MJ

I used to be a HUGE Michael fan. The very first item I remember buying with my own money was a VHS of his music videos - I was probably 13 at the time. I learned the thriller dance and constantly listened to "HIStory," the greatest album out there. When I got the same call that we all got saying he was dead I was shocked, I laughed, I was stunned, I cried. A lot of emotions over a creepy, thin, translucent black man. I never really liked the newer stuff Michael put out but the Jackson 5 and his stuff through the 90's will forever live as some of the greatest music. I mean come on, an adorable little 10 year old singing about love like he really means it!

I do feel like I need to draw attention to something that nobody ever cares about. I talk about it all the time but everyone just kind of brushes it off: just because Michael Jackson "turned" white doesn't mean he is not genetically black so how in the world would he ever have white/toe headed biological offspring??? ITS EFFING IMPOSSIBLE! Wow, okay. I feel better. May he rest in whatever peace he may find. Tatta MJ!

GREAT ANNIVERSARIES - a little too deep

These last few days have culminated the 2 year mark for my mother and father on their ultra long mission. Okay well its only three years but I promise, as their child, its ULTRA long. I was in Washington visiting them when they hit their two year mark. It didn't even phase them because they are so into (and in love with) the work. I had a great visit with them. Momma and daddy took me to Pallouse Falls, Vancouver, bike riding, exploring, and basically let me do whatever I told them I wanted to. I have amazing parents and I love them lots. I have a bad feeling about their last year though: that it is going to draaaaaaaaaagggggggggg on. I am glad they will be home one day but part of them wants to stay where they are forever. Oh well, I am selfish and I win. June 2010 or bust!


The title of this post implies multiple anniversaries so lets get to the second one. It was the 5th anniversary of BYU. This mostly marks meeting Ashton and Jessica, my roommates Freshman year. We have stayed close the last five years and they mean so much to me. My favorite memories in Provo are with them.


I blogged about all of this last year and as I looked back on it I feel like I have done a lot of growing up. It made me reflect on the things I have done in the last year, not just with teaching but with life in general. Last year I thought I had it all figured out. I was graduating with a job that I knew was perfect for me, a boyfriend that I thought was perfect for me, a lot of friends and family very close by that I saw all the time. I was happy. I thought my life was pretty much planned and on my way to easily enjoying the rest of it.


Things don't work out as planned. Orem Junior did change my life, Corey did too just not in the way I thought he would. I grew up through both of those experiences. I grew up by Josh get married. I grew up having to do most things by myself now. I grew up when Leslie moved out of Provo. I grew up when I started acting financially independent. I grew up with Grammies cancer battle again. I grew up by going through the temple. I grew up by watching Jen get married. I grew up finishing my first year teaching. I grew up by moving to the "older" part of Provo. Basically I have done a lot of things that I wouldn't have thought I was capable of. I am still a kid learning how to cope with life everyday but I am actually good at it. I can tackle what comes at me. I can overcome it. I can wait one more stinkin' year for those parents of mine to come home and take me to Lake Powell. I can do it. I can be single and graduated from college in Provo. I can teach those darn teenagers again. I can do it all but I have to give credit to how I think I do it all: Heavenly Father. Yep, He has helped me "grow up" in every way.

DC PART ONE: CHAPERONE

Life as a chaperone is not as easy as you would think. The trip to DC would have been much easier if I had been the 15 year old escorted, fed, and well taken care of rather than doing the taking care of. But the trip was hands down AMAZING. Cameo and I kept saying, "14 kids outside of the classroom is a lot harder than 14 kids inside the classroom." That was basically our motto. Lucky for us we had some pretty amazing kids with us who really appreciated what they were seeing. I am so glad I got to go on this trip with Cameo. We had a jolly time and didn't lose a single student. There was a minor problem at the end when Cam had to stay behind in DC with a sick student while I carted the remaining students home. We got through, we survived, and it was great. Our kids got to see all of DC in 4 jam packed days but this was something that many of them will only see and experience once. Everywhere we went Cameo and I were quizzing them on their history. They did pretty well with remembering everything from the last two years of junior high. It was pretty sad saying goodbye to them at the airport because that was my first bunch of kids. I will never again have a first year teaching, first group of students, first trip. I will always remember this year and a trip to DC with these people was a great way to end it. It was a great experience and I am so happy I did it. Next up on the blog list: photos of the amazing trip.