The Adventures of Handy Dandy Felicia

This past week I needed to get the safety inspection done on my car because my registration is up this month and of course I postponed until the last possible moment mostly because I'm poor but partly because I'm lazy. The only problem was a few months ago the mirror fell off my passenger side window. Not the whole thing just the glass part, you know the actual mirror. I was super tempted to just super glue it back on but then I worried it would fall off and break and buying a replacement would probably be more expensive than finding a proper way to fix it. The problem was I had no idea how to fix this stupid mirror so I trusted my dear good old friend google to figure it out for me. Turns out the world is full of stupid people (I won't say like me but really they were like me) who also have this same problem and trust the internet for solutions. Also, as it turns out the internet is not very good with the whole up close and personal hands on type stuff. In the end google wouldn't fix the mirror for me it only told me what glue to buy to fix it. Luckily, Wally world had the glue. I came home feeling so cool because I bought this awesome cool special glue and quickly realized I didn't know how to use the awesome cool special glue. I read the package. It sounded complicated. I needed to scrape all the old glue off the mirror before putting more glue on. My weapon of choice: a spoon. Did it work? No. So I returned to the kitchen wondering where I could find something to get the old glue off. Then I came across a knife. I thought to myself "Felicia, do you trust yourself with a knife? No. Do you have any other choice? No." 30 seconds later the knife and I had set out on an adventure back to the car. Everything was going grand and the knife was actually working pretty decently when the mirror slipped and sliced my finger. It was horrible! Blood began spilling onto my hand, it was gross. I felt like Bella after she got bit by the creepy blonde vampire in the first movie, except there was no creepy other blonde stalker vampire to stop the bleeding and almost kill me. I ran inside and put my hand under the faucet only to be astonished by how deep this little cut was. I probably needed stitches. But again with the poor thing and a little with the lazy thing, I didn't go get stitches. Instead I thought "Hey, there is some super glue in the drawer upstairs and really it's the same thing as stitches, right?" And so I did it. I super glued my finger shut. It burned. A LOT. And today I'm wondering, was that such a great idea? I guess if I die I will at least died knowing I fixed that stupid mirror on my car, it was totally worth it.

It's Not Me, It's You.

So, I'm not one to complain, wait, yes I am. In fact this entire blog is mostly me complaining about stuff. It really kind of is, that's sad. Well, I have to tell someone without actually telling someone because I am super irritated right now. At the end of the school year my dearest roommates went home, without me, and left me here. I am still traumatized over it. Every once in awhile it starts pouring like the scene from The Notebook when Ryan Gosling and what's her name make up and realize they still love each other and that he sent her letters every day, except no one is sending me letters every day and I don't really love anyone at least not in that way and it's not actually raining...so mostly it's not like that scene and I can't remember where I was going with that, whatever. It's really really sad. Onto the complaining portion of this entry. I loved them with every fiber of my being and they left me, they left me and their cleanly ways left me. I am kind of messy, it's true, BUT my mess extends to my bedroom, and it's mostly because I'm lazy and never put my laundry away. But one certain new roommate of mine (all of my roommates names start with K so we will just call her Bo Peep) has a mess that extends far beyond the realm of her own galaxy and waaaay up into all a everybody else's galaxy. I walked downstairs this morning and I could swear that last night she had a bar fight in our living room that escalated into the kitchen and involved a lot of butter. It was a mess. I feel like a mother cleaning up after an overgrown two year old. I'm sure Bo Peep is a wonderful person, she seems really fun, but you can be wonderful and fun AND clean. I'm not sure how she manages to dirty so many dishes in one day, she is one person, but our sink is never empty for more than what seems like five minutes. And it's never two or three dishes it's like she served up a seven course meal to the confederate army! It's crazy! Oh, if only H & A from freshman year had her as a roommate they would have LOVED us. She really is a fun loving, awesome, energetic person and I'm sure, given the chance, we would be great friends. It's just very exhausting to be the only person in the apartment who seems bothered by this problem. Am I wrong to not want to gag when I walk into my kitchen?

A Beautiful Weekend

I still don't have any pictures from San Diego, sorry guys I'm working on it. I was informed yesterday that I need to update my blog more often. Here is a newsflash for you (I won't mention your name): You lived with me, my life is boring! What would you like me to update about, the weather, how I still haven't put my laundry away, or maybe how I suck at keeping my promises to go running -we will pretend you didn't hear that one. I have nothing of substance to tell the world about. It's a sad truth. I need a life. It was very beautiful this Memorial Day weekend though, not that you can tell now because it's very wet and cold outside. My "family" and I had tons of fun playing with the nephews and my solo niece, barbecuing, and swimming (although to be honest it was kind of cold for that). It was a wonderful time and I'm very lucky to have been able to go home. I finished a book! Yay for not wasting all of my time on the internet and I am currently trying to read Eragon. I have also been informed that I must read Ender's Game by the end of October as I will be seeing that movie since it is a favorite of one of my favorite people. Has anyone read that? I don't even know what it is about. Lots of reading! I forgot how much I love to read, as I haven't had the chance to sit down and enjoy a book in what seems like forever. I changed my school schedule, and what seems like my entire life, today. As of right now I have two classes in Logan and all the rest in Brigham City. I was lucky in that they changed the schedule around just enough that I only have to drive to Brigham twice a week next semester instead of three times which will be a lot nicer. It's an interesting change and we will see how I handle it, right now it feels like a heavy weight on my back and there isn't anything I can do so I don't know why I worry. Well, for your viewing pleasure I have included the picture from when I went wakeboarding right after my trip to San Diego. It isn't much but it's kinda cool, I think.

