Warning: No Rebuking Comments Allowed, I already know I'm up too late.

Well, it is indeed 3:28 in the morning....and guess who is wide awake! Seriously, there is a problem here. Tonight was a friend's last night in Provo, so I stayed up later than I should (than I had been--I'd been going to bed at relatively good times) and now that I'm home, I'm in no position to sleep now! So hopefully staring at the computer screen for 10 minutes will tire my eyes out enough to let me just go to sleep.

Tonight as I said, I hung out with some friends and had some good deep thinking and talking. It really got me thinking about how blessed I am to have lived the life I have lived, and even I even feel a little guilty sometimes (I go through phases of this---I remember lying in my bed while I was a teenager and wondering why I got to have such a nice, warm, safe house when lots of people in the world couldn't even fathom a house like that. Or food like I have). But mostly, I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for the blessings that I have and for the amazing family that I am blessed with. I love my family more than words can even express.

I just thought about how it would be fun to sort of list my family members and really write down why I am so grateful for them in my life, but the more I thought about it, the more people I thought of that I should talk about. So I decided not to do that, but instead maybe just copy Rachael's birthday post idea. But to everyone who reads my blog (and even those who don't) you are so important to me. If you want to know specifically why, go ahead and ask because I am just brimming with thanks and appreciation for the people in my life.

I have a great supportive family all over the country and some of the best friends ever right here in Provo (although, with semesters and seasons ending, some friends are leaving---this summer won't be without tears, I think! Some things never change) and I can't even explain how much love I feel towards everyone in my life! (This could be the late night getting to me...my emotions are much more susceptible to over-dramatic-ness late at night).

All-in-all...I'm feeling very positive and optimistic towards the world right now (at 3:37 in the morning). And it's thanks to my family, my friends, and my Heavenly Father that I am feeling this amazing happiness. THANK YOU!

Moving.....

Today was one of those days where I barely went outside. You know when you get into bed at night and you suddenly realize that you haven't been outside ALL DAY? Well, I almost had that (I guess it's harder for that to happen when you're in a cramped apartment as opposed to a larger house). I went outside twice today, and I made up excuses for both, just so I could go outside. I went out once to check the mail and then once more later to return some very overdue books to the public library. At least it was sort of cold today, so I did get my packing done pretty efficiently. I just feel like I wasted part of me today though.

I'm pretty much packed up and ready to move to the apartment next door. There are a few problems: 1) The Cleaning Checks from Hell 2) The all day EFY training that is the same day as my checkout and move in date.

Starting with Problem Number One. You should see the list of what we have to do in our apartment. It is disgusting and very ridiculous. I have to clean the tub with a toothbrush, for one (we have some pretty nasty mold). Lots of other annoying and overly demanding stuff has to be done as well, none of which I am looking forward to.

Problem Number Two. EFY training session from 8 am to 6 pm on Saturday. Checkout is at 10, so I need to somehow wheedle the office into letting me move in early (basically, before the cleaning checks for the other apartment is approved) so I don't have my stuff sitting stacked in the breezeway (like other people will have to) while I'm gone all day. Then I need to come home and unpack. All night. Although, after packing all of my stuff today, I think I just want to live out of boxes and suitcases for the summer. Also, I found that I have someone's Europe dufflebag, cause I have two (neither of which is my original one). I think one is Dad's and the other might be Rosalind's (although one of the airline tags on one of them says Jordan's name). But anyway, I really don't want to unpack and then have to repack in the fall when we move to Banbridge (which I can't WAIT for!)

Anyway, I also have to prepare a mini lesson on something for the EFY training. I've already had to say no to helping out with something at church on Sunday, cause I won't have enough time to prepare! Ugh! This weekend just needs to be over. And I need to have a job. After that, I will feel better about everything. But for now, I feel constantly emotionally and physically stressed.

Well, after basically complaining for this whole post (I feel like I do that all the time), let's see if I can think of something exciting...

hmm....

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My room is the cleanest it's ever been. It's ugly.


