Whirlwind Whimsical Wedding Weekend (AKA: "The Bittersweet")

Well, it happened. Believe it or not. Krista got married. The day was filled with smiles, laughter, tears, joy, bittersweet-ness, pulled pork, window markers, crying children, downpours, umbrellas, chocolate nuggets, slideshows, seeing old friends (some happy to see, and some not so much, haha), tarantulas, space heaters, anxious in-laws, cuddling, brownies, bouquets (which I didn't catch... because it didn't get thrown haha), and just utter bliss. By the end of this weekend, I felt like I had gone through every single human emotion that existed. It was exhausting, but just happy at the same time.

A fore word: this picture is a summary of my life for the last 6 months (Don't take this too seriously, just laugh, because it makes me laugh too)(also, after I've written this, I've realized the foreword is really long, so you're more than welcome to skip to part two. I'll put it in bold.

For those of you who don't watch the TV show House, this is a still of House (the main character) (left), Wilson (center), and his girlfriend Sam (right). House is a single, sarcastic, old man, and he and Wilson have been roommates/best friends for like... EVER. And now Wilson is dating Sam and is going to ask Sam to marry him. So House is kind of having a rough life right now. And yes, House and Wilson are last names. I don't know why they don't go by their first names. 

Pretty much, Kris and I have been best friends for the past three years. And/or married. So when a BOY walked into her life, I was not so happy. Actually that's not true. I was pretty sure he was going to get botched, because Krista had a mission call, and this is typically what happens to boys that try to schnike Krista when she is up to something. So it was pretty chill until I saw that it was actually going somewhere... Then things got a lil cray cray. 

Anyway, Billy and Krista began dating. Maybe a week after she got her mission call I realized that she was definitely NOT going on a mission, haha. I was undecided about how I felt about it. I mean, Krista was MY best friend. And all of a sudden some boy is taking up all our time? What the heck is that all about? 

That summer I went to California for about a month, just cause I needed to go "find myself" (See this blogpost for how that all went down.). Emotional crises and identity moratorium were daily part of my thought process. I was experiencing a long confusing period of heartache, and I had three roommates who all had significant others, so I was a little bit anti-love at that point (ha). So I drove off by myself to beautiful, Carlsbad, California. While I was there, Krista and I talked a couple of times, and she sent me a letter just saying how she was doing, what she was up to, etc. etc. Kris was so good to me, because she knew that I was very sensitive to all things PDA, love talk, and relationships. But she did mention: "One thing I know for sure: I LOVE Billy Hiatt and I want to marry him!" That's when I knew for sure it was going to happen. Krista doesn't just throw these things out. She and I knew it way late (in comparison to Billy... who knew like on the first date), but we knew it. One question burned in my mind: Who the heck was this Billy Hiatt guy??

Eventually I had to come back to Provo for Summer's wedding, and to earn money since I just escaped my life for about a month. I was determined to find out who this Billy Hiatt was and make sure he was worthy of marrying my best friend! That weekend, bum got married and there was Roy-family bonding including snails, pizza, noodles, lingerie, mattresses, Dark Knight movie nights, nail painting and joy. I was so happy to be welcomed to this intimate family gathering and bond with people that I loved so much. I love the Roy family! They are my second family. The weekend was great. It hit harder to me what Krista was about to go through when bum walked out of the temple and it freaked me out haha. 

Anyway, I started slowly getting to know Billy Hiatt. From the outside he kind of seems like a punk. If you facebook stalk him (as me and Krista used to do often), he is into planking, mohawks, sticking his tongue out in pictures, and dirt biking. But I was impressed with his . He was nicer to me than Krista was sometimes haha. He's like a pineapple. Hard and spiky on the outside, and the insides you can put on pizza. Just kidding, sweet and gushy on the inside. However, I still kind of was bitter for stealing my best friend.

And then they got engaged... blah blah blah. You can read about that here. 

There were some rough things that happened between then and the wedding. A hard death in the Roy-Hiatt family made for several tearful conversations between me and Kris. Through these conversations I really came to know how much love Krista had for Billy, because she was literally willing to do anything for him. She told me once that our friendship had meant so much to her more than ever, because she tried to model her and Billy's relationship after our friendship. That was probably the best compliment I've ever received in my life! Many times Krista was over at my house doing her laundry, sleeping on my couch, and I knew that we could still be friends after she got married. So it started getting easier. 

The crowning moment of it all is probably when I interviewed Billy for Krista's bridal shower. I asked him about 40 questions about his and Krista's relationship for the Newlywed Game, and filmed then. I want to like... post one of them on here, but I feel like Krista might think thats not cool so I won't. haha. But without giving you an example, I will just say that I really felt how much Billy loved Krista! He said such tender kind things, and he really knew her. I had my doubts, but they have really grown together and know each other on a deep level. Anyway... Bridal shower = great. One week later, it was wedding time!

Now that I've finished the "foreword..." which ended up being really long... Let's get to the actual wedding weekend. 

Part 2

The wedding.

Thursday, October 11th:

At around 7, we headed up to Billy's house with a car full of food, drove up to the cabin Sundance and had some good ol' rotisserie chicken for dinner. And sunny D! Everyone was up there- Lindes, Carters, Perez's, Willis's, Roys, Sister Roy's grandparents, nieces, nephews, BRENDA, and me! It was quite the party. The kids went to bed, and the sisters, me & brenda went down to the basement to paint our nails and open lingerie presents. The Roy sisters are looopy! I headed upstairs to make stickers for the chocolate nuggets for the reception while the sisters had the "talk". Eventually, we went upstairs, Jamie was curling hair at 1 in the morning, Brenda was sleeping on the floor, and Aly was CRACKING up at everything anyone said. (Don't worry, we picked up Brenda and put her in a bed). Me and Kris hopped in bed (For the last time!), and she kicked me all night... so I don't think I'll miss slumber parties too much haha. A word on the Roy grandparents: they are SO GREAT. They TOTALLY remembered who I was and were so happy to see me- HA!

