WOW. Last night was AMAZING. Cami Buckley and I went to the Sugarland concert together. Wow.

We left about 2, got about a half hour away then realized we forgot the tickets. Yes, talent people we are. We turned around and picked up our tickets from my mom who met us about half way. Our car pulled up to Usana at about 4. Cami and I hopped out and got in line for the pit. About 4 groups were ahead of us. We found my friends Missy, Alisha, and Ericka, then went around to the different radio booths to do their little prize wheels. Niether of us won anything (; but it was a lot of fun.

They let us into the pit at about 6. We stood there for a few minutes, then Cami helped me pick out a new tour shirt. When we got back to our spots, everyone was getting out of the pit. It was pouring down rain and the wind was insane. Security had to escort us out of the pit because of the winds, and we stood in the seated area of the arena for about a half hour. Then they let us back into the pit right before the concert was about to start. It hadn't stopped raining but the winds had died down. It was on and off pouring for about 45 minutes until the concert started, which was about the same time Sugarland was supposed to come on.

Canaan Smith waved at me, Lauren Alaina pointed at me and then signed ILU. When Kristian and Jenn came out, Jenn looked right at me and mouthed "it's you!" I tweeted her later about that and she said she remember me from Twitter and the last concert when I had my LMP sign about losing my best friend at Indy. EEEEEEP.

We had a sign that read "We love J&K!" During Wide Open, which is what they openned with, Jenn pointed at me during "come feel the love on the inside." And then, during Settlin', Kristian pointed RIGHT AT MY FACE and sang "Find what it means to be the world, who changed her mind and changed the world." AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Then during Little Miss, K walked over to stand in front of me and reached out his hand, and I held it while he sang "breathe in... breathe out...." just like last year. AMAZING. I about died. Jenn was SOOOO cute with her baby bumb. It was amazing.

We had won a meet and greet, but it was canceled because of the rain and wind. It was so sad! I wish I had been able to meet them again, but it was okay. I bet Cami would have died, so I wish I could've seen her meet them, but it worked out amazingly. I met so many great new friends and had such a great time.

Pictures to come!

Love you guys MUCHO!

Little Miss Erika

Boston, Atlanta, BBY, Vegas, Jana Kramer, Katie!!!

Wow. It's been so long since I've blogged! I'm sorry about that.... my life has been insane! I was only home 5 out of the 31 days in July, and school started like a week later.... so I haven't had too much time to get online as is. I'm sorry....

Take off at LGA

Well, July started for me with a nine day to MA, RI, ME, CT, RI, NJ, and GA. INSANE! I posted a little bit about Boston, but Atlanta was really the highlight of our trip. We went on a two hour tour with the airport manager of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport. AMAZING. She took us to the repair hangers, out of the tarmac, down to the runways.... pretty much all across the airport. Then we took a FOUR HOUR tour with Delta operators. We went up to the control tower, saw the baggage procedures for checked bags, behind the scenes of the terminals, the Operations Control Center at Delta Headquarters, and I GOT TO FLY A SIMULATOR. A multi-million dollar simulator! I flew a 767 and successfully landed at New York. I also got to fly the approach the terrorists would have flown into the trade towers on 9/11. That was scary. But absolutely amazing.

We got home from that trip on a Wednesday and the next Monday I was off to BBY. BBY is a camp for LDS young women, kind of like RFG that I went to last year. Though BBY was MUCH better, in my opinion. We did lots of service projects, heard lots of speakers, ect. It was really hard for me to go the first couple days because I had just lost a close friend of mine. I'm really glad I went though. I got put in an amazing ground with amazing girls and an even better counselor.

After BBY I took a trip to Las Vegas with my dad. It was his father's day present... I paid for the entire trip. EXPEEENNNSIVEEEE. But worth it. We had a lot of fun.

The week after we got home was the Jana Kramer concert!!! I MET HER. UHM. WHAT. I love her...

The week after that..... I FINALLY MET KATIE ARMIGER. I have a huge post for this. So keep your eyes open. Because as soon as I get a minute to write it all down.. you'll be the first ones to know.

