Welp, I am back in P-town, getting ready for another epic year to start on Monday. And I determined to make my last year really count! I am going to make this the best year I have ever had! (*knock on wood*)
So far things are shaping up pretty well. My little sister Shauna is rooming with me, and also Kelly, one of my roomies from last year. I only have one new roommate, Natalia, and already I can tell that she is an amazing girl. I think we will have a lot of fun. :) Can I just say that it takes off a TON of stress to live in the same place two years in a row? It almost felt like coming home when I moved back here.
And as proof of how awesome my ward is, a large number of people from last year have stuck around. :) In fact, at least two people have moved BACK into the ward after being away for winter semester-I think they ventured out there and then realized what they were missing back here. Also, a few of the newbies in the ward are people I already know from my years here at the Y. So again, coming back to the ward was like coming home. Of course there are lots of new people here too that I am excited to meet. Even the bishopric changed over the summer! Hopefully Shauna and I will make a lot of new friends this year.
I have had a lot of good times at BYU and made a lot of good friends, but last year was probably my best year. It looks like this year will be very similar, but better because I have Shauna with me this time. :) I'll try to be a good girl and keep this blog up during the school year, but no promises! I'll be too busy out having fun. ;)
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Just a little earthquake
Last night, around midnight, I should probably have been asleep. Instead I was playing with my dog. We were hanging out in my bedroom. I left to go get something, leaving the door open just wide enough for him to fit through.
(This is my dog. Isn't he cute? <3)
Well, apparently he tried to get out, and somehow accidentally closed the door. I could hear him scratching to get out. I called to him that I'd be there in a minute. Usually, if he hears that, he'll calm down because he knows you've heard him and you'll be coming back. But instead he just scratched harder, over and over again. He was desperate to get out of that room! I finally made it back to let him out, and he headed upstairs.
I didn't think anything of that until I heard him barking hysterically in our front room. Right away my mind turned to my parents and siblings, all of whom were trying to sleep upstairs. Usually Max (my dog) knows better than to bark at night and wake people up. I was a little bit upset with him for being so loud. I should have paid more attention, I guess. He was doing his "trouble" bark, like something was wrong.
I went to find him and ran into my mom, coming to do the same thing. She was concerned because she recognized his worried bark and wondered if something was wrong. But he calmed down pretty quick. He noticed my mom left her door open and tried to hide in her bedroom, but we managed to coax him back downstairs.
My mom and I were standing in the kitchen talking when we heard a strange rattling noise. It sounded exactly like the sound Max makes when he shakes his head and his ears slam together. But I was looking right at him when we heard it and he wasn't moving. This took us back a little. We wondered if maybe there was another animal outside and that's why Max had freaked out? Then we heard a strange creaking noise behind us-much like the noise made when someone walks through our family room. But we could see in the family room and no one was there. This was starting to get a little bit creepy. We heard another burst of creaking that seemed to extend farther through the house, but when it faded it was replaced with the sound of footsteps upstairs. We relaxed and I figured we'd just been hearing someone moving around upstairs. We both went off to bed.
My dad came down a couple minutes later to explain why Max had freaked out: we'd just gone through a mini earthquake. My dad had been in bed, listening to my mom and my conversation downstairs, when all of a sudden the bed started shaking. It didn't shake very hard, and he says it lasted about half a second, but he felt it when we were hearing the strange creaks in our house. My dad figured the quake was so minor it wouldn't even register on the Richter scale, but he did a google search anyways to see what he could turn up. Sure enough, around the time he felt the tremor, a 5.5 earthquake happened a couple hundred miles from here. He thinks that we felt the very edge of that. He also thinks Max freaked out to warn us because he could sense it coming, with that awesome sixth sense that animals seem to have.
Anyway, that's my little earthquake story! Glad it was only a little one. I'm an even bigger fan of dogs today now that I know they really can warn us of danger.
Well, apparently he tried to get out, and somehow accidentally closed the door. I could hear him scratching to get out. I called to him that I'd be there in a minute. Usually, if he hears that, he'll calm down because he knows you've heard him and you'll be coming back. But instead he just scratched harder, over and over again. He was desperate to get out of that room! I finally made it back to let him out, and he headed upstairs.
I didn't think anything of that until I heard him barking hysterically in our front room. Right away my mind turned to my parents and siblings, all of whom were trying to sleep upstairs. Usually Max (my dog) knows better than to bark at night and wake people up. I was a little bit upset with him for being so loud. I should have paid more attention, I guess. He was doing his "trouble" bark, like something was wrong.
