Happy Easter to all, and to all a good night

I've really struggled with my desire to attend church these past few months. With just the way my ward is, I feel like nobody cares who you are unless you have a baby. Those girls are always surrounded with friends.

Today was a good day for me to realize just what Sunday is really about. It's about Christ, his sacrifice for us, and strengthening our spirits so that we can one day be with him again.
In the mess of frustration, I lost sight of that and I'm thankful I was reminded of this.
I also wish that every Sunday was nothing but musical numbers. That's always when my testimony grows. With music.

It's also nice when you bring the dessert to Easter dinner and everyone loves it. But then I remembered I couldn't eat it because it was filled with milk and cream. Good planning on my part for sure.


It's 10:30 and I'm done with homework.
I'd say that it's a successful night.

Happy Easter everyone

College is confusing.
It's sort of like the real world, but not really. It's more like a gateway.
Nobody knows what they really want, and psychology teachers have the ability to make a 23 year old RM question his beliefs. Poor kid.
This place is a mess.

Young Married Student Ward

First of all, that title alone is too long to tell people when they ask what ward you are in.

Will and I ave lived here in married student housing since July and it's been quite an experience. While our tiny yet cozy apartment isn't our favorite, we do enjoy it. Our neighbors have a tendency to be a little overbearing at times but we have made a few friends.
I love going to sacrament meeting, and feeling more uplifted than I have all week.
However, I dread Relief Society and Sunday school.
Why?
It's filled with babies and pregnant women. While I have nothing against this, and I love playing with all of the babies there, I wish they wouldn't make it seem like that is the lifestyle I need to have. Every Sunday we are asked if anyone is pregnant yet. And I really do mean every Sunday. And yesterday, during ward conference, our stake Relief Society president got up and the first thing she said was how proud and excited she was to see so many pregnant women and new babies here.
While I do see how this is fulfilling a commandment, and how amazing it is to be a mother, some of us are not in that stage of life. Some of us aren't ready.
I was excited when she addressed this, until she said, get ready, stop being scared, and start fulfilling commandments...

This might be my cynical side coming out, but it seems like every lesson revolves around mother hood and how to be a good stay at home mom.

I'm ready to move to a family ward where the lessons can be about doctrine and uplifting ourselves to make us better.

I want to attend church and be uplifted all three hours. I want to leave feeling better about myself.
Lately, I leave feeling worse. Like my lifestyle of working full time and attending school full time is wrong.

This might be a bit to personal for a blog. But I needed to write this all out

Spicy Sunday

This Sunday for dinner I decided to make chicken enchiladas, per Will's request. Should be a breeze right?
Wrong. This is me we are talking about.
Things were going real good until it came time to spice up my sauce with chili powder. Instead of sprinkling I dumped. A big lump of chili powder dissolved immediately into my simmering sauce. This was our exact conversation-
Me : "Uh oh."
Will from the other room: "What did you break this time?"
Me: Nothing... I just... oops" followed by a mess of giggles.
Will then comes in to the kitchen:"Brenna, there's no way an uh oh followed by that laugh means anything good...especially when it's you. what happened?"

After I explained to him what happened, he gave me a hug and said, good thing I'm from Texas. Tried the sauce and told me how good it was.

He's a good husband
I'm a bad cook
And we're about to have a very interesting dinner.

Because operas were never my thing.

The Bachelor lost all it's appeal to me when Tierra left. She was really the only entertaining one. Eyebrows and all. I still watch it though, Sean is handsome.

My patience with our cinder block, Manhattan size apartment from the 60's is wearing very thin. Moving day couldn't come soon enough.

Facebook and insta stalking is a big hobby of mine, I started to feel bad but then I saw engagement album of a couple cleaning a church gym with mops.

Operas really are boring. Except for Don Giovanni, I could watch it all day.

There is a vent in our apartment that leads straight outside, we pick up the smells of our downstairs neighbors a lot. They eat a lot of hash browns and pot roast....

Skippin

Playing hooky isn't nearly as fun when Will has night classes and I have morning ones...But at least one of us is responsible.

I decided that I need to move somewhere that isn't Utah Valley... For many reasons, but the biggest one I can think of is that I could re-name my blog to something clever and cliche like "19 and married" or "teenage bride" something to that effect. Obviously that isn't that clever around here due to the fact that my whole apartment building are teenage brides.... Boo.

