summer travels

Just a little preview of what's to come...

Barcelona, Spain

Monte Carlo, Monaco

Livorno, Italy

Olbia (Sardina), Italy

Rome, Italy

Naples, Italy

Messina (Sicily), Italy

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Venice, Italy

August 11th...get here soon!

funny story

As I was walking to campus a couple weeks ago, a school bus jam-packed with second graders stops in front of me at an intersection. The bus driver frantically opens up the door and flags me down after I had finished crossing the street.

Okay so this wasn't the actual driver...also it was a woman.
But I thought this was funny.

Kind of startled, I walk up to the door and the bus driver (let's call her Mirna for all intents and purposes) blurted out, "Where's the Bean Museum?!" They were on a field trip but had gotten lost. The teacher (let's call her Mrs. Smith) who was sitting right behind Mirna said, "We lost the other bus and have no idea where we are! They said to turn at the bridge and that's what we did, but now we're lost!" 

I told them they were close but were going the wrong way (they were right outside the WILK and needed to head the other direction). I was trying to explain that they needed to go back the other way and up over the hill but could tell I wasn't explaining myself very well as I was still receiving very confused looks. I asked them if they knew where the Marriott center was. Still got confused looks. I was like, "Ya know, where they play basketball?" Still got nothing.

I then said, "It would be so much easier to direct you if I could just get on the bus with you guys!" Mirna and Mrs. Smith both look at each other, and then look at me.

Mirna said, "Well, you could...." 

I paused for a second (cause I wasn't really serious about getting on the bus with them) but then said, "sure, why not." I hoped on the bus and sat next to two cute little blonde boys in the front seat (after Mrs. Smith told them to "scoot over!"). I immediately realized how odd the situation had become. We made small talk as I directed them to the museum. Where I'm from, what I'm majoring in, where I work...

We finally got to the Bean Museum. I felt like a hero. I had saved the day. The children were able to explore the museum. All because of me. They might have gotten there like an entire 15 minutes later if it wasn't for me. And let's get real, they probably would've have to forgo so much learning time in those 15 minutes. They might have never graduated from the second grade if it wasn't for me. Yep, that's right, I saved the day. I was around ten minutes late to work because of it, but it was worth it.

Here's a picture of me from the fifth grade...back in the good ol' bus days.

We were driving back from science camp in this picture.

Oh the school bus. Thank you Mirna and Mrs. Smith for letting me relive those school bus days. And for letting me be a hero.

arise and shine

alright-alright-alright-alright-alright HEY

So guess what? I'm going to be an EFY counselor this summer! This is something that I've wanted to do ever since I went to EFY for the first time as a 14 year-old. I am very excited for this opportunity. I'll be starting the last week of June and will be doing FIVE WEEKS IN A ROW. Three in Washington and two in Oregon. I hope I won't be too exhausted. But it will be SO MUCH FUN. The theme this year is "Arise and Shine Forth." My almost 15 year-old brother will be at one of the sessions. That will be so awesome. It will be his first time at EFY and I will try my hardest not to embarrass him [but let's get real...probably not]. It will be great. I thought it would be fun to add some EFY pictures from back in the day...I went to EFY four years in a row (three in Tacoma, WA and one in Provo, UT).

2005:

2006:

2007:

2008:

For more information about EFY, click here.

new housing

So last week Tracie and I finally found housing for our senior year. 

We're living at...wait for it...

SUMMERLYN CONDOS!

It's a little bit farther away from campus...

Okay like a lot farther away.

But it has private rooms...

And a nice kitchen...

And the best part...laundry!

We're living with two other girls from Tracie's high school, Jessica and Brittany (I just can't stay away from Brittany's for too long...I lived with Brittany Hancock for 2 1/2 years before she got married and stuff).

Bring it on, senior year!

We're going to have the time of our lives.