Oh, I took down the Venetian blinds in my window sometime during the summer and put up some red curtains. Unfortunately, I didn't really think when I put the blinds on top of the heater that runs along the baseboard. When I brought them back out to put them back up today, I realized that something had melted onto the cord (everything that touches that heater seems to melt--i had a whole bottle of body spray stuff melt and evaporate--, but I thought the blinds would somehow be immune to this) and so the blinds won't drop down all the way, and the long plastic stick that is supposed to close and open the blinds is now about half as long and melted into the shape of a leg with a foot at the end. It's actually pretty funny to look at, sort of like blown glass gone wrong. Oops.


I just tried to upload a picture of Hadrian's Wall, but I can't get it to work...oh well. Have fun, Mary Beth! I wish I was with you....watch out for the hot Sarmatians!

(for those of you questioning my adjective...of course the Sarmatians were hot. How could a character like Ariantes be anything less?)

I'm feeling pretty special today...I made it to my friend's blog! My friend Paxton is a great photographer and I may or may not have helped him ace his final (haha, just kidding). Anyway, he posted the favorite picture from an impromptu photo shoot for his exam on his blog--let's see if I can make a link or not. It is my facebook profile picture, but he added some technical descriptive stuff on his blog that I don't really understand but makes it sound cool. Anyway, check here

In other news, I'm done with classes! Today I walked up to campus in a budding thunderstorm to try to sell back some textbooks. I got a whopping $11.50 for three books (but I didn't sell back the most expensive books, my anthologies, because I figured I would want them later) and then watched as my roommate got about $160.00 back for her textbooks.

It's been raining all day, which some distant sounds of thunder that just bring joy to my heart! It smells like Michigan and it sounds like Michigan! Even though I really wanted to go swimming today and camping tomorrow, I am okay with a thunderstorm (even the 30 seconds of hail was kind of exciting).

Today I played my first real game of Scrabble with Sarah, but neither of us were very good at it. It was still fun and exciting to have something to think about. I sort of feel like my brain has nothing to do now.

I also started packing today in order to switch apartments this weekend. It's going to be an annoying hastle, but it will be over in one day, and then I will be all settled in a mold-less apartment for the summer.

I wish that I had something more exciting to post about, but that's all folks.

"Look, noodle fingers!"

I was getting ready to post on my blog when I heard Sarah say, "Look, noodle fingers!" I turned to look at her (I'm at the kitchen table and she's watching TV in the living room) and she had been eating macaroni and cheese shells and put a little shell on every finger tip. It's pretty late, I think we're both a bit tired. But Abby is making cookies for something, Sarah is just staying up late because she can, I think, (three more days of finals, so no early classes), and I should be studying for my 7 am final tomorrow. Good thing I worked hard in that class so there's only a bit to review. But sometimes, I just like being up late. It seems so much more peaceful to me...I guess the morning would seem that way too if I went to bed a lot earlier, but I just like the idea of several hours of peace lying ahead.

I have two more finals before I'm done! my Engl 293 is tomorrow morning, and then I'm planning on getting my religion final out of the way as well...although I may need a nap in between. And then I can wholly focus on getting a job. I've still been trying to be conscious of it these past couple weeks even though school is sort of swamping me, but I wish BYU would just post all of its jobs now!!! I just want to get my summer schedule straightened out so that I feel a bit more comfortable about what's going to happen.

Tonight I went up to the temple grounds with some friends and lay down and looked at the stars. There was another group of people standing there and singing hymns while looking at the temple lit up beautifully. We lay there, listened, and sang along a little bit. It is just great to have reassurance of the Lord's love and care for us and for every single little part of this beautiful world that He has created! Also, I know how to find one more constallation other than The Big Dipper. The crown one, I can't remember how to spell it. Also, last night was the first night of night games on campus---the joy of my freshman year existance! I am excited for summer!

