Motto for school

I have been overwhelmed all week long. Kudos and gratitude to my beautiful roommate Katie because I wouldn't have been able to pull through as well if she were not there listening, encouraging, and just being her wonderful self. I decided what I need for this year is a good attitude, and I think I found it. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and press play so you can hear how cool it is.

David walked into the valley
With a stone clutched in his hand

He was only a boy

But he knew someone must take a stand

There will always be a valley

Always mountains one must scale

There will always be perilous waters

Which someone must sail

Into valleys, into waters

Into jungles, into hell

Let us ride, let us ride home again with a story to tell

Into darkness, into danger

Into storms that rip the night

Don't give in, don't give up

But give thanks for the glorious fight

You can tremble, you can fear it

But keep your fighting spirit alive boys

Let the shiver of it sting you

Fling into battle, spring to your feet boys

Never hold back your step for a moment

Never doubt that your courage will grow

Hold your head even higher and into the fire we go

.

Are there mountains that surround us?

Are there walls that block the way?

Knock 'em down, strip 'em back boys

And forward and into the fray

Into terror, into valour

Charge ahead, no, never turn

Yes, it's into the fire we fly

And the devil will burn

.

Someone has to face the valley

Rush in, we have to rally and win boys

When the world is saying not to

By God, you know you've got to march on, boys

Never hold back your step for a moment

Never doubt that your courage will grow

Hold your head ever higher and into the fire we go

.

Let the lightning strike

Let the flash of it shock you

Choke your fears away

Pull as tight as a wire

Let the fever strike

Let the force of it rock you

We will have our day, sailing into the fire

.

Someone has to face the valley

Rush in! We have to rally and win boys

When the world is saying not to

By God, you know you've got to march on, boys

Never hold back your step for a moment

Look alive! Oh, your courage will grow

Yes, it's higher and higher and into the fire we go

Into fire!

Onward, ho!

.

Since the phrase "out of the frying pan and into the fire" discribes my life this semester, I thought this song appropriate. (For those interested it is from the musical "The Scarlet Pimpernel" when he is forming his league. Track 6)

School Days!

For me tomorrow is the big day, as I'm sure it is with many of you. I have butterflies, as always. I hated shoping for clothes in Utah, but it feels so good and right to start a brand new year with a brand new outfit. For most of the world you get new clothes because it is the begining of fall. Unless fall meand "over 110 degrees" that is not the case in Phoenix. For me it symbolizes a new begining.

There's just something about studying things you have never learned before. I won't lie, I'm more excited about some classes than others, but starting a new class is always exciting for me. I broke the bank yesterday when I bought my textbooks, but then I did what I always do with new (and new to me) textbooks. I read the table of contents to see what exactly I was supposed to learn in that class. I must have studied the scientific method a couple dozen times now. Somehow that makes it into every textbook for me, and sometimes I can't even figure out what the experiment is! But it is always comforting when I buy a book to know it will make me smarter.

In college starting a new year has a couple more levels for me. Yesterday was my first day living with my roommate Katy. We spent the day putting up pictures of the Savior and our families plus the miscillanious trinkets we collected. I love being able to take a little apartment and make it a home. Katy and I knew each other last semester, but I was still shocked to see how much we have in common. We love the same authors and shows. She is a psychology major and an amatuer musician and I am a music major with a psychology minor. It felt so good to begin filling our new home with beautiful art, music, words, actions, and love. I'm sure over time there will be days that tempers are shorter, but for now everything here really is perfect. We are not finished setting up and when we are I promise to post pictures. Another roommate, Taryn, will be moving in soon and we just can't wait to have her.

Today Katy and I went to church together. It felt so good to go to church with someone again. While we were there we got to meet a whole bunch of new freshmen. I loved seeing their nervous little faces and imagining how wonderful college can be for them.

New knowlege, new home, new family, new friends, new beginnings all around. I guess this is my new year. It is nerve reacking because every school year since I moved away from home forced me to grow in ways I never imagined. As a result I am mindful of and greatful for blessings I never before recognized or needed. When I first moved away from home one of the most educated people I know, my aunt, emailed me and said that I would learn more about my self and my Savior than I realized there was to learn. That proved to be prophetic. I don't want to take the time now to write out all the major life lessons I learned in college, but the list is substantial and I hope I will sometime.

