Homesickness

Can you believe that summer is over and fall is already in the air? Me either.

This week has brought on a homesickness that I haven't felt in a while. However, not the homesickness that you would think.

I've been home to Manti almost every other weekend this summer. Which has been great but this homesickness is different.

I am homesick for a beautiful town and college campus in Southern Utah.

Yes. Cedar City I am missing you dearly this week.

It's been 2 1/4 years since I was a student on your campus and I didn't think I'd have this feeling again. But here I am. Homesick for Cedar.

Homesick for a little of this:

And this:

And this:

And this:

And this:

And this:

And this:

And this:

This beautiful sister of mine fell in love with Southern Utah when we made a little visit last summer.

She started her first week as a Thunderbird Freshman on Monday. We've chatted more in the past 4 days than we have all summer and it's been wonderful. But boy, it's sure made me long for my second home.

So dearest Cedar City, as luck would have it (and blessings too, I'm sure), a dear friend texted me yesterday to invite me to
play in Cedar City this weekend. Absolutely. I'm in. And I can't wait!

A BYU Smarty Pants

After a wonderful sleepover last night with this pretty girl before she becomes a missionary and after not getting much sleep, needless to say, I didn't really get ready for work this morning--just threw on some jeans (thank goodness for jean Fridays), flip flops (actually not allowed but I totally forgot), a hoodie, and put my hair in a pony tail.
Classic yep-I-didn't-really-care-about-getting-ready-this-morning-look right?

I had to take a few extra things to take to work today so I packed a backpack along. What do ya know when about 20 million more people actually randomly talked to me on way in to work and on my way out. I didn't give it much thought until I tossed my back pack in my car to drive home. And then it hit me-- 
I looked like a BYU smarty pants student today.
Wow. Woulda thought? The glasses probably added greatly to the smarty pants-ness.

We all know smarty pants go to BYU. But did you know (I found this out yesterday), that the acceptance rate for BYU is now 56%? Or that the average GPA of incoming Freshman is a 3.9 or higher? Or the average ACT score is 28? Yep. All those little Freshman are major smarty pants aka brainiacs.

In almost 9 months of work in high heels and skirts (with the exception of jean Fridays), I only ever got a few "hi's" or smiles or maybe a "how are you doing today?". Is it really that intimidating? Hoodies, jeans and a backpack make me more approachable? Weird.

Moral of the story: wear a backpack to work and don't get ready. Finally. A legitimate reason to explain to my boss.
(No offense intended. Just pure observation.)

Purple

Since I was in kindergarten, I've always been taught that if you mix red and blue you can make purple.

Here is the ironic thing:

My School Color when I was in Elementary: Red

 

My School Color when I graduated to Middle School: Blue

My School Color when I happily left Middle School behind and moved to High School: Red

After Graduation I attended Snow College: Blue

With an Associates Degree behind my back, I breezed my way to Southern Utah University: Red

And now, with a Bachelor Degree, I work at Brigham Young University: Blue

The next stop, you may ask? Let's not go there.

So I've asked myself, do I bleed blue or do I bleed red? 

Neither. Sometimes I just have to be purple. 

Sorry. But it's where my heart belongs. 

Now can't we all get along?

Back to School Woes

It is a weird feeling to walk through Wal-Mart and pass all of the Back to School supplies. Shelves and shelves of notebooks, pens, pencils, crayons, erasers, textbook protectors, glue, pencil boxes, lunch boxes, Germ-X, scissors, rulers, markers, binders, and folders.

I love fall time. It is my favorite time of year because of the "back to school" and "back in a routine" feelings.

For the first time in 17 years, I am not going "back to school" this fall. Weird.

It brings back a lot of reminiscing moments--walking to school in the crisp morning air, crunching through scattered leaves on the sidewalk, kicking a ball around the soccer field for practice after school, the excitement that fills the air when Homecoming week hits, the craziness/terrified-ness of moving to college, the feeling of a fresh start, buying notebooks, pens, and school clothes, the joy of meeting many new friends and best of all--having a new adventure.

One of these days I am going to figure out what the next chapter and the next adventure of my life will be. But for now, if you see me crying in the notebook isle of Wal-Mart, don't be worried.

It's just the Back to School Woes.

Gimpy's Grand Adventures

What an adventure it's been to have a broken foot: 

(Go here if you missed the story.)

(Gimpy)

Adventure #1: Once upon a time, Gimpy met more friends in the same predicament as her. The conversations were deja vu of kindergarten with a "My bruise is bigger than your bruise!" and a reply of "Well, so! My story is cooler than your story!" The end. Moral of the story: My Dad is bigger than your Dad.

