the new year...

So here I am, on the last day of 2009, thinking about the new year. In all honesty this has been a really rough but wonderful year for me. I was being all nostalgic and decided to look through old journal and blog entries. My year had a definite rough start but I'm hoping the beginning of this next one will be so much better. According to my journal I started my year like this: :)

Tuesday 6 January 2009

Today was my first day of class. I woke up early and studied my scriptures for 30 min. then I got ready, dropped off my rent, got textbooks and headed to my first and only class. On my way to class I slid down the stairs and banged my arm pretty good. Then I got to walk around campus with my very visible, soaking wet butt...

Despite the rough start I got a fantastic archaeology job in Nevada and got to go on a field trip to California in March AND September. I moved to Tonopah, Nevada and worked for the Forest Service for the summer. It was quite adventurous and I loved every minute of it!!! Check here for some stats from that adventure. After moving back home a 6ft square of space to live in...I'm not bitter folks, just cramped...I took the GRE. I got right back into the swing of things with school, got scuba diving certified, started training with my good friend Otis (we ran, we swam, we had a blast), applied for grad school, decided to go to Syria at the end of April. Oh, and on a lesser note, I decided to take a hiatus from dating anyone seriously and get my life in order...best decision ever...getting back into the swing of things, harder decision. :)

So there is a very, very fast summary of this last crazy year. Hopefully the start of this next year I will be able to find a job, get into grad school, and be able to afford to go to Syria. Let's cross our fingers folks!

Thank you Roberto!

Ok probably the best spoof off of the Twilight madness I've seen. :)

Twilight Years from Tom on Vimeo.

The Diagram.

So I am in the second day of my finals week. This finals week has been my best by far because all but one of my finals is a take home exam or a paper. That has been kind of nice. It's also been a good thing because I got another coughing cold of death and so I'm able to do my stuff from my bed, which has been a blessing. So I'm faced with a major dilemma, I mean the kind of dilemma that I will likely laugh about in decade but for the moment it's a little stressing. This is my last semester...yay! I am very nearly broke, university really sucks you dry, and am tired like you wouldn't believe. Not the dilemma though. So to better show the simple intricacies of this dilemma I created a diagram...lame but oh so true.
14 And it came to pass at the end of four years that the Lord came again unto the brother of Jared, and stood in a cloud and ^atalked with him. And for the space of three hours did the Lord talk with the brother of Jared, and ^bchastened him because he remembered not to ^ccall upon the name of the Lord.

Last, last day...

Yesterday was my last, last day of classes. That was very nice...I think.

How to be alone

So it doesn't feel that simple but at least it's a nice thought. :)

4:20 am...

So my insomnia is back but it's not, but it is, but it isn't. I'm trying to take a few things off my plate to relieve the pressure but you get to a point where nothing else can actually be taken off. Welcome to that point. That is the point where a cramp wakes you up at 3 am and you are so wound up that there is no way on Earth that you can possibly get back to sleep. So, reaching that point this morning I decided since I'm not sleeping I might as well get cracking on that massive list I have to get done this week.
The last few months have been pretty rough for me. Not meaning to be all whiney but it's a fact of life, sometimes it stinks. For me the struggle has come with wanting to develop certain good aspects of my life but feeling impressed that it is not the right time and apparently my whole heart, soul, and sanity needs to be devoted to something else. In a society of instant gratification and 'quick-fixes' it is incredibly hard for me. There is this empty little piece of me that keeps waking me up in the middle of the night and messing with my REM cycle. :) One of my favorite scriptures is Mosiah 4:27. It says:
'And see that these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.'
So that is what I'm trying my darndest to focus on. Yep, yep. There you go.

...yeah, I've had better.

Don't you love those mornings when you wake up from a restful night of sleep with the sunrise peaking over the mountains and everything is somehow working out perfectly? Yeah, this morning was not one of those days. Instead I awoke this morning to goodness knows what, probably the same thing I have been waking up to for over a week now...nothing. Yes, my insomnia has returned, not at full force but we are definitely getting there. I would sleep past midnight if that were physically possible but apparently for me it is not. So after a restless nights sleep, finding my wet clothes from the washing machine on a chair, my clean clothes stuffed into a dirty hamper, no edible food in the kitchen, a sink full of smelly dishes and pseudo niceties from a very self-centered, manipulative, NOT nice person; I decided to turn on the television and watch a news station exploiting some poor person's misfortunes and I started to feel a little better and less victimized this morning. Don't worry, I am a picture of efficiency and got this all done by 6am.

