Blinded&Numb

Impromptu photos and poem-- 

Blinded&Numb

here comes the emotions

 close the blinds, don't let them in

hold back and keep it together

---numbness.

^^Meet Sexi Ben, as everyone calls him. Without fail my abs kill after I hang out with him from laughing so hard. Such an amazing, hilarious, stylish, talented man. 

With Love,
Miss Madi Mans

Livin the UVU Dream

Do you ever have those moments where you think to yourself "How could I ever be this happy?" Well I hope you do because you deserve them. I'm grateful to say I have been having those moments a lot lately. There is nothing more humbling than kneeling down in prayer with tears of joy streaming down your face. My family, friends, UVU ambassadors, coworkers, and most importantly the gospel has brought me SO much joy recently. I have come to discover that yes it is important to turn to our Heavenly Father in times of darkness, but I know it is just as crucial to turn to him in gratitude in the times of outpourings of happiness.

Someone asked me the other day why am I usually so happy. I thought I would write down some reasons why and some suggestions about how to bring some happiness into your own life.

1. Find happiness in the little things. Like when I'm walking to class and the rooster crows across the street... hahaha I don't know why but it gets me every time. There are so many tender mercies in life to be happy about. You just have to find them
2. Serve your heart out, then take sometime to love yourself.  President Monson said " I am pleased to again express my witness that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, that this work is true, and that happiness comes through serving our Heavenly Father and serving our fellowmen." Personally I have found no other greater joy than serving others. I also have found that it is important to take some time to do things for yourself. If you are not at your best self, then how are you suppose to take care of others? 
3. The gospel is here and ready for us. Between reading scriptures, conversing with the Lord in prayer, listening to prophets, engaging in missionary work, going to the temple, church callings and more, the gospel is on this earth and making me happy. The more I immerse myself in it, the better it gets. 
4. Find your passion and be passionate about it. That initial bump of finding what you are passionate about may be a little tough, but it is worth it. I can't tell you how many hours I have spent looking up prom/ wedding dresses, the new trends, how people are becoming successful in running shops and more. I'm so passionate about it and it brings me so much happiness. 
5. Have fun. Go on those midnight doughnut runs, sing at the top of your lungs in the car, make crazy music videos. Be random. Be silly. Be your unique self. 


With that all said and done, Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge off the First Quorum of the Seventy said,"There is only one way to happiness and fulfillment. Jesus Christ is the Way."I testify that to be true with all my being.

My happiness in pictures. 

With love,
Miss Madi Mans

Music baby

For anyone who knows me or my family, music is super important to us! No we don't play any installments, instead we just enjoy others' talents! I can't begin to tell you how many hours were spent in the car challenging each other on song lyrics or artists and singing at the top of lungs to the oldies. As I was sitting on my floor listening to my record player, I had a thought that has never occurred to me. Why do I love music so much??? Why do I LOVE spending hours on end digging for awesome new songs or artists? Why do I literally have a section in my budget just for concerts? (Ya, then I admitted to myself I may have some problems.. hahaha just kidding.) Anyways, I think I figured it out. Music is such a powerful tool. It can completely change the mood in a matter of seconds. It brings up emotions and memories from the past. It fills the silence. It gives people something to dance to. It brings people from different walks of life together. I think that is my favorite part of music and concerts, the people I have met and memories we make through music. It's so funny. I will wear my Vampire Weekend shirt from their concert and when people comment on it, I know what type of person they are because they know the band. Music really defines people and I love that! I have "concert friends" that I can always count on to go to concerts with me or share awesome music with them. So.... those are some reasons I love music. It may sound funny, but I'm grateful music has defined me and brought me so much happiness over the years!
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Welcome to my new obsession... my beloved record player! It only took 3 tries to finally get one that worked and I liked. I custom made this one with the music lyric map that seriously couldn't be more perfect for me. I am now an avid vinyl record collector. I have anything from Noah and the Whale to James Taylor! It doesn't help that DI sells them for 50cents and all my favorite bands have them these days... the struggle.



My mom and I decided why not enjoy this awesome weather and music by take my record player outside? and then cute little ugly the cat joined us! I was dying how much she loved my music too, a cat after my own heart!!!!

With love, 

Miss Madi Mans

Crisp New Memories

Hey guess what!! I moved to Arizona!! Wahooooo!

I'm seriously loving it here so much. I moved here to live with my fav cousin and her sweet family to help take care of the twin babies! It has been a blast to be with them everyday and watch them grow before my very own eyes! I decided I just wanted to take a minute to write and share some pictures in this rare moment they are asleep at the same time:) 

            

Taken a bath

I already fit in so much here haha

                

Sometimes after I fall asleep I stir to wake up my mind and body when it is time to. I lay in bed with my eyes closed and let my mind wonder. I have this surreal feeling that nothing has changed at all this past year. I forget that I have graduated HS, that I no longer live at home, and that everyone is all over the world serving missions and going to school. I forget that all the memories that we have created are faded instead of being fresh and crisp in my mind. I feel like I should be getting out of bed ready for another day of adventuring with the gang. Slowly I come to my senses and open my sleepy eyes. I'm  fully awake. All the new people I have met, places I have been, things I have learned, and feeling I have felt over the past year flood my mind like the gushing water on the hill of my home after a summer storm. The initial occurrence makes me sad. I feel strangely alone. But then after I lay there for a moment longer and ponder about it, it makes me excited. Excited for the opportunity I have been given to be by myself at this moment in time to do good in the world. Excited to work hard and accomplish a lot to make the years alone go by faster. Excited for the awesome things everyone is achieving and for the day I get to hear about them face to face. Excited to keep making my own new memories so I can exchange them for theirs. Excited to immensely grow spiritually and mentally to keep up with everyone else....

I smile and begin the day.

Here's to old memories and new adventures.




































With Love,
Miss Madi Mans

Cruisin'

From holding a monkey, to swimming with the dolphins, to exploring the Mayan ruins, I think we covered it all on this cruise! I'm SO grateful for my sweet family. We may be small, but our love for eachother and for our Heavenly Father is so great. Between what the scriptures and what latter day prophets have said, I'm grateful for the standards the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have set about the the family. I hope when the time comes, I can live up to those standards to have eternal family of my own as amazing as mine is now!
Link to the family section of lds.org ---->LDS Families

And my brother made an AMAZING edit of our trip! Check it out:)