Grandpa's funeral and TNM !reunion

3/31/12
Wow, what a weekend already!

4/22/12
So now, a few weeks later, I am finishing this post real quick.
Grandpa Gurr passed away on March 26, 2012, after complications from surgery after getting hit by a car on the way to get the mail a week or so earlier. I honestly wasn't too sad about it, I think because we didn't get to see him and Grandma Gurr a ton growing up. I was more sad for my dad and Grandma Gurr, and the rest of Dad's siblings.
But the funeral was so nice. It was on the Friday before General Conference, and we all went. Even Peter and Sally and her kids flew in. I rode down with Mom and Dad and Peter (they picked me up in Provo) Thurs. afternoon for the viewing that night, and the Kerrs and Merkleys, with Sally and gang, came down the next morning for the funeral. The viewing was great in that we got to talk to and catch up with a bunch of cousins that we haven't seen in a while, like Mack, and Aubrey and her husband (they just got sealed last week!), Tate (and Ty). It was also great to see all of Tom and Cheryl's family (minus Larissa and family and Ryan, who is on a mission).
Mom, Dad, Peter and I stayed at a motel Thursday night, and we basically just got there and went to bed. Peter and I shared a bed. I didn't sleep super soundly the whole night because I think I was so worried about disturbing him. Ha. I don't think he slept super soundly either. Funny though, I can see that I am more of a sensitive sleeper at times like that, as I get older. I still can sleep like a rock, though, including snoozing my alarm for an hour-plus some days. Easy.
Anyway, the funeral was really great. I cried only at the viewing the morning of, when everyone was so emotional and it was time to close the casket, and when the family prayer was offered. But it was so great to be with so much family, not only to have our whole family there together (minus a couple spouses and kids), but to also see and be with extended family too. I really enjoyed it. And the funeral was a nice service. Went on for about 2 hours, but it was nice. The kids kept us entertained, as we tried to keep them entertained. I had Celeb or Ella on my lap part of the time, which was fun. I love those kids so much.
Then we had the big lunch after, which was delicious. Then we took a family photo, and our car headed out so that Peter could catch his flight and I could get to my mission reunion.
As soon as I got home, I changed, freshened up real quick, looked up the directions (which turned out to be wrong, or incomplete, I realized while trying to find it), and headed to my reunion in Lehi.
My reunion was so so great. I was about an hour and 45 min. late, but I got to see a bunch of mission friends and catch up, such as Sister Bird, Brett Cardon, Elder Mix! (love him!!), Bryant Pearson (still have a little crush on him..), the Gilgens, Sister Thacker, Cordon, and Dickson of course. And best of all (the main reasons I wanted to go) was President and Bishop Day! The Days were in town visiting for Conference weekend, and staying with the Hutchings, and it was SO good to see them! Oh my goodness, I am so bad and hadn't talked to Bishop Day since I left, 2 1/2 years ago, and it was amazing to see him. We gave each other a huge hug, and chatted, he and Sister Day and I. Then later I talked to President for a while, which was great too.
One thing that was a great blessing about going to my reunion was talking to some of the missionaries in Salt Lake, specifically Bryant, and Elder...(can't remember), who he lives with right now. I felt like Heavenly Father blessed me with moments within these conversations that helped me to see that I was going to be okay, socially, in Salt Lake. That was definitely a tender mercy for me.
The Days had to leave before I got to talk to them that much, because Sister Day wasn't feeling well (apparently had contracted Salmonella!), so I they told me to come over to the Hutchings that weekend, which I ended up doing on Monday morning, on my way back to Provo from being home for Conference. I joined the four of them for breakfast Monday morning, which, as I mentioned in another post later, was so so great. I absolutely love being with the Hutchings and Days. I feel SO loved, it's hard to describe. They all knew me during the most amazing time of my life, and were involved in some of the most sacred experiences of my life. They knew me as a missionary, which is so special to me. And they all think very highly of me, which means everything to me. There just aren't words to describe what they mean to me (the Hutchings and the Days). Definitely a highlight in my life to see and be with them.
And I'm so excited for the Days to be mission presidents, Bishop Day will be phenomenal.