Friday, October 12th:

We all woke up in a scramble. People were running around like CRAZY. All the hair that Jamie curled the night before had gone flat, so she curled like 4 people's hair. She's a CHAMP. Children were eating "marshmallow cereal," Krista was just kind of skipping around, LaDon was... sleeping... We were all getting dressed in our brown-and-carolina blue outfits, etc. Outside it was sprinkling. We had arrived last night in the  dark, so we didn't know what it looked like outside. AUTUMN WONDERLAND. Fall leaves everywhere, gray skies and sweeping long roads and driveways. It was beautiful. Krista and the parents left 3 hours early (which is a good thing because Krista forgot her marriage license at home so Brother Roy had to quickly drive to provo and get it). Eventually the rest of us packed up and drove to the temple. The Linde kids were asleep so I chilled in the car with them while everyone else went inside the foyer. While Aly and Daniel were sleeping I wrote Kris an email because she was getting married at that very moment!! When the little buggins woke up we slowly walked to the temple because they were quite slow and I could not carry both of them. It was pouring outside and all of us were soaked by the time we got to the temple. We chilled in the foyer until all the Roys came out, and we were laughing and having a good time and the temple people were probably mad at us because we were so loud haha. Finally, we all went outside to wait for the newlyweds!! We all gathered around the entrance, and because the temple was under construction, there was only one open entrance and people kept going in and out to do temple sessions and I was freaking out because what if they were walking in the same time Kris & Billy were walking out and they ruined all the pictures. But they didn't, so it was fine. Eventually they came out and it was bliss! They are such weird hooligans haha. I hugged Krista and immediately started bawling. I don't know why exactly, but don't worry, it was only the first time of like 7 times that I cried that day. Every bittersweet feeling I had ever had about my best friend getting married simply turned to utter joy. I was SO happy! Because she was so happy! I hugged Billy too and he gave me this weird grin... whatever haha. And all the little children went up and hugged them and it was cute I guess, but the point was, they were married!! (Some good pics) They started taking pictures and I got to hold up the back of Krista's dress cause the ground was wet and gross, so if you see a picture of all the family members on the temple steps, I am in that picture crouching like a gremlin behind Krista holding up her dress haha. Eventually, screaming crying children forced us to leave the temple as Billy and Krista went to take their pictures on the temple grounds. And then it REALLY started pouring. We all headed to the church where the luncheon was going to be at... yada yada yada, ate food, Krista's brother-in-law LaDon bowled over their poor aged grandmother (which prompted the modified-version-Christmas-song rendition of "Grandma got run over by LaDon!"), Andy spun kids around like airplanes, I chased kids with feather dusters, we ate ridiculously good brownies, and I got to talk to Bruce Newbold, his wife and his daughter who all know my mom's side of the family in California. Then we all drove to the Hiatt's house to get ready for the reception... I didn't know this about the roys, but they have some weird fascination with wrapping stickers around chocolate nuggets for receptions. Go figure. I mean it was fun, but it wasn't THAT fun? Me and Krista took a nap on the couch with CharlyAnn, and then we left to go set up for the reception!

IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL. It was at Billy's uncles backyard in Lindon, and it was so pretty! I got to set up one of my projectors and speakers to play the slideshow that CJ and Eric made, with Billy's weird mexican music, and I ran into so many dear friends (and some not so dear- haha!). We ate pulled pork sandwiches and tons of candy, and all got wet in the rain. And I wrote some good embarrassing stuff on the back of Billy's truck which I won't repeat here. The most tender part of the whole night was when Krista & Billy were leaving. And we just kinda saw each other, and looked at each other for awhile, and Krista started CRYING. If you know Krista like I know Krista, Krista does not CRY. like EVER. She's not an emotional person, but one thing that will almost certainly make me cry is if my best friend, a non-emotional person, is crying. So I started crying, and we were crying, and hugging, and smiling, and Billy was probably thinking "craaaazy" and I was just SO HAPPY! Contrary to what I thought I would be feeling before, seeing my best friend getting married, and seeing her so happy, did not make me feel sad about not getting to be around her so much, but it just brought me great joy and hope for her future and for mine. I love Krista! And I love that she is married, because she is so happy, and I am so happy for her!  Everything else that happened that weekend is  of lesser importance. I went back up to sundance and had such a tender conversation with CJ and Char, whom I look up to as older sisters, since I had none. They promised to give me "the talk" before I get married - haaaha. That'll be good. Went bowling with Brig, Aaron S., Wendy, and Aaron G, had brownies with Rach and Chels,

OH YEAH, I forgot about this part- Brig & Aaron, and everyone else threw me a surprise birthday party!! Did not even see it coming. We were planning on just going to Aaron's house up in South Jordan, but it turned out being a surprise party with me, complete with pizza and cake, and a cool homemade banner, haha. I have the best friends ever! We had crazy fun playing pool and ping pong and basketball and who knows what kind of shenanigans... eating streamers and singing T swift really loud? At dinner they all went around the table and said what their favorite memory of me was. This is more precious than any present I've ever gotten!

Anyway, that's really it. My story of the events of October 12th. And before. And after, haha. 

Summary: I have been so blessed to have these people be in my lives. They have all touched my life for good, and will always be dear to me in my heart, even though life has us grow older, and apart. 

California!

Once upon a time I went to California with my 2 best friends! And it was so great!

Our friend Conner got home from his mission and Aaron, Brig, and I decided it would be fun to go down to LA and do some hooliganizing while going to his homecoming. BEST DECISION EVER. But soon we decided that it might not be a good idea, and I wasn't sure if I would get to use my car... so the trip was canceled. On Brig's birthday I found out that my car was indeed available so Aaron and I made this for Brig for him to open on his birthday and we surprised him! SCHNIKE!

Friday was the worst day ever, as I had to go get my car fixed, and get it lubed, and then take my last final. I accidentally grabbed the wrong textbook to study with, so I didn't study, had to take the test, botched it, got a parking ticket, lost my apartment key and got locked out for 30 minutes, and then my dad called telling me I needed to take Rachel's car instead, which also needed to be lubed, (this happened 1 hour before we were supposed to leave). So I hurried to jiffy lube, got it fixed, packed, and then we headed up to Bountiful for Rachel Jackson's wedding reception... which was completely in the dark because the electricity went out. It was great to see everyone, and then we ran to get Wendy's with Kris & Billy. At this point it was snowing pretty hard, but we took no heed! We left around nine, and hit 4 different snow storms where we had to go less than half the speed limit, which was pretty miserable. At 2 am, Aaron and I switched, and he drove until we got to beautiful California!! (Brig just slept the whole time)

CALIFORNIA!! Never in my life had I been so excited to get to that warm, sunny, beachful, blissful, second home of mine! Finals were over, and in a few days I was headed home! We got to Grandma Layne's house and all just passed out. Around noon we headed down to the San Diego Zoo! It was so cool! My favorite was probably the 4 inch pygmy marmoset. TOTES PRESH. Other highlights: there was a monkey that came right up to the glass to look at us, and as soon as the next people came over, it ran away! Me and Brig were looking at a lion, when I said "Last time I came to this zoo, there was an old lady with a walker, and the lion turned around and peed all over her" Knock on wood. The lion then proceeded to turn around, and spray... I screamed (although not as loud as Brig) and we both bolted and just barely got out of range before it relieved its waters. So, the zoo was great.

