Times are Changing

April. It always seems like that's the big change time in college. The weather finally (hopefully) becomes springlike. The semester draws to an end. Finals are taken, and any sort of schedule flies out the window as life revolves around final projects and exams. Housing contracts are up. It's also a time of decision making. Where am I going to live now? What am I doing with my summer? Do I stay in Provo or go somewhere else? Do I work, take classes or try to do both? Seriously...a lot happens in April.

For me, it's been an interesting experiencing. Although i decided back in February what I wanted to do this summer, the little pieces weren't all perfectly figured out. I wasn't too worried...I knew it would out...somehow...someway.

Well here we are, April 28, and I think I've got it all figured out. What's the plan? Well.....

I should be starting an internship next week at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City. It's the last thing I need to do before I can graduate! I'm really excited because I LOVE TR (for you non-TR people out there, that stands for Therapeutic Recreation). Anyways I'll be working in a residential psychiatric facility for kids ages 6-13. Needless to say, I'm VERY excited!! I love psychology and I'm super excited for the chance to work with kids. Most of my TR volunteer experience has been with adolescents and my other internship was geriatrics, so I think this will be a good experience.

With the internship, I've decided to move to Bountiful to be closer to my work. Commuting from Provo every day just doesn't seem that fun :( So I'm going to move in with my grandparents and have a room in their basement. I think it'll be good to be closer to them and work, and I'll still be able to come down to Provo on the weekends to hang out with my sisters and niece.

However, because I'm moving and doing a full time internship, it was time to leave my job at the Dean's Office. I have loved working there!! I started back in November 2009, after I'd gotten home from my mission. And now it's been about 18 months. Crazy how time flies. Today was my last day there. It was bittersweet. I'm really looking forward to my internship, but also sad to leave this job. The people are the best, and I actually have a really fun job. I've learned a lot about the arts and music and the really cool people who have graduated from BYU, the importance of thank yous, how to effectively stalk people--thank you facebook ;) But more than that, I've learned better how to relate to people and understand them, to help them work through their problems. I've learned the importance of being there for those you care about and how much better things can be when we all work together. But also that you can't work too hard--I mean, work needs to be fun too! You need to keep the taffy jar stocked, music going, and finding little ways to sneak some fun in during the day. It was a great experience.

So that's the plan. Will it work out perfectly? Probably not. But that's okay. Even though I don't know what exactly will happen this summer and how exactly it'll turn out, I know it'll be good. It'll be challenging, but it'll be worth it. So let's go!!!

Sunday

Today was Sunday! And it was amazing!!! Seriously, one of the best Sundays in quite a while... even though last week's was pretty wonderful too :)

So we went to church. We were almost on time... I figure if it's still the opening song we're good right??? 9:25 is just so early sometimes.... hehe.... but we had a great meeting. The talks were really good and really got me excited again for General Conference this weekend. Sunday school was also pretty good, entertaining and inspiring. And Relief Society was good too...

Then an afternoon full of visiting teaching, visits, singing at a dementia unit at a local nursing home, dinner (yes, I can cook sometimes), amazing fireside about going to the temple more often, ward prayer, and just general good times!!!

Seriously, today's been a good day....the kind of Sunday that gets me all ready for the coming week. I'm sure it'll be busy and stressful, but having a day to focus on the Lord and reground myself is helpful... so I'm ready.... come what may and love it!!!

Cake Optimist

So, my friend Ashley is pretty much amazing. She's got this cake blog http://cakeoptimist.blogspot.com/ and she includes all her cool baking projects. Seriously, they are sooo gooood!!!

She does all sorts of yummy stuff and they look so cute!! I saw her St. Patty's day cupcakes and decided those would be a such a fun activity with little kids.

So, if you're ever in the mood for some delicious cakes, check her out!! She's pretty much amazing.

An Update.... again....

Okay so I officially slack at this whole blogging thing. BUT I WILL DO BETTER!!! I WILL!!! I'm not sure when or how exactly, but I've decided that blogging is important and valuable and actually very therapeutic. And since I'm a therapeutic recreation major, I better start practicing what I learn in all those classes!

