Greetings Y'all

And Now for the grand update from the fascinating world of ME. Mom, me, Jake, Zac and Chelsey all headed to Martin's Cove on Thursday morning. The hike up into the cove was fun and it was very entertaining to see all the children playing together. Thursday night we drove to the Willie center, where we were nearly eaten alive by mosquitoes. Never have I ever seen so many mosquitoes in one place. With the wave of the hand you could hit 10-15, and that isn't counting the ones that flew away. When slapping someones back you could be garanteed to come away with at least five dead buggars. Every family went through at least one tall container of mosquito spray within the first 16 hours. Never have I had to apply squito spray every time I stopped. We hesitated to wash our faces because we knew that we would wash off the repellent and be bit at least 20 times from the bathroom to the tent. There were children who looked like they had a rash on their cheeks because they had so many bites. Friday morning we went for a ten mile trek with our handcarts. We had about two families per cart, and our family was teamed up with another family from our ward who also had left their dad at home. There were only three males in our group, Zac-9, Jake-11 and Jake-16. There were also four women and one girl to pull our handcart. We headed out trying to avoid the mud puddles at first, then we came to a puddle that there was no way to aviod. The boys headed through diligently pushing the cart, and getting wet up to the knees. We headed through several pastures, and crossed many high waters, several of the puddles were so deep they had a current. One such puddle hit me at about the crotch. We were all soaked before lunch, first because it was raining, and second because of the puddles we waded through with the handcarts. We got to the river crossing that afternoon and were told that they didn't want us to pull the handcarts across because it was still high water, about to the waist, and they didn't want us to be in water that covered the axle of the carts. The missionaries were a bit surprised when we told them that we had already traveled through several puddles that were to the axles on the carts, though their current wasn't enough to sweep the carts down stream like the river was. Though at the deepest point the river was only up to my waist. It still had a current that I was glad not to have to pull a handcart across. If I hadn't had a rope to hold onto I could have been swept off my feet. We had brought water shoes along, but by the time we reached the river, our feet had already been wet for about 8 hours, so a little clean water was refreshing. We also took the opportunity to take off our shoes and socks, and wring them out, to minimize the squishing of the water in our shoes.
We got back to camp, and to our joy found that they had fogged multiple times that day. The mosquitoes were few and far between, which was a great contrast to the entire hike, and the day before at camp. I think the rest of the night I only saw about 100 mosquitoes. It was fabulous. Loved watching and listening to the children play together. They had no electronics, and were entertained by playing red rover, tag, football, and frisbee. The parents could let their children wander, because everyone knew who the child was, and who they belonged to. It wasn't uncommon to see one of the older children leading a crying little one back to the child's parents.
The entire experience was a learning one for me. It really does take a village/community to raise a child. The ward supplies that community, and everyone looks out for everyone. This ward really was a family. In hearing the stories of those ancestors that left everything they had, thinned and thinned their belongings down to the point that everything they owned would fit into a handcart, and then pulled it across the plains all because they had a desire to join the saints in Zion, I was impressed to see that all these pioneers were willing to go through, and they wouldn't have changed the experience for anything. I remember a story about an 11 year old boy who carried his little brother who was 4. He carried his little brother all day, and even though they fell behind, he kept carrying him. He managed to get them into camp, where he collapsed. He had given everything he had to help his brother, even his life. That 11 year old boy died there in camp that night, but the rest of his family made it to the valley.
I kept thinking about that. He gave everything. That is what the lord asks of me. He asks me to give everything, even my life. Not my life in death, often what he asks of me is much harder than death. He asks for my life in living as he would were he here. In serving, in forgiving, in being charitable, in being willing to reach outside my comfort zone to help those around me. He asks me to choose the best option. To listen and obey when prompted to do something. He asks me to give my all. That 11 year old boy managed to do it. He served, and gave everything he had. He gave his life in service. And so should mine be.
We had a wonderful experience, and had a fun time to boot, in spite of the mosquitoes. TTFN

Update

Hello all! Lets see, not much going on in my life. I'm still applying for jobs, and not really getting anywhere. I've been working for dad, and helping mom. I made two skirts and three bonnets for the trek to martin's cove, and bound my mom's quilt that she quilted like two years ago, but hadn't gotten around to binding it. I've run errands, and cooked dinner lots. Recently my mom and I have taken up walking, we usually make it about 2-3 miles in the time we allot ourselves for a walk. This morning mom decided she wanted to try to be able to run again, so we ran the telephone poles. We would run one, then walk the next. We went up to above Teton springs, but not quite all the way to the top of pole canyon road. By the time we got up there mom was really tired, and I was reminded how out of shape I am. On the way back we ran one pole, and walked two. It was nice to go running again, I only hope that I'll continue to have the motivation to go. Tomorrow it will be up to me to get mom out of the house, 'cause there is no way she'll be excited about going running again if I don't. It is time for me to go home, TTFN.

Another update!

