28 day cycle.

today in new testament class, we were talking about the passover and how it is dependent on the full moon. we were also talking about the symbolism in life...then brother parker said something that was such an "aha" moment to me that i HAVE to share it, even if it may get a little awkward. here it goes (straight from my lecture book).

"Symbolism: At Passover the moon reflects the full light of the sun reflecting the full weight of the atonement. Israel escaped from bondage during a full moon (Passover). We escape bondage from sin through the full light of the atonement.

It takes a 28 day cycle for each full moon. A female's cycle takes 28 days to prepare her body for a new life to begin. In Rev. 12:7 (JST) the woman is the Church of God. The Lord uses symbols to remind us of things. Going to bed is a symbol of death. A waking each morning is a symbol of resurrection. The sun comes from the east. The Son of God will come from the east. A woman's 28 day cycle is a symbol of the lunar cycle which depicts the Atonement. A full moon reflects the full light of the sun. A woman's cycle reminds her she has the power of life which reflects the power of Godhood."

isn't that amazing? so much symbolism in every day life...and when you discover the hidden meanings behind things on a deeper level than what they appear to be, it makes life that much more beautiful.

just thought i should share.  :]

i'm a hopeless romantic at heart.

"Hold On" by Michael Buble

for some reason, i'm feeling like a hopeless romantic. usually, i try to suppress these thoughts (it usually takes me FOREVER to admit that i really like a guy...yes, i know i say "i'm in love with him" but really, i hope you all can read the lines and realize that i'm not really "in love with him" haha). but you know what, sometimes you cant help it and your heart goes off running before your mind can tell it to slow down...so only one of two things can happen:

• my heart finally slows down and just stops with this nonsense
• the feeling will be mutual

who knows if either will happen though.  

anyway, enjoy the song. i've already made up my mind that it will be played at my wedding (my husband will love it too...of course). i love the lyrics so much...i just want that so bad. and also michael makes me swoon, so the fact that he's singing it makes it THAT much better.

that is all. just a bit of random. :]

"Did You Just Liken the Scriptures to My Dating Life?"

I feel like lately the fantasticly perfect and horrid moments in my life deal with males. Since Monday I have had three separate guy moments--two perfect and one horrid. And I told them to my cousin, Lindsey, today and she was laughing hysterically the whole time and was like, "Megs, you HAVE to write these down in your journal or something. These are GREAT!" So guys, get ready. Here it comes.

Moment #1: Ice Cream Guy

So it was Monday night, around 9:40 PM. I had just taken a test in Geography & World Affairs and I didn't do so hot. Part of it was because I didn't study as much as I would have liked. Another part was because just moments before I went to the Testing Center, I couldn't find my ID card, so I panicked for a solid 10 minutes and luckily Michaela was in the library and printed off a copy of my ID. So I was a little frazzled. And another part is because when I got my test, the girl at the desk said, "Good luck--if you have time."...cool Girl-At-the-Desk. Thanks...but anyway, haha (tangent), I finally get home and open my door to find my two roommates, Jessie and Kristen, getting home taught by their home teachers. 

Me: Oh sorry guys!

Everyone: Oh that's okay!

Jessie: Hey, Meg, how'd your test go?

Me:....let's not talk about it haha

Ice Cream Guy/Home Teacher: I have some ice cream if you'd like some back at my apartment.

Me: Oh thanks (Ice Cream Guy), but no thank you.

ICG: Are you sure? 

Me: Yes, thanks anyway. But if I ever want ice cream, I know where to go, right? 

So after that, I leave them be and head off to my room. Moments later, the home teachers finally leave and I then take my art stuff and put it in the living room. But before I start, I go into Jessie/Kristen's room.

Me: Guys, that was so nice of ICG...I should've just said yes.

Jessie (who is a HOPELESS romantic): Want me to text him and just say bring it over anyway?
Me: Noooo. Moment's passed. But it was still nice.
Jessie: Well you never know. We taught them that sometimes when a girl says "no" she really means "yes"...but I don't think they were listening haha.

Then after that, we (the three of us) go into the living room and work on our homework...until we hear a knock. "Come in!" we said...and in comes ICG with a bucket of ice cream and plastic spoons. (!!!!) Basically the whole time he was over, Jessie and Kristen would "subtly" wink at me haha. Then when ICG eventually left....

Me: Thanks ICG again for the ice cream! That was so nice of you.
ICG: No problem. I hope whatever bad thing happened is better now.

