Monday, January 13, 2014

New Blog

Just so y'all know, I switched to a new blog. Take a visit and give me a follow!

marley-kay.blogspot.com

(You may notice it's the same web address as what this one used to be. Trying to keep thing simple.)

Love always,
You're dreamer
Marley kay

Saturday, August 3, 2013

The Last Night in the Nursery

(I really hope you understand that reference. If not, please go watch Peter Pan.)

Well, ladies and gentlemen, I've reached the final evening of my youth. Tomorrow's the big day: I'm turning 18. The last few hours of my childhood are ticking away at an alarming rate as we drive and drive our way home from Lake Powell (which was absolutely fantastic, if you wondered).

So, a couple hours and a lot of miles ago in the Anderson Girl Car, Mom, our DJ, started crankin' up the t-swift playlist and "Never Grow Up" came on. I really don't know this song but Mom turned around and shot me a look because, hey, "never grow" up is basically my motto. It's one of those songs that make you all sad but so happy and nostalgic and stuff; not to mention  that my family has been constantly reminding me, much to my dismay, that my childhood will be over in a mere matter of minutes all. Day. Long. You could say I was feeling some degree of grief.

You have to understand that I've never wanted to be a Big Kid. I can probably count on one hand the times I've wished to be older, even then, the only reasons were privileges earned with age. Like, you know, dating and driving, and YW and stuff. I never planned my wedding or even had college plans after high school! (Until these last couple months that is. I mean about college.) I've never really known what i wanted to be when i grew up because i wasn't going to grow up, duh.

Year Eighteen was something that I watched happen to all of my friends and family thinking "whatever, that'll never happen to me," half expecting to be whisked off to Neverland any day now! Alas, grow-ups are officially uninvited from Neverland and unless some pixie dust arrives at my house in the next 2 hours, I'll be out of luck.

But I sure hope not. I hope age really isn't a number, because that's no fun. I hope age is just how you feel, because I don't really feel that old, and I don't really want to. Not yet anyway.

It seems like a lot of things come with Eighteen and Adulthood. Like, packing up and moving out and college and missions and apartments and bills and jobs that will pay them and scary things like that. I know it all won't have to happen all at once, but it still makes me a little sad to know my nearly careless childhood days are over.

The great thing is though, life is one big Adventure. And just because the childhood chapters are over, I still have a long way to go and a lot more adventuring to do.

As sad as it is to grow up, I guess I'm pretty excited. Tomorrow will come and I'll start a new chapter in my life's story book and it'll all be okay.

Adult life, here I come.



(Unless one of you is stashing some pixie dust, that is.)


Marley Kay
Your Dreamer

Friday, July 26, 2013

July Magic

Remember that one time when I said July had magic? (In that post about November?) Well now that it's July, I thought I'd explain.

July has this special summery adventure magic. Maybe it's because it's the middle of the summer month. You know, like, in June you were just settling in to summer and getting out of school mode and into summer jobs and fun and all that jazz. And then there is August which always feels kind of back-to-school month-- probably because it is. July though, July is that perfect middle moment where you're comfortable enough to be daring and adventurous and try new things and become a regular at the nearest snowcone shack.

Maybe it's because in my family, July is usually the month when we vacation. And it's almost always the month we go to Lake Powell. I won't gab too long about Lake Powell, but let me tell you something: this place competes very closely with Disneyland for the happiest place on earth. And I'm a huge Disneyland fan, so that should tell you something about how great it is. Infact, I'm posting this from the Lake Powell marina! So you could definitely say I'm currently the happiest girl on earth.

For as long as me and my parents can remember, I have always been obsessed with the sky. From sun rise, to sun set, to the stars, and the moon: I'll always have my gaze set a little higher than the average human being while I'm outside. On many summer nights you'll find me sitting on my porch or perched on top of my truck just to get a better view. There is just something absolutely captivating and indescribable about watching the sky work. I'd consider it it's very own kind of magic.

July is also the month of fireworks, at least in northern Utah county it is. (And hey, considering my obsession with the sky, this one's just an obvious infatuation of mine.) Between the 4th of July, Pioneer Day, steel days and all the other city celebrations, July is the month where every weekend you can find fireworks if you know where to look.