Adventure #2: Once upon a time, gimpy went to the grocery store, and church, and school, and every time she went to one of these places, with out fail, an old man would ask her, "So what does the other guy look like?" Every time she replied, "Oh believe me! A lot worse!" Yes, this happened every time she went out. Yes, every time it was a different old man. Yes, every one of them made some joke about "the other guy." Yes, every time they got a good guffaw out it. The end. Moral of the story: Old men need some one to talk to besides their cat.

The Boot. Aka: The Glass Slipper

Adventure #3: Once upon a time, Gimpy went swimming but forgot an Ace Bandage to wrap her foot in. As she was doing some awsome legs-on-the-side-of-the-pool crunches, the man in the lane next to her couldn't get a good look at her purple foot. It was one of those - glance, look away, glance, look away, stare for a long time, look away, glance, look away- kind of looks. You know those kind that males are never very good at? Like performing the uncomplicated-and-supposed-to-be-discrete elevator look (checking a girl out by looking her up and down and thinking that he is being totally discrete about it but he really is not being discrete at all). Yes. Just like that. He even though his goggles were helping his discreteness. ANYWAY, Gimpy just knew that this man was just thinking in his head, "Wow is that just a weird birth mark? Or is she having serious circulation problems? Or is it a tattoo? Or is this some new crazy fashion trend of tight ankle bands or toe rings that all you kids are into these days?" You know that is what he was thinking. However, the air was cleared when Gimpy finished her swim, climbed out of the pool, and proceeded to put on her over-sized, black, Velcro-ed, glass slipper. The end. Moral of the story: guessing game are always fairly entertaining but rarely correct.

Adventure #4: Once upon a time, there was a girl named Gimpy. Who was called all sorts of things because of her broken foot. These names were everything from disabled, to handicap, to gimpy. Gimpy is the one that stuck. Gimpy was even asked if she needed a handicap parking sticker. And she really could have used it this morning when she was almost late to work and some kind and wonderful soul whipped into the only empty parking spot that a fellow college student had just vacated two seconds before. You would think that gimps in big white beasts would have priority over the last parking spot in the lot. But no. That is not the case. Maybe the whipping-parking-spot-thief really had to use the bathroom... The end. Moral of the story: Parking spots are rare commodities. SUU needs more.

Adventure #5: Once upon a time Gimpy made a list of the pros and cons of having a broken leg:

Pros:

• There is only one shoe you have to find in the morning.
•  People willing offer (or SAY they are willing) to help you move, make you cookies, or do anything for you.
• A lot more people hold open doors for you.
• The grocery store conversations are much more frequent and entertaining.
• Making up extreme stories of how the glass slipper came to be provides great enjoyment.
• Kicking field goals is much more likely with the glass slipper on.
• You can always successfully figure out which pants and shorts fit over a large boot and which ones you have to do the hockey-pockey to get in to.

Cons:

• Jay-walking across the street is not near as easy anymore. It's lots safer to take the cross walk or play dead. Cars stop for that. I hope.
• It's a lot harder to decide to change your outfit in the morning after you are totally dressed with your glass slipper already on.
• Velcro is extremely loud in a quiet classroom.
• No running allowed unless you're late to class. In that case, please notify everyone around you that there will be an excellent circus performance in the next 10 seconds with you as the star runner/hobbler. Entertainment like that, is rare.

The end.  
Moral of the story: finding the good and bad in any situation is always good for a few laughs. 
(This is not a "complaining post" this is a "I-hope-you-get-as-good-a-kick-out-of-my-adventures-as-I-have" post!)

A Leap of Faith

In exactly 2 months from today, I graduate! I can't believe it! So so crazy! I still don't know what I'm going to do, come May. I know I've said this before but I always knew that I wanted to go to college and get a degree, but I never planned for after that. Yet here I am--with the world at my feet and I have no idea which door to take! I have been praying like crazy and I have received little answers and course corrections here and there, but I still don't know where I want to go and what I want to do. I have been applying for a ton of jobs in Utah, but it finally dawned on me that I am never going to figure out which path is right for me, if I'm not testing all the options and doors. So, in this last week, I took a leap of faith.
I applied for a bunch of internships out of state! I know this probably doesn't sound like much of a leap, but it kinda scares me to death! I don't know if they'll even come through or not, but my determination and character are definitely being built!