 

That night, Grandma took us out for Mexican, gave us flirting tips, we visited the Sheermans, and we all passed out while watching Home Alone. 

Sunday arrived!! We got up semi-early and drove up to Manhattan Beach, stopping in Redondo Beach to meet up with one of Brig's old investigators. We were reunited with Conner Gillette! We surprised him! Except, Brig was in the bathroom when Conner found us, so we had Conner hide and surprise Brig after he came out. Which he wasn't too happy about. Conner's talk was KILLER, and then we all headed back to his house for some Hawaiian Haystacks and socializing. And a bird pooped on Aaron.

(Preston Hatch - Aaron Gillette - Me - Conner Gillette - Brig - Aaron - Dallin Gillette)

That night we hit up a cemetery in Simi Valley and the Los Angeles Temple & Visitors Center. They had a sweet collection of international nativities. I found one from Africa, Brig found one from Thailand, and Aaron found a navajo one. 

We stayed at Grandpa Layne's house that night in Santa Ana. Sunday night would have been boring, but it wasn't, because we just stayed up joking and laughing with each other! Brig and Aaron are hilarious boys! I never am bored when I am with them and we always have so much fun! I have been blessed with hilarious, caring, and good natured friends!

DAY 3: We (And when I say we, I mean I) made a bunch of pancakes and fed the Russells, and then we headed up to the LA Science Center: biggest waste of money ever haha. We hit up the traveling Cleopatra exhibit which I thought was pretty interesting but Brig & Aaron thought it was really stupid. We also learned what an asp was, and where it bit Cleopatra. Aaron and I fell asleep in the IMAX movie about Egypt that we saw, and we ate a bunch of fruit snacks. Afterwards, we made a quick trip to China town where it smelled like urine and old people. Brig used his haggling skills to buy a weird panda scarf, and we didn't eat any eggrolls.

After getting back to Santa Ana, we hit up Downtown Disney, stayed a long time in the LEGO store, saw the fireworks, and then saw Wreck-it-Ralph! (And stole some 3D glasses out of the recycle bin)

And then took pictures of ourselves brushing our teeth...

DAY 4: We woke up, packed up the car and headed straight to Huntington Beach! It was SO COLD. Some highlights: This guy came up and asked if we could take a picture of him in the ocean, and he saw that I was wearing a BYU shirt, and it turns out he was Mormon! Kinda cool. I got to fly my super cool kite that I bought in San Diego this summer! Except for a seagull got caught in it at one point which was kind of sad/ funny. I dropped my iPhone in the ocean, and it lived! We ate a bunch of nacho doritos! And Aaron and Brig got to go to the beach on the west coast for the first time EVER! 

And then we left for home, where it snowed SO MUCH. Also, Aaron and Brig found this weird waterfall urinal at some random gas station in the middle of nowhere. 

And here are some good pics of them sleeping

In summary, 3 college students took a weekend trip to California, went to the zoo, the beach, and a children's science museum, drank kool-aid bursts, ate fruit snacks, and went to church. There was no drinking, no partying, no frisky-behavior, and no drugs. I'm pretty sure if I told that to anyone outside the BYU community they probably wouldn't believe me. 

And it was the best time EVER. 

Rough.

Rough weekend.

The past couple of months have been some of the most spiritually stagnant months I've ever lived. I don't like it. There has been bitterness in my soul, heartbreak, doubts, frustration, hurt, loneliness and loss. And the past couple of weeks I've really tried to start the uphill climb back on my way to doing better at everything I've been kind of slacking off on... scriptures, prayer, temple attendance, etc. And I feel a lot better. But I think HF is just wanting to make sure I'm serious about it, because this weekend was ROUGH.

Three semi-minor car bumps/accidents, family squabbles, sickness, physical pain, awkward moments, reflection of  things lost, and heartbreak reprisals. Just plain discouragement. Questions bouncing around through my mind, Why does there have to be contention here? What's the problem? Is it really supposed to take this long to get over someone? Am I really that incompetent of a driver? WHY AM I SICK WHEN I GOT THE STUPID FLU SHOT?! Why didn't I get this job- didn't I do my best? How am I going to pass this class? Why can't I stay awake through this class? I really need to learn the material! Haven't I been doing better with my scriptures and prayers? What am I not doing right?

Yet in these really hard moments there have been little shining reminder moments. The biggest is probably that I am alive and unharmed; as is my car for the most part. Good friends, providentially timed conference talks and scriptures. Devotionals, testimonies, christmas lights, ice cream, cafe rio, 17 miracles, hugs, smiles, and sweet, sweet memories of beloved relatives. Life could be better, but then again it could also be much, much worse.

Where I'm From

A poem I wrote when I was 18, modeled after George Ella Lyon's poem, "Where I'm From"

I am from camera flashes and bullet trains. From ‘such a tall nose!’ I am from pigtails and polka dots. From cheese under the cupboard and dry oatmeal. Earthworms and seeds below, and purple skies and stars above. I’m from the fox in the bathroom, the fire in the lamp, and “If I had words, to make a day for you.” 10 layers of clothing in 6 foot snow tunnels and an orange swimsuit in the Nelson’s pool. I am from the pet store cage under the crib and goodnight moon.

I am from the swinging fencepost, opening up a passage way to a magical summer apple orchard. I am from power rangers and tinker toy inventions. I’m from pack-it-all-up and move-it-on-out. I’m from a wet pillow case and a floor littered with Kleenex. A weeping willow and a rock fence; alphabet blocks on the TV and a pink bathroom. I am from tall dry grass and crickets singing under pink and orange sky. I’m from Michael’s and McDonald’s, Kirkpatrick, and capiche, Brahm’s and barges. I’m from 5 minute monsoons and mirages on the driveway. I’m from a wooden castle, barefoot soccer games, and piles and piles of trash from wisdom creek. I’m from mud between the toes, and q-tips up the nose. From scores of notebooks with stories and funnies. From joy and laughter, fireworks and a rusty trampoline. I’m from phase 10, ding-dong-ditches, chain stories by the fire place, and gravy with cornstarch.

I am from Pete’s dragon and “You are beautiful.” I am from squeak time and “I love you.” I am from a thousand mile suburban, from sea to shining sea. I am from North Carolina, El Salvador, Rome. I am from Uganda, and bamboo huts. I am from giraffe slobber and ostrich thieves. I am from a balloon and a letter every April 6^th. From baking soda and vinegar bubbles beneath my feet on the sand. I am from the solitary flower growing in the sidewalk cracks. I am a Steed in Nauvoo, and a child of the promise. I am a wizard and a vampire, a cancer patient, and a Nephite.

