crazytownbananapants: From Top to Bottom

Only a week and a half has gone by since we last spoke, and yet I feel like everything has gone crazytownbananapants*. I'll be breaking this down into a few blog posts.

*Community reference

The Top...

Friday, 9/14: I got my wisdom teeth out. I had an ice pack head wrap for the entire first day.
Later that day I went up to Logan for the Top of Utah Marathon that Kim, Kyle, and Heather were running the next day.

Ice wraps are so fetch.

Saturday, 9/15: Matt, Dave, Petey, Natalie and I all managed to wake up and get out the door by 7:40. It was a Christmas miracle.

Ben (Kim's husband) and Matt being all cute.

At mile 20 (or 21?) there were horses. They startled me.

We're also Team Kim and Team Heather.
Day 2 of wisdom teeth removal.

Leslie.

Mile 14

Finish Line

I'm super ridiculously proud of all of them.

Later that night I got a chance to hang out with Jenna, Emmett, Jared, little Jared (Andrew) and Katy. Jemmett have the coolest apartment ever. And a cool neighbor. It was really fun seeing (almost) all of my Logan friends, because I miss you guys a lot.

... The Bottom.

Friday, 9/21: I set sail (in my boat-like car) for Cedar City to visit Petey. After two hours of driving I realized that I left my temple dedication recommend at home. *Facepalm* Luckily Petey's dad was going to Cedar City the next day so he graciously brought it down.
We finally knocked Lawless off our movie bucket list.

Saturday, 9/22: St. George, In-N-Out, shopping, Hamlet, fudge.

Sunday, 9/23: Brigham City Temple dedication. It was really great to see another house of the Lord put into service.
After saying good-bye to my best friend, I visited my great-grandma. I don't visit my family as much as I should, because she gave me some great advice and words of wisdom.

I was casually driving back up north when I became faintly aware of a peculiar smell coming through my vents. Not 30 seconds later my battery light came on and it suddenly became really hard to steer. I pulled over as soon as I could. I stared at my engine in my Sunday best before deciding to call a few people.

The phone calls went like this:

• Dad --> No answer.
• Dad --> No answer.
• Mom --> "Why isn't dad answering? I kinda need to talk to him because my car basically gave up the ghost."
  [I changed into pants and a t-shirt]
• Uncle Phil --> "Hey, how are you doing? What can you tell me about cars?"
  "What do you mean 'pulleys' and 'belt?' I barely know how a tire rotates."
  "Did you get the picture I sent you? Oh wait, I found a diagram of the engine on the inside of the hood!"
  "Where am I? Let me walk down to the sign I just passed and find out."
• Grandpa --> "So I'll see you soon then?"
  [I read/napped in the back of my car]
• Grandpa (1.5 hours later) --> "No, grandpa. I'm not going to run across the freeway." (I seriously considered his suggestion at first. Then I realized that it was a terrible idea.)

My grandpa and my step cousin/uncle (I'm not sure) Tim tried to fix my car. After a while they decided it would be safer to get it off the freeway, so I threw on my hazards and slowly rolled down to the exit. I pulled off of the obscure exit and my grandpa determined Bonnie, my car, wasn't going anywhere, so I moved all my stuff to his car. I was so hungry my grandpa bought my Burger King. I don't like Burger King.

Luckily my dad and grandpa were able to tow my car and fix it up pretty quick. Turns out my water pump broke in some way.

Pennsylvania.

WHATDIDITELLYA?!
I'm serving in the Pennsylvania Philadelphia mission, and I leave December 19th.
Needless to say, I am ecstatic.


 One more reason I am Liz Lemon in real-world form.

Philadelphia:

• Philadelphia has more public art than any other American city. 
• Cheesesteaks, soft pretzels, Italian ice, and stromboli.
• 1.5 million people (I do love the city).
• The 5th most walkable city in the U.S.
• The Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Edgar Allen Poe's home, and a whole lotta museums.

I'll have to watch National Treasure again.

Pennsylvania:

• My dear old roommate Katy is from there! (can I still technically call you a roommate?)
• Eastern accent.
• German, Irish, Italian, African, English, Polish, Puerto Rican, etc. Everyone.
• "It leads all other states in the manufacture of pretzels..." Pretzels. PRETZELS. If you've lived with me, you'll understand. (The Hershey factory is also there, but I was never a huge chocolate person.)

So there you have it! I hope I actually end up in Philly, because I'd love to be in the city. My area includes half of Jersey, Delaware, and half of Maryland as well. 