...how precious. I'm a sucker for kind, thoughtful guys. Jessie thinks he likes me (and same with Tony from my art class, who said, "my time is precious, and if I didn't like a girl, I wouldn't waste it on bringing her ice cream"). So I don't know. Are my roommates (and Tony) blowing it out of proportion? Oh well...he was still sweet.  :]

Moment #2: Ian Desmond

Now for those of you who do not know the Washington Nationals baseball roster, Ian Desmond is one of their players and also the one who stole my heart when I went to their game over the summer. So Michaela and I nicknamed a certain crush of mine after this baseball player...wink wink.

So yesterday, I was waiting for Devotional to start in my classroom. Then all of a sudden, Ian Desmond comes up to me and asks if he can sit next to me. Naturally I said yes. So then we talk about pretty much everything, and then when the audio wasn't working in our classroom, we walked to another classroom to watch devotional (can I just add that he's a GIANT when we walk together?). So then when devotional is over, we head back to our class and I guess he thought the seat that had my backpack in it originally was still saved, and Michaela was already there sitting where he originally sat, so Ian sat on the other side of Michaela (awk). So I didn't talk to him in class...BUT.

Then my friend, Jordan, walks in and sits next to me and Michaela and I find out that he's in the BYU Celtic band or whatever and that there was a concert this Thursday. So fast forward to the end of class, I asked Michaela if she wanted to go. She said sure. So then I turned and asked Ian (one, because I figured that if we hung out of class, SOMETHING would happen; two, because we went from talking a ton to not at all and I could NOT let it end on an abrupt silent note) and said...

Me: Hey Ian, what are you doing Thursday? Would you like to join us?

Ian: I was actually thinking about what I had Thursday...let me check...(opens planner). Oh darn, I actually have home teaching.

Bro. Parker (who apparently overheard haha): Ian, it's not even the end of the month...

Ian: Oh yeah, but with Thanksgiving and traveling, it had to be done on Thursday.

Me: Ian, it's okay. Its a good-better-best situation and clearly, you're picking the best situation haha.

Ian: Oh yeah, for sure!

Me: Well then we'll just have to hang out another time.

Ian: Yeah, definitely. *insert sexy wink here*

I died. My hear literally popped out of my chest...no big deal though, right?

Moment #3:  If I Was Born In the 80s. 

I'm going to spare some embarrassing details for this guy's sake. Basically I was asked out by this older guy (by a little over a decade)...and I was kinda panicking. Well not asked out right then, but I knew it was coming, because he left a Facebook message, a text AND a voice mail message on my phone. Why the sudden attention? Well, he asked out my roommate, but my roommate without thinking, pulled an "Inception" and planted the idea that he should ask me instead haha. Like holy cow, how do you shut this down as gracefully as possible? So I asked a couple of people.

My friend, Jared, said: Pretend to have a boyfriend. 

There are so many ways this could potentially backfire on me. Next.

Michaela said:

Actually I'm not going to say, because if I wrote it down, it would kind of give this guy away haha.

Dad (who left a meeting to talk to me, LOVE YOU DAD!) said: Just be completely honest. Say, "I'm really flattered, but I really-I really....I-I-I...."....hmmmm. Actually say that, and then stutter after "but" and he might leave you alone. 

Good advice, Dad. SOLID.  :]

Mom said: Megan, just be honest and maybe even pray about it so you'll know what to say. (Then I told her I was worried and scared to say 'no')...well, 'be strong and of a good courage', Megan. You can do it.

Me: Did you just liken the scriptures to my dating life?

Mom: Well, yeah, the scriptures can be applied to any aspect of our lives so why not dating haha.

Moms always know what to say, right? At least my mom does. Thanks, Mom!  :]

Anyway, long story short...when the guy asked me if I was busy Saturday night, I said yes, because I actually was! Perfect. 

PS: This song was actually going through my head today, because of the whole age thing...it's kinda the opposite problem that I have (had?). But it's still great. And it's from my friend, Taylor Berrett. You all should love him.

"Born in the 80s" by Taylor Berrett

THE END. 

Megan and the Athletic Department.

Secretly I wish I was good enough to be on any BYU team. Why? Sure it'd be great to represent your school, but for the most part, I'd want to be on a team so I could feel part of this exclusive club and be able to talk to the other athletes without getting butterflies in my stomach. I mean, that'd be pretty cool right? Right.

Here are my embarrassing/awkward and amazing/miraculous moments with guys who are on a BYU team. 

First up: RILEY NELSON.

It was after Geography and World Affairs. I was waiting for my friend and as I looked up I saw this guy all dressed up in BYU Football clothing with unique hair. I thought, "oh my gosh, is that Riley Nelson?" About 2 minutes later, I see him pass again. Yup, it was Riley Nelson. No doubt about it. When I finally saw my friend, Jared, and started to walk up the JFSB stairs, I said, "Jared, I'm pretty sure I just saw Riley Nelson!" "How?" "Well first off, he had his football stuff on and his hair...NO ONE has hair like that." And just as I finished saying that, I looked up the stairs and saw RILEY NELSON RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. Once we got up the stairs, I saw him turning a little to look behind him. So I sprinted away and Jared ran after me, where we then laughed our heads off. 

