Life Lately- Summer: Part 1

so far Summer has been filled with running and swimming and lots of adventures :)

The weekend between spring and summer term was filled with adventure and fun since it was basically the extent of my summer vacation. Saturday afternoon was spent hiking Squaw Peak. It was a fantastic hike. A little steep but beautiful and in good company :) When we finished we got some in-n-out and went hot-tubbing. It was a good day :)

{only 3 more steeps...}

The next week summer classes commenced and I have to say that they are some of my favorite and most interesting classes that I've taken so far at BYU.

That first week of classes contained my birthday!!! It was probably the best birthday I've ever had. I went out for dinner with my friend Taylor and when we got back to my apartment I opened the door and there were about 30 people from my ward waiting to surprise me. I have never been more surprised in my entire life. I was so overwhelmed by the love and friendship that I'm surrounded by.

{a birthday balloon crown, my favorite fake tatt, and birthday decorations :)}

That weekend we went on an adventure to hike Mt. Nebo, except we didn't exactly make it to the hiking part due to poor planning and lack of knowledge. It was frustrating to say the least...

{Mt. Nebo}

So we decided to go on a different adventure to the rope swings at Burraston Ponds in Mona. It was way fun! I went on the rope swing from an 8 foot platform and then Josh and Aaron somehow convinced me to jump off a 15 foot platform in a tree. slightly terrifying but rather exhilarating.

{notice the fantastic ombre of my skin from white to less white...haha}

The next week I went on a laser-tagging adventure with some guys in my ward. We played four games and it was a blast! On the last round the four of us were on our own team and we took 3rd overall (the other teams had like 20 people) and we took 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 7th in individual places. skill. I felt so accomplished :P Then we went and played kickball, which I haven't played in so long, and it was a lot more fun than I remember it being. plus, I wasn't too shabby at it either.

Over the course of a couple weeks my friend Ryan and I discovered our mutual nerdiness and decided to watch all the LOTR extended versions. It was a good life decision. I had never seen the extended versions and they were fantastic. If you haven't seen them you really should.

The 4th of July was a fantastic break from school and turned out to be a really good day. I ate breakfast with my cousins, went to back to the rope swings in Mona, went to a street fair and got a henna tattoo, had a ward cookout, played volleyball, and watched fireworks from the point of the mountain. solid.

{cousins!}

We rounded out the week with the most fantastic thunderstorm I've even seen in Utah. So naturally we had to go run around in it. Rain is the best :) That was the same day I decided I wanted to run a half-marathon in September. I was quite miffed about a situation so I decided to go on a run to blow off some steam. I ran until I felt good enough to go home...7 miles later. It was then that I realized I was in better shape than I thought and that running in a half was a realistic possibility so I decided to go for it and I've been training ever since :) It's gonna be good.

Life Lately- Spring Term

Staying in Provo for the summer is one of the best decisions I've ever made. Life for the past couple of months has been fantastic.

At the end of winter semester we rented a puppy {yeah, you can do that} in order to dispel the melancholy that the departure of many had left us with. It was the end of a good year and we needed a little pick-me-up.  It certainly did the trick. He was so freaking cute. It was kind of ridiculous.

{his name was Toby :)}
[he was a little sleepy]

This girl graduated. And I had to say goodbye to her for a while. It was hard to think that she wouldn't be back at BYU in the fall.  Luckily she's sticking around Utah for grad school, so I'll still get to see her :)

We had a weekend and then we started in on spring classes. It was pretty weird not going home after winter semester. My brain was definitely not a fan of this plan. I've never really struggled as a student, but focusing is like ten times harder when your brain keeps telling you that it's summer and that you shouldn't even be in school. Plus, it's super compressed so staying on top of everything is even more of a challenge. But I survived, as did my GPA.
Besides school and work, the first couple weeks of spring term were peppered with intramural soccer games, ultimate with the ward, and concerts. At the end of May I went on my first mountain bike ride with Marissa and Ian. I may or may not have crashed. just a little bit. it wasn't too bad. just a couple good bruises and a bit off the knees.

The following weekend I went on a YSA river rafting trip to Moab. It was fantastic. I decided to go not really knowing anyone else going, which is not something I would normally have done. I rode down with a bunch of random strangers. Upon arriving I was happy to see some people from my ward there. I helped them set up their tent and then Megan (a girl in my ward) and I set up out sleeping bags next-door. tents are overrated. I wasn't quite sure what to do with myself since I didn't really know anyone. But I didn't have to worry about that for too much longer. Two guys from my ward saw me by myself and told me that I could hang out with them. Those were beautiful words for my poor shy soul to hear. Little did I know that they would become some of my best friends in the ward.

{the view from my sleeping bag}

{the rafting group}

That night we went out to the road and tossed around a frisbee. We were in the middle of nowhere camping on private land so there was very little light pollution. We walked down the road a little bit to escape the few lights that were there and then sat down in the road to look at the stars. It was incredible. There are so many stars. The rafting part was way fun. the boats were equipped with water guns and buckets so naturally a water battle ensued. The ride home consisted of aloe vera gel, good music, and a snacky-snack at Arby's. good times :)

some other pictures:

{twinner roommates}
[Springville Art Days festival- sweetest animal hats ever]

Other adventures included: singing a solo at my chorale concert, trying In n Out  for the first time, going to a giant wooden playground, watching obscene amounts of the tv show 24 everyday for a week, and writing a 9 page paper 2 days before it was due {due to the aforementioned activities}.

I think it's safe to say that spring term was a success. 

I made some great friends and some fantastic memories :)

---

Melancholy: dispirited, downhearted, forlorn 

It's kind of how I'm feeling right now. 

Sometimes things just don't go how you think or wish they would.

Jealousy is a strange feeling.

I'm not sure that I've ever really experienced it before. 

-

It seemed to be competition. 

But, looking back, I really didn't stand a chance.

-

Comparison is a dangerous thing.

But sometimes it's terribly difficult to stay away from.

-

And I thought I was totally fine.

But I guess I'm not as okay as originally thought.

I lost.

And losing never feels good.

I'm really trying to put myself out there.

I really am.

But it's hard. 

-

I just want to connect with people.

I want people to want to be with me.

- 

I want to talk with people.

And I want people to talk with me. 

And I mean really talk.

About important things.

-

I crave friendship and closeness.

But sometimes I just don't know how. 

-

I'm trying my best but I feel like it's not enough, that it will never be enough.

I don't feel like enough.  

And it's not that I'm sad.

Sad isn't quite the right word.

-

I'm happy.

My life is wonderful.

-

I've become friends with some really excellent people.

And I like spending time with them.

-

I just feel so inhibited sometimes.

Like I'm intruding on their lives.

Or being bothersome.

-

Sometimes I feel like it's better to just sit in my apartment.

Than run the risk of being a nuisance.

-

There are people that I love hanging out with.

But inside I'm afraid that they don't really want to be hanging out with me.

-

I'm afraid that I'm not interesting enough.

That they'll get bored and go looking for a new friend.

And I see other people.

And it seems so easy for them. 

-

I think to myself.

Why can't I be more like them.

-

Because then I wouldn't be me.

And I like me. 

-

I guess I just feel like sometimes no one else does. 

That I go unnoticed. 

-

But.

I have a lot to offer.

I really do.

So just give me a chance.

Life Lately

It's hard to believe that the semester is over. It seems like I just got back from London yesterday. So much has happened in the past month and a half. It's funny how life happens. I am so incredibly happy right now. happier than I've been in a long time.

First off, I started dating someone back in March. He's sweet and thoughtful and kind. I'm not sure when I've smiled and laughed this much.

Adventures of late:

My first ever time snowshoeing! It is so tiring but so fun! We were afraid we wouldn't find a place with enough snow, but we needn't have worried. There was so much snow up at Mill Flat in Midway. A good three feet in some places.

I've started to become more interested in biking. Our fifth roommate Ian is an avid mountain biker so he kind of sucked me in. haha. I did the Lazyman Ironman again this semester so I needed lots of bike miles. We went on a couple of 18 mile rides; out to the lake, up the canyon. And we did a ridiculous hill workout which included a hill which Ian has lovingly dubbed 'puke hill'. yup. And he even let me do some stairs, which is so so so fun. The most I've done so far is a 3-3-4-4 set of stairs. It makes me feel so hard core. haha.

I ran the Rex Lee Run 5k with my friend Matt in the snow. That's right, March 23rd and it was snowing. Ridiculous.

Intramural soccer came to a close. We played so well in our last game. We had it tied and it came down to 'sudden death'. Then I proceeded to get a handball in the goal box which is a direct penalty kick on goal. Needless to say, we lost. Definitely felt bad after that one. yikes. But the team was fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed playing with them.

I went to the hot springs for the first time with a bunch of people from my ward. Luckily it was at night because I'm not sure they could have gotten me in there if I could see it. The water was so dirty. so. much. mud. But, in spite of all the mud, it was still really fun.

We went to the BYU/Pepperdine men's volleyball game and it was so good! I was never really into volleyball before, but I actually really enjoy watching it.

We went to the festival of colors at the Krishna temple in Spanish Fork.

I cut my hair again. I know. I said I wasn't going to do that. But I realized that my reasons for growing it out were lame. Plus I'm dating someone who actually likes it short, which is awesome :)

GENERAL CONFERENCE!!! so much goodness. General conference weekend was so so so good this year. Matthew came down from Idaho for his mission reunion and hung out all weekend!!! I went to his mission reunion with him and it was really neat to put names and faces together. I got to meet his mission president and the mission president's wife and they told me what a good, obedient missionary my brother was. I knew it already but it was neat hearing it from them. Then on Sunday we went up to Salt Lake to watch the Sunday Afternoon session at the conference center. I think my favorite talk of the weekend was President Eyring's talk about coming closer to Christ.

My most recent adventure was a trip down to St. George with Jackson to watch him play in a doubles grass volleyball tournament. It was fantastic. It was fun to meet one of his best friends and to watch him do something that he really loves. It was so gorgeous there! sunny and 85. so perfect. Saturday was spent watching volleyball and I was kind of surprised at how much I've really started to like watching it. On Sunday we went to see the St. George temple and then had to head back to Provo. sad day.

As you can probably tell, life is so good right now. We're in the midst of finals but the end is in sight. Then on to Spring and Summer terms for more school. woo! Not going home will be a new thing for me but I know I've made the right decision to stay here and take classes. Today was our last Sunday as a ward and I'll be really sad to see people move out. This week is going to be a little rough with good-byes and such but the bitter inevitably comes with the sweet.

Life Lately

So, it's been a while and life has been a little crazy, to say the least. I'm back at BYU and life is good.

Coming back to Provo after London was a hard thing. I still get homesick for London every now-and-again, but I'm glad to be back.

I moved into a random apartment of strangers and I couldn't have picked them better myself. My roommates are fantastic as are the fugitive reptiles that live in our apartment.

{meet Kevin the closet chameleon and Cissy, the snake that lives under our desk}
[they're pretty cool :)]

Also, there is a giant teddy bear named Albie  that resides on our couch. He's basically the best cuddler ever :)

My ward is equally fantastic. Everyone is kind and friendly and the ward is incredibly social. To illustrate how awesome my ward is: we had a Harry Potter ward activity. I'm talking full-blown, entire church building, intricately planned to the last detail. They sorted us into houses and he went t classes and earned and lost house points. We even played Quidditch. It was pretty legit. I've also gone on a couple dates with guys in my ward, which is a nice change from freshman wards and a no-dating study abroad.

My classes are great. It's so nice to be into upper-level classes that are so interesting to me and applicable to my major. I'm working on a research team with a human development professor that I admire very much, studying the play behavior of preschoolers and I TA for one of the best classes at BYU (a music civ class) working for one of the professors from my study abroad. It's basically the best job ever. no lie.

In my 'spare' time I've watched a few fantastic movies that you really need to see if you haven't. They all have to do with England which just makes them that much better:

-War Horse. Incredible. I don't think I've ever cried like that in a movie before.

-The Young Victoria. Beautiful. One of the best love stories ever. And you know the best part? It's a true one.

-The Four Feathers. Not well known, but worth a watch. Plus, it has Heath Ledger in it. Try saying no now.

Valentine's Day

For President's Day weekend my fantastic brother came down to Provo to visit for the long weekend. It was so good to have him down here and to show him around. We had pupusas with one of his old mission companions, hung out, cleaned my kitchen (he's a pro stove cleaner :P), ate at some of Provo's finest dining establishments, and went bowling (needless to say, I lost). It was a wonderful weekend.

I went skiing for the first time in a few years at Sundance in my new ski boots. That's right! I have my own ski boots now. It was an incredibly exciting thing for me. It felt so good to be back on the slopes. I was surprised at how fast it came back and how comfortable I felt. It was fantastic!

And this is how my life feels right now:

And sometimes like this too:

And just a little bit of this:

The past couple of weeks have been pretty rough but Heavenly Father has blessed me with an amazing roommate and wonderful friends so, it's gonna be ok :)

Happy Christmas Break

I have officially survived the first three weeks of school. whew. 

Being back in P-town is great, but I'm a little homesick for London.
I'm gonna tell you a little bit about my Christmas break, because it's never too late to talk about Christmas.

Christmas break with my family was wonderful. It was our last Christmas all together as a family for a while.

{gallivanting in the woods}

{all things Christmas}
[we even had a white Christmas!]

{we went to DC after Christmas}
[at the Lincoln Memorial, the capital building, and the entryway to the Library of Congress]

{checking out my homeboy Monet at the National Gallery}
[makes me miss Europe]

{a giant metal tree sculpture, in front of the capital building, a replica of a Metro entrance in Paris (I've been there!)}

{we stopped to look at the lights at the DC temple on our way home}

For new year's eve we had some friends over and had a bonfire and stuff and then we went into town to see the 'pickle drop'. My town's name is Dillsburg and so they drop Mr. Pickle for new year's eve. Think Mr. Peanut but with a pickle instead.

Home again, home again, jiggity-jig

That's right, I'm back stateside. It's lovely to be home. I missed my puppy (and family too, I guess... :P).
My experience this semester was certainly a once in a lifetime. I fell hard for London and just the UK in general (especially Scotland). It will always occupy a special place in my heart. What made it even better were the fantastic people that I had the privilege to meet while there. My professors and their families were wonderful. The friends I made are unforgettable. They're kind, loving, accepting, and hilarious. Hopefully we'll be friends for a while. maybe forever.

I know I haven't posted consistently during the semester. I just ran out of time. There was so much to do in London that I decided I would rather be out there exploring than sitting in the center posting. So that's what I did. In trying to think of a meaningful way to sum up this semester I think I really hit the nail on the head. The biggest lesson that I learned whilst globetrotting is that everything works out.

"Things work out, it isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out, don't worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. If you do your best, it will all work out. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers."
-President Gordon B. Hinckley

There are countless times this semester that this quote reminds me of. The fact that I was even able to go was a blessing. I wasn't sure that I would have enough money, but, somehow, I had enough. I was worried about how I was going to pay for school next semester but through some promptings I worked that out. I didn't know how I was going to manage to get housing and a job for this upcoming semester while being a couple thousand miles away but, I did. Even in little things like getting homework done or being able to go somewhere or having my luggage arrive safely. I know He answers my prayers.

"The simple secret is this: trust in the Lord, do your best, and leave to rest to Him."
-Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

And to London: Don't worry, I'll be back. Promise.