Fall In Love

            When I was a little girl, I spent many hours with my grandmother. Both my parents were working and I was the only child at the time. I did everything with my Grandma Annabell. We were like salt and pepper, peanut butter and jelly, or frybread with stew. We would herd sheep for hours and make our own roads in her sturdy 86’ Jimmy. The first time I fell in love, it was with my grandmother.

            Grandma Anna and I would follow after Cheii ( my grandfather) as he rode his horse four miles behind a huge mountain. He would look for the cows that leisurely wandered off from the herd. It took him two hours to round the bovines back to the cow corral. I was five at the time of this excursion. My grandma and I met him back there. I ran from the Jimmy into the corral to give my Cheii hugs, but soon to find myself face to face with a momma heifer.  I was shaking in my fake leather boots as she stared me down. Behind me was her baby and I knew she was going to go through me to get to her calf. I still remember the crazy look in her eyes has she aimed her horns for my little body. I closed my eyes, and all of a sudden, I felt limp.

            In the brink of time my Cheii scooped me up with his tan, muscular arms. When I opened my eyes, it felt like I was flying. My long braid was flapping in the wind and my eyes were tearing. When my Cheii pulled his steed to a halt, I could hear my grandmother yelling, “Dooajiniida!” (You don’t do that!) But all I could look at was this animal I was sitting on top of. I have seen a horse before, but I have never ridden one. I looked at my Cheii, in his Peabody Mining hat, and said, “I was just trying to give you hugs.” His throaty laugh echoed onto the plain has he tried to drop me off into the dust.

“Wait Cheii! I want to ride with you! Let me try! Please!” I pleaded.                                  

He looks at Grandma. She is staring him down while shaking her head.

“Okay Sweetie.” He said with a grin.

            From then on, I grew up in a saddle. I fell in love with riding horses. During the summers, I rode horses from morning to dusk with my Grandfather. He teaches me all the plants and animals names in Navajo. My horse, Buck, have scaled every hill and mountain around my home. He is my best friend.

            My lesson that I believe true about life is never stop falling in love with something. Always try new things. If it does not work out, than let it go, but if it is meant to be it will stay with you forever. 

My Sweetie: Cheii

Left to Right: Jessica, my little sister, Me, and Jaken, my little brother.

He takes riding horses seriously! We taught him young.

Lexi Moody: "OMG I'm from Auburn, Nebraska."

This week, Mrs. Caffey has challenged me to think of the person I will remember most after I graduate high school.

            I have to tell you I have been thinking about this all week. Every year at Holbrook High School has been different for me. With that, every year has had significant people that supported my adventures. One person that has always been apart of my story, that has not seem to ever leave is Alexa Rae Moody.

            Lexi and I have a story that is like a roller coaster. We have our ups and then a drop that makes your stomach float. But, we both know that at the end of the day, when the flying vehicle has come to a stop, we are perfectly fine with each other.

            The first time I met Lexi was in my fourth grade class. It was the first day of school and the smells of new erasers and freshly sharpened pencils hung in the air. A blonde, almost white, haired girl walks up to me and introduces herself.

            “Hi, my name is Lexi, and I’m from Auburn, Nebraska.” She says with a lisp.

            “Hello. That’s funny because my name is Auburn.” I shyly state.

            “Ohhhh myyy goshhh! No way!” she laughs hard and just with this, she became my best friend.

            She has been to every birthday party I have had, and I knew every secret of mine from first kisses to my parental drama. We knew each others hopes, dreams, and goals. One of my favorite memories with Lexi is when we both to a trip to Phoenix, Arizona, the summer before our freshman year. We had to have a valley girl wardrobe before high school, because we knew most of the freshman would be trying to rock Flagstaff wear.

            We went down to the valley of the sun for four days. I had many firsts on the trip, like eating at Joe’s Crab Shack and watching my first late night movie. Another first was skinny dipping. I am publicly saying that Lexi and I went skinny dipping at Melicia’s house! Sad thing is, we got caught by Melicia’s nephew and, needless to say, it was an awkward family dinner that night.

            The downward spiral just a petty mistake on both of our parts. We both know how ridiculous the situation was when our friendship came to an abrupt halt, but now we know it made us better people. If you know the story, you know, but if you do not, it should not matter.

            I just want to thank her for everything. I have learned so much from that blonde girl. I will always be her friend, and I wish she still went to school at Holbrook High School. Our lives have parted separated ways, but I really appreciate her being there.

