Jen and Chris

Last weekend Carter and I got our wedding on and traveled down to see Jennifer and Chris get hitched. And by see, I mean we stood outside the San Diego temple and watched little nieces and nephews play on their iPads. I figure I had better hurry on up and finish my final edits to their engagements (if only for myself) since they're already wed. Whoops. How time flies!

Carter-less

Photo cred to the beautiful and talented Cassie!

Sometimes when Carter isn't around to censor my actions, not good things happen. Not good sometimes meaning I post our fake engagements photos all over the internet...fake engagement photos that are scarily authentic. In my defense, they were taken as a prank on a particularly gullible mutual friend on his mission. Not that you'd have to be all the gullible to believe that invite. Another factoid probably also not appropriate for the internet: I'd do anything for a good prank.

In ONE Year

Inspired by Caitlin's blog, Blah Blah Blah. So much happens in a year, especially in this stage of my life, so why don't we take a looksies into my crystal ball, hmmmmmm?...

in one year I'll be:

outgrown by yet another roommate who is in wedded bliss.

freaking out about graduating.

a "usual" at salsa club.

either extremely happy about getting into medical school on the (pick any one) coast or really excited about serving a mission. All you sister missionary haters can (inject mean things) because all my friends and I will be/are bombing sister missionaries.

dreaming about moving to Portland or Texas or D.C. or San Diego.

a triathlete BABE.

probs single again. AND LOVING IT. Confession: the other day I tallied up all my married/engaged/soon-to-be-one-of-those friends and felt this overwhelming sense of gratitude that I was not among their ranks. Praise Allah!

sooooooo overwhelmingly broke.

again avoiding all those people from freshman year who are now back from their missions. shudder.

a spoken word performer.

one of those rad people who can quote scriptures word for word from off the top of their head. So the thing is I'm soooooo not a memorizer. But I am a believer.

STILL thinking about the Hunger Games. This will never change. ever.

one year ago I was:

thinking I was maybe going to Med school, then it was Occupational Therapy school, then it was Physical Therapy school, and then it was Physician's Assistant school. Now we're back. Life is funny circles like that sometimes.

wishing I knew how to dance.

applying to the Jerusalem Center.

bemoaning my lack of dates but still liking being single. OH HOW THE TIMES HAVE CHANGED.

helping Sandra readjust to dating after her mission. hahaha

freaking out that I had no hobbies other than school. I fixed this. Don't worry.

head over heals for jimmer and justin beiber.

If you had asked me a year ago where I thought I would be now, I could NEVER have guessed all that would happen. Jerusalem, continued blog writing, first biathlon, numerous blind dates, Hunger Games, caregiving, photography, DanceSport, med school prep... I planned some of it. But most of it just happened. Life is better that way, I've realized.

"I'm Too Busy"

So we all say it. We all say it all the time. Not that it isn't true of course...we are all very busy creatures; we all go to school, go to work, need to do this, and need to do that. We're supposed to clock in this much studying, this much scripture reading/prayer, that much exercise, that much dating. And it's IMPOSSIBLE! Have you noticed that? There were several comical days last week where I literally ran everywhere I went because I had no time for even the commute. I LITERALLY ran to my review session and then ran to a Brain Awareness Week meeting after which I ran to my car and madly drove to my MCAT prep course and then ran to the library. This semester is jam-packed and there is no indication that it is going to slow down. Reading this article from this blog, however, has helped me gain a new perspective on my so called 'busy' lifestyle.

I'm actually not a busy as I claim, really not very many people are. I spend at LEAST two hours a day inefficiently. That adds up to a whopping 14 hours a week (or also known as the time I'm supposed to be dedicating to studying for the MCAT). And honestly, most of my 'busy-ness' is self-imposed. I choose to be an officer in the Neuroscience Club, I choose to make all those unnecessary decoration for that Bridal Shower, and I definitely choose to go to that St. Patrick's party at the Covey Mansion. I wouldn't have it any other way. I love efficiency and productivity. I love feeling like my time isn't going to waste. I love always having something to do.