I went to find him and ran into my mom, coming to do the same thing. She was concerned because she recognized his worried bark and wondered if something was wrong. But he calmed down pretty quick. He noticed my mom left her door open and tried to hide in her bedroom, but we managed to coax him back downstairs.
My mom and I were standing in the kitchen talking when we heard a strange rattling noise. It sounded exactly like the sound Max makes when he shakes his head and his ears slam together. But I was looking right at him when we heard it and he wasn't moving. This took us back a little. We wondered if maybe there was another animal outside and that's why Max had freaked out? Then we heard a strange creaking noise behind us-much like the noise made when someone walks through our family room. But we could see in the family room and no one was there. This was starting to get a little bit creepy. We heard another burst of creaking that seemed to extend farther through the house, but when it faded it was replaced with the sound of footsteps upstairs. We relaxed and I figured we'd just been hearing someone moving around upstairs. We both went off to bed.
My dad came down a couple minutes later to explain why Max had freaked out: we'd just gone through a mini earthquake. My dad had been in bed, listening to my mom and my conversation downstairs, when all of a sudden the bed started shaking. It didn't shake very hard, and he says it lasted about half a second, but he felt it when we were hearing the strange creaks in our house. My dad figured the quake was so minor it wouldn't even register on the Richter scale, but he did a google search anyways to see what he could turn up. Sure enough, around the time he felt the tremor, a 5.5 earthquake happened a couple hundred miles from here. He thinks that we felt the very edge of that. He also thinks Max freaked out to warn us because he could sense it coming, with that awesome sixth sense that animals seem to have.
Anyway, that's my little earthquake story! Glad it was only a little one. I'm an even bigger fan of dogs today now that I know they really can warn us of danger.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Stupid Biased Dictionary
*Exploring the wonders of an online dictionary*
Shauna: *types in Shelece* "No results found. Did you mean 'shoelace'? Hi Shoelace!
Shelece: *doesn't bother typing in Shauna* Shauna.... No results found. Did you mean Sauna? Hi Sauna!
Shauna: *types in Shauna* No, actually it says the closest result is Shaun.
Shelece: What? But that's not a word.
Shauna: Shaun-a male given name, form of John.
Shelece: *types in Shauna* What??? That's not fair! Your name is practically in the dictionary???
This is what comes from having a name that was randomly made up.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Nostalgia
Today I am suffering from a particularly strong case of nostalgia (dang, that is a hard word to spell!). I am missing a time not so long ago. Logically I can look back and remember that it was not perfect. There were still many challenges to be faced, and even the best parts of life came with difficulties too. Emotionally, though, looking back at that time I feel as though it was perfect in a way that can never be beat. I am longing to go back and relive that time. But I know that if I did, it wouldn't be as wonderful as I remember, and anyway, going backwards is impossible. I'm reminded of a devotional Elder Holland gave at BYU a couple years back called "Remember Lot's Wife." One of my facebook friends reposted it recently and it was really good for me to read it again. One quote in particular stood out to me:
But for today, I think, I will let myself dwell on the past a little bit. Maybe remembering some of the good times I've had will help me build better times in the future.
I know I need to keep going and trust that my best days are still ahead. Life gets better as it goes along, doesn't it? It can, at least, if we choose to perceive it that way."Faith is for the future. Faith builds on the past but never longs to stay there. Faith trusts that God has great things in store for each of us and that Christ is the 'high priest of good things to come.' I pray you will have a wonderful semester, a wonderful year, a wonderful life all filled with faith and hope and charity. Keep your eyes on your dreams, however distant, and live to see
the miracles of repentance and forgiveness, trust and divine love
transform your life today, tomorrow and forever."
But for today, I think, I will let myself dwell on the past a little bit. Maybe remembering some of the good times I've had will help me build better times in the future.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Change
I've tried to start writing a blog entry a couple times today, but I never get past a sentence or two before I stop. I guess I am feeling like I don't have a lot to say that would be interesting to other people... This may end up being more of an introspective journal piece.
The summer is rapidly winding down. It always makes me a little sad when I stop working for the summer. Last year I was particularly sad because I thought it was my very last summer working at my dad's office. Then I came back this year! And I think by far this has been the best summer. I will miss my job. The funny thing is... this probably WAS my last summer, for reals this time, working for my dad, but it doesn't feel that way... I guess the fakeout last year left me skeptical that things are really ending.