Spring Is Here and Finals Are Near

Today is the most beautiful day we have seen yet this year! The sun is out and the trees are budding, the grass has been mown for the first time--it is great! Unfortunately, as you can see from the title of this post (which is the library's promo phrase for it's late hours this week), finals are starting in two days. Which means that this beautiful, gorgeous spring day is spent inside the basement of the library. What a waste! Its okay though, because I know more days just like it are coming.

Today on our way up to campus (my roommate Abby, my neighbor-and-soon-to-be-roommate Genevieve and I trekked to the library), we stopped by the duck pond and SURPRISE!!

New ducklings!! It's probably been about a week since I was at the duck pond, and there are new ducklings! (It snowed on Monday, so hopefully they weren't born yet?!? sad little things) Anyway, they are absolutely tiny---the pictures above obviously aren't pictures of the ducklings we saw, but I just wanted to show you how tiny and adorable they really are! They were the smallest ducklings I had ever seen, and there were about 12 of them swimming around one mother duck. So cute!

Also, there were some new but not as cute sunbathers at the pond:



The second picture is more what we saw, I just thought the first one was funny. And weird. But we had fun watching a turtle try to climb out of the water onto a root, but it kept slipping off...but it was all in slow motion! We were rooting for it, but it was just not as cute as the ducklings. So after we had our fill of cute fluffiness, we tore ourselves away and hiked up to the library. So, I should probably get back to studying. I came over to a computer to email something to a professor and got completely distracted. Anyway, I need to study for another hour and then I have a two hour review session which I am sort of dreading, since I never really had fun in the class (sudoku kept me from getting bored/frustrated at the professor) but the TA is running the review session and I think it will be better. Anyway, hope your spring day is just as beautiful as mine is (or as it should be...)

Also, my friend Erika (whose blog lots of you read when I didn't really post on mine...she had all the pictures anyway)--today was her last day working in the Romanian orphanage and she is leaving tomorrow to backpack Europe! I am pretty jealous, but she is so excited cause this trip is the little (of course, I'm not speaking literally when I say "little") southern girl's first time out of the country! I think she will have a blast.

At Mary Beth's Request

A picture from Rosalind's visit to Provo--we went to the Bean Museum. Here's a few gems from that little visit.....
I've become suddenly more into blogging---although the keyboard I am using in the LRC has a squeaky space bar. Good thing I'm listening to music, so it's only slightly annoying to me....but much more annoying to those around me >:) (little face courtesy of my roommate Sarah--she's very good that those, and I'm slowly learning)

Anyway, Mary Beth did this thing on her blog, and I really do love doing these, but I never do. But since Mary Beth asked, I will!!

SIX NAMES YOU GO BY:
1. Elise
2. Lisey
3. Eli/Little Chicken/Chickenbutt (all from Sarah)
4. I can't think of anything else that I'll actually answer to automatically....
5. Sister Decker/Miss Decker I guess (temple/class?)
6.

THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
1. Dark Long and Lean Gap Jeans (mmm!!! also, not the ones with a big, l-shaped patch--which are actually my favorite jeans)
2. Orchid headband I made with Ruth and Rosalind
3. Moroccan Rose perfume---what several of my guy friends have said is my "signature smell"...it smells so good!!! :)

THREE THINGS YOU WANT VERY BADLY AT THE MOMENT
1. To have my papers over with---exams are fine, but I'm dreading a few papers.
2. A job that will let me do EFY this summer
3. To go outside in warm summer air with my friends.

THREE PEOPLE YOU HOPE WILL DO THE MEME
1. Mom
2. Erika
3. Rachael/Ruth/Rosalind (coincidentally, pretend for a moment, Mom, that you had to name Mary Beth and I with "R" names also....for real, what would you chose?)

THREE THING YOU DID LAST NIGHT
1. Went to an innertube water polo game last night with Emily and saw a Greek God.
2. Finished all my homework early.
3. Tried to go to bed early and actually started to get hyper while I was trying to fall asleep. No bueno.