The end of the article hit me the hardest: "Instead of saying "I don't have time" try saying "it's not a priority," and see how that feels. Often, that's a perfectly adequate explanation. I have time to iron my sheets, I just don't want to. But other things are harder. Try it: "I'm not going to edit your résumé, sweetie, because it's not a priority." "I don't go to the doctor because my health is not a priority." If these phrases don't sit well, that's the point. Changing our language reminds us that time is a choice. If we don't like how we're spending an hour, we can choose differently."

I'm dedicating myself to changing my language. Not only will it help me better prioritize better, but I believe it will reduce the stress of feeling like there isn't enough time and that it will open me up to opportunities to serve. Am I so busy that I can't serve others? Never.

3. 1415926535897

Happy Pi Day ya'll! I stole these instagrams from Cassie...hope she isn't too mad about it! I just really wanted to share with you all my Pi Day festivities. On Pi day I went to school, did homework, went to MCAT prep, and then at 10:45 I realized we hadn't yet had any pie. So we hijacked Carter and headed over to Sammy's for pie shakes. Raspberry Cheesecake, Peach Cobbler, and Banana Cream! And yes they actually blend a piece of pie into the shake, nom nom nom.

Update

I've been experiencing a lack of blogger material probably due to the fact that anything I post now is infinitely lame when compared to posting about Jerusalem. Confession: I MISS JERUSALEM. I miss Jerusalem friends. I miss having my schedule totally laid out for me. I miss incredible field trips. I miss new experience every day. I miss just wandering around until I found friends (ok so maybe I still do this in the WILK). And most of all I miss not planning my future.

I feel like everyone around me is moving forward with their lives, getting all married or going on missions and I'm...just not. I mean I AM moving forward with my life, with the MCAT and med school apps and other things I want to do but there's this part of me that feels suspended in time and space. And paralyzed with indecision. I never knew I was so indecisive! I guess it's all part of that awful age 20. I am so young. I don't know how I convince people I am qualified enough to be making my own life-decisions. It might be how aptly I put off midterm studying by watching Pretty Little Lairs on Hulu and dining out at Saigon Cafe, or how most of my sophisticated meals consist of granola bars and vending machine goldfish.

It is nice to feel to feel young every once in a while though, especially since the majority of my dates this semester have been with fresh-off-the-mission RMs. Most of these have been first dates only, based solely on their academic statuses as freshman and occasionally sophomores. You may be attractive and spiritual and fun but there is NO WAY I am sticking around in Provo any longer than it takes me to graduate. FYI. Currently I am invested stalking the juniors/seniors I actually want to date. Let me know if you've figured out how to move from stalking to dating. I'm still working on it.

Moabites

Is there really any other way to celebrate President's weekend than to climb all over Arches National Park? Yes. But obviously this was a bajillion times more awesome. Arches/Moab/Southern Utah is gorgeous. When we arrived at our campsite it was already dark out so I had to wait until morning to witness the incredible landscape but when I did my mind was sufficiently blown. New fav place? I think yes.



If these sunny pictures fooled you into thinking it was warm outside, lemme tell you, the only thing keeping me warm was the 7 mile loop we did through the Devil's Garden and warming my socks over the fire. The best part of the weekend, however, were the people. I have such funny, talented, interesting, awesome, entertaining friends. Chris even let me use his machete to chop firewood. If that isn't friendship, I don't know what is.

We thought about setting this up, but had to cut our weekend a little short due to an impending storm. Next time: arching swinging.

All photos are courtesy of Chris Maybe, photographer extraordinaire, blog found here.

Tut Tut, Looks Like Rain

Most days life feels phenomenal, so full of possibility and wonder and extraordinary life opportunities. Today, however, life looks like big black pits of despair and stormy clouds and like anywhere I step is a step toward misery and regret. I'm waiting for someone to appear from behind those bookshelves and tell me what I already know: "You're being dramatic. Say a prayer, take a nap and tomorrow will look a little less black pit-esque. Things are hardly ever as final as they seem." Inevitably there would be tears as I whine to them about my inability to make important life decisions or beg for one of those crystal balls that foretells my inescapable future. Eventually, though, I would probably agree with them, explaining away my tears as post-teen hormones or that time of the month. And then life would go on, as it always does. Life goes on.

PS I gots myself a new layout. It's much fresher and cleaner, no? Just like tomorrow, I hope.