Fall 2009 here I come...Wish me luck!

The Ride

So sometimes I feel like a complete dork because I want a roommate. Yes, it is cheaper, but I want to share a room because I like it. I had a roommate that snored, (very softly, never obnoxious) and when I woke up in the middle of the night I would hear her and then I knew everything was fine and I could sleep safely.

Yesterday my family and I went from Tucson to Salt Lake. I must admit that my knee and I were not getting along so well. 13 hours in a car will do that to you, especially if you and your knee are not exactly on friendly terms to begin with. But after being completely by myself in an empty apartment all day every day it was wonderful to be so close (in every way) with my family.

Usually we take the van, but it is not in tip top shape at the moment, so we took the car. I always take the very back seat of the van but then I can't really hear anything my parents say in the front. One year Trev and I pooled our money and bought an inverter, so we could plug stuff in and use it in the car. Trevor plays games the whole time and watches movies and since I can't see the tv and don't like games I just listen to my music. My dad and I like a lot of similar music, but we sit so far apart that it doesn't matter. In the car we could all talk to each other and spend time together for real.

Trevor and I shared the back seat. I remember when I was younger I used to come up with all these ways to avoid my brother for the whole trip. I wonder what changed/ I loved sitting next to him for the 14 hours. We watched 1 1/2 movies together (until all bateries died) and talked and slept and we didn't get in even one disagreement. It's really nice to have a snugglebug for a brother. Whenever Trev and I are sitting together, no matter what we are doing, he will put his arm around me. Trevor and I are also to the point that we can coverse with each other and enjoy it. He is pretty smart and very funny. He also doesn't have anything mean to say about other people. He is in to marine biology, Shakspeare (bet a lot of you didn't see that one coming!) and musical theatre.

Every time I tell people about the drive to Utah I get looks of sympathy. Soome of them are deserved because this trip is physically uncomfortable for a few different parts of my anatomy, but I look forward to the drive. True I don't do any driving, but I look forward to the togetherness and the sightseeing. I also look forward to getting out of the car.

Sunday Morning

Okay so I promised myself that I wouldn't philosiphize in this blog too often, but today I just want to compare and contrast the Sunday monrnings I have experienced and why I like them.

1) The Fam! Breakfast is done and Mom and Dad are putting the finishing touches on thier lessons and Trevor is "encouraging" us very brusquely to get out the door. Then I get to church 30 minutes early and enjoy the time visiting with people I've known and loved for years.

2) Guac house Sundae! I get up and showered before the rush starts, then one by one my roommates stumble out of bed and into the shower. Then they begin these elaborate beautification rituals. As I have only meager skill in the makeup applying and hair perfecting scene I finnish mine within 5 or 10 minutes and observe them and the time. Then we (sometimes) all walk to church in a line and sit together in Relief Society. We cut it close, but we made it to all 3 meetings. When we got home we would often make a Sunday breakfast with eggs, pancakes, bacon, juice, and other such things. The whole day we would have soft music playing to keep the Spirit in our hearts and minds.

3) ASU dorms. I would get ready and tiptoe out to the front room to grab a quick something to eat. My roommates were usually still passed out from drinking or drugs. I would walk the short quarter mile to church, then walk in and get the overwhelming sense of security that comes from being among friends and fellow Saints. I would linger as long as I could and avoid leaving any way I could. Eventually I would return home where I would proceed to make a Sunday dinner for Danica and myself.

4) My own apartment. Now I live completely by myself. I get up and turn the Sunday music on full blast. I warm up my voice and shower and ready myelf for entering the Lords' house (and all the cute boys I might find there.) I make myself a decent breakfast of eggs and toast and run out the door. I usually get their 5 minutes early and enjoy the spirit of being with others for about 15-30 minutes after the meeting, then come home and take a nap.

I have not gotten to be the mom on sunday morning, but I was thinking today how that would be a whole other category. I like my Sunday mornings. Sometimes they are quiet and sometimes they are not. Sometimes they are restful and sometimes they are not. I think I usually end up at church ready to be edified. They are always an experience apart from the rest of the week for me and a Heaven sent blessing.