Kay Robertson- Quack Quack

Marsha “Kay” Robertson. Born April 24, 1945

“The way to a man’s heart is through his stomah.”
― Kay Robertson, Matriarch of the Robertson and Duck Commander Family

My most recent obsession is with a TV. show called Duck Dynasty. I have been fascinated by every character in the show, what they do in everyday life, and how clever they are. If you take the time to watch this show, you will enjoy every second of it. They might have made this show just to make fun of a couple red-necks that hit the lottery, but it is hilarious! It is a modern day Beverly Hillbillies.

          Duck Commander began with a man named Phil Robertson. He was a duck hunter, and was the inventor of duck calls for almost every species of duck. He did not take it that far, and sold his duck calls locally. His son, Willie Robertson, went to college in business and took the duck call business to an entire other level. It turned into a “mom and pop shop” to a multi-million dollar company. His family still runs the entire industry, but they went from poor, Louisiana hicks, to rich, Louisiana hicks. Willie has two brothers that make the duck calls, and two other employees. They give us a run through their lives with the everyday problems we go through. Just because they are rich does not mean they do not have the same problems.

          The most compelling, funny character would have to Willie’s uncle, Silas Robertson. Uncle Si is just a crank Vietnam veteran who always has something to say. He makes the show insanely hilarious. I find myself laughing hysterically when I am home alone at his jokes. If I could meet this man, I would ask him what goes through his head! He would just say, “Hey Jack! Just nothing!”

          Another character I enjoy watching is Ms. Kay Robertson. She is the glue and mama bear of the entire family. She calls herself a pioneer woman and she cooks like one too. She can make squirrel, crawdad, jambalaya, and fry any animal alive. Her kind heart balances out the men’s rough and tough attitude. In every episode she is cooking up something new that her boys or her husband has killed.

          What I love most about this show is it gives viewers life lessons. They have a compelling message each time. For example: be kind to your neighbor, always remember where you came from, to even dating advice. It is remarkable how much I have learned from just each thirty minute episode. Another lesson I have learned from this show is, don’t judge a book by its cover. The men in the show look grimy and wild, but they do have big hearts. I see how they are together, through thick and thin and always come together as a family in the end. 

Coco Chanel- The Jungle of Dresses

Gabrielle "Coco" Bonheur Chanel . Born 1883- Died 1971

  “Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.”
― Coco Chanel, French Fashion Designer and Founder of the Chanel Brand.

 I have never been to a place filled with so much culture and uniqueness. Maybe it is because I don’t get out often, or because I am not familiar with different lifestyles. But I had the most interesting weekend of my life! Some places you never forget, and I will never forget Azteca Bridal.

This weekend, my step-mother, my sisters, a tag-a-long, and I went to the valley for a couple reasons. Reason one was to watch the girls’ basketball team play Winslow in the Final Four game. And the second was to look for a first communion/confirmation dress. First communion and confirmation are celebrations of the Catholic church of a person commuting into the Catholic religion. My sisters, Gwyneth and MaKenzi, are both making that journey and, due to this, they need a white dress. Dress shopping with Gwyneth is hard enough. She cannot find a dress that is absolutely perfect. From past experiences, she has cried in the dressing rooms from not having it fit. It would fit her in one area, but not the other. MaKenzi on the other hand is very proportionate, so hers would be easier.

          After the tough loss the night before, we all headed to Azteca. Melicia (my step-mom) and her mom, Francis, described the bridal salon as a loud, excited, outgoing, and passionate. Basically Azteca is the Mexican version of My Big, Fat Greek Wedding. They said the women there will be loud and obnoxious. I did not expect this to be completely true because they sounded as if they were over exaggerating. They did not. 

          I walked and was completely amazed. They had big, gaudy Quinceanera dresses, huge, white wedding dresses, and snazzy, striped suits for the men. I could not believe how many dresses there were. I am not exaggerating when I say this: They had two floors and six rooms with racks and racks of dresses. They had dresses every style, size, and every color of the rainbow. Approximately 3,200 dresses in that store were what I would think and maybe more! There were so many women in the store. There was a huge wedding party and another army of woman, trying to decide on a dress for a fifteen year old's birthday party. All the dresses were a bright, fluorescent color that you could see from a mile away. Of course I could not resist trying on one of the dresses! I tried on a gigantic blue one with ruffles for miles. It fit so well, but where would I wear this? And why would I go to prom looking like a blue whale? 