Ode to the average.

We aren't competitive at all at university are we....or sarcastic? Yes, I am being sarcastic. I studied super hard for the most intimidating of tests and got a B...which in any other circumstance would be fantastic, wonderful and a lot of other descriptive words that show how awesome it is and yet, I'm sitting here trying to not be disappointed in myself. I shouldn't be bothered that the class average was 2% above my score, that 17 people in my class scored between 95-100% and that while I am definitely on the high end of things and should be proud, I am always just under average no matter how high that average is. That is a really crappy feeling. So that is what I'm trying to convince myself of, it is supposed to be about individual accomplishment, not comparison to the crowds. So I should be feeling pretty dang good. Now if only my professors and peers felt that way. :(

The Miracle Blog

So perhaps I should just start calling my blog 'The Miracle Blog' because right now that is what my life is full of. I really cannot believe the day I am having today....let me change that to week. So in all reality things have been a little on the rough side lately, I've been trying to figure out what to do with my future (meaning this summer and upcoming year)...yeah life as I know it and will know it basically hinges on the next few months. How you ask? Well let me give you the little 411 by going through the last couple of miraculous days.
So....hmmm....where exactly do I start?
Well the end of last week I finally made an appointment with the advisement center so I can finally figure out when I am graduating so I will be able to know if I need to register for classes this coming semester. Pretty much a big deal...at least you would think so.
Sunday
Interesting day for my family...it was the best of times and it was the worst of times. Meaning it started out like hell warmed over but then somehow it ended up being the best day of all of the days for the last little bit. Church was wonderful, weather was beautiful and Andrew and I drew, painted and then we had the funnest and happiest family Sunday dinner outside on the lawn with candles and good company. I ended the day with a blissful smile on my face, can I tell you how often that doesn't happen? ;) (Oh and on an awkward note my mom and aunt had dreams about me marrying a strapping, uncle Dan sized man, so you big, buff guys watch out! jk...I am in no way on the prowl)
In bigger news, I finally feel really good about the Syria expedition. Good enough that I am meeting with my professor and am in a mad dash to try to raise the funds.
Monday
Advisement Center appointment canceled--LAME!!! But they rescheduled for Thursday so they are, in fact, forgiven a bit.
Tuesday
Today I met with my professor extraordinaire and started to set things up for Syria and grad school. She agreed to be my adviser if I get accepted and to guide me along the path of insanity leading to a masters and possible doctorate degree...I worship this woman. She is amazing. I also studied for my New Testament test which I was sure was going to be the death of me…and yet that is the class I just walked out of and guess what!....I SURVIVED! Part of that was because of something that I was studying last night. The studying was in a word, indescribable (very descriptive word eh?). Here is why:
I was studying parables in St. Matthew 21 and came across vs. 19 when Christ came upon a fig tree. I’ll just include the verses in case someone else gets as blown away as I did.
19 And when he saw a fig tree by the road, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And immediately the fig tree withered away.
20 And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done
22 And all blessings, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
It was strange, I have never been more spiritually edified by studying for a test. It sounds lame but I felt closer to Christ and quite changed by studying for an exam. That is a definite first.
Wednesday...wait that is today!
Wow, how do I describe today. Well to start off I was studying for my test this morning. I was so nervous but after reading those verses I had a strange calm behind the madness. I prayed before I took the test and I feel that I can honestly say that I did my best and felt that I was blessed to be able to do so.
Another miracle for the day came in the form of a really good friend named Nathan. I posted on Facebook that I needed a job very badly and he emailed me saying that his roommate was wondering if he knew anyone that needed a job and gave me the information so I could apply, which I did, less than an hour ago. I could kiss him, he has been a lifesaver more than once and a really good friend all the time. So I don’t know if I’ll get the job but it is a great opportunity for me.
After I miraculously finished my test I went to submit my resume for the job. I remembered that my old resume was on a USB drive that my computer had not been able to read for months. The USB had been jostled and was lose and so when my computer miraculously recognized it I was amazed. But then it would not read the files on the USB. I had the thought that I should do a search for the documents on it and I was able to access all of the documents on the USB. It really was a miracle.
So today has been miraculous. Today I get the opportunity to go to an osteology workshop for and Egyptian workshop encompassing today, tomorrow and Friday. Miraculously (there’s that word again), the times of the workshops don’t interfere with any classes or meetings. Major blessing.
Well there you go. There are so many other things that I could note but here are the major ones. I’ll have to update more so these won’t be so long. Anyway life is wonderful and God is great!!!

