DONE!!!!!...for now. :)

So, my last 2 days have been entirely consumed by graduation ceremonies, parties, etc for my mom and my brother, Michael. Yes, my mom graduated after 30 years and she was ecstatic about it! We found out after the fact that Mom and Michael could have walked together, but alas, we went to 2 convocations...one of them being for the Marriott School, which is a whole bunch of business guys with no sense of humor...and over 1000 names to read. Nobody was getting any applause because it was just so long and boring. So Michael, wanting to spice up the ceremony a bit (he walked a little over halfway into the name-reading), decided to cross out his middle names on the little card he was to hand to the announcer. All of a sudden, we hear "Michael Jackson," and the crowd started laughing, then clapped because they felt bad for laughing at his name...so he got quite a bit of applause and everyone kind of tuned in again to what was going on. The whole rest of it, I spent playing tetris on my phone...singlemost wise purchase I have ever made. :)


Anyway, now I have about 3 days break before spring term starts. But I'm trying to take some more fun classes so it's not complete drudgery for the next 2 months. I'm doing voice lessons, bowling, beginning organ, and history of psychology (no, I do not consider that last one fun, just in case you were wondering...) :) But at least I'm going shopping with Kiley next week!

Slowly eliminating this semester from existence...

As the semester approaches its end, this becomes my least favorite building on campus...

First Post...

So, I don't even really know who will read this blog...or what I will write on it to encourage people to read! My life really isn't that exciting, my family lives close by, and they don't use blogspot anyway! :) But hey, here is a picture of me and my nephew, Anthony (Tino), on Easter. He's getting so big and loves the attention...he'll have a bit of an adjustment once his little brother and cousin are born this summer! (Yes, Megan is pregnant with a girl and Cari is pregnant with a boy!)

Ok, well, life at BYU is coming to a close for this semester...and it is busy as heck right now! I have a lot of stuff due but am trying to keep my social life alive mainly for the purpose of keeping me sane! Of course, I'm not even sure why I'm looking forward to this semester ending so much considering I'm taking a full load spring and summer, then straight back into another fall/winter round again! Yay! Oh yeah, and did I mention the fact that I'm also going to try to triple my hours at work too? Somebody please stop me!

General Conference this weekend was AMAZING! I got to attend the Saturday afternoon session (the BYU combined choirs sang but there were not enough choir seats for all of us so I was not randomly selected to sing...however, I was given complimentary tickets!) I went with my friend Stephanie, also in choir but not singing, and we sat in the 4th row! I have never been closer to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and First Presidency in my life! It was so wonderful. I had it confirmed to me numerous times throughout the weekend that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet of God called for our day and time. I love him and the words he spoke. I especially loved it when he asked us to pray for him. That really struck me. I love the opportunity I have to actively participate in the Gospel openly in my daily life. All the time I was watching Conference, I kept thinking back to my circumstances just 6 months ago as I listend to October Conference, sitting on our beds in China, laptops getting the live audio stream at midnight and 4am, having to keep our doors and windows closed. I am so appreciative of the situations I am blessed with now. I had taken it all so for granted before I went to China, then I got there and it was like Heavenly Father was saying to me, "See all that you had living in the US? Why did you never thank me for it?" Well, I'm grateful now! I love this Gospel and all the strength it gives to me in my daily life. I love that we have a living prophet today who speaks to us and is God's mouthpiece on the earth!