Memoreis of 2012

"We do not remember days, we remember moments."
"Life is only as good as the memories we make."
"Somedays you will never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory"

Those are just a few of my favorite sayings regarding memories. In fact, one of the reasons I treasure photographs so much is because they are proof of happy times- of great memories. Memories are something intangible that no one can ever take from you. It is my hope that my scrapbooks and photo albums will remind me of my best moments when I am old and grey.

There are some memories I wish I could live in forever. I can recall the exact details of some; a slow dance at prom, the moment you walk across high school graduation stage, the feeling of triumph as you win state FFA public speaking... There are also moments you live vicariously through. The fear in your parentes eyes as they dropped you off at summer camp for the first time or the tone of a best friends as she confides in you.

Some memories never die, no matter how long I will live. There are the memories that drown you with emotion. 2012 was a year filled with memories. After my first year at the University of Missouri I did not think freshman year could be topped. Well, I think it was.

Since the new decade began, I have started a trend of kicking off the year in interesting places. 2011 began on a Hawaiian beach with my best friend. I had the rest of senior year to look forward to, I was excited to begin college and anxious about the future.

2012 started in the jungles of Costa Rica where I was studying abroad and leaving the country for the first time. I was having the time of my life writing about tropical agriculture and experiencing life overseas. 2013 began surrounded by friends in my college neighborhood. I just spent the week in Florida for National Agriculture Ambassador training and had been home for the holidays. Now, I returned to good ole' CoMo to ring in the New Year. I would be off to Mexico, visiting my fifth country shortly after.

Looking back on 2012 there were many defining moments and, as always, opportunities. Here's my top 12 memories of 2012: (In no particular order... they were all fabulous!)

I-CAL, Malaysia

1. Gained my first internship with Agriculture Future of America. AFA has offered me countless opportunities since I began college and I learned invaluable lessons during my internship.

2. Traveled to southeast Asia as one of twelve collegians nation-wide selected for I-CAL through the National FFA Association and U.S. Grains Council. I found myself in Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore learning about international agriculture.

3. Once again, made the Dean's List. Keeping the GPA strong for Law School!

National ACT officer team

4. Elected as the National First Vice President of the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow. I along with four other officers assist in leading our organization. It's been an amazing national leadership position!

5. Was asked to serve on the Missouri 4-H Equine Tour planning board. It felt great to help facilitate the trip as a four-year alumni. I credit this experience for modeling me into the individual I am today.

6. Receiving runner-up for the Missouri Farm Bureau Ambassador Contest. I gave my speech onstage with an audience of 300+. This was actually the first speech my mother had ever seen me preform. (Every time I qualified for state FFA public speaking she would never sit in the audience, at my request, even when I won.)

Runner-Up, Ambassador

7. Sitting on the Columns drinking Starbucks with my best friend, Sonja Perry, on the evening we completed our fall semester. (Her first and my second at MU.) It was one of those perfect life moments with your best friend (whom I met on the Missouri Equine Tour) that you cannot possibly describe.

8. Obtaining my American FFA Degree. I had worked toward this goal since I joined the FFA as a freshman. My parents went with me to Indianapolis where I walked across the national stage along with countless other friends in corduroy I had met through the years.

9. Celebrating my 19th birthday with the best friends I could ever ask for. We ate at my favorite Mexican restaurant and celebrated the end of our freshman year and gave cheers to my last year as a teenager.

Earning my American FFA Degree

10. Going on an epic road trip to Myrtle Beach for spring break. Two cars, 2,000 miles and 30 hours of driving later we arrived from Missouri to the Carolinas and spent a week on the beach.


11. Becoming a frist-time home owner. I said "goodbye" to dorm life and moved into a duplex with my best friends; Kaitlin Flick, Sophie Hyder and Amanda Neff. We have had some priceless memories with adjusting to living off campus and to running our own household.

National Collegiate
Agriculture Ambassador 

12. Serving as a National Collegiate Agriculture Ambassador. I am one of 20 collegians who have the privilege of speaking on  agriculture issues. Not only did I get a free ipad and Ambassador "swag" but I got to travel to North Carolina and Florida with some great friends from across the country. 

Dickinson Scholars

2013 Dickinson Scholars 

I recently received the honor of being named as a 2013 Dickinson Scholar for the College of Agriculture, Foods & Natural Resources at the University of Missouri. Twenty collegiate sophomores and juniors are chosen through a written application and interview process. Becoming a member of this elite group was one of my goals when I entered the University of Missouri.

The Dickinson Scholars program is designed to introduce student leaders in CAFNR to leading Missouri agribusiness leaders, professionalism and provide networking opportunities. The program was a week-long opportunity held in Kansas City. My fellow students and I were divided and partnered with a agribusinesses in the Kansas City area. Thus, my week was spent with John Deere!

