Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy Birthday Erin...and Happy Valentines Day

Happy Birthday to the best oldest sister!

And Happy Valentines day!

I may be single, but I still have the best Valentines!

Al Fox

Self-pity doesn't work. I tried it.

The first two weeks of this semester were extremely overwhelming.  Probably the most overwhelming since coming to BYU.  I was pretty miserable, but then I found a quote given to me in Relief Society a couple weeks ago.  I'm not sure who said it, though, whoever did is a very wise individual (it was probably a General Authority)

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

If you have ever experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation...you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death...you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead, and a place to sleep...you are richer than 75 percent of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace...you are among the top eight percent of the world.

If you can read this message...you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder...you are blessed because you can offer God's healing touch.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful...you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

I woke up this morning with good health, I've never experienced battle, I am free to attend church every Sunday, I have a bed to sleep in, I have money in my wallet, I am receiving a priceless education, and I have the ability to hold my head up with a smile on my face.

My life isn't looking so bad anymore.

Wreacking and Wrecking Havoc

Who could've predicted that we would get weather like this today?  We never get rain that instantly turns to ice.

(photo courtesy of KSL)

(photo courtesy of KSL)

Good thing I had work today because my one class got canceled due to the weather.  I'm glad I had a purpose for coming up to campus and that I didn't come up for nottin'.

Cough. Cough.

Today (and yesterday), the valley has the worst air quality in America.  I feel like I need to wear one of those painters masks until a storm comes in to blow the gunk away.

Why I love BYU

I love going to a private church school because we can talk about God and everything that has anything to do with religion.  No law tells us we can't.  

In the first class of the semester we talked about how as teachers it is important to not judge our students.  To be the best teachers we can be we need to treat every child the same.  To help demonstrate her point our professor showed us a Mormon Message that the church produced.

Not only am I learning how to be a school teacher, but also how to be a teacher of life.

1 year ago today

I left for London

Not a day goes by when I don't miss it.

Oh how I wish I could go back.

Highlights of 2012

This year was a year never to be forgotten.  Mostly because I was extremely blessed to live in

LONDON

And blessed to visit...

Spain

France

Wales

Scotland

 AND

Puerto Rico

(and California)

Other highlights include:

• declaring a major (Elementary Education)
• getting a job in the PPAC office
• hanging out with Henry
• living in the Loft this summer with Rach
• And spending time with family and friends

Nothing can ever compare to the year 2012, but I'm excited to see what the year 2013 has to offer.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas break in a nutshell

End of Semester

Once again too much time has passed without me updating the blog.  So once again I'm going to catch up using photos

Henry turned 1

Grandpa Franklin pulled out all his old photos.  Gramps was a babe

Multiple people have asked Tess if she is Asian.  She is not; however, doesn't she kinda look like it?

We always laugh at this photo!

I became legal!

Henry's got some sweet wheels, which he showed me after the Provo River Cruise with the office

He contemplated touching Scott's mustache....he wimped out

CRAT had a sleepover in the front room

We made the boys of apt. 98 and half of 9 "ugly" Christmas sweatshirts.

Half way done with college

This morning at 9 AM I left the JKB, clicked my heels, and rejoiced after my last final.

I'm half way done with college.  Only 5 more semesters to go!

Boys will be boys

Finals bring out the craziness in people.  For example today:

1.  I saw some boy dressed in a zombie get-up.  Make-up, ripped clothes, and everything.  I will admit I was a little concerned when I first saw him.  My heart started settling down only after I saw his backpack and realized he was harmless.  Hopefully.

2.  A different boy was yodeling in the library.  He was actually quite good, I only wished he would do it somewhere other than the quiet zone.

3.  A boy's (are you sensing a pattern here?) cell phone started to ring loudly in my last humanities class.  He stood up and started saying something (what the? who does this kid think he is?).  I don't remember exactly what he said, but it was something about saving the world.  So he started taking off his clothing only to uncover a superman outfit.  He made a scene and ran out the classroom door.  The professor thought he was gone so he continued with class, but superman came back and asked, "is anyone else going to help me?"  At this point a girl stood up and uncovered a batman (batwoman) suite.  As she climbed over two rows of chairs she exclaimed, "I'll help you save the world one day at a time."  Then both set off.  Where? We don't know.  They never came back until after class to pick up their backpacks and clothes.

And this all happened before 12:30 P.M.  Who knows what the rest of today has in store.

Darn Alaskans

When you live with two Alaskans they tend to bring the cold weather down to the lower 48 states with them.  And sometimes you have to layer on the clothing while studying

Just kidding, I can't blame the eskimos (yes, people ask Cara if she is an eskimo).  The real reason is my blasted bedroom.  Since it's on the end of the building it is about 10 degrees colder in there.  Poor Rae Fish, she's from California and has the bed closest to the frigid end wall.

Absent from Blogging World

Thankfully my finals week doesn't look too stressful.  This week however....

Instead of finals in many of my classes I just have final projects that have been taking up most of my time lately, hence no blog updates.

I do have a ton I need to catch up on in the blogosphere, but that will have to wait a couple of days.

For the next 48 hours I will be doing nothing but school work.  After Wednesday afternoon 95% of my stress will be blown away.  So for the rest of you with finals coming up....

Good luck!

Mormon Helping Hands

Words cannot describe how grateful I am to belong to such a Christlike service-oriented church.  This is another testament to what we as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe.

As one young man in the video stated, "it's the gospel in action.  It's what Christ taught and we're showing what we believe by helping other people."

Click here to learn more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and what we believe.

Goodbye fall

Our home was crisp looking last Tuesday

This morning we were in a winter wonderland.

For my Visual Arts class we made this taped "person".  Each student was supposed to take turns carrying it on campus and taking a photo with it.  Can you see me carrying this around campus?  Neither can I, so after church the roommates and I got it out of the car and had a photo shoot in the women's locker room.

If I didn't have to take it back to class on Tuesday we would've left it there.  The swimsuit owner would've gotten quite the surprise tomorrow.