Embarrassing. Sorry Riley! I think you're great! 

Next: A certain baseball player who will remain anonymous. 

Basically I think this guy is great. It's kinda obvious. But anyway, on Tuesday, he said "hi" to me...TWICE. Then today, I decided to be gutsy...and I sat next to him, introduced myself and talked to him for the longest time. And let's be real here, baseball players have that rap for being...tools (sorry if this offends anyone). But he was completely different: deep, spiritual, nice and sweet. 

It's safe to say that I will definitely talk to him on Tuesday. 

The Things I Love and Am Grateful For

1. I love my roommates. And I am grateful them. They are such great examples to me and make me laugh. I couldn't have asked for better girls to live with. McCall, Ali, Kristen, Jessie and Chandler...love them!
2. My ward. Everyone is pretty much superb. I don't know everyone yet...but out of the people I have met, I just can feel of their spirits and goodness. They inspire me to be a better person. Many just make my day with their smiles. I couldn't have asked to be in a better ward.
3. The Gospel. Today I had an interview with the Bishop and he asked me how I felt about the Gospel. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I love the Gospel and am so grateful to have it in my life. It has been such a source of happiness and comfort in my life. Sometimes I think about what my life would be like if I wasn't Mormon...and I know it would be completely different. I would feel lost and incomplete. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gives me direction; it gives me a path to follow and that path makes me happy. I want to share it with anyone and everyone.
4. My family. Being far away from home and not getting to see them everyday is hard. Not as hard as last year, but still hard. I love them so much.
5. Natural beauty. As I walked to the church building this morning, I noticed the beautiful fall leaves in the mountains and how the rock of the mountains is a beautiful shade of purple. So breath-taking and majestic. 

That is all for now. I'm just happy and content with life in good old Provo. Last week was stressful and I'm sure that my stress will continue, but I am happy. 

PS: Need to listen to some soothing church music? Listen to David Tolk. He's great.  :]

Oops.

Dear roommates,

Ghetto dishwashers make me think they need extra help. That's why I put in a tablet AND dish soap.

Sincerely,

Didn't think it was going to explode...but I swear I can do the dishes. Promise. 

Just to Show I'm Alive and Well

Who doesn't love a little BYU football?

Long live Riley Nelson--king of the football field...unlike Jake Heaps, who is the court jester. 

SLC. A Place to Be.

So this weekend, Mich and I partied it up at SLC. We just had wayyy to much cabin fever running through our veins. So on Friday afternoon, we headed up to SLC where we met up with her two friends Cheney and Wes. From that point on we went to Red Iguana (delish!), the Highland Homecoming game to watch Mich's sister in the Pep Club dance routine (which was pretty sweet considering I can't go to MY old high school's game), and then to my friend, Court's, friend's apartment to celebrate end of midterms with A Beautiful Mind.

Michaela's friends are great! So funny too...my cheeks were hurting SO BAD from smiling so hard. And it was so great to finally see my buddy, Court. We hadn't seen each other since Christmas break...so a visit was DEFINITELY overdue. And his friends seemed nice as well.

And Saturday morning was insane. We traveled everywhere--Mich's hair appointment, to laundry duties, to car inspections, to breakfast with Mich, her mom and sister, to finally dippin' out of SLC back to Provo.

Duties of today:

• Homework
• Clean room
• Nap
• Buy blush (if possible)
• Get ready/go to the football game

Embarrassing Story and the MTC.

Imagine yourself walking to class after it had rained with your gladiator shoes on (or for you guys, flip flops, because I would judge you if you wore gladiator shoes haha). Very slick shoes + water = a recipe for disaster. So I was walking down the stairs to get to my class. It's around 9:50, aka class transition time. Everyone is going up and down the stairs and all of a sudden...I SLIP GOING DOWN THE STAIRS. One leg slides forward and the other leg stays stuck behind me so I am literally doing the splits down the stairs. Completely mortified, I pick myself up, declare myself "okay" and then run to the bathroom to compose myself (by compose, I mean laugh hysterically because I've realized that when I have an extreme emotion of any kind, I laugh it off). Then after that, I just hustled to class.

The things I injured: my ankle (rolled), my hip (out of place...? It's just uncomfortable for me to take my normal strides...which isn't good and maybe I should get it checked out?) and my pride ("pride goeth before the fall", right?).

My middle name should've been Grace.