I’m from puddles. Puddles and numbers. A lot of numbers. I’m from integrals and derivatives, optimization and Pythagoreans. I’m velocity. I’m velocity and acceleration. I’m from I-5 and 228^th, from brake and gas. I’m from Jerome county Idaho. I’m from dirt and striped socks, 8 foot strings of beads. I’m from viva piñata and a blue snowboard. I’m from tears and warm embraces, from heartbreak and prom shoes, from “Leave me alone,” to “Why did you leave me?” I’m from ‘cry me a river,’ and 'walkin’ on sunshine.’ I’m from, “O Lord, I have trusted in thee and I will trust in the forever.” I’m from saying goodbye for good.

I’m from a greasy pizza kitchen and ugly green aprons. I’m from ebullience and identical twins. From oatmeal for breakfast and Raman for dinner… every day. I’m from Route 832 and Sunday dinners at home. I’m from an 8 foot wave of brown slush and a crab named Conner. I’m from “I’m sorry… I have to go flush my fish.” from “yeah… I don’t like that” and, “can I have your number?” I’m from the future and dreams of the past. I’m from a blue gown and cap, a diploma in hand. I’m from a wedding reception in my backyard. I’m from a happy home and classroom of students, ready to learn. But, I’m still from those pigtails and polka dots. 

Cultural Diorama

(This is an assignment for my multicultural education class)

My three artifacts:

• Cultural: Book of Mormon
• Social: Cousin Book
• Ethnic: Cowgirl boots

Label: White-Female-Texan-Mormon-Sentimentalist 

My blog is also my form of journal-writing, so to reflect on each of my artifacts, I will "journal" or tell a story about each of my artifacts.

Cultural: 

I chose the Book of Mormon, because I think its probably my biggest cultural identifier. Everything else seems a little boring. I'm white, I'm from America, and I enjoy hamburgers and pink lemonade. Typical. Growing up, people knew I was Mormon, and treated me as such. Sometimes respectfully, sometimes with distaste. I remember when I was 9 years old, being told by a friend that her mom wouldn't let me play with her anymore because I was Mormon. It was something kind of hard to swallow for a 9 year old. I didn't really understand what the gospel really meant anyway, and to be identified as something viewed as negative to other people probably lowered my self-esteem a bit. Mormonism to me is more of a lifestyle than a religion. It is something that I practice everyday, not just once a week. I've been a member all of my life, and I believe it with all my heart!

I was 14, when I had my "conversion." During a devotional at girls camp over the summer, we were given a journal and a list of scriptures to read. We were all separated and sent to different parts of the camp, so that we were alone and could have a personal experience. I was sent into a woody area with just my camp chair, scriptures, and journal. I remember just sitting in my chair, surrounded by tall, skinny trees, wondering whether or not I could really get an answer about whether the church was true or not. I had definitely tried before, and had issues discerning the spirit. Was it just that the thermostat in my house was on high heat, or was I feeling a burning in my bosom? So I decided I'd give it my best effort. I read the scriptures, trying to drain every bit of meaning and wisdom that I could from them. I wrote in the journal the feelings that I had when I read them. And then, with hope in my heart I knelt down on the dirt and leaves in the shady woody clearing and fervently prayed with all my little 14-year old heart and asked if the church was true. This is the first time that I can really say that I truly felt that I could feel the spirit giving me a yes or no answer. It was yes! There was no bright light, or heavenly beings but I my questions were strongly and undoubtedly confirmed. 

Ethnic:

No, being Texan is not an ethnicity. I'm aware (even though sometimes I act like it is). I'm white, I'm American, but within that ethnic group, I identify with being a Texan. I feel very tied to my Texan identity because it is one that I chose. I was born in Tokyo, Japan (my parents both went there on their missions, and then moved there after they graduated from BYU. I lived there until I was two, and I don't really remember it), then lived in Chicago for 6 years. I moved to Texas when I was 8, and did most of my "adolescent developent" there. I then spent my four years of high school in Seattle, my family moved to Provo for my freshman year of college and then moved back to the same neighborhood we lived in, in Texas. Maybe it is because my adolescence was mostly spent in Texas, that I identify with it the most. But really, I think it has more to do with what Texas is.

Here is my association with cowboy boots:

Cowboy boots

Cowboys

The "outlaw"/"freedom"/"carefree"/"lawless" lifestyle.

=The definition of a Texan.

Being Texan is more of a state of mind than a label. Here are several events/memories from my childhood that I hope will accurately illustrate this.

• Street parties with the neighborhoods... pretty much every day. 
• Barefoot soccer in a muddy field right after a rainstorm
• Sneaking out onto the roof of my house to watch the sunset.
• Climbing "Isaac's Tree" every summer on the property of the Episcopal church down the street from my house
• Catching frogs during recess
• Catching tadpoles in the neighborhood pond
• Building mini rafts out of sticks and floating them down Wisdom Creek behind our neighborhood
• Popsicles. Lots of sticky, sweet, messy, dripping popsicles in the summer.
• Having one day of snow a year, and tieing my sled to the back of my moms car and driving down the street.
• Line dancing/ square dancing as a part of our P.E. curriculum.
• Summers at the community pool. Never cold, always cloudy water.
• Barefoot, helmet-less bike rides, almost every day, through my neighborhood, and always down "Sandra Lynn Drive" which was the biggest hill in town (or so I believed)
• Fields of vibrant bluebonnets
• "Happy Birthday Jesus" signs on my neighbors lawns for Christmas
• Making movies with all of the neighborhood kids, a beat up video camera, and a mile-long bright orange extension cord
• Catching tadpoles in the neighborhood pond... and accidentally dropping them all in the grass
• Making a giant city made of chalk for our scooters
• Getting treated to free sonic ice cream cones for a friend's birthday
• Roller skating, tie-dye, and kick ball in the church parking lot
• Digging up clay from our yard and making sculptures and pottery from it.
• Planting a packet of wildflower seeds in our backyard, only to have them pulled up as "weeds" by my dad two weeks later...
• "Yes sir" and "Yes ma'am." Fixin', y'all, gonna, Babe's chicken fried steak, Blue goose cantina, the flower mound, stories of Governor Hogg and the Pecan trees
• "I pledge allegiance, to thee, Texas, one and indivisble" right after the American pledge

Social:

