Monday, December 31, 2012

In and Out List of 2013

Here are my lists of things that are in and out for 2013:

IN:
Self-Confidence
Happiness
Scripture Studying
Blogging
Service
Good Grades
Exercise 
Africa
Cooking
Dancing
Music
Reading
Sisterhood
Unity
Certainty
Love


OUT:
Laziness
Hesitation
McDonald's (well at least not as often...)
Wasting Time
Anatomy and the tears that accompany it
Worrying what others think of me
Broken hearts










Thursday, December 20, 2012

God is Still Good.

A week later and my heart is still aching for those affected by the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School. I've tried not to think about it too much so that it wouldn't sink in because it it had sunk in I would surely be a mess. I was scared to even attempt to write about it because I knew that my thoughts would never be described eloquently enough and my words would never give any comfort. But, I've decided it's time to let it sink it and for the sake of myself try to put into words my emotions.



I can't imagine the pain and suffering the poor families are feeling as they strive to make sense of this tragic loss. Literally no words are coming to mind to even begin to try to sympathize with these families and loved ones who have been affected.


Since I saw the news that Friday morning I've been looking at every child and parent differently. I keep thinking, it could have happened to that child, or that child, or that parent, etc. I think of my Summer Fun campers and how it so easily could have been them. I think of me in a few years teaching at a school and how it could have been me. All this and still I can't even begin to fathom the pain and the heartache.


The only conclusion that I can come to is that God is sending his love and his support to these people when they need Him most. We may not be able to understand why this happened or know how to help but Christ does know. So I continue to pray and I continue to have faith that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will take those people hurting and hold them and comfort them in ways we may not be able to. That is why God is so good.


Monday, December 10, 2012

Just a Little Something..

My roommate Alex showed me this quote and it has become my phone background. Every time I start to think I can't get through this dreaded finals week, I read this quote.

"The way seems so long, the road so steep. My dear young friends, never lose faith in yourselves or in your capacity to do worthwhile things. And call on the Lord for help that your minds may be enlightened and your understanding quickened. Then go to work with that assurance inside you that somehow you can do it."
-President Gordon B. Hinckley 

What a wonderful quote. Thanks Gordon. Onward and Upward! Good luck with finals fellow college students! 

Monday, December 3, 2012

Oh Africa!

I feel like you loyal blog readers deserve the whole story behind my deciding to go to Africa this Summer. So, here is the full story:

A little background. I've always wanted to go to Africa. Not sure why, but I just always have. Everything about Africa fascinates me. Ok. There is your background.

So on a random day I had been figuring out my schedule for next semester and on a whim I decided to take a Peoples of Africa class. I choose this class over one that I needed for my major so it seemed strange but I wanted to take it so I am.

Then later that week I had been in class and struggling to stay awake and thought, man I would love some Hot Chocolate right about now. So after class I made my way to the Wilk to get some Hot Chocolate. Then to my surprise HELP International was giving out FREE Hot Chocolate. I was thrilled. I graciously took the Hot Chocolate and continued on to my study spot. Once I got settled I went to HELP's webpage and before I knew I was about to hit submit to apply to go to Mbale, Uganda in Africa.



I quickly realized what I was about to do and decided it was probably a good idea if I talk this through with my parents and plan a little bit more for this. (Good idea right?) I called my Dad and told him what was going on and he was understandably surprised and yet so supportive. He calmly asked questions and urged me to take some time to think about it and plan things through before hitting submit. What a brillant man. He said, "Trust you to find these random things to pursue. This is so you!" Which I took as a compliment. Thanks Dad for talking some sense into me.


I didn't hit submit but I couldn't stop thinking about it. The more I researched and the more I thought about it the more excited I got. To add to my excitement HELP called me about my application. (Keep in mind I still hadn't hit submit!) He answered some of my questions and urged me to hit submit. I was on my way to meet my sister for lunch and so I told her about these little coincidences and asked if she thought they meant anything. She said, "Annie if I've learned anything through all this stuff I've gone through this year it's that nothing is a coincidence. Go to Africa." Best advice ever. She is the best sister ever.

So I went home and hit submit. Yup I just did it. I had a minor freak out after I hit submit. Oh man it still doesn't seem real.


