Changes

Well, sadly my roommate Ashley is moving out. I will miss her. She is like family to me and it is hard to realize that she is leaving me. But, life happens and she needs to go.

But, that leaves an open room and that means that my friend Courtney can move in! I am excited for that. We have lots of fun together and I feel really good about her moving in. It means some rearranging and some changes, but I am happy to make them.

I have a feeling that things are about to change. You may see some new faces and less of ones you have seen in the past. Some will stick around though. Just wait and see.

Only a few more days till Christmas...hope you are ready!

And so it Goes

Well, an eventful few days here. I guess I could try to tell all the details, but I don't feel like it.
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First, I have been battling what I thought was a nasty cold but what turned out to be my first case of bronchitis for the year. I was even going to get my flu shot this week and couldn't because I was so sick. I will spare you major details but green goo was coming from all possible holes in my head. I haven't been sleeping well because I hear myself coughing...and so the cycle goes. But I started antibiotics and I am feeling better for the most part, just still coughing. All I know is I am grateful that I am on the mend. As are roommates, friends, employers...
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I went and looked at the car I am going to buy last night. I was going to take pictures, but I was so exhausted and had such a headache that I couldn't. But it is a cute little car and I am excited about the prospect. The whole thing is a miracle in and of it's self.
A friend of a friend has a friend (ok, did you follow that? I barely did) who had a 1999 Mazda protege sitting in his garage for the last year. The clutch had gone out and they hadn't replaced it. And for reasons no one understood, they let it sit. And sit. And sit. So that the when the right time came it would be sitting there waiting for me. They practically giving it to me, hardly charging anything for a car that is in great shape that just needs to have clutch replaced. And through other miracles, I got loan with an insanely low interest rate. When I say insanely low, I mean, around 1%. Can you imagine? I am still in awe and so humbled by how my Heavenly Father has blessed me lately.
I have felt so stressed and confused and unsure of so many things lately and finally just took that leap of faith that things would work out and let go. And to my amazement things have fallen into place even more beautifully than I could have imagined.
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I even got an amazing lead on an amazing job, which I have been lacking lately, today. I am so excited and hopeful. I feel like there is an end to this dark tunnel that I feel like I have been in all year.
I will look back at this last year as being one of the hardest of my life for so many reasons and also one of the growth inspiring times. I have learned more about myself and those around me than I ever thought was possible. I have discovered reservoirs of strength and determination that I didn't know I had. I am so blessed and humbled.
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And let me not forget how blessed I have been to have such wonderful friends. I could go on and on about them but you have heard about them all. I am so grateful for Tricia and her complete devotion to me and her constant desire to help me when I don't always deserve it. To Logan for stick around through the girl stuff (and we all know there has been plenty!) and still bringing me back to where I belong. Liz J. for reminding me of where I have been, where I am, and where she knows I will be. Ash for loving me like a sister when that is what I need the most. Melinda for being honest and forceful and wonderful.
I am so blessed!
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I may not feel all that great this week, but I am so blessed to see how the Lord's hand has been touching my life, even when I didn't realize it. Every moment has the touch of his hands in it and I am humbled to know I am so loved.

Weekend Fun

Well this weekend was long. A good long I think, but long all the same. I have a couple pictures, not many so you will just have to read about it and enjoy the images your mind decides to show you.

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It started with my weekly trip to the temple. I am so blessed to have this opportunity to partake in the blessings of the temple weekly and so blessed to have such a good friend to go with me every week. It was an amazing experience this last week. I felt so at peace and so ready for amazing things to happen. I was so blessed to be able to share that with people who mean so much to me.

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Friday afternoon I was blessed to have Logan mow my grass for me. It really needed it and I have been battling a chest cold and jokingly asked him if he would do it and he said sure and came right over. What a great guy he is! After he mowed we had an old school dinner or mac-and-cheese with baked beans...yum! For some reason that really hit the spot but we both laughed over the idea of it.

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Later that night we headed to a party at our friends Todd's house. Lots of fun! Logan had the chance to flirt with his 18-year-old admirer (which makes me laugh!) and I flirted with Todd (who is only a friend, sorry ladies!). It was just a good time. And we discovered guitar hero for your phone! We could hardly contain ourselves we were so excited. Simple pleasures.

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Saturday was conference and as you have seen, Logan's beginning in the world of crocheting. By the end of the weekend he really had a good sized piece done and his stitches were looking really good too. I was shocked when he said he wanted to learn how to crochet and more shocked when he did it for hours at a time trying to get it just right. I guess you never know what will get someone interested. He is getting his own "stick" this week. haha! Between sessions we feasted on Chicken Enchiladas, one of our favorites! Ashley even got home in time to enjoy a few herself.

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That night we went to a hockey game after the priesthood session. Melinda, Danny, Logan, Chris, Nick and I all sat right up against the glass and had guys slam into the right in front of us...it was awesome! I screamed more than I should have, especially since I was already losing my voice from my cold, and by the end of the night had hardly any voice left. It was worth it though.

And don't worry, Nick ran over my foot with his car...no major injuries though.

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Sunday brought more conference and crocheting and a brunch. So much fun! After the sessions ended we had a big Mexican meal with black beans and Spanish rice...so good! We laughed and talked and played until we were literally falling asleep in our chairs. Logan and I happened to be the only ones to catch a nap that day during conference, and apparently it wasn't long. Apparently we were on the couch and both out and everyone else just laughed at us. It still didn't stop us from being dead tired though.

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And, after many miracles in the last few days, I will be getting a working car this week. I can't even begin to tell you how amazing the whole thing is and how completely blessed and humbled I am. I have some amazing friends and am so blessed and in awe that my Father in Heaven sent them to me when he did. I only hope I am blessing their lives as much as they are mine.