July is the month of patriotism. I mean, of course it is. America's birthday is this month! But I love how suddenly everyone is unified in the love of our nation. Because I love America, even if the economy sucks, or politics aren't exactly the way you wished. America is a miracle I think many if us take for granted on the average day. But not in July! (At least the first week anyway...)

The point is, July is wonderful and beautiful and everything a girl could ever need right now before she heads off into adulthood and stuff.

I'd say more but it's time to leave my wifi hotspot and get ready for the first night of bliss in Powell. So I hope you all have a wonderful week and finish off the month strong.

Go on an adventure for me, will ya?

Marley Kay


(your dreamer)

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Life Lately

Hey, guys. Guess what? I didn't fall off the face of the earth. Here I am! And here's life lately:

First off, I graduated!! whoohoooo!
On Thursday, May 30th me and 600 of my closest friends ("closest friends" being defined as the people I have literally spent the last 12 years of my life with) graduated from Dear Old AF High.
And here are some lovely photos of me and my friends and family on that day:
Me and the bestie.

The Fiends.

The Family, minus our missionary.





My Sr Trip took me to NYC! where i ate the best food in the whole world and walked the Brooklyn Bridge and saw 5 Broadway shows and went to the 9/11 memorial and stood in Time Square and got soaked to the bone in the pouring rain and walked through Central Park and took the Subway/learned about public transportation and ate hot dogs on the front steps of the MET where i had the biggest migraine and and and SO many other things. I'll spare you all the photos, but i will include a few:

Time Square.

The New York sunset from the top of the Rockefeller building.

New York in the rain.

The hallway of strollers in the Manhattan LDS Church building.

A lovely photo of The Lake in Central Park. Don't those row boats look fun?!

The largest piece of pizza i could find.

The friends who are more like family.

And to finish off, the NYC skyline.







Well, that's life lately, aside from Smoothie King, rodeos, concerts, and boating.
Sorry it's been so long.

Marley Kay

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Book Poisoning

Symptoms:
Insomnia, lack of appetite, mild paranoia, obsessive tendencies, mild loss of hygiene awareness, indescribable need to continue reading, etc.

Generally resulting in a physically and mentally exhausted state of grouchiness and poor nutrition.



More to come... Maybe. I have a book to attend to.

I blame you, Emily.



Marley Kay



Monday, May 13, 2013

The front porch

The front porch is a very important part of living.
The porch is where first impressions are made with the opening of a door and a hand shake.
It's where friends stop to talk a while on their Sunday walk, and some times the area they cover in chalk when you break your collar bone.
It's where you watch the neighbor's kids get in water fights in the summer and snowball fights in the winter.
It's where memories are frozen in the form of first-day-of-school photos, family portraits, and high school dance pictures.
It is where grandma brings you out a cup of hot chocolate and sits for a while when you have too much to think about.
And where you cry when a silly boy breaks your heart.
It's where you watch airplanes fly by, anxiously awaiting a shooting star so you can make one more wish.
And even where you get a fantastic goodnight kiss.
The front porch is also where you ponder a lot of things.
You watch the sun go down and the stars come out and you wonder what this whole life thing is all about for you.
You gaze up at those stars and clouds and the sliver of the silver moon that's still out at this time of month and try to calculate how far each one could possibly be from you.
(But then you remember physics class was last year and  you nearly failed calculus so you just smile and wonder anyway.)
You sit on that front porch and you evaluate your life, think about friends and family, and you grin because of all those beautiful memories.
All on the front porch--
It's pretty important, you know.

Marley Kay

Thursday, March 14, 2013

The love solar system.

Ever been caught in a love triangle?
Try multiplying it by two and a half.

There's this one guy, for metaphor sake, lets call him the Sun. And then there's Mercury, always in orbit just a little too close for comfort and a little bit... Hot headed with jealousy, let's say. Lets skip the next 3 and head straight to Jupiter. Oh, Jupiter. Stolen such a large part of the Sun's gravitational pull, but is Jupiter pulling back? That's the real question. (Probably, but Mr. Sun would never assume such things.) Skip a couple more and we get to Pluto.... Too far to get too much warmth from the sun, but an orbit so skiwampus (just go with it, ok? There's no way I could figure that word out today) that it happens periodically enough to keep sweet little Pluto around. And last but not least, the Comet. Definitely no one saw that one coming. And that Comet came out of NOWHERE. Surprised 'em all for a moment, I'll tell ya what. But don't worry, that pesky Comet will be out of everyone's orbit in no time, just wait a week and a half.