The next day I called my Mom to talk to her. I'll be honest and say I was a little nervous because I knew she was super nervous about me going to Africa. She was great though. She did express a lot of concern but she also expressed a lot of love and support. Which I greatly appreciate.

So anyways to make this long story somewhat short, I had an interview with HELP and I think it went really well and then I got an official acceptance email the other day and well, I'M GOING TO AFRICA! I'm planning on going June 15 - August 15th then serve a mission after that. I'm still trying to figure out all the timing and details but that's the plan for now! Don't worry, I'll keep you updated on everything! Thanks for the support!


Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Sunshine Award!

I just got nominated for the Sunshine Award by Eggs With Ketchup (http://eggswithketchup.com/)! I'm flattered! Here are the rules of the game:
1. Acknowledge the person who gave this award in a blog post.
2. Do the Q&A below.
3. Pass on the Award to 10 deserving and inspiring bloggers, inform them and link to their blogs.

1. Who is your favorite philosopher? 
Um. Good question. Does Anne Frank count? Her quote, "Look at all the beauty still around you, and be happy" has become my life motto. I think that was very philosophical of her. 
2. What is your favorite number?
126. Or any variation of that. I was born on January 26. My sport numbers have been 1 or 2 throughout High School. I just like them, K?
3. What is your favorite animal?
I have a general love for all animals but if I had to pick one I couldn't. haha 

4. What is your favorite time of day?
Random question but alright. I like afternoons. But I also like mornings on occasion. Sometimes I am forced to wake up early and I hate it while in my bed but once I'm up and about I love it. 
5. What are your Facebook and Twitter?
Here is my Facebook and here is my Twitter. Stalk away!

6. What is your favorite Holiday?
Christmas Eve. I anticipate that holiday party all year man. All year! I live for our production of the Nativity! 
7. What is your favorite physical activity?
Um how can I narrow it down? I obviously love lacrosse. But I'm pretty much down for any physical activity ever. I love the classic Gym Class games (hens my major choice). I love sports. Everything active. Yay. 


8. What is your favorite non-alcoholic drink?
DIET COKE. 

9. What is your passion?
Um. That's a little personal isn't it? Just kidding. I'm not sure if I know that yet? 
10. What is your favorite flower?
Sunflowers! 

Now here are the 10 blogs I am nominating! 
1. http://saraturner64.blogspot.com/
2. http://lauriesnowturner.com/
3. http://whatshappeningwithannabelle.blogspot.com/
4. http://greengrassisfun.blogspot.com/
5. http://kenzcurtis.blogspot.com/
6. http://alexburchtree.blogspot.com/
7. http://allieheroux.blogspot.com/
8. http://deardynamite.blogspot.com/
9. http://marcieprince.blogspot.com/
10. http://www.eastercloset.com/

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Falling into Place

Last month an announcement was made that caused me to rethink my life plan. After this announcement I've been trying to figure out what my new plan should be. It has turned out to be a plan I've been dreaming about for a long time but just didn't really realize it. Is that even possible? I guess so because that's what's happened.


It's amazing to me how everything little thing in my life has been taken care of. Things were all up in the air for a while and now they are falling into place. I am so grateful for a God who has a plan for me and has provided me with ways to achieve and follow that plan. I am so grateful for an older brother who has made it possible for me to become all that my Heavenly Father knows I can become. Without my Savior I would not be where I am today and I would not have the ability to reach my full potential. I am amazed everyday how involved my Savior and my Heavenly Father are in my life. 

Now that was all very cryptic and vague. But here are my tentative plans for my life:

Stay at BYU for Winter Semester, go home for Spring and get my Mission Papers ready and hopefully sent in and receive my call in May, go to AFRICA with Help International to serve the people in Uganda, and then serve my Lord on a full-time mission in September.  



AHHHHH!!! HOW INCREDIBLY EXCITING AND AMAZING IS THAT PLAN?! I keep asking myself, "is this real life?" It seems like I have a 2 years of service to look forward to and I am so excited! Now this plan is tentative but it feels so right right now and I am scared but mostly so excited that I can't think about anything else. GOD IS SO GOOD. 

