The Year in Review.

This year went by the usual way...
Some friends were lost, some friends were made.





2010 was an incredible year. It is home to some of my favorite memories and biggest trials. It was definitely my hardest year, but I wouldn't hesitate to tell you it was my GREATEST, too.

A lot of things have changed over the past year: anything from my relationship with my family to my relationship status on facebook -and everything in between like my testimony, priorities, friends, schools, plans, and a major. Day to day, not much seemed to change... But looking back, I'm a totally different person. I'm better off because of everything I experienced in 2010.

MY YEAR IN A NUTSHELL:

I sent one of my best friends on a mission. I had to face my fears and say goodbye to someone who meant the world to me. Everything I had known for the last 3 years was about to change. I was convinced that my world would stop spinning after the one thing it revolved around slipped away. The person I had come to be and the only Witney Wilson I recognized was the girl who was dating Jeff Boyd. How could I possibly survive with him 7,000 miles away? Who would I be? Ready or not, I was forced to find out. Learning to live without him was a struggle I had to take one day at a time. But over 365 days later, and I'm alive and happier than I've ever been. Saying goodbye to someone I'd grown so close to and risking plans I'd grown so fond of was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. But learning to be my own best friend, putting my own happiness first, being open to ALL of life's possibilities, and living MY life for ME was well worth all of that pain. I'm better off because of the time I spent with Jeff and better off because of all I learned through letting him go.

I moved away from home for the very first time. ...3,000 miles and an ocean away to PARADISE! I spent a summer semester at BYU-Hawaii. Going out there, I didn't know another soul on the island... but coming home, I brought with me friendships that changed my life and would stay with me forever. It was the scariest thing I've ever done, but nothing has ever benefited me more. That experience taught me more about life and about myself than I ever could have learned anywhere else. I grew as a person and as a daughter of God. With friends, family, and the hustle-and-bustle of normal life miles behind me, I was alone in the pursuit of Witney Elizabeth Wilson. That empowered me. I found who I was in Hawaii. I made decisions for myself and made this life for me.

I learned the value of good friends. This year had blessed me with some of the most incredible people. I was able to grow closer to the friends I've had all along and realize how lucky I am to have them in my life. Because of them, I will never run out of memories, laughter, or shoulders to cry on. I was able to drift apart from old friends only to realize that best friends really are forever. I learned a hard lesson in distinguishing between the people who really care about me and those with selfish intentions; the people whose example brings out the best in me and those who bring me down; and the people who will always be there and those who'll run for cover when it starts to rain. More than anything, I am most thankful for the new friends I was able to make this year. The people I've met and grown close to this year are some of my closest friends. These people walked into my life when it seemed like the rest of the world was walking out. The Lord knew what he was doing when he placed them in my path. I needed them. And my life has been forever changed because of them.

I decided to spend the rest of my life doing something I love. I declared my major. This semester I'll be graduating with my Associates Degree in Pre-Elementary Education and will be starting the Teaching Program this fall to receive my Bachelors in Elementary Ed. After years of trying to talk myself out of it, I realized a lifetime doing something you're passionate about is a lot better than a lifetime of hefty paychecks. I force-fed myself thoughts of dental hygiene and physical therapy, but it wasn't long until I realized those things held little interest for me. Through it all, I kept coming back to elementary education. I've wanted to be a teacher ever since I can remember. It took me long enough, but I finally realized what meant the most to me... And that's doing something I love. As soon as I declared my major, I was overwhelmed with peace, relief, and anticipation for my future. I'm finally loving school and can't wait to start my career. I plan to teach 1st grade for a few years before going back to school to become a counselor.

I saw in my family something I had never seen before: My very BEST friends. Growing up, I wasn't always the easiest person to live with. I didn't say "thank you" as much as I should have, back-talked a little too much, cost a lot of money, slammed a lot of doors, needed parent notes and phone calls to get me out of trouble more than once or twice, spent as little time at home as possible, and kept my personal life far from Sunday Dinner conversations. Yet, through it all, I knew each and every one of my family members would be there in an instant when I needed them. It wasn't until this last year that I really took advantage of the greatest blessing the Lord has ever given me. As everything was changing, I found comfort in the one constant in my life. As all my friends were going separate ways, I found comfort in the people I knew would always be there for me. My parents and siblings have become my safe haven and best friends. I tell them everything and enjoy the time we spend together. I value their advice. They've helped me through all the trials of this year and have shared in all the joys. I have found strength in those relationships that has changed my life forever. I hate to think about the 18 years I spent missing out on this blessing, but, lucky for me, our family is forever.

I jumped, fell, and am still tumbling head over heels. People say it's not hitting the ground that kills you, but the shock of the fall. I had never been so scared in my entire life. I was a girl full of fears and hesitations when I met Gage in April. There wasn't a wall I put up that he didn't try to climb or demolish. The last thing I wanted to do was fall, but with him, it was impossible not to. We hung out a few times before I left for Hawaii and were inseparable as soon as I got home in July. Soon enough, he'd done what no one else had done before... He got through to me. Somewhere in the rubble of my defenses, he managed to sweep me off my feet. As much as my vulnerability scared me, I found a bravery in myself when I was with him. As much as the risk I was taking terrified me, it terrified me even more to risk never knowing what we could have had. So, against all odds, I fell in love with Gage Colby Loftin. He's tall, dark, and handsome. He makes me feel special. He makes me feel safe and comfortable. He is the life of the party. He makes me laugh til I have tears streaming down my face. He gets my sense of humor. He understands me. He pushes me and challenges me. He makes me a better person. He supports me and believes in me. He makes my life a fairytale; he treats me SO good. He has this incredible way of making me feel like the only girl in the world... Meanwhile, every girl in the room is drooling over him. He's determined, driven, and has a sense of direction. He's a hard worker. He saw me at my worst before he ever got a chance to see me at my best... And he fought for me, regardless. He loves me. Unconditionally. I am the luckiest girl in the world.

