Confessions

Well, well, well,  it has been AWHILE! Sorry my dear readers, for I have been- for lack of a better word- busy. The last two months have been a whirlwind of excitement, change, and sheer and complete  happiness! I dropped out of cosmetology school yet again (don't worry, I'm going back soon!), moved to St George, got a job and..... drumroll.... GOT ENGAGED!!!

I would like to just assume that if you know me well enough to care enough to read this, you already know the whole story but I really haven't told it (busy, ya know) so here it is! Simplified:

Tyler and I started dating abouut 3 months ago. While that may seem like a very short time to some of you, those of you that know me know how strong willed, determined, and PICKY I am. I won't go into the mushy gushy details but I can honestly say that the very first time I met Tyler, I wanted to marry him. Now now... That may not be the most unusual thing coming from me but this time it actually worked. Because guess what! He wanted to marry me too! :) Also, I would like to confess at this point in time (since the title of this post IS Confessions) that while I may have said several times "I want to marry that boy that I've never spoken a single word to!" every single time I ended up actually talking to those boys, I realized that they were as dull as a brick and changed my mind pretty darn quick.

This was different! The more I talked to Tyler, the more real that wish became. To sum things up, I have known that I wanted to marry him for quite some time now, and I must have done something right in my life because he wanted the same thing!

So... a few weeks ago (before he popped the question) we were discussing this, and I was blubberingly telling him that I just wanted to marry him. He had me CONVINCED that he didn't have a ring and suggested that we wait a few months so he could save up to buy one. This just happened to be the day he called my Dad to ask his permission to marry me... not to mention he had bought the ring the very day we picked it out weeks before (sneaky man!)

And so two days later, the day after not only New Years eve, New Years Day, and our anniversary, he suggested we get some hot chocolate and walk around the temple. I didn't think anything of it, that's something we do at least once a week. He then suggested we take a picture in front of the temple and since every other time we had ever gone I was in sweats and one of his giant sweatshirts (just like that day) I finally gave in. We went over to take a picture and he got down on one knee, pulled out the most beautiful ring I had EVER seen, and asked me to be his wife!!

I did say yes, I did cry (but only a little) and I was completely in shock. But the happiest best kind of shock there is. SOOOOO that's the story. Now onto the real confession. The whole real reason I wrote this post.... is because...

Yesterday I ate half a can of chocolate frosting.
 I don't even like frosting...
But it was the only thing chocolate I could find in my apartment, so of course I ate it. With a spoon, straight out of the can... I am ashamed. I am determined to be better. But mostly I'm just happy that somebody loves me even though I am a chocomaniac. :) Until next time!

xoxo- Anna

This Guy (and a spiel about dating)

Oh hey everybody! Sorry it's taken me ten years (that's just a slight exaggeration) for me to post something new and exciting! I felt like I was doing pretty good until... well, until I met this guy. And THAT my beautiful people, is what this post is going to be mostly about. :)

I'm going to begin by saying how lucky I have been in dating. I mean, I've had some crazy experiences and obviously nothing has worked out in the past but I have also been blessed to know some really wonderful guys and on the off chance that any of the men I have dated in the past (or currently ;)) are reading this, I want you to know how much you have meant to me. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and I don't believe in coincidences. Does this mean that I believe every single paper cut will effect my eternal progression? No. That would be silly! But I do believe that every person we meet, every smile that is shared, and every relationship whether it be friendly or romantic has a much greater impact than most people would like to believe.

Don't worry, I'll get to the story eventually, but I feel like I need to talk about this.

Dating is weird.

Really weird.

And to be 100% honest I kind of hated it (like, with the burning passion of a million suns) until now.

I have a lot of theories and opinions about this whole "dating" thing and I have absolutely no problem sharing them with pretty much everybody, so here it is. Dating (as in going on dates) is COMPLETELY different for guys than it is for girls. I mean, guys are pretty much in control of their dating life. They get to choose who they ask out, how many people they ask out, and what they do. Girls have little to no control over who asks them out, who they end up going out with whether it be for the sake of not being considered a jerk or on the off chance that they are even remotely interested in the person who asked them out.

I understand that not every girl says yes and I'm not saying it's easier for guys.. all I'm saying is that it's different. And I happen to be the kind of girl (nice! I'm NICE.) who gets asked on a lot of dates. For a long time, I would cry every time I got asked out because I knew that they were at least a little bit interested in me and I knew that I didn't like them... but I had always been taught to say yes unless a boy is downright creepy. Sooooo I would go on the date (feeling absolutely terrible the whole time) and then proceed to tell the boy that though I considered him a very good friend, I just wasn't interested. In the man world, this is known as "The Friend Zone" and guys, I don't believe in it. Call me a jerk, but if I know a guy is interested in me and I'm not interested back, I would rather not talk to him and thus lead him on then put him through that crap. But either way, guess what I am? A jerk. A heartbreaker.. And basically a terrible person. Oh and saying no in the first place is no good either, because then "You didn't even give me a chance!" bleh.

