My Sister, My Great Example

This is a note I wrote on Facebook on 11-12-2006

Today I’ve been thinking about my sister Katie.
Probably because yesterday I just turned 21. Katie died before she reached 21 years. That means I am older than she was—weird. It’s weird because I still think of her as older than me, still AMAZING and CUTER THAN EVER.

My sister Katie died in a car accident on December 31, 1998 on the way to our family’s cabin. My brother was driving the Station wagon and she was in the passenger seat. ~The rest of my family and I had traveled up the night before for New Years Eve and Dallan and Katie stayed back because Katie said she needed to take Dallan out to dinner for his grades, he had just earned his first 4.0 GPA.~

On their drive up, they rounded a corner with black ice, a three tanker semi-truck tried to swerve out of their direction. Katie’s passenger side of the car was hit straight on and she was killed on impact. They were both thrown from the car—through Dallan’s door. When the paramedics arrived on the scene Katie, or her body, had landed on a bank of snow and Dallan was sitting on the opposite side of the road.

Dallan survived with only a small gash on his forehead, but a severed bone above his left elbow. He later lost his bicep, from lack of blood, but his arm works amazingly well. He has since, served a mission, married and has three children.

After she died we made a movie of her, which I haven't watched in a while because I basically memorized it. It is a movie of her growing up. At one point we have family commentary, cuz at an FHE one night my dad pulled out the old camera, projected it onto the wall, had the family sit to watch it, and then filmed it with his new camera. It's funny cause you can hear all of us talking in the background. While we were watching it (mainly movies of my sister Katie when she was 2 years old) I, my 5-6-year old self would interject with the phrase "That's Me!"

Katie always called me, a miniature her, or just like her. Being the youngest of 3 sisters all I wanted to be was myself. Me. Ranae. I never realized what a compliment that was until after she died. She is amazing. She is my example, in almost all the pictures with her and family I am sitting right next to her and that is something I never noticed until watching that movie today.

Two days ago I chopped a whole bunch of my already short hair off and felt like I would shock my parents. Most of this comes from my sister Katie who chopped off her hair a bleached it, and died it a bunch of times. My mom freaks out about those things. I was going to keep it a secret and surprise my mom for Thanksgiving but I couldn’t do that. So I told her yesterday on the phone.

Here is her "statement" found in her open scriptures on the side of the bed when we came home from our cabin:

“If it were my last day on Earth, this is the record I would leave. Make each day meaningful. Be there for others, stay close to the Lord, gain all the knowledge you can about the scriptures, the gospel - - the creations of the Lord. Smile often, give of yourself even if at times you feel you have nothing left to give - - and Always remember Christ and for His example and His atonement and strive each day to be like Him.? – Katie Bangerter Aug. 16, 1978 – Dec. 31, 1998. ---

I know I will see my sister again in the eternities, if only I live righteously enough to return back to live with her.She is my example. And so is Jesus Christ. I love them both and I look to them as my examples. I love the Gospel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know it is true. I love my family and hope to be able to live with them all again someday.

My Dad and her drew up a poster of priorities in life. I try to focus on those things closest to God on the list. It helps me organize my life.
--Ranae

Utah... my former home...

Ok, it's official..
I miss utah.
I just surfed the web under utah tourism or visit utah.
I read over all the fun things to do there --hike to Timpanogos Cave, drive the Alpine loop, hike in Provo canyon or Sundance canyon, ride the Heber Valley railroad the list goes on and on...
All things that I have done and I took for granted.
I had a stinkin' mountain in my backyard!!!