I started high school this week. It's a lot of fun. Hard classes, but awesome (:

LOVE YOU! Thank you for visiting my blog after SO long of not posting!

Erika

It'll be alright again.

"For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity."

-William Penn

“Love is how you stay alive, even after you are gone.” 

-Mitch Albom

"No one can confidently say that he will still be living tomorrow."

 -Euripides

“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” 

-J. K. Rowling

“Death ends a life, not a relationship.” 

-Mitch Albom

“We're all human, aren't we? Every human life is worth the same, and worth saving.”  

-J. K. Rowling

“I’m here. I love you. I don’t care if you need to stay up crying all night long, I will stay with you. There’s nothing you can ever do to lose my love. I will protect you until you die, and after your death I will still protect you. I am stronger than Depression and I am braver than Loneliness and nothing will ever exhaust me.” 

-Elizabeth Gilbert

 That last quote - that was one that my big sister hung on her wall since she was about 12 and I was 10. At least once a week, if not daily, she would text it to me, repeat it to me, something, to remind me she would always love me. I can't think of a time in my life she wouldn't tell me of that quote. It was her favorite. And what I held on to when she was in her comatose. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to protect me until I died. But rather I was her safe haven her last few moments.

The pulled the plugs on her life support system yesterday around 3pm. They held onto her until I was able to get home from the airport and was able to see her before they took her in to have her organs donated. Doctors, you know, they don't know everything. Sometimes it feels though they're treating a person as a bunch of parts. There were organ specialists and brain surgeons and neurological scientists around her as they took her away. Like they were going to dissect her one part at a time until there was nothing else to take from her carcass. 

I won't lie. It was traumatic. I didn't believe she was dead. How could I? It would destroy me. They took me into the room she was waiting in to say goodbye. I was alone, as the family had already had their time with her. I watched as her chest raised gently up and down, and her heart thumped gently beneath her skin. But I knew it was all fake. It was due to the wires, the machines, the medical ways to keep her organs functioning until she was truly dead. I weaved my hand into hers and kissed her cheek. Told her all the things I'd been holding back... reliving all the memories and telling her all the things that would be different without her. They sometimes say that people who come out of comas recall what was told to them during their coma. I like to think maybe she was listening to what I had to say. I combed through her hair with my fingers and rested my head on her chest like I always did when we would stay up late watching movies together. I cried.

It was about ten minutes I was in there until I was finally strong enough to pick myself up and walk away, not daring to look back. I went to her family in the waiting room, hugged and mourned with them for a few minutes. Then the doctors called that they were taking her into surgery if anyone wanted a final goodbye. Her family went in to watch them take her off of the machine, but I slipped out of the hospital, fast as I could, and ran home, tears filling my eyes to the brim that I could hardly see. 

I felt like I was watching myself in a movie, or having my life played out in a book.

 I've never had that close of an experience with someone I love dying. Sure, I've had plenty of friends die from cancer or such, but I'm never with them when they die... I never see them before they are taken off of life support. I've never dared to. I never wanted to, I never want to.

I'm not asking for sympathy. I know you think you understand, but everyone experience loss differently. This is my loss and you've had yours. I don't need to be comforted. I've accepted what happened and I'll be okay. I just needed to write it all down somewhere... where someone could read it, and experience it. I needed to let someone know what happened. So thank you, whoever might be reading this. Thank you for letting me heal.

It'll be alright again.

Erika

Ouch.

Ugh. You know, I don't mean to bring the world down. You know? But still. My heart hurts and I thought maybe here would be the place I could say something and not regret it. My best friend, my closest girl, my sister..... well, she's been in the hospital for a few weeks. She was in a car accident. It was raining, the streets were wet. She slipped up and crashed into a light pole. Head on. On the drivers side. I can't. I can't. The night I got that call I bawled, bawled. The call came around 1am. I don't think I slept at all that night. It was the night before Chris Young.

She's been in a coma since then, every day declining in health rapidly. The doctors and her parents agreed that if her heart stopped beating, they wouldn't want to revive her. It felt to me as though they were giving up on her. But you wonder, you know, if really, they would want to be revived, if they're doomed to a life of never being what they used to.

