Recently

I haven't really blogged recently and it's weird for me. I'm seriously so busy these days; I don't know if I am coming or going and I have barely enough time to shove food down my throat; never mind sit down and pour my feelings out onto my blog.

Just to give you a snap shot of what my daily life is right now:

Yesterday, I was on campus at 7:45 for class. Worked 9-12. Went home real quick and grabbed some stuff. Went grocery shopping because I hadn't gone since before the semester started. Back to campus to do homework until 2:00. Class from 2:00-4:00. Pick up Sam and Janna and take them home, grab some snacks and then back on campus from 4:30-9:30, doing homework.

Today, I have been on campus since 8:00. I ran home between classes to grab my Great Wall scroll and  went back to class. Then I have homework. Class from 3-4. Work 4-7. Sam's hip hop class 8-9. And more homework.

So, I'm busy. I'm constantly on the go. And it's draining. But I love most of my classes. I love the friends I have made. I absolutely adore my roommates. And I love spending time with my sister.

And conference this last weekend; conference was every thing I needed and every answer to my prayer. It gave me the confidence and motivation to be better, to do better and to work to reach the potential that my Father in Heaven knows that I have in me.

I'll try to write more consistently again. After all, I am an English Major.

Days in Utah

The past week has been so much fun and I seriously have been living the dream while visiting my friends here in Utah. In the last seven days I have:

1. Gone to classes at BYU with Juli

2. Gotten a new Macbook Pro after mine bit the bucket.

3. Gotten 2 letters from my Missionary and got to write back to him!

4. Eaten at all my favorite restaurants: Denny's, Cafe Rio, Jimmy Johns, Wendy's, In-N-Out, Pizza Pie Cafe

5. Went to my first Collegiate sporting event: BYU Basketball! And we won!

6. I watched Reel Steel with Symone and Ryan. Also, I met Ryan. That was cool.

7. I got my hair cut and had pot roast with Shannon and Jared.

8. I went to the movies with McKell

9. I watched the Superbowl with Brett, Ian and McKell, and although my boys lost, it was still fun to spend time with them.

10. I slept in. A lot. And it's been great.

Basically, my last week in the states has been fantastic and I have loved every moment of it. I'm still in shock that I am leaving for China in two days. I can't believe it's finally here! WOOHOO!

In Five.

1. Patriots are going to the Superbowl. I get to watch the Superbowl with McKell. Basically, I couldn't ask for a better situation.

2. I'm leaving for Utah this Saturday! AH! I have so much to do, to buy and to pack. But, I'm excited to finally be taking a step closer to getting to China. And, I just found out today, that I have a surprise waiting for me for when I get over there and out of the "no writing" zone. YAY!

3. I have to get a Malaria and Typhoid shot tomorrow. Boo and Bullfrogs.

4. China. China. China. China. China. China. China. China. China.

5. I saw We Bought A Zoo today with my grandfather. It made me cry, a lot. But I loved every second of it.

Just a couple of things:

1. I like emails from friends. It's almost as exciting as real letters.

2. Turns out I really like painting walls. I spent five hours painting the main entrance hall at the Kelly's beautiful 1970's restored Tavern home and I loved every minute of it.

3. My flight for China is booked! I got my itinerary yesterday! AHHH! And I get the added bonus of seeing Seoul during a 9 hour layover between LA and Weihai. I'm beyond stoked. I'm really going to China, people.

4. I'm leaving for Utah on the 28th to see Julianna and Jordan before I leave. I'm trying to get up to Rexburg to see Symone and to see my team at work as well. And, I just found out that I have the fantastic bonus of seeing my roommate and NFL buddy, McKell, in time for the SUPERBOWL (that hopefully my Patriots will be playing in). So, yay for that!

5. Tomorrow I get to go paint, go grocery shopping for Mom, go get my wisdom teeth looked at, go visiting teaching with Mom and somehow cram in all my homework. Busy bee=happy camper.

2011 in review

On the last day of the year, I go through every blog entry I've written and relive every high and low moment I experienced over the last 12 months. As I was doing this today, I realized that 2011 was a huge year. a HUGE year. Here is a recap:

I said the hardest goodbye to my best friend and love of my life as he left to serve a mission in Mexico.

