goals

Starting today, everyday i'm going to:

READ/STUDY THE SCRIPTURES

&&

WORK OUT

{I already did both of these things today, and I feel SO good}

It's not the first time I've made these goals. In fact i'm sure that every year those are my goals, but do I ever fall through with it? 
Nope, no I don't.

BUT THIS TIME IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT. 

I'm exited to feel closer to my Heavenly Father by reading the scriptures and studying them. I learn something new every time without a fail.
Also I love the feeling of working out, so why not get myself to do it? annnnd who doesn't wanna get in shape, I know I do. I need to.

so.these are my goals.starting.Today.

the{good}times

MEMORIES:plural of mem·o·ry (Noun)

1. A person's power to remember things

2.The power of the mind to remember things

There are two types of memories.

• The {good} ones. The kind you wish to go back and relive'em. and
• The {bad} ones. The kind you're glad that they're just memories. Even though it sucks to have them in back of your head, constantly reminding you of those times you wish to erase.

But in this post I wanna talk about the good memories. {why think about the bad ones. am I right? right.}

One of the reasons why I love to keep a journal, and a blog is because I can always go back, whenever I want and read about old times. Replay those good memories over and over in my head.

The best is when I re-read something I had forgotten about, and am reminded of it. 

I love the smile, the laugh and sometimes even tears of joys that it bring me.

I love being able to have the power to remember things

To have MEMORIES.

Like:

-The one time when my grandma had just pasted away, and two of my best friends {Netto and Lucas} came over, brought me a gift and spent the rest of the night with me cheering me up.

-The one time I won the 'Principal's Award'on 8th grade year. haha.

-When I had my first kiss.

-When me and laura tried sneaking out during a sleepover, out of our leaders house. {which we totally made it. I also peed my pants from laughing so hard. hahahaha. but we don't pay attention to that}

-When I went bowling with Taylor and he spun me five times before I bowled for him and instead of messing up his game I ended up getting him a STRIKE {can you believe it? yeah me either. I was pissed haha}

-All the bro nights I have with MY BROS :) {#chicksssss}

-Lake Powell trip with Laura, Sara, Moyra, Kasey and Cody.

-When me and Flo Bo De. hung out with Nick C. and McKay and we all, yeah.. member that? {hint hint,'dinosaur picture'..hahah}

-Winning an Ipad on a Key’s to success contest at school, my junior year.

-Two months ago, today one of the nicest, sweetest guys I ever met kissed me.

-Girls camp {I had the best girls’ camps} 

-Hiking Timp. {not so sure if that's a goood memorie more like painful..}

…and many, many more. I can’t list them all, or else this post would be going on for FOREVER.

But are you catching my drift?

Memories are great you guys.

I’m thankful for them. I really am.

Let many more{good}memories be created as my life goes on.

what is this?!

I feel so confused.
Heart broken.
Like if I was missing someone.

but WHO you might ask, That is a good question. I have no idea! 

Is this even normal? Let alone, possible?
I guess so, since it's happening to at this very moment.

I don't like this at all. 
It's like the feeling of going through a break up, or missing that special someone, that you don't even have. {I'm talking nonsense I know}

Maybe it's because tomorrow is valentines day. Could that be it?
I honestly don't think so.. 

Not once the thought of wanting to go out on a date with a cute guy tomorrow crossed my head; as weird as that is, it is very true. Would I like to? of course! Have I really thought about it? eh not really, at all actually.

I'm pretty pumped to spend V-day with the girlfriennns. 
In fact if I were to be asked on a date tomorrow, I'd most likely say no. That's how good of plans I have for tomorrow. Unless we're talking about Channing Tatum or something, then i'd think about it ;)

Anywayyy.
So Where is this feeling coming from??
I don't miss liking someone, or having that relationship with them. I don't. I'm happy with where I am now:

Single.
Enjoying life.
Care-free.

So please weird, unwanted feeling, just go away k?!
It would be much appreciated!
Thanks!

Lets talk {people water}

or Jef Holms.. haha.

Today I got to meet Jef with one F. {be jealous}

I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty stoked.

He's hot you guys. like really, really.

{just look at that face, mmm.}

{Cody}

{don't mind my awkwardness}

Anyway... Him and Cody, went over to UVU to do a presentation on, well, people water. {duh} They explained what they're all about. 

I was extremely impressed with all that they do. I knew that they went around the world, helping really poor neighborhoods in third world countries get the clean water that they need, but for some reason, it never really hit me until I saw some of their project videos. 

Their work is seriously, AMAZING. There's no other word to describe it. 

They're so passionate with what they do.

I really, really look up and admire people like Jef and Cody, and the other members of People Water, that want to make a difference in the world, and through their business, help the people in need. 

So thank you people water, for making the lives of many people a better one.

Wanna know what sucks?

Having a class with a really cute guy,
That sits next to you,
That talks to you every once in a while,
That is nice,
That asks you to study for the upcoming test with him,
That seems pretty chill,
That texts you without being annoying,
That it's about to ask you on a date,

BUT....

Then he does one thing that turns you off, completely.
I'm talking about the kind of turn off that can't get turned back on. 
You know what i'm saying?! 
and then, not just you get turned off, but you start to see their weird side.
blahhhh.
Am I the only one that's like this?
I sure hope not.
gosh dangit.

why why why!

on another note.
I checked my mailbox today,
and I had a letter from Tay!
I was so happy; I love his letters!

Cali? please and thank you!

Someone take me to Cali.

Let's go on a road trip??

Come on, you know you want to!

Lets just be beach bums for dayzzzz.