I'm going to the U

So I'm feeling better about the U. After I had a melt down and very emotional evening, as I told and talked to Mom about it, and then later Peter (it was his birthday, which Mom thankfully reminded me of..), sleeping on it helped, and though I still wasn't excited by any means, I felt better the next day, and feel a little better about it each day.
The hardest thing has just been that it's so soon (month and a half away) and will be such a big change for me (moving from Provo, and leaving everything I love and am comfortable with behind), and when I didn't know if nursing is really what I want to do.
But Mom had some good points: that I got into a prestigious program, so I should do it. That since it's only a year and a half, if I really don't want to be a nurse afterwards, at least I have a nursing degree, and I could do something else if I really wanted.
Then I talked to Peter, which was really nice, and I broke down all over again, but he has been in a similar situations, specifically recently when he just got into Tucson, where they are moving for his pediatric dentistry program, and that was not his first choice (Houston was), he was kind of bummed at first too. But it was really good to talk to him, he helped me feel better about it. And he said something that was an especially good point, he told me that unless I feel really wrong about it, I should do it.
So I'm going to accept the U's offer, and go forward. It will be hard, hard to leave Provo, my ward, my friends, my job, but when you're most comfortable is when change comes, and needs to come, I suppose, to grow. So no matter what or when, it's going to be hard. But I know that everything will be okay. And I think the hardest it is to leave and enter the next phase in life, the better it will turn out to be, eventually anyway. At least that's how it was when I left on my mission: so so hard, but then of course, I loved my mission more than I can ever describe in words. And not at first, but in the end it was so worth it.

Acceptance to U Nursing

I just now found out I have been accepted to the U of U nursing program. I know I should be way more excited than I feel, and I am happy and feel honored to be accepted. But I just don't know if that's really what I want to do. Especially lately, I have been thinking I don't really want to be a nurse, that I'd rather do something more, like PA (although thinking of doing the rotations/residency terrifies me, practically into not wanting to do PA), or even becoming an EMT or radiology tech (something I've always thought looks fun). I don't know!!! This is one of the most stressful things I've ever had to try to decide: what to do with my life. What career to choose.
I feel overwhelmed, stressed, ready to cry, not sure what to do. Aaa....!

My First Caucus

Last Thursday I did a new thing. I went to a political caucus! It was actually a great experience, I felt like such an active citizen! I debated quite heavily (?) on whether or not to go, because Institute was the same night, and even though the First Presidency sent out a letter to Utah wards saying that we were encouraged to attend our caucuses, and that all church meetings and activities should be cancelled that night so that members can go to their caucus, our Institute wasn't cancelled. And I really wanted to go because I was hoping to see this guy, Nick Purse, there, who I've been really wanting to get to know and have the chance to talk to him, and I was hoping this was the week, because I chickened out last week. Well, I ended up going to the caucus, obviously, and convinced Allison Brown to go with me. Natalie Hodges came too, and then it was actually just Natalie and I because Allison's friend was back and they had a meeting planned.

Anyway, we went, and I was very glad I went, for multiple reasons. Since I wasn't going to Institute and wouldn't get to see this Nick Purse, part of me hoped that maybe he would be at the caucus. He wasn't. BUT, remember Rob, that guy from last summer, that I actually prayed to get the chance to get to know better, and then I got the chance, and we did a few things together, and then it ended weird and he turned out to be different than I thought he was, and it was weird and kind of awkward at the end, and it just kind of fizzled out and died? Well, he was there. And at first I was kind of shocked to see him, and we said hi in passing, and he touched my arm with his in salutation as he passed.

