I Have Been Blessed Part II

I got a job!!! I knew my CNA class wasn't for nothing. I actually took a CNA class at the beginning of summer so I could get a job in Cedar City. It's almost impossible to get a job here, especially with the budget cuts on campus. I'm excited to start working again. I hate having any sort of free time because I feel like I'm wasting time. (Since I have a butt load of free time because I only have 18 credits and am in only 6 different ensembles) I did just make my life a lot harder though because I will be working graveyard shifts. I figure if I work Thursday night from 9:30-5:30 then I can sleep 4ish hours before my 10am class on Friday and then sleep Friday afternoon until I go to work again Friday night, sleep Saturday, work the Saturday noc, sleep a little before church, and then sleep again after church....then, if all goes well I'll be caught up on sleep for the next school week..... (oh, geez it sounds crazy when I type it out.)
So my job is as a CNA at Kolob Regional Care & Rehab. I miss my job at the nursing home in Spanish Fork, and I can't wait to start at this one, even thought it's a lot bigger then any nursing home I've worked in before. I also have another little part time job. On Tuesday afternoons I drive to Parowan to teach 5 little violin students. They're really cute, and it's a good experience for me to be teaching more students.
Why all the work? I'm trying to earn money for a trip to Italy in March with one of the choirs I'm in at school. If I don't spend any money and eat very little (I need to do that anyway because I'm getting fat.) then I should be able to make it to Italy. It only costs more then a whole semester of school. haha

Little update on my love life. Exciting I know. I went on a date tonight. It was fun. I laughed a lot. (I suggest seeing the Complete Works of William Shakespeare, it's very funny) But, ............ (always the big But).............. why do I only get asked out by boys/men/whatever I would probably never be really interested in? Plus he's 30...I'm only 19. I'm still a baby. (I just have to keep telling myself "It was just a date, I'm freaking not getting married.")
But, he asked me out again already! AH What am I supposed say? I don't want to be mean, but I don't want to be too nice, and lead anything on. I dislike this game.

I Have Been Blessed

I knew life was going to well. As soon as things are going smoothly you know it's going to change. Not that I'm complaining. I like suffering sometimes. Maybe suffering is too strong of a word in this situation, but whatever. None the less, I've been blessed. (hehe that rhymes) so,........ instead I'm complaining, and telling pointless stories of self pity I'm going to brag about my cute siblings and roommates instead.

On the left is my sister Jenny on her first day of high school. I can't believe she's in high school. The other two girls are her friends Caroline and Kyrsten. Jenny is amazing at the violin, and has taught herself the viola and cello. She's an amazing forward in soccer, and is amazing at whatever else she decides to be good at. We secretly like each other, but pretend most of the time not to. I think it's because our personalities are so freaking similar. Yes, freaking. So for the record Jenny, since I know you don't read this I'll say I love you. :) which is not a lie.

This is Cammy. She's skinny, 3 inches taller then me, and way cuter. A little obsessed with her hair, make-up and clothes. She's also really good at the cello. It might have something to do with her actually practicing. She sits first chair cello in Chamber Orchestra. She's really involved with orchestra, choir, PTSA, and NHS at school. Oh yeah, and she's also part of the Springville Art Royalty. I can't believe she'll graduate in May. It's freaking crazy. Also, let me talk about the skinny part. Why is it that she can eat whatever she wants, sit on her butt, and still stay skinny? Life is not fair. That's all I have to say. Here's what I have to say about my cute little muffin tops, and big boobs. A man likes more to handle. (At least that's what I've heard, not that I would know, seeing as I have no man.)

Cammy I'm glad we get along better, and are better friends now that we're older. :) I love you.
Nathan. What a turbo. I probably miss him the most. He is hilarious. I don't know any other 13 year old kid that can sing like he can. He got up every morning this summer at 7 to play tennis. Dedicated kid. He plays that bass too. I love him, even with this ridiculous face. I love bugging him about the girls he thinks are cute. It's so funny to watch him blush. I went home last weekend, and almost cried when I saw him because he's as tall as I am now, even though that's not very tall. His neck got a little bit longer, his voice a little deeper, and I always have to ask him how his armpit hair is coming along. :) Although I don't like this puberty thing with him. Not one bit.
I don't know which picture he looks more like himself in.

Now for my roommates. I lived with Briana and Challis last year, and Hali, and Jessica were in my ward last year so I knew them already too.

left to right is Challis , Hali, Bri, Jessica, and me.
These pictures were all taken in our front and back yard. We live in the coolest house/bed and breakfast ever. We have two other roommates that live in the basement, but we don't see much of them. I need to get to know them better.

Look at all these amazing people I have been blessed with.

