Feeling Special

So sometimes it's just nice to feel a little special sometimes. Someone did that for me today. So on Tuesday I got a phone call from a guy in my ward. He was in my FHE group last semester and we had anatomy lab together. Anyway... last semester he invited me over for dinner a couple of times and a few weeks ago he invited us (my roommates and I) out to go ice skating... anyway, my roommate thinks that he likes me. But that's beside the point of this story, it's just background information.
Anyway, so I texted the boy back on Tuesday and got no response. Then he called today while I was in class. I really wanted to answer, but didn't want to leave class. So he left a message. It sounded a little scripted, but he said "hi Emily, it's 'bob,' how are you? Anyway I was just calling because I won the lottery, in fact I won the grand prize in a drawing, and I wanted to tell you about it"
So I was intrigued, but when I called him back he didn't answer. So all afternoon I waited to find out what was going on. Finally I was just getting out of a work meeting and my phone rang while I was messing with it, so I kind of accidentally answered it. We chatted for a minute or so, then he asked if i wanted to know what he won. He said that he 'entered a drawing a few Sundays ago' and that he 'won the grand prize' Then he said that he won the Ward Prom drawing. Then he asked if I knew what he won. It was so cute. He won a date with me in the ward prom. It'll be fun. It won't be uncomfortable because we're already friends, and we have conversations. Shelly wants to know if the boys could request dates.

[Oh, so the ward prom deal is that we're having this big formal dance thing, and they put the girls names in one hat and the boys names in another hat and they drew them out so that everyone there will have a date... then for the dance it's a free for all and you have a dance card that everyone can fill out for the 10 slow songs. Anyway, it should be super fun... ]

So I feel special. And that feels nice.

Those things of worth...

This week has been pretty interesting. There hasn't been a lot going on, but I've been thinking about who I am and the kind of person I've become. One of the girls I grew up with had something as her status that she has too many righteous desires. Now I'm not sure that can be possible, but it is hard to know which ones to pursue when, and what to do with the righteous desires that you don't have complete control over. 
Since I've been home from my mission I've been floating a little bit. It's been interesting because I've always had a next big thing happening. Now I don't... School has ceased to be a 'big thing' and I've already been on a mission, the next 'big thing' is marriage and well... I only have a little control over that one. Anyway. So in institute we've been talking about what our work is-- D&C 11:20 says that my work is to keep the commandments. 1 Nephi 3:7 says that God will prepare a way for me to accomplish the things that he commands me to do. Then one day we talked about the price we pay. We must go through that which is bitter to know the sweet. And the sweet does not come easily. Thomas Paine said "These are the times that try men's souls...What we obtain too cheap we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods." So there will be the things that I struggle through, the things that don't come easy, those are the things most worth having. 

Best Night Ever...

So tonight the funniest thing that has ever happened to me happened. Ok-- maybe it wasn't that funny, but at the moment it was pretty hilarious. Earlier this evening the ward executive secretary stopped by and asked if we were available for the bishopric to visit us. So around 8:25 they came by and thus began the awkward conversation... how are you? how's school? how's your family? What's your major? blah blah blah. So 10 minutes into their visit there is giggling outside our door and someone starts body slamming the door. After a probably 15 seconds of shock, I got up and went to the door and opened it to find my two sisters at the door. They start talking loudly and then I said "This is my bishopric-- these are my sisters." Needless to say all were pretty speechless and red in the face. Perhaps the bishopric will realize that my family is a little insane and that I come by it honestly? If nothing else, it makes for a great story to tell... and, for the bishopric to tell.

What a day!

Today-- even though I'm tired, and even though I know that I'm going to have to wake up exceedingly early tomorrow, was such a good day! It all started a little frantically. My alarm went off and I decided to lay in bed for a while. Well, a while turned into an hour and a half, and my class was in 35 minutes. But thanks to my parents insistence that I am beautiful without makeup, I showered, did my hair, and got to class on time! (Thank you, thank you!) I managed to not fall asleep in class then I came home and made the broccoli cheese soup I've been craving. I cleaned up the messy, messy kitchen then went off to the next 3 hours of class... those 3 hours are usually a little rough, but I managed to keep myself awake! Oh, also, before I went to class I decided to look up a lady from my mission on facebook on a whim. She was not only a member, but she was on, so my friend request was immediately accepted and I got to talk to her! It was amazing, that even though I haven't talked to her in a year that how much I still loved her and her family. Then on my way home from class I saw the new sister missionaries that are here on campus! I LOVE SISTER MISSIONARIES! I told them to call me whenever :) I hope they call! I have their number too :) So after I got home from classes I decided to go get a haircut which is a little shorter than i was planning (I've gotten used to having it long), but it's really cute! Then I came home and we played monopoly and i lost terribly, and now I'm just relaxing, realizing that I ought to be in bed because my 7am class is going to come quickly! But even at the end of the day... I feel so blessed. It's been a few days that I've felt this way despite the other stuff that's happened, it's all good.