Now for the MTC (Missionary Training Center). My amazing cousin, Elder Jordan Ottaway, was dropped off yesterday. This guy is GREAT! He will be an amazing missionary in Mexico City. Miss him already. 

Good luck, Jordan! We love you and miss you and are rooting for you every step of the way! Return with honor. See you in two.  :]

Sorry For the Delay.

But with thousands of tests and papers and little sleep and my new calling and all that jazz, something had to give. And that something was this blog.

So updates:

• I'm FHE mom. Yay.
• I've passed all my tests...but I'm not sure how long I'll keep that up with my next test I'll be taking.
• BYU football is such a stress--but we beat USU, so it's all good.
• I saw my friend, Julia F, after FIVE YEARS OF NOT SEEING EACH OTHER. It was crazy weird and awesome. And her cousins were cute too.
• I'm lovin' my classes, especially my art class...mainly because of Tony and Zach.
• I'm lovin' my roommates.
• I'm lovin' hanging out with Michaela especially during/after football games. 
• Nelson is better than Heaps. By. Far.
• Excited for General Conference tomorrowwww!
• Excited for my cousin's farewell party. I'll miss him. 
• Women's Conference = in love with President Uchtdorf's talk. Forget-me-nots are my favorite! Also, this painting that I'm in (The Five That Were Wise by Rose Datoc Dall) has forget-me-nots in the headdress...made it THAT much cooler.

That's all I can think of. Until next time. 

9/11/01, Never Forget

Today is the 10th anniversary of 9/11. I don't remember a whole lot about my childhood (I know, horrible, I'm not even 20 yet!), but I do remember that day. I was in either 3rd or 4th grade and it was lunch time. We were all lined up to go to recess but we couldn't go outside. My friend, Chelsey, and I thought there was a disease going around that prevented us from going outside. Then when I got home, I saw my mom crying in front of the t.v. I didn't quite understand right then, but over time I just realized the severity. I also learned that one of the planes had crossed into the bottom half of Ohio but turned around--but it explained why we couldn't go outside.


God bless America, the leaders of our nation, and those fighting to keep this country safe.

What Are Words

Back story to this beautiful song, sung by Chris Medina, American Idol contestant:

Chris was engaged to his beautiful fiancee and just five months before their wedding, she got in a terrible accident. After the accident, she suffered a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). But rather than leave her in her time of need, he stuck by her side.

This song makes me hope I find that special someone who would truly follow the message of this song--to keep being with the person you love, regardless of how hard the circumstances are. 

This also makes me think of my wonderful parents. In my mind this should be added to their collection of "Our Songs". I love you both.

Enjoy.

"What are words if you really don't mean them when you say them? What are words if they're only for good times then they're done? When it's love, yeah, you say them out loud. Those words, they never go away; they live on, even when we're gone."

A BYUtiful Day.

Today was the first day of school, everyone! How exciting! Here's how my day went:

• 5:40 AM--Wake up!
• 6:00 AM--Gym with my friend, Corinne. 
• 7:00 AM--Walk home from gym, call Mom (of course!)
• 7:15-9:30 AM--Get ready for my day; shower; hair/make-up; clothes; pack lunch and backpack; fix printer; etc.
• 10:00 AM--Human Development in the JFSB. This will be a fun, but probably very difficult class. I'm excited! Oh and my old roomie, Alison N, is in the class...yay. 
• 11:00 AM--Geography and World Affairs in the same building/classroom as the first class (convenient!). Everyone who knows me, knows my geography is the pits. But I'm excited for this class because my teacher has traveled to 92 countries and is (so far) very funny. A girl from my old ward, Jillian, is also in this class.
• 11:45 AM--Let out of class early (yessss!); head to Wilk.
• 12:00 PM--Take Typing test...got a SIGNIFICANTLY higher score than last time. And I kinda felt like I was typing slower than the last time, but apparently not!
• 12:30 PM--Walk to JKB for Stats class at 1...I call it the "Just Kidding" Building. Get it?
• 1:00 PM--Stats class...with 3 girls from my Taylor Hall class. Looks like I already have a study group?
• 2:00 PM--Usually Stats lab...buttt I didn't have lab today! Yay! So I went back to the Wilk to buy a planner and I saw Laura and Jimmy (from the Stake back home).

Eventually I made it back to my apartment. Read a page or two of my books. Filled out some dates on my planner. Waiting for FHE. Woot woo. That's basically my day today...and tomorrow should be just as great!

Btdubs, I totally went on my first date on Friday...got my first date in and the year hadn't even started. So basically I'm set for awhile. :P

Zion.

Hey all!

