Abs as Hard as the Mountain

This summer I've had a lot of chances to go hiking, just chill up on top of a mountain, or go out to a park or something and spend time with friends and it's reminded me of how much I love being outdoors and how beautiful the nature is here in Utah. It just makes me really happy.

One of these times was yesterday morning when Mallory and I hiked the Y. It was harder than expected for me. I'm not in the best of shape, but that's another story. Anyway, it was just way fun and we met some rockin people that were getting their morning exercise on as well. One man was just studly. I would estimate about 0.0004% body fat on that man. He was also sporting quite the natural tan. I don't think that man put a shirt on once all summer, and as I mentioned to Mallory, it's probably because that would have been a sin. This guy, we'll call him Rocky, was running up Y mountain with enough breath to holla at us as he sped past us and me and Mallory panted a "sup". We also met someone who told us were we're going to get the "Donner Party syndrome" if we didn't get up that mountain a little faster. He was a curious sweaty little man. We also checked out the view which was rad. It was a good time. Then we came back home and watched Kingpin. If you haven't seen it, you haven't lived. Then I went and worked 8 hours and felt accomplished for that. It was a good day. A little bit of nature, a little bit of trashy movies, and a little bit of responsibility for good measure.

Let's get contemplative...

My life as of late reminds me a bit of nature and I know that might sound weird.. but just go with it. There have been some bad times and some annoying times, but overall, it's just been great. It's a new kind of great to me too. It's not great because fantastic things keep happening all around me or because I started dating a new guy or am going on a mission or anything exciting like that. It's just been really good. I've been really content with my life, but at the same time excited for change and new things and for the rest of my life.

And now I explain my analogy. I have always thought of nature as a majestic and terrifying phenomenom. But when I get a chance to go out to where there are no sounds of traffic or people, all I hear is silence and it's one of the most peaceful things in the whole world. My life is similar to this right now and I absolutely love it. I don't know if this is just the calm before the storm, if something terrible or wonderful is about to happen that will completely alter my outlook on life, but I feel somewhat invincible emotionally and I've never felt like this before.

Even though my life feels peaceful and I'm content, I know that it's incredibly rich. There is so much more than I can accomplish in life and the fact that I have been given endless opportunities to make of life what I want to make of it amazes me. Just like when I am surrounded by nature and am amazed by it's power and beauty.

The past couple weeks are a great example of this. I have been staying with Mallory and waiting to move into my apartment. At first I thought it would be kind of a waiting period when I just really wanted to get to my new place and get settled, but I've found that it's been incredibly fun and fulfilling somehow. And I'm in no hurry to move even though I know that when I do, I'll be happy about that too. That's what I mean. I just have found that life is incredible, even when it may seem mundane, rocky, or just down right hard. And happiness is not hard to find if you're sincerely looking for it.

Memory Lane

This is the end of an era. I'm moving out of the Riviera in less than a week. After two years of both laughter and tears it's finally time to move on. Let's take a walk down memory lane...

There I was, walking off the plane in the good old SLC airport feeling wicked confident. Soon I found that the Long Beach airport had lost my luggage. Optimism won, thank goodness, and I was excited to have my luggage dropped off at my new apartment. Onward we went to Provo. I arrived at my apartment alone with one bag full of hangers and jewelry and had to stay up until 3a.m. for the luggage guy to deliver my bag. I was feeling pretty lonely and sad.

But things got better. I lost two amazing roommates to marriage, housed a bunny, had plenty of unwelcome as well as welcome drama, met some fantastically amazing people, did the Christmas program, became the everlasting RS Secretary, and then last summer happened.

Ahhh.. last summer. A time of friendship, dating, pool basketball, drama and amazingly good times. I look back on that time with fondness. I think we all do.

Then Fall and Winter came around. I lost two wonderful roommates, Megan and Briahnna to Vienna and Davin and got three more amazing ones, Sammy, Susan, and Emily. Then things got a little sticky. I lost my honor, my money, and my schooling, and spent a lot of time working and trying to survive. But it wasn't all bad. I had a wonderful bishop, friends, and a boyfriend that helped me more than I deserved and there was a light at the end of the tunnel...

I got some sweet jobs and started saving some sweet money and had an incredible summer living the single life, getting back on my feet, and feeling pretty dang good about the way my life was turning out. I didn't mean to stay at the Riviera for so long, but I can't imagine the last two years without it. The people I've met and the things that have happened here have changed my life for the better and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Here's to the nights we felt alive. Here's to the tears we knew we'd cry. Here's to goodbye. Next Friday's gonna come too soon.

Homelessness

I'm staying with my dear friend Mallory for the next two weeks until I can move into my new apartment next Friday and while Mallory is a peach, I feel rather odd. It's interesting how much of my day was affected by my roommates and their personalities. But now, it's just me and Mallory and whoever else cares to stop by, which is just fine and dandy. Just different. I'm excited for our new place though. Change is good and I am more than ready for it. Also, I'm ready to have a place to call mine again.

My First Blog

So... this is my first ever blog on blogspot. We'll see if this becomes as much of an addiction to me as xanga and myspace were and now facebook is. I can always use another website to visit in my downtime I guess. So this is the one for now. Well.. in addition to facebook of course.

I am at this very moment watching our friend Shawn Johnson win a gold medal and I'm so glad she finally got one. She's adorable and her mom can't stop crying. It's really just great. Good old Olympics. I'm even getting a little teary eyed.

Anyway, I don't really have any really awesome stories to write about. No wedding plans or mission calls or anything to tell about. But on the other side of that, I also have no deaths or divorces or horrible news to tell about either, so I should count my blessings for that. And I am. I am so incredibly blessed in my life and I think life is a wonderful gift. I am reminded every day how great life is. Yes it's hard, but things get better and people everywhere are happy with what they've been given, no matter how difficult. I am happy with my life. Even though it's hard sometimes. I'm grateful that it's hard sometimes because without the hard times, I wouldn't even begin to know how to appreciate the good ones.

I think that's probably the most fitting way to start my blogging life. By letting you know that life is good and I love it. :)