Sounds amazing. am I right or am I right?

Honestly there's no place i'd rather be. 

If you know me, you know how much I hate the cold. I'd rather be sweating hard core than be cold. 

Warm weather is my bihhh.

I've mentioned this way too many times, but I LOVE the beach!

I feel so peaceful when i'm there.

All of my worries seem to go away, just like that

The beach is like my get away spot

Too freaking bad that I have to drive 

12hrs everytime I want to "get away"

I should probably find a place near by.. hahaha.

Darn you, Utah. 

Y U NO have beaches???

names on names

Lana?! who's that? oh yeah, that's me!
Not many people know, but my first name's Lana!
Many people go by their first name, but my whole life I've been called by my middle name, Karem.
Maybe because my little sister cici, my mom and I are all Lana's. 
Weird right? tell me about it..
What was my mom thinking? she must of liked her name way too much! 


{K a little background story for you all. When my mom chose to name me Karem, she wasn't sure how she should spell it. So at the time instead of choosing to end my name with a N like everyone else, she chose the most confusing way, to go with the M. 
In Brasil the pronunciation between N and M's really doesn't matter, it's the same when used at the end of a word, but in America, well that's a whole different story. That's why I just go by Karen. 
Almost no one knows that my name is spelled with a M, because everywhere I write my name I spell it 'kareN' so that there's nooo misunderstandings, those can be soo annoying.}  

Anyway going back to the whole Lana subject.. 

So I guess it's a good thing me and my sister go by our middle names, or else life would be much more confusing.
Once in a while I think, "mmm, maybe I should just go by my first name, that'd be kinda cool, it is different" but whenever I have people call me Lana for a while, I sorta get annoyed, I try so hard to get used to it, but it just doesn't work. I don't know why, it's almost like if that wasn't me. 
Which is kinda weird, because it is my name. My first name.

Then comes my other middle name, Almada. My mom's maiden name. I don't even know why I have it, honestly. It's never ever used, and it's just more work to have to write my whole name down on documents and such.

Last but not least, my last name: CAVALCANTE. 
Does anyone know how to pronounce that? nope. okay maybe a few, like 3-5 people. Never in the first try though. NEVER.

Does anyone know how to spell that? nope. They'll either ALWAYS get it wrong and mix the C with the L so it'll look something like this
---> CAVALANTE or i'll almost always have to spell it out for them. 

Man, I guess you could say I have a really confusing name. Pretty unique I guess.. in its on way.

Nonetheless, I love my name. I wouldn't want to be named anything else. Mostly because I think it'd be really weird if I was named something else; for example, Rachel. That was actually the name my parents planned to give me. 
Can you picture me as a Rachel?? yeah me either. Thank goodness for karem.

Well, this was a really random post. I had been thinking all day about how everyone in college calls me Lana now, and its still pretty weird to me. so it led me to all this randomness... 
I guess now you guys know all about my name, or should I say, names. hehe:)

LANA:German origin, meaning: "precious"

KAREM: I looked it up and well, it has no meaning, because it "could not be found" haha good to know..

KAREN: Danish origin, meaning is "pure,chaste"

CAVALCANTE:Italian origin, meaning: Horse rider. hints how I got "ride-a-horse" as one of my nicknames.

future husband

Lately i have been thinking a lot about the guys i've dated in the past, liked and have got to know pretty well. I obviously don't mean literally ALL of them, but mostly the ones that had a bigger impact on me. i'm trying to make this sound less creepy as possible, so bare with me!

Many of those guys caught my eyes because of some of the really good qualities that they had. Characteristics that i look for in my future husband. Unfortunately some of them had characteristics that i didn't want, and others well-sadly- just because they were cute. {big shocker...}

Well anyway, throughout the years {yes, i've been thinking about my future husband ever since i was like 14?} i've thought of how i wan't my future lover to be. i'm not talking about his physical appearance. {not that if he were to be tall, tan, green eyed and have abbs for days i would mind ;)}

so i made a list of things that i want, in my future life companion for all eternity. {boy, do i like the sound of that or what!}

I want him to,

BE: kind.

loving.

patient with me.

worthy to take me to the temple.

a RM.

HAS: to have a good sense of humor.

to be able to make me laugh, preferably everyday; i love to laugh.

     to love to make surprises and be surprised.

to peak Portuguese.

to be approved by my family.

to LOVE the gospel.

to want kinds.
to give me lots of hugs and kisses, unexpectedly ;)

to care about his education.

to care about his future.

to do 3 little things that i have made up in my mind, without knowing(it's a long story.)

to love me unconditionally.

Am i asking for much? to be honest, i don't think so. everyone has a different idea of the guy they want to fall in love with; this is mine.

Every time i think of that list i also think, "what about me? what kind of characteristics does my future husband wants his future wife, me, to have??" i can't just expect all that from 'him' and not do my part to reach 'his' expectations, am i making sense? i hope so... i'm not saying, i need to change who i am, because i know that someday i will find someone that will want me just the way i am. but it just doesn't make sense to me, to want someone amazing like that, and not try to become like it.

There's a quote that i really believe in, and it says: "we attract what we are" and my dad always tells me, "light attracts light, darkness attracts darkness"

Those two quotes are really relatable and self explanatory. with all that being said.. I really hope to someday attract someone like myself, and for that to happen, i need to become that kind of person i want to attract.

...and the best part of it all is the thought that, some of the best days of our lives haven't even happened yet! 

↓↓↓↓

Matisyahu 'One Day'

sometimes in my tears I drown

but I never let it get me down

so when negativity surrounds

I know some day it'll all turn around