I'm in Provo. Woot, woo. Just moved into my apartment (sort of) with the help of my lovely cousin, Sam. Realized I have no food or pots to cook the food I do have. It's an efficient way to get skinny fast, I guess. Grocery shopping is definitely on the to-do list.

So far, I've bought some books and taken a typing office test thing. Had lunch with my friend, Alison L (you all remember her?) and went up to campus/spent most of the day with her. Saw my friend, Jimmy (newbie freshman!) and new friend, Connor (we were actually Facebook friends but I deleted him...and he called me out on it haha). Saw my cousin, Lindsay. Just a good day for seeing people.

Oh and just for the sake of posterity or popularity, before I left Virginia, THERE WAS AN EARTHQUAKE! Crazy, huh? First earthquake I've ever experienced haha...hope it's my last!

Anyway, that is all for now. Peace.

Gladys Getcha-There.

That's the name of the family GPS. I think it's become possessed. It took me on a toll road (ummm, no thanks!), around the airport (yeah, again, no thanks!) and all over Northern Virginia...thanks, Gladys, but you didn't quite "get me there". Also, don't try calling the toll road people begging them to let you through because you don't have money and don't even think about crying (yeah, I was lost but also one of my best friends was leaving on his mission and I wouldn't see him for two years)...because it won't work. They'll just say, "Suck it up. Find a way. You're not going through without the money."...Yeah, well...you have a good day, too...not.

So when I finally made it home (bailed on the party--it took me an hour and I still didn't make it), my mom offered to drive me. We got lost too, thanks to Gladys. But I guess on the bright side I eventually made it and gave David two big hugs and a fist pump.

Failed technology, 1. Megan, 0.

For your entertainment..."Storm Warning" by Hunter Hayes, aka the Justin Bieber of country music. 

Blackbird.

"Blackbird" sung by Cameron Mitchell from The Glee Project. 

Yes, I have been hitting the replay button. Yes, I think his voice is like liquid gold and/or melted chocolate. Yes, I will miss him on The Glee Project. And yes, I have complete faith in him that he will be successful. 

Way to stick up for your beliefs, Cameron. 

"I'm Old Gregggg!"

So I just got back from the Potomac Falls Volleyball Alumni Game (the uppercase words make it sound so official, right?). I felt so old! But considering that the alum side had one pregnant girl and the rest hadn't played in months/years, we did alright. It was just very humbling...for some reason, I was in the back most of the time and played middle which I hadn't played since juniorish year. But ey, it's all good. I got to see my girls, Nicole, Alexa and Kayla which was nice. I also saw my old coaches which was crazy! So many good memories.

Oh and a camping update--loved it. I'm not a good camper, but I love camping! The burnt marshmallows and hot dogs, the rain, the bugs...just MAKES the experience. LOVE LOVE LOVE. And I loved the company. We also went to this Roman bath thing in Berkeley Springs (I can't remember if it's West Virginia or Maryland). But it was amazing! I definitely recommend it.

And I'm totally in a good mood, maybe its the happy endorphins rushing through my veins, maybe its the company, maybe its cuz I'm waiting for a certain letter from a certain Elder in my life (well I love all my Elders and their letters, so I guess I'm anxious for all of them haha). But anyway, this fabulous mood I'm in makes me JAM OUT to excellent music. So enjoy, here's a little taste.

Cameron Mitchell--Love Can Wait; was on the Glee Project. Whatta stud!

The Thompson Square--Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not

Peace out, girl scouts.  :]

I'm in a Good Mood, World. Get At Me.

I'm in a stinkin' good mood. Talked to my friend, Sammi, and got a letter from Miles. Well, technically I got it about a month ago. It was just lost in a pile of mail. Better late than never. And I'm packing to go on a mini-vaca camping trip with my mom and brothers. Woot woooo! Just sooo stinkin' happy! :]

Just An Update.

1. My wisdom teeth/face don't hurt as bad...now the only pain I feel is really in my head/stomach. I'm a mess. But hey, I'm almost healed...fingers crossed!
2. I finished all my America's Next Top Model reruns with my mama. I think she's hooked. Can I just say, that I think Tyra Banks is such a wonderful role model? For all you doubters/h8rs, just watch a season of ANTM. I used to think she was just a pretty face model, no substance, vapid...well clearly, I was wrong. Go Tyra! 
3. I finished the Bachelorette season. I'm so glad (SPOILER ALERT) JP won and that Ashley finally found love. She definitely wasn't my favorite bachelorette, but you know, everyone deserves love. She and JP seem so cute together! I wish them the best...now I just have to wait for the Bachelor!
4. I had a full day at work today. First day back. 
5. Michaela left on Friday...I can't remember if I already posted this and I'm too lazy to check. 
6. I got a letter from my friend, Tyler, who's at the MTC. So proud of him. He's serving in the Hong Kong Cantonese speaking mission. 
7. I'm relaxing and reading my friend, Jonni's, favorite book, Love Walked In. So far, I'm definitely a fan...and I have no idea what's going to happen. Like everything I've wanted to happen seems very unlikely it's going to happen, but I'm okay with that because it's just so good. 

