Stay tuned for a post about, ya know, the wedding!
Also on the way: Beautiful pictures from Lake Tahoe and the scenic drive through Nevada.
Just kidding about the drive. But Lake Tahoe was gorgeous!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
This One's For the BOYS
How is it that I can have time to blog on the first day of finals, two weeks before my wedding?
I'm at work!
No, Dad, I'm not one of those employees. You've taught me well. It just so happens that all the boys at Telos are spending time with their families today, so I am hanging out while a few sunburned boys take a cat nap.
My Saturday afternoons usually consist of smelly boys and swear words. But if you stick around long enough to get past the gag reflex you'll learn two important things:
First, you'll learn how to play poker.
Second, you will learn how to love.
If it is a commandment to "love your neighbor," then shouldn't that be a choice? When I began working here I wondered how I would ever love these boys. To me, they were spoiled kids that liked drugs. I quickly realized how wrong I was.
I have learned so much in the time I've worked here. These boys come in without faith in themselves and leave a new person, literally. They even look different. Yeah, they get a haircut and shave the one hair on their chinny chin chin, but their whole countenance is brighter.
It is life changing for them to be here and it is because of love. They learn how to love and I learn how to love. We learn from each other. Miracle...
Making the conscious decision to love someone, no matter what they have done in their past or even what they do or say to you, is a miracle.
Try it.
I'm at work!
No, Dad, I'm not one of those employees. You've taught me well. It just so happens that all the boys at Telos are spending time with their families today, so I am hanging out while a few sunburned boys take a cat nap.
My Saturday afternoons usually consist of smelly boys and swear words. But if you stick around long enough to get past the gag reflex you'll learn two important things:
First, you'll learn how to play poker.
Second, you will learn how to love.
If it is a commandment to "love your neighbor," then shouldn't that be a choice? When I began working here I wondered how I would ever love these boys. To me, they were spoiled kids that liked drugs. I quickly realized how wrong I was.
I have learned so much in the time I've worked here. These boys come in without faith in themselves and leave a new person, literally. They even look different. Yeah, they get a haircut and shave the one hair on their chinny chin chin, but their whole countenance is brighter.
It is life changing for them to be here and it is because of love. They learn how to love and I learn how to love. We learn from each other. Miracle...
...kind of like the human heart.
Making the conscious decision to love someone, no matter what they have done in their past or even what they do or say to you, is a miracle.
Try it.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
For Gates
Imagine an all around great person. Smart, athletic, strong testimony, good family...etc.
Maybe you don't have to imagine, but maybe you do have to imagine the surreal feeling you would get if something horrible happened to them.
Today, I found out that Gates Hunsaker, a freshman swimmer when I was a senior, had a terrible snowboarding accident the day he was supposed to be set apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To read about Gates' story, click here.
There is a benefit concert for Gates at the South Davies Rec Center Saturday, April 23rd at 3 o'clock.
For more info on the concert, go here.
Gates, our prayers are with you and your family!
Maybe you don't have to imagine, but maybe you do have to imagine the surreal feeling you would get if something horrible happened to them.
Today, I found out that Gates Hunsaker, a freshman swimmer when I was a senior, had a terrible snowboarding accident the day he was supposed to be set apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To read about Gates' story, click here.
There is a benefit concert for Gates at the South Davies Rec Center Saturday, April 23rd at 3 o'clock.
For more info on the concert, go here.
Gates, our prayers are with you and your family!
Friday, April 8, 2011
I gagged while walking to school.
The smell of rain is probably the best smell in the world.
The smell of worms is probably the worst smell in the world.
(That may be a stretch, but when you are expecting the rain smell and you take a deep breath of worm smell, it's like putting salt on your cherrios when you think it's the sugar.)
However, I only had to put up with a few short minutes of people staring as a gagged because I was actually running...from teacher parking south of campus. Today, my ENG 312 group paper was due, sixteen glorious pages of pure persuasiveness, and I was late to school (because I was finishing the paper, of course.)
So I drove.
I parked and ran up that south hill of campus (gagging all the way) to the SWKT, where I printed my paper and sprinted to class.
Getting to class nearly on time was great,
Turning in the blasted paper was amazing!
