Not Cool Robert Frost!

Why do I never post anymore? I think I miss it so I think I'll try to find more time to devote to this here web log.  In any case, today has been a great day.  I'm probably going to attribute it to the fact that I spent the best dollar of my life on an alarm clock app last night.  Sleep is very dear to me but unfortunately, I abuse it all too often.  This app may be saving my sleep though.  Essentially, it uses the accelerometer in your phone and it tracks roughly when you are in which stages of sleep.  You set the alarm to wake you during a half hour period and it will go off when you are in the lightest stage of sleep which is when your body naturally wakes up.  IT WORKED!  Seriously, I'm hooked.  And it tracks and graphs your sleep over time so you can make good sleeping habits.  Quite the useful tool for a sleep deprived college student.

So after I woke up refreshed, I took a stupid calc test and then went to two more classes and returned home to find 3 of my roommates and their (basically) boyfriends over.  What a good afternoon!  Then my other roommates got back and we painted nails and hung out with the boys next door and just had a grand afternoon.  Spring Break must be starting tomorrow because everyone is way too happy (actually I take that back, I wish we were all this happy all of the time).

It's just been a great day.  I even got to watch 3 short TED talks!  And we know how much I love TED talks.  They are my favorite.  I was led to this pep talk from Kid President on the TED website and thought I'd share-

This kid is seriously the cutest.  "Not cool Robert Frost!"  If you have a few minutes to spare I would highly recommend watching more of his videos.  They'll just make you happy.

Life is just so fun right now.  To top off my good happy feelings right now, I just got an email that I had a package downstairs and it was my mom's monthly package with the Ensign.  How sweet is she??  And it had two packs of gum!  My life is awesome.  Oh and I'm going with my friend and the kids she nanny's to Disney on Ice tonight... There's a first time for everything!  Haha.  Good times.

Plus- I leave tomorrow for Macklemore in St. George and then on to Vegas on Saturday to stay with my pledge class until Tuesday.  Spring Break here I come!

I'm loving life.  It's a beautiful thing.  Yeah, it has it's downs (last week anyone? BAD week) but it's days like these that remind me why I'm here and that help me to see the wonderful things life has to offer.

mechale lauren

p.s.  How did I get so lucky as to live with these 6 incredible girls?  They are some of my closest friends and I would be nothing without them.  Love them to the moon and back.
Emily, me, Shelby, Nish, Steph, Katie, Katlyn at the Beta Babe competition

It's midnight and I was supposed to go to bed an hour and a half ago because I have class at 7:30... but alas, I'm still up reading all of my past blog posts.  It's killing me!  I'm loving reading back at the dork I was (and really still am).  It's gotten me thinking about all the ways I've changed.

I can't fall asleep.  I'm so happy right now and I don't want this night to end.  I've been in a bit of a slump.  I've just been struggling and couldn't figure out why.  I hadn't been to the temple in a while.  I always meant to go but it was hard to find a few hours (trax take forever) to go.  Terrible excuse. I just kept telling myself that I would go the next day.  So yeah, things were so hard.  I had no motivation.  I was angsty.  I was lazy.  And then that all changed yesterday.  My neighbor Taggert and I had been trying to find a day to go to the temple together and we finally found a time.  So yesterday we went.  It was exactly what I needed.

I don't know what I would do without the gospel in my life.  It grounds me when nothing else can.  Simply going to the temple, reading scriptures, pondering and praying while there was the best medicine I could have received.  I love the gospel.  With the Lord's help I can accomplish anything.  17 credit hours of purely math and science plus working in a lab is a lot. This semester won't be easy.  But I can do it because I have the Lord on my side.  Today after classes, I spent an hour and a half studying my scriptures and listening to the CES devotional that I had to miss on Sunday.  And then wrote a letter to a close friend on his mission.  I had SO much homework to do but I just decided to study first.  It made all the difference!  Honestly, such a testimony builder.  I expected to be working on my homework for a good 6-8 hours but I was able to get it done in 4.  And I understood everything!   What a blessing.

Putting the Lord first makes all the difference.  He cares about me and my studies.  He cares about my social life.  He cares that I had been feeling down in the dumps and He is there to help but I need to reach out to Him in order for his help to reach me effectively.

And there is my first post back from a long time.  It's late so excuse the rambling.

mechale lauren

The Next 8 Months

As I entered the Conference Center this morning, I anticipated that conference would be meaningful but there is no way I could have expected what was to come.  When they announced that President Monson would be the first to speak I was a little surprised but excited.  I love hearing him.  He began by talking at temples which was expected.  But then the focus changed to missionary work.  He began talking about young men who in some countries are allowed to begin serving at age 18.  He announced that now all young men will be eligible to begin serving missions at age 18 provided that they have graduated from high school.  Then he began talking about sister missionaries.  My heart stopped.  He announced that young women will now be able to serve missions at the age of 19.  I immediately got the chills and tears began to well up in my eyes.  Everyone began chatting in hushed tones.  Today was a historical day for missionary service in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I feel so blessed to have been at the conference center.

