I've been reading article after article about love and marriage and virtue on lds.org. At first I just wanted to clarify something, and then I couldn't stop; there were just too many good links. It's like Youtube surfing, Mormon-style. Nothing is getting in the way of my hopes and dreams of Happily Ever After. Nothing. I'm so blessed to have a best friend (or boyfriend, if you like) who respects me and has the same goals, in terms of marriage and purity. I don't know what the future holds for either of us, but I know that when we meet again, I will look him in the eye, no regrets. Except perhaps not appreciating him enough. But that's something I can work on now.
On Wednesday, I took the day off uni to accompany the best friend to the dentist, to have his extra wisdom tooth removed for his mission. Because he was such a brave boy, I surprised him with a cuggly teddy bear, some L&P and some mushy food like Le Rice and Up & Go. Apart from the pain that ensued when the anaesthetic wore off, we had such a wonderful day. The tooth extraction ordeal was finished by 10.30, so we had the rest of the day to spend together. We went shopping with his family (where we bought me a new jumper and three dresses! D:); watched the first two episodes of The Mentalist, Season 5; blew bubbles with his little sister, though the wind blew more than we could; invented our own rugby game; made a video diary and video messages for a friend in America; and had a delightful little pickernick at the Temple before Institute (religion class).
Anyways, I haven't done an outfit post in a while, so I'll just grab some more pics off my Instagram (sariah_x).
Valleygirl jeans, thrifted shirt, Rubi loafers, Equip necklace and Big W cuff bracelet.
I wore this on my first day back of uni after our midsemester break, which went far too quickly! It was one of those outfits that I just felt really good in, and didn't need to keep adjusting throughout the day!
Thrifted Temt skirt/dress, gifted Target shirt, Rubi boots, Equip rings and necklace, Big W bracelet.
I turned this dress into a skirt, since it was too short as it was. I adore the soft colours and the pretty floral print, and I'm loving my new boots!
I had a presentation in Sociology of Youth and Childhood this week, so I decided to wear my 'Forever Young' t-shirt and my Converse ultra hi-tops, which I bought secondhand for $4 years ago but have hardly ever dug out of the closet!
Factorie jumper, Cocolatte dress.
The jumper the best friend and I bought on Wednesday. I know it's coming into warmer weather, but it was only because it's American and so is he. And it was $5, down from $50 so I think it was just meant to be. The dress, though you can't see it very well, has light grey and white stripes, and was also $5... which is why I bought three (including one in plain grey, and one pink-and-white-striped).
Well, I've just started reading Agatha Christie's Poirot books, and I want to finish the one I've started and get enough sleep for General Conference tomorrow. By some small miracle, I have the day off work, so I can attend the Saturday sessions at our chapel. I have so many things to work on, and so many areas I need guidance; I can't wait!
Two of my favourite things, and I wore them both today. :)
I bought the boots yesterday, a bit of an impulse buy as I was searching for a birthday present for my brother's girlfriend. Luckily, I've cleaned my room during the uni break, so I actually have a spot to put them!
Rubi shoes Brodie boots, $15.
Oh, and I also bought a new cuff bracelet, and lost one of my favourite rings somewhere whilst shopping.
This week (starting from last Friday) has been rather wonderful. Temple baptisms, EFY training, Church with the best friend and his family, fireside, lots of extra work shifts, new friends, two whole days with the best friend, mission prep class, finishing the best friend's mission papers, four-leaf clovers, family time, Skype dinner dates and Preach My Gospel study, ward conference today and so much more.
We found SEVEN four-leaf clovers! We can well and truly cross that off the bucket list now! :)
We're not very good at getting both of us in photos.
He is so silly, but he loves taking photos of me.
So after my shower, when I quite closely resemble a drowned rat, he stares at me like this and says, "You are so beautiful." asfkjagljsl. <3
Speaking of best friends, I really want to improve my relationship with my little sister as she is, after all, my birthday buddy. Today we started a little diary with letters to each other, which I suspect won't last very long but it's a start. At any rate, we're both focusing on being kinder and more patient with each other, because it has been pretty hard lately, which becomes a bit of a problem when we share a room! I just want her to be able to look up to me and know that I am always here for her. She is so beautiful, but she's at that stage where she doesn't even know it yet. Well, I don't know if you can really call it a stage, because some people never learn how wonderful they are, but I don't want her to end up like that. I want her to know it and show it and help others around her feel it about themselves, too. I know I'll need to be praying a lot for help with this, but I know that it's possible. After all, "I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13). :)
Lately for university, I've been reading up on the commercial exploitation and sexualisation of tweens, particularly in terms of dress and appearance. I was thinking about this as I walked into work, and I saw this girl, probably about 11 or 12, walking past in the teeniest top and shorts you can imagine. It barely covered anything. I just automatically kind of rolled my eyes to myself, feeling even more depressed about the state of the world and the products that are shoved in the faces of young girls through the media, whether they like them or not. In that moment, I felt like the most horrible person in the world. What if she had seen my expression? What if she thought I was laughing at her, at her style, at her brands, at her body? I'm sure she already has enough pressure to be perfect; she doesn't need any more of it. No matter what she is wearing, she is still a beautiful, precious daughter of God, and I wish I had made her feel like that.
