Happy Birthday Tillie!

  Today marks the 25th Birthday of my older sister Tillie! I didn't know Tillie, but I'm so glad she's part of our family. I have been taught the great Plan of Happiness from the time I was a very little child, and I have a firm testimony of it. I know that Heavenly Father wants families to be together forever, and because of that, He has given us the Priesthood and temples to perform sealing ordinances in. I know that children are saved in the kingdom of God and that is what keeps me going on the straight and narrow each day. I know that Tillie is in the Celestial kingdom and I want to meet her so badly! I know that I have to live my life in a way that will allow me to inherit the Kingdom of God and be with her and the rest of my family forever. I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for our family and I know that Tillie is being an awesome missionary on the other side, excitedly waiting for us to come and join her! 

   Sometimes I like to imagine what Tillie would be like and what my relationship with her would be. I think she probably helped prepare me to come to this fun and crazy and hilarious and awesome family. I'm pretty sure she was up in Heaven with Sulli and Livi and me and we were best friends and we were all excited to be together. I imagine that she was a little sad when we left because she knew it would be a while before we could remember her, but she was so excited for us to join our awesome family here on earth! I like to imagine what she would be like if she were here. I think she'd be beautiful. I imagine her with brown hair like mine and I think she'd look like Sullivan because he kind of doesn't look like anyone else in the family. I think she would have played with me a lot and made me feel smart and cool. I think that she would have been really good at sports and been prom queen and popular but super humble about everything. I think she'd be at BYU because, well, she's an angel and would love to make Dad proud and go to the BEST school around! And I think that by now she'd be married to one of the nicest and best looking guys around because I'm sure she'd make a perfect catch! I think that she would finish her college education and be about ready to have a baby! And I think she'd have me over for dinner every once in a while and over to watch movies with her and her awesome husband. I think it would be really fun to have her here with me and Livi. I think she'd be patient and kind and thoughtful and never even think mean things about others. She'd be perfect, I guess is what I'm trying to say. 

   I love Tillie, and I'm so grateful she's in my family and that I can look forward not only to meeting my loving Father in Heaven and loving brother and Savior, Jesus Christ, but my loving sister, Tillie Anne Teichert, too. It's going to be a great day in Heaven. I just have to keep doing what's right and keep my feet on the straight and narrow!

Happy Birthday Tillie!! 

The Mission: It's Impact on Me

 The boys in my class. Picture Credit to Karla Toomer.

 In the LDS General Conference in October 2012, President Monson announced that Young Men can serve missions at age 18, and Young Women can go and serve at age 19. My first response when I heard this was, "I don't have to go... I don't have to go." I have always kind of struggled with separating suggestions and expectations. When my coaches or teachers told me it would be cool if I did something, I thought that it was kind of a command. It was a suggestion that I turned into an expectation. So, when a good suggestion comes up, it's hard to separate it from expectations.
  I can't count how many times during senior year that I was asked if I was going to serve a mission. I always answered, no. I was not going. I hadn't asked the Lord though. I had made up my own mind and I wasn't going to ask, because I was afraid what the answer would be. During the summer all the boys in my class got mission calls and left and I came to BYU and everyone was wondering if I was going on a mission. I was still answering no. Then it was time for October Conference 2013. I was praying that it wouldn't become a duty for women to serve, like I feel it is for men. I'm terrible. Anyways, the week or two leading up to conference I kept feeling like I needed to ask and maybe go. I didn't want to ask. I wasn't going to ask. I watched conference and there were a lot of talks about missionary work. I was confused. I asked my dad for a blessing to help with clarification. When I got back to school I set up an appointment with my Bishop just for some advice. He asked me if I had prayed about it. I told him I was too nervous. He told me to read the scriptures and pray and then talk to him later. So I started looking up talks and scriptures about missionary work and women serving missions and I finally asked Heavenly Father if I should serve a mission. I asked every day and I couldn't hear an answer. So I cried to Olivia and told her that I thought I must be losing my spirituality because I couldn't feel an answer to my prayers one way or another. She told me that sometimes Heavenly Father doesn't answer our prayers; He lets us decide. I was frustrated and said, Yeah, but it's too big of a decision. He needs to tell me. I was expecting Him to tell me yes or no. I didn't get that though. Then I read the talk that validated Olivia's statement. Heavenly Father sometimes trusts us to make our own decisions. So, I decided that I was going to stay home. I prayed and told Heavenly Father my decision and asked if it was the right one? I didn't get a yes or no. But I didn't feel sick about my decision. So, as of right now in my life, I am choosing to not serve a mission. But the mission has impacted my life. 