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Dance Like Nobody's Watching...Literally

"Dance like nobody's watching and sing like nobody's listening"



This is one of my life mottos. I have a couple I guess but you can never have enough mottos right? This is one my mom always used to tell me before choir concerts, voice recitals, and step competitions. This doesn't have to be taken literally but I take it very literally. My roommates and family can attest to that. Almost every night my roommates get the pleasure of witnessing me make a fool of myself by dancing ridiculously horrible. They also get to hear my angelic voice all hours of the day. They especially love when I sing while they are trying to study. They tell me I sing even when my headphones are in but I don't believe them. If that were true it would explain the weird looks I get in the library and walking to campus but I think those looks are just them admiring my beauty. Don't you? 



Every once and a while you need a good DP (Dance Party) to get all your stress and wiggles out. Or in the case of my roommates and I to increase your wiggles. I especially love when I am home alone. Which doesn't happen very often with an apartment of 6, but on the off chance that I'm home alone you can pretty much guarantee that I'm belting out my favorite music and dancing around like a fool. 



I always try to trick myself into thinking that I can take a 5 minute Dance break while studying and then be more focused but that's never the case. Those 5 minute dance breaks just make me more hyper and antsy. I'll continue to work on that though.  



Can I leave you with a challenge? Find the time to dance and sing your hearts out. I promise it will increase you happiness. And who doesn't want an increase of happiness?



Also this is my most recent favorite song to jam to-



Sunday, October 21, 2012

I Hope They Call me on a Mission

Well. It's been decided. I am serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am so excited. My plan right now is to wait until after Winter Break to start and put in my papers and then have my availability date be sometime mid-June. So far that has felt right.



Even though I have almost 9 months until June I know time is going to fly and June will get here before I know it. I am trying to start preparing now. I am trying to get my hands on a Preach my Gospel but they are in high demand so it's been harder than anticipated. I'm trying to find some time in my crazy busy days to study from it and learn it well. I am trying to make my scripture study more of a study and less of a "I'll just skim over this as I fall asleep" kind of deal.

Another thing I want to do to prepare is teach people. Being in Utah there aren't many opportunities to talk to non-members, but luckily I have a lot of non-member friends! So if you are willing, let me practice and teach you! Is that weird to ask? Nah.

I am so excited about serving a mission. I have been so blessed by this gospel and so I can't wait to bring that same happiness and blessings into the lives of others. God is so good. This gospel is so good. My Savior is so good.



If you have any tips or ideas for me to help me prepare, let me know!

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

welp.

Here I am sitting the library all set up to study some Anatomy but I can't bring myself to do it. I just can't. My dad did tell me it was time for a new blogpost so this is considered productive right? (Just say yes.)

Here are my most recent life updates:

Mission plans are still being figured out. I am planning on leaving after Winter Semester. That has just been feeling right lately. Nothing else huge to report there, other than I am super excited and also terrified. Yay!


Jr. Jazz is so much fun! Did I mention I was coaching a 1st and 2nd grade Basketball team? Well I am and it is so much fun! My assistant coach Carter and I have 8 rambunctious boys on our team. They are so fun. They are quite the handful and have attention spans of a goldfish but oh so much fun. They are actually pretty good too! Technically we don't keep score but I do. I'm too competitive not to. Coaching these boys confirms to me that I am pursuing the right career. Which is a great feeling.



Shaunessy came down to visit this weekend! I love that girl so much it's almost ridiculous. We had a lot of fun but the time went by way to quickly. She is amazing. I am so lucky to have her in my life. Gahh I love her.

Isn't she beautiful? 
A couple weeks ago I got to go see my favorite band in concert. It was one of the best days ever. I wrote a whole blog post about it but it didn't save and I was mad so I'm just going to give a brief recap of it. It was very stressful let me tell you. They pushed all the bands up so we were so close to missing Imagine Dragons (my favorite band). We got up and had to show them our confirmation number on my phone but I could not find the email. I was shaking so bad and may or may not have peed my pants. (don't worry about it...it happens...right?) So we get up there with no email still and I shoved my phone in this gigantic security guards face with some other email from the concert people and yell, "This is all I can find! But I promise I have 2 tickets!" He said, "You're shaking.." I yelled back, "Yea I know I'm missing my favorite band!" He gave me a hesitant look and I promptly yelled, "I have my temple recommend! I am worthy and honest!" Then this huge security guard looked at me with a face of relief and said, "Oh you have a recommend! Go on in!" We took off running. Only in Utah my friends, only in Utah. We made our way to some bushes and sat in them to see. It was so great. They are so great. Love. 