Then Natalie and I (and Christian Curriden, in our ward, was with us by this time too, as well as Jason Damm, Ryan Faber) ended up sort of near and behind Rob as everyone in the precinct gathered to listen and start the voting process. I kept looking over at him, thinking he was still very attractive. Manly, built, a good size. Just wearing shorts and a t-shirt, which I love. Anyway, after we voted the first time, he saw me and said hi again, and came over to where we had been standing, so when I came back to my spot after putting my vote in, he was there. So we just hung out the rest of the time, chatted, caught up. And it was actually really really fun to be with him! It wasn't weird or awkward, we joked, we flirted, it was great! We were both wearing our chacos, which was funny. And which he noticed (mine) and commented on. Ha.

I've been wanting to see him again, to do something with him. I just got tickets to the BYU Ballroom Showcase, and I think I'll invite him, if I don't have a better option by then, but it's in three, well, two-and a half weeks now. Seems so far away! But I guess I'll just stick with that plan, unless I have something else to invite him to sooner.

Last weekend, and this one, Alex Foy, and Andrew Ray

This was a good weekend, not quite as fun as last, but good.

Last weekend was awesome! So fun and so great! Friday, immediately after work, a bunch of us met up at Red Robin for Alex Foy's birthday, which was a lot of fun. Trent texted me earlier that day to tell me about it, and thankfully I was able to leave work a little early to go. And just before I left work he told me to try to get other girls to come...a little short notice, ha! But also thankfully, my Brown girls (Amy and Allison) could come, which of course made it even more fun! So I ran home, grabbed them, and we headed to Red Robin. At dinner was also Alex, of course, Trent, Joel, Nate (Fairborn), and Trent's friend. Alex sat at the head of the table and I sat next to him, and we had a great chat about the oil industry. I had questions, and he knows a lot about it, so that was actually really enjoyable. And boys that are smart about things like that are quite attractive when they talk about it.

So dinner was really fun, then Amy and Allison were going to go to the temple, so I decided to go with them, and Alex came with us. Alex and I went and did sealings while Amy and Allison did baptisms. It was really great, Alex had never done sealings, so that was neat for him, and it was fun to do them with a good friend.

Then after that we all went to our separate apts and changed, and then met at 2 (the Browns') to watch a movie. We watched "Fly Boys," which I really liked. Alex and I sat on a couch, and though I'm not in love with him, we are good friends, and have been for a while, and I really wanted to cuddle, or at least sit close or something, because it would have been so comfortable and not a big deal. We have sat next to each other at least a couple other times watching movies, in the past, and we always end up sitting close, sharing a blanket. But he didn't seem as apt to do so this time. But it was fine, I'm not in love with him, so I didn't feel rejected or anything. 

The next day, last Saturday, was stake conference, which was so good. A bunch of us in the ward met up to carpool over there (to the church by Costco, is where the adult Sat. session was), and the session was really good, mostly on marriage, but such great talks. One of the stake couples (in the presidency) spoke together, at the pulpit, about marriage, and it was so great! It was just like talking to them, they told tons of stories from when they met to now, and things they have been through together, trials and things, and they have such a great marriage. They were to funny together. It totally made me want to be married (not that I already didn't)!

After stake conference, a few of us were standing around together after (namely, Alex, Andrew Klemme, and others...haha, I only remember those specific guys, ha. I've had a crush on Andrew before, but he and Joylyn are kind of starting to date, which I'm so excited for! But I still love being around him.), and Alex asked what I was doing tonight, and I said I didn't have any plans, but that I felt like we couldn't hang out, because they had just re-emphasized the 'no more hanging out, and start dating more' concept that Elder Oaks gave a talk about a few years ago. But of course we were going to do something. 

So we all headed home, and Andrew came with me, which was fun to chat with him, without any question of what's between us anymore, in fact we talked a lot about he and  Joylyn's date the previous night. 

