Boston Terror

Vivien Leigh Fairchild. Born on June 14, 2014. The runt of the litter. Two pink spots on her nose, and the white markings on her neck come to a V in the back (Coincidence? Probably, but I like to think not.). Big ears that were somewhat floppy at the tops when we got her but have since straightened out. And most importantly, the cutest little thing you ever did see. 

Before I really start this, let me set one thing straight. Nothing and no one will ever replace my best boy, Fenway. He was an American Gentleman that will never be forgotten. But, I do feel like Vivien has been the best thing for me since leaving Utah and all of my friends behind. Fenway was my American Gentleman, but Vivien is quickly becoming my Southern Belle. She isn't here to replace but just to love and be a companion for me in my new adventure.

Once cleaning for my last cleaning check, graduation ceremonies, and that dreadfully long car ride home were over, it was time to get my puppy. I was a little disappointed that we could not get her right away, but I kept busy and started to unpack. Little did I know this would be one of the last times I would have to actually get things done. In the car on the way back from Utah, dad asked me what the last word of the breed was. I said terrier. He said, "No. Terror." I blew it off as a joke, but it was just foreshadowing for what was about to happen in my life. So, our story begins back in the car an hour or two after I got home from Utah... 

I was trying my best to stay calm, but how do you do that when you're on your way to get your long awaited puppy? Longest. Drive. Of. My. Life. We pulled into the driveway of the little house, walked up to the door, and dad knocked. No one came. It felt like forever before someone came to the door. A little old man opened it, and his wife was a few steps behind him holding a tired looking puppy. She raised her up a little and, looking at me, asked if she was mine. I violently shook my head, and my arms went out before I even realized it. My little Vivien. Mine. She was so sleepy on the way home. Either that or she was acting shy with the camera being pointed at her. Hesitantly I let my mom and brother hold her in the car. I just wanted her all of the time. 

I thank heaven that the next two days she slept a lot. Who would have thought my little sleepy puppy would turn into something that we ever so lovingly refer to as "Beasty." My little snuggly baby quickly turned into a wiggly, rambunctious, hyper, and sassy puppy. She bites anything she can get to whether it is you or something of yours ranging from your nose to the knobs on the kitchen cabinets. The little one that didn't need a leash has turned into the one that wants to play so badly that sometimes she runs out in the street without knowing what she is doing. The little one that would sleep on her bed has already become the one that would much rather be on the couch with a blanket or on the bed with you. Best yet, the little one that Savannah paid no mind to at first is the one that always instigates play time when she is awake. My little puppy is growing all too fast. 

The day after we got her she had a vet appointment. How could something weighing in just under five pounds steal my heart so quickly? I may never understand. Being a mom has its challenges. Waking up at all hours of the night, being thrown up and peed on, cleaning up more poop than I like to admit, having to put her down when she doesn't want to be held and wants to do things on her own and in her own way, paying for vet bills, and having scrapes and scratches from little puppy teeth and claws make me wonder what I am doing sometimes. But, on the other hand, at night when she comes and lays her head on my neck and falls asleep beside me, the kisses she gives when I have been gone and come back, and the sweet looks she gives me make it all worth it. My little Beasty may have a little devil in her Angel Eyes, but I guess she just takes after me. I love my little Vivien Leigh more than I can explain. 

P.S. I will have her a BYU Cougars fan in no time. Don't worry. 

P.S.S. No matter how much mom and dad say they don't like her, don't let them fool you. Both have asked to play or snuggle with her, and they light up when she gives them kisses or does something funny. 

P.S.S.S. I have to hurry and finish this because my computer is currently being eaten by mentioned Beasty. 

