don't tell matt!

I am officially really lame and ashamed of myself. But, I'm going to do this anyway. Matt came out to visit this weekend and here are a few pictures. The first one is actually at the BYU FSU game (we shouldn't talk about that much more). As you can see we are both very proud of being cougars. Since Matt and I were both sick and had to cancel our trip to New York, we pacified ourselves with a trip to New Hampshire to pick some apples and eat some apple cider donuts (the most delicious treats ever created). The last picture came out very squinty, so I had to do some mad photoshop to take out all the crinkles in my face...smooth as a baby's butt. Well, now my roommate is reading this. I'm uncomfortable. Don't tease me for this post.

I'm alive?

I don't know if anyone even reads this anymore.  Clearly I don't write on this anymore.  But I just wanted to let all my loyal followers, a.k.a mommy, that I am alive and doing well.  Nothing interesting to report though.  And definitely no fun pictures to put up.  Wow, I am seriously boring.  I think this blog may be on the out, so kiss this sweet page goodbye.  It's been a joy and a pleasure.  oh it's also US OPEN time and i've been watching it all day.  it's been amazing.  and i just saw a ballboy eat it pretty hard.  ok, i have ADD...gotta stop talking now.  

1st year of a doctorate program? piece of cake.

I SURVIVED! Booya! (ps why did people stop using this word all the time?  it sums up my feelings so perfectly).  it is over.  i have survived my first year in boston.  and despite all the complaining and the dramatic episodes, it actually wasn't too bad.  and i even managed to have a little bit of fun.  this whole experience reminds me of my first day of kindergarten, minus the nap time but with double the amount of animal crackers.  after our last final we wet to our friend's apartment and celebrated the freedom and the idea of finally having a summer.  after being in school for two years straight i think we deserve it.  

 

  

before i snapped this momento of our last final i actually said the words "you guys are going to want this picture one day!"  and thus i started to turn into my mother.

        

Paul and i share a birthday, one which was ruined by studying for neuroscience all day.  but if your birthday is terrible that means that things can only get better, right? 

seriously. it is this bad.

This has been a pretty insane week.  Well, it's been an insane year.   But things are winding down and today I took my second to last final.  With 6 finals spaced out in 5 days, a practical final examination the week prior, and terrible allergies to boot, it is no surprise that my body has taken a bit of a hit.  I went to bed at 12:30 or so last night and woke up at 6 am to go over my neuroscience notes one last time.  I'm 97% sure that when I looked in the mirror this is the reflection I saw (except with blonde hair).  I almost peed my pants, I almost started crying, and then I realized it was only me, or whatever creature it is that I have become.  Hopefully by this time tomorrow it will all be over and my skin can be introduced to the sun once again.

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super duper embarrassing...

so mom, this one's for you.  a few weeks ago my mom seemed really excited by the fact that i wear scrubs to my clinical.  i know, who wears scrubs in hospitals anymore?  weird.  so she asked for evidence. and here it is.  and in her honor i tried to be extra sassy with my hips.  i figure with finals rapidly approaching there's a chance that i may not return to school, and thus my last time to wear scrubs without total disdain for health professions.  sorry but i thought that putting on my badge and stethoscope would be a little over the top, but that picture is available upon request.  i'm thinking about starting a calender or something...scrubs of the month or something catchy.  but wardrobe aside, i really liked my last clinical and i can't wait for this summer when i get to spend my internship in a similar settting.  the only downside about being a physical therapist is that i am constantly called "mean" and a "torturer" by the patients.  i guess i am pretty intimidating though...i give the The Green Monster a whole new connotation.  

Happy Easter!

Good news: I've already eaten most of my easter chocolate and have settled into a good nauseous feeling.  

Last week at General Conference Elder Holland gave a really beautiful talk about the atonement and Easter.  The church has made a little video about it and put it on their homepage so you can easily find it by going to www.lds.org  

This talk really stood out to me last week during Conference.  Over the past year I have been "privileged" to feel more alone than I ever have in my life.  It's been a crazy 12 months of moving to a brand new city and starting a new life surrounded by people that don't share my beliefs.  I've complained more than once about being lonely--something I had honestly never felt in my previous 22 years on this earth.

But despite my complaints I have had the support of family, friends, classmates, and roommates.  And I knew that they were all supporting me even if they were not physically with me because I could feel their love and prayers.  And most importantly, I have maintained my relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  

So it seems almost silly to me now that I am ever capable of feeling lonely because it is impossible for me to be alone.  I can feel the love that President Monson and his Apostles have for each person on this earth, and especially for me as an individual.  

I can't imagine what the Savior felt before he died.  Before this experience I thought I knew what it was like to be alone.  Now I know what it feels like to just merely think that I am all alone, while still benefiting from the love of others.  If it's possible for me to be sad despite all of the blessings and support I receive, I cannot fathom the strength that our Savior must have had.  One reason that I am grateful for the atonement is because it means that I will never experience true loneliness.

The video is good, it's only like 5 min., and you can eat your chocolate bunny while you watch it.

total guilty pleasure

So sometimes I watch the food network (and espn, i promise).  And i've recently discovered that the FOOD CHALLENGE is on Sunday nights.  This show is amazing.  These people make the most outrageous cakes.  My inner creative genius as well as my inner fatty both identify with this spectacularly tasty program.  Just look at the cake above.  THAT'S A CAKE, NOT A DRESS!!  Plus, that dress is gorgeous and i wish i could wear it.  and then i'd always have a little snack with me (i need to keep my blood sugar up, people).  and at the end of the day, when i will have eaten my entire dress/cake, i'll be naked and covered in frosting.  and if that doesn't get me a date with prince charming, i don't know what will.  wow, somehow this post has derailed and i have no idea what i am talking about anymore.  so cakes.......