TWO PEOPLE YOU LAST TALKED TO ON THE PHONE:
1. Dusty
2. Sarah

THREE THINGS YOU ARE GOING TO DO TOMORROW:
1. Finish my paper, visit my professor about it
2. Iron out the kinks for the ward closing social on Saturday
3. Study

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE DRINKS:
1. Simple Raspberry Lemonade
2. Brick Oven's Root Beer
3. Vanilla Milk

THREE THINGS THAT MADE YOU SMILE TODAY:
1. I saw some old friends from EFY in Michigan (one of them I see often here, but the other was visiting the first for a week)
2. (I think this was a social experiment for a class) While walking to class, I saw a guy lying across a sidewalk wearing sunglasses with his hands folded. As another kid stepped over him, I saw a big grin break over the experimenting guy's face.
3. Reading Rachael's pregnancy story on the other blog.

So, pretty much today I'm hanging out in the LRC, finally making friends with Pandora Radio Station while listening to Priscilla Ahn-like music and wondering where the printer is so I can print out my assignment. The music is very calming! I'm actually enjoying myself...except for the squeaky space bar. Oh! Found the printer. Really far away. Well, I should get started on my homework, cause I got lots to do! Tonight I think I'm playing Ultimate Frisbee with my ward...maybe. I'm really tired right now. We'll see.

So, a quick post before I have to get started on my long list of homework. Curious about what I am doing today? Well, I'll tell you. After I sign off here, in order I am:
1. Checking job listings/applying for job on BYU website
2. Buy another new charger from Ebay for my silly computer
3. Reading and quiz for my LDS Marriage and Family Class
4. Re-edit an Engl 293 term paper I thought was due in class today but apparently is just due sometime today. So double check it.
5. Do a research project on some facet of eternal marriage for my religion class
6. Engl 293 reading (Cheever: "The Swimmer")
7. Engl 292 reading (Larking: "Church Going", "Talking in Bed"; Walcott "A Far Cry from Africa", "The Season of...."; Heaney: "Digging", "Punishment")
8. Start brainstorming for my Engl 292 Paper
9. Learn the words to "O Nuit" a stupid song for my choir class that we are supposed to have memorized. We have a concert on Thursday. I hope no one comes.

And that's all I have listed. Oh, here's another thing I like to post on my blog---what classes I'm taking in the fall! So, you'll just have to read about that too.
Communications 101 (I'm contemplating a minor in comms) with Larry MacFarlane
Engl 295: Writing Literary Criticism with some staff member not listed....hopefully this won't turn out horribly dreadful....
Engl 376: British Lit 1900-1950 with Matthew Wickman
Engl 382: Shakespeare with Charles Fox
Engl 385: 1603-1660 with Richard Duerdan
Rel C 325: Doctrine and Covenants 2 with Steven Harper

That's it so far, 17 credits. This time signing up for classes was a lot more stressful because there was a lot less selection for professors and times....it was pretty hard to get enough credits with hopefully good professors. But of course, like usual, I stalked them all on Ratemyprofessor.com and looks like it will be a hard but good semester. Anyone heard anything different? If so, let me know. About the classes, too.

Okay, just a quick recap on this week. Rosalind was here and we had a great time. I'm hoping that she had a good time as well. We watched a lot of Bones, played a lot of games, walked around a lot of campus, hung out with a lot of friends, saw lots of ducks. That pretty much sums it all up in a sentence. Oh, and Rosalind held a tarantula. It was nasty. And one of its legs had fallen off, so it had a little nub where it was growing back. And Jordan got excited about a dying cockroach. It was pretty gross. We didn't take too many pictures...mostly some in the Bean Museum...if you want to see those, go on facebook. (Or have someone with a facebook show you I guess. If lots of people can't see them and still want to, I can post a few up here, just let me know).

Well, I do have a ton to do today. Hopefully it won't take too long, because I only have one cheese stick and some wheat thins to keep my tummy company until I need to be home by 7:30 for FHE. Cheese sticks have become my new diet staple. We'll see how long this one lasts.