I graduated with 16 kids. Of those 16, by the middle of July, 10 will be on missions. Those 10 kids are the best examples to me. Because they are choosing to serve the Lord as a full time missionary, it makes me want to do my part here. I am serving by example and trying to be kind and be a good friend. I am so blessed to have grown up where I did with the people I did. They taught me how to be a strong example and they helped strengthen my testimony. 

My buddy Colt! My favorite memory of Colt is just that we would always call him Babe and he'd get a little embarrassed. But isn't he a BABE! 

This picture is one of my favorites of Brendon. When we were in Mexico he forgot to bring church pants and shoes. So he went in shorts and sandals! It was awesome! He could have chosen to stay at the resort because of this strange attire, but his testimony is stronger than that.

Carolyn is so cute. My favorite memories of Carolyn are basketball trips. She was the best manager ever! She really cared about how our team did and she was always on top of things! Plus she's funny on the bus sometimes! 

This is what Justene and Dylan and I will look like when we get together for friend reunions in the future. Justene and I have been friends since we were kids and I remember one day I was supposed to go and play at her house, but her mom called and said I couldn't because Justene had cut her own hair and was grounded. She's awesome.

My favorite memory with Nathan is just stuff he would do. He was always willing to open the door and wait for people. It was really nice.

Tom Dog is a stud! He took me to Homecoming our Senior year and it was so much fun! We lost our volleyball game and I thought that my life was crap. It's hard to go to a dance and have fun after something like that. When Tom came to get me, the first thing he did was tell a joke. I laughed and we had a good time. He told me later that his goal was to get me to laugh and have fun even though we lost. He cares so much about everyone!

I couldn't just choose one of Tyrel. He has been my friend since we were little kids. We did joy school together with Blues Clues books and sometimes we would walk to and from school together and sing songs about stop signs. He always makes me laugh and he's just the best kid for keeping everyone positive.

Colter and I decided this was our favorite picture. Isn't it adorable. He's so tall! Anyways, my favorite memory with Colter is lots of memories. We went salsa dancing in Mexico and we were not very good, but it was fun. And we went to a corn maze one time and it was a blast! There was a midget chasing us and I was like, look it's my friend! And then I thought the midget was gone, but Colter said, turn around. The midget was like right behind me and I freaked out! We ran so fast! Colter's always nice and he's a good kid.

The picture describes our friendship. We love doing dorky stuff together and I can talk to Ana for hours and never run out of stuff to talk about. One of my favorite memories with Ana was when we made super hero capes and tried to fly and we once put a light in the center of our chests and pretended to be Iron Man! She's going on her mission this summer! 

Brigham is my best friend and my hero and he has huge muscles. Since we were little we played together. One thing we like to reminisce about is how we watched almost every Magic School Bus episode EVER! And we played surf-boards one day on the ironing board and bread board! And every time I went to their house we played run-away orphans or Cowboys and Indians or Annie-I-Over. In high school we did a lot of things together. He made me feel cool because he was like the coolest kid in the school and he wasn't too cool to talk to me. We played hard whenever we were together! And we share a love for Oreo anything! He's the best! 

  The kids in my class are amazing kids. I don't know where there are 10 better people. Sometimes I look at 18 and 19 year old kids, myself included, and think, "The spreading of the Gospel is being left in our hands?" and I get little bit nervous. But, I know that these friends of mine are ready and mature enough to be serving missions and I'm so blessed to know them. 

  I know that the Church is trued and that full time missionaries are spreading the gospel and teaching with the Spirit. I also know that we need to be missionaries by the things we do and say each day. We don't know who will see us here and want to be like us. I need to spread the gospel here by being a good person, following the prophets, keeping the commandments, being nice and smiling. I know that the blessings of happiness that come from the church are real and I want everyone to have them. Heavenly Father loves all of His children and wants them all to have a chance to return to Him. Let's do our part to give everyone a chance to hear the message.