Oh how fun it is, that good ol' solar system.


"Um, no one. Wah-wah."
Marley Kay






Wednesday, March 6, 2013

i refuse to sink.

I keep typing out sentences and then deleting them. I don't know how to start this so I guess this'll have to do.

I know I'm not extremely talented. I know I have a hard time memorizing and tap is certainly not my thing.
I'm trying really hard, though. And even if I've missed AP Language a couple times, I'm still doing the best I can.

After all, I am surviving. At least I'm trying to, anyway.
I'm surviving by Monday emails and checking the mailbox and the empty Diet Coke bottles rolling around in my floor boards. I'm surviving by 4x4s and long talks with Morgan and learning how to filter and not filter. I'm surviving by 14 hour set builds and long drives in my truck and country music and smoothies all around.

But here's the thing:
I refuse to be the weakest link.
I refuse to let comments rip me apart.
I refuse to self-destruct.
I refuse to get sick.
I refuse to give up.
I refuse to let anyone drag me down.
I refuse to sink.

Because I can do anything that I want to do.
(And I want this really bad.)

(Look familiar? Don't worry, I wear it religiously.)


Marley Kay

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

dreams and doubts and whatever else.

I'm not really sure why I'm even writing this.
I'm not really sure if my world is flipping upside-down or turning just as usual.
I'm doubting a whole lot of things though... but maybe that's normal?
It's probably normal.
No worries, just figuring it out.
Heaven knows what my life is coming to.

(Dreamin' old dreams, wishin' old wishes.)





Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Hinges, car rides, and soup.

You know what I love?
Details.
(Yup, call me OCD, but I love 'em!)

Not just details in the painting or movie or whatever visual,
I love the details of people.
(Yup, I'm also a freakish observer. Surprise! Try not to get freaked out if you catch me studying things. 'Cause that's what I do.)

I love the way every time I see my Grandma she says "hi there!" With the same exact inflection and same exact smile, and how she sends a postcard from anywhere and everywhere she travels.
And the way my Dad's cheeks look like one of those little picture-book characters from the 50's when he smiles because he thinks he's funny.
Also, if you could just see the look on my brother's face before commits to anything. Even little things.
And my sister does this thing in front of the mirror every morning while she's getting ready. She makes this face, fixes something, and repeats until satisfied.

I love all the things people do when they don't think anyone is watching.
Picking fingernails, playing with their hair, rubbing their ankle, spelling things with their fingers, tapping feet...

There's this look she gets while she's thinking, and one that he gets before he states his carefully worded, but always strong opinion. One of his eyes opens more than the other. She uses her posture like a defense mechanism. He kinda goes "zombie mode" if someone isn't talking to him. She always watches you intently when you speak, but in a comfortable way. He hardly says a word but his entire thought process is written all over his face.

It's all the little details that create people.
The details that create that beauty.
There is beauty in a complete thing, like a person.
When you look at someone and take all of them in?
You take in their hair, and their clothes, the freckles on their nose, and the dimples on their cheeks.
You see how their eyebrows get all scrunched up right before they start to cry, how their smile pulls up higher on one side than the other, and the way their eyes wander when they're nervous.
That is what completes a person.
That is what makes them beautiful.

I read in a book once about "taking a picture with your heart."-- drinking in every last bit of a moment until it sticks with you.
Can I just say, I love that. And I really do it a lot.
One of my favorite things to do is to look through that album.
I take a deep breath and everything just comes... The smell of the room, the energy it had, the smile on their face, your view from the passenger seat, all of it!

There's nothing quite like reminiscing over the details of a perfect moment in time.
And sure, it creates all sorts of nostalgia, but hey, it feels kinda good. Because you really felt something. And it sure seems like as a society we are deadening ourselves from that. Turns out, it's pretty healthy to feel things, and react to them, in my opinion at least.

Take a deep breath. Breathe it all in for a second. Close your eyes tight. Let it stay with you. 'Cause those are the little things you'll wish you'd remembered.