My baby girl was pronounced brain dead this morning at 4:23 am. I'm out of town, in a hotel room with my father. I can't cry. I can tell anyone how much I'm hurting. All I want to do is break down and I can't. I can't do that.

Maybe it's for the best. Maybe she's happy. But I'm not. I'm dying. I hurting like I've never hurt before. "It's like a death inside the family, like she stole my way to breathe."

Erika.

Drownded Rats.

Sometimes, stuff happens. Call it what you will. We all know what I'm talking about. And life happens. But sometimes that's okay (:

We've been out of town since Monday, my dad and I. We flew into Boston International and then drove an hour or so up to Portsmouth, NH. We drove along the coast through Maine a little bit, got some of the BEST ice cream IN THE WORLD in Kittery, ME. Checked into our hotel and spent the night on a private beach. We then drove down to Salem, MA and ate lunch at the Seaport Cafe. BEST Clam Chowder.... and I've had a lot of chowder (Chow - daaaaaa) in my life. Dad says I've always talked like I'm a mix between a Michigan Native and a New England Convert. Don't worry, I have no idea what that means either.

We then checked into our hotel in Boston, right on the waterfront. We went to the airport to return our rental car, since we didn't need it in Boston, and then took the water taxi back to our hotel. We went and ate dinner and desert in the lounge, watched AGT, and w ate breakfast, then stuck around our hotel until noon for the Blue Angels Air Show.. AWESOME. Saw the USS Constitution. Ate lunch down the street while the Angels were still flyinext we went down to the Museum of Science where our Duck Tour was departing from. We took an eighty minute tour, and it was SO great. Favorite part of the trip so far.

We came back for dinner at the lounge and then took a little nap because I was SOOO tired. We then went down to the Harbor (haaabaaaaar) to see the fireworks. We got up on the Lincoln Street Bridge and were there for about an hour when we were evacuated off the bridge because of lightning stroms. We then decided to go back to our hotel and just watch the fireworks on TV. We then found we could watch the fireworks from our hotel window, so we watched those with the music on the TV program in the background. It was SOO great. Right as the fireworks started, it began POURING rain. SOOO cool. I was glad we were inside, but after the fireworks I made my dad go outside with me to stand in it and smell it - Summer rain is the BEST.

We are moving on to CT and RI tomorrow. Then fly to GA on Sunday. Update you more later- Happy Birthday AMERICA!!!

Erika

EHK

MYSONGWITHKATIEISFINALLYPRODUCED.

So.

Yeah.

Big day.

For those of you that don't know, a few months ago I tweeted a Youtube recording of one of my original songs to a famous country female artist, Katie, and her producer called me a few days later and asked if they could produce it on their next album. UM. YEAH.

So since then I haven't heard much about the song.... and then..... today, I went out to get the mail... and there was a package... from Red River Studios.... AND THE STUDIO TRACK OF MY SONG WAS IN THERE.

I bawled. BAWLED.

Dreams come true!!!!