After I got home, I texted Alex as I was throwing some stuff together for dinner, and said, "So what's the plan, Stan?" And he was like, "You want to come grab a bite to eat with me and the guys, my treat. For you, not the guys.:)" And I was like "Haha, sure!" So he came and got me, and it was the two of us, and then Nate and Austin in the back seat. Ha, I thought this will be interesting. I don't mind being around Nate, of course, but I've never liked being around Austin. Thankfully, it actually wasn't bad, even fun. I just don't like being around him normally because he acts much different around his friends.

So we went down to Center St., parked, and walked up and down it, trying to decide where to eat. We ended up eating at this El Salvadorian place, which I think was called "El Salvador." It was good, mostly. The papusas (?) were delicious, the tamales that I got were less delicious. They were different than Mexican tamales, it seemed. And what was called a horchata, was much different than a Mexican horchata. A very unique flavor, I didn't finish it. Even with the others tasting it too. But it was fun to try something new! 

Then we went back home, and later a bunch of people went to a movie at the dollar, "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close." It's the one about the little boy and how he copes, basically after his dad is killed in 9/11. It was sad, but a very good movie, I thought. I sat between Alex and Joel, but nothing super exciting happened between anybody.

Then that night I slept at Amy and Allison's, which was so fun! We stayed up way too late chatting, but it was so fun. The next morning we went to stake conference again, had Alex save us seats (they had to be there early for PH meeting), so us three girls got there right before it began and sat by him. It was a great conference again. Slightly harder to pay attention to than the night before's. The most entertaining thing about it was watching some girl give Bryan Ray a back rub for a ridiculously long amount of time, a few rows in front of us. He is so funny, always wants the girl next to him to give him a back rub. I've sat next to him twice in Sac. Mtg, and both times he's asked me to. And both times I've laughed and said no. He's so funny, I love the kid. And his twin brother, Andrew, who I've just recently been getting to know better (specifically today), and who I think I have a little crush on. They are 23, Andrew just told me today, which I was glad to hear, I thought they were only 22. He came in before RS started, as I was setting up, and was chatting and flirting with me, of course (those Ray boys are sure flirts!:) and I was like, "Why don't we hang out more?" He is a fun guy, and a little more mature than Bryan, I would say. A little more grounded and serious. Tonight at ward prayer, as it was starting, he came over to me (we were on the BDA balconies tonight, because the weather was so nice today!) and I was cold. He came to give me a side hug, and I was like, "make me warm, I'm cold!" I would not usually be so bold like that. But I really did want someone to make me warm, and I figured he would. :) Plus these boys are kind of like my little brothers, they're younger than me, so I feel like it's all in good fun. 

But he did, he sure did. He scooted around to get behind me, and as I was holding onto my scriptures against my chest, he literally wrapped his arms around the front of me. I was very much warmer, and I'll be honest, I was LOVING being held. Man, it felt so good. I didn't want it to stop. He let go for a second at one point, I forget why, but then he resumed position for another minute. When he let go he was like, "did that help?" And I was like, "Yeah, it actually really did." Then he was like, "K, my turn." And I was dumb and was like, "I can't, then I will be cold again," or something really dumb like that. Then I felt bad because I felt like I had shafted him, after he had just made me warm. Rude of me, really. So after ward prayer I wrote him a nice note apologizing, and telling him he's a stud, in hopes to rectify that thoughtless moment I had. 

I would actually totally consider dating him, if he tried. He's a pretty great guy, I've been pretty impressed by him at different times. 

Anyway, back to last weekend. So after stake conference, some of us girls got together and put a dinner together. It was Amy and Allison, then the girls next door in 3: Joylyn, Jenny, and Jessica Simpson; Haylie Ferguson, and myself. We did taco salad. Then cookies and ice cream after. Everyone contributed something, and it was all so good! And so so much fun! Later in the week they invited Amy, Allison, and I to join their Tuesday nights dinner group, which I think we are, which should be a blast. I love all those girls.