Leaving class and walking back to my car gagging all the way was liberating!
But...
finding my car Ticket-FREE was miraculous!
It made all those yucky worms bearable.
The smell of worms is probably the worst smell in the world.
(That may be a stretch, but when you are expecting the rain smell and you take a deep breath of worm smell, it's like putting salt on your cherrios when you think it's the sugar.)
However, I only had to put up with a few short minutes of people staring as a gagged because I was actually running...from teacher parking south of campus. Today, my ENG 312 group paper was due, sixteen glorious pages of pure persuasiveness, and I was late to school (because I was finishing the paper, of course.)
So I drove.
I parked and ran up that south hill of campus (gagging all the way) to the SWKT, where I printed my paper and sprinted to class.
Getting to class nearly on time was great,
Turning in the blasted paper was amazing!
Leaving class and walking back to my car gagging all the way was liberating!
But...
finding my car Ticket-FREE was miraculous!
It made all those yucky worms bearable.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Best Day Ever!
Yesterday I was on campus (as usual) and I was walking to my business class in the Tanner Building (as usual). But the class I usually have before my business class was canceled. Therefore, I came from a different direction because I had been studying in the Library (as USUAL).
And then it happened.
While making my way through the sea of students, I walked right into the arms of Robert Bennion.
Best Day Ever!
I don't think I have run into him between classes since our freshman year before his mission. Oh, the little things.
(I was still ecstatic to see him after he pointed out a booger in my nose. That's Love.)
p.s. Robert Bennion is my fiance. Best day ever, indeed.
And then it happened.
While making my way through the sea of students, I walked right into the arms of Robert Bennion.
Best Day Ever!
I don't think I have run into him between classes since our freshman year before his mission. Oh, the little things.
(I was still ecstatic to see him after he pointed out a booger in my nose. That's Love.)
p.s. Robert Bennion is my fiance. Best day ever, indeed.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
I'm back...6 months ago.
Ok.
Blog fail.
I didn't have the time to keep Blog updated in New Zealand because, well, I was busy having fun.
Then once I got home I was overwhelmed with trying to sum up my trip.
Now I'm in school and busy busy busy. But Blog has been pushing its way from the back of my mind to the front.
I can get rid of that with a frontal lobotomy, or I can just slowly get back into blogging.
It's still up in the air.
Blog fail.
I didn't have the time to keep Blog updated in New Zealand because, well, I was busy having fun.
Then once I got home I was overwhelmed with trying to sum up my trip.
Now I'm in school and busy busy busy. But Blog has been pushing its way from the back of my mind to the front.
I can get rid of that with a frontal lobotomy, or I can just slowly get back into blogging.
It's still up in the air.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
DAY 21 - DAY 29
DAY 21: February 3, 2010 Wednesday
Today Group B went to the local pool with our kayaks! We practiced saving people who were rolled over in their kayaks as well as getting rescued. It was harder than I expected. Good thing I'm really great at holding my breath :) It made me excited to get out there in a real river. Afterwards, Alex and I were really tired so we napped. I ate dinner and did NOT shower before class ha. This Wednesday night class (History of the Church in NZ) is going to be taught by Sister Jenni Ngnahooro and she seems like a really interesting person. She complemented my pounamou, my greenstone.
DAY 22: February 4, 2010 Thursday
Sitting in another class. 8:00 a.m. Didn't pay attention at all really, but got lost in thinking about my weaknesses and how I can use my time here to work on making them strengths.
Went and looked around for service hours, bought some amazing earrings, then napped at Queen's Park. Later, we went with James and Isaac to Jame's parents and picked raspberries and tomatoes. Isaac was eating this thing that was like a GIANT pea pod and I asked him what it was. He said, "I don't know what it is but it's ripe and yummy!" Then he popped it into his front-toothless mouth and smiled :)
DAY 23: February 5, 2010 Friday
Oh my goodness. I went to the Velodrome today! It. Was. Awesome! The lady said I had talent! It was pretty hard to do and my legs were shot at the end of it. When we were done we ate our packed lunches then went to SIT. We went to a flax weaving exhibition and talked to this Maori guy for a while. Then we bought a hairdryer and straightener at this store called Farmers, and I went back to campus. I was going to read but I ended up talking to Eric on facebook for a long time instead, but it was much more worth my time than my homework. Then I rode my bike forever to get to the church and played volleyball. Fun day!
