JFSB Fountain

So if you aren't familiar with the BYU campus let me tell you about one of my favorite places...the Joseph Fielding Smith Building. This is the building in which I live. Every building on campus has a major or school that has all of its classes there, and the JFSB is mine for both history and English classes and believe it or not my on campus job. (No, I never leave.)

As I have so much time in and around this building you would be correct in thinking that I know it pretty well from the balcony on the fourth floor to all the great places to hide and read/study in a good chair or couch to the beautiful relaxing court yard. In this courtyard is a wonderful fountain with large pieces of rock in the middle creating natural-like waterfalls, albeit small ones.

One of the things I love to do is watch when little kids come up and start putting their hands in and splashing around or better yet, when they hope right in and play like they are at the water park and secretly I have always wanted to join them, but thought that my college peers would think me juvenile and maybe a little "around the bend." This secret desire has been building for over 4 years now and this Sunday I gave in.

I was helping giving a tour to my sister and her family and we went there and their little girls got in to play...so I did too. Now I didn't go crazy and fall in or splash a bunch I just walked around and got my feet wet, but it was so worth it. I may even do it again and make a mess of it before I graduate from this lovely school and let other people's opinions of me be poppycock!

The Power of Words

I was reminded today of the power that words can carry when the right ones are chosen.

My brother wrote these words six or seven years ago and they have brought me and many others a great deal of comfort.

The Rear Guard

By Dean Newton (distributed by his sister Melanie Newton)

Walking back from the temple last week, a piece of music got stuck in my head. As it played over and over, an image formed in my mind…

I stood on a hill, over looking a great battle began. I could see two mighty armies battling with swords and shields, one in bright silver and gold, the other in a dark black and grey. I look down, and notice that I too am clad in armor of silver and gleaming gold. I turn back to the battle. I see the battle sway back and forth, one side gaining ground, and then the other pushing them back.

Finally thirteen horses ride past me, on their way into the conflict. It is my captain, and his twelve sub-captains. Almost immediately the black army starts to lose ground. The Enemy throws everything it has at my Captain, but nothing can slow or stop him as he charges into the fight, rallying our soldiers to him. Then, I see him take a vicious blow from behind: He was betrayed by one of his twelve. He soon rises again, but leaves the field of combat, with a few last commands to his still faithful sub-captains.

Shortly, after the Captain leaves, his sub-captains are forced from the field by overwhelming numbers of mighty Black soldiers. I watch as my fellow soldiers try to hold true to their cause, but with no leader on the field, they fight a hopeless battle. I see them struggle, and I long to help, but I cannot, for I am a soldier in the Lord’s Army, and my orders hold me back. For I am in the Rear Guard, the Last Army of the Lord.

Finally, my company’s commander leads the way into the fray, and the call goes forth “REAR GUARD to the Fight!”

I see the enemy send forth his most terrible soldiers, his most powerful companies, but we are the Rear Guard and we will not fail, for we are the LAST Army of the Lord. We cannot fail, for if we do, there is no one else to come.

Our Captain is behind us as we charge into the fight, his commands hold us strong. We will not fail!! For We Cannot.

Rear Guard to the Front! Into the Battle! Victory! Victory! For our Lord!

Memorial Park

We went to the park again; this time for a picnic and we played on the AA gun that was in the park.

Yes we are college students, but yes we still climb on things like they are playground equipment.

Spring has Arrived!

The Sun has finally shown its face and given us a little warmth to enjoy the outdoors. To commemorate this my roommate and a few of the guys in my ward went the park to read and nap in the sun and green grass.

While we were there we saw people flying a kite in the lovely breeze.

As you can see I mostly read. A Cathy Marie Hake book recommended to me by my sister and might I say I really do enjoy CMH as an author.

Here is our group reading and napping. Great thanks to Mom for the amazing jean quilt and the fleece that go outside for things like this.

Jackie reading in her oh so cool sun glasses.
(She is reading The Undaunted, one of the most dauntingly thick books I have ever seen.)

Michael napping and synchronized leg moving with his roommate on the other blanket.

All in all it was a fantastic day and may become a weekly tradition during the fine weather.

Underland

So since high school English class when I was forced to for a grade, I have been writing short stories and poems sporadically. It has been nice, and now I am wanting to share a few of them with those I love.

I hope you enjoy reading these as much as I enjoyed writing them.

I've been to Underland and made it back again,
But have no fear, tisn't so scary--the upside down world.
I shed my tears when I hit my head,
But my heart was where I felt the hurt,
The pain it wound around my head as a ribbon of color and stars.

Chorus:
Falling down,
Spinning round,
Topsy turvy,
Upside down,
Holding on,
Letting go,
and Reaching out.