Waaammmme and HOPPY!

No, it is not pronounced wamie, it is lame with a w...wame. That is what I hear every morning from my 2 year old cousin Tyler. I guess it serves me right because I taught him to say it and now every time I see him he shows his love by saying 'hi Allison, WAME!!!'. I absolutely love it. Tyler is also learning his letters. One morning we were sitting at the table eating breakfast together and Tyler points to a Happy Birthday sign and says 'A'. His mum is teaching him the alphabet song and so I thought he was just trying to sing it to me. But then he kept pointing to the wall and saying 'P', 'P', and finally 'Y'. Tyler can now read the word HAPPY. He was so excited about it that he jumped around saying Happy for a good 15 minutes. Except when he says 'happy' it sounds like 'hoppy'. So cute though. Now he and I have a game where he will say happy in a high voice and I will growl happy. Oh...I also taught him to growl ferociously and pretty constantly...may his parents one day forgive me. :) So in honor of my dearest cousin here I some wame and hoppy moments for the week:
- I caught Tyler's poor little coughing cold of death....WAME!!!
- I haven't been in school this entire week because of the coughing cold of death...meaning I'm basically a lifetime behind on homework....WAME!!!
- I could give a million (WAME) bi-products of this cold like the bleeding throat and lungs I've developed but that is gross...and lame. But on to some good things:
- I have finally cleaned all of my clothes and unpacked from my move back from Nevada...thanks to the current inability to go to classes I've had some time on my hands...HOPPY!!!
- I am officially scuba certified!!!...HOPPY!!!
- I am sitting in this corner in my room that is probably the best place in the whole house right now. It has drapes that separate me from the world, relaxing lamps, candles and pillows and a window where I can see the mountains, Utah Lake some really great sunsets...very, very HOPPY!!!
- Also, I know the coughing cold of death is a bit overdone but I think that I'm on the mend. Yesterday was horrific and while I can't seem to stop coughing, at least I'm able to get out of bed for more than and hour at a time...HOPPY!!!
So there you go, some wame and hoppy moments for the week. Now if I can just get my rear in gear and get my grad school applications in and quit scaring myself out of it I can really be hoppy...and happy. :)
love/me.

I may not look like a runner but running away is what I do best.

True story. I decided I'm tired and want a break from craziness, exhaustion and drama...so I'm leaving for L.A. Thursday morning. Nothing clears your head like a road trip in a 15 passenger BYU van through the Nevada wasteland. I can say that because I lived in Nevada and while I thought Tonopah and the surrounding area was lovely, Vegas is like a flippin' frying pan. I am incredibly excited though. Two really exciting things have happened.
Miraculous story numero 1:
I got a call from Erica right before my class started telling me she was going on Finlayson's semesterly trip to L.A. and wanted me to come with her but I had to decide...right then. So I decided to leave it in the hands of God and go up to Dr. Finlayson's office...and if she was there go, and if she wasn't...cry a little and stay in Provo. Well she wasn't. :( So after resolving to stay I literally ran into her on may way out of the Kimball Tower. It was fantastic and pretty miraculous. Long story short, I'm now going to L.A. and am exceedingly excited for the incoming break.
Miraculous story numero 2:
Dr. Finlayson informs me that she still would love for me to go to Syria with her and I think to myself...hmmmm...why not? I've got no strings to hold me down...(and then I forget the rest of the words to the song) So it is something that I am seriously debating right now. And by serious, I mean SERIOUSLY SERIOUS. I'm doing my best trying to figure out this crazy life of mine right now.
So as a summary: I am going to L.A. to see the Pompeii exhibit and I may run away to Syria this summer...or Spain, there is this underwater archaeology field school I am dying to go to...aaaah focus Aliswan!!!! One adventure at a time.
So there are the miracles for this week. Hopefully miracle number 3 will be that I will pass my scuba final tonight and live to dive another day. We'll see...

10 things that make today wonderful!

