The Exploits of Thanksgiving Break

Well...where to start would be the question. I don't think I have ever cram packed so many things into one week ever in my life, especially without getting any real work done. Although I did do some reading and writing for papers and classes so at least that is a step in the right direction I guess. I guess I will start like I always do at the beginning of the week with Monday. It was insanity trying to pay attention to all my classes knowing that I would be going home in a few hours, seeing my family for the first time in months. I think I barely took anything in at all and if I did it came at tremendous personal effort and concentration. But somehow I made it through and then sat outside surround by my posse of roommates plus Jared DeLamar Jensen to see me off. You would have thought I was leaving for a mission or something the way I was surrounded, or at least for some extensive foreign traveling or something. But I guess my roommates are just cool like that, plus it gave me something to do while I (impatiently) waited for Aunt Julie to come pick me up. Not that it really mattered all I did was go to her house and do laundry for several hours anyway and of course I forgot my boarding pass in my apartment and so had to come back and get it. I mean, when does everything go perfectly when you most want it to? But the thing was that I really didn't care because I was so excited to finally just be going home. Something all my other roommates had already done or home had come to them with moms and dads visiting or flying home to rip open mission calls or for working or because Samuel just can or because Jared (not the same one mentioned above) already lives up here anyway. Home is such an interesting word though. You can't truly realize how much it takes in your life until you move away and then start having to do everything on your own, guessing at how things are supposed to work and turn out and getting it terribly wrong most the time. But what can you do? Just pressing on with a smile and laughing at yourself is the most tremendous thing. A sense of humor goes a long ways in surviving away from home and its only when I lost it that I have every truly had difficulty struggling through it. I got home around 11ish - midnight. It felt so weird to be home...like an alien world that was somewhat strangely familiar still. It didn't help that all the rooms had been moved around and my bed had ceased to exist. Plus they were all painted new colors that were really cool, I never got to do that (not that Im bitter or anything haha). Tuesday morning was get up off of fourish hours of sleep and head to the temple day (Sterling's idea). It was awesome though, the temple always is. And completely worth starting my week of utter sleep deprivation. It also kept up my goal of going to the temple once a week to do baptisms, plus it was with some of the same group of people who had gone with me over the summer. It just felt incredibly right to do. After that I had to go home to help my mom make salsa, from which I learned the art of chopping green onions, various peppers, and all sorts of other useful skills that I just won't be able to practice because all of that stuff is so expensive. Being healthy is really quite pricey, junk food is cheap. I got to just talk to my mom for hours on Tuesday though and that was good. We caught up on everything that had been going on and what was going good and not so good. I spent almost all of Tuesday day at home after that messing around with siblings or my parents or whatever. Just enjoying life and that fun that it brings. Collett and Biehl did come visit me for awhile and we talked and joked and had fun. That night was Ty Hancock's birthday party which was a complete blast because I finally got to see some of my friends who I have missed the most. It reminded me of the fact that I was extremely blessed with friends in high school, like extremely so. I took for granted the fact that I had such a huge close-knit group of friends that were always there for me and loved me despite all my quirks. And helped me to live the standards...and then I got to college and heard the horror stories of people from Texas and California who were the only Mormons in their entire high school and so had almost no friends and so had to struggle through everything on their own. I was beyond blessed with my group of friends from Moutain View High School in Mesa, Arizona. And I am so greatful for that. Anyway, at the party we had a blast playing random games like Catchphrase, the adverb game (me new all time favorite group game), "this is a solemn and serious occasion." Just talking and laughing and joking and getting Aubrey to ride a motorcycle and eating and poking and whatever else we did that night. It was just complete fun where everyone let loose and was not embarrassed of acting out or speaking up. Wednesday was Ihop breakfast day. Good stuff. Thanks for Collett and Biehl here for ditching school, it really did make my day to talk to and see you guys again. After that we ran and visited some Moutain View teachers because they are just awesome like that. Then we went to my house and played Quelf and had pizza. Sorry goes to my mom here for not forewarning her...but they all wanted to do something and I had to go home so I just brought them all with me. Thanks for being so understanding and accepting though. Wednesday night was the interesting party with the house burning down. Nothing can quite add excitement like that. Thursday was Thanksgiving and Im stealing your idea Aubrey from Britney Peterson. So I guess Im technically stealing it from her.