With love,
Erika

We Laughed Until We Cried

Ahhhhh. You know. Life is really good. Really good. It can't be perfect, but it's really good. Yup. Why? Because I finally saw her. Spent the night with her. My angel, my beautiful Vivian. Just thinking about her makes me smile. We went and saw Chris Young last night. I was so afraid she wasn't going to be able to make it again. We met up in the lobby of the Marriott hotel behind the Gallivan Center, and sitting there waiting for her, I was just praying, and praying, and praying that she would come. I was looking through our texts when my dad said he saw her, and looking up, there she was, black hat, sunglasses, in all of her glory. Said I looked cute - victory moment there. We walked around to the front of the plaza and got it, walked around for a bit then went to listen to one of the opening acts. Then we went and she got some food and a Coke, and walked around a little more. She kept trying to get me to eat but I was too excited to think about food.
We went back to the stage and found a spot to sit on the grass near the back of the venue. We sat and listened to Jon Pardi and Due West for a little while. We talked about how I'm coming with the whole singing thing and asked about my guitar. I told her, you know, I haven't played in months, maybe even close to a year now. She kept telling me I need to keep doing guitar. But being the person I am, I told her it's not worth it since I'm not good at it, and totally lied and said I didn't like it anymore.
Later on Due West performed When the Smoke Clears. Ugh. Last time I heard that, well, you don't want to know. But it's a special song that strikes a unhealed wound pretty hard. I sat and hugged her, because it was all I could do to keep from crying, and I didn't want to cry. She said I seemed awfully heavy, and asked what was wrong. Me, being Little Miss who you are is so much more than you like to talk about, just stared at the ground and hugged her, because I knew, if I started telling her what was on my mind, I would break. And I wasn't gonna cry. So she just kept talking to me. Saying she keeps wondering what I'm missing. There's a part of me missing. I told her usually that part lies with her. But even when I'm with her, she's right, I don't feel complete. I never feel complete these days. She asked me if I knew what it is I'm missing, and I think I do, but for now, I told her I'd let her know when I find it.
When Chris Young finally took the stage we went to the front of the venue and got a spot behind a bunch of tall people... so I could only see when this lady in front of me shifted spots, which wasn't often. It was okay though. All I cared about is being with her. We just sat there and hugged. Just hugged. Or held hands. Or something. Oh man, we were living. You know, most of the time, I'm the one hanging on her. But last night, there was one time, when she went ahead and put her arms around me. Instead of me putting my arms around her. That felt really good. Really, really good. Amazing, really. It just felt for a moment like she'd always be there for me, and always care.
When the concert was over she drove me to my grandparents house because she lives a few minutes away, and my dad could pick me up from there. She held my hand the entire drive. Almost a full 30 minutes, we sat, and sang, and held hands. That's the one thing I will always remember about last night. Not the concert. Not the music. Not the food or the dreams or the conversations. I'm gonna remember that time I spent with her. Just her. And whatever song was blaring on the radio. I barely looked at her the drive home, because whenever I did, I would think about leaving, and then I would feel myself start to shut down again, and cry. She makes me feel so alive. I hate leaving her.
We pulled into my grandparents drive and we just sat there staring at each other for a minutes. She told me to not look at her that way, because it would make her cry. I just laughed because I was on the edge of tears myself. We went inside and my dad hauled me out of there so fast it hurt. It was the fastest goodbye I've ever been a part of. She promised me she'd come see me sometime this week if she wasn't out of town. I made her promise, she said she'd be there. Later, when she texted me after I left, she said she was so excited to see me soon. Do you know how happy that makes me? That she doesn't hate spending time with me? On the ride home the Jason Aldean song We Laughed Until we Cried came on. I guess you can't hold back tears forever because that's when I lost it. I just kept thinking, you know, that's us. We laugh until we cry.
I got home that night around midnight and went straight to my room, grabbed my guitar and ran outside so I wouldn't wake the house. I played it for the first time in months, and sat there and sobbed. You know. I owe so much to that girl. She's the reason I still believe in myself, believe in my dreams.
I've often referred to Vivian as a mother to me, but you know, she's so much more than that. She's the most amazing person I've ever met. She's strong, she's brave, she's committed, she's everything I look up to. I hope she knows that. I hope she knows how much she means to me. How much I love her. I love her more than I could ever say. She's so beautiful, so perfect. I love her. I can't wait to see her again. I can't wait. She's my girl. My beautiful girl that truly loves me.

With Love, as always,
Little Miss Erika

Summer nights

Caroline's pants and mine, covered in chalk

Caroline on a mechanical bull

Caroline came over late tonight - around 8. Sure, we're just two idiots that love each other like crazy, but she always makes me realize how blessed I am to have such amazing friends. Whenever I feel like I'm alone - there's always someone right there to say that I'm not.

