I'm not always good at these things...

First time for everything, yeah? The month of May turned out to be a first time for things I never expected to happen. One: Going over my monthly minutes on my cell phone. In the past, the 450 minutes has been plenty, since after 9pm and weekends are free. In fact, I usually ended up with extra left over. Since going over has never been a problem, I don't normally check to see how many I have used for the month, but I was strangely inspired to look last week, and good thing I did. 595 minutes. I almost fell off my bed where I was sitting. I deducted that not having school or work during the day to distract me, I must have called people more. Two: Having lights flash in my rear-view mirror by a police car. The speed limit on Wasatch Blvd on campus is apparently 25 mph, not 35. He asked for license and registration and proof of insurance. The officer went back to his car, and I started laughing. To my knowledge there is no speed limit sign along that road. Either I deserved to be pulled over for not paying attention to the signs, or there is no sign and the school or the government should put a sign up. Luckily he let me go with a warning only, just to slow down. I can do that :).

Observatory Update

Additional observations available on campus observatory for your reading pleasure. Comments welcome as always.

Fever Dream

I was lying on my bed taking a nap. My mom came in and I asked if she would get me a drink. My eyelids were incredibly heavy and I couldn't budge them. She returned with a drink, and I tasted it. I sat up a little and struggled to open my eyes. I was in a pretty good mood, it was just my body that was complaining. She left to call the doctor, and I could hear her in the next room talking about what she should do. All I heard was "So it isn't spinal menengitis." Then she asked me "Can you open your eyes?" The right eye lid opened a crack, and I could see below me. "Yes!" I replied. It seemed to me everything was fine and my mother was overreacting. I ventured slowly from my bed, trying to open my eyes further. My movements were slow and my eyes kept slamming shut. I made it to the office door. Again I could open the one eye, but then I realized that it had a fixed image of laying on my bed, like a picture was pasted over my eye. This is when I was no longer in a good mood, and I started to fear for my health. I tried to say "I can only see my room!" but my hearing was faded. It sounded to me as if I were speaking through a pillow. I spoke again, louder and slower, as if it were my mother who had the hearing problem not me. Then I woke up. I opened my eyes all the way, stood up and walked outside to find my mother. It was a joy to walk and to see! The dream felt real, but I am grateful it was not. I am grateful I can see, walk and hear. How lonely it would be if I could not hear. How much I would miss if I could not see. Message to the rest of you: Don't sleep in a roasting room, the heat will play with your head.

Summer for Redheads

This is the time for people to show off more of what they've got. For some, it's covering less than their showing. In this life there are some who are blessed with skin that seems to gently tan no matter how long they spend in the direct sun. For others, they burn after long periods of time, but it quickly turns nice and dark. Then there leaves the rest of us. The ones who are so pale, that to wear white nylons or not is not a matter of looks, because you can't tell the difference anyway. No matter how much time my skin is exposed, it will not tan evenly. Freckles are my style, thank you. That is, if I am careful. It only takes 20 minutes of direct sunlight for this redhead to become red on more than just my head. The process has begun. 2 hours in the sun yesterday resulted in this. Pretty ain't it? It will heal, peel, then a nice set of freckles will be left over. It's a fancy way of living, I assure you.

Bucket List

Dance to Celtic music with a boy. check.
Dance to Pirates theme with a boy. check.
Dance to "I hope you dance." _____
Take a carriage ride up Memory Grove. _____
Graduate from High School. check.
Go to Scotland. _____
Go on a church history tour. _____
See the rest of the inside of a temple. _____
Be a mother. _____
Graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Latin. _____
Marry in the temple. _____
Sing my child to sleep. _____
(not ordered in any way of priority, though marriage comes before child)

A bucket list is a list of things you desire to complete during your existence, aka things you want to do before you "kick the bucket". I'm tagging three people to create one of their own. Laverna. Mara. Muffy.

Simple Pleasures Make Life Wonderful

-Writing with a quill and ink, then sealing it with wax
-A red sunset after rain
-Tearing a soft chocolate chip cookie and eating it slowly
-Giving flowers to someone
-Snuggling with a teddy bear
-Seeing an old married couple holding hands
-Warm water on your face after a long day
-Talking to someone who knows you in and out, and loves you anyway
-Singing your favorite song
-Laughing with good people
-Tickling a child and hearing them giggle
-Crying happy tears
-Sinking into music
-Hearing "I love you" and knowing they mean it

Chick Flicks

Also known as movies for girls. Some are just pointless and predictable (Two Weeks Notice). Some are just gross (Moulin Rouge). Some are disappointing (Miss Potter, Becoming Jane). Every once in a while there are ones that just make a girl melt in her seat and wish her life could be just the same. Pride and Prejudice is an all time favorite of many. Move over Mr. Darcy because there is a new guy in town! He sweeps a girl name Penelope off her feet, and happens to be just the right mix of handsome/rugged, flawed/learning, sensitive and full of sincere love. Good acting, good costumes, good story, one unnecessary scene (just pointless), and no dirt = good movie!

Little Wonders

(to be sung to the tune "found a peanut")

"On a honeymoon, on a honeymoon, on a honeymoon tonight, tonight they're on a honeymoon, on a honeymoon tonight..."

Two wonderful people chose today to spend not only their mortal lives together, but to seal themselves to each other for eternity. They went in as Michael and Eliza, and returned as one. One in purpose, souls matched together. Throughout the coming years the misfit pieces will be broken and molded as they intertwine themselves with God to become eternal beings."When the final timber lay, 'gainst the measured stones, with the door posts in their place overlaid with gold. The Lord appeared to Solomon, blessing all the house, also the temple of the ark of God, pure and whole...Come dwell in Solomon's wall. Come and dwell in the house of the Lord. Where the humble bow down seeking wisdom and strength, for the Lord dwells within and heals their land. Come dwell in Solomon's walls. Come and dwell in the house of the Lord, where wisdom and righteousness, justice and holiness, join at the feet of God."

As my friends, I could never ask for better. Never forgetting this odd red-head, they have continually extended the hand of friendship from the beginning, even while they were sorting themselves out. Forgiving, silly, honest, loving, wonderful people."Let it go, let it roll right off your shoulder, don't ya know, the hardest part is over. Let it in, let your clarity define you, in the end we will only just remember how it feels. Our lives are made, in these small hours, these little wonders, these twisting turns of fate. Time falls away, but these small hours, these small hours still remain."

Love you guys. Onward and upward! Waju.

The same day

These pictures were taken the same day. Snow in the morning, sunshine in the afternoon. Welcome to Utah. If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes. The best description I've heard was in a restaurant. Customer: "What's the weather normally like here this time of year?" Waiter: "Normal? There is no normal. It changes every day."

Me Mama!

My sister, her husband and I snuck through the crowd, avoiding my mother who was handing out programs. We nearly ran into her, but spun around and walked in the opposite direction. We found seats near the front of the theatre. The program started, and she still didn't notice us. They started announcing awards, and... They called her name! She was awarded the Dean's Staff Award. Amazing, isn't she?She's been working there for YEARS and they finally recognize her for all the hard work she does.