I past the five year mark of my diagnosis date.

I celebrated my 21st birthday and went to the festival of colors.

I drove across the country with my dad in 42 hours. straight. 

Dustin was reassigned to the New Hampshire, Manchester Mission and we had to stop writing.

I got my knee totally replaced and my life slowly, but surely, back.

I got accepted to teach English in China for spring of 2012.

My parents were called to be service missionaries at Zion's Camp and I spent every day serving there with them. 

I purchased a DSLR and learned how to view the world through a lens.

I healed faster then thought and decided to go back to school.

Hurricane Irene hit New England.

I became an official five-year cancer survivor!

I went back to Idaho.

Dustin and I got to write again. <3

I met Sebasthian and Elysha (Dustin's trainer and his lovely girlfriend) and got to photograph them!

I dyed my hair red.

I became a lead student at my job, became close with the girls I work with and spent thursdays with Paige eating thai food.

I finished the semester and came home to my Cazz Machine

I am making preparations to go live in China for five months.

Yes, this year has been challenging in more ways then I could ever have imagined. But I learned a lot and a grew a lot and I'd like to think I'm the same person as I was in January...just a better version. 

winter winds

Although I absolutely hate how cold it is; I love the sound of the wind rushing around my apartment. This is the perfect setting for my winter song playlist, cup of tea and kindle. Well, actually a nap first. But then, a cup of lemon tea and my kindle. I'm reading the Chronicles of Narnia (finally) because I'm doing a paper on C.S. Lewis. And I love Aslan. And I love Narnia.

I need to buy that movie while on my Black Friday adventures with Jillise.

In other news, last night I went down to Idaho Falls with Ms. Chelsea and we got to have delicious steak dinner while Paige worked and brought me extra rolls. She's my favorite. Also, I love those rolls. And then we went to the mall and I bought the best boots ever. I've been looking at them online for weeks and weeks and when we went to the store, they were the only ones left! and they were my size. AND THEY WERE ONE SALE! It was meant to be. Also, Chelsea bought me this awesome ring for 2 dollars because it was BOGO at payless, and she walked in with the intention of buying moccasins and walked out with some hot heels.

anyway. That is my life right now. I'm going to Boise early next week for Thanksgiving and I'm excited for all of my wonderful adventures with Jillise. And then it will only be a few more weeks until I am home, in my beloved New England, preparing for CHINA!

Nap time. <3

just a little catch up

1. I'm so busy. It's midterms and I finally got my new planner in the mail and I spent a good chunk of time outlining the next few weeks. I feel focused and determined and motivated. I want to do well this semester.

2. I went to Utah this last weekend to see Julianna and Jordan. It was fantastic. Juli and I ate cookie dough and watched arrested development. We went to a farmers market and tried bread samples from a guy who used to live in Boston. I finally bought my first pair of TOMS. We did homework together in a book binding studio. We saw 50/50 because it was our story of friendship and cancer. We cried through most of it together, and patted each others arms when things happened that happened to us. We ate Thai food and went on a mad hunt to find vampire teeth. We carved pumpkins with Jordan and hung out with Ian and talked about how excited we were for Brett to come home in two weeks. It was fantastic.

3. Once upon a time, I had these friends who used to sponsor dance parties every semester. Then they all kinda went their separate ways and didn't do anything for a while. Well, now they are gearing up to put on a huge Halloween party this coming weekend and they just bought a new fog machine for it. And, being boys, they came over to test it out in my apartment. Where the windows are sealed shut. And where the smoke detector goes off in the whole building....If you were by The Ivy at 11:00 on Thursday night and saw all 300 of it's Tenants standing outside of the building...yeah...that would be because of my friends. Thanks, boys.

4. I've gone almost five months without dying my hair. This is huge for me. And half of me wants to keep going, because it feels so healthy! But, the other half of me cringes at the roots that are coming in and at the big orange spots hiding behind my right ear from the blonde incident this summer. Every day, I lean towards dying it more and more. And I have this huge huge hugeeee craving to go red.

5. Sam and I have started this excellent tradition of watching The Sing Off together every Tuesday. We eat Pizza and Wheat Thins and Easy Cheese. It's yummy. I like her a lot; I'm really glad I've gotten to be such good friends with her this semester.

