The Sister Missionary and Her Shoes

The past couple of days I have had the ultimate mom mentality. Yesterday afternoon I got to go pick up my cousin from the airport. We took the scenic route home (okay, I was talking and missed the exit and we were SO LOST). I got to be her companion for a day. We made a really good dinner, went onto campus for a few things she still needed, went out with one of her friends, went to The Chocolate, and then went to visit some of the people she used to work with. I loved getting to spend time with her. Today, we made crepes for breakfast and had lemon bars and bacon on the side. We got ready and went to the temple for the stereotypical picture in front of the Provo temple before entering the MTC. Then we went for lunch for a small bowl of soup. On the way home, she called her family to tell them goodbye one last time. I cried a little bit then, but I kept it together. Afterwards we had to drop Becca off at the MTC. I was fine until she hugged me goodbye. Then, the waterworks. Oh my traumatizing. Jen and I cried until she dropped me off at work. I walked into work with the glaze still over my bloodshot eyes. I know, attractive, right? I just love Becca. I know she is going to be an amazing missionary. Heavenly Father is looking out for her. So, good luck, Becca, in all of your missionary endeavors. No one will be able to resist that smile that I love so much. 

Fall and Some Football

It is fall! It's been fall, but I know it's fall now. I used to take the shortest route to school. Now I take the one with the most crunchy leaves. Yes, sometimes it takes me an extra ten minutes to get to school. I love it! And you know with fall comes pumpkin, caramel apples, and other yummy treats. 

I got to go to the Boise State football game last night. Boise isn't a state... They killed us last year, and we just repaid the favor this year. Someone told me they have not lost to a Utah team in 20 years. Well, sorry Boise. BYU is on a role right now! I love dem Cougs! Also, going with Dani, Tyler, Jake, and Anna made it even more fun. We did make one mistake though. It has been unseasonably warm here in the sixties and seventies. Because it has been so warm we didn't think we would need jackets. We needed them. So cold! Good thing we went home to watch Monster House and curl up in blankets!!

In My Own Little Corner

In my own little corner, in my own little chair I can be whatever I want to be. 

Last night I was up until almost two in the morning. I had to stay up until midnight to sign up for my classes next semester. That wasn't a big deal. I was done ten minutes later with all of the classes that I wanted. Then, I started dreaming of what life will be like after I graduate. I went through my map of classes to make sure I was on track for my CFLE and internship. I looked at internship opportunities as well as where job opportunities were for when I was done. Like I said, I did not go to sleep until almost two in the morning. 

I'm a girl men go mad for. Love's a game I can play with a cool and confident kind of air.

It was a long day. Good thing I love my job. I do not have a ton to do right now, so I was helping the officers with everything they needed. Guys, I got in trouble for flirting with a couple of the officers. My mom always says that I do not know how to flirt. I always insist that I do. Today I proved it. I got in trouble for flirting with two guys.

Then I'm glad to be back in my own little corner. All alone in my own little chair. 

Back at home, I love seeing Dani. She brightens my day. Every time. She truly is a sweet spirit, and I don't mean that in a "bless her heart" kind of way. I love her. 

I'm the bell of the ball in my own little corner. All alone in my own little chair. 

I got some time alone tonight. Those moments give me the opportunity to enjoy the quiet and think about what I really want out of life. I ended up continuously thinking about three songs from the Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. I ended up watching the movie and listening to those three songs over and over again. Maybe they will give you some insight into what I was thinking about. 

Laughs and Lessons

After church on Sunday I came home and actually made dinner. I made butternut squash pasta sauce with whole wheat noodles. So good. So filling. Afterward I took a picture for a snapchat and realized I looked like a little kid with my messy hair, tootsie pop, funny face, and cupcake apron. I promise I looked like a grown-up at church... 

I went to a fireside last night... I usually don't go to firesides. Like ever. Funny thing though. This one was not even for my stake. This one was in Springville, but my favorite teacher was the speaker so I figured it could be fun. Disclaimer: I am a senior at BYU, and I have never been to a dating fireside. Well, I had never been to one until last night. It would be on dating! Anyways, I was worried about getting lost so I left early only to get to the fireside over twenty minutes early. It was a good thing though because I actually got a seat on a pew (man do I miss those). We started the fireside by singing Love One Another. I knew this was going to be good at that moment.