Im thankful for a family who loves and cares about me and accepts me despite all my quirks and faults. They understand me and know when to give me room or when to rush in and give me the biggest hugs. Their smiles and humor make my life so much better.

Im thankful I got to go home for Thanksgiving, I have been really wanting to for a very long time. Just hearing people's voices over the phone is not enough, I needed to actually see them and talk to them face-to-face. So thanks goes to Mom and Dad here to for buying my plane tickets so that I could make it home.

Im thankful for my amazing friends, both up here at BYU and those that I made in Mesa. They lift me up to become the best that I can be. They know how to cheer me up when I am down, how to keep me laughing when Im happy, and how to make me stretch to do the impossible.

Im thankful for a Heavenly Father who knows me individually and sent His only Begotten Son to die for me personally so that I could return to live with Him. That takes a love beyond compare that I cannot fully comprehend but hope to someday.

Im thankful for temples and the sweet spirit that they add to my life.

Im thankful for BYU and the education that I am receiving. Even if it does take me to the brink of insanity to learn it all, I love learning and gaining a greater understanding of the world around me and how it all works and how everything fits together.

Im thankful for music and the way that it can move me. Im thankful for the cello and the huge role that it has played in shaping me into who I am now.

Im thankful for random adventures, long night chats, game nights, movie nights, birthday parties, church meetings and outings, and all other events that fill up my time with wholesome and fun activites.

Im thankful for work and being able to clear my mind out while doing it. Im thankful for the money that I make that I can put towards my mission that I earn from it.

Finally, Im thankful for all those who have played a role in shaping my life and making me into who I am today. Many of you don't know who you are or what a major role you played, but it was huge.

So that is my Thanksgiving post. Oh...final, final thanks...Im thankful for life and all the joy that it brings. Smiles, laughter, puppy dogs, friends, Cheerios, ice cream...we have to live an actual human life in order to enjoy each of these and Im so thankful for that gift that I have been given in having one. Thanksgiving I got to see most of my extended family again which was just grand. I miss those Sunday gatherings a lot, more so than I ever thought I truly could. It was nice to have a review of what it felt like. Friday was Black Friday and all that entails. The crazy hectic shopping frenzy that is nonetheless fun and exciting. Friday, another one of my friends got his mission call. Trevor is going to South Carolina. It is so weird to watch them all get excited and pumped to go...Im still waiting to get to the right age to be able to do that. Friday night was family night and we played some Uno Attack. Great game. Especially for the competitive and those that like some sort of justice in the world in watching the person who only has one card left suddenly end up with like 20. I crashed then from complete exhaustion, and slept for 9 hours to amke up for playing so hard all week. Saturday was come home day...or my other home anyway. Its so weird having to deal with the dichotomy of two homes. Home is where the heart is, right? But what if your heart is stuck in two places? What happens then? Home is with my family, but home is also where I live and work and breathe and enjoy life. Home is where I will always be accepted for me but that happens in both places too. Home is home. But which one is really home? I don't know the answer to that anymore. A few months ago I would have answered 1727 N Ashbrook Circle in a heartbeat...but those days are over having moved out and establish myself in 118 Shipp Hall. But its not completely home either becuse its lacking the people that I grew up with and get to spend eternity with. I guess Ill just have to be satisfied with two homes for now.

Song of the week: "Just Dance" by Gaga something. Ok, so the song is actually really stupid but what the message of the song says to me is just live life the way you are supposed to. Don't let anyone tell you different. Be you and let the world deal with it. Don't change for the sake of gaining the admiration or jealousy of others, be who you are and don't let anyone but the Lord change you.