Blessed

Today I had an amazing epiphany. I've felt... lost in my life. I suppose probably in a semi-normal mid-twenties kind of way. I don't feel like an adult, but I don't feel like a child or even a teenager. So I've felt lost, and there have even been times when I've felt like God doesn't answer my prayers. Today, in the clarity and serenity of the temple I had this great thought. Even though I don't really know where I am right now, or the direction that my life is headed in the next few years... God does! When Adam hid from God in the garden of eden because he was naked, God didn't ask Adam where he'd been because he didn't know- of course He knew! He asked so that Adam could see where he was in relationship to God. Now, I imagine later, out of the garden, that Adam and Eve were pretty lonely and maybe discouraged at times, wishing for the good old days in the Garden. They followed the commandments that they had received thus far, and waited for the Lord to send more instructions. When the angel came, I can imagine Adam's relief. So for now, I'll keep doing what I've been told to do for now. And I'll remember that the Lord knows where I am, even when I don't.

The Making of a Best Friend

I thought that my days of math were behind me. Never again would I take a test primarily dealing with numbers and graphs. But, I was wrong. Today, panic began to set in as I was studying for my Hearing Science Class. The entire first chapter is all on MATH. Now, I was, in the distant past, good at math, I took calc in high school but entered into a course of study in the Social Sciences, thinking I'd bid math a fond farewell. Not so. So, in my panic, I thought of the first person I knew who was good at math-- my friend E (now, for Rachel my sister, who's reading this; I did think of you, but I wanted an excuse to talk to him-- also he got 100% on his calculus tests, smart guy). So I texted him and asked if he knew anything about Logs. (the main topic of my concern.) E replied asking if I needed help and telling me that he'd be at my house in 20 minutes, I was looking for a quick crash course, but it was really not as hard as I, in my panic, had presumed it to be. We quickly went over logs (me remembering, and feeling a little dumb for making him come all the way to my house for something I could have done on my own), then we just talked and ate popcorn. I love this kid. In the pure, non-romantic, Christlike love. I feel like I can be myself around him, I don't have to pretend to be perfect, or put on a face, and I don't feel like he's judging me. We talked about the mission, and people and situations. We talked about the Spirit, and faith, and hope and answers to prayers. Trust. I would trust my life with this guy. I probably shouldn't call him a 'kid' but I would. If I ever needed anything really important, I could go to him, and probably would, before my home teachers or my bishop. I think that I can look to him as an example in a lot of ways. And I'm sorry, I know this doesn't make sense, this post midnight (when he had to leave) babble, and tomorrow may not be much better (since I have a 7 am class), but I'm thankful. What a stellar person for the Lord to send me. I see him and I love him, like a brother. And honestly, it's probably because he loved me first, and showed me. Ok, I'm done...

Utili-kilts...

(Written yesterday on an airplane with 2 hours of sleep- that's my excuse)

So I’m on a flight heading back to Utah and I’m about in tears. Chances are that it has to do with a combination of my eating like crap for the past two weeks, sleeping for just 2 hours last night, and hating Utah. I try to forget how much I love Seattle while I’m in Provo. When flying out of the SLC Airport, I saw a shot glass and a flask that said ‘eat drink and be merry, for tomorrow you may be in Utah.’ Though I don’t drink, I think this was a rather appropriate sentiment. Two weeks ago we flew into Seattle and got off of the flight and were greeted by a man standing there in a ‘utili-kilt.’ (Ok, we weren’t really greeted by him, but he was standing right outside our gate.) I do love a good utili-kilt. Actually, it’s not that I think they are attractive, or whatever, just that I appreciate living in a place where it is normal to see a man wearing a skirt - albeit a very manly skirt. I love the freedom to be me, the fact that people know me there. I miss that in Utah. When I was at home last year, I could be me, but now I’m in Provo, I was talking to a friend and he said ‘we are among the most beautiful and accomplished Mormon population.’ Unfortunately being among those kind of people seems to make me feel like the least of them. I’ve got a full 12 months left in Utah. 4 months now. 8 months next school year then graduation and I’m getting out of there. I am so blessed to have sisters. Having them in Utah makes life bearable. I have a place to escape to.

Back on the drinking line—This morning I Dad woke me up at 10 to 7. Some guy tried to blow up another plane so they’ve tightened security a bit (I even got patted down), so we had to be at the airport early. Anyway. I went to bed at probably 4:10 so I got like 2 ½ hours of sleep last night. I think that’s what a hangover feels like. I also ate a ton of crap last night—making me feel even sicker. Once on the ground in SL,UT (hahaha) I’m done w/ sugar and flour (again). Rachel and I decided that if we were going to feel this crappy we might as well start drinking—ok, maybe not.