          Gwyneth picked out two dresses that she thought would be acceptable for church and in the budget. If it fits we have to buy it. No questions asked. Finding a dress for my sister is literally like finding a needle in a haystack. But then, amazing happened. The first dress she tried on, it fit and looked incredible. She looked so beautiful and it fit everything! The dress was modern and fashionable. But best of all, Gwyn was gleaming. She was so cheerful and confident. That is what made the dress look beautiful. Confidence is the best accessory to an outfit, and my sister wore it beautifully.

          In that Mexican dress village, we not only found a dress for Gwyneth, but found a dress she will be confident in, walking down the aisle of the church. Whatever makes you feel beautiful, keep it around you. Shine as bright as possible, and never let anyone keep you down. 

My version of the quote: "If you wear something that is not your style it will make you feel ridiculous. Wearing something you love will make you feel beautiful. Be beautiful." 

Audrey Hepburn- Basketball Manager Blues

Audrey Hepburn- Born 1929- Died 1993

“Living is like tearing through a museum. Not until later do you really start absorbing what you saw, thinking about it, looking it up in a book, and remembering - because you can't take it in all at once.”

-Audrey Hepburn

Memories are for life. They are beautiful flowers that never lose their smell or never wilt. When you are feeling down you can revisit that flower and reminisce in its essence. I will always remember the moment of my sister, Gwyneth’s birth. I will always remember the first time I rode a horse, and, best of all, I will always remember when the Holbrook boys basketball team won the state championship!

I was a sophomore in high school when I got the idea to manager the boys’ basketball team. I went to see Coach Mendoza one day and my future for the next couple months was set. The team consisted of Jalen Jackson, Kory Koerperich, Illacian Johnson, Joey Aguilera, and Torrian Epps. At the time I did not know anything about them. They were just a couple of older guys that I was too afraid to talk to.

The Team Picture

Throughout the season, I traveled to every game and attended every practice. I was dedicated and I watched every single second that they played. My job as the manager was to record the games, carry around their gear, and make sure the boys were taken care of. I think Janecia, Sharon, and I did a good job because the boys made it to the state tournament as the number one seed. And, we made it to the state championship game against Fountain Hills Falcons.

The most memorable moment of the game was not the win. That is my second most fond memory, but the number one is the feeling of walking into the Glendale Arena. As soon as we walked into the gym, I was astonished at the red. The entire arena was covered with red t-shirts and everyone wearing them stood up and cheered. It was clear that we were going to win and we were supported. I’ll admit the win, the parade, and the endless banquets were fun, but the feeling of walking into the stadium can never be duplicated.

As the Holbrook Lady Roadrunners make their journey to the arena in the valley, I give them all the luck and prayer I can offer. Tomorrow they are going to need to believe they can achieve the possible and play together. I will never walk into the Glendale Arena as an employee of the Holbrook boys’ basketball team. Hopefully I will be down there next weekend as a spectator! Good luck ladies and enjoy the memories that you’re going to make because they are for life.

My version of the quote: It’s not until later when you realize how special a memory is to you. Hold on to it.

Mother Teresa- Simplicity of a Smile

Mother Teresa: Born 1910- Died 1997

We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.
— Mother Teresa, Saint of the Catholic Church

       

It’s the simple things in life that make me happy. A simple smile can mean a lot to someone. They might remedy a horrible day or cure a broken heart, sickness, or indifference.

          During my junior year in high school, I lived with my mother for a good six months. My mother lives on the Navajo Reservation but only twenty-five minutes out of town. Every day, I would get up at 5:30, in the morning, and have to be ready by 6:45 a.m. My grandpa would drive to my aunt’s house, to my house, and to my other aunt’s house to carpool all of us to the bus stop about two miles away.

          The first day of doing this, I hated it. I had to wake up an hour early and have a long bus ride to school. Of course I was being over dramatic. One day, we had to change buses because our bus driver quit. It was odd getting on a different bus. There were so many new people.

One morning, after all my younger cousins got on the bus, I was walking up the steps. There was a little boy in the front seat. He watched me walk down the aisle and sit next to one of my friends. For some odd reason, he kept staring at me. I did not know what to say or do. My friend said, “Oh…why is Michael staring at you?”

I asked, “Who is Michael?”

“Oh he’s this special ed kid that lost his parents when he was five. Everyone on the bus knows him, and everyone is nice to him,” she explained.

          That got me thinking about so much! He was just staring at me for no apparent reason, but this boy did not have a clue who I was. Every day for a month the boy did this. It was like a daily routine, and I fell in the rut! I never talked to him because I did not know how he was going to react. I always wondered if he secretly hated me or wanted to tell me something.