That is all. 

Grab the good in life and run with it.

Low Threshold of Pain.

According to research everyone has a different threshold of pain. So who are the lucky one's that don't feel pain so much? Men and people with low-stress levels. By process of elimination that means women and people with extremely high-stress levels have a lower threshold of pain...except for when women are giving birth, thank you for Your mercy on that one.

But anyway, for those of you who don't know, this past week = probably the most stressful week of my summer. Just a bunch of demands at work (all reasonable, its just that its Seminar week for Mary Kay and their our main people), company (yay for Michaela coming to visit...just trying to balance that wasn't fun) and the typical drama (............think what you will.........). That being said, huge, huge, HUGE amounts of stress. Like weight of the world (or a business, nbd) and being pushed to the grind in every other aspect.

Now that you know that, I guess it's a perfect moment to let you know that to top off this fabulous week, I GOT MY WISDOM TEETH TAKEN OUT! Yay for no more wisdom! And boo for my low threshold of pain I'm experiencing. My oral surgeon (who was great, if any of you want a referral!) told me I'd be in some serious pain, especially since I wasn't prancing through a field of flowers so to speak...and whatta ya know. She was so right. I cannot even feel my pain meds kicking in.

Let's pray I'm just jumping the gun saying that above statement and that in about 20ish seconds I'll be ready to enjoy my weekend of 24/7 bedtime, mashed potatoes/ice cream/pudding/applesauce/yogurt, and America's Next Top Model since I already finished the first episode of Project Runway (seriously people, watch the show!).

Oh and shout-out to Jillian who brought me "fruit chillers"...they are my favorite, thus far! Thank you!  :]

Reasons Why I Should Learn "Car-Speak"

1. Boys like it
2. I'd feel pretty darn cool
3. I'd understand/know what Michaela is talking about when she freaks out about a car that zoomed by
4. I'd be able to tell Michaela what car my friend drives in, so when she'd tell me "oh, it's already here", we wouldn't have to wait another 10 minutes for her to walk into my house.

For the #4 comment--yes, this is a true fact. What she was doing, I have no idea, nor did I know this until she left. Again, this is why car speak is so important. Cuz had I known it, I would've snuck up down the cul-de-sac, crawled around her car to the front and jumped up and freaked her out. That would've shown her haha.

FUN THINGS MICHAELA AND I HAVE DONE SINCE SHE'S BEEN HERE (let's remind ourselves that fun is relative...especially given that this week is Seminar at work AKA crazy demanding):

1. Take your best friend to work week...yup, made that up.
2. Watch an endless amount of hulu.
3. Had "Family Game Night" two days in a row (with David).
4. Gone to a Nats baseball game (with David and his friend, Jared)...can I just say, I will marry a major league baseball player?
5. Pool.
6. Stay up past oh-dark-thirty three nights in a row (with David).

Needless to say, hopefully there will be more on the list, but that cannot be promised due to a David/Michaela day and my removal of wisdom (yes, these wisdom teeth are finally coming out Dr. Insert-My-Dentist's-Name-Here). So we shall see if I'm an anesthesia/vicodin light-weight or not. Hopefully not. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

BYU Bestie

MY BYU BESTIE, MICHAELA, IS COMING TO VIRGINIA! SO STINKIN' EXCITED! 

Oh, and can I just say that I LOVE writing missionaries. I've gotten serious and spiritual letters, sweet and cute letters and downright funny letters. I've got the best guy friends ever and I'm so glad they're preaching the Gospel. I love my elders. 

Family Reunion in Tennessee AKA Survival of the Fittest.

So I just got back from my big week-long family reunion in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It celebrated 50 years of my grandparents' marriage and got all of my cousins, aunts/uncles and, of course, my grandparents together in one huge, slightly ghetto cabin up in the mountains. Although we all had our butting-head moments with one another and had completely terrifying/life-threatening moments (continue reading), it was still a blast and I wouldn't change a thing. :]

The whole clan except for one cousin and his wifey.

The grandparents and their kids.

My family.

Big Adventure #1: WHITE WATER RAFTING

This was definitely one of those activities that make you think, as long as I do this, my week will have been a success...at least that's what I thought. AND IT WAS TOTALLY AWESOME. I'd definitely do it again. But here comes the life-threatening part. Dun-dun-dunnnn.