Little Miss Sunshine and Little Miss Sassafras

This week was full of activities, assignments, meetings, things for my internship, tests, speakers, etc. I have never been so excited for a Friday as I was today. My graduation application was accepted. Scary. Things just got real. Really real. This week I feel like I spent the entire time running. I always had somewhere to be or something to do. Tuesday was really my only relief. I told my boss that I could not go to devotional, and I got two free hours to work on homework and do laundry. I was completely exhausted by Thursday evening, and when I am tired I get sassy. One day my boss teasingly told me not to sass him. Then he looked at me and laughed because he said I wouldn't be able to talk if I didn't sass. He knows me too well. After leaving class early, I went to a lecture and while listening to that I did  a homework assignment and studied for a test. Multi-tasking at its finest. I didn't get home until close to nine, but I stayed up to spend time with Jan. After a test the next morning I went to work. There, 100 sunshine yellow balloons were delivered, and I tied them to my desk. How could it not be a great day?! Sunshine yellow is everywhere right now. It is spring, and with spring comes the sunshine yellow bushes on campus. I love them. Also, sunshine! Real sunshine is back! Hopefully it is here to stay this time. It's officially spring, and I kind of wanted to hibernate this weekend to catch up on some sleep. Too bad that didn't happen. This was the first weekend in a long time in which I did not spend the entire time doing homework and writing papers. Saturday I went to the mall with Kaitlyn. We picked these outfits that we would absolutely never wear including cropped tank tops and metallic leggings. We had so much fun, and of course we took the selfies in the mirror. We're cool kids. We know. We did end up getting really cute outfits at other stores though. When we got home it was absolutely beautiful outside (it was 55 degrees!). Do you know what that means? Picnic!! I had a picnic with Jan and Julie Anne. Julie and I polished off a large pan of nachos, and then we played frisbee. Because we have all been cooped up in our apartment our skills are a little rusty. It could have also been all of the food... We came home and cleaned up before Jan and I went on a walk. Then we came home to finish our Harry Potter marathon. It only took a month. Somehow after we both showered and looked like hobos boys ended up coming over. Remember what I said happens when I get tired? Those boys were over until late and so they got the full blast of my sass. Even without make-up and curled hair it comes. Today I am going to church in my new outfit. Happy Sunshiny Sunday, everyone! 

I'm Kinda Over Gettin' Told to Throw My Hands Up In the Air... So There.

Do you ever feel like you are inadequate? That you just aren't good enough for anything or anyone? That you just can't do what everyone expects you to do all of the time? I feel like that sometimes. I think I am not the perfect size or shape. My hair is just never right. I am too quiet. I am so sassy and sarcastic. I like watching movies a little too much. I should go out and make new friends, but I have so much to do and just don't have time. It is in those times when you see the small, tender mercies in your life. Like when Kaitlyn looked at me and told me I looked way too cute to be going running. Or when I got the sweetest comment from Dani on a blog post. Or on I wandered to a park a friend and I used to go to all the time, and it brought back all of those wonderful memories. It is times like those when I have to just go for a run. Somehow the not-so-gentle pounding of my feet on the pavement is soothing. It creates a rhythm that I usually make go to the songs that I have blasting a little too loudly. But, when I turn the music down, it is my heaving breathing, an older couple saying hi to me as I run by, the sweat running down my face, and the chilly air cooling me down as I continue on that reminds me I am alive. Long runs are followed by long showers, of course. Then, as another tender mercy occurs, you get a text from a friend you haven't talked to in a while. I went on an hour and a half long walk with Meghan and we just talked. And laughed. Hard. We slowly separated promising we would do something this week. I got home to check my email. I had one from Becca, one of my cousins who is on a mission in Mexico. This wasn't the easiest week for her, and it made me cry knowing that when she was here we would always make a dessert, watch a movie, and eat the entire thing during the movie when we both had bad weeks. She doesn't even get desserts in Mexico, so as I sat and cried reading her email, I ate my share as well as hers of chocolate. As she implicitly bears her testimony in each email she sends, mine grows stronger as well. At the end of the day, you realize you don't really care what people think of you. You may as well have fun. As a joke I invited some guys over to play games. You know because I thought it was a joke they ended up coming over. I played games for hours. I never play games, but I did that night! When I don't care what other people think about me and I doubt my doubt that I will ever be good enough, I end up having the most fun. Funny how that works out.
The amount of fun I had at work with week was also kind of funny. Amanda and I sent poems back and forth to each other when we weren't at work at the same time. It is strangely easy for me to make up a poem on the spot. We also got a few emails to which we were given permission to respond at as sarcastically as possible. We all know I excelled at that. I cleaned out the files in my desk and found multiple notes to Cosmo from elementary school kids written in 1998. Cutest things ever! Thursday, I left home in a baseball tee, jeans, a ponytail, and moccasins. I was so happy and so comfortable. Sadly, just over an hour later I realized I had to be dressed up. It was all worth it though. Cosmo and I had some quality bonding time at the Networking Event. I think I may have found THE ONE. And then came today. Singing happy birthday in opera voices is the best. And spending time with friends is the best. And going to the temple with Meghan before work was even better. I just go to a great school with amazing people.

