Graduation: BYU Undergraduate Class of 2013!!

If someone asked me 5 years ago what I'd be doing after college I would have just laughed.

But that's me, just a few days ago... with a nice little cap on my head. (And the shirt that lets you know I'm trouble when I walk in ;)

In all honesty I never had plans for after graduation... I think that's why my mind was so set on serving a mission before, so I would have something concrete to come back to. And I was really upset (well mostly scared) when I realized that I needed to stay and finish up school. But I would have missed out on so much.

Namely: The craziest wilderness therapy [presentation] group ever! 

feat: Nicole a.k.a. Munchskiez, Me a.k.a. Abu, Yarelly a.k.a. Ali and (not pictured: Karen a.k.a. Chumpskiez)

we all graduated together (even though Karen missed out on the best part!) :P

I would've missed this girl (Kelsie)

Who was my awesomesauce co-TA in the fall.

And I would've missed out on being the SHORTEST one of my friends! :P

And pictures proving that I'm (even though it's ever so slightly) taller than BOTH my Mom and Father!

even though I'm shorter than my "Daddy-Paul"

and we'd have missed out on this awesomesauce 3:1 parent-kid ratio pic! :P

In short, I'm happy to be a graduate. It's total weirdsuce to me. I've gone from having it all: 2 jobs, an apartment, a car, and a full-time student status in full-productivity mode to being completely job-less, homeless and unproductive in about 2 days... 

I am pretty darn excited for the mission though. :P And the family-time I get to spend before then! 

I never thought I'd fall in love...

4 states

71. 522 gallons of gas

2156.9 miles driven

5.649 billion bugs slaughtered

6 new cities explored

1 tiny crack in my windshield

1,000,000 memories made

Basically this picture says it all:

It all started at 12:09 MST on Friday the 17th of August...

One stop in the remote town of Glenn's Ferry ID with only one gas pump, anoter in Pendleton at a bustling gas station where I met a guy who had the most georgeous El Camino I've ever seen, around 11:11 pm I saw the greatest lights as I came over the Manastasch Peak, and then at :

~ 874 miles;

~ 2 bottles of water,  1 mountain dew, 1/3 of a DDP; 2 pb&js;

~ 12:37 min. later...

I've FINALLY arrived in Sophskiez room!

It was clearly a fantastic reunion :P

The next day while I was taking in some of the scenery with my baby Rebel, on our way into the greatest city on Earth, so really cool guys in the Subaru next to us posed for me :P

Don't worry, Sophskiez was drivin' :P

We went to Pike's Place market and saw a bunch of awesome stuff! Then we went to go by the water, and were disappointed when a juggler decided not to perform his routine. The sun came out a little bit, and there were some awesome picture taking opportunities :)

Basically it was beautiful :)

On Sunday Sophie gave an amazing talk in church! When we got home PONO CAME OVER! :D

I was contemplating all of the places in the world I'd like to visit! :)

Sister Wilson and Sister Santos are pointing to their AWESOME missions they'll be serving in for the next 18 months or so. :D

aaand I was writing down some of the driving stats/trip things/ making lists like I generally love to do.

And shortly after we took this jumping pic, I was packed up and ready to head North up to Bellingham!

Monday morning we had breakfast at the Baglery in bustling downtown Bellingham.

Then Kenz and I went down to the boardwalk and took some fun pics. :D

This girl is SO amazing!! :D

Then I took a 'lil trip down to Sammamish to see muh fro Pono! ... I mean muh girl Pono! :P And I STILL have issues saying Sammamish... but my phone, Gina, cannot pronounce Issaquah, soooo I'm not feelin' too bad about it :P

Those bandaids are in the pic like Elise would be if she wasn't in the MTC.

Pono and I feasted on some Mickey-Mouse-Head shaped chicken nuggets, and I got my first taste of Seattle traffic on my way south to Longview! But I still made it to Kara's house before she was done with work. Fueled up on coconut water, AMAZING leftovers, and bran muffins for dessert; home girl took me around town, and to the beautiful Columbia river in her janxy (but AWESOME) off-road vehicle--fully equipped with about 5 different handholds for me to grab on to. :D

We jumped off this cool lookin' stump.

and this was the only normal picture where both of us weren't lookin' too weirdsauce :P

Fueling up one more time in Vancouver, I said goodbye to Kara and to Washington, slept in Portland for a few hours and headed back to Provo on Tuesday.