Life is Good

Can I just tell you how good life is. Yesterday was probably one of the most fun days I've had in college so far.It was so random and fun. (This song that is playing right now is one that we kept breaking out in everywhere we went.) I picked up two of my new best friends Geneil, and Annie, at their dorms. (They're both RA's). We had to go grocery shopping for our Opus choir party. We went to Smith's and eventually we eventually got separated from Geneil. Annie and I got a text at the same time that said "Marco," and then I automatically yelled "Polo" pretty darn loud. This older guy that was stocking the produce asked if we had lost somebody and we replied yes. He said with a lot of enthusiasm let's go call her name over the intercom. He went back to a room and then we heard "Polo" over the intercom at Smith's. I don't know why it was so funny. This guy was just so excited aobut it, he said if we couldn't find her soon we were welcome to yell "Marco" over the intercom. So that was our adventure at Smith's. We then continued by making a stop at Whittlesticks, Cedar Music (where I can spend too much time and money...), and then to Great Harvest for lunch. Geneil insisted I try a Tuscan Chicken Panini, which was worth it. We ended up staying there for an hour and a half just talking. I love random conversations where you get to know someone so much better, and respect and love them that much more.

Anyway, I had to return a book to the Cedar City Library so we headed there. We had just been there a few minutes when Geneil said "There's a bat in here!" Annie and I were like yeah whatever, and the next thing I knew, there was a bat flying at my head in the library! haha oh my gosh, I screamed. I can say that's the first time I've ever screamed in any library...We spent the next few minutes dodging the bat, and telling the ladies at the front desk there was a bat in their library. Super hilarious, but maybe you need to be there. I don't know. Then we ended up in the children's section of library, and for a whole hour we looked for all our favorite childhood books. We ended up checking out 19 books to read that night. We seriously were so excited, we were squealing like 5 year olds. I called my mom, and thanked her for reading to me when I was little. Now I appreciate it, after being around all those books.

We went to our Opus party, ate good food, watched Little Mermaid, and had some laughs. But the fun hadn't even begun yet. We headed back to my house to begin our storybook reading. We read The Little Mouse The Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear, Owen, Mrs. Peachtree's Bicycle. Miss Nelson is Missing, Blueberries for Sal, Ox-Cart Man, Little Black Sambo, The Napping House, The Velveteen Rabbit, Fortunately, and Heckedy Peg. Oh the memories. :) I hope some of those books sound familiar. I'm so excited to someday read to my kids.

After we finished reading it was like 1:30 in the morning, and everytime Geneil, and Annie got up to leave we started laughing again, or talking about a whole new random thing. We had the TS's (Tired Sillies) all night. 4am rolled around and they finally decided it was time to go home for real. I love days like this. The ones where your stomach and cheeks hurt from laughing so hard. I'm also grateful for the new great friends I have made this year, and the good friendships we have already created, and that is why life is good.

What Is Love?

I cried about a freaking boy today. Oh, and the other night in bed. Are you kidding me. I hardly ever cry anymore, and I waste time crying over a boy?! I don't even know why. I've only been in "love" with this kid for like five years. I haven't even seen him for four months, and I still can't "get over him." What is my problem? Actually what's his problem? He's a wuss. That's what. He's always making up excuses as to why we can't be together. He's scared of commitment. Scared of getting hurt and way to scared to even kiss me. Ahhhh! That's the worst part. How many times could we have kissed? Too many to count. Wuss. His excuse everytime is that it wouldn't be perfect enough. I'm sorry my friend, but my first kiss sucked, and almost everyone's does so it doesn't even matter. I really should just go and lay a big one on him, slap him, and then walk off. Yes, that would be nice. Oh wait, I can't because he lives on the other side of the country now.
Ok....now that I'm done being bitter/frustrated. What is love? Seriously. It's such a simple concept, but it's super confusing. Why does is have to be like that. It's this stupid "game" that single people are expected to play if they ever want to find love. Now I'm not looking to get married anytime soon, but being "single" sucks. It doesn't matter how many friends you have, you always feel pretty freaking lonely. (It does help that the ratio of girls to guys in Cedar is 3:1, and most of the time that one boy is married, has a girlfriend, is a jerk, or who knows what else. Boys really are like parking spots. All the good ones are taken, and all the rest are handicapped.) This was one of the first things I learned when I came to college. Girls get married young so they're not alone, and older single adults get really bitter and onrey towards young married people, or couples in general. (Personally I think it's because they're not getting any action, but who am I to judge, neither am I. My friends are right, I get onrey when I have "built up sexual tension.") haha funny side story, one time our student teacher for choir was writing onrey on the whiteboard, and she accidently wrote horny. It was super funny. We never let her live that one down. (She apparently wasn't getting action either.)
I'm done. It's out of my system. No more crying over boys. No more pity parties for being single. Here are three positive things of the weekend. 1.I went to Lake Powell yesterday! Amazing/awesome/everything Lake Powell should be...until the boat breaks down. Wake boarding and cliff jumping was really fun too. I'll post pictures eventually. I had forgotten how beautiful Lake Powell nights are sleeping out on the beach under all the stars, and then to wake up to some of the most gorgeous sunrises every. *sigh* Now really I'm in love with that. Now I'll just have to stop being sore from wake boarding and swimming. My car didn't even break down going over Cedar mountain! wahoo!!!! 2. I made baked potatoes, pork, and steamed cabbage, onions, broccoli, and carrots for dinner with chocolate pudding for desert. (But I ate all alone, once again because I don't have a boyfriend...oops I thought I was done complaining.) 3. I got e-mails from my two best guy friends in the whole world that are on their missions. One in Samara Russia, the other in the Dominican Republic. I'm so excited for them to grow and learn in the gospel. Ok, that's three. I will post something positive this week.