Your dreamer
Marley Kay

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

speechless words

I want to write something beautiful. But I don't think I can find the words.
I know what it should sound like, though. It should have a "missing you" tone and sound like a country song that we would sing along to in your truck. It would sound like laughter and tears and probably tires on snow.
It would probably have to say something about your green eyes, or your quiet-ness. And you know? It would talk about your family, and the dog, and that dumb rubber duck that he loved chasing around so much. It would say something about theater seats and freezing hands, and that one blue blanket that you always gave me because your basement is freezing.
It would for sure say that tears are lucky. Wanna know why? Cause tears mean you love something. Sad tears, happy tears, all of 'em. Some tears mourn a loss of something or someone you've loved, and other tears celebrate the recognitions of beautiful things.
It would probably feel sturdy, strong, steadfast, yet subtle, and all those other good "s-words" we talked about.
It would say something about driving a "Shaniqua," driving one handed, and teaching me to drive stick. Probably it would mention "Lehi hill" and cemeteries, too.
(clutch, brake, turn the key, ease your foot of the break and onto the gas. You'd be so proud, I only killed it once.)
It would remind you of all the visits payed to Smoothie King and the amount of money we wasted going out to lunch.
It would also remind you of super heroes, cause hey! You saved plenty of my days.
I would say something about your new favorite tie and my new favorite sweat shirt.
You would laugh because I'd talk too much and I'd smile when you finally would.
And then we'd shed a few more tears, read it over just one more time, and I'd watch through the window as you drove away.
(clutch, brake, turn the key, ease your foot of the break and onto the gas. And now, I'm the one who gets to be proud.)



"See you in two!"

Marley Kay
Mars
Mars Bars
your dreamer

... What-ever-you-want-to-call-me-now.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

a thought

{ok, I'm sorry this post is a little rough. I know it's poorly structured and hardly artistic, I just couldn't ignore this little thought any longer.}

People need People.

Seems easy enough to understand, right?

Here's the thing:
It is absolutely impossible to go through your life alone.
Believe me, I've tried it.
It doesn't work, just take it from me and learn from my mistakes. (Seriously, you'll be happier, I swear.)

The cool thing about Life and God is that He places people right when and where they need to be, just so they can bless you and so you can bless them.

There is no possible way I could have made it through Latin last year without Nya.
Or through YW without Nikole.
Or through sophomore year without Kristen, Rachel, and Mark.
Or the summer of 2011 without David and Coleen.
Or through Jr. Year without Krista (mama).
Or through, lets face it, life itself without Emily or Eliza or Morgan or Connor.

So often we rush through our days, not recognizing the beautiful people God has so lovingly placed in our lives.
We brush off human presence and take for granted those who we need the most.

Of course, people change.
And more often than not, they exit and reenter our lives-- but its always when you need them most.

They may not be the same person you needed before, but maybe they're the person you need now.
Hey, maybe they're not; who am i to judge?
Maybe you could go a while without them.

[But here's another thing: truth is, you need those people that hurt you too.
Every heartache makes you stronger. Doesn't it?]

It's weeks like these that remind me how lucky I am to have wonderful people in my life.

I know I don't say it often enough,
But thank you for all you do for me.
I send all my love and gratitude,

your dreamer
Marley Kay

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Apologies and a Review

My sincere apologies for all of the posts I haven't posted in the last month.

Here's the thing. I hate to focus on all of my broken-ness, but sometimes it makes me do things more than walking down the office supply isle and counting snowflakes. Sometimes it makes me do things like shut everybody out and turn off the radio in my truck for two weeks and unplug my iPod and stop writing because it all just hurt too bad.

But I'm back. Here I am! Still alive, still breathing, still nervous, still anxious, still me. But just a little bit different. 'Cause that's kinda what happens.

Forgive me, I've lost my words... And in the past month I've really learned what that means. I've realized that I'm very articulate as a person. I've never thought of myself as a writer, but I think it holds a little piece of me... I've discovered that I thrive on words. I need them. I rely on them. And without them I am not myself. An interesting discovery, but one, nonetheless.

Enough about broken-ness, onto the point of this post:

2012.
Gee, what a year. A year that has brought so much heart ache and so much joy. A year that brought surprises, and strength , and anxiety, and peace like I've never felt.