BYU's Museum of Art

This week, on Monday, I was assigned to visit the MOA for two classes. One class required me to be there for 30 minutes in the amazing "Sacred Gift's" exhibit, and the other class required me to spend 20 minutes with one painting. Because I'm wise and try and use my time very efficiently, I thought, I can do the 20 minute one as part of my 30 minutes and save myself 20 minutes! Pretty good thought. However, it didn't work out that way. I went into the "Sacred Gifts" exhibit and I really liked, it. But earlier this year when I went to the MOA, I saw a painting by my Great-Grandma, Minerva Teichert, that I really liked and as I was looking for a painting in the "Sacred Gifts" exhibit to spend 20 minutes with, I kept thinking about this other painting. So, I decided to not do my 20 minutes within my 30 minutes and I am glad I made that decision. Now I want to share with you my experience in the Museum of Art and try and persuade you all to go and see it if you haven't ever. It's amazing! And I'm not even an artist! 

For Book of Mormon I spent 30 minutes in the "Sacred Gifts" exhibit. Here's what I found:

Heinrich Hofmann: Portrait of Christ, the Savior: I am the Way, the Truth, and the Light.
  The artists said, "I wanted to hang it over my bed and when I went to rest in the evening, it should look at me, earnestly scrutinizing, and ask, 'Have you lived this day in my spirit according to my commandments?'"
  Christ was staring at me, and I wondered then how I would answer that question. I know that I always want to answer that question with an unshaken "Yes." 

Frans Schwartz: The Mocking of Christ with Mary the Annunciate and Mary the Elder.
  My response to this piece was that the painting of Mary the Elder makes me sad. She looks a lot like a lady I know, but I don't know who. I can't imagine what I'd look like if my son was crucified. I can see the sadness in her face and the way she holds her body. It's sad.
  It's sad to look at pictures of the crucifixion. In this one I see the tattered robes. I never noticed tattered robes before. I am grateful that Christ was willing to suffer and die for my sins, but the cruelty makes me sad.

Carl Bloch: Let the Little Children Come Unto Me.
  I can see in His face that He loves the kids and the kids adore Him. He is holding the ones hand and is hunched over the other one kind of protectively and there is a little kid behind the apostle that is looking for Christ and it is so cute. I know that I am still a Child of God and He would suffer me to come to Him. I am grateful that although I can’t go to Him physically yet, I can go spiritually, and someday that will allow me to go to Him physically. I love my Savior and I know He loves me.

The "Sacred Gifts" museum was the fastest 30 minutes turned into 45 minutes that I've ever experienced and I skipped over the last 10 pieces. It's amazing and it's a once in a life time experience! Christ is the Savior. He came to earth. He called Prophets and Apostles. He performed miracles. He suffered for us and died for us so that we may repent. He was resurrected so that one day we may be too, and we can forever live with Him again. I know this.

My 20 minutes with Grandma's painting was the fastest 20 minutes turned into 30 minutes! I think the MOA is some kind of a Time-Warp machine. The painting that I chose is in the Gallery on the main floor and it's a paining that I've never seen before this year. I LOVE it!

Minerva Teichert: Immigrants to New York City (Jewish Immigrants)
  Between 1922 and 1939, 19,000 German-Jewish refugees fleeing from Hitler's regime immigrated to the United States. The largest number came in 1938, the year this work was painted. 
  This picture to me, after 20 minutes, says so many things. I'll let you decide what it means for you and I'll just give you some ideas of what I thought. I feel like the woman in the center, with the two girls, looks like she's lost her husband and is just hoping that there will be safety and a way to make a life with her two daughters in America. The musician is looking in awe at the city and I feel like he is hopeful that he'll be able to do what he loves and find a way to make things work. Then the woman with the red bonnet makes me a little sad. I think she's holding a baby and the way her shoulders are hunched, she looks like she really needs a good long rest. She looks very tired and worn down. I hope she found a happy ending to her story. 
  The tattered luggage makes me think that these people are really coming from someplace poor and looking for something better or safer: A place that they can make a better life. It shows the sacrifices people are willing to make.
  I've always been a loyal Patriot and I LOVE America! This painting makes me love America more. That America could provide hope and wonder for so many makes me feel proud to be an American.
  I love the Statue of Liberty and the City in the back-ground! I am excited to see New York and maybe feel the awe and shock that the musician looks like he is feeling.  
  I love Great-Grandma's paintings. She's for sure my favorite artist. 

The Museum of Art is an amazing place to visit in Provo and I'm so glad that I've been able to go twice this school year. The main floor is where these paintings came from, but plan to spend a while in there because the art downstairs is fantastic as well. I'm glad that God blessed many people with artistic talents. The world is a better and more beautiful place because of artists. Go to the Museum of Art. You won't regret it!