This one was the harder one to think of. I chose the "Cousin Book" because it probably best illustrates how I view my relationships with others. The Cousin Book is something I started doing when I was 12 and stopped when I was 20. My cousin, Curtis, died in March of that year, and I was having a hard time with it, I think because I had never quite experienced a death of someone I really knew well before. I didn't know my cousin Curtis incredibly well; his family lived in California, like all my other cousins, and we were the odd family who moved around a lot. I do remember saying something snarky to him the last time I saw him, which I regretted. We decided to stop doing cousin christmas presents that year, for various reasons, but I think his death was part of it. I decided I wanted to be closer to that part of my family, so I decided to start making this book with written entries from all my family members. Every year around September, I'd send a theme to all of my cousins on my mom's side of the family. It was something simple and sentimental; sometimes related to Christmas, funny memories, favorite vacations, etc. I'd ask everyone to write something, send it to me by Thanksgiving, and then I'd compile them and send everyone a copy for Christmas. Anyway, the reason this is something that represents me socially is because my "philosophy" or what not is all about bringing people together. I love planning things. I love facilitating the creation of new friendships, including my own. I am also a very sentimental person. The best presents one can give me are the ones that have meaning and sentimentality rather than gift cards or fancy presents. I would take a poem or a letter any day over a shiny new toy. 

This is an excerpt from a poem I wrote in the very last Cousin book that I did. It's called "Where I'm from":

I am from the swinging fencepost, opening up a passage way to a magical summer apple orchard. I am from power rangers and tinker toy inventions. I’m from pack-it-all-up and move-it-on-out. I’m from a wet pillow case and a floor littered with Kleenex. A weeping willow and a rock fence; alphabet blocks on the TV and a pink bathroom. I am from tall dry grass and crickets singing under pink and orange sky. I’m from Michael’s and McDonald’s, Kirkpatrick, and capiche, Brahm’s and barges. I’m from 5 minute monsoons and mirages on the driveway. I’m from a wooden castle, barefoot soccer games, and piles and piles of trash from wisdom creek. I’m from mud between the toes, and q-tips up the nose. From scores of notebooks with stories and funnies. From joy and laughter, fireworks and a rusty trampoline. I’m from phase 10, ding-dong-ditches, chain stories by the fire place, and gravy with cornstarch.

Sometimes I wish that my lips could build a castle... but 99% of the time I wish they'd just fall off.

AKA, why can't I just keep my big mouth shut?

The past few days I have said many things that I have regretted, many things that were just stupid, and many things that people probably should have laughed at... but they didn't.

So for all of you out there that I've probably made question my sanity, wonder what the heck I was talking about, or have paused with awkward silence, this post is for you. The acknowledgement of my ridiculousness and my heartfelt apology.

Now, here is a funny story. Yesterday I was in class... It was like a 4 hour class for secondary ed. We had just created group posters about school development programs and we had posted them on the back wall and each group was supposed to walk through and just read the other posters. My group was last, so we were just sitting and chatting, when my friend Amanda started singing Taylor Swifts, "We are never getting back together" (Don't think I am implying anything when I say I love this song, haha). I started joining in, and we were just belting T-Swift, when one of the boys proclaimed, "T SWIFT IS SO DUMB". (Note: I like all the people in my class, we weren't REALLY fighting..."

 HOOOOOLD on there buddy.

So we got in this argument about, yes, adolescent development and how Taylor Swift accurately depicts the life of teenagers through her songs. Maybe this is why older people hate her; her songs really relate to the teenage-cohort. I still love it. And so do a bunch of other people, which is probably why T-Swift is rollin in dough. (The green kind).

Anyway, debate. These guys were just relentless, and I was all opinionated and hyped up. My red side was showing.

ANGRY BOY: "T Swift just never grew up. All of her songs are so juvenile!"

ME: "Hey! As a matter of fact, that's one of her songs! "Never Grow Up!" *starts singing never grow up*" 

Then our teacher came in and agreed with us, how all secondary ed teachers need to listen to T Swift and watch glee to fully understand the teenage mind. Told you we were right.

Anyway, so we are having this debate, and we finally go through and look at the posters. The procedure was to go through the posters, and then exit the classroom and come in the other door, so it was like a full circle kind of thing. By the time we went through it, there was really no point of going out the door and in again, because the rest of the class was already sitting down in their seats. The two boys we were arguing with asked the teacher if they needed to go out of the classroom and back in again, and she said no, but it might be nice for them to get some fresh air (our class was stuff at this point, after 4 hours).

"More like it'd be fresh air for us," I muttered. Then the entire room erupted in "Oooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh!!!!" and laughter. Did I say mutter? I thought I muttered... The boys looked like they'd been slapped in the face and exited the room. And my teacher kind of gave me this, "Uhhh really?" look, but she was also kind of smirking, so I guess it was ok. My friend Amanda was about to pee her pants laughing. And I was just thinking...

"Sometimes I wish they'd just fall off..."

Bipolar

Once Upon a Time I had a really good day.

I went to church.
I felt the spirit.
I took the sacrament.
I participated.
I got a calling.
I got set apart.
I was social and talked to people.
I went home.
I got home taught.
I waited for an hour and a half for something.
I went to break the fast.
No one was actually assigned to make food for break the fast... So I ate some cranberry orange bread.
I recruited 3 people to a secret society of culinary artists.
I talked to my mom for an hour.
My baby sister told me she was going to draw me a picture for my birthday.
I made Texas shaped waffles and ate them with nutella.
I went and watched the Prince of Egypt
I ate some jello popcorn
I found out my freshman roommate Rachel Jackson got engaged!

Then I had a sucky day.
I had a distressing solutionless frustrating phone call with my best friend.
I went on a drive up Provo Canyon with my roommate and a box of kleenex
I recalled high school hardships and memories of my best friend from high school
I took on the role of blockbuster.
I ate toast and nutella.
I waited some more.
I had my first experience at ward prayer with a shake weight and thigh master.
I got a phone call which spurred a conversation about a moral dilemma with some guy named Owen...?
I filmed a segment for the newlywed game.
I had another conversation with a different friend which was very ambiguous and made me cranky and rude.
I watched this trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj5_FhLaaQQ and decided that if my life got any crazier I probably would need to be in that movie.
I made a boy pass out when I said the words "pork chops"
I determined that it was probably time I escaped the country again.
I started blogging, because what the heck else do I do with all these emotions?
I wore my retainer.
And then my face hurt.
 Thats it.

Krista is getting marrieeeedddddddd

Me and Krista went wedding dress shopping! (Kind of). It was so great and Krista is going to be such a beautiful bride! So stoked for my best friend.

Rach even came with us to try on some dresses! (She's getting married soon too!!!!!!!)

Also, me and Krista went to the Brigham City Temple Open house. It was so wonderful! The temple is such a wonderful, beautiful, place, and I want to go there someday! The spirit there was so strong, even with yelling children and men with long pony-tails.