So today has been a tad bit early but pretty dang good for me...surprisingly. Here is a silly list of 10 things why today is bound to be marvelous.
1. I barely slept last night...Sounds stinky right but in reality even though I had some weird stress dreams my insomnia made it that much easier for me to get out of bed this morning and write that paper I procrastinated. And because I did it so early I had it done hours before I planned to even start writing it.
2. I forgot to take off my makeup last night...usually that means my eyes are killing me and I have smears all over my face and a new zit, but guess what? No sleep, no smear! :) Also I woke up and my hair looked like it was still perfectly waved. All I had to do was put on clothes and brush my teeth. It was wonderful.
3. I went to get dressed this morning and I actually had clean clothes in my closet. Sometimes before you wake up you forget you did laundry all weekend and it is like a nice smelling surprise.
4. There was a bag of Frosted Flakes on the counter this morning...gosh I LOVE Frosted Flakes.
5. When I got my laptop out to type up my paper I was so happy. My computer got a virus and my wonderful uncle reformatted it for me. Then I bought a computer sticker cover and now it is like I have a new computer. New things (even if they just feel new) are fantastic. I love the cover, everytime I see it it makes me happy. This is the artwork on it by Nanami Cowdroy:

6. The weather today is absolutely lovely. Walking up to campus was wonderful.
7. I was able to download all of my assignments from Blackboard. For those of you who know how naughty Blackboard has been lately, you would understand.
8. I am wearing my comfortable shoes...:)
9. I'm getting a new cell phone this week or next which is marvelous.
10. My all time favorite. I love being prepared and making lists etc. but I have never before been so obsessed with a planner. I decided to try out a Moleskin planner this year because so many people recommended it to me. I love, love, love it. I use it constantly and take it everywhere with me. I'll likely never use another planner again. I'm in love, what can I say? :)
So there you go. Happy Monday!!! (who would have thought that could happen?)

New Moon....???

Ok, I can't believe that I am doing this but I cannot resist. First let me give a precursor, I HATED New Moon, I despised it, it stunk hard core. But I have to admit being the video preview and movie spoiler connoisseur that I am I couldn't deny the awesomeness of this preview. We'll see how I like the movie but if the preview is any indication of Chris Weitz's ability to fix a painful book, there is a good chance I might enjoy it. We'll see. ;)

How can I be behind when I've just begun?

So school is in full swing now. I love how on some of my classes the day you get the syllabus you find that you are already at least 50 pages behind. Little did you know that you were supposed to read the material before you even got the book. Apparently this lovely professor just likes to keep us on our toes.
It's not the only thing I'm behind on though. I keep needing to update my little brother's mission blog but literally do not have enough hours in the day to catch up. Being in the middle of nowhere for 3 months tends to get you backed up on things. I also should probably unpack...and do laundry. Yes, definitely need to do laundry first.
One fantastic thing that I'm doing right now is working out with my good friend Erica. It is absolutely fantastic. She is an awesome runner and I'm pretty decent at swimming so we are training each other. We workout almost every morning or evening and I am feeling soooo good. Even though trying to get out of bed to make it to the pool by 6am is a total killer, after we finish our workout I feel great. It's really made a difference in my days.
Well the download I have been waiting for is finally loaded so I better take off. Adios!

Swimming, swimming, in a swimming pool....

So I had my first scuba diving class in the pool last night. It was absolutely fantastic! My diving buddy is super good too. We race everywhere. Sometimes I win, sometimes he wins and sometimes instead of using my regulator, I put my snorkle in my mouth and try to breathe underwater. So this experience of accidentally breathing underwater has kind of taught me one little morbid thing. If you just relax and breathe, drowning actually isn't as bad. Really, it was almost to easy. Although I wouldn't recommend it because this morning I had a massive headache, a little off balance and wanted to hurl everywhere. Yep, so overall, wouldn't recommend it.

Breath in, breath out, breath in, breath out...

So I'm taking the GRE tomorrow morning. Which according to the offical GRE website stands for:
The Graduate Record Examinations® (GRE®) General Test measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and critical thinking and analytical writing skills. The GRE® Subject Tests gauge undergraduate achievement in 8 specific fields of study.
That is 8 specific fields of study folks...8. Should that sound intimidating because it is, it really is. I've kind of gotten to the point where it I am so saturated with information that I can't think. I've been studying for this test all summer and I have come to the conclusion that the sponge of my mind is so saturated that if I try to study anymore then vital equations, definitions and proofs will slowly seep from my mind and therefore be missing when I go to take my test.
It reminds me of a race that I swam when I was about 11 years old. I was always trying to 'pump' myself up but for this race (500 freestyle) I could not wake up. My mind was completely blank and I sat behind the blocks like a zombie, yawning and generally looking like I wouldn't make it to the blocks not to mention finish the race. My coach was worried and trying to wake me up but I just could not focus or even think. Well, long story short, it was one of the best races I ever swam. Don't know why, but it was. So I am really hoping and praying that this will also be the case. That by some miracle everything is there, and when I need it, it will come. That is what I'm praying my little heart out for. Really, I'm terrified but I have faith that I have prepared as well as I was capable and that what should happen, will happen. I'm just hoping that 'what should happen' is that I should be able to pass the dreaded test, go to grad school and fulfill my life dreams. That would be swell. We'll see.