Joey, Caroline, and a I at Surf and Slurp

We were like kids tonight, coloring our pants with chalk and trying to burn each other with sparklers. That's what I love about summer. You get so much down time to just spend with the people you love. Whether we're stuck in traffic after a concert or just at home roasting hot dogs in the fire pit, no matter who I'm with, we have a good time. My friends bring out the best in me. They can make me laugh when I want to cry. They bring me to the corners of my smiles. We can make memories out of something utterly stupid that will last forever. My friends get me. They know me. They're there for me. They're not like my out of state friends, where I only have certain times I can call or talk. No, I can call my friends at 3am and they'll be at my door. 

Cassidy, Joey, Darla and I at the Manti Pageant

So, if my friends are out there, reading this, thank you for lifting me up. Thank you for loving me when no one else would.Thank you for always including me. Letting me know you're there for me. Making me laugh and letting me cry. Thank you for making my sides hurt with laughter and my mouth burn from talking. Thank you for the crazy stunts we've done, the dumb injuries we've received, the times we've been mad and the times we've pulled through. Thank you for the late nights and early mornings. Thank you for being my friend.

Much love, as always,
Erika

Finally (:

I'm updating! It's been a long time since.. what? April? Was that really the last time I posted? Wow.

Well, a lot has happened since then. I am officially in high school, for one thing, and done with Centennial. I won't lie... I'm sad. I loved Middle School. I hate how everyone complains about Centennial. Like, come on, if you move schools to another country, it's gonna have the same problems. Mean kids, bad teachers, you might as well just stay away from it and enjoy the time you have. I'm gonna miss those great memories we made this year... Mock Trial, Library Aides, 4 periods with Thornock.... (;

Before the school year ended one of my best friends moved to California. We are still stuck like glue to each other. We've been sending letters back and forth all summer (: I miss you Shelly!!

Girls Camp was the week after we got out of school. It was amazing. It really was. Usually I just say that because I'm afraid of who might look at my blog and see me screwing Girls Camp... but really, honestly, it was one of the best weeks of my life. I cried, I laughed, I felt at home and protected. Sure, it was cold. Sure, it was dusty. Sure, it was miserable. But it was worth it.

Last week I went to see Toby Keith in concert. AMAZING. But depressing at the same time. I was supposed to go with Vivian, but sadly, a few days before she learned she had a training conference that extended to Thursday and she couldn't miss it. So, I went with my mom. It was really fun, we had a good time. Spent the night up in Salt Lake that night and partied the next day. It was pretty great.

Last night I got a special call. I really haven't talked much to Vivian since the concert in March. She called last night to thank me for a little note I sent her, just saying that I love her and stuff. I was playing Wii games with a bunch of my friends when she called, so I had to walk out to take it. They were all, what the heck, but I was too absorbed in my phone call to pay attention. We talked for a good few minutes. She called me her hero. I about bawled. AHK. HER HERO. That girl is soooooo much more than a friend. She's the one person that can make me feel perfect, just the way I am.

We're going to Chris Young this Saturday. EEEP. I don't even care about the concert, I just used it as an excuse to get a hug (: I can't wait.

Love you all!

Erika

Hi!

I missed you. Yeah you. I haven't blogged in a long time. Did you miss me? (;

So. I got a poem published today. And I'm really proud. So. Enjoy. It's called Being Strong.

The girl you know who loves to laugh
The smile you see, it won't last
Her heart is breaking, but she keeps on trying
Her tears flow quietly, she's barely surviving
She's breaking down, but you don't know
She keeps it inside so her pain doesn't show
She's so scared of the world's sick, wandering eyes
And how they will judge if they know that she cries
So she buries her agony beneath cries of joy
But her heart is bruised and battered like an old Christmas toy
She's smiling on the outside, but it won't last too long
Inside she's breaking, sick of being strong

Scared.

So. Well. I'm not like scared. Okay. I'm scared. But hey. It's like a stupid scared. So. There's only one thing I want to do with my life. One thing. I want to sing. I want to spend my whole life on stage. But no. Everyone else in my life is all go to law school. Go into social work. Don't waste your smarts. My parents are already talking about college and the rest of my entire life. I'm not even in high school! I know I should probably start planning a bit for my future but still, I can't walk away from everything I've wanted to do my whole life. I can't. But what I am supposed to do when my entire family doesn't support the only thing I want to do? I can't imagine spending my life any other way.
Oh, heavens, it almost gets me emotional to think of spending my life any other way. I can't. I know it sounds stupid. Stupid. But I'd do anything to get me to where I want to be. But I feel like I'm getting to the point where I'm being forced to give up on a dream I've had forever.