Ward Reunion!

For about a month now, I've been planning a ward reunion for my freshman ward, and yesterday it finally happened!! There was much food, bonding, and laughter, as well as a 2nd generation 94th-warder who was SO CUTE. I made a slideshow, which I was up until 3am the night before doing. The point is... IT WAS SO GREAT!! Here's some sweet pics!

Dead Poet's Society

Dead Poet's Society is one of my all-time favorite movies. I love Robin Williams. I love that Wilson from the TV show House is a teenager in that movie. I love standing on top of tables and yelling, "O Captain, My Captain!" Not that I've ever really done that, but I sometimes dream about doing it. I had a class my freshman year of high school that was very similar to the experiences the students had in that movie. It was a very unconventional class, and grading was more based on participation and personal growth than it was on naming dates from history or spelling onomatopoeia correctly. Maybe it was because high schools in Washington State are so liberal and hippie-ish. But I had a lot of "free thinking" personal application classes. Then I got to college, and although my classes are great, they are nothing like the hippie-education I got in high school. All of them except one class I started going to 2 days ago. It's called adolescent development, and its under the Secondary Education Department. Its every Tuesday night from 4-8pm (in case you haven't calculated that, its FOUR HOURS LONG!!) So it is a BEAST. But it is so good. On our first day of class we stopped about an hour early to go on a "field trip". We walked a couple buildings north to the Education in Zion Exhibit located in the Joseph F. Smith Building. I had been up there maybe once... But never really got into it. As we gathered in the foyer of this exhibit, we were encircled around a small statue of Christ with a plaque that said, "Feed my lambs, feed my sheep." My professor then began to speak about the very few mentioned professions in the bible: money-changers, fishermen, carpenters... And teachers. Teaching is one of the only professions listed in the bible. And she then gave us the challenge that Christ gave us- "Feed my lambs, feed my sheep." Teaching is something so sacred, something that Christ himself did. He was a teacher. No matter what our emphasis, we are building up the Kingdom of God through the Education of God's children. I am going to be a teacher!! I am so excited to enlighten the minds of adolescents and help them progress and grow. I want to feed his lambs, and feed his sheep.

Uganda: One Year Later

A year ago today was my last day in the beautiful country! Even though its hard to believe I actually made the trip there, I miss it every day. It has served as a constant reminder of the blessings I have in my life, and of the fact that I can do hard things! Whenever some daunting task or challenge crosses my path, I think to myself, "If I flew on a plane from Dallas to London to Paris to Nairobi to a country on the other side of the world where I didn't know anyone, BY MYSELF, I think I can do __________ . And then I can usually do it just fine. 

A couple weeks ago a friend who works for BYU radio asked me and a friend (Haley Glenn) if we could do an interview about our experience in Uganda. It was a blast! I don't think I'll ever get tired of talking about Uganda. My "big project" this summer has been to make a photo book of my adventure there. I am inserting all of my journal entries, so it is more like a compilation than it is a photo album. It's been a pretty intense project, but it is a testimony to me that WE ARE SUPPOSED TO WRITE IN OUR JOURNALS!!! There's no way to remember everything that goes on in your life unless you write it down!!

What I really want to talk about in this blog post is an email that I got this week. It was from a contact in Kampala named Elizabeth Mwebaza. We got in touch with her the last couple weeks we were in Uganda, hoping that she could continue the Proud To Be A Girl project while we were out of country. I hadn't heard from her in about a year. As much as I promised myself I wouldn't, life kind of got in the way of my ability to put 100% of my effort into my Uganda projects. It is a hard thing to try to keep a program running from the other side of the world. I hoped so much that the project wouldn't die when we left. Then I got her email this week. It was a "report" of some sorts of the work that she'd been done while we were gone. I was so impressed with this woman, who worked alone to try and further the progress of a difficult project started by a couple of young Americans she only knew for about a week. What incredible faith and dedication she had!  

The thing I got out of it most of all, was that I can make a difference! At the end of my time there, it was just logistically unrealistic that a project like this could continue without Help International in country. There were resources that we provided that would be difficult for the locals to come up with on their own. I doubted that the work would move forward. The email I got from Elizabeth suggested otherwise. She attached a document containing responses from the girls she had taught over the past year, WITHOUT our help. Sustainable development WORKS!! One YEAR later and Proud to Be A Girl still lives!! 

My aunty tells me as long as I know how to cook and read that is what matters in life because in that way I will get married. I did not know how to fight her words and work for my future but the discussions in Proud to be a girl have helped me be strong and talk to my aunt about how as a girl I am the light of the next generation. How I have to work hard to be happy in life and make the right choices. Suzan.

I have painful menstruation periods. I was told it was a sickness and that when you squat all day the blood quickly comes out of your body and that you should not associate with boys who can tell by just looking at your palm in your hand. Whenever I am sick I don’t go to school but stay at my friends place. I now know that this is a normal part of a woman’s cycle and that as long as I take pain killer If the pain is too much and wear a pad I have the right to be in school and continue a normal life while I am happy. Thank you for your help. Nakiyemba Sarah, 15years

My name is Nantongo Sophie and I am 17 years old. I am a different strong girl now. I used to be ashamed of my body especially my breasts so I wore a sweater everyday to class even though it was very hot. I became used to it but now after our discussions with Elizabeth and my fellow girls I have gained the confidence to actually not put on a sweater even when it has rained and go to class because my body is special and to prevent bad body odors I need to take off my sweater and shave. I was told to buy a bra that holds my breasts properly well so that I move with ease and confidence. Thank you for your care. You are very understanding and now I know I am beautiful. Matugga Secondary School

I had sex twice and I was told that as long as I urinate after I will not get pregnant. I didn’t get pregnant but I have realized I was just lucky because that is not true. I was advised to abstain from sex and focus in school. I was also told of the many contraceptive methods available at the clinic and about STD’s.

I cannot stand and talk in front of people because I know that they are looking at my breasts or my thighs. I would rather run away. The campaign has helped me to be more confident because I can now at least stand in front of people and smile. Tumusiime Beatrice, 15 years, Savannah High School

For me I generally don’t like girls because they gossip and lie and are haters. I am a girl but I don’t like girls. This attitude is changing because in the proud to be a girl discussion we are all girls and we are advised to appreciate one another and always fight for each other’s rights. We must stand for girl power. My message to all girls is to be good and be an example. Fiona Nantume, 17 years

I am 14 years old. I thought that if a boy does not tell me that I am beautiful then I am ugly so I used to dress up very much and apply a lot of make up to feel beautiful. The Proud to be a girl class has taught me that my beauty begins from the inside and that to be respected I have to respect myself. Thank you (Matugga Secondary School)

Find yourself

This is a post I've been meaning to write for a long LOOOOOOOONG time. And its a looooong post.

