Graduation!

So, I finally did it! I actually graduated from college. It only took me 8 years to do it, but hey, who's counting?! Though it took me longer than anticipated, I wouldn't trade any of my life these last 8 years. What could I trade-my mission, living in Vegas with awesome friends and experiences, or moving up here to Provo? Nope, none of it.

I graduated from BYU on August 13, which was Friday the 13th, if anyone's counting! It was a fantastic day, though; no bad luck in sight!

My mom and dad came down to Provo for it, and I loved spending time with them :) It never felt real until I was walking into the Marriot Center and the Processional was playing. Then I actually started to tear up. I was lucky; one of my roomates walked in the same program that I did, so we sat together and got to entertain each other during the ceremony. Here's a few pictures; for the rest of them, look me up on Facebook! I'm much more active there!

I do want to say, though, that I'm VERY grateful to everyone who helped me achieve this: Mom and Dad for all your support (especially when I freaked out over huge assignments that I needed to finish!), Shari, Tasha and Nate for cheering me on, the rest of the family for heckling me into completing my degree :), my roomies for being awesome, and friends for being hang out buddies when I needed to release pressure, etc. Thanks for believing in me; you're all awesome!

Happier News

Time for a happy post! The last one was a little serious, but this one will be better, I promise :)

I went on vacation with my family to Wyoming at the first of August, and it was a lot of fun! I was only able to go for a weekend, but I tried to make the best of it. I did, however, get lost and loose $75 because I left my purse in a public bathroom, but other than that it was good! Tasha's blog has a better account of our trip, but here are a few pictures of a river sink in Wyoming. I took these with my cell phone; it's pretty sad that it has more megapixels than my real digital camera does!

It was great to see Grandma and Grandpa Averett, even if it was only for a day!

Digging a Deeper Well

I'm going to do something a little out of character and actually post a blog of thoughts, instead of just recent events. I heard some news this week that touched my heart, and I just wanted to share a few things I've been thinking about. This last Wednesday, July 7, a Coast Guard helicopter based out of Sitka, Alaska crashed and killed 3 out of the 4 men on board. All 3 men were family men, all left behind children, and 2 left behind wives. One of these men, Brett Banks, was from the small LDS ward in Sitka. While I didn't know the Banks family from my time serving in Sitka, (they moved in after I was transferred) I did know many of the Coast Guard families stationed there, and I know how brave and honorable they are. Hearing how this crash has affected the small island community I love so much has wrenched my heart out. I think of the wives who no longer have their husbands on this Earth, and children who no longer have their fathers, and it makes me want to cry. I know that our Heavenly Father's plan allows us to be together again as families in the next life, and I am so grateful for that. But the lesson I learned this week was slightly different. I get so caught up in just living life-going through the day-to-day motions of work, school, calling, playing-that I forget how fragile life really is. Any of us could be called home at any time; are we ready for that? Even if it's not death, there are a lot of accidents and situations that can change our lives in the blink of an eye. Are we ready, emotionally and spiritually, for that? Tendons tear, cars break down, social ideologies change, and people do mean things. Life comes at us fast, and I don't know if I am personally spiritually ready for all these things. If we don't have a reserve built up now, when life is good, we won't have anything to draw from when it gets hard. All I know is, after this week, I'm going to try better to have a deeper well to draw from. Hope this wasn't too depressing!