Life last week.

1. Last weekend was my official 5 year remission anniversary. I hiked R Mountain with three of my favorite girls in celebration. It was really really really tough work and took a lot out of me and I thought about stopping and turning back multiple times. But then I reached the top. Tears just started streaming down my face; because I reached the top. I hiked a mountain and my knee didn't fail and I was alive.
I am a five year survivor. And my live is beautiful.

2. I already posted about shooting Elysha and Sebasthian last weekend; but what I didn't get to tell you was how they took me out for pizza after and came over Sunday so that Sebasthian could explain some of the photos Dustin sent to me a few weeks ago. That was really awesome. Have I expressed how grateful I am for them?

3. I have some pretty awesome friends who really love me. Like Ms. Symone; who left this really great surprise of all my favorite treats in my room on Tuesday to celebrate my five years of surviving.

about this weekend

first of all, I love Fridays. It means no homework pressure when I come home, it means a quiet afternoon at the office, and it means staying up late and sleeping in.
Yesterday was Friday. and I did not love it one bit yesterday morning.
You see, the internet was being dumb, my tummy was being dumb, my chemo brain was being dumb (which means I forgot what I did with my debit card within five minutes) and my attitude was being dumb.
But then, I went to work, and Sam was nice to me. And Symone found my credit card and then brought me Costa Vida. And I had mail waiting for me when I came home, including a super cute thank you card from my primary class I taught this summer, and a few more pages and pictures to add to the greatest story ever told. And then, last night, Symone and I went out with Mark, Jaron and Jared. We drove around in Mark's ancient Volvo and went out to the back fields of Rexburg and star gazed and relived all of our favorite memories together from fall 2008. We talked about banana bombs and Yellowstone and dying Mark's sideburns pink and driving out to the civil defense caves at 1 in the morning. We laughed a lot. I saw a shooting star and we sang to Forever the Sickest Kids on the way home. It was a perfect night with old friends and memories to keep me warm. I was happy.
My brother opens his mission call tonight.
My world is changing, but it is still very much the same.
And I'm happy.

getting my act together

Tomorrow is the start of making goals, organizing myself and owning this semester. I am pumped.
Things have been crazy for me. I've had an interesting and overall weird week; adjusting to being back, to not having Cazz, to not living with Misao or the Klenotiches, and to having a bunch of old faces back in the burg. And, I've been terribly homesick for New England, my family and Zion's Camp. It's amazing how hard it is to adjust to living a life of service for four months straight, and then having to go back to the real world. I bet it's just a tiny bit of what a full-time missionary feels like when they get back.
Admist all of the craziness, I have found so many blessings and tender mercies that have made my life so beautiful while going through this transition period.

1. My new roommates. I'm such huge fans of them! My room roommate, Sarah, is so great! We've only been together a week and I already feel like we've known each other for a long time. And I really love Whitney, who has a similar sense of humor as me. Kristen is so stylish and we like all of the same music and places, so we always have something to talk about. McKell is such a sweetheart and Summer has an awesome movie collection. I feel welcome here and like I belong to a little family.

2. My Alumni Office team. I love the girls I work with and I get along with all of them. It's so refreshing to go to work and not feel left out or like everyone is in a clique. We all went out to Craigo's this last week and we had SO MUCH FUN! We laughed a ton and Sam and I ate so much wing pizza, we were bursting at the seams. My boss is so kind and generous and I am so grateful to have a job on campus and to have friends in the office.

3. My Idaho family, especially Misao. Being reunited with Symone has been one of the best things to happen to me since I've been back. Seriously, that girl understands me better than I understand myself. A typical conversation goes like this:

Me: "Well, I was thinking that we could do the...you know...place that i like...food?"
Misao: "Sure, we can go after class. But I have to get one of those pshh...pshh...things."
Me: "Right, we can pick one up at Walmart."

We don't have to speak in complete sentences or even in real words to know exactly what the other one is saying. It's so great. And I'm so grateful that she takes care of me and gives me a reality check and my twin.

4. The Patriots won today. and Mom watched the game on NESN with me on the phone and she gave me a play by play account during the fourth quarter.