DAY 24: February 6, 2010 Saturday
Today was Waitangi Treaty day. It's kind of like the 4th of July but not quite, because the treaty was written by white people and the Maoris signed it not knowing exactly what the treaty entailed. Things are better now but it was kind of controversial. Anyway, there was a sunrise ritual at 6 a.m. that we went to. If you've seen Whale Rider, the part where the have a Mitai, or that thing where the woman sings out to the man/group of visitors. A woman (hostess) was singing out to us (visitors) and we walked slowly into some seats that were facing two rows of other seats, filled with the hosts (men only). Then each man on our side would get up and introduce his group to the chief, to the men we were facing. In the BOM where people always say I'm so-and-so, and my fathers were blah blah and so on, in Maori culture you tell what waka (boat) you came to the island on. Luckily, there was a man who could speak some Maori and knew how the ritual worked that spoke for all the SIT students. Then the corresponding women of the man introducing (the women sat behind the men) would stand and sing a song. It was all really cool. The food afterwards was nasty though. It was this fermented corn stuff that smelled like a mix between really bad morning breath and straight up vomit. Blah.
Alex and I went home and back to bed for a while. We headed to Queen's where the Buskers festival was going on haha. We'll never get away from that festival. We headed to this DELICIOUS icecream place and then to Tressa & Rachel's. Then to the park for frisbee and a movie. Got home at 1 a.m. Good day.
DAY 25: February 7, 2010 Sunday
James and Anna gave us a ride to church again today! Most wonderful thing EVER! It was raining hard today. Fast meeting was good. The hymns stand out to me lately, and the lyrics just speak to me. I love the hymns.
Alex and I went home, packed for tomorrows three day kayaking/camping trip, ate Anna's delicious food and biscuits. Then Alex grabbed her Zentai suit and we headed to Queen's Park again. The festival had ended and there wasn't really anyone there but the few encounters she did have were so funny! While she was doing that, Rachel, Tressa, and I taught some Shakespeare festival actors a cheer to do. It was two old guys and a young really good looking guy with pom poms :) "Prince William, Prince Henry, their parents got divorced. Charles married Kamilla but she looks like a horse!" Came home and raided the kitchen, oops. Cheese and apricot jam. Get this, the flavor of the cheese was "Tasty." It was called "Tasty Cheese."
DAY 26: February 8, 2010 Monday
Got up, headed to SIT, drove to Borland with the group for our Kayaking trip. Took the entire drive to think about starting my own Swim and Tennis club someday. We'll see. Arrived, set up camp, split into Group A and B. A went Kayaking and B went for a walk. It was actually super amazing. We headed into an enchanted forest. It was like Fanghorn, seriously. Thick, green, squishy. The forest floor was dry but it was spongy and bouncy. Trippiest place I've ever been in. After that, we went to the pond to practice kayaking. Came back, ate, sat around, frisbee. Then a de-breifing with Toni, Dave, and John (instructors.) Then a few of us headed into Fanghorn in the dead of night. We walked around and tried playing tricks on each other. It was PITCH black and pretty creepy. But we found a clearing near the river and looked at the stars for a while. They were so bright and clear. It was amazing.
DAY 27: February 9, 2010 Tuesday
Oh. My. Goodness. I woke up this morning with NO LEGS! The bugs ate them. HUGE bites all up my left leg and bites all around the pant leg line of my right. GAHHH! These sand flies are awful. Anyway, headed to the river and found out that kayaking rapids was much harder then I anticipated. You think, "bah, kayaking is easy," but it was a constant struggle. Despite the frustration, the river was beautiful and I can see why people love it. I just need LOTS of practice. I flipped over twice but I never bailed! I held my breath for EVER and John rescued me. Yessss!
Thought a lot today about my personality. I decided I'm not an extremely fun creative person. That's alright. I also decided I wasn't a malicious person. Thought a lot about small choices leading to bigger choices, either good or bad. Lot's of time to think about what ever I want these days. It's great.
