Sunrise, sunset

Today I went to the mormon tabernacle choir concert at school.

They are quite amazing in real life and they can sing more then church hymns. Who knew right?

They sand the sun Sunrise, Sunset. from Fiddler on the roof.

Took me back to my childhood where on sunday nights my dad and I would sing this song around the piano and many others for hours. I miss those days.

Anyway, the point of this post is to tell you about my most recent hikes. I hiked table rock mountain here in Idaho and it's been one I've been wanting to do for awhile.

But not really one I was wanting to get up at 3:30 in the morning to do.

That's right 3:30 in the morning. They wanted to leave rexburg at 4 cause it's an hour away and then get to the top before sunrise. 

All I knew was this had better be one fantastic sunrise.

Well I hate to report that we missed it.

Bless our souls we tried.

It was still beautiful to watch the sun rise over the mountain we were climbing to see the sun hitting the mountains and hillsides. It was really quite beautiful. So I wasn't as mad that we didn't catch the sunrise at all.

But tragedy struck at the top of the mountain. My back back tipped over sending my favorite water bottle over the edge. It was only about a 15 feet drop but it didn't stop there because there was a giant glacier below which it continued to fly down and shoot off into a rocky grass field. I was devastated. 

Lucky for me a guy really wanted to go down that glacier so I gave him a great excuse to do so!

 Juan saving my water bottle

And despite a few scraps my water bottle survived! I thought for sure it would be cracked after it's long journey but it still works. I wrote contigo telling them how much I loved their water bottle and was impressed with their durability in hope of them sending me more water bottles. So far nothing though.

Next hike was Mt. Timpanogos. 

Another hike I've been dying to do.

We talked about starting it at midnight so that we would get to the top in time to watch the sunrise. 

But then I decided that would not be as much fun and would kill me for the next few days.

So we left at noon and it was really a great hike. Hard, but worth it. Reminded me of a longer version of chief mountain.

Happiness.

So not to complain or anything, but I'm pretty sure this is going to be one of my busiest and hardest semesters at school. And I've had some pretty busy and hard ones in the past.

I've been just a little stressed about it. I feel like in my head I keep re-organizing and planning out my days just so I can make sure I get everything done. Sometimes I just want to tell it to shut up so that I can actually enjoy life.

Some things that stress me out.

Presentations in class.

Making preset health and wellness goals to accomplish 5 days a week. 

(Must exercise for 30 mins 5 days a week then work on something either spiritual, emotional, intellectual, physical, or interpersonal everyday)

Making a 5-6 page detailed lesson plan. I'm talking listing all the materials needed, how I'll transition from activities, what I'll do to make kids interested, a list of how things could go wrong...etc. It's worth 30% of my grade and a bad lesson plan will mean a bad day at the elementary school with students who don't want to do anything I planned.
Then I have to spend about 12 hours every week at the elementary school executing these lesson plans.
(Thank goodness I don't have to plan them every time)

My job as a teachers assistant. He wants to give me extra hours. Good but bad thing.

Add on presentations for classes, 30 pages of reading most nights, tests, and quizzes and you've got my life.

I just want to have FUN.

Today was a wonderful day that helped me relax and be happy.

It was devotional, so I wore a dress because President Clark likes us to.

And honestly I wish I could wear that outfit everyday.

Never have I gotten so many compliments.

About 12 people told me they loved my outfit.

The professor I T.A. for told me that I looked really lovely.

A random boy came up to me in the Library and told me that I was really pretty. 

Yup, I felt so good today.

I took about a million pictures to try and get a picture of my outfit, but there must be something wrong with the lighting or my camera cause I swear I don't look like I did on my camera. I wish I would've kept some of those bad ones. Instead you'll just get an attempt of me trying to get a full shot of my outfit without looking horrendous. 

Yup that's as full shot as it gets people. Cause the farther away I stood from the camera the worse it got.

Then I got a package in the mail from Carson.

He sent me a little piece for home. It made my smile and reminded me to just calm down and enjoy life. It also made me miss home.

Then my room mate and I got a burnt and wax sealed letter from 2 guys asking to take us out to dinner.

Now we have to do something creative and fun to answer back. Ideas?

Then I went out and got frozen yogurt, which was such a needed break from writing this lesson plan.

It was just nice to go out and relax and talk to someone.

And the good news is, is that in the time it took me to get these pictures finally onto this blog post I finished my lesson plan. Guess i can go to bed now!

Everything has brought you to this moment.

I feel like my last few blogs have been really random and weird.

So what's one more.

This one has a slightly spiritual tone to it as well.

Yesterday I went to the temple, at 5:45 in the morning! 

So exhausted afterwards. I had a nap at 8:15 and then again at 3:30.

But that's besides the point.

In the temple we had a little spiritual thought and he said how everything we had done in our life brought us to this moment in the temple. He talked about how the choices we make each day will affect where we end up and so forth.