I was laughing so hard the entire time. I started to worry that I was not going to make it home because for over an hour there was such a lack of oxygen getting to my brain. I made it home! Not only did I make it home, but I realized that I learned valuable lessons even though I was laughing the whole time. Brother Smith said that children laugh an average of 400 times a day. Adults laugh 15. Lesson #1: I need to laugh more. Brother Smith made me go over my limit for the day. His talk was called "Do's and Don'ts of Dating." He talked about how important men and women are to our Heavenly Father. He said every time girls say, "All boys are stupid" or "All guys are jerks," we are not only generalizing that to every guy, but we are generalizing that to Heavenly Father's creations. He said that probably makes our Heavenly Father sad. They may not be the smartest, but they are still His creations. Lesson #2: Boys, even the dumb ones, are Heavenly Father's creations. He then went on to talk about women. He gave the quote from President Hinckley that says, "His Father, first divided the light from the darkness and then separated the land from the waters. There followed the creation of plant life, followed by the creation of animal life. Then came the creation of man, and culminating that act of divinity came the crowning crowning act, the creation of woman." He pointed out that man has to be born twice. They are born physically and then born of the Spirit through baptism by immersion. He said that women are symbolic of Christ. They represent him when mothers have children. Through blood, water, and the Spirit, they bring new life. Christ does the same through the atonement and baptism. Therefore, any time we look in the mirror and instantly wish we hadn't we are degrading Christ because we are degrading ourselves. Lesson #3: Satan tries so hard to desecrate women because we are symbols of Christ. Brother Smith closed with a quote on personal purity from Elder Holland. It says, "On your wedding day the very best gift you can give your eternal companion is your very best self--clean and pure and worthy of such purity in return." Lesson #4: I need to be my best self. Always. In every aspect of my life. 

This was a perfect way to end my Sunday. Laugh and lessons all around. 

The Grinch's Small Heart Grew Three Sizes that Day

I had a few golden moments today. Moments that made me feel like I have been the Grinch whose heart was three sizes too small and grew to three sizes too big. For instance, we have a daycare on campus for employees' kids. They went on a "field trip" around campus today collecting as many different kinds of leaves as they could. The whole time I was out with them they were in the courtyard of the JFSB. Throughout campus you could hear dozens of these kids chanting B-Y-U! Over and over again I heard it. As it kept going it echoed through the courtyard and down the staircase I was on. A huge smile broke out not only on my face but on the faces of every other student outside at the time. Another instance was when a girl at the grocery store raved about how my hair was done the whole time I was checking out. She told me she always wanted her hair to be like mine was but could never get it to work... It was in a falling out ponytail. When I got home, I tried on a shirt Dani got for our bridesmaids outfits. She told me something her mom had told her earlier that day, and all I could do was smile at her kindness. Then, instead of working on my midterm that is due on Tuesday, I looked back at old photos of me and my friends. Here is a flashback to a few golden moments. Times in high school and freshman year of laughter. I hope they warm your heart as they did mine. 

Let Me Live that Fantasy

I was at work from eight to three thirty today. Classes were cancelled. I worked from eight to ten-thirty, did one third of my midterm, talked to Eric for a little bit, ate lunch with Flint, Amanda, and Amberly (yes, I ate an entire foot long sandwich as well as three cookies and was still hungry), and then went back to working. I left work earlier than usual since I had been there all day. Then, Kennedy and I decided kind of last minute to go to the Red Barn. Oh my so much fun. Pumpkins galore, top down, fall weather, apple pie ice cream, a hay ride, a maze, a giant slide, and oh so many pictures! I loved spending my entire evening with Kennedy!!!

 And...

 Yes. Definitely yes. But, it wasn't for me.

And, when I came home I realized how insane my hair looked. Good thing Kaitlyn's looked just as bad. Only the lionest of the liony are allowed in the club. She made the cut tonight. 

Our teeth and ambitions are bared.