I was flipping through the ensign yesterday during sacrament and I came across an amazing talk by Richard G. Scott. In it, he said,

"As you walk to the boundary of your understanding into the twilight of uncertainty, exercising faith, you will be led to find solutions you would not obtain otherwise. With even your strongest faith, God will not always reward you immediately according to your desires. Rather, God will respond with what in His eternal plan is best for you, when it will yield the greatest advantage. Be thankful that sometimes God lets you struggle for a long time before that answer comes. That causes your faith to increase and your character to grow."

This truly spoke to my heart. It was exactly what I needed to hear--reassurance that not knowing where to go, is ok. For now at least. It's really tough, but it is teaching me true faith in God's plan, in His timing, and in leaning on the Savior for support and comfort. I know God's has his guiding hand in our lives. He loves us. And he is there to catch us when we take that leap of faith.


I like to look at it like cliff jumping at Lake Powell. When you climb the rock and you're getting ready to jump, the water looks so far away and you are tempted to go a little lower. But you don't. You take the chance and run and leap, pushing hard off the rock. Your heart plummets when you realize how far you are falling, and you scream with anticipation, but the exhilaration of hitting the water with a big splash and then kicking to the surface, is incomparable. It is only then, that you turn around and look back up at the cliff you just plummeted off of, and realize, "Wow. That really wasn't that high! And boy, it was fun!" Everything turned out just fine!

I am excited for when that day comes that I can look back at this leap of faith and realize how much it changed me and helped me to grow. Even if, I get a great job in Utah that I love, I still took the chance to try all the doors. And that, in it of itself, is building faith.

A Landmark Day

Today,

is my last first-day-of-school.

Yes!

I’m graduating in exactly 3 months and 27 days! I am super excited!

So many people have asked me in the last while what I’m going to do when I’m done with school. Well here is your answer:

I DON'T KNOW.

However I do know two things:

1. I’m not going to grad school

and

2. I’m not going on a mission.

Over the last month, the mission thing has been on my mind a lot and a ton of people have asked me if I am going to go. I haven’t really had much of an answer to give them. Until now. I have been praying very hard and pleading with the Lord to give me direction in my life.

I have learned one amazing life lesson.

Last week I was sitting in Emily's (my amazing cousin) missionary setting apart. She is going to be one great missionary! However, I was sitting there, surrounded by all of our family listening to the stake president, when I had this overwhelming feeling that this isn’t for me.

The Lord has amazing plans and blessings for me too but a mission is not one of them.

Now, with firm conviction, I can answer those who have asked. No. I am not going on a mission.

But it’s not because I don’t love the gospel. It’s not because I don’t want to share it with people. It’s not because I’m ungrateful. It’s because it is not where I’m supposed to go come the end of school.

The Lord has something different in mind.

I don’t know what that is. But the great lesson that I have learned is that  

answers come in pieces.

They don’t come in one big sweep. But they are obtained bit by bit. They correct our course in little adjustments and direct us to be where the Lord needs us to be.

I don’t know what the next 4 months will bring. But I have the faith that I will continue to get my answers little bit by little bit. Each of us have a great calling in this life—to be ourselves! To do our very best and live up to our full potential. To let God lead us in the direction and down the path that He needs us to go. It may be unexpected and it may be hard. But it is well worth the effort! The blessings will come back to us and we will recognize God’s amazing love throughout our entire life.

We are not alone and He is there to guide us each and every day in the little steps we take!

Busyness Withdrawls

You know how usually the week before finals is way worse than the ACTUAL week of finals? Well, this semester, that was only partly the case.
Every week this whole semester, BEFORE the week of finals felt like the week before finals.
(Please re-read that sentence a few times to make sense of it.)
But I'm not complaining. You have already heard about my busy semester.
If you have not been privileged to hear, please click here.

The week before finals started off beautifully
with putting on
the production of the year at Southern Utah University. (FYI- the preparations for this have been happening since June, but we jumped on the band wagon in August.)
As a committee member for the President's Gala (a banquet and program for all the old rich people- aka the donors of SUU)we spent
countless hours scheduling, coordinating, phone calling, meeting attending, decoration gathering, actually decorating, tree fluffing, table setting,
pine bough cutting, and running around
like chickens with our heads cut off.
(Ok not really, but sometimes it felt like we were getting that desperate!)

This is the wonderful team and the progression of the event!

In the end, Wednesday night turned out beautifully with only minor problems. However, we were sure exhausted. So we pleasantly relaxed while being serenaded with Happy Birthday Jesus by the
Oak Ridge Boys.

Our group was pretty much the awesomest ever!

After Wednesday, all my projects and papers were finished for the semester and most of my presentations done. All I had to worry about were finals.
You would think I would have felt relieved to relax and catch up on some
much needed sleep. But no.
I went through serious busyness withdrawls!!
Tell me please- What am I going to do for a whole month for Christmas break!
I will be going crazy by the time January 10th comes around and school starts again!