I learned so much. I learned to tread carefully over some subjects. I learned that just because you forgive someone, doesn't mean you have to love them again. I learned that some things are just hard, and to really hold on to the things that aren't. I learned to appreciate the tears for what they're worth when they come. I learned that "goodbye" is a really ugly word and I hate to ever use it. I learned that true friends really do stick around through thick and thin. I learned that there are always two sides to every story. And that sometimes more than one person is right. I was reminded that people sometimes change. And sometimes they don't. I learned that "it'll all come out in the wash." (Whether it's that nasty old stain or the lost 20 dollar bill.)(Thank you, Dorothy, for pounding that one into my mom's head. Really.) I learned that I actually have a purpose-- in everything and everyday. I learned that God is God and that I am Marley. And that I love to prove people wrong about what they think I'm capable of, and so does He. And He has a very great sense of humor.

2012 gave so much to me. January brought Warmth in the cold. February brought Endurance, March was Forgiveness and April, Dreams. May brought Light and June brought Loneliness. July was Healing and Triumph while August was Doubt. September brought "Goodbye"s and the Heartache to go with it. October brought Adventure and Chances, November came with it's usual Change and Magic. And December... Well, December brought Broken-ness. But over all, 2012 brought me Strength to Carry On. Who knew I was that strong? I didn't!

Now it's time to bid it all farewell. Not to say goodbye of course, because that is an ugly word and I refuse to use it. Goodbye feels more permanent, like I'll never see it again. Turns out, I need all those things. All those pieces of this year that created more and more of me. Farewell 2012, you will always stay with me, but now is time to move on and start a fresh.

2013, you hold so much in store. More heartache and loneliness and trial, I'm sure. But also new adventure, new experience, new peace. Singin' in the Rain, graduation, New York, moving out, adulthood, going to college, some new friends, and always the old friends, and of course the same wonderful family.

I'm not sure what's coming or where I'll end up, but I'm ready. I'm ready not just to arrive there, but to travel there. I'm ready to enjoy it.

So here I come, World. Little old me, who is way more capable than she thought she was. Watch out, 'cause here I come.


Marley Kay
your dreamer.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

the queen of broken hearts

hearts?
they're pretty fragile, you know.
and as much as none of us want to admit it,
we're all kind of fragile.

Personally, i think we all deal with a broken heart every single day.
some times it's disappointment. sometimes it's; expectations. sometimes it's fear. sometimes it's illness. sometimes it's your own mistakes. sometimes it's just plain old pain. I guess it's sometimes reality too.

broken-ness is not always an easy thing.
it makes you do silly things sometimes, like the number of snowflakes you hang up, or the number of times you've walked down the office supplies isle, just because it makes you feel better about something--anything!

i have some pieces of your hearts too. not in a creepy i shoved my hand in your chest and stole it kind of way. and not even that i made sure to break yours so that i could have a piece kind of way. but more like, we shared something together--even just a moment or two-- and i took some of yours and you took some of mine.

i told you that you had my heart. but i guess you didn't believe me or maybe forgot or just didn't care anymore. you just dropped it. and it shattered like glass all over the floor. i couldn't find all the pieces and some of them i just couldn't pick up.... But I guess that's just how broken hearts work.

truth is, folks, hearts are fragile. they are a little too soft, and a little too breakable. 




 




(your dreamer)

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

College applications are stressful.

College applications are stressful.
Not necessarily because the application itself is stressful (with the exception, of course, of BYU's application. It's totes cray-cray.) but more because these applications kind of have a huge play in what happens for the rest of your life.
And really that's not totally true-- it's a pretty big exaggeration really.
But it is a super important decision, which is really intimidating.

I'm not that good at intimidating things.
(Any of you who may have witnessed my first few performances of this school year may be able to testify of that.)
When situations look scary or when things get rough, I tend to kind of.... flop-- if that's good way to say that...
I guess I just decide that it wont turn out the way I want it to in the first place so why even bother.

I didn't used to be like that though.
I would never really let things get to my head.
Instead I got sort of... fired up about it. And then I'd crank out something I never thought I was capable of!
Ha. I sure wish I could find that part of me again.

Any-who: College.
I've finished all but one application.
(Can you guess which one? You're right, BYU! Good job!)
I'm kinda freaked out that I just filled out an application to the place I'm going to be living for the next few years. (Not that I know which one it will be yet or anything.)
And its about time to go soul searching for that "fired-up" part of me and make a decision...