FiRSt dAy OF sChoOL

I love, love, love school. Except for the first day. I always get so nervous. I kind of feel like somehow I'm going to forget everything I ever learned and make an absolute fool of myself. Well, I haven't yet but it is only 9am. I still got time. So I still have no idea where the majority of my clothes are, which is probably a good thing because I have no idea where I would put them. Moving in and unpacking can be a royal pain in the behind. So I am wearing a dress, which provides a nice breeze to be honest ;) and my red Nevada cowboy boots. I love these boots. Although I thought that the boots would cover my legs a little better than they are...meaning that they aren't at all. Unfortunately 250+ miles of Nevada sagebrush, cacti, and dead trees have tattooed my legs...actually I don't think that is a proper description. I look like I tripped into a paper shredder. Unfortunately my boots are not covering this fact as much as I would like so I'm getting a few looks. Don't worry folks I'm not being beaten to death, I'm just super hard core and a major klutz. :) Well life goes on and I am getting ready to go to my first class of the day. Speaking of, is it wise to go from 10am to 7pm on Mondays and Wednesdays just so I can have Tuesdays and Thursdays off? Well I'm about to find out. Adios amigos! Wish me luck!

Whoa Bessy...

Coming back into Provo was a bit of a shock. The first shock came when I got on I-80 and the roads were over two lanes. That was pretty fantastic. The next was how loud it was. Not an annoying kind of loud, just noisy. Sounds silly but after living in the middle of nowhere for three months with hardly a soul around some weeks, the sound of a car running is like grinding in a megaphone for me. Then i walked up to campus and that was a bit of a culture shock as well, but then again, it always has been. Good to be back, but it will definitely take me a bit to adjust.

Leaving Tonopah...

Well I'm getting ready to leave Tonopah, Nevada and can I tell you how crazy that is?!?! Time this summer has absolutely flown and I'm not quite sure what to do with myslef. I started packing my car and suddenly I was having to worry about drama, and finances and jobs and school and relationships and run on sentences... Basically completely opposite of how I am right now. I've loved it here. It was so perfect this morning when I ran out to my car at 4:30 in the morning and looked at the most beautiful star filed sky I have ever seen. It seemed that there were more stars in the sky then black. It was beautiful and I just stopped and stared. I'm sure I'll be happy back in Happy Valley and know that it is time to move on but I just want to say that this experience has been so perfect for me. It is just what I needed, when I needed it and I am so happy at times I could absolutely burst.
So in closing feel like some stats?
- This summer we have surveyed over 2000 acres officially.
- I have also hiked over 250 miles...believe me, my shoes and feet show it.
- I saw my first rattlesnake
- I also got to play with the tail of a rattlesnake, yes we killed one and Sam cooked it for Luke and Nick for dinner.
- There has been a million things more but I can't say them all.
I'm happy, what else can I say?

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...

Yes I am really sorry I have not posted in so long. This summer has been flying by and internet access has been sketchy to say the least. This summer has also been absolutely amazing!!! I have officially about 5 weeks left. Isn't that crazy? 5 weeks, that's it. I don't know what to do with myself. We are camping onsite 4 days a week trying to finish up our survey. Complaints about camping have been rampant but to be honest, I absolutely love the camping. I also loved getting stuck in the rainstorm on Wednesday. I'm really not being sarcastic, promise. I loved it. The lightening was less than a mile a way and we ran about a mile to the car. I have never been so completely soaked in my life, and I was a swimmer! I loved it all though, it was so beautiful, it smelled so good, and I was so completely happy! I love it here but I am excited to move on, move forward and move home. This is my last year of my undergrad and I'm blown away by how fast life is moving along. Good times. Well I'm still trying to put up pictures from the last few months but it's not working well but I will try to update a little more regularly. Adios!

Hola from Tonopah!