The water was kind of rocky but it was still way cool to get out there. I can't wait to do lots more of it this summer!

"...all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good."

I had a plan. That plan has been ripped up, puked on, and set on fire. These things tend to happen to me. I make a plan, I think the plan is great, then God comes along with His plan and turns out it's different than mine. His plan is always harder, always tearful, and always better. I'm trying to remember this as I pick myself up this week and rearrange what is left of my academic career. I found out yesterday that I will not be continuing in the social work program here in Logan. There are a few options as to what I can do, and after careful consideration and prayer I have decided to use Brigham City as my social work base. Brigham city means a commute, as all my social work classes and practicum will be 30-45 minutes away, but it also means not having to wait until next year to re-apply for the program. It is not going to be an easy path and it was a hard decision to make. I have yet to know why this is the way I need to go but I have trust in that it is the best thing for me. And though I will, probably, still be crying over this two weeks from now, and again in the Fall when it becomes a reality, I will be okay and I can do this.

When I Have Grown a Foot or Two

Over the past few months a quote I discovered by Jeffrey R. Holland has reverberated in my mind:

"With any major decision there are cautions and considerations to make, but once there has been illumination, beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don't give up when the pressure mounts."

In October of last year the prophet made an incredible and historical announcement that the church (the LDS church) was changing the missionary age for men from 19 to 18 and for women from 21 to 19. As a 19 year old young women, at the time, this change was incredibly significant to my life and to the lives around me. For the last 6 months I have listened and watched as this change has affected thousands across the world including those close to me. For men, it was a difference, but for women it was a life changing event. It is every worthy young man's responsibility, in the church, to serve an LDS mission. But for women it isn't a responsibility; it is a choice. A very very hard choice. And more now than ever before there is an immense social pressure to serve for young women. I have watched as each of my friends puts their papers in and receives that amazing blessing to serve the Lord for 18 months. With the exception of a few, it feels as though every girl I know has decided to serve. It is incredible! We need missionary work and we need sister missionaries. However, not every young women is meant to serve a mission. I have wanted to serve a mission since I was a very young girl, that desire increased as my family fell away from the church, and even more so as I expanded my horizons and saw the sadness of those who didn't have the gospel in their lives. There is a scripture in D&C 4:3 that says "if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;" you would think that would be my answer. But it wasn't. The answer to my prayers was not to go on a mission. I have yet to know why I won't be putting on a nametag and travelling away from home to serve anytime soon. But I do know that God has a plan for me and He knows exactly where I am needed and I trust Him even if the answers are not what I expect. I have often wondered, and prayed, about whether the answer I received was real or just my own fears or selfish desires coming out. The decision to not serve has become significantly harder the more I see my friends leave. But I received an answer, a real answer, and I know that my call, though different than that of a full time mission, is just as important to my Heavenly Father.

Whales, Sea Lions, and Walruses! OH MY!

This past week I have been on the most amazing vacation of my entire existence. SAN DIEGO! I know my existence has been pretty dull up to now, but that is not the point. After 12 hours of driving last week we made it to the amazing, warm, and beautiful city of San Diego, California. Words cannot describe how stoked I was for this vacation. 1. It was right after finals week, 2. It was my first time in California. Plus, who doesn't want to see a sea lion? Even though I did not come back any tanner I still consider the trip an immense success. So, some highlights? We went to Sea World, of course, and saw Shamu and some sea lions, polar bears, penguins, a walrus (which are basically large blobs of fat and have disproportionately small heads), and an otter! I want an otter now. I think I kind of also want a walrus but mostly because that much fat on one creature is disgustingly cool. I pet a stingray, that was pretty sweet. We went to the ocean which was incredibly cool, in the figurative and literal sense, it was freezing and I did not get in. I biked 24 miles-the most terrible 24 miles of my life. Apparently the word leisure means death defying acts of horrible exercise in my "family". I'm pretty sure I shaved a few years off my life expectancy. We found this cute little ice cream shop called the Baked Bear. They make custom made ice cream sandwiches that are amazing! Come on, I had to make up for those calories I lost riding 24 miles somehow, right? And to top it all off we drove the 12 hours to get home slept the rest of the night and then my "dad" and I went wakeboarding the next day. Wakeboarding, in Utah, in May...sane people don't attempt things like that. Good thing we aren't sane! It was the cherry on top of the most perfect vacation. I'm super grateful for a "family" that can show me such a great time, and even more grateful to have their love and support.

**Pictures to come (hopefully)

Crazy Cleaning Nazis

Today was move out/in/stay put if your name is Felicia day. I don't like these days. I spent hours upon hours cleaning out every inch of my apartment playing cleaning lady for two days. Really. Our apartment was cleaner than the Taj Mahal, assuming the Taj Mahal is the cleanest thing you have ever seen this side of the planet. Is the Taj Mahal on this side of the planet? Maybe I shouldn't use the Taj Mahal in my analogies. It was really really clean! You could have eaten spaghetti off the floor, but then you would have made my floors dirty and it would have, consequently, been your last meal. This lady comes in to check us off and make sure everything is spic and span. Well, what should have been a pass with flying colors was a criticism and a plea for death. When she said "You still need to..." all I heard was "I am evil, you shall never pass, kill me!" To which I very gladly wanted to, but I'm a very nice person so I smiled and then proceeded to kill two trees and create thousands of homeless squirrels  with the amount of paper towels I used cleaning. If this apartment was any cleaner it would disappear completely. Now there are weird people moving in that I don't know and that aren't as cool as my previous roommates and it's weird and I don't like it and did I mention that it's weird?