For tickets go here:  http://moa.byu.edu/

TOU

  Call me crazy or whatever you want folks... I am officially registered for the Top of Utah Half Marathon on August 23rd. To all of those who thought I'd never run that far by my own free will and actually pay money for it, well I never thought I would either. But, when something is taken away from you, it makes your desire to do that so much stronger!
  When I tore my ACL I couldn't run for a while. During this time of me not running, I went to the TOU Half to watch Holly Voges run across the finish line. Watching all of those runners of all different shapes and sizes cross the finish line of a 13.1 mile run was so inspiring! I thought to myself, I can do this! And in my mind right then I decided that I was going to run it next year.

  So last night I got online and registered and paid and now I'm in it. I have to do it. I am determined to stay fit and to finish the race that I promised myself to do. Now that I can run again, I sometimes think, you don't really want to run this half marathon. But I promised. And today in Relief Society we had a quote on the board that said, "Character is following through with a worthy decision after the emotion of making the decision has already passed." This race will build my character and keep me fit and I actually am excited to do it! All encouraging quotes and thoughts and ideas for good songs to run and train to are very welcome! 
  I'm crazy and it's exciting! What a life! :)

My Dream House

  Sometimes on Saturdays it is just fun to waste a little time. So, what does a 19 year old girl do to waste time? Normally one would sit on facebook, but I have been on a facebook diet this week... mostly I just cut myself off for a week, and it's been quite helpful in my productivity. However, Saturday led me to Google Images and my dream house was built!

  Picture this house out of town on a piece of land. I want a beautiful front yard with trees and stuff and grass for me to mow! And the back yard I want a pretty big lawn for a ways and then a field where I will strategically place dirt hills and cool stuff for my kids to find and explore! I will have 2 cats probably to take care of the field mice and stuff. It will be the best yard for kids EVER! 

  Now follow me inside:

  Imagine walking in through my front door and seeing the shiny hard wood floor and the beautiful, big, wooden stairway in the entry and the living room off o the right! (Sigh) This is a rough floor plan that I like. I would probably make this downstairs master bedroom a little bit smaller and extend the kitchen into it a little and find a place to have a mud room in the back and a garage in back. And I'll have big windows in my kitchen so that I can see my kids playing in the field! 

 This is my upstairs. I'll probably have bunk beds or another room or something. Not really sure. We'll see how big of a family I get. And you're wondering, why is there a master bedroom upstairs and one downstairs? Well, because. When I have little kids I want to be able to be upstairs with them in case they need me in the night and I don't want to go up the stairs infinity times. And then when my parents or his parents come to visit, they can sleep in the downstairs bedroom and not be so disturbed by my kids. Then when I'm old and can't make it up the stairs, I'll move down to the other master bedroom and when my kids come and bring the grandkids, they can occupy the rooms upstairs and I won't be so disturbed by their kids! Smart! 

  My basement doesn't have a picture, but I want a basement that is a PARTY! I'm going to have a BIG open room for games and balloon volleyball and throwing balls and stuff. Then on the end of the big room, I'll have two smaller rooms. One will be a TV Den area so that when we're down there playing games and we don't break the TV! And the other room will be a wrestling room so that when my boys are hating each other I can just send them to the wall to wall padded room and they can figure it out! On the other end of the game room I will have a big cold storage room! Preparedness is key! 

  And now look at my decorations:

  My front door style. I love the double doors that are barely bigger than a single door! I saw them in Nauvoo and fell in LOVE! So I'm gonna have one!

  A living room something like these.

  A Dining room like one of these! 

  And wallpaper like these! I love them! I think wallpaper is the best! 

Okay, okay. You're all thinking, "Hey lady! You don't have money and you'll have kids someday and this house is so not practical and the decorations and trinkets are going to be the WORST with little kids!" Well, I already know that and I know that this house is probably only ever going to be in my mind and on this blog. So don't bother telling me all those things. I already know. But just see the beauty and how AWESOME it would be to have this house! I would love it! 

First World Problems... So Silly!

This semester I am taking an Anthropology class which is the study of people all over the world and how different societies function and why they function like they do. It's very interesting. Well, in our lab on Friday we saw a few videos showing FWP's... First World Problems. I laughed at the videos, but it really is ridiculous how often we complain. Here's a list of FWP's that I have had in the last couple of weeks.