This is a message for all ya'll living in Utah:
Take advantage of your mountains. Hike them, drive them, bike them, and just sit and enjoy them.
I know not everyone it going to do a crazy thing like me and move away from the mountains -- for a short time of their life just to try something new, but either way--enjoy what you've got!
There are so many people out there who have never seen snow, who've never seen The Great Salt Lake, who've never been able to say they can see a lake from their house--let alone 2 temples.
Love everything you have!
Go to the temple often, cuz you can. When you don't live in Utah or Utah county it's super hard to just walk into the temple.
Um so yea, I know there's mountains and lakes here in Idaho but they take a while to drive there and frankly they're not in my backyard.
So enjoy whatcha got!
--Peace out.
Ranae

RANAE AND POLITICS

Why I am suddenly a politics person—and watch CNN when I never used to.
Ok, so just 5 months ago I would have been the last person you would see watching political television or anything to do with politics. But now…I’m addicted! I think it’s just cuz being a producer I need to know what’s going on in the world and nation and politics is big right now. So if something major happens I sure better know about it and put it in my show.
So, pretty much, no more MTV for me or even Reality television. I’m too busy catching up on the news. I sure hope I can afford cable sometime soon, maybe after the general election in November :) Don’t forget to come out and vote!

Things I've done and things I wanna do

THINGS I'VE DONE

DANCE___(from age 3 to age 10. Sometimes I go country swing dancing and people say I'm pretty good at the line dances.)

SING___ (I love to sing I have been singing since preschool. I always raised my hand in primary to sing, and I was in choirs from elementary to college --and even today.)

PLAY PIANO___(I played from age 6 up until now and now I accompany my ward
choir—I don’t know how I do it, God gave me a talent.)

PLAY INSTRUMENT___(I play the Alto saxophone and the bass clarinet. I always wanted to be a trombone player but my sister said that it was a boy’s instrument.)

ROCK CLIMB___(I like rock climbing a lot although I’ve only rock climbed outside once in my life. Anyone wanna go?)SEW___(I really like to sew, I am glad I learned in 8th grade it’s been a big help for my younger brothers when their stuffed animals start to fall apart, I can make them look brand new.)

WRITE ARTICLES___(I’ve always been bad at writing, I don’t know how I thought journalism would be a good field for me. But here I am, I still misplace commas and don’t vary up my sentences much but I’m trying to be a better writer everyday. I think the happiest moment from writing articles was to see my name in the newspaper associated with something I wrote—and being able to Google my name)

PRODUCE TELEVISION__(Don’t ask me how I got this job I never knew when I was a little kid that when I said I wanted to write what the pretty people read that I would be given the title of a producer. It’s an important job don’t get me wrong but I just don’t feel that important… I’m just a kid who graduated college and got a job—two things which are pretty amazing.)

BECOME A PHOTOGRAPHER___(I always wanted to be a photographer since I went to the Glacier National Park. I took so many pictures with my camera of waterfalls –but when the pictures were developed, it just looked like a bunch of hills. I decided then and there that I would be a FABULOUS PHOTOGRAPHER if I just got a camera with Zoom in it. I took some photography classes in high school and then when I graduated I bought my first digital camera with the most optical zoom I could find. And ever since then I’ve been seen with a camera around my neck. I still have yet to print many of my photos though… I’ll do that soon.)

GET A REAL JOB__(YAY I no longer have to choose between working at Domino’s Pizza or working retail. Thankgoodness )

RIDE A 4 WHEELER__(I love that my family has 4 wheelers that I can pretend that I am invincible on.)

RIDE A SNOWMOBILE__(I’ve ridden snowmobiles twice—but I’ve never driven one—anyone want to give me a chance?)

GO BACKPACKING__(I backpacked 10miles through the grand canyon for spring break 2007 it was awesome! It was hard, and painful and a beautiful trip.)

THINGS I'VE ATTEMPTED

RUNNING FOR STUDENT GOVERNMENT__ (I beat out 15 other contestants in the primaries--in Junior High but I didn't win in the big election. I still think it's cuz the band was out of town that day.)

ROLLERSKATING___ (I tried roller skating twice. My cousin Jayni and my best friend in elementary school both had rollerskating parties for their 3rd grade birthdays—however old you are when you’re in 3rd grade—both times I went I could stay up on the things. And at my cousin’s party my aunt and uncle felt sorry for me so they each grabbed one of my hands, thinking this would somehow help me get over my fear, and pulled me around the rink until I fell and almost cried. Since then, I’ve been terrified of rollerskates or rollerblades.