This was the sunrise in OR! (also, you can see just a few of the bugs that  littered my windshield)

And now here I am, back in Provo, my new (and as of now, empty) apartment, anxiously awaiting school to start. I'm a little bit poorer, but my whirlwind tour of the BEAUTIFUL state of Washington was life changing. I never thought I'd fall in love, especially not with a city, or a little bit of countryside, but oh how my heart is singing, calling me back there.

Happy BIRTHDAY Bekstrandskiez! :D

So this is muh girl Rebekah Seastrand/Bekstrand/Bekstrandskiez
And TODAY IS HER BIRTHDAY!

Let me tell you a little story about why this gril is AMAZING! :D

We met Freshman year in the Penthouse of Penrose Hall... (which is sadly now destined for demolish-ment), and we became pretty tight. She even stared in one of my early rap videos :P

Clearly, Bekstrand is AWESOME! :P

But seriously, I've been blessed to know this girl for about 3 years now, and since then we've had great times. Talks in heritage kitchens 'til 4 in the morning, phone convos from opposite sides of the country, spicy sushi (http://featherah.blogspot.com/2010/08/welcome-to-hellfire.html), crazy awesome concerts (Journey/Foreigner and Styx/REO Speedwagon)(See above), talks on random golf-cart benches in SLC, hikes with cougars, hikes up the Y, this girl has been just such a great example of what a friend should be!

I am so happy to call this girl my best friend, and I am so glad that it's her birthday today. She is SO AWESOME, we've been through ups and downs, and we made it together. Bekstrand is such a great example of love, patience, and Christ. Being around her makes me want to be a better person, and basically I'm just kinda really freak glad she was born! :P

Awesomeauce.

We inherited a SWEET shot glass (filled w/ juice) that says "Because I have been given much" Pretty Legit right? :P

There are so many stinkin' awesome people in my life!
This is my dearest Sophie who just left last week, after she was our roomie for awhile. :)

:D

College is this crazytrain of change, and sometimes I feel like there are way too many stops to choose to get off at. I feel like I'm dealing with stuff I'm too young for sometimes, and I also feel like I'm way behind my contemporaries, but all in all, I know that I'm right where I need to be. And its jumping like a fool out of a tree into a pond, listening to children swear at the state hospital, staying up all night with one of my best friends before driving her to the airport at 3:30 AM (see above :P), visiting where I started to grow up on my own, visiting salty lakes, and having late-night car-versations with my bwt that remind me that I'm right where I need to be.

After hurling ourselves off rope swings!

Roomies from Freshman year (minus Julia ):

The Great Salt Lake

My BWT :)

What up Mudder??

Okay, So I got up at 5 this morning, b/c my computer is wack right now, and while I'm scanning some of my notes into PDFs for 2 of the tests I have this week, I've been doing a bit more research on the Tough Mudder Event that good 'ol Mary Math introduced me to yesterday! For real, this event is so stinking legit... and it supports the Wounded Warrior Project to help vets that have been wounded physically and mentally from war.

This is totally something I want to be a part of and, they ask the participants to raise money for the project. So other than the obvious upsides of having an excuse to roll around in mud with some friends and get through a kick-a obstacle course, I think that this is a great service opportunity to support as well.

So yeah, it'll be legit.

God is great, life is good, people are crazy.
189 <3

LOOK MA! I got muh hair did!

:D
So muh girl Cara Wilcox did muh hairs! And its legit! :)

I Guess My Mind Wanders Off From Time To Time

HAPPY NEW YEAR!




Which also means happy new semester!
Can I just say this semester is kicking my butt already?!? ...but as you know I'm a kray kray and I love it :D
I'm taking 2 Religion classes (Writings of Isaiah and Mission Prep), 2 SFL classes (MFT Prep and Preperation for Mairriage), 2 English classes (Persuasive Writing and Fundamental Literary Interpretation), 1 Psych class (Personality) and one online class (Introduction to Family Processes). I am also happily employed as a research assistant for the Counseling Center and have left the good 'ol bakery for a job as a teaching assistant for HLTH460, a public health class called Substance Abuse and Addictive Behaviors... it's kind of freaking awesomely exciting! :D


This semester is going to be crazy, and I just feel really blessed, because in all the chaos of the beginning of the semester I've gotten behind a bit, and some awesome people are taking care of me from leaving lovely notes to doing my cleaning check for me! ...humans really are relational creatures huh? Sometimes I feel like songs say what I feel better than I can, and the song "So Much Love" by the Rocket Summer is the only way I can describe how I feel about my friends right about now: 

