FiNaLs WeEk....WhAt??? Already??

Things are winding down here for most of the Cedar City population....except for me! With finals week approaching, my night life begins. For those that don't know, the ELC that I work in, stays open 24/7 during the week before finals week and then through finals. It is a crazy time to work, but I love it! It gives me time to finish up all of my projects and to study. I really have it made here as a lab tech because I can work and work and work on my homework (if there aren't too many student questions), then once my shift is done I can play all I want! I really am going to miss this job so much when I head up to Logan.

Kiana and I have started packing up our things so we can move out this weekend, rather than paying for an additional week when we don't really have the need. We are going to have a week long sleep over with our pal Jessika next week while we go through finals.

I just finished my last quiz for chemistry!!! I am totally stoked to be done with that class soon! All I have left is the final....prayers are much appreciated ;) Chemistry is NOT my thing, but I have to take it for a pre-req for the FACS Ed program. Lame I know.

As for the rest of my classes, culinary arts came to a close today. We had our last lecture today after our weekly quiz. Cindy did a lecture on preparedness. It really got me thinking about food storage, emergency kits, etc. I really want to be better at this and take initiative. Kiana always talks about getting things started but I just brush her off and don't worry about it. But with all of the disasters happening I really need to get my behind in gear and get prepare. Anywho, after our lecture where she gave us a parting gift, I got a fridge thermometer. Awesome huh?

I then went to my last culinary arts lab and it was a bitter sweet moment. I never thought this day would come, to be done with those labs. My partner David Whitmore and I worked hard and efficiently. We were the first done with our cleaning, so I went over and helped a fellow classmate. But once I walked out that door I felt a great feeling of accomplishment and relief.I learned a lot don't get me wrong, but I have been so ready to be done with that class. I walked to my car with THE biggest smile on my face after being dismissed. Success.

For nutrition I only have one more lecture and then the final.....I'm not stressing over this one because I get the material and I know I will do great if I study. So that's what I'll be doing all this week. Matt has been a great teacher. I have enjoyed taking this class from him. It has been much more enjoyable than the last class I took from him my freshman year. I'm a little more mature and a little more focused, so things have been going smoothly in his class. I have a better attitude this time around and he makes each and every class entertaining. We start out with a video clip from youtube or something that has nothing to do with nutrition. It just brings a smile to our faces bright and early Tuesday and Thursday mornings. I have to admit that I almost switched my major to nutrition because of Matt and his enthusiasm for it.

My marriage class is almost done as well. I am finishing up some studying for the last exam. I luckily was NOT a procrastinator and wrote all of my required papers well before the due dates, so I only have one thing left. Go me! There's a first time for everything!

And last, but certainly not least, my child guidance class. I have one more lecture and then a final, which is going to be cake because it isn't comprehensive, AND we get to use our notes. I already wrote all of my journals that account for 28 hours in the preschool and I wrote my three page philosophy paper. I love when I get things done and don't procrastinate! Karen Houser is an AMAZING teacher. I have learned so much from her this semester. I also award her THE best dressed at SUU. I haven't seen her wear anything twice....pointed out to me by Kiana. I made a mental note each day to see if I had seen any part of her outfit before. The only thing I found that she wore more than once, was her wedding ring...which she wore everyday. And she is so trendy it amazes me....when I get older I want to be like her :) great teacher, great wardrobe.

So that's my life in a nutshell. Seeing how my lab got out early I get to party it up on this Tuesday night! I'm gonna go wake up Kiana from a nap, watch some Glee, hit up Taco Tuesday with my peeps, pack, and just enjoy my amazing life :)

I've got the fever .....

So last night I was thinking to myself....what am I going to do on this Tuesday night? Kiana was out to dinner....Dalaki was on his way back from Milford, so I decided to go for a run. It was so refreshing running out in the fresh air! The Cedar City Canyon Trail is by far one of my favorite places in the world. As I was jogging I thought of a list that I could do until Kiana got done. I came up with the brilliant idea of getting a red box. But I didn't want to just get any old movie. My heart was set on one particular movie....one that I have been DYING to see. Once I got done running, I found Kiana's keys and headed to the nearest redbox. The movie I wanted was not at either redbox located by Lin's. So I headed down the road to Walmart. I needed to pick up some pictures anyway so I went back to the electronics and picked up my pictures, then went to the movie section to see if my movie was there.....and as I went to the DVD selection I was devastated to find that my movie was not there. I bet you are all wondering what movie I was looking for....well I am proud to say that I've got the fever....Bieber Fever! I have been dying to see NeverSayNever. Judge me all you want! I love this kid. I love to rock out to his music in my High School Musical t-shirt I got from high school graduation from Karen. I am a sucker for guitars so why wouldn't I like his music??