A foreword:

Can I just say that this summer has been one of my hardest? A mid-college-life crisis if you will? Without going into detail, almost every component in my life has been struggling and faltering. Things falling apart, people dropping like flies left and right. Isn't it weird that when the things around you start changing and the winds shift direction away from the place you have always wanted to go, and thought you should go, to some unforeseen and sometimes daunting location, that what you really start to question is yourself? Is that a good thing? I've always heard the phrase, "Go find yourself." The phrase often alludes to a soul-searching adventure of some sort to a mystical place of solitude and humility-inducing circumstances. Climbing a mountain, and having physical trials endured represent the solutions to mental and psychological obstacles being faced. Traveling to a third world country and experiencing poverty, to realize what you really have. Enlightenment. Nirvana. Meditation. Yoga. Serendipity. Awakening. Serenity. Eat. Pray. Love. Blah blah blah. Not really into that stuff. But eventually, I just had the itch that I needed to get away from what I was doing, and what I HAD been doing day in and day out for 10 months straight,  and really figure out what I wanted, what I was supposed to be doing, and change the direction my life was going. Because the direction it was going was not working the way I wanted to. It wasn't making me happy, it wasn't making sense... It just all felt wrong. And it scared me, because what's more scary than the unknown?

So... I guess I went to go find myself. . Finding myself didn't all come at once, and I don't think that its a process that really ever ends. I talked to my bishop awhile ago, and told him about the struggles I was having. He had several suggestions for me, one that stuck with me the entire summer, and changed my attitude and perspective, ultimately helping me find myself. Every night before you go to bed, he said, in your journal, write one way that you have seen the Lord's hand in your life.

When I told Kris I was going to go find myself in California, she looked really confused, and wondered aloud why I needed to do that. Didn't really have a good answer for her... because I didn't really know myself. I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know what. I just knew I needed to get away. So I packed up my car and drove about 11 hours straight to Carlsbad, California, making only one stop for about an hour at the Redlands, San Bernadino Temple to do baptisms. Even on the first day of my journey to "find myself" there came a moment of inspiration that made me understand more about who I was.

#1. In the Redlands temple, I totally walked in on a group of young hispanic girls in a ward doing baptisms. I was two heads taller than and two shades whiter than all of them. Probably combined. They were nervous at first, and so was I, but we all crowded together on a bench in front of the font in that tiny tiny temple to hear words from the temple president. Prior to his little devotional, one of the YW leaders asked me who the heck I was and what I was doing here (more kind than previously implied). I explained that I was a BYU student driving down to San Diego to see my Grandma. All the girls looked at me with wide, wide eyes, and all of a sudden a barrage of questions about me, my life, and BYU flowed from their mouths. It had been awhile since anyone had been remotely excited to hear about my life at BYU... because at BYU you feel like one in a million. Everyone's there to get an education, go to church, go to ward activities, date, get married, make babies. I looked at them, and was impressed upon by the spirit that these girls probably weren't going to get an opportunity to go to BYU. It's a pretty poor neighborhood around Redlands, and most of them had very broken English, and secondhand church clothes. To them, I was living the dream. And I realized, that I really was living the dream. "Heavenly Father, thank you for the opportunity to go to BYU" is definitely not a regular guest in my nightly prayers. But it should be.

#2. I arrived at my Aunt Kym's house late that night just in time for my grandma's birthday party. She didn't know I was coming, so it was fun to surprise her. Throughout the night, and throughout the next 3 weeks actually, I had SO much fun with my family. There is something about being with cousins, aunts, and uncles, that makes you realize how much you are loved. Never was there a time in those three weeks where I felt judged, questioned, or even unwanted. I was constantly being talked to, joked with, invited, hugged, smiled at. If there is a way to be loved too much, my family reached the climax. (But there's not). I will not say that there has been this absence of love all my life, that my parents never reached out to me, and I've always been neglected. This is not true. But being with my family was an excellent reminder of the special loving relationships that I am apart of, and that people really care about me.

#3 I've been trying to figure out where I would live this fall... All of my options started disappearing, and I was feeling the stress of it all. It was one of those, "HF, I've put all this work into it, what the heck am I supposed to be doing differently? Give me some sort of sign of where to go" moments. And weirdly enough (this NEVER happens for me), he did. One day I got a call from the landlady of a place that I had been put on a waiting list earlier in the summer. This lady is a freaking flake, and never calls me back when she says she will. Never. Randomly, she called me and told me that I was in. What? I have a place to live? Although there was so much fear about moving to a place all by myself, I knew that this was where I was supposed to go. After months of stressing and nothing going right, HF opened a way for me. This was later confirmed to me through a conversation with my bishop, who I've been seeing often enough as if he were my therapist.
"But I don't know anyone there.... It's not ideal, and it scares the crap out of me."
"Have you ever moved in with anyone all alone before?"
"Yes"
"And how did that turn out for you?"
"Well, great because I met Krista, and now she's my best friend. I got really lucky."
"Lucky, huh? Maybe like... Providential? Do you think HF maybe put you two together? Like he was looking out for you?"
"Yeah, definitely."
"And you think that HF is only going to do that once for you? "OK, I've put my hand in Elise's life once, so no more for that! No more miracles, and no more guidance and direction!" "
"...No...."
My Bishop's pretty wise.

#4. I got a text a week or so ago from one of my Young Women leaders letting us know that one of my friends from high school was in surgery that afternoon to remove a brain tumor that they did not know was cancerous or not. It was an interesting moment for me. A very small moment with a large impact. Similar to that of #1. My life is, actually pretty good. I go to BYU, and I don't have a brain tumor. I hope I'm not making light of that situation (By the way, the tumor was benign), but it was one of those "Stop moping around- your life could be worse" moments.

#5. On my drive back from California to Provo, I got stuck in one of the biggest thunderstorms I've ever driven through. On a freeway in the middle of the Mojave Desert no less. I wasn't speeding, but I was going faster than I should have in the given conditions. I could barely see the lines on the road. All of a sudden, the road must have been especially flooded because I started hydroplaning. I have only ever hydroplaned once, and it was very minor- and kind of fun because we were in no danger. I instinctively slammed on my brakes, and immediately started to skid across 3 lanes towards oncoming cars. Then a urgent thought popped into my head- "Take your foot off the brakes." I lifted my foot immediately, and my car straightened out. I know I was receiving a prompting, because I wouldn't have ever thought to do that.