Oh, I swear, I know, I believe it

Oh, I can't stop hearing all the singing

Oh, my soul has never had this feeling

and it feels like gold

You got so much love in you

You got so much love in you

I'm amazed that I'm talkin' to you

You look like the songs that I've heard my whole life coming true

And while we are on this awesome The Rocket Summer kick, I want to share this awesome song that really just reminds me  that everything testifies of Christ. I know that you can twist words to find whatever meanings you want in them, but, when I heard this song this week I was reminded of the truthfulness and amazingness of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and His love for us. I was also reminded of the great plan of happiness that Heavenly Father has set out for us, His mercy, His love. My heart kind of just filled up with peace and gratitude.

Here it is C:

Turn, look, look out and see

Do you see me?

Because I think I see you.

I've been some other place

The wind that I chase, it all just leads back to you.

Oh how I'm still, so still, it's sobering, but still I ran.

I knew you when I was young

But where am I now that I'm a man?

Run to you, I will run, I will run.

I will move right on through

All of these things that I have done.

And you'll take me back, I don't know why.

I  want to say I'll never do it again,

But I can't, but I will try.

Turn, look, look out and see

Do you see me?

Because I think I see you.

I've been some other place

The wind that I chase, it all just leads back to you.

oh how I miss what you miss, but I will fall time and again

And I will say that I'm true to you,

But I'm a cheat. I don't understand.

So I'll run to you, I will run, I will run.

I will move right on through

All of these things that I have done.

And you'll take me back, I don't know why.

I want to say I'll never do it again, but I can't

I want to say I'll never do it again, but I can't

I want to say I'll never do it again, but I can't

But I will try.

It's a pretty awesome song huh? :D

Anyway, enjoy something awesome today.

The Church is True!

God is great, life is good, people are crazy AND there are only about 229 days until I turn in my mish papers!

Love in Light

Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most.

So, there is really not any one single person physically on this earth in particular who has gotten me though the most. Chat with me some time and I could drop half a dozen names of those who have profoundly effected my life in helping me through trials. My memory isn't the most complete historical record keeper in the world either, and I know that there are many occasions that I've been helped that I can't even remember. But, those who have answered my all of my crazy midnight phone calls, sat with me when I've cried, held me through a panic attack, have had patience with me when I couldn't articulate my thoughts or feelings, have let me crash on their couch, or in their bed, or who have given me a bedtime... I hope they know who they are, because, even though I can't really tally up those difficult times, I know they helped me when I needed it most.
I also know that no matter what challenge I have ever faced, the reason I was able to get through it was because of love. Dark is always a term used when describing difficult times, and love brings light into life during the hardest moments. Everyone has the Light of Christ inside them, and I believe that that light gives us a power to put love in motion, and share it with those around us.
It's kind of amazing to think about because my personal love languages are touch and quality time. Sometimes it can be difficult for me to remember Heavenly Father's love, because my brain doesn't always comprehend that someone doesn't always have to be physically there to hear you (you'd think phones would help with that right?)... anyway, I'm just reminded every single day of His love through the Light of Christ in those around me.
Jesus Christ has gotten me through the most in my life. The truthfulness and reality of His love, His Atonement, His power, are testified to me every day in those around me... everyday He helps me.


God is great, life is good, and people are crazy.
The Church is true!
Keep spreading love.


<3 <3 <3

Me and Jacy :)

This is my good friend Jaclyn, and she is definately someone I've been closest to for the longest. I met this chick when I was 13, and a cute little freshman in high school! I don't know why but for some reason she took a liking to me and, well, we've been tight ever since! She's saved my life in a couple of ways, and I've almost single handedly given her seperation anxiety. (If we aren't seperated, she gets anxious :P... oh that never gets old!) Good 'ol Jacy, a shining light in my life. This girl is a big part of the reason I want to serve a mission! Namely, because she introduced me to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but also because she invited me to attend with her! Not to mention she answered like all of my questions and sat with me during a bunch of missionary lessons. She taught me about Christ through being an awesome example of Him, and that's probably why she's stayed friends with me for so long. Haha, but naw for real, this girl rocks my life :)


God is great, life is good, and people are crazy!!
The Church is true!!
(305 more days!!)