Then we had a presidency meeting, which was fun, as always, but ended up lasting like 2 hours, which was a little too long. But it was still good. Then Amy, Natalie, and I went around visiting girls, specifically ones who were not in RS that day, and Natalie brought her ucalele (?) and we sang to some of them. Ha, it was fun.

That night ward prayer was of course so much fun, staying late, as always, writing lots of nice notes, there with Alex, Nate, Amy, and others. ....I now feel like I've already written about this night. Oh, yeah, I did, when I wrote all about Nate last week, ha.

Anyway, okay, that's about it for last weekend, included many more details than I planned, but what's new.

This weekend was pretty good too, less eventful. Stayed at home and mostly just read Hunger Games on Friday night, then Saturday we had the stake RS birthday party thing, with Janice Kapp Perry and Costa Vida catered lunch after, which was all really great. Then I headed up to Draper and met up with Mom, Camille, and Rosanna, for a little girls day out. We went to Color Me Mine, which was my second time there, and it was fun. Then Camille and I went shopping for just a bit at Ross down the parking lot, and then I went over to their house and ate dinner with them and played with the boys for a little bit before (well, mostly with Owen, the other two I just watched Tom and Jerry with, they are all adorable), and then I headed back down to Provo. Alex and Joely came over, brought me the second Hunger Games book, and hung out for a bit. Joel ended up leaving and Alex stayed and we watched some things on youTube, and then we played Othello together. It was actually really fun. My roommates Jessica, and then Chelsey came home while we were playing, and stuck around in the room for a while watching us play, fascinated by this new game they'd never seen, and chatted with us. I can't ever get them to talk to me that way, but if I ever have anyone over with me, they'll talk and chat with them.

That was the best part of the night, playing Othello. Later Alex and I, and Chelsy went over to go watch 'fight night,' where Joel and Dallas were going to fight, this thing they like to do weekly. They didn't end up doing it, so we just went over to the guys' apt., Capri 4, and made orange julius's and just chatted for a bit. Chelsey was there, and I'll be honest, I don't love hanging out with her. She's not super mature, in her comments and things. 

We left because it was technically getting late, due to daylight savings being last night. And I just wanted to kind of end the night. It wasn't the most eventful. So we went home. 

Today church was great though, I love Sundays. They are my most social day of the week, due to my calling, and meetings, and ward prayer, etc. And today was no exception. The weather was so beautiful, a bunch of us hung out outside on blankets on the grass for a while. Preston Jackson, Amy, Kayla Baucom, Laura, Andrew Klemme, Natalie Hodges, and others came and went. It was so nice to be outside in such nice weather!

Okay, so I'm still at 2 (the Browns' apt), which is becoming my second home, my sanctuary. I need to leave because it's now midnight, and I need to get up early. But yeah, I don't love being at home when my roommates are there so much anymore. I feel like they have something against me. Like they don't like me. So I will be here at 2 more and more, I don't doubt. I thought about sleeping here, which they totally would let me do, but I think I'll got home.

Anyway, goodnight!