Random Thoughts

As I was threatened by SOMEONE (you know who you are!) with bodily harm if I didn't update my blog, I thought I'd put a few notes down to avoid injury. :)
I just finished my last FULL semester of college (at least for the moment-graduate school is always a possibility in the future). I'm really excited/nervous about the future, but satisfied with how everything's going for now. I am taking classes for the Spring and Summer Terms, but these are much quicker-only six weeks and I'm done with the classes-thank Heavens! I was really happy with my grades from last semester-2 As, 2 A-s, and one B+. Sigh-still the elusive 4.0. Oh well! I am, unfortunately taking Statistics this term, as it is the last class I need for graduation. All I can say is, there's a reason I've been putting it off!
Our Relief Society is doing well, but we have a TON of people moving; that's the peril of living in a college ward. I was overcome this last Sunday after our lesson by a great love for all of the sisters in my Relief Society; I think that has been one of the greatest blessings of this semester (besides getting good grades when my world was going nuts). The absolute love I feel for those I work with has really helped me love my calling and love serving the Lord. It remindes me of the scripture in Mosiah 2:30 (I think) that says something like after you do everything you possibly can to serve the Lord, you'll still be in His debt because the minute you serve Him, He blesses you. I guess I can live with that!

I'm Still Here-Barely!

Hello everyone in blogland. It's been awhile, so I just wanted to assure everyone that I am still alive! It's been an insane couple of months, and I just haven't made the time to post on this little (at least in number of posts) blog of mine. So, while I'm waiting for paint to dry, I thought I'd send this little shout out to the internet. In chronological order, here are some things of import that have happened in the last few months.
#1. In a bold move frought with irony and some ubsurd sense of humor, Heavenly Father and my Bishop extended a new calling to me in the beginning of December. My Bishop pulled me aside during our Ward Christmas Party and called me to be a Relief Society President. Naturally, my first response was, "Are you sure?!" Which was followed closely by tears. I accepted, and have ever since felt behind and inadiquate. It took me completely by surprise, and I am still surprised that this happened. I really try to do my best, but most of the time I feel like I'm not doing enough. Oh, well. I'm still trying! I found my 2nd councelor and secretary right away, but no matter how hard I prayed, I couldn't find my 1st councelor. Then, a few weeks ago, a new Russian girl moved into our ward, and I knew that she was my counselor. Lesson #1 of this calling: Things happen in the Lord's time! Lesson #2: Trust the Lord.
Event #2: Finals. Ugh, even the word makes me cringe. I'm amazed I passed anything this semester, what with the worry and stress about RS President that I recieved the week before finals happened! I managed to pull an A, one A-, and 2 B+s. Not the best grades, but I'll take them! I think there were a few blessings pulled down for me to even get these grades. :)
Event #3. Christmas with the Family. This was so great! It was awesome to have everyone together, and great to have little kids around at Christmastime. The house got a little crowded at times, and I had to pull some little hermity moves in order to think, but all in all, it was great. I love Christmas!
Event #4-School started. BYU starts earlier than most, so on Jan. 4th, I had to go right back into the daily school/work grind. I found it funny that I got the calling to be RS President this semester, which is going to be my most difficult semester in years. I was trying to decrease my work hours this semester because I really need to get good grades in these classes, and then this happened. Oh, the irony!
Event #5-My ceiling fell in. I don't know who's seen what on Facebook, but last Wednesday (Jan. 13) I discovered a bulge in my bedroom ceiling. Upon investigation, water started streaming into my room at the same rate you'd pour water from a pitcher. This all started happening at 11 o'clock pm. When the Home Teachers came over, they started poking around and the ceiling fell down. No joke-the drywall was so completely saturated that it just fell in. I live right below the basement, and the kitchen sink had apparently been leaking for about a month right onto my ceiling. Ten days later, I'm still living on the hide-a-bed in the living room while my ceiling is repaired. I should be able to move back in tonight, much to my relief. It's no fun having no privacy!
Event #6-My brother announces bad news. Right in the middle of all this mess with my room, stress from my calling, and tons of homework from school, my little brother calls and tells me he can't go on a mission anymore. I don't think I've cried that hard in years, at least since Grandma Whipple died. It's been a hard adjustment, but mainly because I'm so worried about him. I hope he doesn't allow this to ruin his life, and I hope he still knows I love him, no matter what.

So, that's my life for now. Filled with lots of stress and love, heartaches and joy. Isn't it always? ;)