About My Childhood Role Model

Shirley Temple died on Monday. In celebration of her life this blog is dedicated to her. She was a star in many people's lives including mine. When I was little I loved watching movies with her in them. I wanted to be like her with those perfect little bouncy curls. Who wouldn't? Movies such as A Little Princess, Heidi, Curly Top, Baby Take a Bow, Dimples, and Bright Eyes were watched numerous times at my house. She retired when she was 22, and I was part of the reason she could continue on living without a job. Remember how I told you I liked Gone with the Wind? Well, the southern charm, historical context, and sassy Miss Scarlet aren't the only reasons I watch it. Clark Gable... Oh how I love him! Well, the cute little girl who was America's darling of the Depression years was the most popular movie star in America. My dear Clark Gable was a far off second. How do you like them apples? This little girl with her sunny optimism and personality and sparkly eyes got more mail than Greta Garbo and had more pictures taken of her than President Roosevelt. She was that cool. Without further adieu... Shirley Temple, my childhood role model.

He Watches & Waits

I don't know if it was the Spirit or the overwhelming amount of mini chocolate chips I had eaten the other night, but I just got this feeling that my Heavenly Father loved me beyond compare. It felt good like a long, warm hug that someone gives you right when you need it. I don't remember how I came to find this Mormon message, but I loved it. It reminded me that sometimes all that I have planned is not what my Heavenly Father has planned. He watches and waits for me to turn to Him. Good thing he is patient because I am insanely stubborn. I was in my weekly meeting yesterday and someone asked me something. My boss turned to them and said, "She is more stubborn than you. She will win." Yes I will! And, just because I was speaking of coworkers, I want to share some pictures with you. So, I left my phone in the office by accident the other day. I came back to find 19 pictures of them having way too much fun on my phone. And, I realized that the girl I work with the most (Amanda) and I look kind of alike. I don't blame Curtis for mixing us up all of the time.

Didn't Make Sense Not to Live for Fun

Apparently two weeks have gone by since I have posted so excuse the very long post that is about to take place. Life happens. Campus has been decorated for Christmas. It is beautiful with the lights on the trees, numerous trees in each building, and the Christmas music filling the air. I love the spirit on campus. It is even better that it has been an unusually warm season so far. Also right now I have a severe case of wanderlust. I want to travel and go on adventures. I want to ride a horse and let it run as fast as it can, go snowboarding down a slope until I fall and make a giant snowball of myself as I roll down the rest of the mountain, and learn how to surf. I guess my vacation came at a good time. 

Last Wednesday, we had the Cougartail Event. The Food Drive killed me. We were not really ready for any of the events. This one went fairly smoothly. We have the record for the world's longest donut. Our cougartail was over a quarter of a mile long. After six hours of me passing out pieces of it I smelled like a maple donut, and we still had half of it to go. They got rid of most of it and gave the rest to the MTC. Ew. It is going to take me a little bit to get over my hatred of maple donuts. 