It is sleeting/snowing. Bah! But really thats okay because I can do other things this way. Today I returned to the singles branch. It was great to be welcomed back, and I am looking forward to getting involved in the branch again. Ben and I watched the CES fireside on his computer upstairs, well I watched it, Ben napped. I thought it was excellent of course. Yesterday was the Stake preparedness fair. I enjoyed it, and I also obtained all sorts of information for my future, a pretty random assortment, but all interesting and helpful. Not much else is going on, other than I got in contact with my friend Crystal. We've known each other since before we were in kindergarten. It was great to see her again, and I'll probably be going to many of the singles activities with her. Other than that my life is pretty boring. I put in applications at many hospitals, but I haven't heard anything, and so I keep waiting. I think it is a test of my patience and learning how to trust in Heavenly Father's plan. 

spring! come back!

Sigh, spring is taunting me. When I moved all of my stuff out of my apartment in Rexburg last Saturday, the weather was beautiful. The sun was shining brightly and I was very comfortable in my shorts that I wore. When I arrived in Victor that night it was to dark to see much, but I could tell that there were still snow banks lining the road, big ones. The sun came up for a beautiful Easter Sunday, and I was hoping that the fields of white that I could see would start to melt, BUT, spring ran the other direction on Monday as IT SNOWED. Spring screamed, FOOLED YOU! and laughed manically. I haven't seen the sun since, as all day today it has been raining/snowing. It depends on when you look out the window whether you see little while fluffy things falling or just splashes in the puddles. Its cold and wet, and I want spring back. Of course it is only April, so it isn't surprising that spring is taunting me. I'm sure it will come back sometime, I think, I hope. Sigh.

Graduation!

Happy day! Today was graduation! YAY! I am a bachelors degree nurse. Now I have to find a job.... Thanks to Sky for coming to support me, and being the photographer behind my camera! For graduation Sky and Lacey gave me the most amazing shirt, especially amazing for one as vertically challenged as me- 5'nothing.



















I LOVE it! You're the best Lac!

Sad news

So I wrote a while ago about my plans to go to Nauvoo on the church history tour. It was kinda going to be a last HURRAH as a BYUI student. Unfortunately the weather is abominable, so the school canceled my tour. If I would be here next semester I could go on the tour then, but unfortunately I graduate, so I am SOL as far as it goes with the school. I guess I'll have to make plans to go some other day. On a brighter note, because I thought I was going to be gone this weekend I worked my but off all week to get as far ahead on my homework as I could, so now I can't say I am completely caught up, but as far as assignments go, I have one 1 page paper, four 4 page papers and one 8 page paper, and three quizes to go for the one class, and a powerpoint to assemble, post and discuss for my other class(nursing that is). Also a ton of reading to do in the bible. I need to read the last five chapters in Leviticus, I need to have Numbers read by next Thursday, and I need to read my student manual on the OT. Also I have a chapter on Islam to read and some exerpts from the Q'uran to read as well.
I also only have three more weeks until graduation. I graduate Friday April 10th. The ceremony is at 9 in the morning I think, then there is another at 11, and then I'll be done with my bachelors. What will I do next?
I've been looking for jobs, and that has been an interesting search. I can only pray that I'll be able to find one that is willing to work with me.
I have plans to go ballrooom dancing with a friend this evening. It could be very entertaining for me to learn how to ballroom dance. I'll figure it out somehow.
I guess one thing good about graduating is that I can act like a dork and not care, 'cause I probably won't ever see any of the people who see me acting like a dork ever again! : ) Over the past semester I've been known to teach people dances in the strangest of places, like on the sidewalk going someplace, or while waiting for food. I've been known to do the Pate-pate walking across the parking lot(it's a tahitian dance, LOTS of hip). I have to say I have had so much fun this past semester. I am looking forward to what life will bring, but I am also so sad to be leaving.
But it is time for me to get back to searching for jobs. So, if any of you who read this blog hear anything about a Med-Surg Nursing Job in Idaho, let me know!

Really quick update

Well, school has been flying, and I have had a blast in my sewing and dance classes, and my water aerobics class haas been pretty fun too. I love my religion classes and because of those, my favorite days are tuesday and thursday because I get a double dose of religion class. : ) The sun is shining britely, and the days have been warm (ie 40s) the snow is staring to melt and the gound is muddy and the sidewalks are puddled. I love spring. (SARCASM DRIPPING) What I can't figure out is why my knees hurt. Not the "a storm is coming" ache, but the this knee has been in the wrong position for two long and now it won't bear weight well pain. It hurts to walk! I am really not looking forward to the stoll across campus today. On the lighter side, I have my information meeting for Nauvoo next thursday, and I am soooooo excited to get to go to Nauvoo! I need to do my nursing homework, but I have been having a hard time making myself do it. I guess it is bad when all other homework is more fun that the homework for you major. : ( I guess it is probably time for me to be done with school, though I just don't want the semester to end. I think I am going to miss school. I've been applying to jobs, and I have had an interview, but I don't know if I got the job and I should find out today, tomorrow or monday. I hope I got it, but if not I'll just have to widen my search for a job. : ( Time to limp up to the Taylor. ; )