new obsession

I've always had a problem with sticky notes. I just love them too much!! I mean, check out the side of my bookshelf. 

In my last area on my mission, everything in our apartment was covered in sticky notes. The four of us were always sending notes back in forth, hiding them in journals, scriptures, closets, everywhere. IJUSTREALLYLOVESTICKYNOTES.

You can imagine how happy I was when I stumbled upon a STICKY NOTE APP. I'm even more in love now, if that's at all possible. 

TOO MUCH FUN. It's probably my most used app, next to Facebook. 

I know. I need a life.

the day after

Christmas hangovers....you know what I'm talking about.

Go for a walk with mom: check.

Shower: check. (That was a big step.)

Make bed and fold laundry: check.

Sit on bed, eating Christmas candy and watching Netflix: in progress.

Also, say hello to my main man. I can't get enough. 

One advantage to cleaning your room...

...finding this quote after searching for what feels like years. (well, since junior english. so yeah, years.)

"My child, the troubles and temptations of your life are beginning and may be many, but you can overcome and outlive them all if you learn to feel the strength and tenderness of your Heavenly Father as you do that of your earthly one. The more you love and trust Him, the nearer you will feel to Him, and the less you will depend on human power and wisdom. His love and care never tire or change, can never be taken from you, but may become the source of lifelong peace, happiness, and strength."

--Mrs. March, Little Women

That one time that I got a mission call..

...and couldn't put the video online until AFTER being released as a missionary ;)

So...this happened once. November 14th, 2012, to be exact. Crazy day. I haven't met anyone else that swore while opening their mission call. This here is a winner.

Classic Gregg lines...

Maybe this is mostly just for my personal enjoyment, but just know that my dad sent the best emails every week that I was gone.


Soeur Layton looks like she's super nice. Is she from Texas?  (Sandy Cheeks is from Texas, and she's the best.) 

Things are good here.  I've been battling sprinkler issues, but I'm confident I'll prevail. 

When I say I'm missing you, it's just that you're lots of fun to have around, and we miss your smile, and your sense of humor, and there's no one to help humble Nick.  He just keeps getting taller and smarter, which is not good for his ego.

Hola.  

Como hisssta?  

And how are you sisters this fine afternoon, relief society good today?  

How are you sweet spirits tonight?  

Didn't I uh, see you at the hay ride last week?

Sorry, I found myself dropping into DeVerl mode with that opening.  That's not quite as good as Darrel mode ("escue me can I talk to you for a minute?"  "Whas yo name, delicate?" "Work that up-do.").

I know you can't read this today, but I want to say it today anyway. Have the best birthday ever. Love, Dad

Those creepy guys that made you feel uncomfortable...I'm sure they could see your confidence and joy and charity in your countenance, which is quite attractive.  Still, I might have to come over there and walk right in front of you for the rest of your mission, just to make sure they know to leave you alone.  Plus I'd get to be on vacation in an awesome country for 14+ months, so there's not a lot of downside to that idea.  See if you can work it out with Pres. Roney, will ya?

Our stake fair is coming up in September.  I still remember our fair four years ago, when you quickly dispatched of me in a Sudoku match and told me to "suck it", which I deserved.  How could I have doubted your intellectual superiority?  Whatever.  

P.S.  I sang "Close to You" to Cooper tonight (among a few other songs), and it put him to sleep.  It reminded me of you.

It is strange to think, I have not seen you in a month.  I have seen the new moon, but not you.  I have seen sunsets and sunrises, but nothing of your beautiful face.  The pieces of my broken heart can pass through the eye of a needle.  I miss you like the sun misses the flower.  Like the sun misses the flower in the depths of winter.  Instead of beauty to direct its light to, the heart hardens like the frozen world your absence has sent me to.

I next compete in Paris.  I'll find it empty and cold if you're not there.  Hope guides me.  It gets me through the day and especially the night.  The hope that after you leave my sight it will not be the last time I look upon you.

With all the love that I possess, I remain yours, the knight of your heart.  

(This is the part where Mom is forcing me to tell you this is from Knights Tale, but I'm hoping you recognized it.  She said you'll think me bizarre, but we both already know that, pretty much.)

We're a pretty happy bunch.  We have a lot to be happy about.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.  -- Charles Dickens

That's often how I feel on Sunday nights, which is when I write you an email each week.  

ooxxooXoXXx

Bad news...

This is an entire week of "see ya laters".

Sunday wasn't awful. I'll see almost all of my family next week before I leave. It was my last time seeing my cousins from Idaho...I think I hugged my favorite two at least ten times this weekend. However, I've made them promise to be faithful little letter writers, so I'm not too worried.