Thought of the week: "Be grateful for everything. Its what makes you, you"

Picture(s) of the week (sorry I just couldn't put one!):

Squeezing in the last little bit of college randomness

This week has been one of the best weeks of my life up to date. Although every week is full of its up and downs, bumps, humps, drops, extremely long uphill chain pulls, and then the eventual feeling of weightlessness as you clear the top and gaze at the deathly fun descent that waits for you below. Every week has life lessons, mess ups, moments of ecstasy mingled with brilliance, being overwhelmed and feeling not the least bit smart but far behind a lot of the other people around you. Anyway, enough of the random rant...this week was quite awesome. I rediscovered how much I liked writing by spending hour upon hour upon hour from Sunday to Wednesday painstakingly working out my 10 page Book of Mormon paper on prayer. I had to research all the different beliefs of prayer from the Latter-Day Saint, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Catholic, Baptist, and world perspective. It had to be the most interesting topic I have ever had the opportunity to research. All the religion had vastly different beliefs and principles in their prayer but all still had the same base in the fact that somewhere a God was lovingly listening to that prayer and wanting to help in whatever ways that He could. All believe that someone out there cares and loves them enough to listen and understand. This was a great testimony strengthener to me on the fact that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me and knows me individually. He knows all my needs and my wants, my wishes and concerns, my strengths and my weaknesses. He knows all. There is no better listener to be found anywhere, nor a more loving, patient, or understanding one. I didn't really spend much time with friends or goofing off during those days but it was just a great time for me to reflect for my purpose in life and who I am versus who I eventually want to become. Plus it set up the right attitude for Wednesday and Thursday evening when I went to the temple for two days in a row (most amazing thing to do ever, can't be beat guaranteed). The temple combined with the religious paper made this week a spiritual high unlike any other I have felt in a very long time. The fact that I finally went to the temple again lifted a huge load off my back and gave me great comfort and peace. It had been far too long since my last visit. I now have made the goal to go once a week and I am going to do the best that I can to stick to that. It will be difficult to be sure, but it is more than worth it. Oh, also during those days I managed to acquire a Santa hat from the creamery and have been wearing it to keep my head warm all week - despite all the curious looks from all sorts of people. One little girl about 4 years old did catch the Christmas spirit from me though and said "ho, ho, ho" and ran over to me to give me the cutest smile and laughter ever. So what if its a little bit early to be thinking of Christmas? Its the warm glowing feeling that she and I shared that really matters. The one of supreme joy, where nothing can pull you down. Friday was game night. We broke out Quelf again and had a blast playing it. I have yet to meet anyone that can resist that game or fail to not end up rolling on the floor laughing by the end of it. But it does require a person to not care about how stupid they look or act because of the various challenged that have to be completed. I also made some strawberry chocolate chip ice cream which was a major hit and completely consumed in that one evening. Ridiculous how fast such stuff goes. Ridiculous how fast anything I make goes really. From cookies to pasta to chicken pot pie to ice cream to ribs...its all gone immediately consumed by the ravenous beasts that are college students. Saturdy and today have been work days. But it feels so good to work, its one of my favorite activities because there always is a sense of personal satisfaction and ahievement that comes with working shifts doing whatever whether it be lifeguarding, loading dishes, or lawn mowing, the result is the same. For Saturday lunch I covered for Amanda and got to work the "line" or serving the missionaries for the first time ever. I didn't think I would see anyone I knew because all of them have already left the MTC by now or went to a foreign country's version of it. To my surprise and elation however, Kendall Sirrine showed up in my line to grab the bagel sandwiches I was serving. What was even better is that he was all alone, there was no other people behind him so we got to talk for a full five minutes before I had to get my butt back in gear and work again. Kendall is the same amazing guy I always knew - humble, loving, caring, understanding, happy, faithful, reverent, and megaspiritual. He is perhaps the one guy I know that was completely ready to enter the missionary field and so has had to change none at all at the MTC. How crazy cool is that? It takes a true hero to be able to do that, at least to me. To be able to live in the world but be able to pull oneself completely out of it at all time and in all places and circumstances. I admire him more than he will probably ever know for that. I have made it one of my life goals to eventually end up like him, but it is quite a high order to live up to. After work got over Saturday night, we decided to go ice skating because Samuel had never gone before and really wanted to try it out. I am the same klutz as always, nothing has changed there despite all my greatest hopes and wishes. So I ended up spending more time face down or sitting on the ice than actually skating on it. But I still had fun and it was awesome to watch everyone else be able to do it. I guess that is just one skill I will not master till after the Resurrection when the clumsy part of me won't be so controlling. The thing that hit me really strong last night though is how insanely fast life is moving now. In junior high, life was steady and slow like rush hour traffic. Then high school hit the open road with senior year starting to approach the speed of sound. Now college is going Mach 6 and it feels like I have barely had time to turn around twice and its already the end of November with finals and the end of my first semester just around the corner. Life is rushing past me and Im trying to hold onto it and finding it quite impossible to do so. This week will finally provide a nice clash to the normal routine though as I finally get to go home. I get to see my family, the people I grew up with and the ones I get to stick to for eternity. They say home is where the heart is, and if that is true than my home still resides at 1727 N. Ashbrook Circle...I just haven't been able to transfer my heart yet. I am fully mentally, physcially, emotionally, almost whatever-ally at BYU. But I left my heart behind, forgot to pack it. I don't know if that is a good or a bad thing but Im really very exicted to see my mom and my dad. The two greatest parents anyone could ask for and all my brothers and sisters. Lora, my best friend in the whole world and someone so much like me its quite creepy sometimes. Nathan, the inventive, creative one. Ashley, the one who likes to take control and plan out events. Adam, the kid with the absolute biggest heart in the world possible. Tyler, the entertainer extradonaire. I think he will get far in life being a comedian or something someday. And Emma, the cutest angel to ever grace the earth, bar none. If those descpritptions don't convince anyone how happy I am finally see them all again tomorrow, I don't know what will. But I love you all and miss you dearly! Be home tomorrow!!!