Normally as I approach a new school year, I get really nervous. I don't like transitions. It's hard for me to leave my family and go back to school. I think part of this is because my BYU friends have a pretty high turnover rate... When I'm going back to school, my BFFs from the year before have usually graduated/moved/gotten married/left on missions.
But you know, this year I am actually excited to go back! A lot of my friends will still be there! I love my grad program and I'm looking forward to delve back into it. I am moving back into a ward I love too. I'll be in the same apartment as last year and I am even keeping one of my roommates. Best of all, my little sister will be living with me this year! :D:D:D
At the same time, there will be lots of changes. As usual, a lot of my close friends from last year are no longer in Provo... even those who are still in Provo have moved out of the ward. While I was gone during summer term, the bishopric was released and a new one put in. While a few people will still be around from last year, most people in the ward will be completely new. Most of the second year students in my program have graduated and gone and there will be a new group of first year students arriving.
I am looking forward to meeting new people and making new friends, but a part of me is nervous that I won't make as many friends this year. This is nothing new... I worry about this every year and things work out! I guess I just need to relax.
Beyond this year, big changes are ahead! If all goes well, I will graduate from BYU in April. I'm not really sure what will happen to me after that. I am considering all options that are possible: jobs available, PhD programs... I am also thinking of serving a mission. Everything feels so up in the air. It's hard for me not knowing what's coming next. I'm not even sure where I'll be living a year from now!
I guess all I can do is pray and do my best to figure out what my next step will be. At some point things will become clear. Certainly a year from now I'll have a much better idea of what direction my life is taking (I hope!). I need to try to view this as exciting instead of terrifying... my family members keep reminding me that this is supposed to be an exciting time of life.
Anyway, those are some thoughts on my mind right now. I guess in sum, right now I am looking forward to the future and excited for this last year... but at the back of my mind, I know that so many things are uncertain, and I feel like I should be much more concerned than I am. Oh well. If I'm happy, I should just be happy right? Maybe things will work out more easily than I'm expecting. And if not, I guess it doesn't really help to be stressing out in advance.
The summer is rapidly winding down. It always makes me a little sad when I stop working for the summer. Last year I was particularly sad because I thought it was my very last summer working at my dad's office. Then I came back this year! And I think by far this has been the best summer. I will miss my job. The funny thing is... this probably WAS my last summer, for reals this time, working for my dad, but it doesn't feel that way... I guess the fakeout last year left me skeptical that things are really ending.
Normally as I approach a new school year, I get really nervous. I don't like transitions. It's hard for me to leave my family and go back to school. I think part of this is because my BYU friends have a pretty high turnover rate... When I'm going back to school, my BFFs from the year before have usually graduated/moved/gotten married/left on missions.
But you know, this year I am actually excited to go back! A lot of my friends will still be there! I love my grad program and I'm looking forward to delve back into it. I am moving back into a ward I love too. I'll be in the same apartment as last year and I am even keeping one of my roommates. Best of all, my little sister will be living with me this year! :D:D:D
At the same time, there will be lots of changes. As usual, a lot of my close friends from last year are no longer in Provo... even those who are still in Provo have moved out of the ward. While I was gone during summer term, the bishopric was released and a new one put in. While a few people will still be around from last year, most people in the ward will be completely new. Most of the second year students in my program have graduated and gone and there will be a new group of first year students arriving.
I am looking forward to meeting new people and making new friends, but a part of me is nervous that I won't make as many friends this year. This is nothing new... I worry about this every year and things work out! I guess I just need to relax.
Beyond this year, big changes are ahead! If all goes well, I will graduate from BYU in April. I'm not really sure what will happen to me after that. I am considering all options that are possible: jobs available, PhD programs... I am also thinking of serving a mission. Everything feels so up in the air. It's hard for me not knowing what's coming next. I'm not even sure where I'll be living a year from now!
I guess all I can do is pray and do my best to figure out what my next step will be. At some point things will become clear. Certainly a year from now I'll have a much better idea of what direction my life is taking (I hope!). I need to try to view this as exciting instead of terrifying... my family members keep reminding me that this is supposed to be an exciting time of life.
Anyway, those are some thoughts on my mind right now. I guess in sum, right now I am looking forward to the future and excited for this last year... but at the back of my mind, I know that so many things are uncertain, and I feel like I should be much more concerned than I am. Oh well. If I'm happy, I should just be happy right? Maybe things will work out more easily than I'm expecting. And if not, I guess it doesn't really help to be stressing out in advance.
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