Last Thursday, my roommates and I went to go see Catching Fire. Freshman year we went to the midnight premier of Hunger Games, and we wanted to carry on the tradition two years later. We were missing a couple, but we still had a blast. I got all dressed up for it which was the first time since... for a while. Let me just say that it was the best movie I have seen all year. I absolutely loved it. We somehow got to see it earlier (how do you see a movie before it actually comes out?), so I was all hyped up and was doing dishes at two in the morning and then packed until three. I had four people tell me I reminded them of Effie. I was so happy. To be as cool as Effie with the outrageous outfits, beautiful/crazy makeup, and fabulous hair and so full of confidence and fun remarks... Life complete. I couldn't ask for more. 

One week ago from today I made the trek to Arizona. It wasn't a bad drive aside from the snow, black ice, fog, and pouring rain. The night I got there I got Mexican food. Tamales... So good. I loved getting to relax and have fun with Ami and her family. Her kids are the cutest. Monday I woke up sick, and I was sick ALL day. Like throwing up or laying in bed curled up in a ball sick. Who gets sick on vacation? This kid. I still wasn't feeling great the next day, but I was much better. Good thing because we went to California!!! I have never been, so they took me. We visited San Diego. I will admit, I got carsick. I was so nauseous by the end. When I got out of the car I was so excited to be on stable ground that I sat down and stayed there for a while. After dropping off all of the kids except Olivia at their grandma's, we headed off to the beach. We went to La Jolla. There are seals! I loved it. I almost immediately took off my shoes, rolled up my jeans, and went for the water. I live to be near the water. We watched the sun set, went in a cave, walked on a pier, and I was loving life in the cool, salty ocean air. My hair picked up the beach curl, and I wished I could have stayed there forever. We went to see boats and the Top Gun bar before heading back where Tutu had made a wonderful dinner. We headed back the next morning, but it was completely worth it! I will be heading there again someday. Hopefully sooner rather than later. Then all of the sudden it was Thanksgiving. How did it come so fast? After laughing at Ami gagging when cleaning out the turkey and playing with the kids it was time to eat! Awesome dinner complete with cranberry sauce? Check. Friday I had cheesecake for breakfast! I was on vacation. Don't judge me. That night we got to go to the Mesa Temple to see the lights. Even with all of the people it was beautiful, and I felt at peace with everything going on (more about that later). Today I headed back to Provo. Not a snowflake in sight. Not even a cloud! I appreciate it, but what the heck?! I wanted to go through the Las Vegas strip since I had never been there before either. I got so lost in the ghettos of Vegas. Half an hour later after a little panic from being lost and lack of cell phone signal to help me out of my rut I finally got back on track. Even with that little adventure I got back to Provo and went grocery shopping in under ten hours. Seeing the Y on the mountain is like a warm welcome home hug. Now I have just over two weeks before I get a real welcome home hug from my family! This semester is almost over. 

When I said I felt at peace at the temple I really meant it. This trip was supposed to reiterate why I don't want to get married for a while. Funny thing though. This trip did the complete opposite, and I loved it. I was going to Arizona for a reason I did not intend on initially. Now that I am back I no longer care that I went with hope still deep inside me, I had been hurt once again, or that I had convinced myself that I never wanted to get married. Too bad I fell in love with the family scene not long after stepping foot in the door. The slobbery kisses, oatmeal smears on my jeans, diapers, baby reaching just for me, dance party (meaning me and the baby bobbing our heads to good music), watching a movie with cuddly kids, a scrunched up nose, the grin of a happy girl, waking up with pieces of candy in my hair, kids jumping on my very full stomach, and the baby wanting to be held by me rather than her mom and dad made me realize how much fun having a family of my own will be for me one day. One day a boy not quite as dumb as the rest will come and sweep me off my feet, and I will let him because I will love him beyond compare. Until that day I will just have fun with other people's kids.