TRYING OUT FOR A SOFTBALL TEAM__(I went to all the pre-tryout practices at 5am for about a month. And then when tryouts came I realized I was afraid of the softball and not cut out for that sport. So I didn’t go.)

TRYING OUT FOR CHAMBER CHOIR___ (I tried out, I got nervous, and even though I didn't make it, everyone in chamber choir treated me like one of the group --and I got to be a Section leader anyways--which is what I really wanted to do. What can I say, I like being in charge.)

TRYING OUT FOR JR HIGH JAZZ BAND__ (I've never been in a jazz band although I play the alto saxophone. That’s the end of that story.)

GET UP ON WATERSKIS__(Yes, I have been boating many times and tried to get on waterskis a couple of times—both with my great and fabulous cousins next door the Apples. They are so nice at letting you try and cheering you on, but I just need to learn how to hold my position and stay there. I think I need to keep my elbows stiff…maybe next time.)

SUCCESSFULLY SNOWBOARD DOWN A MOUNTAIN__(I’ve been snowboarding 3 times but each time I’ve learned something new. Hopefully I will take lessons this winter and perfect the art of sliding down a hill while standing :)

SUCESSFULLY RIDE A BIKE FAST DOWN A HILL__(I have always been terrified of riding a bike down a hill. Hills scare me cuz I speed up and I feel like I can't see, maybe that's also my problem with snowboarding. And I always have that underlying fear that I will hit a rock and fall over the handlebars.)

THINGS I WANNA DO

GO HANG GLIDING__(I’ve always wanted to do this. People near my house have jumped multiple times off the cliff on the point of the mountain. I’ve always wanted to be one of those jumpers—maybe someday when the wind is fair I will sail through the skies.)

ATTEMPT SCUBADIVING__(I’ve always had a secret desire to learn this, if for nothing else but to photograph underwater. Have you ever been snorkeling? If you have and haven’t been scared for you life, you will understand that you want to learn how to scuba dive—I think that diving would be a much safer option than holding onto a boogie board as a flotation device.)

MAKE A CALENDAR OF MY OWN PHOTOS__(I have already set aside some of my favorite works of photography to be compiled into my own calendar. I’m thinking of making them for this Christmas so I can give them out as gifts! Wish me luck ;)

GO TO EUROPE SEE ITALY__(I’ve purchased my ticket to Germany to visit my cousin and her husband. I can’t wait to experience for myself all that Europe has to offer.)

GO TO AUSTRALIA__(I don’t know if it’s the kangaroos or the amazing movies they have that are filmed in Australia—or their amazing accent, but I’ve always wanted to go there. My roommate is planning a trip there for next summer I hope we can both go. Last night two television shows were on about Australia. I think it was a sign.)

GET MARRIED__(Yes, no single girl wants to admit it but we all want to get married sometime in our life. I just don’t know when it’s gonna happen for me. I’ll just have to keep trying to get asked out on dates and be funny.)

OWN MY OWN CAR__(Ok, so I love my grandparent's Caddie but I would also love to have a car that screams my own personality. I think this is an Idaho thing where everyone drives new cars. I want a new one as well, maybe someday.)

OWN MY OWN HOUSE__(Someday I want a house, with a backyard that has grass and a big garden to plant tomatoes and whatever else I want.)

BUY A COMPUTER AND AN EDITING SYSTEM__(I’ve been talking about this for years—ever since I decided to go into journalism, my freshman year of college, I want my own editing system. I don’t just want A editing system but I want THEE editing system, “Final Cut Pro.” But everyone knows you can only buy “Final Cut Pro” for a Mac and I am a PC user. So basically the reason I haven’t bought an editing system yet is because I can decide if I want to buy a Mac or a PC it’s a neverending debate!)

AFTERTHOUGHTS
Okay, so this whole long rambling started out just as a list, but then I decided it needed some back story. So if this got a little long, it was your time you wasted on reading about my life :) I really hope you don’t think it was a waste of time.