Little Miss Erika

It's happening this time.

I've promised myself a lot of things in the past. Like when I was five and promised myself Id be all five foot seven. Ha. That went well. But there are some things that you can promise yourself, as well as control the outcome. So here I am. Saying that by June 14th, I'm gonna get rid of this pot belly stuck to the front of me. Twenty pounds at the least. That gives me eighty nine days to rock some socks off. Now you're probably asking why. Why June fourteenth. Because that is the day I will be spending the night at a Toby Keith concert with Vivian. And I'm sick of feeling so insecure. So I'm changing it. Wish me luck. I'm ready to take on anything.
So I'm having a sugar cookie for breakfast to kick off the fun (;
Little Miss Erika

It was perfect.

Perfect. Absolutely perfect. Absolutely positively perfect. Amazing. Just. Wow. I can't even write anything because I'm crying so hard. Not crying because I'm so happy it was so perfect. Not crying because it wasn't. It's because it ended. Do you know how hard it is, to watch the only person who I actually think is worth fighting for, walk away, and never knowing when I'm going to see her again? And even if I do know, it's months away. She's so perfect. SO perfect. Wow. She makes me feel like the most amazing girl in the whole world. It's so hard to let her leave. She's just. Ah. I love her. I love her so much it's so hard to let her go.

For  those of you that are considerably confused with this post, let me explain. Tonight was the Miranda Lambert concert in Salt Lake. I went with Vivian. I haven't seen her since who knows when. So, it was kind of a big deal. I've had a countdown since like, December. SO amazing. So amazing. I miss her. My heart hurts. My head is spinning, my ears still pounding. I don't know quite what to do with myself after such a perfect high to such an unberable low. I wish life had a rewind button. A repeat. Do you know how perfect that would be? I could repeat this night over and over again, and I could avoid this crying-icky part of the whole thing coming to an end. I really wasn't planning on crying tonight. I would've worn waterproof make up. But no.

Now just let me be me for a moment, and write down these memories no one will ever understand, but when I look back on this post, I'll know exactly what they mean. I don't want to forget any details.

Well the whole night started with her being late. Yeah. Real late. Well, not totally late. But she left her wallet at home and had to go get it. So we missed the opening act, Jerrod Neimann. We had good seats. Directly in the back and in the middle. We could see the artists perfectly. Amazing.

It went on perfect from that point. We spent the night holding hands, hugging, pretty much tackling each other with love. Wow. Fabulous. Miranda Lambert came on. We stood up and rocked out. Then she did Over You. Wow. I just lost it. I fell to the ground, my head in my hands, and cried. When the song was over I stood up, best I could, and there she was. Right there. With open arms. That I could fall into and cry. And that's what I did. I cried. I let everything out I've been holding in for so long and I cried. And she just hugged.

Something else she said. She said I was beautiful. Not once. A few times. She's the only person that would say that and I would actually believe them.

We also sat for a while, in the lobby of the hotel. She asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up. I told her I was dead set on one thing, that was never going to happen. It took her a while to get it out of me, to say what I actually wanted to do when I get old. I want to sing. More than anything, I want to be the next Miranda Lambert. And she believes in me! Yeah, she's like practically my mom. She's kinda forced to say nice things. But it's just always nice to know that someone, no matter what their reason, supports you. I love her. I love her so much.

I hope I don't ever forget this feeling. This rush that goes through me when she hugs me. Wow. She makes me feel so amazing. We all have that person. She's mine. She'll always be mine.

<3 <3 <3 <3

Little Miss Erika

So.

Hi. So. Um. I really love Katie Armiger. Just putting that out there. She's. Like. Perfect. Yeah. I love her.

