the grass is always greener

So this is going to be a pretty bold statement. But after spending a week and a half in Arizona, I officially think that the grass is always greener for me in Utah right now.

I have mentioned to a few people that I'm ready to head back up to Provo, and they say "yeah the grass is always greener on the other side". And I reply, "no, i'm pretty sure its just greener in Provo, and it's dead here".

Now don't take that statement out of context. I LOVE my Arizona. I will most likely live here for the rest of my life. But right now, Utah is where my life is. I have a million things to do there, and when I'm gone, people, work, the gym, adventures or school miss me. But right now Arizona stresses me out. People and relationships are messier here. There is history. I like living in a place where everything and everyone is new. Fresh.

My visit to Arizona has been wonderful. I spent plenty of time with these lovely ladies.

I got to see this fool (Drew Romney) again after he's been gone for two years.

I got to harrass Rob and show him that I love him.

And of course hang out with Panda and Ray.

Felt some sibling affection.

Played with my adorable nephew.

Enjoyed Bradley's company while he was talking to me

And hung with old friends.

Like I said, I loved my trip home but now I'm off to Utah!

it's all about numbers anyway

I just finished my Junior year of college. Yes, it has been 3 years since I moved away from my family to this [now] beloved place called Utah. I feel a bit nostalgic. I feel fulfilled while very unfinished. In the time I've been in college, I've sorted through many people, places, experiences. Thanks to my journaling skills, and even more to electronic messaging and records, I collected a tally. It's almost overwhelming to look at the numbers.

Roommates: 21
Road trips: 11
Pictures taken: 4,376
Papers written: 71
Credit hours taken: 92
Classes: 41
Times fallen asleep in class: lets be honest. It would be more accurate to count the days I stayed awake.
Most hours spent at school in a single day: 17
Tests taken: 126
Tests bombed (69% or less): 1
Tests aced (100% or more): 44
Classes skipped: approximately 35
Average hours of sleep per night: 5
Average bedtime: 12:15 am
Average wake-up time: 7:30 am
Average time working out weekly: 8.5 hours
New family members: 1.5
Trips Home: 8
Professors who know me by name: 5 at BYU, 11 at UCDH
Weekly grocery budget: $9
Jars of peanut butter: 7
Apples eaten: 192
Hikes to the Y: 5
Camping trips: 6
Movies watched: 35
Leisure books read: 14
Boys kissed: somewhere between 0 and 10
Picnics: 12
Poems written: 51
Short stories written: 8
Songs downloaded: 1137
Pairs of new shoes: 14 (Yikes)
Number of Prophets I've seen speak in person: 2
Number of lifelong friends made: 7
Concerts attended: 18
Dates I was asked on: 26
Fallen in love: 0
Hours spent working: 1444
Hours spent in class: 2120

Number of hours spent calculating pointless statistics for this blog: 3.5

"I wanna run -

and smash into you"


Beyonce sang it, and I'm saying it now.

simplicity

"I am - therefore I think." - Ayn Rand



This was a really good day. Full of thinking. But these pictures remind me how it felt.

easter morn

Last year, my friends and I had an Easter to remember. I spent the last few weeks wondering how to try and match it. It began this week with a pre-conference breakfast on Saturday. Between sessions I headed over to Crestwood Condos where I signed a contract to live with Megan Nielsen and Jamie Patterson in the fall. I'm SO excited, they are really nice and I can't wait to live with those lovely girls.

Sunday morning was Easter. The girls and I woke up and went over to Alex Snedigar's place for another pre conference breakfast. It reminded me of last year :) We all pulled together and had a huge potluck after the second session. I love my friends, I love that we are a family away from home.

What a lovely group of friends we are!

And on this lovely Easter, I'm greatful for Jesus Christ as my Savior. I often forget to recognize his hand in my life.