Today I was blessed with so many reminders that Heavenly Father knows and loves me. He sent so many friendly faces and embraces and little joys to make me smile. And even though I realised I had lost my phone somewhere at uni when I was already on the bus home, He put so many blessings in my path to be able to just hop off, find it and get home safely, including bumping into my older brother on the way back up to uni, who stayed with me while it was getting dark. Then it was home to a delicious, warm chicken dinner, a loving family and a short but sweet email from my brother who only just left on his mission on Monday. And to top it all off, now I'm just sitting back, listening to newfound, soothing music as I wait for a Skype date with my best friend. Life is good.
I can't find a song to describe my current feelings, not even a Taylor Swift one. What even is this. All the words that I had planned to write have flown out the window of my mind and I have nothing.
This time of year, this weather, it always has a strange effect on me.
Faces and places fill my mind and empty my heart till I forget who I am and I feel things I didn't know that I remembered. But this time, it's different. All I can think of is your eyes and your smile and your hands in mine and the freckles dancing on your nose. There's too much light in the thought of you to let in any of the darkness that usually envelopes me. The warm, nostalgic breeze that usually taunts me is just you, running your fingers through my hair like you always do. The loneliness that always eats away at my soul is only missing you for a little while, before we meet again and you sweep me up in your arms like you haven't seen me in years. The tainted memories are replaced by those we haven't even made yet: walks on the beach and swimming when it's hot enough for you to convince me to come in the water, pickernicks in our secret spots, road trips, lazy afternoons reading, dancing in the park, and I don't even know what else. You bring music to my life, while the others made me forget the words to my own song. We might not end up in the same place, but there's nothing you can do to turn our friendship bitter. Even goodbye will be sweet, because you are so pure, so good, so strong, and the world needs what you have to offer. I wouldn't give you up for anything less than your honest, faithful desire to serve the Lord. I love you, best friend. :)
Well, I'm not sure where all that came from... awkies. Photo time!
YSA Bollywood themed ball, with the best friend and his cousin. He looked oh-so-handsome and I barely wanted to leave his side the whole night.
Just being silly with the best friend, modelling my new dress. :)
*oh dear, I just noticed that it looks shorter than it actually is in the bottom right-hand photo... it's down to my knees, don't worry :)
I felt really pretty on Sunday. On the inside too, I mean. It's such a wonderful way to feel :)
This song says everything that I wish I could help every single girl in the entire world understand. You are a princess, and you are destined for great things. One of the reasons I've chosen to study social work is because I want to help people, especially women/girls, understand that they are of infinite worth. No one deserves to believe any less of themselves.
Sometimes I feel like this song and it makes me want to cry.
But whatevs.
I was so pleased when I found this paisley button-up skirt for $3 at an op shop a while ago, but I hadn't worn it until the other day. Everyone told me how nice I looked, and a random girl in the bathrooms at uni told me she loved it. I love it when strangers compliment each other. I guess we're all brothers and sisters, after all... I wish that meant we were all automatic friends, too!
I feel like I got a lot done today: a sleep in, scripture study, research and 1000/1500 words for an ethics essay due next Friday, journal writing, chill time with the fam bam and a leisurely stroll as the sun went down. Since about 8 pm I have been wasting time on the Internet, of course, but I think my productive day makes up for it a bit. :)
Earlier this afternoon, I was going through my computer and deleting luv0 photos of myself when it occurred to me that if I died suddenly, those photos might make someone laugh or smile or cry or just remember me. I didn't want to take that away from them, so I stopped culling them ;)
"She's the vaguest person I know, seriously."