Observation #1

I'm a church going kind of girl. But this isn't about that. This is about a book that one of our leaders gave to each young woman in the class. The book, titled "It's Good to be Alive", was about a father of 3 that was paralyzed from the head down after an accident while he was surfing in California. After the accident, he can no longer breathe, or even speak by himself. He has to have a machine take in air for him, but he still has no way of communicating.
Hard, wouldn't it be?
He had a different outlook on it.
Every week since that fatal day, he has sent emails to his family and friends that are simply titled "Observation #X". He would send these as what he learned from only being able to blink his eyelashes day in and day out.
So I thought. Maybe that's not such a bad idea. Maybe I should try that. Stop focusing on all the horrible in my life and try to focus on the good. Give a little advice to those who have lived a little less than myself. So here I am.
Observation #1 - Don't ever take anything for granted. It sounds cliche. Stupid to say. I don't care. But it sucks like nothing else when you have something or someone you think you're gonna have forever and they walk away. Go tell your friends and family that you love them. Tell them they mean everything to you. Call up your long distance friends (don't message them in Facebook or text them. CALL.) and tell them you miss them. Send someone a letter in the mail. Because you never know when it might be too late to do so.
Little Miss Erika

Everyone who means everything to me is dying.

Melanie died.

Jessie died today.

Sara might be close.

2012 sucks already.

Goodbye, old friend....

GAH. Honestly. I'm kinda sad to see 2011 end. Like. SAD. This has been the best year of my life. Because this year. I got a family. And not just any family. But a Sugarfamily. And friendships that will last a lifetime. And family that will last so much longer than that. I got to meet some amazing people, have once in a lifetime experiences, and enjoy a lot more life than I thought possible.

January - January was a boring month, I won't lie. A new semester started in school and I hated my classes. I auditioned for the school talent show and made it, singing "Settlin'" by Sugarland. First concert I ever did a Sugar song at :)


February - February was boring too. Didn't do too well in the actually performance of the talent show but it was really fun and I still miss the rehearsals sometimes. We finalized plans to finally meet me best friend the following month, Holly Lawson. Booked our flight to Detroit. I packed and unpacked and packed and unpacked about a billion times for that trip and I still didn't get everything perfect.


March - Possibly the best month of my life. Because. I finally got to meet my best friend, my idol, my sister, my baby girl, my lovely Holly Paige Lawson. It was crazy. I got to see the Beauty and the Beast production her school put on, with her in it, then spend a little time with her taking pictures and gawking over her amazingness. Love that girl so much.
I also got to record my first cover CD in March. All the songs on there were Sugarland, except one Miranda Lambert song we stuck on because I could.
My grandma on my dad's side passed away in March, but it's okay. She was ready to go.

April - April I got to go to the Reba, George Straight, and Lee Ann Womack concert with Vivian. AMAZING! Reba touched my hand and George straight waved at me. I about died.
In April we again booked a flight to Detroit in July... to see Holly again, meet some of the Sugarfamily, and most of all, meet SUGARLAND THEMSELVES. Wow.
My Grandad passed away in April, joining my Grandmom up in heaven. I'm sure they're happy.


May - Hm. Don't remember too much other than celebrating that school was over. And I cut my hair. And. Summer started. FLIPPIN YAY.


June - June was the CLINT BLACK concert! We had FRONT ROW. He touched my hand like a billion times. And then tweeted about me. Yeah. Pretty much one of the best nights of my life.
I got myself some nice little pit tickets for the Sugar concert in SLC for August. Yeah. That made me purddyyy happy.
My Grandparents 50th was in June. We took pictures at Temple Square and then ate dinner at The Roof. Fancy... :)

July - Um. Well. Let's see. I love July. I love July a ton. I went to Stadium of Fire with Vivian on the 2nd. Brad Paisley was there!!! Eeeeep! He did amazing. I got to meet him, but no photos sadly.
The next day I left on an 8 day vacation, starting in Milwaukee, then Chicago, Detroit, Ohio, and Memphis. Detroit was the best part. Because in Detroit. I got to not only meet Holly again, and spend like 2 full days with her, but I got to meet some of the Sugarfamily, and I got to meet the two people that brought all of us together. Yes. I got to meet Sugarland.
Also in July I spent a week up at USU at RFG. Summer camp for LDS youth. It was fun but I'm not sure if I'd do it again. I met some good friends though.