Song of the week: "He's My Son" by Mark Shultz. Its a song about a father praying for his critically ill son who is lying in a hospital bed. One of the most moving pieces of modern music I have ever heard, definitely helped to get the brain juices flowing over and over for my prayer paper.

Thought of the week: "I am a child of God, so why shouldn't life be awesome?"

Picture of the week (all the rest are posted on Facebook): a rousing game of Quelf!

Week of Death and Misery

This week has been one of the more difficult weeks of my college career so far. It didn't help that I was sick for most of it. Still am congested a little bit. It was full of tests and trying to sleep and not getting enough work quite done so Ill have to make up for it this next week. Monday was terrible. I was sick through and through. I had to miss dance because I couldn't do much physical activity without having to throw up and we had a test in that class that day. Luckily, my teacher is nice and let me take the test on Wednesday. I made it to all of my other classes so that I could turn in a paper in mission prep that was due and get my take home midterm. And be able to take a humanities test on Shakespeare and theater. Then go to a review for my econ midterm over microeconomics. It was really a busy day and I was completely decked out in sick regalia for all of it. Had on sweat pants, a very large and warm sweater, comfortable shoes, and glasses instead of contacts. Tuesday I felt better which was a blessing, because I was pretty much stuck at school all day. I had all my classes to get through. Then going to 3 econ tests reviews in an attempt to try to get a much higher grade on this midterm than last one. Also, heading over to the Museum of Art to find a painting that I could write a 3 - 5 page analysis paper on. I was able to get all of that done, dressed in normal clothes for the day and still being able to make it through. Wednesday was the day of the dreaded econ 2nd midterm. I thought I had it made, I could do all the suggested problems in the book, and knew all the terms and how to draw all the graphs. But econ tests are just generally impossible, written so that no one can understand them. I ended up getting a 76% on it after spending a grueling 2 hours on it. And I felt really sick again that day. But I had to dress up in order to take my cha cha test for dance and then get through all of my classes. After that I came home and cleaned the fridge and other things for a cleaning check the next day. Thursday was an ok day. Just 3 classes and then off to take a nap while doing laundry. Not much productive happened but the nap did wonders for starting to feel better. Friday I finally felt most the way better and so starting writing my beast of a paper due in Book of Mormon this week. I already had it all outlined out before and now just have to crank through writing 10 pages for it. Saturday was my first truly fun day all week long when I went and competed in Danesport Championships for American social dance at the bronze level. We had to dance the cha cha for around 2 minutes and try to get noticed by the judges in order to get called back as more and more people got cut. My partner, Emily Tryon, and I made it through 3 rounds!! Not bad considering I missed practicing on Monday and we had never really formally practiced or tried to set up a routine to begin with. After that I made ice cream for Samuel's birthday (peppermint this time). Then off to work for 3 hours. I came back and Daniel Throckmorton had arrived to visit for a night so that he and Joe could swap computer stuff. He is a really fun kid from high school who now goes to the University of Arizona and is a crazy computer science genius. I had fun talking with him and catching up on how life is down in Tuscon. That pretty much covers this week, just working and being sick and then finally some fun thrown in at the very end to make up for it all. This week is my last insane week before finals when I have to crank through 2 papers and get them turned in. After that Im home free till December 15 - 19. The countdown is now one week and one day till I get to go home and I can't wait! Im so excited to see all my family :)

November fun! (and not so fun...)