I know what I want! I know what I'm looking for! I had hope that I would find it! And people,THIS guy is the real deal. As I'm sure many of you have seen on what the kids are calling "The Facebook", I am in a relationship. And here is the story you have all been waiting for....

He's handsome. He's tall. And even more importantly, he is wonderful in every sense of the word. Have you ever met someone who just restores your faith in humanity? Or if you are single, like I was, someone who makes you have faith that your expectations ARE realistic despite what all the boys say? That's exactly how I felt the very first time I met him. He was different, and I could tell. I just felt really good about him and I didn't even know him! But I wanted to... And here's how it happened.

Russell (one of my brothers) and I were visiting some family in St George for the weekend and my sister in law had the wonderful idea to go build a fire where my brothers used to live. We went, and Russ decided to see if any of his old roommates were home and wanted to join us. We knocked on the door and this tall, blonde, extremely attractive man answered.. I'm pretty sure my very first thought was "Woah. Where in the heck were you when I lived in St George?" He came out to the fire and I'm 99.9% sure that I stared at him like an idiot the entire time we were there. I was honestly baffled at how someone could be EXACTLY my type. Not only the way he looked, but the way he talked,and the way he joked with my brothers like they were best friends.

I couldn't stop thinking about him!! Even after we left St George and FINALLY, I sent him a message on Facebook. I basically just told him that I thought he was great and that he restored my faith in humanity. Then! To my great surprise and joy, he replied! And that's when it all began....

I'm not sure exactly what is going to happen, or why everything has worked out so wonderfully but for now I'm just going to enjoy having him in my life.. and marvel at the fact that I must have done something right at some point in my time in order to deserve him.

He makes me happy, inspires me to be better without making me feel like I need to be anyone but myself, balances my crazy, and honestly, I just feel incredibly blessed to have been given a chance to be with someone that I really want to be with. He's kind of the best...

                                                                  The Beginning. :)

Sisters

Good afternoon darlings! I hope you are all doing just FANTASTICALLY (I think that's a word) and I certainly hope you aren't sick. Like me. And my whole apartment. As I was talking about in yesterday's post, I've been afflicted with this unknown illness for quite some time now (have no fear, I am going to the doctor tomorrow!) and have spent several consecutive days in bed. While I will admit that at times I really do want nothing more than to be asleep in bed, this can get a little bit... exhausting. As ironic as that is. If you're anything like me- orrr if you're just a human being who has ever been sick, you should be able to relate.

This brings me to the topic of something besides myself: My roommates. Guys, I have been through some roommates. And all of them have been absolutely wonderful (for the most part) but I think it is safe to claim that my roommates here and now are the best I could ever ask for. Really.

They are angels. And I count myself feeling extremely lucky to have them in my life. One of the first things my Bishop ever said to me when I first moved into this ward was in reference to my roommates: "You must have done something right in the preexistence to have gotten those girls as roommates. They will protect you like a pack of wolves."

At the time, this didn't make a whole lot of sense to me, I mean they WERE amazing and I did feel extremely blessed to have them in my life but none of them resembled wolves in any sense of the word. The first person I think of as a protective sister is my best friend back home, Emily. Whom I love and miss dearly and if you are reading this YOU'D BETTER CALL ME! But after living with Jessica, Mariah, and Staci for just over a month those words have sunk into a very vivid and real meaning. These girls are amazing.Not only are they spiritually and emotionally uplifting, they are everything I would hope a sister would be.

I used to wish that I had a sister, but since hormones entered my life I have counted myself considerably lucky to have been the only girl. I love my brothers to death and I have five amazing sisters-in-law PLUS the best Mother anyone could ever ask for but there is something about living with these girls that just makes me feel whole in a way that I never did before.

I have always been partial to the company of males. They are less dramatic (usually) and have a calming effect (hopefully) that I find myself greatly in need of. But these girls come in a close second. From serenading strangers in the parking lot, to sharing clothes, to having roommate scriptures and prayers, these girls could not have come into my life at a better time. They are wonderful examples to me and not only do they put up with my craziness... they join in!

My point of this post is not only to thank my roommates, but to thank every girl in my life who has ever made me feel like I had a sister. As much as I don't like to admit it, sometimes I just need the company of understanding females. And the ones that have been put in my life for the last 20 years are the cream of the crop. My best friend and I had a joke that God made us best friends because no Mother could have handled us as sisters. Well, I feel that way about just about every wonderful female friend I have ever had. So thank you so much! And have a wonderful day!!!

p.s. Don't worry boys, your post is coming soon enough. ;)

Shocking Realizations

Hello again! So this is something that has been weighing on my mind and I haven't wanted to post anything on facebook for fear that it will come off as an invitation (you'll understand what I mean in just a second.)

But let me tell you about an experience I had yesterday.

And the shocking realization that hit me in the midst of it.

