NO, I AM A TEACHER

I am getting sick of giving that response because people assume I am a student - a junior high school student to be exact. I Can't even begin to tell you how many times this happens. I don't live at home. I don't thrive off of drama. I can drive. I am 23. This is my second year teaching. I AM NOT A TEENAGER.

Whew, just had to get that off my chest. This unexplainable event happened again last night when I went to the Timp vs. Mountain View football game to support my former students. Showing up in my OJH t-shirt I was presumed to be a student and of course, like always, my response was, "NO, I AM A TEACHER!"

COUGARS ARE PRETTY NEAT

I love BYU. I love BYU football. I love when BYU football wins. Because of these, I love the last two weekends. The whole world knows about the amazing win over Oklahoma. We were the major underdogs ranked 20 playing the number 3 team in the nation. We rose to the challenge and fought a great fight. I watched the game at the Petersen's and Josh was there as well. Screaming, cheering, and crying were a common occurrence throughout the game. But the key to the evening's fun filled chaos was after the game. Right as it ended it was as though Heaven opened every door in Provo and fans came flooding out. Cheering, raising triumphant fists, everyone seemed to know what to do: head to the stadium. We all climbed in Josh's car with the fight song blaring loudly and made our way to the field. As we drove through Provo to get there, we were greeted by fans in the street coming up to the car to high five the car with the fight song playing proudly. Provo was alive. Provo was united. BYU football was unstoppable! This was the single greatest evening I have ever had and I have lived in Provo for 5 years.

The fun didn't just happen once. Yesterday the crew met back up at the Petersen's to witness the slaughtering of Tulane. We beat them and we beat them hard. I started feeling bad towards the end of the game (that seamed more like a scrimmage for the Cougs) because the poor team just kept getting further behind. But it was a great win at 54-3. We rose in the poles yet again and are currently ranked No. 7!

Later that evening Josh and I, with Heidi in tow, headed for the Provo airport where our dear Cougars would be returning home after the intense victory. As the plane came in and the door started to open I was trapped between tears and cheering. I was so excited but yet feeling the spirit of BYU at full blast. Bronco gave a speech to us. The team took a victory lap, greeting every fan. Take a gander at the photos from the last two glorious weekends and the fun had by all.

JUST CALL ME YENTA

Some might say I have a skill, some might say I don't. I claim that I'm just really in tune with my Jewish history and thats how I got Kyle and Allison together. I understand how matchmaking works and with this couple, boy did it work! After a few weeks of extremely awkward interactions between Kyle and Allison at my house they finally got together, then dated, then fell in tender love, then wedded. I don't know if I will ever get to have the experience again of knowing and loving both the bride and groom so much. What a fun way to watch a couple come together when you know them both.

I knew I was meant to work at OJH for many reasons but one of the most significant has been Allison. She has helped me so much and I like to think that I have helped her too (in more ways than just finding her a husband). Now that she has married Kyle I think we are forever linked. I can be aunt Ashley, Josh can be an uncle if he wishes, and we can all just be great friends "for like ever." It was a little special being a bridesmaid and Josh a groomsman.

Their wedding was great day. One of best parts was watching shy Kyle talk, dance, kiss, etc. in public. Most people don't think Kyle has much of a vocal side to him but I, however, know that he does. The wedding was gorgeous, the bride beautiful, and the groom so happy. Best wishes to the couple. And since I caught the bouquet I expect the favor to be returned.

GSL: TOURIST CENTRAL

Alisha flew in for Kyle and Allison's wedding and so we got to spend all day Saturday together. I begged her to tell me what she really wanted to do and not just, "I will do whatever you like dear." She finally said she would like to stand in the Great Salt Lake. I looked at her puzzled but agreed to chaperone the event. Josh came down to help do Grammy's yard so we took a break and started our journey to the lake. Neither Josh nor myself have been out there in 5-10 years so after a minor "lost" detour we finally arrived on the island. I forgot that its actually quite beautiful. Well no, I didn't forget because everywhere in Utah is beautiful but it was nice to be reminded. I made the car listen to "Fur Traders and Trappers" while enjoying the history and scenery around us. And by enjoy I mean forcing the passengers to hear the great song about early mountain men finding the GSL and thinking it was the Pacific Ocean. It was kind of hard to find a spot in the lake that didn't look disgusting to stand in. Once we located a place, took a picture, and got the heck out of that water, our feet became salt ridden and white. It was gross yet so great at the same time. All in all it was a great experience that I, as a Utah history teacher and lover, should do more often. Next on my quest at the GSL is to see Spiral Jetty.

CHEMO DAY

I took my grammie to her chemo infusion last week and I had the best day I have ever had! I know that sounds kind of inappropriate to say but it was a ton of fun. My grandma is going through breast cancer for the third time so none of this is new to her but I had never experienced this part of her illness before. I was excited and nervous as the same time because I am obsessed with breast cancer and I didn't want this to get my spirits down for finding a cure.