So let's see.... It's been what, 6 months since I've updated? What's happened??? More like what hasn't happened.... We'll do a list and if you want more details comment and we'll get into more exciting stories :)

• Survived Fall semester
• Did a massive research project regarding Mother's leisure satisfaction and the number of children they have
• Took the GRE
• Took a trip home to CA to look at grad schools
• Had lots of fun with the roomies
• Went to many football games
• Spent a Saturday on campus.... something I DO NOT approve of.... hmph!
• Spent lots and lots of time playing with the cutest two year old EVER!!! (In case I haven't mentioned this yet, I have the most adorable niece Marissa who I love to play with!!)
• Hung out with my twin sister... so nice to have her living in the same state again
• Continued to work at the Dean's office with amazing people
• Was disappointed with the incoming winter, snow, snow and snow
• Had a great Christmas break with family
• Started Winter Semester.... yes, the last semester of classes!! Woo-hoo!!!
• Realized that summer will come again and began enjoying fall
• Fell in love with Therapeutic recreation all over again!!
• Found an internship... at Primary Children's Psychiatric center
• Met an adorable angel Tessa, one of my best girl friend's beautiful daughter
• Visited with an old roommie before she entered the MTC
• Witnessed the BYU Men's basketball team's DREAM SEASON
• Decided not to get a master's degree right now.... but quite probably later... good thing that GRE score is valid for 5 years
• Discovered that it is possible and even potentially enjoyable to eat gluten free
• Remembered what a blast the mission was through Sisters nights, Brazilian lunches and a wonderful reunion with the Bradfords yesterday!!!
• And so much more!!

I'm currently finishing up the last few weeks of my last semester of classes (which includes trying to stay motivated!). I'm looking for housing and am getting ready for an amazing internship this summer. And basically enjoying the end of my college life.... Kinda crazy that it's here, but good too. I'm having a blast with my ward and am soooo ready for the nice weather to come and stay!!

In short, life is busy. Life doesn't stop still.... And yet I don't think I would want it to. This way I'm always faced with new opportunities and challenges, and constantly have to ask myself what I can do better and differently.... Through it all, the ups and downs of life, I've realized that somehow, it always works out. I don't know how it will happen, but it will..... And that's good enough for right now.

Craziness...

Okay. Let me just say that my life is crazy. Absolutely CRAZY!! More details later....

An Update

So i've been meaning to write for a while now. It seems as though my great fall semester schedule isn't as spectacular as i thought because i have NO TIME! Well, no time to really do everything i would like to do.

So here's the basic update:

School is busy. 14 credits is usually pretty manageable but this semester it seems to be more work than i planned on. Oh, well, i'm getting really good at writing papers the night before they're due.

Work is good. It seems as though there is always a new (random!) project for me to work on. One of my recent favorites was hand stitching some booklets together. I'm pretty much a pro now. Just saying ;)

I've also started volunteering for my social work class. I work with Wasatch Mental Health here in Provo, with the Youth Outpatient Unit. Basically, i'm there to help the secretaries and entertain the kids. A lot of times the siblings of the kids being seen come and are stuck in the waiting room. So we play and color and hang out. It's pretty fun--and will be much more entertaining once i figure out how to make balloon animals.

In other news, my twin sister moved back to Utah a few weeks ago. It's been fun to see her more. When i got home from my mission, she was in LA so we never really got to hang out like we used to. Now that she's here, we'll get to see each other a lot more. I'm excited about that :)

Ok. There's probably more I could (and should) add, but this will have to suffice for tonight. I mean, i do still have a paper to at least get started tonight. Let's just say life is BUSY! But it's a good busy and I'm good with that.

Fall Semester

So classes started. And as sad as it was, it's really not that bad. I have perhaps the best schedule I've had in long time--which includes NO classes on FRIDAYS!! I love that feeling!

I'm actually pretty excited for this semester. I'm only in 4 classes, but I am doing research for aa professor. And all the classes are pretty interesting: Intro to Social Work; Marriages and Families; Assessment in Therapeutic Recreation; and RMYL Research and Evaluation. It's nice to have classes that I'm actually interested in and not just some gigantic GE class I'm forced to sit through.