August - I got to go to the Tim McGraw concert in August with Vivian. AMAZING. Great show.
August was the month that the Indiana stage fell. Killing 7 (I think? Or is it 6?) and injuring more than 40 people. I knew two that died and more than I'd like to count in the hospital. That was one of the hardest days of my life, "but the hard times pass like the good ones do."
One week after the stage fell, we welcomed the Incredible Machine to Salt Lake City. They were AMAZING. I will never forget the look in Kristian's eyes when he read my Little Miss Project sign, that said "I lost my two best friends in the Indy stage collapse." He practically sang the entire song to me, and Jenn pointed at me when she said "You are LOVED." I constructed over 1,000 handmade signs for that concert. Amazing. So amazing.
August also called time for another performance for me, at the Salt Lake County Fair. I did bad.
But the next day made up for that, because we got to drive up and see THOMPSON SQUARE (my other favorite band) at the fair. And. I MET THEM. And. I DIED. And. I LOVE THEM.

September - September took a lot of recovering from the stage fall, but it was still fun. We took a two day trip to Idaho to visit some friends. I learned I'm getting my first album on iTunes this coming year. And we also went to the Rascal Flatts concert, with um. You know. Justin Moore. Cough cough. My hubby.


October - I dressed up as Jennifer Nettles for Halloween. We finalized plans to go meet Sara in December. My best friend who had been in a coma since the stage collapse woke up :)We went to Disneyland for fall break.

November - Where do I start. Plans changed. I met Sara. I met Sara Jean right then and there. We went to CMA Country Christmas together. I died. I DIED. That girl is perfect. And to meet her. In Nashville. Was perfect. If I had the time I would sit here and talk about her and that trip all day, but we'd be here for months. I love her more than anything in the world. We're crazy. We're idiots. We fight like sisters because we love like sisters. I got her. She's got me. I ain't never lettin' go. She won't let go. That girl is my saving grace. I don't know what I'd do without her. She is my Little Miss Sara, and always will be. I love her. I love her like crazy.

December - December brought around my birthday & Christmas. I got a new phone and Lady A and Little Big Town tickets. I didn't get much since my big present was my trip to see Sara. I got to meet LBT. AMAZING NIGHT. Crazy. They were so nice. Phillip was the best. He acted like he was talking to an old friend, so did Karen and Jimi. Kimberly I was so starstruck with I don't really remember anything about her.

I'll be proud to admit that a lot of my resolutions last year I achieved. I wanted to me Holly - check. Wanted to finish my first studio album - check. And I wanted to go to a Sugarland concert - CHECK.

2011 has been so good to me, I can't wait to see what 2012 brings. I am so blessed.

Little Miss Erika

Little Big Town

KIMBERLY WAVED AT ME 5 TIMES AND BLEW ME A KISS.

KAREN WAVED AND POINTED AT ME.

JIMI WAVED AT ME.

PHILLIP THREW 4 GUITAR PICKS AT ME AND MISSED EVERY TIME SO HE JUST POINTED INSTEAD.

I MET THEM.

JIMI SHOOK MY HAND AND SAID HE LIKED MY HAT.

KAREN CALLED ME ADORABLE AND SAID SHE LOVED MY JACKET AND NECKLACE. AND SHE SHOOK MY HAND.

KIMBERLY SAID SHE LOVED MY NAME AND TOUCHED ME ON THE ARM.

PHILLIP. OH GOSH I LOVE PHILLIP. HE TOUCHED ME ON THE ARM, HELD MY HAND, BONKED MY HAT AND TOUCHED MY FLIPPIN FACE.

this is me dying.

I wish this night didn't end.

This night was perfect.

Perfect way to start 2012.

Perfect way to end 2011.

I love LBT.

Erika