Soooo... I've been sick for about the last week. I had some cold/flu from heck and had been confined to my bed for several days. Yesterday I woke up around 4pm (I was pretty darn sick..) with this undeniable craving for See's Candy. Now, when I say it was an undeniable craving I mean there is NO WAY for me to turn it off or turn it down. So I rolled out of bed in all of my oversized volleyball shirt, highwater leggings, and greasy haired glory and headed to University Mall.

Let me tell you a little bit about University Mall. Not only is it the only location of a See's Candy that I know of in all of Utah, it is THE ultimate couples getaway. And yesterday must have been "Bring a date, get EVERTHING for free" day because that place was swarming with googly eyed, hand holding, ring shopping zombies.

And it also must have been " If you're a SUPER ATTRACTIVE SINGLE MALE, COME TO THE MALL" day. Need I say more?

So here I am.
The literal definition of raggamuffin (really, if you looked it up on google you would probably find a picture of me yesterday. But don't do it. Google is sketch.) Walking toward See's Candy with a purpose, still mostly asleep, and completely unaware of how awful I looked. I made it to See's, bought WAY too much chocolate and headed back toward my car on the other end of the mall. (That mall is worse than a corn maze. That's probably why so many couples go there! Corn mazes are expensive..) I digress. So I was walking back out toward my car, stuffing my face with chocolate, in my brothers extra large volleyball shirt, SURROUNDED by couples and as I stopped to admire the engagement rings in the windows, I came to the shockingly vivid and abrupt realization of how very extremely single I am.

I am single. I haven't had a boyfriend for over TWO YEARS. And no, I haven't been on a mission. And here I was, looking at engagement rings. I also in this moment came to the realization of what I must look like to all of those couples and attractive single men, and people who worked in the jewelry stores that I was dirtying up with my mere snotty presence. And I didn't like it.

I'm happy! I really am. And it's not that I haven't had opportunities to be in relationships or even to be married... it just hasn't ever been the right one or the right time. And honestly, that's okay! It can just get a little bit lonely sometimes. BUT, for the sake of maintaining some hint of positivity, allow me to say this: I will take waiting over settling any day of the week. And I have full faith that I will find my Prince someday! So... on the off chance that someone in a similar position to me is reading this, KEEP YOUR CHIN UP, BUTTERCUP! Love will find us someday!!! And if it means anything at all... I think you're lovely. Until next time!

XOXO,
Anna Marie

The Pursuit of Life, Love, and Chocolate

Hello! If you are reading this I am going to assume you are either related to me or stalking me (or both) but I will welcome you either way! My name is Anna Marie Petrich and I am a 20 something year old girl from a small town in Central California. I'm the youngest of seven children AND the only girl. I owe just about everything I am to my family. From my wonderful extended family all the way down to my 15 (and counting) perfect nieces and nephews, my family is my life. I live for them and for My Savior, Jesus Christ. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS, Mormon, whatever you fancy) and will occasionally write about my faith. But THIS, this is the simple version of how I ended up right here, right now.

 When I was growing up, I had this dream... My dream was to become a Costco sample lady. I used to wake up every morning and watch Martha Stewart. My mom made me aprons and I was always creating concoctions for my brothers to "sample." Then, one day, I decided I wanted to be a cosmetologist instead. I'm not 100% sure what exactly caused this switch but just like that my mind was made up and NOBODY was going to change it.

I was always pretty popular. I had friends- a lot of them- and was always very involved  in everything from Student Body programs to every extracurricular activity I could fit into my schedule. I was the lead of several plays, the Student Body President, and participated in everything from church leadership programs, to choir, to attempting to play every sport known to man (and failing miserably). I was in high demand for babysitting. Kids loved me, parents loved me, I loved me, and I loved life.

Until High School.

For some reason, the summer between eighth grade and my freshman year, (in which I receieved braces and a pixie cut)- all of my friends decided to turn stupid. High school was a whirlwind of drama- loosing friends, trying to gain new ones, and striving to maintain some sort of grasp on reality. Amidst all of this my health began to fail. Physically, emotionally, and mentally. And with that, I began to fail. I ended up transfering to a charter school where I was able to do all of my academic work at home and had the option to take extra classes on campus. Drama of course followed me, but so did wonderful friends, opportinities, jobs, and eventually through the help of modern medicine, good health.

A week before I was supposed to walk for my High School Graduation, I packed up my life and moved to Provo, Utah in pursuit of my goal to become a cosmetologist.

I sort of had a plan.... Go to school, get married, make babies. You know, the usual. But as fate would have it, life had a different plan for me.

 I ended up getting really sick and dropping out of cosmetology school. I moved back home and went from job to job, never feeling 100% stable in anything.  And ten one blessed day I finally! After over a year of heartfelt prayers, received the undeniable answer that I was supposed to move back to Provo and finish what I started. I will admit that I was slightly hesitant at first but then literally everything fell into place and here I am! This.... is my story.