So let me start off by saying that 1) only my parents have WWRed before, 2) my little brothers can barely paddle, 3) my dad's vision was doubling, hence his "Patchy the Pirate" look and 4) my dad can't swim (there really was no need to swim in Alaska when he was growing up...just sayin'). Anyway, so my family and I are in one raft. My cousins/aunts and uncles are in the others. We start off paddling and it feels pretty good...went through some flat water and a few small rapids. Then came Razor Rock. "That rock is so sharp, if you hit it a certain way, it'll cut straight through the boat," said Bobby, our guide. Well needless to say, that was not comforting to know especially when we were paddling and paddling to avoid it and ultimately FAILING. We hit Razor Rock and my side (Dad, me, Ethan) flew out of the raft. Dad ended up floating down the rest of the rapids because Mom and Hailey were busy saving me, who's body was half in-half out of the raft (seriously, I was so scared...I mean, we were going in-and-out, up-and-down in rapids for Pete's sake), and Tanner was busy saving Ethan who ended up on Razor Rock and Bobby the Guide who was jumped out to save Ethan. And then when everyone was safe (except for Dad who was still floating down the rapids, trying to keep afloat--a life jacket can only do so much), we tried to paddle out with half of our paddles which were EVERYWHERE. Eventually my dad did get back in our boat (he was saved by the cousins) and we did get all our paddles. Ethan said we should give Bobby a medal of honor for his bravery...but instead we gave him a tip haha.

Still loved it though.

Big Adventure #2: HORSE-BACK RIDING IN A THUNDER/LIGHTENING STORM GOING UP AND DOWN A MOUNTAIN

Before the storm/horse-back riding...and after.

Trust me, I like horses just as much as the next girl. I used to think I could have a horse in my less-than-an-acre backyard back when I used to live in Ohio. I also love those old-fashion movies where horses are involved. So with all that information about me, how could I not be excited to go horseback riding?! I was so pumped--I got a cute, white-yellowish horse named Sunshine and we were going to go ride up and down a mountain and see a beautiful waterfall on the trip. SWEETTT. That is until it started to pour. It was literally a monsoon. There were times when I could barely see where my horse was heading (oh yeah, toward the edge of the mountain where he usually went). And speaking of my horse, not only did he seem magnetized to the edge of the mountain, he also would try to pass the horses in front of him (a no-no on the trip), sprinted up the mountain for about a second (the scariest second ever) and tripped and got momentarily freaked out by the lightening. And apparently, if your horse got freaked out, you were supposed to "tuck and roll" which seems easy enough until you actually get on the mountain and think, "WHERE THE CRAP WILL I ROLL?!". Not to mention, I couldn't hear a word of what the guide was saying so I had no idea if he was saying, "Good job, group" or "Don't do that or you're going to die". It was quite literally the Horseride From Hell...I prayed so much I think it made me closer to my religion haha.

Big Adventure #3: Harry Potter 7.2

Okay, okay, so this wasn't super big or life-threatening, but you have to understand that a bit of my childhood ended that night. I went with some of my cousins to the midnight showing. If you aren't on obsessive, psycho HP freak, then you'd have probably thought it was pretty dang good...which is what I thought. Anyway, some favorite highlights (SPOILERS):

1. Rupert Grint (Ron)
2. Tom Felton (Draco)
3. Matthew Lewis (Neville)--okay, who knew that he'd turn out THIS attractive?!
4. The super awkward hug between Voldemort and Draco
5. Voldemort dying
6. Finding out Snape was good
7. The adventure

Well, that's basically all the note-worthy parts of my trip. Whatta blast.  :]



Cabin Fever.

I'm having cabin fever. Not because I've been stuck at home. Mostly because I've been stuck in the United States my whole life and I'm having intense urges to just get on a plane to anywhere in the world. I even made a list and decided that next time I go to the library, I'm going to checkout "(somewhere I want to travel) For Dummies". Yup, cabin fever stinks.

Top Places to Travel and Why:

• Italy--One, I'm part Italian. Two, who wouldn't want to go to the place where the food and art's golden? Plus, after watching Eat, Pray, Love, it makes me want to go even more. 
• Spain--My old neighbor in Ohio went backpacking there. After seeing all her pictures and hearing all her stories, I KNEW this was a place I had to visit. 
• Greece--My friend, Tamika, was Greek. I watched My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. 
• Holland--My neighbors are from there and they tell us about it and bring back the delicious caramel waffle things. I watched Best Two Years. I fell in love with the flowers.
• England--Prince William. 
• Belgium--Belgium waffles/chocolate. My friend, Will, used to live there and told me all about it.
• Croatia--I watched a show about it. 
• Germany--I'm part German.
• Morocco--Part of America's Next Top Model was filmed there. I fell in love with it. 
• Russia--I danced with the Moscow Ballet Company when I was a kid and fell in love with their accents. I also loved the building with the crazy tops...I forget the name, but you all should know what I'm talking about.
• Bali--Eat, Pray, Love. 
• Australia--Aussie accents. Kangaroos. Beautiful place.
• South Africa--Part of The Bachelor was filmed there. Fell in love. 
• New Zealand--Part of the Biggest Loser was filmed there. I want to do the building jump thing. 
• Prince Edward Island--Always wanted to go since I heard about it in Anne of Green Gables. 
• Saudi Arabia--My friend, Miles, went there and he got me hooked on Arabic music.
• Egypt--One word. Pyramids. 
• Ireland--From PS: I Love You. 