There are several more spiritual and personal experiences that I will not share, but there are a few of the little miracles I've seen in my summer.

As I near the end of another summer and approach the beginning of a new school year, I am wondering, "What is going to happen to me next?" I feel like I had bigger plans for myself at this point in my life. I was going to be doing something extraordinary, probably something having to do with saving the world, being a ridiculously awesome wife and mom, having traveled the globe, touched the lives of hundreds of students, and definitely owning a puppy. Well, I don't have a puppy. Or any of the aforementioned things. I am just a student, a 5-year student with a part-time on-campus job & a yellow lanyard, no money, no roommates, and no hang-glider. So I guess the answer is... I don't know what's going to happen. And I have a feeling that that's how Heavenly Father wants my life to be right now. "Have a little faith," He's probably thinking, "And I'll show you the great things that are in store for you." And I think that is where "finding myself" led me. Finding yourself actually means having a reaffirmation of that faith, and coming to the understanding that you have more than a monotonous life of a part-time job and no money. I have a loving Heavenly Father who IS guiding my life, a caring family, awesome friends, a prestigious university to be educated at, and a puppy in my future. Probably. 

I left my quiet harbor
In favor of another, I know not where.
But first there are seas to cross
And storms to brave.
How could I prefer the foreign unknown
To the encircling arms of my bay?
Because some things are only learned at sea.
Yes my craft is watertight.
I can navigate the unknown.
And O, the wind that fills my sails
Blows from home.

Stephanie Russell

Conference Video

In April I spoke at a conference about sustainable development in Africa at UVU. Here's the link, its the last video on the page. Pretty funny stuff.

http://vimeo.com/channels/325776

Bucket List Weekend

A couple weekends ago I crossed off 3 things off my bucket list. (Which,  in the grand scheme of things is a pretty big deal, since it will probably take me my entire life to cross all them off) These ones were kind of silly though, so not a huge life-altering event.

#42: Skinny Dip

After I called my mom and told her I did this... she was not pleased haha. But I knew she did it in college (even though when we talked she wouldn't admit it), and sometimes... you just gotta be naked in the wilderness! A few of us unexperienced skinny-dippers were driving around provo for like... a good 45 minutes trying to figure out a good spot to do it. Eventually we drove down by geneva road and found a spot on the provo river trail covered with trees. There were people on the trail, so we nervously tried to look... "busy"? as we waited for them to leave... but how obvious could we look? 7 college girls in basketball shorts over our swimsuits... all carrying towels. So conspicuous. So we finally trekked down the hill when the coast was clear, and hiked down stream for about a minute. The water was like... half a foot deep, we stripped down and layed down in the water... it was pretty stupid, but we did it! We were all so cold that we literally just jumped in and out real quick. Don't think I even took my shoes off. But hey, it counts eh? The most joyous part was that I got to go with Suzy Butler, who left the next day to go home before her mission :( I will miss her a lot, but she's going to tear it up in Brazil! (I am typing this up in the family room sitting around my family. This is how the conversation is going:
Uncle Jason: Whatcha up to on that laptop?
Elise: I'm blogging!
Mom: Whatcha bloggin about?
Elise: That one time... I went skinny dipping?
Mom: WHAT?! What are you doing that for?!
Uncle Jason: HA! Where'd you go?
Elise: MOM! Its not a big DEAL. YOU went skinny dipping in college!
Mom: No I did NOT!
Elise: Yes you did!
Mom: I didn't!
Brooke: What's Skinny dipping?
Gwendolyn: It's when----
Mom: DON'T TELL HER!!
Elise: Well you've been skinny dipping!
Mom: ....Not in college!!!
Elise: WELL YOU'VE BEEN!
Emily: WAAAHHHHHHHH
Mom: You don't need to tell the whole WORLD about it!
Elise: Mom, no one reads my blog except Krista...
Grandma: Whatcha doing on your laptop Elise?
Mom: STOP IT!!!)

#12 Camp under the stars

I didn't realize I'd done this one until after I'd done it... but I got off work on Wednesday night, and Krista called me up, wanting me to go camping up at Squaw peak. It was already really late at night... but I hadn't hung out with Krista very much recently, so I wanted to go bond with her and my other roommates. So I drove up there, got lost several times, and we camped out! It was me, Krista, Mackenzie, and Kat on a tarp in sleeping bags, and Dan Gore and Kim in a hammock. When I got out there, it was pitch black, so I didn't get to see the landscape, but in the morning, I awoke in a glorious mountain meadow! It was so beautiful and wonderful! Dan had a rough night... He fell off his hammock onto a rock, so he decided to move the rock, but when he picked it up there were a hoard of ants underneath, so he just gave up, and decided to sleep over by the fire pit, until he woke up from the cold. At that point, it was 2:30 in the morning, and he restarted the fire. I woke up at 5:30, also from the cold, and just sat and talked to Dan for about an hour. Dan is so great! I had a new found appreciation for him after our conversation. At 6:30 I left to go home and shower to get ready for my next bucket list cross off....

#20 Locks of Love

I FINALLY did it. I have been attempting doing this for YEARS, but I HATE having long hair to the point that I just want to cut it off, so it was really hard to grow it out so much. There were several times I almost gave in and chopped it off... But I didn't!! I'm really proud of this one. Not sure why I've always wanted to do this... I did a little bit of research, and I found out that Locks of Love sells their wigs, whereas the company, Pantene, gives away their wigs. So I decided to donate my hair through pantene. All 5 of us went out to breakfast at Kneaders after I got showered, because Jen was leaving and we wanted to all go out for one last hurrah. My appointment was at 9 in the morning at Taylor Andrews Beauty School. I was a little nervous to get my hair cut at a beauty school, but they do free haircuts for people donating to locks of love (or pantene), so I decided to go there. We got there, and I told them I wanted 8 inches off. The haircutting "teacher" told the student cutting my hair to first braid my hair into pigtails, and then cut it, which freaked me out, because 8 inches of braided hair is a lot more than 8 inches of non-braided hair... So I was worried, and I conveyed this to her, but she insisted everything was going to be fine. Did I believe her? No. After a few minutes of arguing back and forth between the student and teacher, they snipped it off. They handed the two pigtails to me, and it was like holding a dead rat in my hands. Just a big lump of hair. The student trimmed up the rest of my hair, taking off about another inch and a half. In total, they took about 10 inches off. Its so crazy to run my fingers through my hair and have it stop short of where it usually is. After I went to work later that day, I'd go up to my co-workers and have them close their eyes and hold out their hands, and I'd put the hair in it. They all freaked out when they felt the hair, and we got a good laugh out of it. The point is, I did it! Just gotta send it in, and I 've crossed it off!