Wish me luck, i guess!

always,

your dreamer
marley kay

Monday, November 19, 2012

I'm in Love with November.

November is the perfect time of the year for me.

November is the time of friendships and family and love and happiness-quite frankly.

Maybe its just because the holiday season is right around the corner
and its the perfect time to break out the hot chocolate and warm blanket and watch the stars on those breath taking evenings from your front porch.

The weather tends to be perfect for leather jackets, sweaters, long socks, and boots- which happen to be my favorite clothing items of all time.

November holds a sort of magic.
Almost like July magic.
But July holds a summer-y, adventure-y sort of magic.
November holds a cozy, comfortable, adventure-y-all-the-same kind.

November seems to be a time of new love in my life.
(And not always the romantic kind, though that seems to be true too now that I think of it.)
November holds new friendships and renewals of old ones.
Its like re-finding that comfy place where you are going to spend your winter.
It is a time to discover new things to keep you busy during the cold months.
Its a time to remember all of the things you are grateful for and all of the people that mean the world to you.
Its a time to think of what gifts you want to surprise your loved ones with that you know they'll love.
Its the month where not shaving is completely fine-socially acceptable, even.
Its a time of comfort: where you finally settle into the school year and, in my case anyway, start finding a balance again.
Its a time to cuddle up on the couch and have cheesy Christmas special marathons-because really, what better is there to do with your time?

November is a time for change.
The good kind.
Its when leaves change colors and rain falls and sometimes, if we're lucky, we get some good snow.

November is the time to love and be loved.
And that might be the best part.

love always,

your dreamer
marley kay


 





PS I learned what an anaphora is today. And I'm pretty sure it's my favorite rhetorical device of all time. Actually, i use it way too much. But i feel fine about it so what evs.

PSS I can't believe I just wrote this blog post. I still have 2 essays to write and it's 1:13 in the morning. oops.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Neverland

I miss it.
I miss Neverland.
I miss our Neverland.
Mostly because it was ours.

I keep finding new spots
But I interrupt my train of thought remembering that I can't say much about that anymore.

I miss our little escape where imagination could run free.
We got to play every part.
We got to reminisce all those old days.
We got to remember when all this Neverland business was socially acceptable for our age.

I feel like I've switched gears.
Instead of being whisked away in flight to Neverland, I've been drugged into a freakish sleep.
Cats vanish body part at a time, caterpillars smoke here, apparently it's always tea time, and everybody is mad. Oh, and don't mess with the queen or she'll have your head... Literally.

It's just a new experience for me.
And I guess they were right when they said she decided what she didn't want to be by process of elimination.

But it is so very lonely here.
And it's all so dreadfully confusing.
Even after all I accomplished and all the courage it took to do it,
All I wanted was to return.

I never meant for it to be like this.
And I really hate that it is...
I feel like part of me is missing.
It's so frustrating in this place,
All I want is to climb back up that rabbit hole or find the looking glass.... But I'm sort of lost here.

Well... I'm trapped. And I can't get out. And I'm scared and frustrated and I keep trying to give up and just cry but for some reason I won't let myself.
Because I have to finish this what-ever-this-is before I can come back.
And I didn't want to admit it but I need you. Because you're kind of the only thing that has kept me from going mad lately.

Sometimes I still look up at that second star to the right and wonder if you're looking there too.
It hurts me to think that you might not be, so I just pretend you are, even if you aren't.
Not to boast, but I think I'm really good at that. I can believe in anything I want to. I know that may not make sense to you but that's because it's all pretend. I can pretend all I want. But when real things come along that are just as good as all my pretendings, it freaks me out a little. I can't be sure if its all true or really real because its all I ever dreamt of.

My heart was aching to return and so I tried to go there yesterday- Neverland I mean- but I couldn't. It seems something has gone missing... But then I remembered giving it to you. So it all makes sense.

You'll always have a special place in this broken heart of mine, you know. It's called Neverland. And I hope you'll come pay a visit sometime.



your dreamer

Marley Kay




  

Friday, October 12, 2012

24 hours.

*****this was supposed to be published on Oct. 19, but instead stayed in draft form for some reason.... sorry.*****

6:18 p.m.

Aly is sitting at the piano playing hymns, like she always does when she hassomething to work out in her head.

I’m hiding in my room, like I always do when I have something to work out in my head.