So many places to visit. Only one lifetime to cram it all in. :]

I Love Walking Dogs That Are Stronger Than Me

I am currently dog sitting (and house sitting) for the weekend. All in all, it's been great. The dogs, Tonga, Mina, and Brutus, have been good...no problems whatsoever. The only thing that has kept everything from being 100% perfect are the walks. Mina and Brutus are fine...it's Tonga. Love that dog, but boy, that dog sure makes the walks interesting. Something I've learned while walking him: Tonga likes pretty much any moving animal. Because of this, I've had multiple 100 meter dashes, a rolled ankle, leash-burn on the back of my legs and a swollen wrist. Once when my brother, Tanner, was walking him and Tonga saw a squirrel and booked it straight through a bush, bringing Tanner with him. It was probably the most hilarious scene I've seen in my whole life. Still, I love him and the other dogs. Such sweeties. :]

Stuntwomen, Whiplash, and Jeeps Oh My...(And a Little Bit Extra)

So now that it's been a couple of days since the incident, I think it's about time I write about it. After all, with the pace I'm going at on putting pen and paper together (sorry journal and missionaries), I might as well write it down now. As some of you may have heard, my sister, Hailey, and I got a little crazy last Friday. Here's how it went down.

Last week was probably the longest week I've had in ages. Work was slow, I was exhausted from late nights of doing more work...basically Friday couldn't have come any sooner. And Fridays are usually my come-home-early days. On this particular Friday I got home around 4 and just as I was turning onto our street, I saw Hailey walking home from the bus stop.

"Hop in!" I told her.
"Okay!"
"Actually, just hop on the back. This will be faster."

So Dumb and Dumber (aka myself and Hailey) drove down the street. I was going 5 mph down the street, Hailey was holding on fine...she even did a fist pump in the air. Yup, everything was going smoothly until I had to turn in the cul-de-sac.

Now you might be surprised by this, but I actually got an A in Physics back in high school (I love how I say like that's a long time ago). So really, I should have remembered about centripetal forces and angles and all that jazz. But I didn't and as I turned, the centripetal force was so strong (and Hailey's boots were so slick) that she flew right off the jeep and landed flat on her back.

When I saw Hailey out of the rear-view mirror, I can honestly say I was terrified. So I turned off the car and ran to her and tried to help her up. Yes, she was crying and yes, I felt a huge amount of guilt and worry. I've watched enough Grey's Anatomy episodes to know that brains are not indestructible. A person could get a brain bleed, hemorrhage and die. And my brain tends to go to worse case scenarios and that's honest to goodness what I was thinking.

I can honestly say, that my internet searching didn't comfort me much. Hailey and I looked up Traumatic Brain Injuries symptoms and Whiplash symptoms. Basically the same as far as dizziness and headaches are concerned (obviously) but Hailey and I did laugh when it said that TBI victims can experience faulty judgement...maybe we already had one due to a stressful week haha.

But luckily, the doctors confirmed it was just whiplash and there would be no permanent damage. And thank goodness everything turned out the way it did...it definitely could have been worse. Now Hailey and I just laugh about it. We're calling ourselves stuntwomen, or we blame Rebecca Black for getting us so excited about Friday, or joke about how we're going to tell our kids the dangers of driving a jeep when you're too excited.

Now for the extra:

• I went to King's Dominion for the first time. I went CRAZY! I love amusement parks.
• I had another terrifying jeep experience. Thanks to the unexpected rain, I drove back home from work and had wind and rain shoot through the "windows" (top was on, windows were off) and then I hydroplaned. Didn't crash. I'm the luckiest unlucky person in the world. Seriously, I could write a book about my crazy jeep experiences. I would call it "Jeep Wranglers: Vehicles Not Meant For the Faint at Heart". 
• I got a letter from my friend who's on a mission in Uruguay. 

All in all, a good week...but I'm glad it's over. 

College Problems.

The problems that we college students have...according to the website "College Problems".