1. Our toilet just keeps running until I take the lid off the tank and lift up the little black handle. How annoying to have to do that twice a day! 

• Hello Tessa!! You just went to the bathroom inside! There's indoor plumbing! You can flush your waste and it's not in a bowl or in the gutter in the street! I think you can take the lid off the back of the toilet and lift the black deal.

2. My cell phone sometimes doesn't vibrate when I get a text and then it takes me a second to remember that I'm talking to someone. Just vibrate for crying out loud! 

• Um... some people don't get to talk to their friends and family so easily, if ever. It's okay if you have to manually check your phone for a text. 

3. I have all this food in my fridge, but I don't want to eat any of it. It just doesn't look that good to me.

• Food. Indoor refrigerator. Electricity. Stop complaining! 

4. It takes close to 30 seconds for the water in the tap to get cold enough for me to fill up my water bottle. Good night! 

• Once again lady... water in the kitchen sink without hauling it from the creek. And it gets to be cold, or hot. That's pretty cool!

5. I always have a hard time deciding what to wear in the morning. 

• Some people don't get to decide. Some people only have one thing to decide on. Tessa, you almost have enough shirts to last half a year without wearing one twice. None of them have holes or stains. I think you can find something completely appropriate. 

6. I don't have a problem with this one, but it was on the video and I was dying laughing... A guy is putting his cell phone in his pants pocket and says, "My iPhone's too big for my skinny jeans!" 

• You have the internet in your hand! You can connect with anyone, anywhere, anytime. And plus... maybe just get manlier pants. 

7. Another one I don't really worry about but I laugh about it... I don't get very good internet service on the airplane.

• You're what? Traveling through the air at an incredible rate and you're going to be clear across a country in 5 hours? That is seriously AMAZING! What a miracle! Planes are incredible! 

8. My bed is so tall that I have to practically jump into it every night. I'm tired. I shouldn't have to jump!

• Isn't it cool though that you have a soft mattress and a pillow and sheets and a comforter and a blanky and you can be warm and not on the floor?! 

9. There is construction right outside of my apartment and I have to take the long way to school and the long way to church! That really is so annoying to me!

• Tessa. Do you realize how many people want to go to BYU and would walk miles every day to get the education that you do? Do you realize that people wake up at all hours of the night to get to church on Sunday? Do you realize pioneers walked clear across the country? I think you can handle it.

10. The dishwasher at our apartment is so bad! If we want clean dishes, we have to completely scrub them before we put them in the dishwasher. What a waste of time when my dishwasher is supposed to do it for me!

• Aren't you the dishwasher? Lots and lots of people wash their dishes by hand, in a bucket. 

First World Problems sound so dumb! In a world where we have everything, it's crazy that we can find so much to complain about! I know that I'm not awesome enough to never complain about these things, but I'm going to make a better effort. I really have a great life! I have so many things that lots of people can't even imagine! I'm so grateful to live in America and have the family that I have and the education and the technology and everything! It's the best to be alive! So, if you have FWP's laugh about them and realize how dumb you sound! 

Change and Stuff

Well folks! How's it been? It's been a while since I posted something, and it seems like an even longer time since I posted anything that is exciting to read. Don't get your hopes up for this one. I am struggling with creativity at the moment. But I still want to write a little about my life at the moment.

I am into my second semester of college! At times last semester I didn't think I could survive another day! But I did. I didn't get straight A's, but I had a good semester of learning, academically, spiritually, and socially. I made my own friends, some were given to me like my roommates (What a blessing!) And for the first time in my life I feel like, I made my own friends that weren't just given to me. I felt like in my life I did make some friends, but my classmates were given to me when I entered my first day of Kindergarten and they stayed the same. Olivia was given to me, and her roommates are friends, but I didn't make those friends. And my roommates are my friends and they made friends that then became mutual friends. So, I feel kind of happy that I did make some of my own friends and that I made good picks! :)

I learned more about plant anatomy than I ever wanted to, but Biology with Dr. Booth did make me appreciate God's creations more.

American Heritage made me learn that lectures and content can be really interesting, and then tests can sometimes be on all the questions that I DIDN'T study for! In that I class I also became very grateful for the founding fathers and realized what a struggle it was to make a nation. I'd have to say they ROCK! It was a great success. America isn't without it's flaws, but it's still a fabulous place to live! I love it! 