Neon Trees were there too! They were so much fun to watch!

In other news, my lacrosse stick broke. I went home and cried. I cried for other reasons too, it was a generally not good day without the breaking of my stick and then this just made it 10x worse. 



Anyways. That's the latest and greatest. Life is pretty good right now. I guess I should get back to studying. Or I mean, start studying. Tootles! 



Monday, October 8, 2012

Change of Plans

So if you know me well you know that I enjoy a good plan. I struggle with uncertainty. As of Saturday morning my world has been tipped upside down a little bit. I had a somewhat of a plan for my life. But with the new change in the Sister Missionary age, I am being forced to move forward with some uncertainty. But with some uncertainty comes some certainty.

So here is what I know for sure as of 12:19 October 8, 2012:

I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church on this earth. I know that the work of the Lord is moving quickly forward and I know I want and need to be a part of it. I know that Jesus is the Christ and He suffered and died for all of our sins. I know I often feel inadequate and unworthy of that sacrifice. But I also know that no matter what my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love me. I know I have been so blessed throughout my life and I have a responsibility to bring those same blessings to people around the world.



As I work through the many uncertainties of my life I will strive to remember the things I know for certain and those things will make the list of uncertainties shorter.

I'll keep you updated on my plans for this year. Just a hint, there is a good chance I'll be traveling within the next couple months. And that makes me terrified and yet excited.

Oh and I've had, "I Hope They Call me on a Mission" stuck in my head since Saturday. Does that mean anything?

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Because I'm avoiding stress..

I am currently in the Library avoid homework. I think I have gone to the library more this semester than I have my whole freshmen year. I'm taking anatomy this semester and it is seriously kicking my butt. The last couple weeks I have spent about 3 hours a day studying for a stupid lab quiz. Which we have every week. So it's not like a one week thing then you are done, no. It's every week during the semester having to study freaking hard for a ten question quiz. And on top of that we have the lecture quizzes and midterm. Oh not to mention my other classes with papers and midterms. So yes. School is kicking my butt. 

But I decided to blog to relieve stress, not add to it, so no more talk about stressful school.

Here are the exciting things going on in my life:

1. Today is the first meeting of reLax Utah! So far we have about 15 members on facebook (a couple of which are my family and friends) But I'm just excited to get going. Lacrosse has always been a way for me to relieve stress so I'm excited to be able to play. I hope the weather cooperates and lets us play into the winter! 



2. Cougar Coaches! I signed up with my friend Carter to be a Cougar Coach for a 1st and 2nd grade basketball team. I am so excited! We meet every Wednesday and Saturday and I cannot wait! I miss my Summer Camp kids a lot and just generally being around kids. So I'm so excited to meet some new kiddos!

3. Great Roommates. My apartment could not have better people in it. Yes every once in a while I am shocked with how hot some of my roommates want it, or how quickly the sink can fill up after just emptying it but I absolutely love all my roommates. We have so much fun together. I think that if you walked by our at any given time you would hear giggles bursting through the door. I have had so many laugh attacks lately, which is such a perfect stress reliever. 



4. My ward. We have such a fun ward. And it seems that our apartment always has someone fun over. I love it. Yes, it can be difficult to pull myself away to write a paper when we have an apartment full of fun people, but it's just so much fun! We played some card games on Sunday night and I just couldn't stop laughing. So much joy! haha We have made some really great friends, and I am so grateful! 

5. Missionary E-mails! The other day I got an e-mail from Elder Redd and today I got one from Elder Hatch! They seem to be doing great! I'm so proud of all my boys on their missions! I sat down and wrote all of them the other week, and now I just need to get some stamps to send them out. It's crazy to me that all these boys are off serving the Lord for two years. I'm so proud of them! Love these boys! 


So there are some updates on my life! Thanks for letting me waste an hour or so of my time! haha Now I better start on Anatomy.....gahh 


Saturday, September 15, 2012

Great Day!

Today was a simply beautiful day. I got to do some great things with some great people.

