Life update

So, it really has been a long while since the last update. My apologies to those readers who enjoy my adventures.

This past month has been so very busy. Work really took off these last couple weeks. I don't know how many total hours that I worked within the last two weeks, but I know that I got about thirty hours in three days this past week.

And we had our first football game yesterday! I'm pretty sure that BYU won, but I wasn't watching the game. I was working it. I was up in the Presidential Loge almost the entire game. My job was to cater to special guests of President Samuelson. Various members of the Seventy were there, as well as President Samuelson, himself.

One thing that I love about my job is the opportunity that I have to see such well-beloved and well-respected people just being themselves. For example, two weeks ago, I catered a lunch for Elder Hales. What did he and his guests discuss? The Olympics, of course! And various aspects of BYU. It was so neat to see him just being himself.

School starts on Tuesday, and I'm starting to get worried. I am so excited for my classes, though. I'm taking some really good classes. There is one in particular that I can't wait to get to. It's modern and post modern American literature from the 1960's to the present. And it is being taught by one of my favorite professors.
I owe a huge thanks to Tyler for this one. I realized about a month ago, that I needed to change some of the classes that I was taking. I wanted to focus on some of my major coursework, as well as get going in my minor. As I was looking around, I found this class, English 365... but it was full!!! Tyler, knowing that I wanted that class, kept checking back for me to see if a spot opened up. One day, while I was at work, it did! And he grabbed it for me so that I could sign up for it.

So, thanks, Tyler. I owe you one.


Also, I've just been called as the Relief Society president for my ward. Needless to say, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed and kind of scared. But I have faith that the Lord will help me. Why? Because He's got to. I definitely can't do this on my own.

So, to sum up life: things are going really well. They are definitely starting to pick up. But they are good. For sure.

Dad-time!!

Lately, I've been really realizing the value of family.

It's not that I haven't recognized the importance of family in the past, but since coming to college, family has started to mean more and more to me.

I've really begun to see how much wisdom the Lord has in organizing us into family units. When you are down and out, who do you turn to? Who comes in and saves the day? When there seems to be no one there for you, who cheers you on from the sidelines?

Family.

So, when my dad started making plans to come visit me, I got really excited. We decided that when he got here, we'd spend some time in Provo, and then go visit my grandparents in Vernal.

And guess what!? While he was here, Dad bought me something that I've been wanting FOREVER! A digital camera! So needless to say, our mini vacation is well documented.

On the way to Vernal from Provo, you pass a little town called Miton, where my great-grandma lives. She's 92 years old!

It was really neat to get to sit and talk with her for a little while. She and my dad reminisced about times when my dad was a little boy, visiting his grandparents.

In the middle of talking to her, she bore her testimony to Dad and me of the reality of the Holy Ghost. I was really grateful for that unique experience. How much more often will I get to hear my great-grandma's testimony?

She also joked about the things she needs to change before she can be twinkled.

We asked her how long she had been living in her house. She told us that when she was married, she and Great-Grandpa Richens got on her horse and rode right on up to the house to start their lives together. Grandma only had one horse, so the two of them got on her horse and rode off.

It was so cute and sweet to hear her story. I loved it.

And speaking of cute: I have two adorable cousins, Aliya and Breanna, who I was really looking forward to seeing when I went to Vernal.

These girls are just wonderful. They love to have fun, and are always happy. They are smart, too. When they grow older, they are going to be little heart-breakers.

I had an absoulte blast spending time with these two.

My grandparents, cousins, and dad and I all went fishing on Monday. We spent all morning in the boat. It was such a nice, sunshine-y day, and the lake/river we went to was absolutely beautiful. I loved the rock formations surrounding it.

And who caught the largest fish??? Dad. He actually caught almost all of the fish we took home with us. But I caught the second largest! And Aliya caught a pretty good sized one. We ended up with six fish to take home with us. (Perfect-- one trout per person.)

So, that night, dinner was easy! I felt so proud, providing for myself and earning my keep--Eating food that I caught!

Maybe that's weird, or morbid. But it was cool.

And I had so much fun.