looking back

Two and a half years ago I sat on this bench, in the sacred grove, as a brand new missionary. It was my very first day "in the field" and my mind was a blur. I remember feeling excited and overwhelmed all at the same time. "How did I get here?" I remember asking myself. This was never the plan. As I sat on that bench contemplating the reality of the first vision, I had no idea what was in store. There was no way I could have known how Heavenly Father would transform me over the next 18 months. The crazy part was that it never felt like it was "about me"; it was always about someone else.
One year ago I sat on this bench on the LAST day of my mission. My heart had been changed. "When you give your heart to inviting others to come unto Christ your heart will change. You will be doing His work for Him...as you invite others to come unto Him you will find you have come unto Him yourself" (Pres. Eyring). Palmyra New York was where I really came to know Jesus Christ. But as I sat on that bench at the end of my mission my feelings were much the same as the first day of my mission...excited and overwhelmed by what was to come. I really had no idea how my plans would change and how I would change over the next year.
Sunday I sat on this bench, no longer a missionary, and reflected on the last two and a half years. One word came to mind, gratitude. Gratitude for what I have experienced, for who I have become, and for the opportunities that have yet to unfold. A year ago my life had a different plan; I never would have believed that I would be in Philadelphia doing a nurse practitioner program at Penn, but now I can't imagine my life any other way. But as I sat there on Sunday, much of the same feelings were there as I thought about this new path. Excited. Overwhelmed. But I guess I've learned that those two variables are the predecessors to happiness and growth. So, bench, I guess I'll see you in one year, a different and a better person.

back to my roots--palmyra

Thank you TIO!!

Who's Tio and why are we thanking him? Well you see, my roommate and I happen to be quite poor individuals. I'm in grad school accruing all sorts of debt (its an investment they tell me, sure sure) and my roommate has just started her first job as a high school science teacher...you get the picture-no money. Well I guess I should say small amounts of money. So back to Tio...you see when we moved into our apartment we decided that we didn't want to waste our time or our money getting cable (a decision I was proud to make...No, I will not get caught wasting hours at a time mindlessly watching TLC, the Food Network, or re-runs of the Office and Seinfeld). However, in not purchasing cable we inadvertently decided against internet. It was just kind of a pain to set up and of course the Comcast man was going to hassle us to buy the "package combo" with cable, internet, home phone, so we just didn't ever set it up. But lucky for us "Tio's Network" and "Scott's Netowrk" popped up and were unlocked and available for Wi-Fi usage. Great! However, in the last week or so we have noticed that Scott has caught on to us and locked his network. :( One down, and one remaining. Tio we love you. Thank you for sharing your network with the poor girls down the street. We are ever indebted to your kindness. Oh, and did I mention that only a few select spots in our house actually pick up the wi fi for this "free" network? Yeah, our kitchen and my bedroom. So needless to say, my roommate has become quite inventive with her use of our kitchen/home office space. Regardless of the inconvenience we'll take it. Free is free. Tio we owe ya one!

Home Sweet Home!

Yep, it seems I have traded in a quaint Sugarhouse house and a fun SUV (with two sunroofs, mind you, my favorite thing) for a new city "row house" and a fuel-efficient, Corolla. My, my, how things have changed! But I think I'm being converted...I love it here!

"We Will Rock You"...and they DO!

So school as been in full swing for over a month now, and don't take this the wrong way when I say that it is kicking my trash! I love it (not the kicking my trash part, but the school part for sure). I feel like I'm where I need to be, learning what I need to be learning...it's just HARD stuff, but it should be, right? I seriously find myself studying a couple hours everyday, and that is NOT enough. I guess I'll be smart when I'm done, but this is no U of U undergrad, lets just say that. I don't think I ever studied in undergrad. That is unless you count flying over powerpoint lectures 2 hours before the test on the way to school and borrowing Hannah's textbooks that I refused to buy. Perhaps that's why I am so horrible at studying now. I don't know how to do it. Hmm, maybe I should study how to study. Speaking of studying...facebook has become my study nemesis. There it sits as a link on my bookmark bar..."click me! click me!," it shouts, and thanks to my easily distracted nature I click. Then an hour later I click again. Most often I am disappointed by the lack of interesting things posted. Not a whole lot changes hour to hour on facebook. Now, don't think I'm some sort of addict. I have good days and bad days, but all in all, nobody should check facebook as many times as I check facebook. Its pathetic. But I find myself doing all kinds of lame things to break up the 3 hours I spend daily in the bleak, white-washed confines of the Biomedical library. So perhaps a study solution to this all involves more focus, less distraction. Goodbye facebook? Well, I don't think I'm ready to do that just quite yet, but I will do my best to resist the urge to click the next time it calls. And for all of you who have read this post and are now worried for my academic standing, I ask for your prayers. Ha ha, just kidding. I am known to be overly dramatic at times, perhaps this is one of them. One things for sure, I am not going to let another midterm rock me like the one I had on Monday. It just won't happen. I've appraised my friends of the situation, letting them know they will be seeing less of me, and I will be seeing more of the library (minus facebook). One day I will have the knowledge to make a difference, just like this fancy piece of cement says.