Domino Thinking

I don't really have anything to write about, but I was thinking today that my blog hadn't been written on in awhile. And that got me thinking about how when I lived in New York there always seemed to be something to write about. And that got me thinking about how two years ago at this time I was on the road with my sis traveling back to Salt Lake. And then I remembered how a year ago I was getting ready to apply to grad school and was stressing about the GRE. And then I thought about how five months ago I was starting grad school.

And here I am, sitting in my living room thinking about homework, New York, dating (I'm watching the Bachelorette), traveling, and the future.

Time For Family, Friends, Home

With my abundant free time this past week, I was able to finally get face time with family and friends that had sadly fallen by the wayside in my end-of-semester overload. Last Saturday I spent the morning doing Race for the Cure with my fam. Sunday was spent at my mom's for Mother's Day. Thursday I visited my friend Pam and held her two-week old baby, Dane. Friday night I watched my talented friend Cat perform in Oklahoma. Saturday I had lunch with my old roommate Julie and then went home-improvement shopping with my sister, buying paint for my unfinished Ikea table and purchasing the two remaining chairs I needed to make it complete.

It feels good to have time again to do things other than schoolwork.

What a Week

This last week has been brutal. Now that I'm at the end of it, I'm not sure how I did it. Sometimes knowing that pretty soon it'll be over, that the deadline will come no matter what, is a nice motivator. I spent many hours and nights (and days for that matter) in the lab. I stayed up late working on papers (that I sadly procrastinated) and projects that were contingent on another similarly busy person. As I rushed and worked and wrote and created, I felt I had time for nothing else.

But now, it's done. I spent today without the worry that I should be doing homework instead. And it was nice.

With my free time this summer, I plan (hope) to do some things:
--read more
--make my home cute
--exercise (we've proposed a Family Biggest Loser competition...)
--get a bike
--visit with friends
--outdoor concerts
--date (if anyone wants to set me up....)
--summer movies!!
--blog more :)

And as I reflect on my first semester of grad school, I see that there are so many things I have learned. I definitely underestimated how much work it would be. I exercised poor time management and procrastinated a lot. I hope to be better next semester. I have all summer to work on it.

Royal Wedding

I don't know if you heard, but there was a wedding this morning. Ya know, just a simple marriage between a Prince and a commoner. We see this all the time, ho-hum, nothing to see here.

Yeah right! I've been looking forward to this since William and Kate announced their engagement in November. I was ecstatic that it was so close to my birthday (April is a good month because my friend Pam had her baby yesterday, too!). I even asked for the day off from work so I could watch (well that and catch up on all my homework that I didn't do last weekend).

I awoke at the early hour of 3:30 to watch Kate get in her Rolls Royce and be driven to Westminster Abbey. She was stunning! The ceremony itself was beautiful, with marvelous and inspiring words given to the couple. They emerged from the abbey to the sound of ringing bells, and it was not unlike a Disney fairy-tale, except that it's real!

As they appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, everyone waiting for the traditional kiss, one of the commentators had a rare moment of real insight. He mentioned that we're all waiting for this one little kiss, but, in the sermon given after their wedding, it was said that a marriage is about every day loving someone and living your life together in the normal everyday moments.

It was everything a wedding should be. Made better with all those hats!

Easter and Birtday

Today is Easter. It's also my birthday. There's nothing worse than a Sunday birthday, except having a holiday Sunday birthday. I asked my mom if my birthday had ever fallen on Easter before. Nope. Hopefully it won't happen again.

Yes, I was a little sad I had to share my birthday. But then I went to church, and the sacrament meeting was so wonderful and inspiring that I got over it. The reason for Easter--the resurrection of the Christ--is quite amazing and one of the most important aspects of my beliefs. We had a violin-flute-piano performance, piano solo, and the ward choir. When we closed out the meeting with I Believe in Christ, I sang my heart out (and I believe I was even on key!) It was nothing short of inspiring.

I then had Easter dinner with my fam, followed by an ice cream cake and presents. It really was a great day. So I guess there are worse things than sharing a birthday with Easter.

Baby Explosion

My friend Tina had a baby about a week ago. My cousin Rachel had a baby yesterday. My cousin Kemp and his wife had a baby this weekend, too. My friend Pam is due any day now. Not to mention all the friends and family that have had babies in the past couple months. Babies everywhere!! It's crazy. I'm excited for all of them, and realize that my poor mom has been stuck at three grandchildren for almost six years now, while all her sisters keep getting more and more. My response to that: you should've had more children, mom, preferably sons.

Day 12: My Town

A photo of the 'town' I live in. Here's a photo I took my front porch a couple months ago. I love the sunset over downtown and the mountains.

I LOVE downtown Salt Lake.