ever changing, ever busy

I'm sure I don't have many readers, especially readers who don't already know what's going on in my life. But just in case I do have a reader or two whom I don't talk to every other day, this is a little taste of my life...

My golf class is difficult, but I am enjoying all the vitamin D from the abundant Rexburg sun. I didn't know Rexburg weather could be so beautiful and warm! The wind hasn't slowed down, though. This last week we had 40-mph winds. I thought I would literally blow away. My young adult literature class is tons of fun. I am glad I was able to take it again. Third time's a charm! I am determined to get through this semester and actually pass that class. Not that I don't love taking it over and over. I've found some amazing books. But I would like to graduate in this century. My religion class is wonderful. We are focusing on The Family Proclamation. I didn't realize how specific, inspired, and prophetic that document really is. My job at the Reading Center in the McKay Library on campus has slightly changed. Originally I was going to be a tutor, but the prospect of tutoring was a bit too much for me to handle this semester. Instead, the dear Sister Engstrom has made me her "slave," as she says. I look at it as getting paid to do things I enjoy. I have been editing many of the lesson plans, etc. for the Reading Center. It is similar to the work I did as a Scroll copy editor, but it is not nearly as stressful, and I don't have to deal with flack from everyone around me (Scroll is infamous in Rexburg--more than famous, but not in a good way). I didn't enjoy Scroll. Working for Sister Engstrom is great. She is so fun to be around, and has created such a low-stress environment for me. I actually enjoy going to work. I couldn't imagine ever feeling that way.

The seventh grandchild, fifth girl, was born in my family this week. Liliana Kay (Lily) joined Justin and Jessica on 13 May. I have only seen a few pictures of her, but next weekend I am flying to Washington for a few days, and I can't wait to see all but two of my babies--Lily, Sophie, LaMar, Rochelle, and Sierra. Yes, they are all my babies. If I can't have ones of my own, I will just have to live vicariously through my siblings.

In the next few days I am going to start up a young adult literature blog for my class, and I will be posting a link to it. It will basically be like mini reviews of the books that I'm reading for class, but I will probably continue using it even after the class.

Bye for now.

Back to the Burg!

I'm finally back at school! When left in March I thought six months was way too long to be away. But after several trips and lots and lots of therapy and pills, here I am. I'm not sure that I'm really ready to be back. Every day I doubt my decision to be back. But I know that I am very blessed. All of my classes are on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have a job on campus (and I can work the hours I want without the stress of deadlines like Scroll!), great roommates, the best bishopric I think I've ever had, and a warm and comforting home just up the street from my apartment when I just can't take "it" (whatever "it" may be) anymore. I spend most of my time at the Samuelsons. I always feel like a burden, but they assure me they love having me, and are always more than willing to accept me into their family. And when I'm not over there, Shauna asks where I am and why I'm not playing Family Feud or Pyramid with them, or sitting on their couch studying until I either fall asleep or have to hurry back to my apartment before the "sleepy pills" kick in for me and/or Elisabeth. We have a lot of fun watching Brian Regan over and over and over and over (I'm not sure I have enough "over"s in there). Thursday nights are Little Caesars pizza nights, and Sundays are Iron Chef nights. Lately Shauna, Elisabeth, and I have been watching Project Runway. It's not usually one I would watch on my own, but once it gets turned on, I just can't peel my eyes away.

But being "back to school" is not all about TV and Brian Regan and Meet the Robinsons and sleeping pills (though sometimes it seems like it). I am taking a lighter load of classes this semester than ever before, but that does not mean that it's easy by any means. I'm having a great struggle trying to find my place, trying to find a routine, trying to decide if I'm really ready to be back at school. But still I go, meeting with a counselor once a week and a psychiatrist once a month (incidentally, he is the father of my good friend Nicolas Zohner), and I try to get my homework done even when I don't feel up to it. Besides tutor training, I am taking two online classes (very simple, basic courses on time management and note-taking), and three classes that I attend on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The first class is American Literature: Colonial to Romantic. I have Brother Hammond for this class, a teacher I've never had before, but I will definitely take more classes from him in the future. He is a wonderful teacher, and I absolutely LOVE the subject matter. We get to read fun things like Native American creation and flood stories--very fascinating and often so full of truth--and letters written by Christopher Columbus and various Puritans. I've always been afraid of works written during this time period, but I'm finding that it's really not as difficult as I'd always thought.

Next I have Young Adult Literature, taught by Paula Soper, one of my dear friends. This is one of the classes that I was enrolled in last winter when I dropped out. I absolutely love this class. I get to read all kinds of books that I probably wouldn't normally pick up but that are so amazing. And what's awesome is that I'm getting credit for reading them! I have to be careful, though, because I tend to put off my other homework, and I have great justification for it--it's homework too! And the Book Orders. Oh Book Orders. I have a great weakness for them. Somehow I managed to get away with only spending $10.00 on the September Book Order!