Up my eyes to rest on a door--a way forward;
Is there any other way?
Through the door or up the hole from which I fell,
And as I went there they were, the objects of my memories.
The things I passed, they tell a tale that makes me twinge from the everyday.

Chorus:
Falling down,
Spinning round,
Topsy turvy,
Upside down,
Holding on,
Letting go,
and Reaching out.

So forward it is and through the door I go.
On the other side, another world,
A brand new life to be discovered--to start all over.
In smoke and mist appear my trials: a cat, a queen, and a caterpillar,
Some old, some new, but real as day.

Chorus:
Falling down,
Spinning round,
Topsy turvy,
Upside down,
Holding on,
Letting go,
and Reaching out.


I overcame; I made it through,
Each test one step toward my goal.
And now the trick no mind can master no lights, no flashes, no sleight of hand,
To take them both and go ahead;
Two lives I've lived: one right side up, on up-side down.

Out I came on the other side,
I rose again to the world I knew.
The sky is up, the earth is down,
My world is righted,
My life continues.

Chorus:
Falling down,
Spinning round,
Topsy turvy,
Upside down,
Holding on,
Letting go,
and Reaching out.

A map in my hand,

A hat on my head,
A butterfly pin,
A watch in my pocket,
A road at my feet,
And a sunrise before me.

Personal thought:
Never forget that no matter what problems and trials come your way there is always hope and a sun rising in the future...Faith will take us through anything.

Road Trip to Vegas

So I never got around to posting about when my little sister and I road tripped down to Las Vegas to see Rachel, Andrew, and baby Katherine.

They were in town for Andrew's business trip and Elaine and I decided we needed to leave the Provo bubble and do a little site seeing as well and some good quality family time. (Not to mention this was our first road trip ever without the entire family.)

Well we being the poor college students that we are staying in Circus Circus Hotel, and let me tell you that the room we had wasn't fit for much more than sleeping in, extremely sad, but as we were only there for the 7 hours of sleep a night it was fine.

And let me tell you the inside really is a circus just like the sign says.

The second thing we were there for was to see family. And even though we didn't get any pictures of Rachel and Andrew we assure you they were there and didn't ship there child to us in a box. Isn't she the cutest child ever!

She was teething so everything went in her mouth.

She wasn't too happy in these, but at least she wasn't screaming which also occurred while we were there. We all had fun playing with her the whole time.



So we spent most our time in Rachel and Andrew's hotel the Aria and let me tell you it was amazing. Just look at what we saw in the lobby of the shopping center right next door.

This is the kind of car my brother wants to drive.

We ate breakfast a little French patisserie in the lobby called Jean Phillipe and it was worth driving to Vegas to eat there. The food was to die for.

And the architecture was pretty neat too.

This was the view from their room! A little better than ours...

The lobby casino, so convienent except when you want to walk through it. The scented air they pump through it is not quite strong enough to eliminate the alcohol and smoke smell, but that is what should be expected.

Remember I mentioned site seeing...well this is what we passed in the short drive to there hotel everyday.

Harrah's, Mardi Gras Central
(a little taste of home)

The Sphinx, not the name of the hotel, but I forget that part.

The Eiffel Tower
I always wanted to go to France and in a way this could count right? (Correct answer: NO!)

Caesar's (classic)

The Statue of Liberty
I saw this one in NY and you get a better view in Vegas let me tell you, except for the boat ride part.

Excalibur
This is a more kid friendly place to stay and looks pretty cool.

And Finally my favorite part of tourism in Vegas, the 4 story tall M&M Store. It has everything you can think of in M&M and is amazing. It was totally worth holding Katherine in our arms as we looked around since she couldn't wait to get back to the hotel to take her nap. She was heavy and escalators aren't easy, but we had a lot of fun and three sets of arms to take turns.

My New Apartment: Centennial

So I have moved once again and have finally gotten all settled in and have to say I really like it. Meaning that I want to share what I love with all of you.

First...
We decorated the walls with framed pictures of Paris and they definitely make the stark white walls feel a lot more homey. (See Mother dear white is not always a good thing; there can be too much white in a room just like any other color.)

Second...
My new bedroom, slightly smaller than my last but still became my own. I once again featured my hat collection and the photos of my loved ones, oh and of course my books, which I am constantly discovering that in college you never have enough shelves.

Third... I have a balcony!
When you look out you look right on to the mountains. And now that spring is finally coming on and the mountains are turning green it is completely wonderful and fantastic. I can wear my shorts and flip flops and enjoy the warmth that has been missing in my life for the last 7 months. Hallelujah.

Finally...
It is that time of year when everyone is moving, and now that I have a truck I have gotten several calls with requests to help them move large pieces of stuff or furniture.
So big thanks to Dad and the manly straps he stocked the truck with!

So I hope this gives those of you far far away a little taste of my current life.