I’m holding back tears
     like I did yesterday.
     like I did this morning at the temple.
     like I did when he answered the phone this afternoon and I was surprised to hear his voice.
     like I did when I looked in the back seat of thetruck and saw his hat on the seat.
     like I did when I saw him sprawled out on the couchwatching Boy Meets World.
     like I did at the dinner table when Aly said,"Amen," and he said, "No crying allowed."
     like I am just sitting hear listening to my sisters tell him about their days.

I’m holding back tears because I can hear his voice.
     because I can still see him andtalk with him and hug him.
     because he is still here but it won’tlast much longer.


10:39 p.m.

We all said "amen," we all hugged, and we all left.
We all came home and he said, "Way to break the rules. No crying allowed."
We chuckled and got all nostalgic thinking of way back when he did this or she did that.
We had plenty of visitors and witnessed a few tender good-byes.

But they're not really "good-bye's", just"see-you-later's."
After all, two years goes by pretty quick right?

Well, I’d had enough of goodbyes when we still had over 12 hours left on the count down.
So I decided to do something that I do pretty darn well.
Procrastinate.
Procrastinate the homework, the awkward and sad goodbyes, and the zipping up of the suitcases.
Procrastinate it all, I say!

Because maybe I’m not ready to say goodbye.
And so I won’t say goodbye.
I won’t say goodbye until the last moment possible.

The awkward part is, there was a looming elephant of "say-good-bye" in the room.
But I chose not to acknowledge it. Which was awkward.

But how could I be ready to say goodbye?
How do you say goodbye to someone you've known your whole life?

We made blanket forts together.
We made "inventions" together.
We made cookies with grandma together.
We did chores together.
We played on the rope swing at the farm together.
We played board games together and fought over the remote.
We made schemes together.
We played together.
We laughed together.
We cried together.
The point is, we were together.

He supported me. He protected me. He stuck up for me. He accepted me.

How do you say goodbye to that?
How do you handle it when you have an emergency and need to shoot him a text real quick,
or when you need him to beat up some kid that hurt you (figuratively, of course.),
or when you need a shift covered and no one will take it,
or when you know you're not actually going to see him in a month when he gets a little homesick and claims to come home so he can "work on the jeep," but you know the real reason.
How do you say goodbye to a big brother?
'Cause I'd sure like to know.


7:03 a.m.

Arriving at the Gilbert's for breakfast-- Trying not to remember that this is the last morning.


7:22 a.m.

Leaving for school-- Trying not to think of goodbyes.


11:11 a.m.

Sit down for "the last supper" at JCW's.
Still procrastinating the goodbye.
That dumb elephant got bigger and bigger and started making things awkward for all of us.


12:09 p.m.

pull into the temple parking lot.
take a few pictures.
pause and take a picture in my heart as I watch men in suits, traveling by twos, walking back to the MTC.
Break the rule again and cry on his shoulder.

But i didn't know that was gonna be the last one.
As it turns out, i was the last of the siblings to get a hug because of that break down.

12:15 p.m.

Make sure he's got everything ready to go.
One last check for everything.

12:22 p.m.

Start the car and get in the line for drop offs at 12:30
Then all of the sudden, I took a picture of a sign,
A man pointed us through,
We saw a few familiar faces,
Pulled over when beckoned,
He and my parents jumped out, and opened the trunk.
There was a hand shake or two,
A couple more photos,
And then he was gone.
He just walked away.

I tried to cry quietly, (i don't like it when people watch me cry)
But my sisters' sobs were loud enough that it wouldn't have mattered anyway.

Because how do you say goodbye, anyway?

12:28 p.m.

Check my phone as we exit the MTC parking lot.
Wait.
He didn't have to be there for another 2 minutes!

I felt cheated out of those last 2 minutes.
I mean, its not like those 2 minutes would have made an enormous difference.
But it was certainly time enough for me to jump out of the car and give him a hug... wasn't it?

12:50 p.m.

Back home.
Go back for fourth? Or not?
Definitely not.
Tried to pretend it was all good and fine but really,
my heart ached for those last 2 minutes.

2:30 p.m.

Well, i had to go back to school for rehearsal anyway.
For some reason, it all clicked today.
The story made sense.
My part made sense.
It felt real.
Because it was real.
Because i had really lost someone today.
Not for a long time, but long enough to let me feel it.

