Too Many Emotions to Handle

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This past weekend was huge for me.  I got to do something that I have been planning on for as long as I can remember.  I got to go through the Draper temple.  This moment that I have dreamed of since I was a little girl finally became a reality.  But there was one stark contrast between my dream and my reality.  I was missing the man that had always been part of my dream. The LDS temples are sacred houses of worship where people who attend "are taught, make covenants, and are promised blessings" (for more info on temples visit lds.org). Marriages also take place in temples and that is where I was lacking.
I always dreamed that I would go to the temple with the man I loved where I would be endowed and we would be sealed for time and all eternity as husband and wife.  It wasn't until about a year ago that I realized my dream might not happen in reality.  I might go through the temple before I met the man of my dreams.  When the day finally came to prepare for the temple I was so excited.  My bishop gave me the okay and I started reading, praying, and preparing to enter such a holy and sacred place.  I was so excited and I felt like it was the right thing for me to do.
As I interviewed with my stake president I might have teared up when we talked about temple sealings.  I knew this would not be part of my temple experience at this time. My stake president is a wonderful man and he said all the right things to comfort me (Yikes! Crying female!).
As the day came closer I had very mixed emotions.  I was so, so excited to go through the temple.  I knew it would be a special and sacred experience for me.  I also felt sad knowing that I was not going with my future husband.  Each of my married sisters had gone to the temple right before they got married.  I felt like I was missing a huge, important step in my journey through life.
Thursday night ( the night before I went to the temple) I really struggled with my emotions.  I was so happy and so excited and so sad.  As Friday night approached I became nervous.  I didn't know what I would feel inside the temple.  Would I feel peace? Would I feel inadequate? Would I still feel sad on what should be such a wonderful day? I honestly didn't know. The drive up to the temple was stressful for me and I felt like I wasn't much of a conversationalist (or a good driver-sorry Mom. Aren't you glad we didn't die?).  My thoughts were consuming me and I didn't know how to express them without unleashing a river of tears.
As I entered the temple I was overcome with peace.  The stressful drive was immediately out of my mind and I felt right.  My family was meeting us there and as I walked into the room where we would be I saw my sister Alyssa and her husband waiting. Just then the others that would be joining us walked in and I knew this was where I needed to be. I had the support of my family and that was what I needed.  As I sat in the quiet temple my thoughts were my own and I was able to sit silently and think. I knew, I knew that I was where I was supposed to be.  I was doing what was right for me and even though it didn't include a husband, it was still perfect.  It was such a spiritual experience for me and I am so glad that I got to experience the temple for myself.  I went in with so many confusing thoughts and I left with a clear mind and a comforted soul.
I am grateful for my experience and for the support that I had.  It was the best day ever and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

The beautiful Draper temple:

source

AHEM....This thing on?

I. Am. Back.
I am blogging.  This is more epic than the Lord of the Ring Series*!
My life has been cray-zay this past quarter (because it has been a quarter since I posted).  I don't think I have enough brain power to post everything that has happened since I last posted, but I will do my best to catch you up.  Let us rewind allllll the way to June. My bff Kate got married.

Happy Wedding to Kate and Ryan!
July was all about the 4th which posted about.  So...on to August.
In late July another bff, Jordan, and I decided to go to Sand Hollow.  It was going to be a glorious weekend of sunbathing and lounging.  Instead it rained in Sand Hollow so we decided to go to Zion NP and hike around.  We stopped at Cedar Breaks and it was absolutely breathtaking.  There was a nasty storm coming in (probably the same one Sand Hollow was experiencing) so the contrast between rock and sky was amazing.

 This trip ended up being a huge comedy of errors and turned into Zions: A True Story of Survival.  We had planned on camping at Sand Hollow.  When we decided to switch to ZNP (Zion National Park) it was too late to get a reservation so we had to drive to St. George to find a place.  We tried to sleep in the car but it was literally 95 degrees in the car.  Sleep was not about to happen.  We found a sketchy motel in St. George, snagged the last room, and ran inside for some air conditioning.  Turns out the "air conditioner" was just a window unit attached to the highest window in the room.  There was no air flow and the beds were just as hot as the car.  So in a moment of desperation I ripped my bed apart, dragged my mattress to the floor in front of the AC unit, and spent the rest of the night trying to cool off.
The next morning we opted to sleep instead of try the continental breakfast.   Once we felt rested we hopped in the car and headed back to ZNP. It was bloody hot in the park so we decided to do the easiest of the hikes- Emerald Pools.  Apparently even easy hikes are hard in hot weather.  We almost died and in all seriousness I think we both were experiencing heat exhaustion.  But I am not a quitter and I foolishly pushed us to finish.  Once we got back to the car I chugged two water bottles in under 5 minutes and I think Jordan did about the same.  I was a little hyper-focused on me to notice what she was drinking.
August deserves a its own post because it involves a wedding and  a vacation and a baby.
School started at the end of August and I thought it would be a good idea to run for the president of my social work peers.  In a shocking turn of events I won and I am now the president of the Social Work Student Association here at UVU.  I am currently working, going to school, doing an internship, and participating as president.  It has been busy around here.
September was full of the aforementioned items and I have settled into a routine.
Stay tuned to hear more about my life if you honestly have nothing better to do!
And here is a picture of the baby I mentioned:

*I have never seen any of the LOTR movies, but I hear they are epic.

July 4th

July 4th is one of my favorite holidays.  I love the food, the family, the friends, the fireworks, etc.  Last year on July 4th I was DYING.  I was in the middle of taking the medication from Hell and I had to miss out on a lot of the fun. This year I was determined to enjoy myself.  I woke up early and watched the parade with my family.  After the parade a couple of my roomies and I went to the lake.  We fried our bums off and had the time of our lives.  I am paying for it now, though.
After the lake I went to a bbq with the fam and then went to watch fireworks with friends.  This year was the perfect mix of family and friends.  I couldn't have asked for a better rebound July 4th! Stadium of Fire knew that I needed an awesome July 4th and they put on the best fireworks show they have done in years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*all photos taken with an ipod so please 'scuse the quality

I am SO Awkward

A couple weeks ago I was at school and I saw my friend getting a drink at the drinking fountain.  I decided to sneak up behind her and scare her.  So I got my T-Rex arms going and started to sneak up on her.  I was right behind her when she turned finished getting a drink and turned to face me.  It was not my friend.  We made eye contact and I slowly put my T-Rex arms down.  Then I walked away.  Didn't smile, didn't say anything. I just walked away. Because I am that awkward.

That same night I had plans with my sister and I was waiting for her to come pick me up.  There was a bridal shower going on upstairs so I called to tell her to use the basement door instead of the front or back doors.  She didn't answer so I left her a voice mail. I knew she was coming any minute and I decided to wait in the downstairs kitchen so I could see her coming. A couple minutes later I saw her legs go past my door and head to the back door.  I  ran out my door and shouted, "Wrong door, you imbecile!" thinking I would get a good laugh over it.  Well, she turned to face me....and it was, again, not the person I expected. I don't even know who it was.  And AGAIN I didn't say anything. I just ran back inside my house and closed the door. 

What have we learned from this? 

I can't tell friends from total strangers.  

Sisters

Dear Sisters-

I had a vision in my sleep the other night.  Here it is: we all lay in a circle with our heads in the center:

THEN: we all braid our hair to the person next to us! Like a star of braids! A family of braids!

See this post for questions

ZION

I have had adventures in the past while that I have failed to blog for a variety of reasons:
1. I am just way too lazy
2. I have had homework
3. I forget
4. I am seriously so lazy
5. Nobody is pressuring me

So there.  But now I am in a productive mood (and not the productive homework kind of mood) so here are some pictures from my adventures. Kate and I went down on a quick weekend trip to Zion National Park.  We hiked Angel's Landing (a steep and cliffy hike that drops off 1200 feet on one side and 800 feet on the other) and I died. Twice.  But it was absolutely beautiful.

We ate peanut butter on Oreo's at the top of the climb 

 

This was supposed to be our Christmas card for 2012 but it never quite came to fruition.

Do you see how steep that is? Those chains are not there for funsies.  They are there to keep you alive.  If you lost your grip you will fall off the edge and die. Not a joke, people. Not a joke. 

After this Zion adventure I went back down two weeks later with my dad.  This was one of the first things we saw: 

*cue muffled screams

Then we got to go through the tunnel. It is this tunnel that they basically blew through the mountain.  It is absolutely black inside with the occasional "window" to the world.  This is what one of those windows looks like from the road below:

 

And this is what one of those windows looks like from the tunnel:

 

The Rest

Here I am to finally blog the rest of Mexico. You are SO welcome. In the words of every blogger ever "Prepare for picture overload!"

Gecko chocolate!

Satan's speedbumps

5th piña colada

 

Coconut ice cream. Obsessed.

my 13th piña colada

the 16th (and final) piña colada

On the right you will see the rare rice elephant

Musical chocolate!

5th Avenue Mexico style

 

 

 

  

 

  

Carlos. Future GA, I am sure of it.

 

  

 

 

 

Wild monkeys.  They make the scariest sounds. For rilz.