          After school, I was running late for the bus pickup. I had to run back to my locker and grab an important paper. Just as the bus was about to depart, I ran outside to catch it. When I finally boarded, there were no seats, that I could see, that were available for occupation . My friend was sitting by someone who was already asleep, and the only seat that was open was Michael’s.

          I sat down, and I wondered if he was going to talk to me. He stared at me for awhile but then he quickly dodged my gaze and stared out the window. I decided I would make the first move.

          “Hi, Michael! My name is Auburn. How are you?” I ask cheerfully.

          “Mmm,” was all he said.

I thought he was going to be cool, I thought to myself. Another five miles floats by and I said, “So how was your day?”

          Again he went, “Mmm.”

I start getting worried why he will not talk to me. Well I guess it’ll be a quiet ride home.

          I was almost home, and right before my stop, Michael turns to me and says, “Thanks for sitting with me today. You are really pretty.” Then he grins. I walk off the bus feeling like a rainy day just burst into sunshine. I was floored! He surprised me with such a simple sentence that I will remember forever.

          Sometimes someone just needs a friend, a person to be there for them, or just sit next to them on a bus.  What I realized just by that one day, sitting next to Michael is a gesture so simple, but it can change an entire outlook on something. That smile Michael gave me was a token of friendship, and I took it.

My version of the quote: Small acts of kindness can mean so much.

Audrey Hepburn- Happiness

Audrey Hepburn Born 1929- Died 1993

“The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy—it's all that matters.” Audrey Hepburn

                This quote has so much meaning. Be happy. That phrase is so simple, and Audrey makes it sound so easy. It is hard to see the sunshine when you live in the dark, if you know what I mean. There are many things that I am not happy about. For example, my parents’ divorce, being left out, and people talking behind my back. I am unhappy about all the regular teenager insecurities. But this blog is really for what I am happy about! I am thankful and appreciative of so many things.

          I am appreciative of my parents. I love my dad and my mom. They are the most loving parents and they do so much for me. My parents divorced officially in 2006. There have been some speed bumps and crashes with both of them that I have had, but they still accept me for who I am. I love my father’s humor, stubbornness, and belief in mythical creatures. I love my mother’s heart, laughter, and nasty jokes. They both are complete opposite people, but they are the perfect mixture of sour and sweet.

Zebras are her favorite animal!

          There is always one person in your life that was put there for a reason. She came into my life in sixth grade and has been through all my life drama since, the good and the bad. We do so much for each other. I think she would not function without me, and I would not function without her. She is my step- mother. Melicia is this crazy, wonderful, and spicy woman that is overemotional like me. We can cry at the drop of a dime, and we really do not care. She brought her daughter into my life, who I love so much! I appreciate her dedication to student council and everything that she has done for me.

          I know this one is silly and you might think I am crazy. I love my dog. Sassy Ruby is the cutest, most lovable dog in the entire world. She makes my bleak days turn into California in the summertime. As soon as I walk in from school, she runs up and greets me with her pink tongue hanging out. One day, my dad and I were fighting over something stupid. I made a comment about how much Sassy loves me and how much I love her more than my dad.

He said, “Really Auburn?! She’s a dog!”

I slyly said back, “Well think about it dad. If I locked you and Sassy up in a trunk for two days, who would be happier to see me when I let you out?” He did not laugh.

Lastly, I appreciate all the people who have helped me become who I am today. It has taken me awhile to find my place in the world. There have been damages that have happened to me, which I am not proud of. I have been to rock bottom. Luckily, the only way to go is up. I have reached happiness in my life that I have never felt before and for once, I am content with who I am. Thank you to Mrs. Caffey for listening to my story. Thank you to my sister, Gwyneth, for being with me through all the burnt bridges and sorrow. Thank you for all my ex-friends, who have made me a stronger person. Thank you to my past loves who showed me that after all the heartbreak; there is a light at the end of the tunnel. This girl has found happiness.

My version of the quote: “Once you are happy, nothing else matters. Just live life to the fullest.”

Amelia Earhart- Just Do It

Amelia Earhart. Born 1887- Died 1939

 "The most effective way to do it is to do it." 
— Amelia Earhart, American Aviation Pioneer

     This weekend, January 24- January 26, I attended the Arizona Association of Student Council’s State Convention. I have been preparing for this for three weeks in my leadership class. You see, each council has to dress up in costumes each day and I, the only person in the council to go to every, was selected as head chair. The theme this year was Game On!