I love reading Hunger Games

Today is Friday, and it's almost midnight. I got home from work just after six, totally exhausted. And it wasn't even one of my twelve-plus hour days or anything. It was kind of strange, ever since like noon or so, I just wanted to go home. I just wanted the week to be over and for it to be the weekend. I haven't felt that that strong for a while, if ever.
But it was a good day overall. I missed giving Eda a shower on the usual Wed. schedule this week (got there a little too late--she got up earlier than usual), then woke up too late yesterday to go help with her shower; and today, I was even a little earlier than she usually wakes up, and I thought I would have ample time to help her shower. But I got to her door at about 8:43 am or so, and I could hear her inside already, near the door, and I thought, "you're kidding." I unlocked and opened the door, and there she was, all ready for the day! I couldn't believe it!
So I didn't help her shower this week, and I considered going back tonight to help her shower before bed, but I just now realized I totally spaced doing that. I'll probably just go Monday morning. I'm taking Margaret Reedy shopping to RC Willey at 9 am on Monday anyway, so it will work out great to get there just a little earlier and shower Eda.
But this morning, I got up too late to get fully ready before going to shower Eda, so I just went, without a lot of makeup, hair greasy (I thought I could pull off one more day without washing it in the shower--nope.), and then after I didn't give her a shower, I went home, washed my hair in the kitchen sink, ate breakfast, and finished getting ready for the day, and then got to work by about 10:45 am or so.
Work was a little slower today, had more dead time of a few minutes here and there with nothing to do, than I have lately, and I don't like that. Because I'm there, but not getting paid. So by the end of the day, I figured that  those minutes of dead time, combined with my lunch break (of about 15 min or so) came out to just over an hour of dead time today. So I really only worked about six hours. Bummer. But oh well. I worked a few long days this week, that hopefully it'll even out come pay day.
But it was a beautiful day!! This winter has been so strange, the dryest one Utah has seen in decades, if not ever. It's only snowed a handful of times, and it's always been just an inch or two or three or so. Never piles up in feet like it usually does. It's been weird. Nice for driving though. Bad for the snow plow companies. But the spring weather has come early too, and it's been so nice lately. Then it will be cold and snow off and on for a day or too. And then it will be back in the 50's and 60's. And tomorrow is supposed to be even nicer. Almost 60, I think. Besides the fact that we really need a ton more moisture, I would love for spring to just stay.
Best part of the day was after coming home from work, not needing to go anywhere. That was an amazing feeling. I scrounged up some dinner (leftover RiceSides, yum) in a tomato tortilla with cheese inside, then just ate the last of the rice with a fork; yogurt (I love yogurt); and chips and salsa (picante sauce, really. I recently learned that is basically the same thing as salsa.) with cream cheese. I think that was about it. Oh, and I ate three carrots. That was my vegetable I managed to get in.
But then I settled down on the couch, home alone (LOVE that), with my computer, my phone, and the ward directory and my dinner, prayed, and then sent out the mass text reminder to all the RS girls about the stake RS birthday party tomorrow. Then after that I settled in even more and read Hunger Games for the rest of the night. I love it. I'm going to go read just a little more before I go to sleep, but it has been such an amazingly relaxing night! My roommates came home around 8 and 8:30 or so, and at first I was irritated slightly, because they were in the kitchen, and I was here on the couch reading, and they were being a little noisy, and I don't overly love being around them anyway, but then they died down, and I was just lost in my book, and then Chelsey went and showered and went to her room, and Jessica and I just hung out out here--she on her computer and I in my book.
It's been so nice. And tomorrow I'm meeting Kemari (good friend from work) at the temple at 8, and then the RS thing is at 10:30, and then I'm heading up to SL to meet Rosanna, Camille, and Mom at Color Me Mine at 2 pm for a girls day (Rosanna bought the Groupon for there). I'm excited!

Poops!