5. Only the best letter I've ever received in the last five months from my best friend, who I am so proud of.

6. Being able to walk to campus without having any pain or limping. I've never felt better.

7. Long conversations with Julianna and plans to go to Boise to see Jillise

I'm very blessed and I'm very happy to be here. I'm still adjusting to a lot, but it'll smooth out soon.
Happy Sunday!

thai food tuesdays

Well, things are finally starting to settle after the most insane weekend of my life. Having two roommates get into a serious car accident is just not the way to start off a brand new semester. It's scary and stressful and downright sad. Luckily, things are starting to look up for them and are starting to improve.

I realized, as we drove down to the hospital Saturday night, that there is a reason why I needed to be back here, and why I needed to be in this apartment with these two girls, along with my roommates Sarah and Whitney. As we drove down to IF, I knew that the first thing we needed to do was pray. And the second thing was to call our bishop and put the situation in the hands of a priesthood holder. I think that my time in the hospital over the last five years of my life has taught me how to calmly approach these kinds of situations-even if I am freaking out internally. That skill really helped us on Saturday and Sunday. I was needed here. There are no coincidences. I have learned that a lot this summer and continue to learn it while I'm back here. There are absolutely no coincidences. I am always where I need to be and I am always surrounded by the people who I need to be by. And missionaries are always sent to where they are needed most.

I love my new apartment. It is so nice. I will give you all a tour in the coming days, but I love the change of scenery. I love where I am located according to campus. And I love that I am so close to so many friends. I love my roommates Sarah and Whitney-Saturday night really brought us together. I love being back at work. I love spending time with the girls I work with and becoming friends with them and not just co-workers. Sunday night, I had a girls night with Sam and Rachel and we watched a movie and ate "glazed cake" (a complete and total delicious accident on Sam's half). We laughed a lot. It was a much needed pick me up.

I am in love with the two literary classes I am taking on campus and I already adore my professors. They are both so funny and will keep me on my toes and challenge the way I view things.

I love that I will be getting mail soon from someone who I love to pieces.

And I love Thai food Tuesdays with Paige and talking about China and making plans to make it happen.

I'm back!

My blogging has lacked lately. I apologize, But, oh my gosh, the end of August has been absolute madness. And by madness, I mean, absolute insanity. 

Not only did we have the last week of camp to run while mom was at work and the Bratt's were in Arizona, but we had a tropical storm come into New England that we had to prepare for. Zion's Camp, the Beach House and our own home all needed to be locked down and ready for torrential rains and high winds. My family was also on vacation for a week, and then started going back to school and work and I had a plethora of doctor's appointments, physical therapy and oh yeah, Juli was home so I spent a ton of time with her because we haven't been able to go on adventures in a long time.

And now, I'm in the middle of house sitting for my grandparents, spending the last weekend with my family and trying to pack my room back up to go back to school in two days. It's craziness. But I'm excited. I'm going to be back in school, back at work and back with my roommates and friends (old and new) in just a few short days. I'm highly looking forward to seeing Paige, Tara, Elysha and Sebastian, and of course Misao, the Klenotichs, Trish and Russell and baby Elliot! And above all else, I'm so thrilled that soon I'll be able to talk to my best friend and missionary and hear all about the incredible experiences he's having first hand and tell him about the amazing summer I've had serving at camp. September, you are looking pretty dang promising.

current guilty pleasure: Lucky charms

current color: Neutrals

current playlist: Nicki Minaj 

current read: East of Eden

current drink: Barqs Rootbeer

current food: American Chop Suey (homemade by my mama bear)

current favorite show: Criminal Minds (LABOR DAY MARATHON, YES!)

current wish list: Kindle from Amazon

current needs: Money. 

current triumphs: 5 YEARS CANCER FREE!

current bane of my existence: packing

current celebrity crush: Orlando Bloom

current indulgence: Make up

current blessing: Rexburg, Idaho

current outfit: Grey shorts and Dustin's t-shirt

current excitement: REUNITED WITH SYMONE IN TWO DAYS

current mood: torn (don't want to leave my family, so pumped to see everyone in Idaho)

current link: Kid History, Episode 6