Do what cha gotta do....

My good friend Garth Brooks once sang a song entitled "Do What You Gotta Do." That is often my anthem, especially at work. It isn't the funnest of jobs, in fact it is pretty painful. But, I do it because I gotta. I need the money for bills, debts, school, and fun. Sometimes, whether we want to, or whether or not we know things will work out, or whether we can see the benefits immediately or ten years downs the road, you have to put your nose to the grindstone and go....

I will be 21 in six days. Whew! Bet my mom feels old right about now....

I leave for Washington D.C. in seven days. Whew! A dream about to come true...

"These Are My People"

This week was a bit rough for me. I was so tired all week. Work was exhausting! I was so grateful for the weekend. I start graveyard, which is 11:30pm to 7:30am, this Monday night. So I basically have had a three day weekend. I am staying up late tonight so I can sleep in tomorrow and try to prep for a long night tomorrow.

Good ol' Kara Baxter came to town this weekend for the stockshow. I was so glad to see her again! I miss her all the time. Friday night I went out to Union and just hung around her house. We had a good conversation with her parents about the important things in life, mainly God, family, love, marriage.... The meat and potatoes of life.

We also made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and laughed. I laugh so hard and so often with KB.

Saturday was the ro-day-o, translation, rodeo, translation, good times. Crystal Kevan drove out to Union with me where we took in some bare back bronc ridin', calf ropin', steer wrastlin', barrel racin', horse racin', and bull ridin'. Kara met up with us after a funeral, and we had good times. I also had the best hamburger I've had in a year, the stockshow burger with grilled onions and full of deliciousness.

After the rodeo, Randy kidnapped Morgan and brought her out to Union where we all piled in his dodge pickup and headed up to Medical Springs. I love Kara's uncle Jerry! It was a cold day and the hot springs felt so great. We sat in there for probably 2 1/2 hours, talking, laughing, and soaking up the medicinal goodness. We watched the sun go down with its intense pinks and purples in the blue skies and gray clouds, and the sliver of the moon come up. Saw the snow capped peaks of Anthony Lakes, the green rolling hills of Baker Valley... Heard a coyote pack in the not so far distance. Watched an increase of steam over the water as the temperature dropped. I was content to just sit and prune in that water the rest of my life.

We went back to Kara's where Morgan left because she had to work early. The remaining four of us squished on Kara's couch and watched "Hope Floats," while munching on chilli cheese fritos and chips and salsa. Randy soon fell asleep. After the movie we girls talked until 3:30 in the morning.

It was a great day.

Muckin About

I started work last week. Yay. Back to the Sawdust Festival. I sure do love having sawdust in every imaginable crevace. Oh, and I can't forget how great it feels to hack up a lung or sneeze every hour because I breathe in tiny wood particles for eight hours a day, five days a week. Love it.

The holiday weekend was fun! Saturday I went up to Meacham area with Randy. His best friend Steven's grandpa (Bob) has a cabin up there. We spent the day four wheelin' and shooting. It rained on us, but it was still a great time. I was able to see the mountain from places I never had. It was absolutely beautiful.

I also shot Steven's new Smithinweson 40 caliber handgun. It was such fun to shoot, such power! I have decided that I love shooting handguns and pistols the most. I kind of want a tiny .22 for my birthday, maybe I will buy one when I finally get paid!

Sunday was also a nice day. I taught the lesson in Relief Society on "Good, Better, and Best." The lesson went pretty well. That evening I went up mushroom hunting with my mom, Zoey, Riley, and Eli. We got rained on as is tradition. We found enough calfbrains and morels for a decent meal, but couldn't leave until lil' Zoey finally found a mushroom. Which she did, after about an hour, and it was a tiny little thing, but she sure was proud.

Today is my mom's 47th (yep I told the world Ma) birthday! I love her a bunch and appreciate all she does for her family. I love her little eccentricities, too. Like her love of HGTV (Home and Gardent channel), her love for Toby Keith, and the way she wishes every old and cool house was hers. You can find her thoughts on growing old and crippled at sandraleavitt.blogspot.com. Love ya Maj!

Once Upon a Saturday

I just wanted to quickly post about the weekend.

Saturday was a ton of fun. I woke up a bit early and ran some errands in the morning, including securing a mother's day gift for my mom. That afternoon the branch had an activity up in Haines at Brad Feik's parents' house. It was the same activity we had last May. Shooting skeet, riding horses, driving four wheelers and a dirt bike. It was so much fun! I had invited this guy I met a couple weeks ago, Randy, to come along. So he, Crystal Kevan (who is back for the summer), and Kara all rode in my car. We spoke in hick accents all the way to Brad's.

I shot Randy's 12 gage shot gun a few times, but that was enough for me. I love to shoot, just not the big guns that throw out your shoulder, plus I actually hit a clay pigeon about one in six times, so I feel bad wasting them. Then Kara drove Crystal and I around on the fourwheeler. It was so funny! We actually rode two seperate times, going over bumps and "catching air." People were watching because we were laughing and screaming so loud.

Randy also took me on an extended drive on the four wheeler, I guess he's quite the ATVer, so that was fun. I also rode a horse, for about 15 minutes, but I'm still feeling it!! After rounding up the afternoon with homemade cheesecake (Thanks Morg!) and a jump on the trampoline we headed back home.

Randy took me out to dinner at Golden Harvest. I hadn't been in years. We ordered for eachother, I ordered him curry and he orderd me this pineapple/cocount chicken. We shared and both were delicious. Afterwards we went back out to Union where we met up with Kara. She was on the phone so Randy and I took to assualting one another, with fists, feet, pillows and brooms. It was pretty intense.

