plan B

I'm a planner. 

I've killed about a billion and a half trees (give or take) this semester alone writing out grad scenarios, to-do lists, pro/con lists...things like that. 

So plan A for me is graduating BYU-I fall 2012 and then going to grad school at (fingers crossed) the University of Utah. 

however

I've recently decided on a plan B that actually seems a lot more appealing than my plan A. Probably because I've already been in school for (what seems like) forever and I still have (what seems like) forever left.

I digress.

Here's my plan B:

I want to move into a cute little farmhouse cottage-like place. Preferably close to or in the middle of the woods. 

I want at least half an acre for a food garden. Flowers I will plant everywhere else.

I want a little barn. Inside it will be one milk cow and some chickens.

I want bees, which I will keep a little way away from the barn.*

I want to be barefoot all the time and take pictures of my farm that are good enough to sell and everyone will want to buy.

I realize this makes me sound like a total hippy, but I don't care. 

It's what I want!

*There was a one day long, non credited "beekeeping for beginners" class that was offered here this spring. I didn't get it because I didn't understand how the system worked. I know the system now. I'm totally crossing my fingers that they offer it again in the fall! If they do, I'm SO all over that!

ps: two days is a really long time. Six months is a whole heck of a lot longer :\

okay

okay. okay okay okay.

This semester is kicking my bum. If there is ever a semester that I get grades that would keep me out of grad school, this would be it. I feel more B's coming than I would ever like to see, but I'm fighting to keep my A's.

I have my schedule for next semester all set! 

Anatomy and physiology (boo)

Family and community relations (ehh)

adolescent development (blehh)

medical terminology (I'm actually super excited for this one)

and

anthropology (which I'm also really excited for)

at only 15 credits, this will be the smallest amount of credits I've taken pretty much since my first semester. BUT the classes are going to be harder, I think. 

Anyway, that's whats going on in my life right now.

Just trying to keep my head above water.

Cross your fingers for me!

also, yesterday, this boy left to be all manly and firefighter-y for the next six months. I accept donations of chocolate and coupons to G's dairy

answers to prayers

the way I get answers to my prayers is not the way I want to get answers. Most of the time, I don't really even feel like I get an answer. Even when I say, "here is my solution, please help me to know if it's the right thing to do," I feel like the Lord waits for me to actually do that thing, and then He lets me know if it's right or wrong. Sometimes this doesn't even happen for a long time though so...I get frustrated. I like being in control and I like feeling like I have everything under control. 

So with the bajillion and a half options I had for this fall, I decided very VERY last minute to stay in Rexburg. This was around the time my apartment complex manager emailed us all saying she was completely booked for fall AND after registration had already been open for a week (aka all of the classes were taken and registration is a nightmare.) I decided to register for fast grad, meaning I'll be going to school year round from here on out, and will graduate December 2012.

Well, saturday morning I woke up and decided I was going to stay here in the fall. 

On saturday I filed a housing contract on my way out of town and slipped it under the office door. 

On sunday I planned out a hundred different registration scenarios/grad plans.

On monday I camped out in the advising office and did everything short of threatening phsical violence to get someone to meet with me. 

I spent close to five hours going back and forth to different offices, meeting with advisors and getting the proper forms signed. They told me it would be two to four weeks for my fast grad to be approved. A few hours later, I got an email saying it had been approved. I registered for classes and got all of the ones I needed.

On tuseday I got a call from my apartment manager, letting  me know a spot had opened up for me, that I could stay in my same apartment and live with my friends. 

I don't know why or how all of this is working out so well. I have to get a loan, which scares me, but I know I'm making the right choice in staying. I don't know why though.

I had to give up my photography minor, which I love, to have two health science clusters so that I can fulfill all the prerequisites for getting into grad school to study occupational therapy. 

It's going to be a rough year and a half, but I'm proud of myself for getting this all under control. Even though BYUI tried to knock me down, I am fighting back! Knowing that I'm on track to make a difference in peoples' lives is so exciting!

phone picture dump #uno

are you ready to see my life lately, as represented through the pictures on my phone? I thought so! Here goes:

First of all, I doodle all all all through every class, church meeting...everything
Oh and I'm very much in love with all the "Keep Calm and Carry On" posters I've been seeing lately

I am perfectly aware that I have the cutest nieces ever, thank you very much

When I go on roadtrips with my girls, I make them do phone photo shoots for me

\

Tam, Janessa and I ate a lot of eggs benedict, BUT since I can't eat wheat and Tam is a veggie-tarian, each of our plates were different. It's cool. 

Janessa's=muffin, ham, egg, sauce (aka normal)

Tam's=english muffin, egg, sauce

mine=ham, egg, sauce

Mom says I have too much camera equipment.

I says I don't have enough :)
Plus, this is only one camera bag, and only four out of my...nine cameras...

Hecks yes, there is TOTES a Nielsen's in the Burg now!

TACO BUS! Happy cinco de mayo :) Me encanta el taco bus, fo realz

Just a cutey little cow. Not really important but...yeah.

Oh, and may I introduce you to starburst milkshakes? They are exactly what they sound like (milk+icecream+starbursts=manna from heaven)

and they will blow your mind.

 

That's enough for now. Toodles :)

beep bop boop

" let's take a long walk through the cornfield

and I'll kiss you between the ears"

m+w

so I took my first "real" engagements a few weeks ago.
I've really debated putting any of them up.
The light was too bright when we went out (I should have known better) and I really just don't think they show what I am capable of as a photographer.
I know I can do better.
Anyway, here are some that I thought were ok. 

It's hard because I know I'm better than this and I don't want people to think I'm just a "mom-tographer" who doesn't know squat about lighting and never takes her camera off of the auto settings. 

Photo is a tough business.
In any case, Matt and Wendy were fun to work with! Fun and obviously in love and willing to do all the crazy things I asked them to, which may or may not have included trespassing. 

the temple

I just got back from the temple and my heart is so full! 

I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the blessing it is in my life. I'm grateful for the comfort and clarity it brings to my heart and mind. 

With all the million other things I have to do every day, I still can't believe I let myself think that any one of them was more important than going to the temple. There is no replacement for the spirit in that building. 

I know that I am a child of Heavenly parents, who love me more than I can fathom and want me to return to live with them one day.

I know my Savior lives.

This song was in my head the whole time I was there, and this video happens to have a lot of pictures from Rexburg in it.