Good morning! Or so I wish it was. All the working and the playing and the studying has finally caught up with me I guess and now I am stuck in bed for who knows how long with what is fastly becoming a major sinus infection. The ones that start out slow in in your nose and throat and lungs and then blows into full head congestion where you can't hear, you vision is off, throat and nose are full of gunk, and there is just a pounding constant headache that never seems to go away. I tried the medicine my mom sent up with me like the aromatherapy shower dissolve things but it didn't really work out too well. I guess I just have to get used to it and see what happens. It seems to attack me twice a year for about a week each time, so Ill let you know next week if it finally blew over. Unfortunately that doesn't happen until I cough forever and day to compltely clear everything out so whenever that starts it will be a good sign that Im starting towards getting better. Anyway, sorry for that overly long prelude...just thats what is going on inside of me right now. Some epic battle that right now it feels very much like I am losing. But this week was full of fun adventures and good times before I got sick today. Lets see....Monday. We made waffles for FHE which is always a good thing. Everyone likes waffles, no one can say "no" to one that I know of. I made my mom's from scratch recipe and as usual they were a huge hit, not one complaint, only compliments. So Mom you rock, just to let you know. I also suggested we play the game where a bunch or random famous names are written down on a piece of tape and then everyone attaches one to their forehead without looking at it and then has to go around asking everyone questions in order to find out who they are. I was "roller coaster"...not exactly the easiest one in the book to get, thats for sure. Samuel was Victoria's Secret though which was just hilarious. It was definitely a very amusing game. After that came studying for psychology like I did all day whenever I could squeeze it in for my second midterm in the class. It paid off well the next day though when I got a 99% on the 100 question test. Definitely a good uplifting moment when you walk down the testing center steps and next to your number and test score is a "Congratulations!". Much better feeling than when I walk out of an economics test, that is for sure. Or even a Book of Mormon test, but both of those are curved so my grade went up by over a whole letter grade in each. Quite ridiculous, but amazing. Tuesday was also Sherrie Allen's birthday. Basically one of the best friends I have made up here. We decided to go on a random mall exploring trip for her bday because her parents had decided to let her use the credit card to buy the stuff she needs to survive the winter. The mall is simply amazing. First, we explored some of the random fun stores. Like an amazing music store or a crazy cool board game store. Everything was much too expensive to purchase (typical mall there) but definitely fun just to play around in. We went to the arcade next and messed around all of their amazing games. There was this roller coaster simulator that was just made for the two of us and our randomness. We managed to ride all 6 different simulations which was way fun, like some of the most reckless type of abandon fun that I have had since I got up here. Here is a picture:
We also tried out some Deal or No Deal!, a random jungle adventure game that Sherrie let us all die in, and Time Crisis which we owned at. We then hit up the food court where I had some of my first Chik-fil-a in ages. One of their chicken salad sandwiches was so what I needed and just tasted amazing. After that we hit up some of the typical mall stores to get some winter shopping done. The only place where I bought anything was Aeropostale, but they had their end of fall, beginning of winter sale going on so I got a $25 shirt for like $5. Good deal, good deal. It was awesome. Wednesday was extreme musical focus day. I had a mega concert for orchestra where we played 13 different pieces of music, all long and challenging in their own right. So I had class for two hours, then practiced on my own for two hours, then went to a dress rehearsal for two hours, and then was played in a concert for two hours (with no intermission). What a day. It was crazy tiring and difficult, but definitely fun and worth it. We played a lot of really good music too that has expanded my musical repetoire to where it probably needs to be. I still need to find a new solo to try out on for next semester though if I am going to try out. Or I might just drag out the Lalo again. Maybe. Thursday is always a good break from reality because I get to ditch the hectic rabble of college life for awhile and go visit family. Where they feed me and take care of me and let me do my laundry because they are awesome like that. I got back from there and went to go see Wall-e at the Varsity theater which was great fun. One of the funniest, most charming movies of the entire year if you ask me. Definitely going to join the ranks of masterpiece Disney film anyway for sure. After that Jared, Sherrie, Joe, and I went on a random expedition to the nearby park to talk about life, the universe, and everything. They have the most amazing spiderweb type of jungle gym we can all climb on and sit down in and just chat. Friday was good because I started my study insanity for all the tests I have coming up this next week. Well, I started long before that, but it pretty much completely took over my life for most of the weekend. I did economics and Shakespeare and theater reveiw after review after review. I just hope it pays off this week, as I study even more and then take the tests about midweek. Friday night was Christian and Katherine's surprise birthday parties. It was great fun to be involved in those as we played a bunch of huge random group games that are always highly entertaining and energetic. Friday night I also finally fleshed out my tenative schedule for next semester. I am taking Biology 100, Geology 101, Book of Mormon 122, World History to 1815 (History 201), and Social Recreation Leadership. I am most excited for the recreation class. According to the catalogue and all the stuff I researched on the web to find out, the class is just meant to teach you how to lead big groups of people and plan mega social events. So we learn how to lead games, be chariasmatic, be able to do anything we want in front of everyone, and learn how to plan the best parties. Sounds like the class what was made just for me. Im excited for all the rest of my classes too, and so far have picked out the best teachers possible for each one according to all the reviews posted on ratemyprofessor.com. It finishes the majority of my GE classes that I need and gets me a little taste of some things I have never been involved in before such as geology. Saturday was study crazy again and thats basically all I did besides work and get too meet Amanda's Mom, who was pretty cool. My head is really starting to kill me, so Im signing off till next week.

