teach me so much in that short period of time. I guess maybe I was just in the right place for learning everything I did this summer, I really needed it or something.
It began in April/May when Camille and I started attending the local singles ward. I was terrified because I honestly thought I wouldn't make many friends and I'd just be the shy girl in the background like always. I was comfortable with my friends in Provo and it made me sad to have to leave them. Well, thanks to my lovely friend Julie, who everyone already adored, Camille and I were able to make friends and meet new people fast. I immediately loved everyone in that ward. Joe is just a cutie and he gives awesome hugs. He'd always offer to take me to movie night at Micah's, institute, or FHE. We'd sometimes end up having good, lengthy discussions about movies, the gospel, and whatever else was on our minds. Carlos is hilarious and he was always one of my favorite people to talk to when we'd get together. Dane was another of my first friends in the ward. He started getting people together to play Lava Monster at local playgrounds and it was supah fun. He plays it differently than I did as a kid, but it's actually way more intense. We'd go like once a week. And Dane was someone I felt like I clicked with pretty fast, I'm sure he clicks with everyone pretty fast though because he's just cool like that. He threw me a little birthday party when I turned 21. That's friendship right there.

Luiz broke my heart about four or five times but I am actually incredibly grateful that he did. Because of him I learned how to let go a little easier. Because of him I started a deeper friendship with Cody because I needed to talk to someone about it and Cody cared. Because of him I got to have an amazing conversation with Daniel that made me realize that Daniel is different. Luiz showed me some characteristics I learned I really don't like in a guy, and some that I really do like. He showed me that I had a lot to learn about dating because honestly, I knew nothing about it and I was doing it all wrong. Well, needless to say, things with us didn't work out. And I am so glad they didn't! They weren't supposed to.

Well, anyway, how the clan began on my birthday. I texted Cody and asked him if he and his clan were coming. This wasn't weird to me because my friend Jamie used to always refer to people and their "posses" or "clans" usually "posse" but I didn't want to try to text that so I just said clan. Well apparently Daniel and Cody thought that was pretty funny. So we started referring to their group of friends as the clan and it was kind of an inside joke. Daniel would pretend to be mad that I had thought Cody was the leader of the clan since he thought he was more the leader in the group. But it was just funny. One day we were joking about making an exclusive Facebook group for the clan so I went home and actually made it which was just supposed to be funny. Well as the weeks went by, we actually became a close knit group of friends and we referred to ourselves as the clan. We'd include more and more people and it got pretty big at one point. We started to hang out every night, or most nights anyway. We'd hang out at Cody's with tiki punch and Just Dance for the kinect, or we'd see a movie at the theater, we went to see "My Fair Lady" the play because one of our friends was in it, we went to the carnival for Fiesta Days, go on crazy hikes (well just normal hikes until Steven joined us, then they were crazy), and just tons of adventures like that. I seriously loved them all so much. :) Cody and I became best friends and we started considering each other as siblings. Bret and I would get super hyper and excited about everything. Daniel and I would have awesome 6 hour conversations. Things ended up getting kind of dramatic though, towards the end of the summer. So we all kind of broke apart and went our separate ways which was sad, but it was okay.

I guess now that it's all over, I really don't care to remember the drama or the tears. I want to remember that Cody gives the best hugs. I want to remember reading picture books with Daniel. And getting excited about silly things like bracelets and longboards with Bret. I want to remember Cody driving around in the huge suburban, me sitting in the front seat with full control over the radio, and Steven trying to climb onto the roof while Daniel, Cody and I freak out. Having shop cart races in Macey's parking lot. Lava Monster. Talking through movie night at Micah's. Searching Spanish Fork for fireflies and running around the golf course in the middle of the night. Just talking under the stars in the parking lot behind my house. Looking at the stars in the canyon while sitting on the suburban. I want to remember the llama fest and the summer sensation. Longboarding. Floriberto's at 1 am. I want to remember teasing Cody about girls and him blushing, or tickling his knee and him going crazy. Trying to take Daniel by surprise by saying ridiculous things he takes seriously. Bret's cute little giggle. Derek and his energy drinks. Oh yeah, giving Daniel lip gloss during institute and us laughing hysterically. Steven's hippie walks (going on walks with no shoes during warm summer nights is the best). Me, Bret, and Mariah standing up in Steven's car through the sun roof as we drove down canyon road. Making s'mores and watching 500 Days of Summer and taking photos with Daniel. Running through the corn maze with tin foil hats on our heads pretending to run away from aliens thanks to Catharine's brilliant sense of adventure.
I miss it a lot, but I'm so glad I got to have an amazing summer with those people. I hope Cody and I are like siblings forever and my will kids call him Uncle Cody.
I'm so glad I met Bret because he taught me to get excited about everything and he taught me how important it is to be decisive.

I'm so grateful for Daniel, and the friend he was to me and for how uplifting he and Cody were for me. Those boys strengthened my testimony more than they'll ever know. I'm sad I can't really talk to him anymore, but I hope one day we'll be good friends again because he was one of the best.
I'm glad I became closer with Julie towards the end of the summer. She was such an amazing example to me and helped me see what kind of person I really want to be.
I'm so glad I met Steven and that we've become closer because he is one of the best friends I could have ever asked for and he pushes me to do things like rock climb which I later find out I love.
I am so thankful for all of the people I met this summer and for all of the adventures we went on. I'm so glad I learned what I did so I don't make those mistakes again.
The other day, Jamie and I were talking about how this is a time in our lives for transitioning. We transition from school and work, from apartments to our parents' house, and we make friends and we lose them. The biggest thing we have to learn is to be okay with letting go and to be okay with change and moving on. So although I am sad to say goodbye, I will, because I know just around the corner other amazing people are waiting to meet me and other adventures are calling.
But I am so grateful for the people who made such a difference in my life in such a short time.
But I'm even more thankful for the people who are constant in my life. My family, Jamie, Stephanie, Matt, and Braden. It is really nice to have people who've shown that they'll love you no matter what.
Anyway, I should stop rambling.
Thanks for listening/reading. :)