Besides waking up late and missing the chance to help Eda with her shower again, today was a good day. Because I woke up late enough that there was no way I would be able to get ready and get to work before she showered, I stayed in bed and snoozed a few more dozen times (not really that many) before getting up. It felt very good.
I only did my personal assistant job today, which is always nice after working both some days. It's kind of relaxing. I really like my job, have I said that? Now that I'm a lot busier with it, and really could work it for 8 hours a day if I chose (depends on when I choose to get there sometimes), it is really great. I don't work by number of hours I have left, but I basically have certain things to get done every day, and when it's all done, and I've helped everyone I need to, I can go home. Nowadays, that usually ends up being around 5:45 or 6 pm or so, but I'm kind of my own boss, I basically do my own thing, and I really like what I do. I love being able to spend time with these people and really care for them. I love not having to worry about answering call lights and needing to get out of someone's room because someone else is calling. I love the relationships I'm able to develop with the residents I help, such as with Dean, Bob Horner, Jo Stewart, Margaret Reedy, and Ginny. I never have loved helping Ginny as a PCA, because you're usually in a hurry when she calls, and she moves slow and talks a lot and I just never loved helping her a ton. I had the wrong attitude, was really the problem. But for the past couple/few weeks she's had this bad skin reaction, so I've been helping her morning and evening (late afternoon, before I go home) with her special skin care, and I'm usually not in a huge hurry, and I don't have to worry about other people needing me while I'm with her, and it's made a huge difference. I love the woman now. And she really loves me too, she's so sweet. She has her quirks, but she is very sweet and appreciative, and funny too.
Anyway, funny thing happened today. When I was in Margaret's room, scheduling with her (times to go get her dog's shots and go to RC Willey to get a stable bedside table) and going through her mail and bills, I saw that her dog, Reese, had pooped on the carpet (which recently, her nephew, Dan, has asked me to check for that, and let me know when it happens). She was just going to clean it up later, after I left, which was fine with me, because it didn't stink, and didn't look like it was wetting into the carpet or anything. But then later, I was trying to leave, and went over to her filing drawer to quickly file some things away, and I wasn't watching where I was stepping, and I totally stepped in the poop! I smeared it a little into the carpet, and thereby created a worse mess to cleanup than it was. Ha! I felt like an idiot, because I was the one who had pointed it out to her... We got it cleaned up pretty good.

I gotta go to bed, I'm falling asleep.. but tomorrow's Friday!

My day

I'm so tired, but real quick, today was a good day. Yesterday was mostly good, I worked nearly all day, 6 am-about 6 pm, and work was good. But I found out that I didn't get into the U of A nursing program. That was a major bummer. It wasn't so much the program or what not, it was that I was going to be able to live in the same city as Peter and Lindsay, which I had so gotten my hopes up for, for at least the possibility. I cried a bunch yesterday and last night, every now and then. I felt like it was a cruel joke, and don't understand why I was let to get my hopes up about living near them, about us being in the same city, just for them to be dashed. I don't get it.

But today I have felt better, probably mostly because I worked all day, 8:50 am to 10 pm, so I didn't really have time to think about it much at all, but I do feel some better about the whole thing. I know things will work out, and that HF still has a plan for me, I just am sad about not being able to live by them. Like Mom said, it just seemed to really fit. We are all shocked that I didn't get in, for that reason (Peter just got accepted to a pediatric dental program there in Tucson, so when I got my interview for U of A there in Tucson, we all couldn't believe it, and thought that it must be meant to be, I think.)

Anyway, but work was good, and for working 13 hours, I was not nearly as tired as I should have been when I left, which was so nice (I worked as personal assistant for about 9 hours, then covered the second half of Liz's shift from 6-10 pm). My body is exhausted though, I can feel it now.

A highlight of the day...getting to sit in Marlyn Pollard's dentist office for an hour while she got worked on, and read my book (the first book of Hunger Games--so good!!). That was great. That I got paid to do that. Also, I just love Dean. I see him usually three times a day, and he is so concerned with getting me married. It's hilarious. He's always talking about it, asking things like, "So what boy were you out with last night?" or "Did you get married this weekend?" or "How are we going to find you a husband?" I love it. I keep telling him that if I ever do get married, it will be because of him. He is trying harder than anyone to make it happen. It cracks me up. Especially when he asks me what boy I was with last night, and I tell him I wasn't, that I was here, at work.

Okay, I've got to go brush my teeth, read my scriptures real quick, and go to sleep. I'm about to crash. Goodnight!

