Two Sides...

In my very first blog post I told you how there are two side to being the youngest, well here is another one for you:

When you are the youngest, you have to watch every one of your siblings grow up and leave the house. And although it means more hot water in the morning, it is also very sad. Not seeing someone everyday really does make you appreciate and love them more. My older sister Sarah and her husband Tony packed their bags and left for Illinois yesterday for a whole year! Now don't read this and think that they were still living at home, but it was still sad to say goodbye... I guess it always is though.

But like I said earlier, there is always two sides to every story! The benefit of having your siblings move out... is that you get free lodging wherever they have decided to flee to! So far I have been able to visit: Hawaii, Calgary, Victoria, Arizona and soon Illinois!

So Sarah and Tony, I hope you are ready for a visit from you favorite little sister!

Nicknames

Growing up as the youngest of 7, I must say I have had my fair share of nicknames. From those one would expect, such as Hannah Banana, to those I don't even understand, such as Bush Baby!

However the cutest nickname I have been given has come from someone not older than me, it was given by my 2 year old nephew. This nickname is Hanni, and I must say that it has caught on quick, almost all my siblings call me it now.

But Oakley has not forgotten the rest of them though! We are now all known by:

Nate, Yaya, Noni, Katie (Oak can actually say her name), Bubby, Oel, and Hanni

Today was a Fairytale!

A few weekends ago, my sister and I went to the Young Women's Broadcast, and Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk "Your Happily Ever After" captured the heart's of everyone in the meeting!
My favorite quotes he said were:

"Isn't that what we all desire: to be the heroes and heroines of our own stories;
to triumph over adversity; to experience life in all its beauty; and, in the end, to live happily ever after?"

""Happily ever after" is not something found only in fairy tales. You can have it! It is available for you! But you must follow your Heavenly Father's map"

"Your wondrous story has already begun. Your "once upon a time" is now."

"And the day will come when you turn the final pages of your own glorious story; there you will read and experience the fulfillment of those blessed and wonderful words: "And they lived happily ever after""

Doesn't that just give you the biggest feeling of hope, love and excitment?

The Rest is Still Unwritten...

Truth be told, I have never been one for journaling. Year after year and month after month I would say to myself, "I will write in my journal everyday and record my life". Then day after day I would claim that there was little of importance to write about, and that it wouldn't matter if I knew this for the future.

I am quite disappointed in myself, I dream of having journals like my friend who could tell me what they did on any given date, or a novel like in "The Notebook" giving abundance of information about my life.

Lately I have been thinking about this, and have been trying to find some solutions. I have considered making an art journal, committing to blogging, and any other way to remember my days. But nothing seemed realistic or reasonable, or "non" time consuming. So, I have come to the conclusion that I will go back to the original ways, just a book and a pen, and hope that my story grows and grows!

I Sure Do Miss My Brother...

but it is hard to believe that in just 2 short months, it will have been a whole year!!

I Know It's Late, but...

Merry Christmas!

I hope you all had a great holiday season!

Heaven's in New York...

or at least my brother Elder Morales is!

My brother Joel, left for his mission in New York, New York South this past June. He will be teaching and finding those ready to accept the gospel for the next two years. I am so proud of him and he is such a great example for me. Selfless is the one word I would use to descibe Joel, he is always willing to put others before him and this will help make him a great missionary.

I also thought this post was quite fitting as there just happens to be a popular trend of writing songs about New York. Such as Jay-Z and Alica Keys, and I quote "Lets hear it for New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can't do. Lets hear it for New York, these streets will make you feel brand new, these lights will inspire you." Wyclef Jean has also been on board with his "Heaven's in New York".

My brother is doing something so great and so brave. He was willing to leave his family and friends to venture to the big city to preach to some who might not accept it. I admire him so much and I know that he is doing the right thing.