The Big Event

Well, it was a huge success! Bigger than we could ever have imagined! We had over 100 coats donated and almost as much food too! We had about 100 people show up to the event and it was spectacular! Everything worked out perfectly, nothing went wrong and nothing was a flop. I learned so much about so many things and I am so excited about how amazing it was.

We had all kinds of people show up, young and old and it was amazing. And my roommates all came and two of my best friends showed up too. It was wonderful! From left to right, Emily, Melinda, Me and Sydney.

I feel so blessed that this worked so well and that people ended up leaving so happy with the event. I get a weeks break to write papers and such and then the planing starts for our formal ball in the spring. I am super excited for a chance to go looking for a formal! I have too many chances to use them so I am super excited to have to shop for one. But I am excited to start planning another event and doing all the bits and pieces that are required for it. If I could just plan events for the rest of my life I would be totally happy! This was the greatest feeling and it wasn't just that it was a success, but that we were able to give back to our community.

We had 15 volunteers helping out with the event, helping collect coats, food, helping with the raffle and helping out on the course. My dear friends Kim and Nalleli helped out with the shirt distribution, thanks guys!

We had a fun and crazy event and I chose the least offensive to most to share, so you may choose to quickly pass this picture, but it just shows how fun and entertaining it was! People took the event seriously and we loved it!
Thank you to all my wonderful volunteers who gave time and smiled when I had to take a minute to think about answers to great questions. Thank you for making it a success and for giving me some great memories!

Buzz

Busy as a Bee. That is what I am. I have spent the last few days running around and having a blast!

The first few days were spent with Kim (right), Amy (left) and Karley (in pic with me), working the caps and gowns stuff. It was crazy. We were all tired and we had a blast. We got some great food too! We got pizza from The Pie, one of the best pizza places in town, Hug-hess, which is an amazing resturant here in town that has the most amazing chicken pasta salad with raspberry vinegarette dressing and beer bread with raspberry butter (really, a must when you are in town!) and soup and sandwhich's from Great Harvest a bakery here in town. It was nice to get lunch on someone else! Plus hanging out with some of my best friends is always a plus!

Karley and I played hostess at the honorary degree luncheon for the president of WSU. We dressed up and got to see all the people who give so much to our school. It is a wonderful thing and it was great to be a part of it. Plus, Karley and I got to be inside while poor Stacie (white hoodie) and Matt (button-up shirt) had to be outside in the freezing cold.

Then today Matt, Cory (in the hat), Stacie and I sold flowers at graduation as a fundraiser for our trip to Ohio this summer. We did well too. It was fun. We laughed and drank hot chocolate and "bonded". Or we laughed and played the whole time. (Matt, can you come over to my house for a few minutes? We really need to talk....ha ha ha).

Congratulations to my sweet wonderful friends Kim and Ashley who graduated today. You guys are awesome and I am so happy for you!

All in all it was fun. Busy and my feet hurt but I loved it. And tonight Jessica and I are heading to a big party and we are excited. I have some great friends and I love it!

Progression

So times change and I totally understand that. I know that the cassette tapes I had as a kids are not really so great now. I don't even own a tape player! Now I am pretty much a strictly mp3 girl. There was the CD phase in the middle, but like I said times change.

With these changing times I have come to realize an amazing trend. Most espcially in my friend Ash. What is this huge change that begs to be compared to that of the progression from cassette tapes to MP3's?

Texting.

Ashley is a champion texter. There was that competition a few weeks ago when that 13 year old spelled and sent 'supercalifragalistic' in 13 seconds. She won $25000. Ash could give her a run for her money. When I first met her Ash would text all day. Now she texts plenty but it is not as bad.

So how is this so crazy and earth shattering to be compared?

Well, Ash has begun to TALK in text. She will say something and then laugh and say "lol!" or "JK!" She is as cute as can be! But in the middle of a conversation when she laughs and says "JK" you can hardly stand it. Keeping a straight face is hard.

So, get with the times people! JK, lol

Endings

So another semester is over. It is bliss. I love that "I am finally done!" feeling. As a tradition a couple of friends and I get some food and do some shopping at the end of the semester. We try to enjoy it. Today Kim, Karley, Ashley and I did not disapoint.

We started out enjoying the day by heading to the mall. We looked at watches for Karley's husband Brandon for his birthday. It was lots of laughs and lots of "Brandon doesn't like diamonds, he says he is not a black man."

We of course headed to BBW (for the non-texters and non-BBW employees it is Bath and Body Works). Ash used to work there until recently and she loves it there. We tried the new lotions, ok the pineapple is actually really interesting, and enjoyed feeling girly.

We then headed to the food court where Karley and I had chinese and Ash could not figure out what she wanted. Totally Ash! JK ha ha ha

We picked up Kim and headed to our favorite place...ROSS! Ok, we had too much fun! If only my camera had the memory card it in. Kar tried on this crazy dress. It was too funny.

Then for one of the best parts of the day, back to Dillards for a stop at the Clinique counter. Ah, the joys of having the sales people tell you how pretty your eyes are, or whatever part of you they think will sell the most product with! It was wonderful. We tried some new colors for the spring that might go with the wedding stuff so that was good. I am always up for new looks in makeup.

Then, ice cream cones from jake's. 75cents can get the greatest cones ever! Kim and I had twist and Kar did vanilla. It was a great way to end the day! I loved it. It made my day to spend it with some of my best friends. I will miss them this summer when we all get too busy and we don't see each other everyday.