DAY 28: February 10, 2010 Wednesday
Woke up to a big *SMACK by Julianne. "There was a bug!" Yeah right ;)
Ate, packed up everything and took off for the river. It was cold and cloudy and no one really wanted to get in. But slowly, many people got in the kayaks and just worked around this little eddie we were at. I didn't get in the kayaks but I DID jump off a cliff. However, I only did it once because it hurt my ear really bad. Shivered, changed, ate, de-briefed, drove home, got ice cream on the way, ate Anna's delicious taco salad type thing, showered, went to class, went to a friends' for toast, went home. Fun filled day number 28.
DAY 29: February 11, 2010 Thursday
SFL 100 is a love/hate relationship. I want to spit when I'm in there but then, I WANT to believe the teachings. I hate the teachings and the way the class is laid out...etc. but I'm TRYING to soften my heart. I don't want to be a hard-A with a closed mind and heart. The Lord is helping me through this class and I'm so thankful. I want to be teachable.
I went to the old folks home to do some service. We just organized a huge nasty closet and I loved it :) We got ice cream on the way home and the same place I got some the other day. HUGE scoops dipped in chocolate for only $2.50. Went home, relaxed, went to Queen's, had a sleepover at our place, downed two bags of chips, two bags of popcorn, a 2 litre coke, and two slabs of chocolate. So fun
Today Group B went to the local pool with our kayaks! We practiced saving people who were rolled over in their kayaks as well as getting rescued. It was harder than I expected. Good thing I'm really great at holding my breath :) It made me excited to get out there in a real river. Afterwards, Alex and I were really tired so we napped. I ate dinner and did NOT shower before class ha. This Wednesday night class (History of the Church in NZ) is going to be taught by Sister Jenni Ngnahooro and she seems like a really interesting person. She complemented my pounamou, my greenstone.
DAY 22: February 4, 2010 Thursday
Sitting in another class. 8:00 a.m. Didn't pay attention at all really, but got lost in thinking about my weaknesses and how I can use my time here to work on making them strengths.
Went and looked around for service hours, bought some amazing earrings, then napped at Queen's Park. Later, we went with James and Isaac to Jame's parents and picked raspberries and tomatoes. Isaac was eating this thing that was like a GIANT pea pod and I asked him what it was. He said, "I don't know what it is but it's ripe and yummy!" Then he popped it into his front-toothless mouth and smiled :)
DAY 23: February 5, 2010 Friday
Oh my goodness. I went to the Velodrome today! It. Was. Awesome! The lady said I had talent! It was pretty hard to do and my legs were shot at the end of it. When we were done we ate our packed lunches then went to SIT. We went to a flax weaving exhibition and talked to this Maori guy for a while. Then we bought a hairdryer and straightener at this store called Farmers, and I went back to campus. I was going to read but I ended up talking to Eric on facebook for a long time instead, but it was much more worth my time than my homework. Then I rode my bike forever to get to the church and played volleyball. Fun day!
DAY 24: February 6, 2010 Saturday
Today was Waitangi Treaty day. It's kind of like the 4th of July but not quite, because the treaty was written by white people and the Maoris signed it not knowing exactly what the treaty entailed. Things are better now but it was kind of controversial. Anyway, there was a sunrise ritual at 6 a.m. that we went to. If you've seen Whale Rider, the part where the have a Mitai, or that thing where the woman sings out to the man/group of visitors. A woman (hostess) was singing out to us (visitors) and we walked slowly into some seats that were facing two rows of other seats, filled with the hosts (men only). Then each man on our side would get up and introduce his group to the chief, to the men we were facing. In the BOM where people always say I'm so-and-so, and my fathers were blah blah and so on, in Maori culture you tell what waka (boat) you came to the island on. Luckily, there was a man who could speak some Maori and knew how the ritual worked that spoke for all the SIT students. Then the corresponding women of the man introducing (the women sat behind the men) would stand and sing a song. It was all really cool. The food afterwards was nasty though. It was this fermented corn stuff that smelled like a mix between really bad morning breath and straight up vomit. Blah.
