SO small.

Yes, it was amazing. Yes, I was really third row. And Yes, I am still singing Carrie Underwood. But that's not the most important part. Let me tell you a few things about this very day...

November 19, 2008.

From school, to running kids all over the place, squeezing in a few minutes here and there of homework, and a pounding headache- I was not ready for the night ahead of me. It was 4:55 pm. I had to be at Brock's house at 5:30 pm in order to eat and be on time to the concert. And at that moment. I crashed. Physically that is. My pounding head, burning throat, watery eyes, and congested chest could no longer function on a few gulps of water and a fiber one bar. I was physically exhausted.
I sat down for 30 seconds on the couch...yet we all know what actually happened. So of course, frantically I jumped up, quickly changed, gulped another glass of water (because like my mother always says, most the time when you think you're hungry- you're actually thirsty...) and flew past my mother in a mad dash to get out the door.

Fumbling fingers. Keys. Open door. Closed door. Keys in ignition. Nothing. Keys in ignition. Once again, Nothing.

In all the madness of my afternoon, I had completely forgotten how long that gas light had been on. (You all do it- or at least have done it before- admit it. The famous, "I can go a few more miles, the light hasn't been on for that long." Wrong. Don't try it.)

So it is now 5:25 pm. Anger is flooding through my veins. What am I supposed to do? I am going to make everyone else late. I ran inside, yelling for my mom. (Which, I have found seems to be the immediate response to any problem) I explained the short version- "I'm out of gas. What am I supposed to do? I'm supposed to be there in five minutes. I need your car." So selfish. She needed the car. Anger pulsing now through my entire body. Didn't she see how much I needed it? Couldn't she tell how important this was to me? (Selfish once again.) Yes. But sometimes the lesson is more important.

I will never forget her response.

"Well, this was your choice, and now you have to pay the consequence."

So, with her amazing patience and love, my mother drove me to the gas station, helped me fill up a gas tank and get on the road.

So what is the point? Yes, I was late. Yes, I had 3 friends anxiously waiting my arrival. But Yes, I learned a lifelong lesson that night. Thanks to a mother who never seems to stop caring, and teaching me. Thanks to a hero.

And it all hit me during the concert. I realized that none of that mattered after all- it all really was so small.

"When you figure out love is all that matters after all it sure makes everything else seem so small"

Take a minute. What really matters to you?"

A little piece of heaven.

THIS is what I have been waking up to the past few mornings...

And it never gets old.

the PERFECT treat.

Sometimes this is all I need...

...hot homemade doughnuts on a cold night

Sisterhood

Once upon a time, I lived in a house full of siblings, pets, new toys, bunk beds, Saturday cartoons, cream of wheat on late Sunday nights, hours of family games and all sorts of excitement. Once upon a time, I was a little girl with a big imagination. I was Cinderella, Julia Roberts, a veterinarian, a beautician, a ballerina- a dreamer. I shared a room with a cruel big brother, but I was content to play with my barbies alone on my shelf, for hours. I never knew just how much alone time I would get. I never knew that I would wish for the complete chaos that comes with a houseful of kids. I never knew that I would no longer be able to s k i p down the hall and sit on my sisters' floors, beds, or crawl into their laps. I never knew I wouldn't be able to sit cuddled up with my sisters and brothers as our mom read us Christmas stories. No, I never dreamed of my perfect life changing. I didn't know what the word change meant. I was an innocent 6 year old eager to grow up. Eager to wear the pretty makeup and own the millions of clothes my sisters did. It seemed like nothing came fast enough. I was always wishing I was older. Little did I know that someday I would be begging for those days back. L O N G I N G to be that careless little girl sharing secrets and making memories with her best friends: her sisters. However....I am not little girl anymore.

Now I am almost 18 years old, and preparing to leave this house full of memories. Getting ready to step out into the real world, all by myself. Now, my sisters are far from home, OUR home, and have homes of their own. And Now, it is almost my turn. But the thing about sisters is that no matter how far we are from each other, we are still best friends. I may not be able to walk down the hall and crawl into their laps for bedtime stories, but I can call them and talk for hours. I know my sisters are always here. And that is one thing that no one can take from me. No matter how far away we are, no matter how crazy our lives may get, we share a bond. A bond that can't come from anywhere else.

It is called Sisterhood.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Party

Preparations began LONG before the weekend.

Juli, Michelle, and Lisa had the party planned perfectly...with EVERYTHING we needed


A child's dream birthday...come true.

"Say cheese and I'll let you open a present..."


This comes a little more naturally :) silly boy.


The j o u r n e y to her dreams...


Even PRINCESSES get dirty sometimes

w e l c o m e FALL

UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY

So to kick off November, we took a trip to Utah State for the day. The three of us girls, me annie and katie.It was quite the experience. Lots of overly excited freshmen at USU..who were much older and cooler then us SOseniors (mind you, some of us were 18- the same age as the older/wiser/cooler freshmen...) however, it was well worth it. I am excited for college...a little worried about leaving my poor parents behind, but nonethless ready for the new adventure.

Besides that, not too much is new here. Just a typical day in the Henriksen Household...as a matter of fact- let me enlighten you.

A few example of the Henriksen Household.

morning prayer: Rachel. dinner prayer: Mom. FHE prayer: Dad. bedtime prayer: Rachel...and so the cycle goes. And that is only one day. Needless to say...we hear each other pray a LOT.

*Saturday Jobs.
[Job chart] 2008-2009.
* note: previously the house was divided equally among the children. NOWadays...it looks a little more lopsided.

Rachel: ENTIRE main floor.

Thanks! A clean house is a happy house

:) Mom.