I really liked that idea. Just thinking about the fact that I could only be at the temple because I had kept myself worthy. One wrong choice and I might not be there.

Fast forward to today.

I had just kind of a crazy weird conversation with a guy.

I was getting out of the gym and he was walking by and we made eye contact and so I said hello.

Now I'm usually not one to say hi first or anything but honestly I just had the impression that I needed to say hi.

He took out his headphones and asked me how I was doing and then I asked him in return...

(breaking it down into conversation form makes it a lot easier to follow and less wordy)

Boy: Not good at all actually.

Me: Oh really? Just having a hard day.

Boy: (Big sigh and cracking voice) yah you could say that.

Me: (A little unsure if he's being serious) Life's just kind of hard huh?

Boy: Mmhmm.

Me: Well are you okay?

Boy: I don't even know. I don't know what to do. (Voice still cracking like he's about to cry)

Inside my head I'm thinking what if this boy was planning on going home to commit suicide? 

MINOR PANIC ATTACK.

Me: Can I do anything to help you. Do you want to talk about it?

Boy: No it's okay I'll be fine.

So we just start walking and I ask him where he's from and what semester this is.

Boy: Weren't you going somewhere before?

Me: Well ya, I was going to go change but I don't mind talking with you for awhile.

So we just chat a little while longer about nothing important.

Me: Well I do need to go now actually

Boy: Okay. Really, thanks so much for talking to me. I really appreciate it.

Me: No problem. Hang in there. It gets better I promise (I feel like a hallmark card or something?)

And we go our separate ways. Now this boy has been on my mind for the rest of the day. I can't stop thinking about how everything I did that day led me to that moment. Stopping and talking to my professor, talking to Travis Hartley and Echo before the gym, and then Kendrick after. And how if I wouldn't have ran into them, I wouldn't have ran into that boy. And how if I hadn't gone to the temple I wouldn't have thought about this whole thing. I can't help but wonder if I actually did anything today to make that boys life better. What if I stopped him from doing something drastic, maybe not today, but later? Maybe I didn't do anything. I really feel as though the spirit impressed me to say hello to him, cause I normally wouldn't have. I'm grateful I followed it even though I don't know what good it did. But I like to think I did something or else it all wouldn't have happened right?

I don't know. I think I'm always going to think about the what if's with him and wonder if he's okay.

This whole experience just got me thinking about the difference we might make in a persons life.

A simple smile and a hello could instantly change someone's outlook on that day.

Taking time from our hectic schedule to just talk to someone and be interested in their life, might save their life. We really have no idea the impact we might make on a person's life.

Can I have your number? Please can I have it?

Weirdest thing just happened.

Kambri and I are sitting up stairs doing our homework like good school girls when the doorbell rings.

No one else is home (some people have social lives or something)

So we go down and open it and standing in front of us is a guy dressed as a cardboard robot.

I stop myself from laughing out loud and invite him in.

He thanks me for being really nice since no one else has been.

He then goes on to explain that he is there on behalf of a recycling initiative and encourages us to recycle. 

Me: What happens if we don't

Robot boy: Then you'll turn into a robot like me. I don't know how but you will.

ME: how we are suppose to do that since Rexburg isn't really recycle friendly. 

Robot Boy: Just burn it. Then laughs awkwardly.

Anyways if you'd like to support the initiative you can just write your numbers here.

And he proceeds to move his arm up and down his cardboard stomach.

Me: uh is this your way of getting our numbers?

Robot boy: Uhhh no it's just a way to show support... Wow that looks really nice (looking at our entertainment center)... Do you think you could grease my hinges in my arms?

Me: Sure, do you want me to get some butter out of the fridge?

Robot boy: (eyes go big) yah, uh. sure, uhm uhhh...

(I don't think he was expecting me to say any of these things and he did not know how to handle it)

He then proceeded to look around the house commenting on things he liked then said okay well I guess I'll go. Do you think you could open the door for me.

Me: Absolutely I'd have no problem doing that. (A.K.A it's time for you to get out of my house ya weirdo)

So we wished him good luck with getting other girls numbers.

The minute the door closed Kambri and I just laid on the floor laughing.

I wish I had gotten a picture.

I also wish I knew what was going on in this boys head as he came up with this idea. Like did he really think it would be a great way to get girls numbers? Maybe it was some sort of psychology experiment? 

Whatever it was it was weird and I don't know if I ever want it to happen again. Although it was entertaining and a nice break from homework....

Maybe next time it will just be some guy that despite the fact that he's dressed as a robot he'll be ridiculous good looking and cool.

Dream on right?

First Day

Today was the first day of school.

And for it being a Monday AND the first day of school it went really good.

That might be because I only had one class today.

A class about the American Epidemic (obesity) and how we can change it. So I'm pretty sure I'm going to really like it since it's about diet and exercise and disease.

Then I went and TAed for my old psychology professor. 

It feels good to be back there and without doing much he makes me feel a lot smarter then I am.