Alex and I went home and back to bed for a while. We headed to Queen's where the Buskers festival was going on haha. We'll never get away from that festival. We headed to this DELICIOUS icecream place and then to Tressa & Rachel's. Then to the park for frisbee and a movie. Got home at 1 a.m. Good day.
DAY 25: February 7, 2010 Sunday
James and Anna gave us a ride to church again today! Most wonderful thing EVER! It was raining hard today. Fast meeting was good. The hymns stand out to me lately, and the lyrics just speak to me. I love the hymns.
Alex and I went home, packed for tomorrows three day kayaking/camping trip, ate Anna's delicious food and biscuits. Then Alex grabbed her Zentai suit and we headed to Queen's Park again. The festival had ended and there wasn't really anyone there but the few encounters she did have were so funny! While she was doing that, Rachel, Tressa, and I taught some Shakespeare festival actors a cheer to do. It was two old guys and a young really good looking guy with pom poms :) "Prince William, Prince Henry, their parents got divorced. Charles married Kamilla but she looks like a horse!" Came home and raided the kitchen, oops. Cheese and apricot jam. Get this, the flavor of the cheese was "Tasty." It was called "Tasty Cheese."
DAY 26: February 8, 2010 Monday
Got up, headed to SIT, drove to Borland with the group for our Kayaking trip. Took the entire drive to think about starting my own Swim and Tennis club someday. We'll see. Arrived, set up camp, split into Group A and B. A went Kayaking and B went for a walk. It was actually super amazing. We headed into an enchanted forest. It was like Fanghorn, seriously. Thick, green, squishy. The forest floor was dry but it was spongy and bouncy. Trippiest place I've ever been in. After that, we went to the pond to practice kayaking. Came back, ate, sat around, frisbee. Then a de-breifing with Toni, Dave, and John (instructors.) Then a few of us headed into Fanghorn in the dead of night. We walked around and tried playing tricks on each other. It was PITCH black and pretty creepy. But we found a clearing near the river and looked at the stars for a while. They were so bright and clear. It was amazing.
DAY 27: February 9, 2010 Tuesday
Oh. My. Goodness. I woke up this morning with NO LEGS! The bugs ate them. HUGE bites all up my left leg and bites all around the pant leg line of my right. GAHHH! These sand flies are awful. Anyway, headed to the river and found out that kayaking rapids was much harder then I anticipated. You think, "bah, kayaking is easy," but it was a constant struggle. Despite the frustration, the river was beautiful and I can see why people love it. I just need LOTS of practice. I flipped over twice but I never bailed! I held my breath for EVER and John rescued me. Yessss!
Thought a lot today about my personality. I decided I'm not an extremely fun creative person. That's alright. I also decided I wasn't a malicious person. Thought a lot about small choices leading to bigger choices, either good or bad. Lot's of time to think about what ever I want these days. It's great.
DAY 28: February 10, 2010 Wednesday
Woke up to a big *SMACK by Julianne. "There was a bug!" Yeah right ;)
Ate, packed up everything and took off for the river. It was cold and cloudy and no one really wanted to get in. But slowly, many people got in the kayaks and just worked around this little eddie we were at. I didn't get in the kayaks but I DID jump off a cliff. However, I only did it once because it hurt my ear really bad. Shivered, changed, ate, de-briefed, drove home, got ice cream on the way, ate Anna's delicious taco salad type thing, showered, went to class, went to a friends' for toast, went home. Fun filled day number 28.
DAY 29: February 11, 2010 Thursday
SFL 100 is a love/hate relationship. I want to spit when I'm in there but then, I WANT to believe the teachings. I hate the teachings and the way the class is laid out...etc. but I'm TRYING to soften my heart. I don't want to be a hard-A with a closed mind and heart. The Lord is helping me through this class and I'm so thankful. I want to be teachable.
I went to the old folks home to do some service. We just organized a huge nasty closet and I loved it :) We got ice cream on the way home and the same place I got some the other day. HUGE scoops dipped in chocolate for only $2.50. Went home, relaxed, went to Queen's, had a sleepover at our place, downed two bags of chips, two bags of popcorn, a 2 litre coke, and two slabs of chocolate. So fun
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