Dang Nate

So, dang it, I am a little bit crushing on Nate again. Gaah. He was really fun after ward prayer (that's why I go to ward prayer, for the "after party," as I call it. The after party is always way fun, whoever stays.) A bunch of us were writing nice notes, and then we were messing around with the new ward anonymous nice note texting system that Alex Swan created (genius). Nate and Alex stuck around til I was ready to leave (after writing my fill of nice notes..:), which I was flattered by, and we all walked out together, and talked and joked as we walked home from the Lion House. Joylyn was there at the parking lot by BDA, and we ran into her and we were all joking and laughing and cracking up, about the stars we thought were planets (Joylyn thought one was "twinkling"), and the text Nate sent me via the new ward text system, and whatever else. Then as we kept walking toward BDA Nate suddenly started playing "tag" and got me first, said, "You're it!"
So then when I got home later (from Amy and Allison's apt., where I had taken my computer over earlier to write in my journal, and where we watched Prince of Egypt--love that movie) I found all the nice notes that Nate had brought over, all but one of which were for me (made me feel so good..but it's really only cuz my roommates never go to ward stuff, so they don't know people and stuff, I think). But I read the one that I had given Nate to write to me (put my name at the top for him :), and though it had a joking tone to it, the things he said in it really meant a lot to me. I was very flattered.

On the outside he wrote "M-Cakes my love, 29" and inside he wrote "(Dearest Melissa (I wrote that:)) It's hard to find words. No literally, have you ever found words in the wild. If I had to say something about you, like if I was forced, with a gun to my head, I would probably say, 'Gee, that Melissa sure is one swell girl.' Perhaps I might actually say, 'What lovely everything Melissa has, she most certainly is among the most bombest people ion the planet, for real.' I (heart) you. (Heart)/SA (Secret Admirer)"

Coming from him, I thought it was very sweet. It's not often that he is a real sincere, complimentary person, mostly he just jokes around. The rare times I have had a real conversation with him, like the night before when I was asking him a bunch about his mission, it is very enjoyable and he is very attractive. But yeah, the note was essentially him joking around, but I feel like there is truth behind what he wrote, I mean that he actually maybe means those nice things. I sound really conceited right not, I realize. But that's not how I mean this, I was just very flattered and taken by surprise.

Anyway, that and then the text he sent me through that system..it was in French, and he translated it for me, and for others again after that, as it kept coming up, and he said that essentially it meant "I like you, really (like seriously)." I didn't know what that meant, or if there was any actual meaning behind those words, but I figured he could have said a thousand other random things, to test out the system (which he was doing), but he didn't. Again, I was flattered. Maybe for no reason, but nevertheless, I was. I wanted to text him back something witty, and it wasn't til we weren't together anymore that I thought of something. But via google translate, I texted him back (in French), "Then why don't you ask me out already?" partly just to see what he would do, to give him a little reciprocation back, if that's what he was looking for. But also to be funny. He responded that he didn't know what that meant, and I said (again in French), that's too bad. And he said, "indeed." So that was the end of that. And then I wasn't feeling it so much with him anymore. And then actually this past Monday night our group went to Brother Loveland's mom's house for home evening, and at that activity, I wasn't super impressed with Nate. So he's back off the board again, happy to report. :)

The Brown sisters

So one of the greatest blessings in my life are two amazing new friends: Amy and Allison Brown.
Amy is my first counselor, and Allison is her older sister. They live together here in BDA 2 (where I actually am right now..ha, it's basically my second home), and they are SO AWESOME. They are from SL as well, and actually went to Olympus too! Anyway, we actually share standards. Mine are high, as far as media I watch/listen to, etc., and I feel like I've finally found friends who have the same standards!! It's been SO refreshing and comforting and nice and FUN to know them and hang out with them!
I started getting to be really good friends with Amy, because she is one of my counselors, but she and Allison are so close, and I just love Allison, just as much pretty much. They are often a packaged deal, which is so much fun, they have a really good relationship, so it's just twice the fun when they are both there.
Anyway, I feel extremely blessed that they are in the ward. I honestly feel like they are here, at least partly, for my benefit. I am not loving being around my roommates so much lately, and these Brown sisters are my escape. They have been my sanctuary lately, for which I am so so grateful. I love them. We all get along so well, it's so nice and so fun!
Anyway, I can't really say enough about these girls and what a blessing they have been, and ARE, in my life right now. I am so blessed.