Vague
Sounds so empty, lost
No purpose, no meaning
No
She told me my name was pretty
and excitedly showed us the soy pig ear she bought for her puppy
She kissed me on the cheek good bye like old friends
even though we had barely met
She exclaimed with joy at the sight of a cloud
mid sentence
As I smiled to myself and looked up,
I noticed how the colours blazed like fire
so we warmed ourselves
by the light of an orange sky
on a biting winter afternoon
and I felt inspired
by a stranger in another world
who I now consider friend
No
Vague is not the word
Ethereal.
---
President Monson tries to learn something from every single person he meets. Everyone has something unique to teach us, but sometimes we just have to reach deeper and search harder, perhaps within ourselves, to find it.
You have a physical body, housing that eternal spirit. Your spirit is more powerful than the weaknesses and temptations of mortality.
You have talents, gifts, abilities and potential that are a product of your divine nature, and the choices you've made before this life and on this earth.
Who and where and when you are is no accident: you have a purpose.
Attended the best fireside with Elder Hamula (our Area President) last night, and this is what he reminded us. The Spirit was so strong there and I just felt so inspired and motivated and capable. I love love love having so much truth in my life; I need to share it more!
The night before, I was at a smaller fireside with Sister Linda Reeves (Second Counsellor in the General Relief Society Presidency), and afterwards when she was meeting all the sisters there, she came up to me and told me I had a beautiful smile and dimples, which she'd noticed while she was up on the stand. Aww. Some people are just full of so much goodness and love. :)
Well, I'd better go get ready; the best friend is coming over again today. I am so proud of him and all his mission preparation. He's going on a 24 hour mission tomorrow... I still haven't decided if I'll be "waiting for him" or not ;)
Many people ask the question, 'Why do bad things happen to good people?' but all I can really think right now is, 'Why do people do bad things?
Sometimes I feel down about the evil in the world, about the hate and lies and selfishness that exists all around us. But then I think about how my Dad just came and gave me some of the pizza he just made when I got home from work, hungry. And how my best friend rushed home after he finished work last night, changed into a suit and tie, heated up some food then drove all the way to the Temple just to have a quick dinner date with me when I came outside. And how customers at work call me 'pet' or 'sweetie' or 'hun'. And how people smile back at you as you pass on the street. And how young men give up their seat for women and elderly people on the bus. And how a people slow down for other drivers to cross over into their lane. And how strangers offer to share umbrellas when it suddenly pours. And how parents take time to teach and encourage their children. These are just small examples, tiny acts of love, service and humanity. But they make all the difference in the world.
The other day the best friend and I visited the Museum of Contemporary Art in the city. Neither of us consider ourselves particularly 'arty', but I think that made it even more interesting. I suppose it did get a bit tiresome hearing him say, "I don't get it" all the time, but we still had fun exploring and learning together. I don't have many photos from the museum because, being the goose that he is, the best friend took more photos of me than of any artworks or scenery.
This was made from aluminium cans the artist had collected.
This was one of my favourites: mirrored strips hanging from the wall, sending ripples of light swimming across the floor.
Another of my favourites. I just loved the different shapes and sizes and textures and designs and the way the shadows overlapped and multiplied across the wall.
After the museum, we had lunch (Tuna Subway and a chocolate frappe from McDonald's) and bought some shoes for me, because I can never seem to have enough.
Black open-toe wedge heels, Rubi Shoes ($5)
One of the most amusing features of the day was the best friend's skinny jeans, and his self-consciousness about them. He has never, ever worn them before. Luckily for him, they weren't too tight because otherwise I would have made him change anyway. :P Actually, I made him change anyway, into outfits assembled by me hehe. He wasn't too pleased with modelling them but he is such a good sport. And at least he walked away with some free shirts (I gave him some of my ones he tried on). Besides, he knows I love him no matter what he wears. :)
This one makes me laugh so much. Don't worry, he was only posing like that as a joke.
Shirt: Abercrombie & Fitch, thrifted
Jacket: Jay Jays
Jeans: April 21
Shoes: Kmart
Sunglasses: Cotton On, $2
(we bought them when we bought my shoes)
Jacket: Jay Jays (I have a matching one :D)
Checked Shirt: Glassons (borrowed it from my sister)
Thrifted shirt, $1.