Will and I get to spend Valentines day together this year. Last year we were in different states... so that is exciting. However we will be in a car most of the day.

If I didn't have a paper to turn in at 11:30 I would probably skip all of y responsibilities today. I feel like a day off every now and then is good for the soul.

I really love my job these days, but I really miss Old Navy drama.

I have a new found obsession with Imagine Dragons.

Jef with one f is coming to UVU today, I could care less other than the fact that I doubt there will be parking when I go to school....

I'm still trying to figure out what beauty sleep means... Because I always wake up looking ready to star in a Tim Burton film...

3 cheers for playing hooky

Besties

Connecting with a girl who moved back to Utah from BYU-I to marry her boy that attends BYU. She however, didn't get in to BYU.

Sound like anyone?

Yeah.

She does have red hair though. So at least we're a little different.

Baked

According to the boy in front of me.
This video on instruments is much more exciting when you're high. Maybe I should try it.

And it's only the first week.

It's much too early to get up and I'm slowly losing stamina to get up in the morning.
Annnnd, it's only the first week....
Long semester? Probably.

And like I said earlier, I should definitely be doing homework right now.
Oh well.

My music teacher is deaf. So that's exciting.
My math teacher jumps up and down, so that really is exciting.
My Psychology teacher has cracked.
And my English teacher hates English Education majors. I guess we talk too much...

There's a stalker hallway here. Every time I walk through I feel really uncomfortable. A side route is still being planned.

There's a lot more diversity here than in Rexburg. If you can say that and be in Utah Valley.

UVU

Perhaps I'll start blogging more, now that I have homework and have this as an excuse not to do it.

2nd day- been lost twice already and it's only 8:15 am.

I'm pretty sure that Mad-Eye Moody designed this place, just like he designed the maze for the goblet of fire....

I also feel like I'm back in high school. Running into people I'd thought and hoped to never really see again.

People have beards here. It's a strange thing to me. Also I might wear flip flops tomorrow, just to feel rebellious.

3 years ago

3 years ago I had bone spurs removed from my heels.
An entire summer spent on the couch, and a year of physical therapy.
After all this I was supposedly better. They are always stiff before a run, or any physical activity for that matter, and I have to be extra careful when shoe shopping.

Tomorrow, I have another visit with my podiatrist. Why? Well, the pain is back.
About 2 weeks ago while simply walking to my apartment I felt the pain. A sharp stabbing ache in my left heel. Ohhhhh gooood.....

I made an appointment with the doctor who performed my surgeries and tomorrow I see him.

I'm praying that the bone spur isn't growing back, or even worse that I tore or snapped something.


Wish me luck

Life Lately

It's been much too long since I've written here... But, I've been semi-busy/completely distracted with my life lately.

I love my new job. It's fast paced, busy, and challenging. I love the people I work with, and have made some very best friends. I have a steady schedule where I can leave exactly when I'm scheduled to. Instead of staying 4 hours later... It's a great fit for me.

I've been trying to get in to school. And, I'm about to quit and become a seamstress. (ha) 

BYU won't take me. Did anyone know that you have to have a 3.8 GPA to transfer to BYU? What student in their right mind keeps a GPA that high in college? I sure don't. UVU is making it awfully difficult to apply there. I thought that place was practically open enrollment... See my predicament? Thus my desire to become a seamstress.

My husband is fantastic. We have a great time being married. We play lots of video games, watch a lot of netflix, and eat out a lot. One day I'll learn how to cook. (Cooking would however be easier if a standard size cookie sheet or a 9x13 pan would fit in my elf sized oven...) We go on drives, buy new cars, and try to get by.  He lets me go on shopping trips with my friends, and I let him play computer games.

We decided the other day that Halloween isn't as fun when you're married without kids. No fun parties to meet lots of people, no trick-or-treating, no home made decorations or carving pumpkins. Well, I suppose we could do the last two things, but heaven knows I am not of the crafty type, and my skin is highly allergic to pumpkin guts. Go me. 

We are however, (mostly me) excited for Christmas!

I can't wait to throw up lights and set up the tree. (the hand me down tree from my home ward activities committee.) 

My husband thinks he knows how much I like Christmas... 

It's gonna be so great around here!