In the two hours following that historic announcement I wept with excitement, anticipation and wonder.  I could potentially enter the MTC in 8 months.  To serve a full time mission.  As I sat and listened to the remainder of the session I was filled with the Spirit.  My mom served a mission and I always admired that about her.  I always thought that is would be so cool to go but didn't really know if it was for me.  I want to get married between the ages of 21 and 23 so I wondered whether serving a mission would be right for my life.  Now, though, I could serve and be home by the age of 20.  I still can hardly believe it.  I have never been to nor watched a session of conference more meaningful to me and my life.  I am now preparing to serve a full time mission.  I still don't know whether or not I will go, it's an incredibly personal and important decision.  But this I do know- whether or not I go, my Heavenly Father wants me to prepare to serve a mission.  I know this without any shadow of a doubt.  I have never felt so sure about something in my life.  Preparing to serve a full time mission will bless my life immeasurably.  It will be help me become who God intended me to be.  I know that preparing for this will help me be a better example and missionary now.

I am anxious to being preparing and exploring the option of serving a mission in 8 months.  I know this gospel is true!  There is no doubt in my mind about that.  As Sister Dibb said, "I am a Mormon.  I know it, I live it, I love it."  I am so grateful to be the age that I am so that I can take advantage of this opportunity.  I still can hardly believe it!  This seems so surreal.

mechale lauren

Fall Debates 2012

Let us get real here- Presidential debates are so much better than studying for a midterm, writing a paper on tennis, writing a lab proposal, and writing a paper about Ceramatec and Fairchild Semiconductor.  No questions asked.

Short blog post?  yeah, and I don't care.  Mitt and Barack are waiting..

mechale maxwell

Blitzen

Do you ever have days that are so great and then one tiny thing makes them not so great anymore?  That describes today.  I had a great day, went on a super fun date, had Chi O stuff, went to a great engineering meeting and then opened at text from my mom at 6:51 saying, "Blitzen died today."  It was hard to keep myself together while in my meeting.  As I walked from the engineering building back to the Chi O I lost it.

To be honest, I'm surprised she lasted this long.  She's been on her way out since the beginning of the summer.  But the finality of it was startling.  Even earlier today I was talking to someone about how she just needs to die.  I was so lighthearted!  If I had known that I later in the day I'd be hearing the news that she was gone I don't think I would have joked about it.

Blitzen has been a huge part of my life since I was four.  We got her for Christmas (hence the reindeer name) and she had been around ever since.  I know that I didn't always play with her everyday, hated being on pooper scooper duty, and sometimes didn't really notice that she was around but she was my dog and I already miss her.  I'll miss her sleeping with me when there was thunder and lightning.  I'll miss her chasing after anyone in a uniform.  I'll miss her being so excited to see me when I got home from a trip.  I'll miss her eating bees.  I'll miss her being there for 14 years of my life.

Seeing her go down hill the past few months was hard- cancer, cataracts, arthritis- but she was always happy through it all.  Even on her pain meds she would try to come see me anytime I saw her.  She was such a loyal dog and I'll miss her.

RIP Blitzen.  You were the best dog ever.  I love you.

October 17, 1998- September 24, 2012.

mechale lauren

p.s. I wish I had a picture of her on my computer.  She was the cutest black lab ever.

Sunday Thoughts

Finally, things are settling into normal and I'm extremely happy.  I had two dates this week and two possibly three next week.  I'm doing well in my classes (even if I have never had so much homework in my life).  I have close friends and do lots fun stuff with them.  I'm finally here on the weekends and able to get involved in my ward here.  It seriously is such a relief.  I'm becoming a much better person than I was before.

That last one is what I've been thinking about the most on this Sunday.  The Brigham City temple dedication was today.  I don't live with anyone who is active in the church.  So I go to church alone.  It would have been so easy today to just not go to church since it was the dedication, not that I would want to, just that it would be easy because there is no one to go with, notice that I'm not there, whatever.  But I went and sat by myself and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I love making my own decisions and doing what's right not because people around me are or that it's expected but because its what I do and what I want to do.  I know that my testimony has gotten stronger and I'm definitely a stronger person because of my decision to move out and go to the U.

I love Sundays.  Its such a relaxing day to forget about all the worries and issues I have during the week.  I'm so grateful for this day!  All of my roommates are in and out all Sunday (shopping, homework, sorority things, getting groceries) but I have made it a priority to keep this day holy and that seriously has made all the difference.  I don't feel as stressed,  and I am able to just relax and regroup.  I have never loved Sunday's so much.

Life is good right now.  My life here is finally real.  I'm not holding on to Bountiful and my friends there anymore. I live in Salt Lake and it's so nice to finally have friends here to do things with.  Seriously, joining a sorority has been by far the best decision I've made in college so far.  I have an automatic friend group, I've made so many more connections than I ever would have.  It keeps me busy.  There's something to do almost everyday.  I love it.

Oh I love college.  I've been kinda back and forth with the whole thing but now, it really is all so great.  And I'm happy.

mechale lauren

a night in the 4201

just made french toast on kneaders cinnamon bread at 11:30.  so incredibly worth it.  and then doing a little mary hart shape up throwback (80's aerobics for those of you not fortunate enough to have come across mary).  and i have class tomorrow at 7:30.  awesome.  good thing i'm a college student and can run on no sleep?  i should probably get to bed.

i love life.

mechale lauren

p.s. the 4201 is our apartment number... but really, we're known as "the girls next door."  our rock even says so-