Also (for Jenna):

the Sunday post strikes again!

This week feels like it lasted a month.

I went tubing on the Provo River on Monday, my first time ever. It started off quite poorly-- they told me to just sit on my tube and go, so I did. After about 10 feet I flipped over and began to clamor for my tube as the current dragged me along the shallow water as my legs took a pounding from every single rock along the bank. I finally stood up and saw Heather heading toward me. I couldn't really move without falling again, so I just stood there until she ran into me and flipped off her tube. A combination of the initially cold water and more people heading toward me finally got me back into my tube. After that it was pretty smooth sailing. The canyon was surprisingly gorgeous to watch while floating, and I even got to lay back for a while and hum to myself.

As for the rest of the week, I basically did the same thing every day. Go to work, come home, watch Netflix, meander around my house, study scriptures, sleep. Except on Thursday my dad got a call from Salt Lake and was informed that Ambien is not a Church-approved medicine. So thus begun my search for an adequate over-the-counter sleeping medicine (I shall have you know that ZzzQuil takes forever to kick in). I was irritated; not with the Church for their lack of approval, but with my stupid brain and its inability to shut down. Sometimes I wish I could pull my brain out of my skull and punch it in the face. Matt made a prophetic comment a while ago that my insomnia is going to be one of the biggest challenges on a mission. And as far as I can tell, it is.

I also got sick on Thursday, but it wasn't that bad.

Friday was odd. Before seeing Newsies in the park, I had a shocking and unexpected personal conversation with a friend. It's impossible to explain, as much as I'd like to, but I was never too good at explaining emotions. Back on the Newsies topic, I love New York. You'll never hear the end of how much I love New York. Especially the City.

My brother and parents went to Roosters in Ogden (a restaurant, for those of you who don't know) and I tagged along because I never got my birthday dinner back in July. Lo and behold, when we were being seated I heard my name being called by the fabulous... Jenna Fiesta. So Jenna, if you're reading this (which you better be), it was good to see you, haha. I'm sorry we couldn't talk more, but I'll see you this weekend. (Logan trip-- holla!)

I'd like to bring you back once again to my mission call. I've only asked a few people where they think I'm going, because the rest shout "BOISE!" and later that night I sob into my pillow (before NOT falling asleep). But I'll tell you my personal guess, because Salt Lake has already decided my fate and what I say won't change it now, mwhaha:
Stateside. Where? I don't know, but more in the eastern direction. Oh, how I'd love the New York, New York mission, but I feel I could serve well anywhere in the east. If I actually go foreign, I agree with Chris's guess of Southern Europe, Scandinavia (my dad served in Norway), or my personal guess of Hungary. I told Kyle that I'll to go to Croatia so I can force him to actually speak Croatian.

So, if you want to guess, here's your chance.

Let's wait 10 days.

"Hellooooo..."

There seems to be a pattern of me blogging on Sundays. Probably because it's the only day that something happens to me. Luckily I have super entertaining coworkers (mainly my secret lover) who watch the same TV shows I do to keep me entertained throughout the week.

• Main reason for blogging: My papes are in.
  I get my call Wednesday, September 12*
  Oh baby, oh baby. 

No doubt you'll hear more about this next week.
*Most likely. They usually come within 10 days. 

• Minor blogging point #1: I am not in school. It is peculiar. I just think about how those of you in school are moving forward in your lives and I'm not moving forward the same way. I'll get there... eventually. Oh, and believe me, any tidbits about your day at school or anything at all is fun to hear. I sound so pathetic.
• Minor blogging point #2: You guys know me. You know how I am with boys (or should I say: without boys. Zing!). To put it shortly and without any expectations, a guy came home this week. I have not seen him yet. That is all.
• Minor blogging point #3: I like odd numbers. 

Fun fact: Did you know that "Called to Serve" has always been one of my favorite songs?

Called to Serve

Called to serve Him, heav'nly King of glory,
Chosen e'er to witness for his name,
Far and wide we tell the Father's story,
Far and wide his love proclaim.

[Chorus]
Onward, ever onward, as we glory in his name;
Onward, ever onward, as we glory in his name;
Forward, pressing forward, as a triumph song we sing.
God our strength will be; press forward ever,
Called to serve our King.

Called to know the richness of his blessing-
Sons and daughters, children of a King-
Glad of heart, his holy name confessing,
Praises unto him we bring.