60 DAYS

The Happenings

Well, as my announcement to the cyber world.... I QUIT OLD NAVY. Isn't it about time? It sure was for me. I turned in my two weeks about a week ago, and have 2 remaining shifts at that crazy place. I left on semi-good terms, and well, I'm more than thrilled to be out of there. My entire attitude has changed. I didn't realize how badly it was bringing me down to work in an environment that I hated. With my new job, training for nearly 9 hours a day, even that has cheered me up. I'm even running again. Old Navy was such a downer. I am however, more than grateful for the experiences, and the 3 years of employment there. Without Old Navy, I wouldn't have met Husband, I wouldn't have met my Annie, The Grinch, and so many more of my very best friends. I wouldn't have had a job that worked around my school and sport schedule in high school, and allowed me to transfer back and forth when I went to school in Idaho. My 3 years there was such a blessing, but it was time for me to grow up and have new experiences. I am ready for change.

In other news...

I watched Legacy yesterday. What a blessing the pioneers were to all of us here. I really need to get to the temple more often. 

Running up the hill to my apartment is a big joke. My legs nearly fall off every time.

So like, Clueless is on Netflix. So fat. 

William asked me last night if he could spend $150 on books. I asked him which ones. They are all related to programming, games design and graphics. He was like a kid asking Santa Clause when he was telling me about them. I clearly married a nerd. So adorable. 

I'm making dinner tonight. Everyone wish me luck that things don't explode or light on fire...

William bought me 2 video games last night. Fable III and Project Gotham Racing III. I am highly addicted to both. 

It's times like these when I'm more than grateful to have my best friend around. Every night. Every day.
I'm grateful he supports my choices and looks after me in everything.

He's really the best

School is now in sessions

 Will's school supplies consisted of notebooks, pens, pencils erasers and a stapler, I got a box of 96 crayons, and Barbie, Disney Princess, and Scooby Doo coloring books.
I believe I got the better half.


On another note-
$35 of make-up for $5

$60 of groceries and school supplies for $7
We're still living off gift cards and we're still loving it.

A dinner date gone so very wrong

Using one of our many gift cards we received to a few restaurants, Will and I decided to go to Outback last night, seeing as we both had the day off of work.
It went rather well, and my food tasted oh so good. Like always.
We came home and lounged for a while. laid in bed and talked for a long time.
As I was getting tired, Will got up to go work on a new app he's making, and I fell asleep.

A couple hours later I woke up completely sick to my stomach. Thinking I would be okay, I laid in bed for a while, trying to get more sleep.
I then realized what was happening, and I ran straight for the bathroom. I did that countless times last night, and even a couple times this morning.

Will was so sweet to me. Leaving me be while I was in the bathroom and desired no company. And holding me close and doing everything I asked while I was out.

I still feel awful. Will was so sweet. And I'm never going to the Outback again.

Oh Ryan

I've watched this probably 6 times.
It's just too funny

It's a good thing he's handsome and swims fast.

On Campus Life

Much like the on campus life in Rexburg, quiet hours are enforced and cars must be registered to park over night.

Unlike Rexburg however, and something I surprisingly didn't notice my entire life, there are always runners around campus. No matter what time of day.

Driving to work at 7:50 this morning, there were at least 4 runners every block on both sides of the street. That is, until I left campus. Then Bam. No more runners.

This evening, when I decided to run, and ran for a mere 30 minutes, I passed 12 runners.

Go BYU.

You would think they would have a better track team from this observation.

Old and Married

And nickle city is still our favorite date night. the air hockey score is now 5-5... Sad I know. I had a bad night.

And we purchased slime and a boomerang with our 699 tickets.

Married Student Ward

Well, at least it's not as quiet as a singles ward....

Will and I, totally lost when we arrived at church this morning at 7:55 a.m.(and yes, our church really does start at 8.) had to track down a random bishop and then the stake presidency to find our ward and their location in the massive building.

After tracking them down and walking in late to a combined lesson of relief society/priesthood, we learned an awful lot simply by observation.
The bishop is fantastic. He won't shove baby making down our throats and wishes for the both of us to finish our college education.
People react in 3 different ways when new members arrive in the ward.
1. They welcome you cheerfully and converse politely with you.
2. They stare at you when you're not looking and avert their eyes when you look back.
3. They stare at you whether you're looking or not and refuse to break that stare for anything.

Church wasn't as bad as we anticipated. And we even made friends. 'insert fist bump'

However, I have yet to experience relief society on my own, and have yet to receive a calling.