Today's been hard. I just said "see ya later" to one of my favorite people in the whole world. She is an amazing person who has influenced my life, probably more than she's ever realized. She is an angel, as are so many of my great friends. I went from a high to such a low when I walked back in my house, as it suddenly hit me that this was it. This whole year-and-a-half thing really is happening. Of course we'll all stay in touch...but seriously. To give you an idea of my current condition, I'm on tissue number seven. Fo reals.

I know I can do this. I know that I'm meant to go on a mission and that I'll have some really amazing experiences. I know there's sacrifice involved. I know this. But let me just say that this whole "see ya later" thing? Yeeeeeeeah it's definitely not my fave.

See ya later?

Saying goodbye sucks. "See ya later" isn't quite so bad. "Goodbye"...not my fave. 

I leave for the MTC three weeks from today (ONLY 21 DAYS, GUYS.). I didn't realize that some goodbyes and see ya laters would come so soon! The past few days have proved to be just a bit overwhelming in that regard...

MONDAY. Goodbye number one. Without even realizing it, it was my last day of work! I was scheduled a few more days out...but more on that later. For the past nine months, I've been an interviewer for Pegus Research, and while there were some days that made me want to give up the ghost, it really was a great job. A blessing, even. I worked for and with some amazing people. I think I might miss them. I certainly won't miss health care surveys, but I'll miss those people.

TUESDAY. A double whammy. After two hours of sitting in her salon with my mom, I had my first "see ya later" with my friend and hair-lady, Becky. As we walked out to the car, I couldn't figure out why leaving her house was so hard, when I only see her every three or four months anyway! Becky is one of those sweet people who could be friends with absolutely anyone. She has a hilarious personality and is absolutely a gem. But. If I had a hard time parting with her...what hell is in store for me over the next three weeks? I'm only slightly afraid...

Goodbye number two. For the past two years, Sadie has been a HUGE part of my life. We went everywhere together...EVERYWHERE. 

She was the car of all cars. Trust me, if I weren't leaving the country for so long, I'd never get rid of her. But alas, within 17 hours of the listing being on KSL, she was gone. I certainly didn't expect it to happen so fast...but we got in one last cruise around K-town with the sun roof open and some Matt Nathanson blaring before we parted ways.
It'll be weird to have to borrow cars and steal rides from my parents for the next couple weeks....luckily I had an awesome boss who was willing to move my quit date up a bit and let me go early! For that, I'm very grateful, but I'll miss my cute blue friend. Love you, Sadie!

WEDNESDAY. Goodbye number three. Save the worst for last?
For the last few months, Oreo was really sick. His kidneys were failing, the vet figured he was born with kidney disease. He was always a giant cat, but he lost a lot of weight really fast. Over the past few weeks, he slept more than anything else and finally reached the point where it was just too sad to watch him be so sick all the time. All it took was a quick trip up to Animal Control this morning, and Oreo was gone.

That cat really was a pain in the butt. He bit me countless times (as well as quite a few visitors). He really liked to pee anywhere but his litter box and throw up outside your door in the middle of the night. If you got off your bed, he was in your spot by the time you got back. He'd walk around the house all night crying because he wanted someone to feed him. My dad swore he was going to kill him dozens of times. 

But, in addition to all of that, he loved sunbathing on the front porch. I'm sure he could tell when I was sad, because that's when he'd let me hold and cuddle with him. Before he got sick, he was always down for a laser-pointer chase. He had such a fun, semi-obnoxious but really cute personality. 

I'll miss that little guy. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go eat some Oreos.

i miss this.

I like writing. I'm certainly not the greatest writer in the world, but I like it. It's mostly something to do to get things straightened out in my brain, or to figure out exactly what it is that I'm feeling (cue chick from Mean Girls: "I just have a lot of feelings"...)

My dad says I should be a journalist. My grandpa says I should write. Both of them majored in Communications, and both told me TO NOT TO. 

So. I'm never sure what to write about. What do people like to read? What about my life is actually interesting enough to entertain someone for two minutes of their afternoon? I don't know. 

But here's the deal. Four weeks from today, I'll be starting the biggest adventure of my life. That means I have four weeks to figure out how I want to close this chapter of my life and how I want to open the next one. My thoughts have been flying all over the place for the past five months. Now, it's time to focus. Focus on preparing, focus on becoming. Focus on raising the bar and on living higher. Focus on not crying every time I think about leaving my family. Focus on finding my courage in the face of the unknown. 

If there's anyone who actually reads this, I'm sorry for my six-month hiatus. Truly, I've missed this. Reading my friends' blogs (and probably too many blogs of people I've never met...) made me realize how much I've missed this. So. For four weeks, I'm back. 

Hi there.