And finally, I have Doctrines of the Gospel. I would say this is my favorite class, but I love all my classes so much. My teacher is Brother Wightman, the same teacher I had for all of my scripture-based classes. He is one of the best teachers I've ever had. Going into class is like walking into a portal where everything in the world completely disappears and we have a full hour to ask questions and explore some of the deep doctrines of the gospel. I get more in one of those lessons than I do in a whole three hours of church.

Some of you may know that while I was struggling this summer, my church attendance slipped. You can be sure that it is not because I was losing my testimony. And now, in a desire to commit myself more fully to Heavenly Father, I have been attending my ward from 9-12, and then going to the Samuelsons' ward from 1-4. Pulling double-duty is difficult, but I feel like I owe it to myself and to God to make up for the lost time. And I'm actually enjoying going to both wards.

I should probably end for now. I will try to keep this blog updated as much as possible. It's not like my life is all that exciting, so it might not get updated too much...But you never know what might happen in Rexburg. :) Check out my suggested reading list if you're interested in some GREAT books.

Frostbitten

Yes, I am alive! I know it's been forever since I've updated my blog, and I haven't been so great about keeping in contact with people. The guilt finally got to me, and I figure this is a much easier way of letting everyone know about my life than trying to track down everyone. Maybe one of these days you'll get a personalized email, or if you're really lucky (or unlucky, depending on how you look at it), a phone call.

Rexburg has definitely seen its share of cold fronts, although we may not yet be done for the year. This last Tuesday I walked from my apartment to class in the Hinckley Building, a joyous half-hour walk, in -27 degrees, though according to weather.com, the wind made it feel like -36. The news stations were reporting that it hasn't been this cold since 1987. All the schools in the area were canceled--oh, but of course not BYU-Idaho. There is a group of students working on trying to make it so that when it gets to a certain temperature classes will be canceled, but I don't think anything will come of it.

If you haven't been in weather this cold, consider yourself lucky. I am grateful for layers and for the warm new coat I got for Christmas. Down is warmer than you'd think, though once you get down into the negatives, it doesn't matter what you wear--it's still just plain cold. Your fingers, toes, nose, ears, eyelashes--everything--feels as though it will fall off. Your hair freezes if it's close to your mouth. Your body groans, every inch in pain, and you're sure each step will be your last. No matter how many layers you wear, how long you bury yourself in the library, how many cups of hot chocolate you drink or bowls of soup you eat, you can't escape it. So far I have been able to dodge the frostbite demon, but I did have a few little scares a time or two.

For now, we have lots of snow, about two feet in the places where it hasn't been scraped or walked on, and the sun is out. Actually, we're lucky enough to be at 24 degrees right now! I'm tempted to put on some shorts! I almost didn't wear a coat to Scroll this morning. I know it sounds crazy, but it's true. After it's been so cold, 24 degrees feels like summer.

My So-Called Life

Yes, I know the title is the same title as that '90s Clare Danes show, but it really does describe my life, or lack of life, right now.

To say that I have been busy this semester may be an understatement. I spend all of my time either at work in the Scroll office or doing homework. My classes have kept me busier than I ever anticipated. Late nights and early mornings, one meal of a bread bowl and soup a day in the McKay while I continue my endless reading, devouring stick after stick of gum, typing until my fingers hurt (just for the record, you'd think typing quickly would warm your fingers, but it doesn't), and bundling and unbundling three or more layers to walk 100 feet in the cold. This is a fairly accurate depiction of my life. Same thing day after day. Like I have said, my life is boring.

I have great roommates this semester: Melanie, Lizz, Tiffany, Marissa, and Brianne. I am the cynical "old maid" amid the jumpy, boy-crazy, over-excited "younguns." I let them do their thing, and they let me do mine. We get along very well. Although I'm still adjusting to all the questions like, "Where are you going?" "Who are you going with?" "What are you doing?" Last semester's roommates didn't care. The whole idea of roommates actually wanting to know where I'm going and who I'm going with is all new. I haven't had that since living in Colonial 501.

Although I don't do much with friends, I have spent a little time with Ashley, one of the Colonial 501 girls. I have also exchanged several text messages from Katy, my roommate from last semester, and I've seen her around campus a time or two. Of course, as many of you probably know, I've probably done more with my...older friends. Yes, the rumor is true. I saw Enchanted with two teachers and a spouse all over the age of 50 on my first Monday back in Rexburg. And strangely enough, it didn't feel strange in the least until I started telling my family about it and actually listening to the way it sounded. I thought, "Okay, maybe this a little weird." But that's okay. They still make good friends.

Of course in the few free minutes I get here and there, I check my family's blogs. I'm not the best at commenting, but I do read them as often as they are updated. I still refuse to join Facebook. It took me long enough to get a blog up, and even then I'm not very good at keeping up with it. Thanks for those who keep checking.