Halloween, mission call, dance lab, corn maze, midterm, movie nights, Quelf, thrift store trips, working dishes, carnivals, homework, classes, sleep, making cookies, home teaching, Legends Grill, friends, food, fun, stress, practice, Iceberg, rain. Piece them all together and you get the general picture of my week this week. Every day was just go, go, go and they all just seem to blend together. Time is so out of whack - it goes so fast that you don't even know what happens. Its like trying to hold water in the palms of your hand as it rushes out over the sides and the cracks in your fingers, no matter how much you try to hold on and keep it, you still lose it. So it had better be spent wisely. That is real question: am I spending my time to the best that I am able? Surely there needs to be fun but there also needs to be work and school and sleep and church and all those good things as well. The problem is finding the right balance to make it work out and in order to fit eveyrthing in so that I don't go insane from too much of one and a huge lack of another. I guess Ill start out with Monday and move through the week even though its just a big jumbled mess of memories with no real day of the week attached to them. Monday we went to Cornbelly's as a ward which is a Halloween carnival place with a corn maze, jumpy things, go karts, haunted stuff, pig races (didn't even know that was possible), and amazing jack-o-lanterns. We started off with the corn maze and promptly got lost in the middle of it and wandered around forever trying to find the correct way out but really only getting deeper and deeper in. When we finally emerged, we found that we had somehow changed mazes halfway through and came out the kiddie maze exit. Thats how talented we are haha. We then played around on all the slides and bouncy stuff and just had a good time for a few hours forgetting about all the worries and pressures of college. After that we went over to Iceberg for some really good food and ice cream, I wish it had never left Mesa! I had the mini pumpkin shake which of course was about the size of a half gallon of ice cream on its on with a really good hamburger and some of the best fries ever. Delicious! After that we came home fo find that Greg had been asked to prefernce by his girlfriend (Samuel's cousin). We had goldfish all up and down our hallway. Although the sad thing is that none of them even survived a week, 60 dead fish that we kept having to throw down the toilet all week. Tuesday was a relaxation day even though it wasn't supposed to be. But Sherrie just came over to my apartment and we ended up playing Jeopardy for hours and having fun. That is one of the problems with me that I need to fix is that when people come over I stop working and start playing or talking or whatever. I never get anything done because people come over a lot. So I squish in all my homework in between people's visits and try to make it all work out. Which so far luckily, it has. Tuesday night we started using the projector and watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, I just couldn't get into it though because it just didn't make any sense to me. Something about giant talking turtles just doesn't work. I talked to my mom a lot instead and we found a way for me to be able to go home for Thanksgiving! I am so excited and can't wait. I'm missing everyone growing up and mom and dad's comfort and support and Sunday dinners at Grandma's house and Mesa friends and my house and room and books. But mainly just my family and the fact that I took them way too much for granted while I lived at home. Wednesday brought its own whole new set of stuff to do. I had to take my Book of Mormon midterm which was really quite evil. I got an 83% but with the scaled curve Ill end up with a 90% or a 93%, gotta love the curve when it boosts everyone's grades up. I didn't know someone could test you over the Book of Mormon that hard though, it was quite an eye opener and now I know how much more I have to study and prepare for the actual final. After that I came home and made ginger snaps for