He trusts me to go thru the new textbook he's using and compare it to the one I used in his class and tell him what is good and bad about it. I feel like I'm taking the class all over again as he wants me to go thru each chapter and compare them. Not an easy task since they aren't even by the same Author or follow the same format. 

Good news is that I changed cell phone providers and I think I'm going to be a million times happier. 

T-mobile always gave me so much grief.

Also I got a new bank account. They didn't reject me luckily.

So everything seems to be falling into place.

Today a girl told me that I looked like Amy off of The secret life of the american teenager. 

Surprisingly a few people have told me that, which I'll totally accept cause I always thought she was pretty.

What do you think. Is she my doppelganger?

Look we are even wearing the same colorish. We are totally twins and she doesn't even know it.

Okay well that's it for today's update. I know it was completely boring and useless.

Oh wait one more thing. Today on the way to class Kambri and I stopped to talk to a friend and this guy comes up to us, on his bike, and says "Excuse me 'sisters' is this the smith building?"

As soon as he left we died laughing. 

Okay now I'm done. 

Happy monday.

pity party.

In the last ohhh I don't know 36 hours I feel like next to nothing has gone smoothly and worked out for me.

I feel like Alf Alfa in the little Rascals when he says "Then the clouds opened up and God said "I hate you Alf Alfa."

Okay not completely, but a little.

While I know these are all trivial things and it's actually a great opportunity for me to look back and realized how much God loves me and has blessed me, I'm still extremely frustrated over everything.

For starters. I go to pay for my apt parking pass. It's only $5 but guess what? They don't except cash or debit/credit. Only cheques. Who even uses cheque books these days? So I had to have a room mate write me a cheque so I could pay for it. Not really a big deal just frustrating.

Then I go to the bank to put money in my account. A little background is that being from Canada I don't always keep a ton of money in my account here, which I should since I spend more time here, Anyway when I left for home in June I had about $3 in my account. No biggie. About the end of July I wanted to buy a song off Amazon, but it wouldn't let me. I checked my online bank statement and it said I had $0 in my account. I was a little confused since I hadn't bought anything and didn't know how it had taken me perfectly to $0. I assumed it was just some charge from the bank and couldn't see anything in my bank statement that suggested otherwise. So I go to put money in but they tell me that my account has closed and they can't open a new one because I owe money. I'm a little confused on how that happened since I wasn't even in the states to spend the $3 I had in there and it was only a debit card. I wasn't able to over draw and go into the negatives. Of course the history on my online banking is cleared so I don't even have any proof or anything. Hopefully I can find a new bank to take me and my terrible credit on.

Then I got my cell phone working again. Someone had filed the wrong paper when I tried to get it deactivated back in june so they said I owed $100. So I had to get that figured out. Then I decided to just try and see how I would do on a 1500 texting plan. I knew I texted a lot but thought maybe that would be okay. WRONG. I got that plan yesterday and then this morning got a text that said I only had $5 worth left or texting. I then sent one text to a friend, which they never got, and haven't been able to text since. Online it says my balance is zero... Seriously I just keep getting more confused. One minute I had $5 left and the next I had nothing. Just like I once had $3 and then I had nothing.

Does this make sense to anyone? If so please explain it to me.

Next I tried to make it to my room mates wedding reception. My mom had thrown away her wedding invite so I didn't have the address and so I texted and emailed everyone I knew who might be going. Finally at like 4:00 I hear back from someone. I was in rexburg and had about 3.5 hours to get to utah before 9. I wasn't packed to go to utah, I didn't have anything to put my gift in, and I didn't know how to get there now that I had directions. I didn't leave rexburg until about 5:20 and I was about 5 mins too late. I got there after they had already gotten into their getaway car and were posing for pictures inside.

So upset.

And to top it off, I have an eye infection and left my glasses in Rexburg, so I'm forced to burn my eyes by wearing contacts or be blind. 

I pretty much just feel like I'm doing everything wrong and that I'm not suppose to be where I am right now. I don't expect things to be easy or always work out, but things have just been kind of ridiculous and frustrating. It's like, well if I was just still in Canada, none of this would've happened. But again they really are just small issues. No one is sick or dying. I haven't gotten into a car accident and a few other things have worked out just fine, I'm just focusing way to much on the bad.

So here is 5 things I've grateful for.

1. A summer job and for saving my money so that I can afford to pay for stupid cell phone plans and other mistakes I make involving money.

2. Jamba Juice and Kambri's mom. She brought me one right after the whole bank incident and it made me feel so much better.

3. The fact that I made it safely to Idaho and get to go to school and get a good education.

4. I have friends to text. Enough that I can use 1500 texts (incoming and outgoing) in one day.

5. Friends like Jennica and Brian who try to make me as comfortable as possible when I'm staying with them. And for Jennica letting me use everything of hers because in my haste to try and get to my room mates reception I forgot a lot of things.

Yup. I'm blessed. Pity party over.