So the morning started out with me waking up an hour later then I had planned and finding my roommates also sleeping. We are supposed to leave by 6:15 but I woke up around 7:30. Normally that would have stressed me out and put me in a bad mood but yesterday I decided that today was going to be a great day so I did my best to not let it bother me. I woke up my roommates, grabbed my stuff and a bagel and headed out the door. We easily made it to where we were supposed to park, quickly checked in and had plenty of time before the race started.


We were the last wave which was the best wave. We were in no rush to finish the race and didn't feel pressure to keep a quick pace. We danced our way through the race. Once we finished we headed over by the stage to join the party. I let loose. I danced my little heart out. I had a lot of pent up stress thanks to Anatomy and just let it all out this morning. It was so fun! Pure joy is the only way I can think to describe it.


After the race was over and we got some free stuff we had to stop by Chipotle. We made it safely home and I immediately uploaded my pictures. Since I took the time to upload the pictures I had to endure a cold shower. It was rough. But luckily I got all the chalk out of my hair. It is still on my back and armpits because I had to give up on the ice cold shower. 


After we were all showered and bundled up we decided to rest while watching Lord of the Rings. I promptly fell asleep once the movie started. Twas a nice nap. But I awoke to my friend Conner calling to invite my roommates and I to go offroading! Naturally I had to accept and Kenzie came with me. I hadn't ever really been offroading before and so I was super excited and not sure what to expect. It was one of the greatest things ever. So much fun. I'll be honest and say I thought multiple times "my mom would be so worried if she knew what I was doing." haha Don't worry mom, Rico was a good driver. Kenzie and I stood up in the back. So so so fun. And the views. The views were simply amazing. Pictures cannot capture how great the views where. 



Overall super, super fun day. And exactly what I needed. School had gotten me super stressed out so I'm glad I could have great friends and awesome things to do. YAY LIFE IS GOOD. 



Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Little Ones

My roommate had her little cousins over the other day and now it's got me thinking about kids pretty much non-stop. Not having kids of my own any time soon (you can exhale now everyone), but just how much I love kids in general. I guess I'm going through withdrawals from not being surrounded by kids 5 days a week.



I miss their stories. They would tell the craziest stories that you knew were not even close to true but you would pretend to believe them anyway just to hear all they could muster up with their wild imaginations. My mind is drawing a blank on some of the stories right now, I just remember the faces of the kids as they told their outlandish tales.

I miss their sweet comments. (Let me assure you they didn't just have nice things to say. They would ask me, "What are those red dots on your face?" I would respond, "Something I hope you get a lot of when you grow up." Just kidding..I wouldn't say that....) One of my favorite campers would say, "Miss Annie, I like your freckles." And then I would ask, "What else do you like about me?" Then she would list all the things she liked about me, "I like your hair, I like your shirt (the camp shirt that I wore everyday and every other counselor would wear), I like your shoes..." You get the point. She had a little St. Louis accent and I adored her.


I miss their competitiveness. Probably because I was one of, if not the most competitive girl in my grade. I was always trying to beat the boys at whatever I could. To this day I still remember beating Marshall Findley by one pull-up. One of my proudest moments. But anyways back to the kids, they would get that competitive juice flowing in me which probably isn't always good. But I loved how excited they got about games and how seriously they took them. Until it became a problem and they would argue with me that the other team stepped over the line, or the winner had been hit 6 times before they won, or any number of ways the winner "cheated." I miss playing dodgeball and kickball with them!

Ok. I would be lying if I said that all this kid talk didn't make me think about my own kids. I am just so excited to meet them. Is that weird? What are they going to be like? Will they be sporty and an extravert like me? Of will they be shy and quiet? Could I handle a shy kid? I hope so. But if my Grandma's predictions are right I'm going to be "blessed" with a daughter just like me. She predicted the same thing with my mom, and here I am, incredibly similar to my mother.

got this from pinterest. such a cutie!

As I was sitting in the CougarEat one day I heard this little girl say (or rather yell), "It's time to eat everybody! Close your eyes and fold your arms, it's time to pray!" I immediately thought, "I hope I will be able to be an example to my little ones so they will one day say the same thing."