Another thrifted shirt, $1
After dress ups, we had a dance party in the hallway, had din dins, then watched Merlin episodes till 1 am with Daddy-o. Needless to say, we were tired the next day so we just chilled at home, watching more Merlin episodes, looking up old favourites on Youtube, eating lunch all rugged up in blankets, wrestling, riding scooters around the back deck, pretended we were magic, etc. It was so sad to watch him leave in the afternoon, but I got to see him at Institute that night, after his mission prep class. :D
The Old Testament class I usually attend was really good last night (Isaiah 29); we talked a lot about the Book of Mormon and the last days. There seemed to be a lot of people away, though. At least I didn't feel bad for sticking by the best friend's side the whole night (usually I have to tear myself away so he can have time with other people, and so I can talk to my friends/others who need me). We are so silly sometimes. We made shadow puppets on the projector screen that the teacher had left on. We invented a special way to hold hands. We played tag as if we were the only two in the room, weaving through people and chairs like they were just part of our game. Sometimes we are so childish and probably seem naive to others, but when we talk about the gospel, when we read scriptures and pray together, when we discuss our plans and our goals an our dreams, when we think about how to help our friends, I know that we aren't really. I realise how blessed I am to have someone who takes me as I am and who knows he can be himself around me. We don't pretend to be anything we're not (except sorcerers and sandwiches and dragons, etc. of course).
We sat on a cliff, surrounded on all sides by the bush, the beach and the city. It was one of those rare moments when it was just us and the world. Us above the world, really. We stared out across the green, blue and brown view, dotted with buildings and vehicles and people. We imagined what they were all doing, what they were all thinking, whether anyone would look up and see the pair of smiling observers watching them from above. He told me about a book he read when he was younger, where pigs flew but no one except one boy noticed, because everyone was too busy looking down. I thought of this talk, "It is better to look up." It really is. There is so much beauty in life, so much joy to be found in the simple things, so much peace to be felt through Heavenly Father's love.
Kissed by sunshine on a cool winter's day.
He is so goofy and silly, but he is mine (for now).
Happiness.
Raindrops began to tickle our faces and speckle our clothes, but still we stayed, wrapped in our picnic blanket and each others' arms. Everything was so magical and pure and alive. We never make foolish promises like forever, but in that moment, I almost wished we could. Only the setting sun and a mother's insistence that we be home before dark could drag us away from our special place.
I love you and as much as I wish I could keep you for always, I'm so excited for you to go. Just promise you'll remember.
Be Alright by Justin Bieber.
Ah I love this song so, so much.
I haven't seen my best friend for a week, and I miss him so, so much.
Thankfully, he's currently on the bus to my house and I can hardly sit still. I love that even though we've been friends for over two years, we still get so excited to see each other.
Well, I'd better go make myself presentable. Even though he thinks I look beautiful no matter what (because he's a goose), I still like to make myself look nice for him. He deserves that much :)
Well, I haven't posted in a while. Today has been a bit of an icky blicky day, those ones where you don't get up till it's nearly afternoon, where you have the tickle in your throat and runny nose that signal the beginning of a cold, where you spend the whole day inside in your pyjamas wasting time, missing your best friend who you've just spent the whole weekend with. On a positive note, when I checked my uni account this morning, two of my assignments had been marked, both High Distinctions :) :) I've been so blessed this semester and though it didn't feel like it at the time, when I look back I realise that I really did work hard, which is why I was able to have so much help to do everything. It went so quickly, though. One week of holidays has already passed and while it has been nice to relax and spend time with the best friend, I really want to accomplish things this month. I don't even know what yet. I need to set some goals.
I have bought way too many clothes and shoes lately, which is terrible considering I have no money nor space to put them. Here are some of my favourite purchases:
Cotton On tie bottom, buttoned midi skirt, $3 from an op shop.
Temt floral knee-length skirt (actually a dress but I'm converting it), $3 from an op shop.
Cream woollen bobble jumper, $1 from an op shop.
Jay Jays black PU jacket, $13 from eBay (but postage was about $12 :/).
Floral tie top from Kmart, $3.
Burgundy knit top & brown and black striped sweater, 2 for $15 from Jay Jays
Cotton On blue and gold lace top (to wear over a black shirt), $5.
Chunky white watch, $3 from eBay.
Green oversized blazer, under $5 from Kmart.
Brown Rubi boots ($10), tan Jay Jays brogues ($5) and Rubi grey high top sneakers ($5).
Brown satchel from Cotton On, $5. I also bought a black one too, but the handle broke so I had to just tie it up. Luckily it wasn't expensive in the first place.
These are only a few of the clothes and accessories that I've bought over the past little while. I haven't even been working that much, so I should probably try to save up more money for next semester! Well, it's probably time I got off the computer, because I need to be around people. My family is amazing, I need to appreciate them more.