Well Tonopah has been pretty fantastic so far. Training took FOREVER but we are finally starting to get to the grit of things. At least a little bit. This week we have been doing district cleanup while Mark is moving his family from Utah but hopefully by the end of the week we will be back in the field recording sites. We drive about an hour and a half to site everyday but at some point it is going to be longer. The majority of the drive is done on dirt roads which is pretty awesome. Time flies when you have to watch out for boulders and drop-offs. :) Speaking of, on the first day I was driving the truck--trucks are HUGE by the way, at least compared to my little Ford Escort. Anyway so I was driving the truck back from site and was doing ok until BANG! POP! (except mucho, mucho louder). I'm not used to the width of the truck and so I was trying to avoid this very big rock but it hit the tire wall and took out a fairly good chunk out of the tire. Everyone was really nice about it but I do claim the first flat of the season. Kudos to me. :)
Well everything is going great and there will be updates to follow! At some point I will also post some video and pictures. Yep, yep.

Exciting updates...well at least a little bit.

Well I am moving to the middle of nowhere in Nevada in two days!!! I can't decide whether I am excited or nervous or a little of both. I am so excited to be hiking out in the middle of nowhere, working hard and studying for the GRE that I am taking at the end of the summer. I hope I'm not making it sound like I am dreading it because I actually am so excited that I can hardly contain myself. I actually didn't feel that way until Sunday to be honest. Sunday was pretty miraculous that way. I have been dealing with getting this job for months and months and have questioned whether this is the right thing to do but I prayed for weeks before I found out whether I got the job thinking that if I got it, which seemed highly unlikely, I should take it. Well I miraculously got the job but felt no confirmation and so I have been struggling with leaving but on Sunday I got the spiritual confirmation I was looking for. You know it seems like other parts of my life are developing in unsuspected ways and I have been worried about leaving, wondering if all that progress will disappear. Now I feel this amazing peace and incredible joy knowing that I am in the right place, at the right time and doing what I need to be doing. I am so happy where I am right now!!! Well if I don't write before I leave my next update will be from Tonopah, Nevada!!! Night guys!

GRRR...

I just realized that somehow my list of blogs has disappeared. This makes me super mad. Curse you blogger!
Due to this unforeseen complication I have decided to change my template. It will take me awhile but I am learning how to do simple template coding and so I think it will be more than a little bit fun. We'll see how this craziness goes. Maybe this is a good thing in the disguise of a very bad, frustrating and infuriating situation. :)

List of Madness

GUESS WHO IS APPLYING FOR GRADUATION!!!!
...and studying for the GRE,
...and working on grad school applications,
...and is working on another paper, massive research paper, and crazy final,
...and is writing a talk for next Sunday,
...and is now unemployed until that hopefully wonderful call from the forest service,
...and has not showered in a few days...oops. :)

and yet with all this stuff to do in this crazy next few weeks I am feeling so wonderful today because of conference. This has probably been the most wonderful and seemingly fast conference I have ever watched but I am so grateful for the blessing of being led by a prophet of God and the hope and joy that the gospel truly does bring, even in the midst of all the craziness I am trying to live through right now.

AAAAHHHHH FINALS!!!

Wait, so finals aren't technically here for another week and a few days but I am getting hit with a major work load right now. I am taking a small break from writing a paper and thought would update just a little bit.
I'm still waiting to hear back on the job in Nevada. I'm a little nervous but we'll see how it goes. I just want to do the right thing with it but I'm not quite sure what that is so I'll just wait a little bit longer (which seems like forever) and see how it goes.
I had a major miracle in studying for a test this past week. Long and amazing story short; I had been really sick and was unable to study for the biggest test of the semester and I really suck at memorizing things. So after a great deal of prayer and ulcers I spent the morning studying what I thought would be on the test and trying to take mental pictures of everything I could study. Memories are so weird by the way. Took the test, it took 4 hours and 45 minutes and it was an absolute miracle. I knew mostly everything and was able to write the essay. I was so grateful for such a miraculous blessing. I get my score, hopefully, on Tuesday.
Also I quit my job but that's not really exciting news, just stressful. We'll see how everything goes.
So there is the 2 minute update and it is back to my paper!
Aliswan over and out. :)

What a nice break!

So this past weekend I had a major blessing in that I was able to go to California for a field trip for one of my classes. It was so nice to have a break from everything even though the weather wasn't the best and it was only for 3 days and 2 of the 3 days was spent driving. But it was an absolutely wonderful trip and I feel like I've had this huge weight taken off my back and IT IS WONDERFUL!!!

Really rough day.

I wish I was happy.