Life's Like an Hour Glass Glued to the Table

You know what's daunting? Time. Time is daunting. As far as I know it's the only thing we can't get back, besides someone's mortal life. I don't know where it disappears to, and that scares me. It goes too fast, and there never seems to be enough of it. The hours seem to go by slowly, but the days and weeks speed by. Thus making the time I have for my life go far too fast. Time is a mystery to me. But, despite all of this I know that someday I can get all the time I could possibly need or want. That's how much my Heavenly Father loves me.
I think it's interesting that in good vs. evil the bad guy never wants to die. They want more time. More time to live life, but they waste it trying to do the impossible. Take Voldemort for example. He goes about destructing himself and everyone around trying to find a way to become immortal. In doing so, he even loses his own body. But does he become immortal? No. Ok, so maybe that's a lame example, but here's what I'm getting at. I'm one of only 13+ million people that has hope for unlimited time and immortality. wow. I am so blessed to have the knowledge that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has given me. So, here's my plan. With the time I have been given on this earth, which I don't really know how long, I will live life to the fullest. Learn all that I can. Try not to be stupid. Love as much as I can. Have a good family, and raise them in the gospel. and teach what the gospel means to me by being a good example to all those around me. I love quotes and this just came to my mind. "Live so that those who know you, but do not know him, will want to know him, because they know you." So, after this random post, which I'm not really sure made sense I'll finish with this quote. "Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. It comes to us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday." -John Wayne

My new goal for the school year is to use my time wisely, I'm going to have to if I'm going to make it to all the tomorrows.

Life is a Highway

As I come back to the new school year I have thought back a lot on the past year I have experienced. I am grateful to be able to attend school, and learn new things in the classroom, but I am especially grateful for the life lessons I have learned. It seems crazy to me how much I have learned about myself in this past year. I am excited to see the changes I will make for myself in the coming year, and my life.
Something my mom always says is "Life's rough, and then you die." It's kind of morbid, but the majoriy of life is going to be, not easy. I love President Hinckley so much, and here's what he has to say about life being hard. "Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around and shouting that he has been robbed. The fact of the matter is that most putts don't drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey...delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspered only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride."
I love how this quote puts life into perspective. This summer I had virtually no fun, but I did learn a lot (A LOT) about hard work, because it's what I did all summer. Then two days later I get myself into another 18 credit semester. I hope to bring what I learned about hard work from the summer into my schooling. For the most part none of this is fun, but it has to be done. I know I will later thank the Lord for everything I have because I have not had an easy life.
I realize that I have already been showered with an incredible amount of blessings. Before this summer I never really got along with my family. I was lucky enough to have this change this summer. When I wasn't working I wanted to be at home hanging out with my siblings (most of the time). This is a video of my brother Nathan and my sister Jenny. This was a highlight of my summer, just because we were actually having fun and getting along.

I know the Lord has blessed me, and will continue to bless me if I try my hardest. I am thankful for the ride, because my life is a highway. :)

I'm confessing my love...

...to Cedar City!

Today I am more happy than I have been all summer. I came back to Cedar City! Just for a quick day trip to turn in scholarship stuff, but I feel like I am home. I drove down by myself late last night, and I couldn't stop smiling. I was singing and loud as I could a lot of the way down. It was about time I was smiling and laughing to myself. I am sitting in the library at SUU right now thinking about all the good (and bad) times I had this last year. I love it all. I learned so much my first year out in the "real world." I can't wait to come back.

Being home for the summer has been interesting. Whether I liked or disliked my family before I moved, I'm stuck with them now. Once you move away and then come back you realize no one else really cares anymore. You have virtually no friends, because they have their separate lives now too. All I've wanted to do all summer is come back to Cedar City. I'm here, and I'm happy.

This summer has been pretty mediocre when it comes to exciting things happening. All I do is work. I'm not complaining since a lot of people can't find one job, and I have like 5. It's good to be saving some money for school. I'm working part time for a lady in my ward, so every morning from 8 until whenever I have to go to my next job I work for her. Then I work for a place called Home Helpers, where I go to peoples homes and help them there or take them grocery shopping, or to doctor's appointments. I work at an assisted living center in Mapleton. I drive for Snelson's Photo Lab 3 times a week, and I have a violin and viola student. My favorite job of all is as a CNA at Spanish Fork Nursing and Rehab. I love the little residents there. They are so fun and cute, even though it's really really hard work. So you're probably wondering how I do all of that. I'm not quite sure myself, but it happens. I don't get much sleep, especially since a lot of my hours are on the weekend. I've worked several 36 hour days with not sleep and just work.

This post is probably really boring, as is my life. Oh well. I did go on one really fun trip to Jackson Hole. I'll post about that eventually.

(I Love Calvin and Hobbes)