I was thrilled to be paired with my favorite agriculture machinery company! John Deere employees gave my group tours of their company headquarters and dealerships- it was great to see both avenues of the company. I learned about company strategies and met with representatives from all Deere departments, from communications to legal. (Due to my career goals both were very interesting to me!) During tours my fellow schoalrs and I ran into many successful MU alumni, which made me proud to be a tiger!

Dickinson Scholars is in memory of the late Gary Dickinson, his wife continues his legacy through coordinating the program for CAFNR students each year. As a scholar, I had the chance to meet Mrs. Dickinson. She is a patron of the arts and our schedule included a tour of the Kansas City Art Museum as a culture experience.

The 2013 agenda also included networking with the Kansas City Agribusiness Council, the National Agri-Marketing Association, and other program businesses such as Cargill, Farmland Foods and Bartlett & Co. The program included tours at businesses such as Dairy Farmers of America, the American Royal and Duff Dynamic Marketing. After interning in Kansas City this summer it was wonderful to be back and visit with individuals I had met previously. In addition, I enjoyed catching up with my fellow CAFNR students (since we had been apart for four weeks on break!) and getting to know MU faculty members better.

Our college has a year-long leadership program, Litton Leadership Scholars, for freshman and the Dickinson program is primarily targeted to sophomores. I have been privileged to be a scholar of both programs. Next year, hope to gain acceptance into the John Brown Scholars, which is MU's leadership program designed for juniors. My hope is to take advantage of as many opportunities as possible during my time at MU.

Exploring the Southwest

My week-long visit to Texas and Mexico offered me not only a chance to escape the Missouri cold, but to try to new experiences! From riding my first three-wheeled bicycle to eating a Wataburger, this vacation offered me plenty of first opportunities. But, eating pineapple from the self-procalimed Texan "pineapple king" was one of my more memorable experiences. And, it just so happens pineapple is one of my favorite fresh fruits! 

I learned about south Texas agriculture first-hand. My grandfather, Poppie, has been farming in Missouri for decades. During his time in Texas he had learned a lot about Texan agriculture. Grape fruit, sugar cane, cabbage and carrot crops were abundant during my visit. I had never seen sugar cane sold by the stalk in grocery stores before this trip! I also went to a store where clothing was sold by the pound. No, I did not find any bargains there but, as Poppie said, "You sure don't see that in Missouri!" 

I loved the palm trees. There are so many species of palms that whatever warm climate you visit you are practically guaranteed to see different varieties. There was even a old palm tree plantation near my grandparents RV park, where they live during the winter months. From finding bargains in the Mexican markets to walking on the beach of South Padre Island, this vacation was full of firsts! 

Meeting the self-proclaimed "Pineapple King" of El Paso.

Want to find a bargin outfit? Visit this local store 

where you select your clothing from piles and pay

by the pound! 

Eating my first Wataburger... it was delicious! 

Spotted: A bird-of-paradise flower in the wild.

My time in Floral Design class paid off!

Dipping my feet in the Texas Gulf at South Padre Island! 

Everything is bigger in Texas, including the produce.

Palm trees just make me smile. 

Poppie and I represent MU at his RV park while on vacation! 

Sugar cane crop. It will reach over 10 feet tall! 

Three-wheeled bikes are all the rage at the RV park, 

luckily one of Poppie's friends offered to help me learn the ropes. 

(Notice I am wearing my new Padre sweater!) 

Handpicking and processing cabbages. 

Mexico Markets

If I could describe Mexico in one word it would be "colorful." The country is filled with goods in every shade and the people themselves have bright personalities. Walking through the marketplace of Progresso was an exciting time! You could feel the energy and excitement of commerce exchange in the air. 

I bargained with shop keepers over jewelry, found a cute knock-off purse and sampled some Mexican sweets, candied pecans. The market barter system reminded me of my time in Vietnam. My grandfather was a self-proclaimed expert bargainer, and I credit him for saving me a few pesos on souvenirs. I always purchase postcards to send back to friends and relatives, because what is a trip worth if you cannot share the moments with loved ones? 

Mexican dolls constructed from crepe paper. 

Fish wind chimes. 

Bright foliage! 

BOWS! 

A man sells his giant hand-wovan baskets on the streets. 

Brilliant pottery (I am a sucker for ceramics!) 

Fiesta time? 

These figurens make adorable desk decorations. I would know! 

I loved all of the bling jewelry! 

Woven purses made from recycled wrappers. 

Hungry from a day of shopping at the market?

Try some fresh cactus. It was a popular snack! 

Off to MEXICO!