The best part was, it was ok to cry there.
So i did.
Not that anyone else would have known that that was partially the reason for my tears,
they all thought i was acting my part.
(the part of the woman whose family was ripped away from her)
But really i was just being.
And an even better part?
They helped me though it.
Those girls grabbed my hand, and dried my tears, and they had no idea.


4:00 p.m.

The procrastinated homework could wait no longer.
Even though my head was spinning a million miles an hour, i made myself focus.

6:18 p.m.

And then all of the sudden, i checked the clock.
And the 24 hours of tears and good byes were over.


But it was really just a "see-you-later."
After all, two years goes by pretty quick... right?

love always,
Your Dreamer
Marley Kay




Monday, October 8, 2012

I haven't.

I haven't
opened my journal
Listened to music on my iPod
Cracked open my sewing kit
Drawn a sketch in my book
Finished all of my homework for one night
Cleaned my room
Written my brother
Asked anyone to Sadie's
Sung a song with all my heart
Had decent grades
Written a blog post
Watched a movie
Slept
Or finished anything I really need to finish really.

The thing is, I'm failing at life and at all of the things that keep me sane. I'm slowly being driven mad and all I could ever ask is to just be given some time to do something that I want to do.

This girl is lost and drowning in a sea of unfinished to-do lists and may need some help getting out.

I have so much to write about but unfortunately I've wasted more than too much time today. Hopefully I'll write soon.

(Homecoming pictures, Elder BigBrother stories, happenings of school and such, and even sone Shakespeare stories to come! Hopefully.... If I don't die first.)

You Dreamer
Marley Kay

P.s. Con-Con I miss you and ill always regret not posting before you left like I promised. Sorry bb. But I know you're doing great out there!


(So maybe this is what the Mad Hater felt like when he went mad...)

Sunday, September 9, 2012

ACT, Called to Serve, and other such Updates.

So sorry i haven't posted in forever.
Life's already been kicked into high gear with school starting up already and I have had no time to write!

I seriously have no life any more. It's all just school, and home work, and work.
PS, Who ever thought homework was such a great idea? I mean, as if 6 hours of class isn't bad enough, lets just give them 4 to5 more hours to do AFTER that! Ugh- so frustrating. Only first term and the senoritas has already begun!


It's been a crazy weekend! Friday night i had to work but my awesome big brother was kind enough to take the end of my shift (He's worked there on and off since his Jr. year in high school) so i would be able to get some good sleep the night before the ACT. So sweet, right?! He's the greatest.

Took the ACT yesterday morning and felt pretty darn good about it. Still had time issues but i was much more confident in it and felt that i did well on the stuff i finished. (PS, if you're struggling on the ACT or would like to have a better score, or even if you're just struggling in a subject in school, i know of a fantastic tutor, it made a world of difference.)

In preparations for a farewell, we cleaned like mad-men over here Friday and yesterday! Then my mom kicked me and her sisters (my aunts) out and we went shopping. {finally found a Homecoming dress! pictures to come :)} Then my aunt talked me into going with her down to a friend's house for a facial. It was definitely a new experience for me but it was so fun! And my face has never felt better. :)

Today was my big brother's mission farewell--which was slightly heartbreaking for this house of girls.
He had a double farewell with a close friend and the entire parking lot was over-flowing, if you know what i mean. They both gave amazing talks! But i sure had a lot of pity for the poor youth speakers and the musical number... Also, if you saw us Anderson's in the meeting, don't worry. We are ok. All of us had a tiny break down at the end of the meeting, but we've recovered thus far. We are known for our tears, so don't panic. ;)
We had family and friends come over after the block for a get together. Basically, i couldn't stand in one place for longer than 3 minutes. I was chasing children, prepping more food, eating food, trying to say hi to people and welcome them in, or trying to find people. (But mostly i was eating food and chasing children.) We've had family and friends in and out all day long and it lasted til about 10 o'clock. So, you know, I'm just barely staring my homework... Which i should probably get back to...

Hopefully you'll hear from me sooner or later.

love always,
your dreamer
Marley Kay

Oh! PS, (for the third time) he's headed to the Philippines, where you mail one shoe at a time, eat dog, and speak a language no one's ever heard of.
He's gonna love it. :)