hometeaching that I went to go do at 6, but they had forgotten the appointment so we just dropped off the cookies and headed back to our apartments. I had a dance lab next which turned out to be a lot of fun. They played foxtrots, waltzes, cha chas, and swings all night long and you would just ask someone to dance and then dance. None of the awkward stake dance kind of dancing either where you are trying to have a conversation the entire time, but actually dancing steps and having oodles of fun. I managed to dance them all and get all (well most) of the figures I had learned in and even got complemented on my good leading. I have worked a lot on my frame recently to bring it up and so far it has been working, my dancing has improved tenfold. About halfway through the dancelab they had a snowball showcase and my teacher came up and picked me to be one of the first ones on the floor. Not cool. I think I did ok, but there were about 200 people watching me dance and it was just awkward especially dancing with someone eons beyond my level. After that I got a call from Samuel saying that he had got his mission call and was going to open it now. Jared and I made him stop and wait till all his family was ready and all the people came over. He opened it up and got his mission call to Sacramento, California, reporting February 4. English speaking. Watching him open his mission call made me really want to get one to. I keep watching all those around me leave like Kendall, Darrik, David, Matt, etc. and new people getting calls like Joe, Samuel, Sean. Christian finished filling out his papers and now only has to wait for his call to get here. Its this mission frenzy and I really want to take part in it but can't because I am so, so young. After Joe and Samuel are gone next semester, Im afraid Ill catch it even more. Just restless to get out and go do the Lord's work for two years. Anxious to start serving and Im sure working at the MTC is helping that feeling out a lot too. Thursday is family day. I go visit Aunt Julie, Uncle Karsten, Bryn, and Brooke and eat, do laundry, do homework, and enjoy the company. Its one of the best days of the week and I wouldn't really switch it for anything. Especially Bryn's and Brooke's smiles and laughter as I play with them. After I got back from that, I went on one of the random adventures that college is all about. We went to Savers and Walmart and Krispy Kremes. The "hot" sign was on at the donut place and so we had to stop and go inside and get a free one. Then I tried one of their pumpkin spice donut holes and as Sherrie call it, it was "a ball of pure ectasy." We came home and played around in the leaves for a little bit and then watched some of Anastasia before the girls had to leave. Friday is sleep in day and that is truly marvelous. Then all I have is humanities which is one of the most fun classes ever invented. After that I come back to the apartment and clean up a bit. There was also a Halloween carnival that Jared and I went to on Brigham Square that was a blast. They had all those classic games like the fishing pond and the cake walk. We also played Jeopardy and I managed to win against 10 other people and get a t-shirt! Plus we got our caricatures drawn by another booth and got tons and tons of candy. Gotta love free stuff especially on a holiday. After that I tromp off to work and then got back and changed into my Halloween costume. It was interesting. I had a neon trippy headband, shirt, pants, and glowsticks. I basically glowed at the dance and it was quite easy to spot me. The dance was fun just wayyy too hot so we watched Nightmare Before Chistmas on the projector and then played Quelf out in the lobby. Saturday I decided to be ambitious and made the Neiman Marcus chocolate chip cookies. And wow, does it take a lot of work. They came out good though. Then I went to Legends Grill with Samuel after returning the Lyon's white shirt I had borrowed. Then came work and finishing up the rest of Anastasia. Today it is all cloudy and raining and lovely. Perfect for contemplating life's deep questions kind of weather.