Thursday, August 30, 2012

Return to the Bubble

It has been quite a triumphant return to the BYU Bubble, let me tell you. Everything has been going so well. (I'm hoping I'm not jinxing it by writing this blog..) Let me tell you everything that has been happening this first week of coming back to the Bubble.

Let me start with the way I got here. I drove. Well, my Dad drove. He never let me drive even though I'm an excellent driver. (My dad would probably chime in here and say that He offered, I just didn't care to. Which is true. I just like to give him a hard time.)



We started out Thursday afternoon and made it to Kentucky. We stayed the night in Kentucky and then started again at the crack of dawn (thanks Dad) and headed west. I drove that morning while we listened to Dad's super sad, slow music. Then after we, or should I say I, got sick of the sadness, we switched drivers and thankfully, music. That night we made it to somewhere in Kansas. I'm sorry, but Kansas is the worst state to drive through. This was the view the whole time-


But the next morning, we woke up with even more determination because we had to get out of Kansas. Dad drove the whole 3rd day. I slept, sang, chatted, and sat. In fact I sang so much I began to lose my voice. I'm sure my dad enjoyed that. haha We finally made it through Kansas into Colorado and the further west in Colorado we got, the more beautiful it got. I loved Colorado. Especially Vale. I forced my dad to stop in Vale and we had lunch and snooped around a little and we loved it! Colorado was great. 


We kept going and drove all the way to my sweet Grandpa's house. We got there pretty late so we when to bed soon after we arrived. The next day we broke the Sabbath and went to lunch at Olive Garden and bought Grandpa a whole bunch of food he didn't eat. It was great. Then we stopped quickly by my cousin Teresa's house where she welcomed me with some fun gifts for school. We got to meet her fiance too! They are such a cute, great couple and we couldn't be happier for her. Then we headed down to my Grandma Snow's for Sunday dinner. It was fun to see all the family again. I'm so glad to be back in Provo!


After making many trips back and forth from my car and a couple meltdowns, I am finally moved in. I absolutely love where I am living. Yes it's not the nicest place in Provo but I love my roommates and my ward. Everything has been going so well for me this semester. I know school is going to kick my butt but I am so exited for all this year has in store for me. :) 

All my roommates except Kyla! We will get a complete picture soon!!







Sunday, August 12, 2012

The Long-Lost Roomate

So my mom and I bought this book called 642 Things to Write About and one for the prompts is "The Long-Lost Roommate." Since I will be reunited with my roommate Makenzie next Monday I thought that was a perfect blog prompt. So here is the story of Makenzie Curtis and me.


It all started last April while I was at the Beach with my lacrosse team. I was anxiously awaiting picking where I was to live in a few months and to find out who my roommate would be. I quickly picked a room and the immediately began stalking my roommate. Makenzie Curtis. Normal enough name. Then I began to look at her pictures. Which now that I look at them I honestly don't know what made me so scared of her. But I freaked out and thought she was the worst ever and traded roommates. But then the new roommate didn't have a facebook..I decided that was worse. So I switched back and hoped for the best. Which turned out to be the smartest decision ever. 


So then our first meeting. I was awkward and shy. I was in the Cannon Center (our cafeteria) with my mom and my Aunt Sallie and I saw Kenzie getting salad. I whispered, " I think that's my roommate.." My mom and Aunt immediately said, "Well get up and say hello!" But I was too scared. They threatened to get up and say hello for me so then before they got up first I hesitantly got up and quietly said, "Hey, Makenzie? I think I'm your roommate.."With complete confidence she put a huge smile on her face and almost yelled, "Annie! Hey!!" and then she bent down to give me a big hug. We continued to have an awkward lunch together thanks to me. Later Kenzie told me that she was so confused because from her stalking she thought I would be this bubbly almost annoying girl who couldn't stop talking. She later found out that was pretty accurate. 


After our awkward lunch the rest is pretty much history. We remember there was a moment where my walls came crashing down and we became instant best friends but we can remember it. I'm pretty sure it was some night when it was late and I was tired and just became weird. It happens. 


Now as we get closer and closer to our Roommate Reunion I cannot wait for all our late-night giggles, crazy adventures, and most of all her whit. Seriously when we are about to go to bed, we get crazy. These next few pictures can only begin to explain how crazy. Man, I love this girl. The world will be a happier place when we are together. 






Love you Kenzie. <3