Olivia and I decided to take a class together that was recommended by our friend Ashbee. We took "Teaching of the Living Prophets" from Brother Lloyd Newell. It was a great class! It was all about the 15 prophets and apostles that we have today. During that class the brethren became real! They aren't just fancy dressed dudes sitting in big red chairs. They are real people and I know that they received a call from God to lead and guide us in the church. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet and the mouth piece for Heavenly Father to all of us today! P.S. Brother Newell is the "Welcome to the 185th Semi-Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints" guy! Cool right? Yeah! He's great!

In Spanish I learned how to say "Hola! Como estas?" "Bien, gracias! Y tu? Como estas?" I also learned that Spanish is really hard and takes a lot of time to learn! It's something that if you don't use it, it goes away. I wasn't the best at using it and now I'm not taking Spanish again this semester and I have a bad feeling it's all going to leave me. I'm a little bit sad.

And lastly, in the Book of Mormon, I learned that Isaiah wrote with a lot of symbolism and I'm not the best decipherer. I just like to read about Nephi and how tough and spiritual he is! And about Jacob and about Lehi! They are all my favorites in the first half of the Book of Mormon. In the first 29 chapters of Alma I learned that no one is ever too far gone! I know that I can repent always and with a repentant and correct attitude, I can be forgiven. I know the Book of Mormon is true! 

As you can see, I learned a lot at school! I also learned that I really do love going to Sporting events! Basketball, football, volleyball... I love it! I miss being able to play on a team, but so goes life. I still love BYU and watching them play! I also loved the opportunity I had to go to the temple with Olivia every Friday morning! It was great living to close to the temple! I thought going to the temple was a whole day affair, and I am blessed that it could be a 2 hour deal and I could do it so often! The Temple is definitely the House of God. 

And I learned that Family and Christmas break is AWESOME!!! I love it! I love my family and I love Christmas and put them together and it makes me not want to come back to school! I had so much fun in Christmas break! One of my favorite parts of Christmas break was that I could read! I don't read for fun at school... there's not time. So, the day after I got home I went to the Library and picked out a book. Over the course of the break, I read 3 books! It was awesome! I stayed up until 2:30 AM a few times to finish my books, but it was so worth it! I would still get up to go play basketball, and then later in the day I could take a nap and it was beautiful! We spent a lot of time playing very competitive card games! And watching football and basketball and playing basketball and volleyball and just sitting and enjoying each others company! I loved it! We also spent a little too much time eating... which brings me to this next semester! 

I am currently enrolled in 7 classes with a total of 14 credits! And when you hear my schedule you'll think I'm doing nothing at school but taking fun classes. That's how it should be. I am getting 4 generals done, but they sound fun. I am also taking 3 classes just for fun! I am taking Writing 150, Anthropology 101, Intro to Theater, and Book of Mormon. Those are my generals that are worth more credits and need to be done to graduate! Then I'm taking Piano... it's a beginning class, and it's super easy so far. I have to take it to take a harder class. I have to practice for 6 hours a week. So, it won't take me 6 hours to learn the stuff that I need to to pass the class, but then I will have time to practice some songs that I have been wanting to perfect. I am excited! I am also taking Swimming and Indoor Cycling! I just added cycling, so I haven't been to a class yet and don't know what it's like, but I hear it's a STELLAR workout and I am excited! It is every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon! I have been to a swimming class and that is a Killer cardio workout for me. I am used to breathing with a normal rate, and swimming, I feel like I can never get a good breath and then my face is in the water and hopefully I'll survive! The pool is 4'7" at it's shallowest, so if I'm not holding onto the end of the pool, I am treading water or swimming for a full 40 minutes! It is a workout! It is every Monday and Wednesday at 11 AM! It's going to be awesome! And to add to that, Olivia and I started Insanity! Yeah, I have been walking like an old man all week! It is so much fun! It is hard and sweat is everywhere, but I love it! So this semester my plan is to get revenge on all my favorite Christmas goodies! I am always going to look homeless because I will shower in the morning and have an 8 o'clock class and then I will shower in the middle of the day and then need to hustle to work. Oh well! I'll hopefully be an in shape homeless looking person by the middle of the semester! I should be a really really great semester and hopefully not so stressful that I can't live or something! I also plan on going to basketball games, and men's volleyball games all semester and playing with my friends that I mentioned in the first semester... and who knows, maybe I'll make some more friends! We'll see. Wish me luck on a new semester and a new adventure and on getting some creative juices flowing in my brain so I can write something that is fun to read!