Keeping Track of Time

My life can be measured by songs, books, and movies. I think about the words to a song, a scene from a movie, or a chapter from a book and I am taken away, back to a specific time and place. Some of these are not merely a moment or a good memory, they have become a part of me. So, here is how I keep track of time.

Elementary School: The Indian in the Cupboard and A Wrinkle in Time (Where my true love of books started, in 6th grade in Mrs. Hamilton's class. Thank you Mrs. Hamilton, I will forever be in your debt.)

1989: Richard Marx- Right Here Waiting for You (Singing at the top of my lungs in my brother and sister-in-law's apartment. That song still holds great meaning to me.)

Early 1990's: Cher- Jesse James, If I could Turn Back Time (In the living room with a candle stick)
Wilson Phillips (Still have the whole CD memorized)
Steel Magnolias (Always have and always will love Julia Roberts. In fact, Julia was the name I always picked when playing dress up and my imaginary boyfriend was Kevin Costner of course)

Late 1990's: Cindy Lauper- True Colors
Belinda Carlisle- Mad About You, Heaven is a Place on Earth
The Standards (I have every CD they made in that decade and their autographed picture hung framed on my bedroom wall where I could see them at all times. I always knew I would marry a Williams.)
Jack Weyland- Charlie, Nicole, Lean on Me
Ariana Series
Julia Roberts- Runaway Bride, My Best Friends' Wedding
A League of Our Own
Ever After

Summer 2000: Where the Heart Is (book)
Soundtrack to Hope Floats (That soundtrack and book got me through the first few weeks in an apartment I had all to myself. I love the song Garth Brooks sings on there!)
Never Been Kissed (First time I held hands with a boy)

Freshman Year of College (2000-01):
Bon Jovi
Vertical Horizon
Savage Garden

Sophomore Year of College (2001-02):
Maren Ord (Got me through a hard time of missing my Honey while he was on his mission)
Serendipity (My roommate almost lost her arm because I was squeezing it so tight- will they find each other or not?)

Summer 2002: A Walk to Remember (Bawled my eyes out!)
Sara Evans (Every morning while getting ready for work, for the entire summer)

Hawaii: Michelle Branch (Cannot listen to her without thinking of sitting on my little bed in my tiny dorm listening to the palms lighting tapping each other in the breeze)

2003: Rascal Flatts (My first real concert, which I almost passed out at, and one of the only real dates I went on with Chant before we were married)

2004-2006: Gilmore Girls (I cannot think of that show without getting emotional. My best friends. We celebrated every holiday by getting a new season. I now own all 7. They are part of the family. We even made a trip to Connecticut to see their neck of the woods. Thanks for getting me through some rough times girls!)

Missouri: Twilight Saga (books and movies) (Another emotional one for me. These are the first books I had picked up, aside from textbooks, since high school. My dear friend Becca told me I had to read them and she lent them to me and that was it. I remembered what it was like to lose myself to another world and become engulfed in the story and characters. And I haven't stopped reading since. I also think of going to the midnight showings of New Moon and Eclipse. Miss you guys!)
Hunger Games Trilogy (My last books in Missouri. Ones I took forever to pick up and when I did I instantly fell in love. Yes Jena, you can say "I told you so.")
Mindy Gledhill (Thank you. I love you!)

If you've stopped reading, that's okay. Maybe this was more for me anyway. I look at my life and think of the people and what was going on that made these things so special to me, and all I can think is I cannot wait for the books, music, and movies to come that will touch me the way these have, that will come to signify Utah the way these have represented places and people of my past. And I say bring it on because I am ready to add to the list!