So after I couldn't find the movie, I was like now what am I going to do? I decided to get the next best thing....some CD's. Usually I don't just go and buy CD's because I usually just listen to youtube at work or to mix CD's I make, or to an ipod. But after a lesson on honesty a few Sunday's ago, I decided that I would make a valiant effort to not "steal" songs anymore, so I bought me some new CD's. And not just any CD's. I bought JB's remix collection and his acoustic collection. BEST INVESTMENT I have made in a long time. As I sat in my car on the way down to the temple today I thought to myself, man I do A LOT of driving. So I popped in my CD's and headed down the highway, lookin' for adventure. :)

I am so amazed by any artist that can play an instrument, write and sing songs, so when I found out JB can sing, write, and play multiple instruments, I was instantly sold on his music (and I secretly wanted his bangs before he got a hair cut) As I was checking out of Walmart, the cashier grabbed my items and looked at me in disbelief and said, Justin Bieber? Really? I fought with myself in my head wondering if I should just own up to it, or lie and say it was for my little sister. So I looked at him and said, Yeah, you betcha! I don't deny it, I own it! He smiled and said, wow! You are awesome. I get a lot of people that try to lie about it saying it is for their sister, but I can totally tell they're lying. But not you, you totally owned it! You go girl. (If that didn't make my whole day I don't know what else would!)

So if you pass by while I'm cruisin along in my automobile,
rest assure that I am probably jammin to my man JB. :)

Start with what you know

Can I just say that time sure flies by!! It is almost the middle of April and I can't believe I only have a few more weeks left in this Spring 2011 semester! I have been trying to figure out my life for who knows how long and when I decide on something, another factor comes into play and I am back at square one. So as I think about all of the things that are going on in my life, all of the unknowns, and decisions, I can't help but to refer back to an institute lesson I had here at SUU. I was in a class taught by Brother Gudmunson. He is such an amazing teacher! Words would not do him justice to explain just how great of a teacher he is. If I can become a quarter of the teacher he is in my own career, I will be ever so grateful! Anywho, we were chatting one day in class about how one of my fellow classmates had an experience where her testimony was wavering. She had always been strong in the church and when she was at work, a fellow employee came to her asking questions about our church. At first she was caught off guard and hesitated at answering their tricky questions and it really troubled her because she had always been so strong in the church. So she talked to Brother Gudmunson and he gave her profound and yet simple advice. He told her to start with what she KNEW. She began thinking about what she really did know and had a firm testimony of.

This class discussion happened about a year ago and yet I can still remember it as if it was just yesterday. If you know me then you know that I like to be organized and that I like to know what I am doing, where I am going, and how I am going to get there. So this whole business of changing schools, places to live, jobs, and maybe even marital status, has got me stressed to the max. My mind starts thinking about one thing, then another, then another. Then I just have to put my running shoes on and run my anxiety and stress out. It wasn't until yesterday that I remembered Brother Gudmunson's advice....start with what you know.

So that is what I am going to do. I know that I am a daughter of my Father in Heaven and that I am never alone. I know that he is always there for me, much closer than I think at times. I know that I have a family that loves and supports me in all of my decisions. I know that if I will trust in the Lord he will direct my paths. I know that wherever I go and whatever I choose to do, someone in Brazil loves me and will support me in whatever goals I set for myself. I know that by sincere prayer and faithfully studying the scriptures I can receive tender mercies from my Father in Heaven. I know that I want to study Family and Consumer Sciences because it is so very important to me. I know that I want to become a teacher and change lives like Ira Mitchell Fisher. I know in order to do this I am supposed to transfer to Utah State. I don't have all of the answers as to why's, but I just know that that is where I am supposed to finish my degree. So with all of those things that I know, I have taken them and have found peace in my decisions.