70 THINGS I LEARNED IN 2010:

1. There are good things in life and there are better things in life, the hard part is figuring out which things are best.

2. Money comes and goes, but memories last a lifetime.

3. Love is wanting the best for someone… Even if it means realizing the best thing may not be you.

4. The Lord may ask a lot of us at times, but he is never asking more than we are capable of giving.

5. There's a difference between MY best and THE best.

6. Love changes.

7. Never, EVER take anything for granted. Appreciate.

8. "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

9. Sometimes you have to do things your way and forget about what other people are going to say.

10. Sometimes life doesn't work out the way you planned... It works out much better.

11. Perfection is boring.

12. Some people you thought would never let you down, probably will.

13. There is more lost in indecision than in wrong decision.

14. I have an incredible ability to stand on my own... But I didn’t find that out until that was my only option.

15. There are people you thought you could never live without… And, sooner or later, you’re going to have to learn to live without a few of them. You’ll be just fine.

16. Goodbyes will always be hard. I wish everyone I cared about could be with me all the time.

17. Not all love is the same. You can love more than one person and love them all differently. You'd be surprised what the heart is capable of.

18. It's hard not to get caught up in what everyone else thinks is best for you. In the long run, you'll always be happier when you do what YOU wanted to do. They'll come around.

19. The people that really love you will always support you. Even when it’s not in their best interest.

20. It's better to be 100% in one direction, than 50% in two.

21. Memory Lane is always open. It’s not always a “walk in the park”, but it’s always open.

22. When your hands have a firm grasp on the past, the present will slip right through your fingers.

23. It’s the things in life that money can’t buy that make you rich.

24. Don’t let someone’s past keep them from being a part of your future.

25. The biggest mistake you can make in life is to be constantly afraid you're going to make one.

26. People will surprise you. Let them. More often than not, people are everything you never gave them credit for.

27. Timing isn't everything. If you wait to do everything until you're sure it's right, you'll probably never do much of anything.

28. Sometimes you have to forget about what you want and remember what you deserve.

29. Living life in "should have beens" and "could have beens" is a waste of time. It is what it is. It's not what it should have been, not what it could have been… It is what it is.

30. Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.

31. You can’t rig your life. Well, you can, but you shouldn’t.

32. “Serving a mission doesn’t alter the person you are supposed to marry, it ensures it.” From either end, and no matter who you end up with, time will tell who is best for you.

33. Giving up isn't always a sign of weakness. Sometimes it means you're strong enough to let go.

34. Many people are dying to lend you a helping hand and a shoulder to cry on. Take them up on the offer.

35. Turns out my parents knew what they were talking about all those years.

36. It’s usually the hardest things in life that reap the biggest reward.

37. Busy beats bored any day.

38. “What if’s” weight A LOT.

39. Ending a chapter in life is hard. But sometimes the best chapters are waiting to be written.

40. Don't get too caught up in proving everybody wrong. Stubbornness interrupts potential.

41. Life isn't about finding someone you can live with, it's about finding someone you can't live without.

42. You have nothing to lose by giving people the benefit of the doubt.

43. There’s not a risk I’ve taken that I haven’t been glad I took.

44. My family is nothing short of incredible.

45. The Lord works in mysterious ways and sometimes his greatest gifts to us are our greatest trials.

46. Plans change.

47. Life always goes on.

48. Being comfortable is nice, but that’s not what life is about. You have to get uncomfortable to find out what’s right for you.

49. To be great, surround yourself with greatness.

50. Never let yourself get hung up on what’s going wrong when you have all the power in the world to make it right.

51. Never be too busy to be a friend.

52. You can’t be anyone with someone, until you’re somebody without them.

53. My Heavenly Father loves me.

54. I am human.

55. I have weaknesses, fears, and vulnerabilities. And that’s okay.

56. I've got a lot of growing up to do.

57. Forgiveness is HARD. Hard to come by and hard to give.

58. My sleeve is a pretty good place for my heart to be.

59. The best mind is an open mind. Closed minds are useless.

60. People you love are still capable of hurting you.

61. Laughter really is the best medicine. There must be quite a few things laughing can't fix, but I don't know many of them.

62. Stand up for yourself and what you believe in. If you lose friends over it, so be it... They weren't your friends in the first place.

63. God is really good at hide-and-go-seek. No matter how fast you run or how long you hide, His intentions will always catch up to you. Sooner or later, His plan for you will make it's way into your life.

64. Sleep is my most loyal friend. No matter how many nights I break our plans, theres always a warm welcome when I come crawling back.

65. I owe 100% of the person I am today to the people I've spent my life with. If I'm of any worth of all, it's because of my parents, siblings, extended family, and friends.

66. The trouble with rumors is that I never get to do half the things I've heard I've done.

67. I am worthy of being loved. And there's a guy out there willing to treat me like the princess my Dad thinks I am.

68. All you need is love. Really.

69. I’m better than I was yesterday.

70. I’ll be even better tomorrow.




Here's to one more trip around the sun... Bring it on, 2011!