wait, what day is it?

i have decided that i'm basically the worst blogger ever - ALREADY! the posts are so spaced out, but that's okay:) i will get better, i promise!

life is absolutely crazy right now. it's winding down to the final few weeks of senior year and teachers are bombarding us with last minute assignments and tests!! ahhhhh :p my stress level has peaked and my face has the wonderful grodies to prove it! (every girl's dream, right? nasty zits after stressful situations... uhh not! so unfair, seriously) but other than that ;) life's been great!

my missionary has been gone for ONE MONTH and 12 DAYS! ummmm... where did that time go? it was probably the longest yet fastest, hardest yet happiest, most stressful yet peaceful month of my life. since the day i met him, he's never been out of my head. ever. so everyday... in every way, he's been here:) i miss him so much, but the moments apart only help me realize how precious time is together. this past Tuesday he left the MTC to enter into his reassigned mission; Colorado Springs! i was a little worried at first when i heard he'd been reassigned to the states, because he was SO excited to go to Brazil, but of course he said that as soon as he heard it was Colorado, the spirit testified to him that that was where he needed to be. since my Elder Cook has been gone, i've received 6 letters from him plus an envelope full of flowers:) cutest thing ever! his letters made my week 100000x better. his p-days were on friday in the MTC, so they usually would come on saturday, or the following monday depending on what time he'd write. he learned so much and had the opportunity to be a district leader and a zone leader while there too!

he is doing so well and absolutely loves being out there. i'm so grateful for his example to me! he continues to strive for righteousness at all times and in all things, and in all places.

here are a few pictures of him while he's been away:):

Elder Talbot (left) & Elder Cook (right)
two of my best friends found each other
at the MTC:)

Elder Cook (left) & his first companion
Elder Hall (right) at the doctor's office.
Elder Hall was getting physical therapy
on his shoulder!
















he looks so grown up already:') i can't wait to see what Heavenly Father helps him become. he's going to be one extraordinary man♥ i love him so much.
__________________________________________________

life events from march 6 - april 18:
1. got all my letters:)
2. hung out with a lot of friends
3. hung out with joe's family (A LOT)
4. little sisters baptism
5. farewells galore!
6. march 26 was joe's birthday! i sent him a fun package:)
7. went to hawaii for spring break! April 1st-8th; it was absolutely beautiful. i wanna go back!
8. visited pearl harbor

9.  visited the dole plantation
10. visited the polynesian center
11. CONFERENCE! YES!
12. ONE MONTH DOWN!
13. swam with dolphins! no big deal;)

it's been crazy, but it's been fun. even with all this time passing, and all the events happening... i have this quote that i try to remember even when the days get hard:

Don't count the days, make the days count!

pff, i still count the days ;) only 687ish more to go! BUT.. the point is... time goes on and life goes on. you have to make the most with what you've got. don't let anything hold you back. besides, all good things come to those who wait♥

Called to Serve

my best friend left for his mission today!! he entered the Provo MTC at 12:30 pm :) my heart is so full of love yet completely torn because this means not being able to see him for two years. i feel like the only way i knew i could let him go was because this church... The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints... is TRUE!!!! there is no way to doubt it. i would not let my best friend, my whole world and life, LEAVE me for 2 years just to preach some doctrine. And he's not just preaching any doctrine, he's preaching THE doctrine; the true and full restored truth and my missionary is worthy enough to serve. i am SO PROUD of him! i've never been happier or more terrified in my life. people say time changes things, that love doesn't last - can't last - through a time like this, but i'm here to say ~ it's FALSE. i know without a doubt in my mind that i will wait for him:)

i will wait for him because he is everything i have ever wanted. he is everything i have ever needed and i cannot imagine life without him. maybe i'm a love struck teenager with huge plans that seem impossible. i don't know how to tell you what i feel, but i know that with the Lord's help, he will guide and help both of us become closer than ever before. 

this was the letter i gave to my missionary this morning, just a few hours before he left for the MTC:

Dear Elder Cook,

You don’t even know or realize how many lives you've changed, how many hearts you've touched, and how many people look up to your Christ-like example. Your spirit and personality is adored by every single person who knows you, and I am especially grateful that the Lord placed you into my life when He did. This year was truly the greatest of my life, and it was all because of you. Thank you for the memories I will hold in my heart forever… thank you for being my best friend and for loving me even with my countless imperfections. You will be dearly missed, but the places you go and those whom you serve will be extraordinarily blessed by your presence and incredibly strong testimony. I know that the Lord will be by your side constantly because you are a valiant servant. He will send the angels to guide and protect you if you continue to give this mission all of your heart, might, mind and strength.
I love you and I will miss you. But most importantly… I will see you soon♥

Here's to a New Beginning...

my name is Myranda Thurman. i am currently 17 years old and i will be 18 in May. i have a crazy passion for photography, so i made this blog to share my own images, but also to turn it into an "online journal," if you will. the images posted will hopefully inspire and spark memories of your own (in ways which i see through my lens), and the random life stories in-between will be written from the heart ;) i hope you enjoy what i have to share.

within the next few months, i will embark on a whole new journey! Senior Year is coming to an end and after that it's change, change, change! it's time to grow some wings cause i know momma is bound to push me out of the nest anytime. honestly though, i don't know how to feel about it. growing up? i remember being little and saying i wanted to grow up, but now that it's here.... i want a refund! i want to run bare foot in the sprinklers again and sell lemonade until i make my fortune; $5.00. i want to sleep outside under the stars with my best friends just to wake up smelling bacon cooking inside. i want to close my eyes and dream the dreams of castles and fairy's and princesses until i actually believe i'm there. i miss being a kid, ya know? i miss feeling safe; like there was nothing in the world that could ever tear me down. now, thanks to society and lack of human empathy, a young woman such as myself- or young man - is expected to be something they're not. needless to say, it's all kind of overwhelming and hard to deal with, but i have to believe that everything will be okay somehow. 

as for the first post of this newly established photography/journal blog, i won't bore you too much with highlights about me or anything like that right now. i'm going to assume that you will make your own judgments and figure my personality through the way i express myself on here. i just hope to keep you entertained and that you enjoy the blog as much as i know i'm going too! 

♥M.N.T

ps- these are me! straight hair-fyi takes about an hour to achieve. the natural curl, about 5 minutes ;) also, one more thing. a personal habit nonetheless, i don't capitalize my "i's," or really anything for that matter. have you noticed? hope it doesn't bother you! ;)