Top 13 of 2013

2013 was without a doubt the best year I've yet to experience. So many memories, hard things that turned into the best things, great old friends and great new friends, milestones, hello's and goodbye's, mixed with terribly awkward encounters and sleep-laughing. So now, with that introduction, let me present to you,

The Best Parts of 2013 According to Bianca Seamons, in order of occurrence:

1. Turning 18 (yeah this part wasn't really that cool, just figured I'd include it).

2. Experiencing the change that happened when so many of my friends in high school received their mission calls. It started in the middle of February, when the 120 days before graduation came, and my friends began being called to serve in Norway, Mexico, Germany, Italy, Japan, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Spain, Indonesia, Russia, the Philippines, New Zealand... our whole high school changed. This is probably one of the best memories of my whole life.

3. Going to Washington DC for choir! Most of my close friends were in choir so they all came with me :) I wouldn't mind one bit going back and living there (if my friends came with me).

4. Performing at our high school's Battle of the Bands, aka Cavestock. My best friend, Tessea, and I were back-up singers for Josh's band. #packagedealordie We didn't do much but it was freaking cool to be on stage and have the whole high school at your feet.

5. Graduating from American Fork High School magna cum laude. Senior year was definitely the hardest time of my life. I took 4 AP classes and worked part time, while precariously balancing early morning seminary and chamber and sleep and having a social life. It worked but it definitely took a toll, I was completely physically, mentally, intellectually, and psychologically worn out by the time graduation rolled around.

6. Josh and I got to do so many fun things together before he left on his mission! We fit as much summer as we could in those four weeks between graduation and the end of June.

7. Having to say goodbye to all of my guy friends who left on missions. You probably wouldn't think this would be a highlight, but it made me so grateful to have so many good people in my life.

8. Vacationing in St. George with my best friends for our senior trip!

(perfect example of the classic head tilt)

9. Road tripping the entire West Coast with my family. We have family near Seattle, WA, so we drove there first, then made our way down through Oregon and California, stopping to stay with more family in Hollister, CA. 10+ days in a minivan doesn't seem that appealing buuuut daaaang that coast is gorgeous. We got to go to my favorite cities, Seattle and San Francisco, and they were even better than I remembered.

10. Quitting my job and moving to Logan to go to college. But let's be honest here, I didn't really enjoy the college part much at all, but getting to spend time with my friends 24/7 was fun. From going to Orange Leaf or Aggie ice cream multiple times a week, to watching the Walking Dead or Harper's Island alllll daaay loonng, to walking to and from mission prep in the freezing cold, to getting to eat/do/sleep/watch tv whenever we wanted, to doing baptisms at the Logan temple, to laughing in my sleep, to too many trips to the grocery store, to watching scary movies and then going to abandoned houses in the canyon, to going to True Aggie Night, to making too many batches of cookies... dang, well now I miss my girls (insert tearful emoji here)

11. Receiving my own call to serve to Berlin, Germany. Best moment this year, by far.

12. Taking out my endowments in the Timp temple. #thechurchistrue

and finally, 13. Getting to talk to Josh on Christmas Day! After over 6 months it was dang good to see his face again.

If it's okay with you, I think I'll just leave my heart in 2013! Just kidding, on to bigger and better things in 2014! Berlin, I'm comin' for ya in 49 days (never soon enough).