Graduation

This past weekend I graduated from Idaho State University with a Bachelors in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing. The graduation ceremony was great, meaning that it wasn't its usually 4 hours like in years past...thank goodness. I felt so grown up and satisfied with myself that I had been able to reach this goal in my life.


My Besties minus one (Melissa, Aleesha, Me, Kim)

As I was sitting there waiting for my turn to receive my diploma, I was caught up in all the memories I had of ISU and my time there. I can seriously say that some of the greatest friendships I have right now are because I decided to go to ISU. The memories that go along with those friendships are endless and I'm so grateful for that! I know that as things continues to change and life becomes harder than it was in college, I can always depend on these ladies. They have taught me to be patient, have perseverance, to have fun, and have reminded me that truly good friends are hard to find.


Idaho State University Alumni

The weekend was fabulous and I was kind of sad to see it end. It was a good reminder to why these ladies are more like sisters to me than friends!

The brains that I possess

I feel like I need a funny post on my blog so here it is!
So over these past few months I have really let my somewhat blonde roots show. For example around the beginning of the semester I was cleaning out my room, which by the way doesn't happen as often as it should. As I was cleaning I was clearing out under the bed and came upon a black contraption that I had never seen before, so I grab it out and started to investigate what it was. I took it out to the living room to ask my sister if she new what it was, she was also as baffled as I was about what the contraption was that I held in my hands. As I was continuing to look at it I saw the word "push" engraved on the side of it, so upon seeing that I decided to push right where it told me.
Bad idea.
What happened next was sheer pain and a lot of laughter from my sister. As I pushed the button, a brownish-orange substance came out! The substance went all over my hands, upon it hitting my hand I decide to smell the substance...also a bad idea. Immediately my eyes, throat and nose started to burn....if you haven't figured out the substance by now it was pepper spray and boy did it hurt.
Looking back on it now I laugh but, at the time I seriously wanted to hurt the friend who had accidentally left it under my bed. All in all I just couldn't believe that I had sprayed myself with pepper spray and then inhaled it.
Also this semester for the first time in my college career I went to the completely wrong class twice it wasn't the same class both times, they were different. You would seriously think that I was a freshman who didn't know his way about campus or how to read their schedule. The one I find most amusing out of the two is when I thought my philosophy class was in one classroom and it was actually in the two doors down. The funniest part about it was I wondered the whole building trying to find the classroom and after ten minutes still couldn't find it. Well, at around fifteen minutes after the class had started I finally found my classroom.
This has been the weirdest semester for me by far but, it has really helped me to learn to laugh at myself and realize that life is pretty funny when you learn to have a little fun!

Ruts

So apparently I think I should write every five to six months but, seriously there is nothing that exciting that goes on in my life.
I think I must be a very right brained person because I have the hardest time seeing the big picture of things in life. I wish I could see that all the things that are happening right now, are for a special purpose or just a purpose but, right now I'm not seeing it. It just seems that life at this point isn't what I expected or wanted but, I will none the less go with it. But, along with all this complaining I will add a positive note that I'm grateful for friends who have the talent to look beyond the here and now. These friends help me to realize that life is full of times of hardship but, they also help me see and are there with me for the times that are truly amazing.
I guess what I'm trying to say and I know that I'm not the first person ever to say is life never gives you what you want but, in some way it always turns out great in the end. Because I know deep down in my heart that happy endings (I'm not meaning death or something fatal like that) to stages of life are real. I know that this stage of my life will turn out for the best but, sometimes just like a car, I get stuck in a rut. Sometimes I can get out of that rut by myself but, sometimes I need the help of a tow truck or in my case family or friends. I grateful for all of those people in my life that are willing to help me get out of the rut and back on to the road, heading in the direction that I know I should go.
I know this probably doesn't make sense to anyone but me so take it for what it's worth.

Finding My Neverland

So after not writing in forever I decided that I should probably write something again.
So I am absolutely in love with the Finding Neverland soundtrack, it is all instrumental and it is just lovely. I came in contact with the soundtrack while on my mission and it kind of defined one of my areas that was especially hard. I just remember turning it on and feeling like the music was helping all the hardships of the day melt away. Well, continuing on one of the songs is called Neverland and as I was pondering the other day (which by the way doesn't happen all that often), I thought that each of us has a place that is like Neverland to us. For some people it may be a spot where their family would go camping, or for others it may be a country or a state, for me it is Sarawak. Sarawak is the one place that is so magical to me just like Neverland was to Peter Pan. It was a place where time seemed to stand still and the jungle would just encompass you with its unique mystical features. The people amazing, so kind and childlike, who would do anything for you. It was a place where all my cares seemed to go away and you could just be in the moment without any other distractions. It was Neverland to me!!!
I hope to one day return there and to be able to explore more of its wonderous beauty. I hope that we all can each take time in our lives to remember our Neverlands. When we just need a break from all the commotion we can remember that one special place and the great memories that go along with it. It has brought joy into my life and I hope it will do the same with yours.

My first blog entry

Well, this is my very first blog entry as you can clearly read from the title. I am not the best at writing down what I feel or what has went on in my life but, I have seen other people's blogs and I really enjoy them so I thought I would take a shot at it.
The other day I was reading one of my friends' blogs about having culture shock after returning home from a full-time mission to Singapore and Malaysia. As I was reading it I couldn't help but agree with everything she said because I too just returned home from that same mission and things have been really difficult to get used to. I am sure that every missionary who returns home after serving in some foreign place has a really hard time adjusting. I have been able to speak to some people who have had this experience and get advice from them. I have also been able to share experiences with them but, in the end I still felt that none of them really know what I am going through. That all changed when I read my friends' blog, she put it so well all the emotions and hardships that go on after returning home. I am grateful for this friend and for knowing that I am not alone in the awkwardness I feel at being in the United States surrounded by so many white people and not being able to hear 4 different languages being spoken all in the same moment. Don't get me wrong I love America but, I will always have a huge space in my heart for the people of Malaysia and Singapore. I am grateful for the experiences that I had there and for the friends I met there and also the friends who live here but, who can understand the longing that I and probably they have to be back there.