The Busiest Semester of My Life!

Literally. This semester has been absolutely crazy and the busiest of my life. I am taking 18 credits of classes, working over 15 hours a week, training for another ½ marathon, and trying to keep up on a social life. In a typical week, I spend over 35 hours on homework, 20 hours in class, 10 hours exercising, and 50 hours sleeping (this could possibly be the most important aspect because if I don’t get enough sleep, there is no way I would be able to function in everything else). That does not leave a whole lot of time leftover for everything else in between. I tried to take all the numbers and percentages of hours in a week that I spend doing things and it wasn’t all that impressive to look at. But I’m not a math major, so we’ll chalk it up to bad math skills and the many mistakes I probably made in the process. Anyway, I feel super busy all of the time! However, if there are important priorities to take care of, I DO make sure to take time for them (example: religious stuff, friends, family, etc.).

It’s funny because it has been the trend to have one EXTREMELY busy week and then the next week is SUPER slow. Then, the week after that is extremely busy again. Why is that? Can’t it all just even out? The answer my professors would give me is: NO. Absolutely not. We want to test you and torture you to the point of exhaustion where you can’t think straight and everything we boringly lecture about in class is so muddled in your brain that you can’t sleep at night. Then we will test you on it see how much you can sift out of your mud-clogged-brain, put it all on paper in little dots, and then go out and write a 20 page research paper about it all. But make sure to throw in random terms from the required book that catch our eye and make us think you are smart, so we give you full points on it. I want you to think about my class, and my class only. It is truly the only thing that keeps this world spinning. OH! But we do want you to succeed and learn and do your very very best so we can shake your hand at graduation and send you on your way to pass on the wonderful mud-clogged-knowledge we have given you.

Oh the philosophies of a professor!

ANYWAY, it also seems to be the trend that the more I have to do and the more busy I am, the more productive I seem to be. Why is that? Well, even though life is extremely busy, I still make sure to have tons fun. (After all, this is my very last year of college ever!) But sometimes I have to combine the fun with the work. Here are some of the fruits of my labors. Enjoy my ability to be creative in my advertising classes and still get homework done at the same time!

(FYI: not all of these are copy-write legal. But they were only used for assignments in class, therefore I won't get sued or anything. However, there are a few that have been published as legitimate work! Wahoo!)

A Season of Changes

A little bit ago, my calendar on my phone went off. This is what the saved event said:
September 2, 2010: What am I doing 1 year from 9-2-09? I have no recollection of putting this in my phone. Sometime last year I must have had some experience where someone asked what I thought I would be doing one year from that day. I have no idea what I said but after glancing back through papers and my journal, this is what I was doing one year ago:

• I was just starting my first year at Southern Utah University. I was scared out of my mind to be "starting over" again in a brand new city with very few friends.
• Cedar City felt big to me.
  
• I was 19 years old.
• I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life.
• I had no job and no source of income other than scholarships.
  
• I had decided to be a communications major with emphasis in Communication Studies and Public Relations.
• I had just moved in to a new apartment with complete strangers who have turned out to be wonderful friends! These are those wonderful girls!

One year from September 2, 2009 (aka: today) seemed like such a long ways away. And yet, this day came so quickly. So many many things have happened in the last year that have changed and shaped me and helped me to grow. It wasn't easy but it was well worth it. However, they were so many wonderful and fun times too!

Today, this is what I'm doing:

• I am starting my senior year as a college student at Southern Utah University.
• I am still a Communications major but changed my emphasis to Communication Studies and Advertising.
• I still have no idea what to do with my life but I am trying to figure it out and look at all my options for after I graduate in May.
• I again moved into a new apartment with all new girls and we are becoming pretty good friends.
• I have an amazing job on SUU campus as an office assistant in the Vice President's Office.
  
• I know what I am doing and where I am going and I don't have to constantly look at a map or ask people to figure out where I'm at.
• I know a ton of people and have tons of friends around here already! (Definite plus!)
• I am now 20 years old. No longer a teenager.
• And life is wonderful!

It is kind of weird to be writing something like this in the fall. Usually these kind of feelings come in January or May. But I love this time of year! I love feeling of change in the air as it starts to get colder and the leaves start to change. Fall is my favorite season! It really is a time for changing and growing and becoming better. It will be great to see where this next year brings me but honestly I have absolutely no idea where that will be! But it is definitely a season in my life for change!
So to all you bloggers out there- what will YOU be doing one year from now?