 

The first day: Joystick Day. Dress up as your favorite joystick game. This day, we dressed up as Pacman. The six boys were the blue ghosts and the five girls were the colored ghosts. Mrs. Thompson was Mrs. Pacman and Mr. Hawk was Mr. Pacman. This required a myriad of colors of felt. Mrs. Thompson’s mother sewed all of them, and they were perfect.

 

 

         The second day: Mii Day. Dress up as your favorite Mii character. Holbrook Student Council dressed up as baseball players and we used the HHS baseball team’s uniforms. That night, we changed and Living Energy put on an amazing dance! Everyone was hot and sweaty. It was so much fun and I loved every minute of it.

 

         The third day: Into the Future! Dress up as your favorite phone application. I thought we were clever when we decided to dress up as our individual favorite application and Mrs. Thompson and Mr. Hawk dressed as IPhones. They safety pinned all the application logos to their shirts.

         Organizing this for this shindig put me through an intense amount of stress because this was my last convention and I wanted to go out with a bang! The costumes had to be original and creative. Every council went with amazing costumes and I wanted Holbrook not to go unrecognized.

         When we got there, about twenty councils were wearing Pacman costumes. I was fuming! But, I have to admit our costumes were made better. The baseball day was a success because only two other councils were dressed up. Into the Future day was a bust, because it was raining and we got there a bit late.  

           Overall, the convention was amazing. I had so much fun and the people I went with were all great leaders and showed a powerful amount of spirit. Whenever I go to these kinds of events, I feel such a passion for leadership that I cannot describe. On the way home, I was thinking how much I was going to miss Chris Pate and his jokes, and how much I will miss Alizia and Alaya and the fun night we had.

 

 

 

        Then I had a flashback: My first student convention was held at North High School in Phoenix. I could not believe how forceful and extreme the energy was from everyone. The energy is still there after four years and seems to get more powerful with every convention. With this last convention at Campo Verde High School, I feel accomplished and proud that I stuck with student council for my high school career. If there is one thing that I could take from this is that hard work pays off with all the memories created and laughs that we shared, together.

 

 

 

My version of the quote: “Just do it because it will work out in the end.”

Rosa Parks- It Could Happen

Rosa Parks. Born 1913- Died 2005

"I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear." 
— Rosa Parks, African-American civil rights activist

     This is my first blog post. I chose this as my first quote because this is exactly how I feel at the moment. That is how I am going to pick my quotes. I will apply it to what is happening in my life now. 

     Rosa learned through her accomplished life "that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear." At this moment I am picking colleges. I have been undecided for months, applying to where ever I might go and what college will provide me with a free education. So far, I have narrowed it down to three. 

     The practical- Northern Arizona University. Go Lumberjacks!                     

       The "Out of the Question"- Arizona State University. Go Sundevils!

     The Dream- Missouri State University. Go Tigers!

    I do not want to go to Northern Arizona University. I think it is extremely too close to home. I want to have the college experience, not (practically) be living down the road. It is way too cold! The average low in Flagstaff is 31 degrees, all year. That is below freezing! I can barely live through Holbrook winters. My parents think it is an ideal place because they can make it there in an hour or less. I doubt I will have any fun when I plan to go to a party and my mom unexpectantly checks up on me.

    The "Out of the Question" college is Arizona State University. The quoted text is from my father. What I fully believe is that I should be able to decide where I want to go to school, because I will be the one pursuing my degree in their facilities. He is being ridiculous because he thinks ASU is a party school. It is, but I have total confidence in myself that I will study and obtain my degree in four years at ASU. If I get a 23 or higher on my ACT I can get the Dean's Scholarship for $5,000! And I will post publicly, because I am not ashamed of my past score...20. On the first try! I need to boost my score by three points. I will try my best for ASU, because if they pay for part of my education my dad has to say yes!

     My dream school is the University of Missouri. I only started looking at this school, this year, but I love it! I researched every inch of their campus and it is amazing. I would only be fifteen hours away from my Nan and Pop Pop Earl, in Pennsylvania. It would take a two days for my parents to get to me. Truthfully, I like the distance.

     My parents and I are going to decide by who offers me the most cash, how many scholarships I get, and what college will take me to great things. If we only could decide!! I have a phobia of living with my parents my whole life because I have not decided where to go! I do NOT want to be that girl that stays in Holbrook her entire life and has a billion children. Maybe I am over thinking and exaggerating, but it could happen.

My version of the quote: "Pick a college, dang it and decide! Don't be afraid, because you can't live with your parents forever!"