I picked grammy up in Kaysville and we headed to the Huntsman Cancer Institute for her treatment. She checked in and we went to wait in the lobby where grandma of course found somebody she knew. This gentleman had incidentally just read an article about my dad in the newspaper. My grandma and I had no idea why he would be in the paper and he said it was about the award. Puzzled we looked at each other. My dad is on a mission and has been for the last two years so what kind of award would he have gotten. Well it turns out he got the 2009 Mountain States Insurance attorney of the year. He really is the best lawyer even if he isn't handling cases. Nobody can compete with daddy. Way to go. Anyway, back to cancer. Grammie got her blood work done without even wincing. I believe anytime I have an IV or blood drawn I cry. 82 year old grandmother: nope. We had lunch in the hospital and it was delicious. No, believe me, it was delicious! Then we settled in upstairs in the chemo room. This was a depressing site to see. But all the patients no matter how sick they looked were so nice and in great spirits. Grandma and I sat there and played Reader's Digest games for 2 hours. She loves the jokes and word power. I might have just turned into a RD junkie myself. Then I pulled out the iPod touch to show grammie some pictures. That turned into a 40 minute session trying to get her to understand how it worked and what it could do.

After her infusion treatment I took her to visit her brother Michael and then we went to Cousin's salon to have her head shaved for her new wig. This is when it all sunk in as real. Yes, I had just spent the day with her in the hospital having a chemical drug pumped into her body but seeing her lose her hair without a wince showed me how brave she really is. She has done this before and she continues to fight through it because of her courage and faith. Grammie is the biggest example for goodness and strength. I am so grateful I was able to spend the day with her. She is my hero and I will continue fighting for a cure because I could never give up on her.

A CORNUCOPIA OF SUMMER ACTIVITY - Part 1

I am SO good at summer. Seriously, anyone who chooses a career path outside of education is silly because I have been playing all summer and getting a pay check. Suckers! My first two trips of the summer to DC and the mission home were great and frankly, my journeys just kept getting better and better. Here are some highlights of my summer adventures:

Lani, Alisha, Heather, Lindsay, and I did the Raft for the Cure on the Colorado River. This is the trip I was most excited for of course and it definitely lived up to my hopes and dreams. We hiked in Arches for a few hours until we got trapped in a flash flood while at Delicate Arch. High winds + rain = wet, cold, sad, dirty, wet, cold people. We got back to the car as fast as we could but there was really no use because I might as well have just jumped in a pool of red sandy water with all my clothes on. The best part is we were camping that night so none of us ever really got warm because we slept under the stars in wet, nasty crap. We stayed up Slick Rock Canyon in Moab and although I didn't sleep a wink, the scenery was enough to keep me energized for the next morning of rafting. We had the greatest time going down the river in the most beautiful country out there. After our day on the river we met back up with the group of 300 BC rafting supporters for dinner and an amazing blue grass concert. We were the only sober ones I feel but yet, we were the best dancers. I mapped out a route back to Provo that wasn't really the fastest way but I wanted to show the ladies the real Utah. We took a 12 hour drive home going through Hanksville, Capitol Reef, Dixie Forest, Grand Staircase, Escalante, Bryce Canyon, and then back to Provo. Not too bad for jamming it into one day. What better vacation for me combining Breast Cancer and Utah adventures?!?!

Bryce Canyon


Raft for the Cure cake in the shape of a life jacket!


Double Arch as seen while laying on my back underneath it


The rafting crew (Heather didn't do the rafting, just the trip)

I went down to St. George twice. The first time I took 33 students to a leadership conference at Dixie State. The food was bad, the company energized, the trip short. We did see a show at Tuachan and that was definitely my favorite part.

The second trip to SG was much better. All the Belnap orphans went down for the Pioneer holiday. We talked. We ate. We swam. We laughed. We wrangled children. Yep, good trip. I made my family all settle down on Pioneer Day so I could tell them a story about the holiday like my dad would if he were around. I don't think they dug it that much but that just goes to show nobody can replace my daddy - not even a Utah history teacher on Pioneer Day! I did stop and see Jacob Hamblin's home, Brigham Young's home, and in Filmore the original State Capitol building.

Territorial Statehouse

Sitting with the babies outside of the Chuck because they couldn't be

inside a public place anymore

I went to Denver to visit Leslie. Her very gracious family let me stay with them for a few days so I could get my Nessle fix before she heads off to DC for a few months. She took me to a fancy - yes fancy - baseball game and I actually enjoyed myself at said sporting event. We saw the temple and the Platte River! I played school with her little sister Lauren. And the best part: we watched a late night movie on the couch, with glasses on, eating chocolate chips!

Just hanging out on the front row next to the dug out at the Rockies game

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.