Over winter beak I officially visited my fifth country. To date I have been to Costa Rica, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and now, Mexico. (FYI if you count sitting in airports as being in a country then you are such a cheater!) Most college students opt to visit Mexico on spring break but my grandparents presented me an opportunity to visit Mexico that I grabbed! If there is one thing I have learned in life is that you never know when you will use your passport. Keep that document handy! Canada is next on my North American country tour list. Hopefully I can go salmon fishing like my dad did or for some international pancake conference... a girl can hope? (I am also still saving my pennies for my dream vacation to Europe!) While with my grandparents, we visited several border towns and enjoyed the markets, cuisine and atmosphere of Mexico. I even got to check off a bucket list item, "eating authentic mexican food in Mexico." After wintering to south Texas for a decade grandparents are experts in the area. They helped me with my bargaining skills, showed me the ropes and tour hot-spots. I attempted to try out my Spanish skills but am afraid I only confused locals. However, I am sure my high school Spanish teacher would have appreciated my efforts. (I think I got a smile or two out of my verb usage.) Mexico offered an abundance of new adventures and shopping opportunities. And, it was warm. Visiting border towns and markets was by far more culturally awakening than any spring break!

At the Progresso border with my grandparents. 

Standing on the boarder line between the U.S. and Mexico! 

"Earth laughs in flowers." ~Emerson 

Passport and U.S. currency in hand, we headed into Mexico!

The infamous border fence. 

The Mexican landscape. 

South Padre Island Vacation

My grandparents winter to south Texas every year and this year they invited me to visit their home away from home. I got the grand tour of south Texas! (And a chance to escape a week of Missouri winter, which are usually filled with snow and cold.) During the visit, my favorite day was spent at South Padre Island. This beach has been on my "to visit list" so it was great to finally  walk along the shore and dip my feet in the ocean. I collected sea shells, took photographs and immersed myself in the salt and sand!  

Touring lighthouses in downtown South Padre. 

Now you don't see these signs everyday in Missouri! 

Crossing the causway to reach the island.  It was quite foggy in the morning! 

"Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore." 

~Andre Gide 

My heart belongs to the midwest but my toes belong in the sand. 

Getting friendly with the local pelicans! 

Florida Winter Ag Ambassador Training

2012-2013 National Collegiate Agriculture Ambassadors hit the beach in Florida! 

Two of my favorite aspects of life include beaches and agriculture. So any chance to combine the two is an automatic win for me. Luckily, the National FFA Organization decided to host winter National Collegiate Agriculture Ambassador training in Florida this year! This midwest girl packed her bags, flip flops included, and hopped onto an airplane headed south. It was wonderful to spend a week in the sunshine with fellow Ambassadors. 

Even though I can only see many of the 20 collegiate ambassadors during our two yearly trainings, I formulated close bonds with them. The Ambassador program was created through the National FFA Organization and offered me an opportunity to conduct agriculture presentations and to represent FFA for one year. I had the opportunity to know FFA staff members well! I have never found a more supportive, organized or fun group of ladies. They really look after you when you're a frantic college student.

At training, we all got caught up with each others lives. We had Ambassadors who studied abraod for a semester in Belize, took part in state university exchange programs, gained amazing internships and had too many once-in-a-lifetime experiences to count. I firmly believe the individuals I met have the power to change the world and positively impact our industry.  

Our sessions consisted of exploring current industry issues, meeting with program sponsors, team building strategies and presentation formulation. Basically, it was awesome. The highlight of my training was meeting with my "blogging idols." (Yes I'm always a sucker for the beach BUT this was even cooler.)  I have looked up to Troy and Stacy Hadrick since I was a freshman writing speeches in my Agricultural Sciences I class. 

I remember siting in the agriculture office when Mrs. Rogers, my agriculture instructor, told me to look up the blog Advocates for Agriculture. I remember thinking 1. what is a blog, and 2. this looks neat! Basically, Tory and Stacy are a farming couple from North Dakota who write about their personal experiences to spread the story of agriculture. They were targeted by an anti-agriculure article in the New York Times and decided to fight back, by telling THEIR side of the story. These two are honest, hard working cattle producers, committed to agriculture. So meeting them was pretty awesome. Oh and I got a picture!     

Yet, all good things must come to an end. At the close of training I shed several tears saying good bye to my fellow Agriculture Ambassadors. Being a part of this program has been one of the best experiences I have ever had! But, it's still ongoing because there are many presentations still left to complete and many opportunities to spread the message of agriculture. 

Representing Missouri as a 2012-2013 National Collegiate Agriculture Ambassador

at winter training in Jacksonville, Florida.

During training I got to meet my agriculture 

bloggers, Troy and Stacy Hadrick. 

Winter break 2012! 

Enjoying an afternoon on the beach in Jacksonville, Florida. 

Representing the Midwest, myself and Melissa Keyes from Nebraska. 

This was her first time seeing the ocean! 

"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net forever"

~Jaques Cousteau

This view brought back memories of Spring Break at Myrtle Beach. 

The 2012-2013 Agriculture Ambassador team left our mark on Florida. 

Kylah Reynolds, Oregon Agriculture Ambassador, and I became close through our year 

as Ambassadors as we share a love for adventure and travel. I will treasure the bedazzled B she gave me in the Ambassador gift exchange... she knows me so well! 

"Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting." 

~ J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan