Stuff

I feel bad that its been so long since I've posted. Life goes too fast!

Ummm.. I am studying for the GRE right now. I've memorized about fifty words a day this week. And these aren't regular words. They're annoying words that nobody ever uses, like perfunctory, abstemious, and parsimony. I've even attempted to work them into conversations in the hopes of easier memorization. It doesn't work out too well though when people stare blankly at you until you replace the weird word with a more common one.

I get really nervous about applying, but I need to just get it over with so that I don't have to worry about it anymore. The fact that its such a lengthy process is intimidating. I wish people didn't have to poke through my educational background and achievements (or lack of).

This is boring, I know, but its all I can think about right now. So, hopefully there's less people reading this than I think.

That is all.

finally, some pictures!

This was the extent of our fourth of July decorations this year:



We both enjoyed going to the parade, watching fireworks, and even watched some of the Washington DC show this year. It was a great time to reflect on the many freedoms that we enjoy each day.

Then one day in July, I received an email from Chick-Fil-A:


I was really excited about getting a free meal at Chick-Fil-A...until I had to actually walk in public dressed like this:




At this point, I just wanted to hide. But once I was "forced" to go in, I saw that there were a ton of people dressed up like cows too. It almost made it bearable for me! But the food was great :) And free for both of us because of our cow-likeness...Which would never be a good thing, except on that day!

Later, for our 3 month anniversary, we decided to go mini-golfing because its something we've never done together. In fact, neither of us have done it in years, which made the game all the more interesting! :) We got pretty good after some practice though. It turned out really fun, and we stayed for a lot longer than we thought we would.



I even got a hole in one!

For FHE one night, it was his turn to decide the activity, and he wanted to build a bird house. He reminds me of St. Francis because of his love for animals. (its OK if you don't know who this is, because I wouldn't either if it wasn't for my humanities class I'm taking right now.) It turned out really fun! We hung it in a nearby tree with extra birdseed! :)


Speaking of animals, we also have a deer-hunting hobby. Ok, not real hunting.. but we noticed that our evening walks around BYU coincided with the deers' walks. Its a little creepy that now we can find them in about 5 minutes. Its fun to see the cute baby fawns - one mother has 3 babies. And Scout - one of our favorites is always sitting in the same spot.


We'll just pretend I took this picture.. I wish I could get close, but I get too scared when the momma gives me the evil eye.

Boyd says that the deer are rubbing off on me - he thinks I walk like one because I have a clippity clop about me.



Here's me trying to look like one..

We also got a sweet deal on a hotel in Salt Lake last weekend, so we took a little getaway, and went to the Salt Lake temple because I have been wanting to go through for awhile. The next morning, ironically, we went to Catholic mass - partly because of my humanities teacher suggesting that we go see the architecture of the Christian cathedral and partly because I've never been and was curious. It turned out to be a great learning experience! The cathedral was beautiful!
I made Boyd go all the way to the front so we could see everything going on. The contrast between the temple visit from the night before made it really interesting. Overall, it was a wonderful thing to see how many people are seeking to worship the Savior and be closer to Him.


This is also the church that has been known to ring its bells at the passing of many of the past LDS prophets. Also, Mack Wilberg, the organist of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is playing there in a few weeks as a goodwill gesture. So, the Roman Catholic congregation there has a great foundation of friendship with the neighboring LDS people. It was great to visit.

Needless to say, we have enjoyed the simple treasures of this summer - taking walks together, enjoying outdoors when the weather is nice, and planning fun things to do. :)

We have also recently come to be more grateful for the gift of life because of the passing of my Aunt Carolyn.

Her passing hit me especially because I've known few people as full of life as she is. She is so unique and spunky, and so full of love! Although I couldn't make it to her funeral, I thought about her, and the many lives that she touched.

This life truly is a gift, each and every day.

Long update..

I've been wanting to blog for awhile now, but every time I think about doing it, I get intimidated because there is just too much that has happened to blog about it all now. So, maybe I will wait to really do a huge blog update...or maybe i will just start again now, and pretend like I have been blogging all the while.

So..we got married. In case anybody missed that fairly big fact. :)


It was a wonderful day. We really wouldn't have changed anything about it. It was 3 months ago today, actually. We look back on it with joy and contentment; we are so grateful for all that went into making that day a wonderful one for us.

We are now enjoying the hot summer of Provo, in our apartment that doesn't do too well with the heat. We had our choice of apartments when we signed up, and I should have listened to my smart husband when he said that we should think about taking the one with the natural shade from trees. But, at the time, it was April and too rainy to even imagine the heat being a problem. So, I chose the one with the better looking couches instead. Bad idea. (excerpt: I wrote this paragraph about a month ago in one of my drafts. Since then, we have had the AC worked on in the apartment, making it quite enjoyable! Too bad it took this long to figure out how to get the apartment at the right temp :) )

We have both been cleared for graduation recently.

I will be walking because my parents are coming into town to see the great event! :) But Boyd has opted not to. Its like 70 bucks for the Masters gowns, but you don't get to keep them... Plus, I think he isn't one for all the 'traditions' of walking, but we both feel excited about the accomplishments and about the future.

I have been working at Myler Disability law firm this summer, which I will continue for awhile. I have my hopes set on grad school for next year.. so applications are big on my list to do. But until I get those done, life continues to go on... and work is good for me.

We love our new calling. It is really so fun to be together and teaching kids. We have four boys in our sunbeam class, but it seems like the numbers really vary each week, going from 2 one week to having 2 extra vistors on top of our regular class. I think sometimes because I'm the 'only girl' in the class, I'm a little outcasted. Sometimes they don't like me sitting by them, and they definitely don't like me making them switch seats for being too noisy. But at least one of them is wanting to sit on Boyd's lap during primary; they like to scratch his whiskers and tell him secrets (mostly about toilets or boogers...) Its been quite the learning experience for me. Having only one older brother growing up didn't provide me any experience with having little boys in my house. So, its been fun to learn and play with them.

The Provo temple has been closed for the last 6 weeks, thus, we have been "trekking" the 20 minutes or so to the Mt. Timpanogos. It has made us realize how much we love the Provo temple. (not just for the close proximity, although that is nice) A lot of people deem the Provo temple as being unattractive or just not as pretty as the others, but now that I've been through it, I've seen so much beauty in it. I love the beautiful circular hallways that are unique to it .. The entire temple is circular in design, which I think gives a symbolic elegance to it, reminding one of an eternal round. We have spent many a night in these past couple weeks watching the sunset on the hill behind the temple, and pondering on the beauty that reflects God's love for His children.

Beautiful.

Here's to married life, and forever families!

...Love

Yesterday, Boyd and I went shopping for a dress for my wedding luncheon. After going through two malls worth of stores, we finally found a dress that we thought would work, and as we were purchasing it, the cashier asked who was getting married. When I pointed to us, she got so excited, and started to tell me how great of a husband Boyd is going to be. She talked about how attentive and patient he was, and how she had noticed it because its rare for her to see men like that. "He's a keeper; thats all I'm saying." She was still going on about it when we were walking out of the store.

So, I guess this is a shout out, of sorts. I left the store a little teary because I feel so grateful to be so loved and appreciated by him. He is so gifted at expressing his love through patience and kindness toward me. This says a lot, especially considering how difficult I can be at times.

So, thanks sweetie. You're a keeper.

Bridal Shower Fun!

Well my wonderful friends, Jessica and Marie, threw me a stupendous bridal shower the other day. I was so pleasantly surprised by the many friends that came, especially those that I haven't seen in awhile! Thank you all!

Here is Jessica; she and marie were so great. They were up late making these delicious tarts that I requested of them. I told them that I can't wait to return the favor for their showers.


My sisters were there to represent the fam,

my roommates, who have been oh so generous in putting up with me and Boyd frequenting our apartment this year.

and so many other great friends!




It was so wonderful.
Yay! I feel loved.

Certified to Kick Butt

This semester, I decided to take a self defense class. I don't know about you, but I get easily freaked out when I am outside alone - or even inside alone, so I thought it might be a good idea to get some skills under my belt in case of future unwanted encounters. Plus, its a big confidence boost.

Tonight, we did our final 'simulation'. It was intense. I couldn't sleep well last night cuz I was so nervous for it. Basically, it is when four cops come in with big pads on and attack you, and you have to be able to defend yourself. Scary. Luckily, I really like the cops that did it, so it wasn't too bad; I think it was helpful too, in the end. I could see how well I am learning the skills.

I'm ready to kick some butt now! Not really, but kind of. Sometimes when I am walking alone on campus at night, I look straight into the eyes of passerby, almost daring someone to look at me wrong, or something, just so I can show off my newfound skills. :) No luck yet though.



But seriously, I would recommend the program for any women that haven't taken a self defense class. It is called the RAD program and its specially designed for women, with easy skills that anyone can learn and execute. Good stuff!

Cesar Chavez Day

So, I'm never actually sure if this blog is being frequented at all by people, or if I am simply writing in an online journal that only I look at. I guess that is some of the fun of it - that you really never know who is reading your blogs.. but its a little creepy if you think about it too much.

This week we were able to volunteer at the Provo Food Bank on Saturday Morning, in honor of Cesar Chavez day. You should also know that if you ask somebody what the date is on Cesar Chavez day, the person will just look at you in disbelief and say, "Why, it's Cesar Chavez day!" But they won't actually give you the date.

Boyd and I had great fun that day. There was a huge food drive going on that morning, so they need tons of people to sort the different food products that were given. There was a great mix of people volunteering, including army men, boy scouts, ex-convicts, young women groups, and us. Needless to say, it was an entertaining visit. Halfway through, my contacts got very blurry and itchy, so I decided to go without them. Coincidentally, this happened at the exact time that I noticed a celebrity look alike. I was convinced, for about the next two hours, that Sarah Jessica Parker, was visiting Provo Food Bank, for some unknown reason. I'm not kidding, this woman had the same face, body type, hair, and even voice! (and the fact that I couldn't see very clearly could have enhanced these features) I couldn't stop talking about it. I needed to see her face, up close, to be sure. But there wasn't a good opportunity. So later, when I was deliberating about how to approach it, I passed by her, and she started to walk up to me. She got really close to my face and said, "I really like your hat. It looks great on you." All I could say was, "Thanks." She still looked like her to me, and even today, I'm wondering if I should have just asked.. If we weren't in Utah, I might really believe it was her. I'm not even sure what I would say if it was her because I'm really not that into her movies or anything. Oh well.

Going on. The food drive was great to witness. Some people came with truck loads of 50 bags of food and others came with a few bags of cans to donate. It really didn't matter how much a person brought - the generosity was evident. Seeing how much people are willing to give restored my floundering faith in humanity. There are good people out there, who want to serve, if given the opportunities. What a great, great day.

Great Roomies

Aren't great roommates just the best?! I think so. They are not essential, but are very helpful, in maintaining a happy, harmonious living space.

First we have Kailan. Kailan is from Arizona and she is the happiest person I know. Boyd and I were just talking about how great of a catch she is the other day, because she is so spunky, smart, fun, and caring. She literally has it all. I love our random nights, when we do silly things together, and she brings out the crazy in me. She is so beautiful, and wonderful!


Next we have Rebekah. Rebekah is from Hong Kong; she is actually the first friend I've made from there. She has given me such a high opinion of the Chinese culture because I've been able to appreciate the many aspects of it that she demonstrates in everyday life, including amazing recipes and talent for cooking, her cleanliness, and her hard work and dedication in school. She is the cutest too; she knows more about fashion than I ever will, and she is always caring about how my life is going. I've really, really loved getting to know her better this year. Now I just need to find her a cute Asian man to complete her recipe for perfection.


I am just so grateful for good roommates, that have really become dear friends to me.

Too bad that next month we're moving out, and then my only roommate will be a boy.

But I guess he's pretty great too.
:)

The Real Afterlife

Lately, I have been catching up on the seasons of Grey's Anatomy that I have missed. Although the show is overly dramatized, and quite flamboyant with its themes, I still find myself watching the shows in the down time, and sometimes relating to the characters.

In an episode today, Meredith, the main character, comes very close to drowning. While she is unconscious and on the brink of death, her spirit goes to a sort of "limbo" wherein she makes the choice to come back to life. The afterlife that she resides in consists of a quiet, empty building, with other dead spirits from past shows lingering in and out of the rooms. She is in desperate turmoil in discovering how to get back to her life on Earth.

This depiction of the afterlife was very odd to me; I couldn't quite relate to the imagery, although I might not mind running into Jeffrey Dean Morgan in the next life.. :) Just kidding.

It made me grateful for the knowledge I have of life after this. Without it, I could see myself being in the same predicament as the main character, not knowing what should be done, or where the path before me might lead. In this world of confusion, I'm increasingly comforted by the small glimpses of the eternal scheme that we gain through the Gospel lens. Assuredly, with the Lord's help, we can know which path to take; and through His grace, we can walk the steps that are required to get there.

Recent Happenings

Friday: We attended a conference called "Stand for the Family." It was hosted at BYU. Most people were there because they are involved with the School of Family Life Department.. I tried not to share that the only reason that I was there was for extra credit.

We got to dress up for it; that was fun. Eating the chicken/slimy vegetables that were served, was not. Also, making awkward small talk with a table of strangers = not the most enjoyable thing in my life. But, it turned out alright. I especially liked a visiting speaker that we had. She is a Roman Catholic scholar who specializes in family law. It was wonderful to catch glimpses, through her remarks, of the similarities that we share with diverse religions. The fact that we all believe in one God, and are striving to demonstrate our love for Him, is remarkable. And something to be grateful for.

Also, this week has been momentous in other ways. I have started exercising, after a few years break.. Perhaps I shouldn't be sharing that with the world, but nonetheless, I am happy to finally become reacquainted with the world of fitness. So far it has been enjoyable; even at 7AM.

Saturday: Filled with studying, I'm sorry to report. However, we did get a chance to see Slumdog Millionaire, which I have been wanting to see ever since it came out. It wasn't disappointing, but it wasn't quite as awe-inspiring as I had hope. Maybe the fact that they edited it took out some important parts...? However, the climate in the theater could have contributed to my complacency, considering there were students laying in the aisles because the theater was so crammed full.

Later, we went to DI to browse for finds. Just as we were leaving, we beheld a lovely little box in the counter case. It was all 10 of the 'Friends' seasons and for only 15 dollars. I had just mentioned that I wanted to order them on ebay, but the lowest price I found was around 80 bucks. So, I was excited. Its not even really that I love the show because it can actually get pretty racy...but I think its because its one of the only shows that I watched as a teen at home. I didn't really get into any others. So, it'll be fun to have it around for a little while. Plus, the fact that the entire cover is written in Chinese and was literally falling apart as the lady put them into the bag, just makes me happy. I don't know why. It's like a secret that only we know.. People probably passed them up because they thought that they wouldn't play in English or they wouldn't work because of their condition, but low and behold, they not only play in English, but they don't even have bothersome subtitles. And they've been just great so far :)

On another note, we went to Petsmart the other day, just for fun. Not only did we get to see a gazillion fish, but we had our first encounter with a cat that has no teeth. Her name is Becca and she was quite pleasant, after I got over the no teeth thing, of course. So, if anyone's looking for a new, friendly black cat, Becca's your girl.

Happy Sunday!

Emily

We were finally able to babysit my niece the other week; its been hard with everyone's different schedules, etc. But I was so excited to get to see her and spend time with her! And it was a lot of fun.

Some of my favorite parts were:
*Her trying to jump - and when me and Boyd jumped at the same time as she did, I think she figured she was jumping too - so she got so excited that she was jumping and clapped her hands.
*When Boyd ran to the store, he called a couple of times to ask something. Each time that he called, Emily would say "I neeeed to talk to Boyd!" and she wasn't satisfied till she had held the phone up to her ear and said "Hi Boyd, how are you?"
*When she brought a book over to Boyd and said 'Read, Mama'... I think maybe she just wanted to see his reaction.



All in all, it is just great being around her. Her innocence and joy reminds me of all that is good in this world. Oh, that I could be as happy and friendly, and pure as she is!

Polly

Polly is my car. My sister gave her to me a couple years ago. She wasn't in the best shape; I doubted how long she would last. But, after giving her a name and spending some real quality time with her, her strange, dull eggplant color seemed to transform into a beautiful purple hue before my eyes: we have forged quite the friendship.

This friendship hasn't come without deep commitment and sacrifice. Every time that her "Service Engine Light" comes on, Boyd works on fixing her up (which has become a pretty normal Saturday ritual). I help out too. I even spent an afternoon in a junkyard for Polly - climbing in and out of old cars to try to find a good replacement part for her. It was dirty and grimy, and plus, the male workers kept following me around, asking if I needed help.

We have been through a lot, Polly and Boyd and I. When we drove from California, she started getting too hot - we eventually had to break in Vegas and walk through the mall in our sweats, to give her time to cool down. (I think maybe she just wanted to see the lights of Vegas for once)

Another time, I got pulled over twice in two days, because of registration problems.. or lack of registration, more like it. But I ended up getting off the hook both time, probably due to good looks. Polly's, not mine.

And recently, Polly decided she had enough of my family, I guess, because she refused to start when we were planning to go meet up for dessert. :/ But, she started working the next day again, so no hard feelings.

So, needless to say, Polly is the greatest. When I think about getting rid of her to buy another car, I can't bear the thought! How could I ever feel confident on the road again without my beloved sidekick?

Nausea... from doing homework?

I've become nauseous from a lot of things through out my life. For example, one time I ate a bite of my friend's casserole to try it out. Once I had the bite in my mouth, she mentioned that they had put some fish into the casserole to try out something new. This made me nauseous. Or another time, I thought it would be a great idea to cook a creepy recipe for a ward Halloween party.. I somehow decided on following the "Eerie Intestines" recipe and thought it would be great. It was not great. You can probably guess why simply from the name.

These are semi-"normal" things to get nauseous about, if you will. However... I never thought, until last night, that I had a sensitive stomach.

I went to the library to work on a research project. For it, I had to use a microfische reader. The machine scanned through the material so quickly! After an hour of watching the black and white pages fly by on the screen, I literally thought I was going to puke. I'm not sure if I'm cut out for the world of technology that we live in now.

So, from now on, when I do my research, I'll have to take a break every half hour or so; people will just think I have the stomach of an old woman or something. Just my luck.

Entering the Blogging World

Well, I've had many opportunities to see the good that comes from blogging.. Friends reconnecting, families stalking one another, and sometimes even movies made off of the blogging material (Julie & Julia.) Many perks.

So, I guess what I'm saying is: here's to the blogging world.

Now if I could just think of something to write about. . .