We then proceeded to break some laws. We climbed up the Union water tower. Shhhh, don't tell people, especially my Grandma. It was exhilirating! It was good that Randy was there to hoist us up to the ladder and to catch us when we had to drop down from the ladder. Once on top we watched lightning over the hills above La Grande. It was super windy though, and chilly, so we didn't last long. We did attempt to carve our initials at the top with Randy's keys. It was a blast, but my shoulders are still recovering from the climb, it took more strength than I thought!

It's been a full couple of weeks since school ended. I start work sometime this week, probably Tuesday night. I am going to Pendleton/Hermiston to hang out with Randy and play some human foosball. Kara left today to go back to Provo for the summer. I am really going to miss that girl! She is so funny and has been such a great friend.

West Coast Trip

I know it's been a spell since my last post. Two reasons for this. The first being that the internet isn't as accessible to me as it was in Provo. My Grandma doesn't have the internet, and I don't get much time to just surf the net while at my mom's house. The second reason is that I've just been so busy. I can't really innumerate what I've been doing, but I've been busy.

My trip to the west side of Oregon was not quite what I hoped. It was a trip full of lows with a few highs mixed in. I got into Eugene Thursday night, had dinner at Olive Garden with Ryan, the next morning he had a midterm to take so I stayed at the house and got ready to take off to the coast. An officer came and knocked on the door to tell me my car had been broken into. Actually she told one of Ryan's roommates then left, so helpful, right? It's the back side window that got smashed in. Of all things that could of been stolen, the thief took my scriptures! It probably looked like a purse sitting on my back seat, sheesh! It was pretty frustrating. My insurance only pays for things after $500, so I have to find the cash to replace my stupid window. My scriptures were priceless. I mean, the actual book, leather bound and all was probably worth somewhere around 80 bucks. But, I've had those for ten years! They've carried me through all my adolescent angsts and growth. They'd become a friend and a comfort, and also like a second journal. Also in my tote were a hymn book my grandma had gotten me for a Christmas a few years ago, a cute little notebook my aunt Steph had just sent to me in Provo, cute drawings from Riley and Eli, my Patriarchal Blessing, and my temple reccommend. It's all so frustrating. I just hope they weren't dumped in a garbage and someone somewhere will benefit from them. The thought of them in a garbage is crushing.

To make things better Ryan was moody and quiet the whole time I was with him. It was like sitting in awkward silence for three days, or just talking to yourself. Terrible. I left him a little early, Saturday night, and went to Portland to stay with my good friend Teresa at Lewis and Clark College.

Sparing many details, these were the highs of my trip:

The beautiful bloom of spring! The whole area was green, with trees and flowers blooming.

Putting my feet in the ocean! I hadn't done that in years. Plus we ate at Mo's and got saltwater taffy.

Seeing Teresa! That girl makes me smile and laugh. I've known her since the seventh grade, so there is just that comfort you find in people who've known you forever.

Sparky's Pizza in Sandy! Delicious. Some of the best pizza I've ever had.

Hanging out with our friends Brenton and Alan before they left for their respective missions. Brenton left last week and will serve in New Mexico, Alan leaves here soon for Ohio.

Tillamook! We toured the cheese factory, ate lots of free samples, agonized over which ice cream to eat, bought some curds, and took pictures of happy cows.

Going to the Portland Temple! It is a peaceful place in a world of chaos and hecticity (I think I made that word up). You find peace, comfort, answers, and perspective.

The drive home! We left Portland around 1 am and got back into LG around 5:15am. We were so tired, but it was good to spend time together singing off key and playing terrible games to stay awake.

When upon life's billows....

"When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed, when you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, count your many blessings; name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done."

I changed my background. It is my attempt at optimism...green...growth, newness, life, and someday possibly Spring. I will have to redo my pictures and stuff, but oh well.

I began this entry on Sunday night, but was too tired to complete it and went to bed. I had had a bit of an unsettling week, just a lot ot stress and anxiety and was on the verge of a breakdown! But, my friend Kara invited me out to her brother and sister in-law's for dinner. The food was so great! The company was fun, too, and it was just nice to get out of my own head for a few hours. A couple hours later I was able to talk to Kylee for a couple hours. It is always comforting to talk to someone you've known a long time and accepts you for you. So, Sunday night, amidst my angst, the above excerpt from a favorite hymn came to mind, and I decided to do that. I was overwhelming grateful for two F words in my life....Friends and Food!

There is nothing quite like an ear of someone who cares, and down home cooking to fill the hunger of body and soul. I am grateful for those people in my life that my Heavenly Father has seen fit to place in my path, to teach, to guide, to laugh with, and to love.

Two days later things are on the upswing! I am excited to announce that my housing contract for Spring/Summer has been officially sign, sealed, and delivered (to borrow a Stevie Wonder phrase)! I have only one final left! My mom is not in fact dying of breast cancer (thanks for the scare, ma!). I will soon be squishing my toes in the beaches of the Oregon coast. I have a job lined up for the summer, though it isn't ideal, it pays for the bacon. I have friends and family awaiting my arrival, and hopefully some of Eli's birthday cake, too. Mmmm, I love cake! It is a new love of mine, but one I know will last as long as my tastebuds do.

I feel like five hundred pounds have been lifted from off my chest! I am even optimistic that warm weather will indeed grace us soon....If crossing my fingers doesn't work then I know folding my arms will.... ;-)

Hope everyone else is able to remember the little and great things in life that make is such a beautiful ride.