Official Redneck...

So I do believe that I am officially an official redneck :) YAY!!! Today two of the strapping young men from the local singles ward offered to ride to Spanish Fork with me to pick up an entertainment center that Jarod and Jamie donated to the Erin's College Experience Fund... (THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH!!!) Well, when we arrived in Spanish we discovered that, lo and behold, there was no way that we would be able to fit the entertainment center in the car. Have no fear though. My ever quick thinking brother produced straps and a blanket and the entertainment center was soon secured to the top of my car via the windows. As if that wasn't enough on my slight embarrasment scale... Coming through the beautiful town of Santaquin my blessed Alero managed to have a hot flash and decided that it needed a break. While sitting on the side of the road waiting for the engine to cool down some of the friendly, almost local polygamists stopped to offer a helping hand. (or two or three or ten) After they unloaded their 15 passenger van of mostly women all to come and ask what was wrong the boys with me joked about bartering me for antifreeze... (Thank you Luke for giving me two gallons of water and antifreeze :P) Other than that little hiccup and some funny looks we made it home with no issues. When we got home it was my turn to cook for the roommates and so I went to town cutting up peppers, til I cut my thumb off. Ok, Ok, Ok! It didn't come entirely off. Or even close to off but I did manage to slit the tip about a 1/4 inch in. After I made frustrated sounds my roommates took over the kitchen and gave me a dora the explorer band-aid. We decided as a house that we have some of the most interesting adventures of the whole complex. But they are the most awesome because "Kaitlyn made me do it" :) Well, I have to run the mile tomorrow and so I had better get to sleep. Much love to everyone.

No, I'm not a llama

So, as most of you probably know I do not speak spanish. One of the courses I'm taking for my associates of arts is Spanish 1010. Well, today in class we were doing an introduction exercise and the girl I was partnered with (while we were standing in front of the whole class) asked me como te llama... The double l is pronounced as a y but she had pronounced it as an l. I, before thinking, replied, "No, I'm not a llama." I'm pretty sure from now on I will be known as llama in that class. Joy of Joys.

College...

Well, I love most my roommates. I love most my classes. And I love most everything about Ephraim. Only problem is I really don't love how broke I am. Or how teachers change the books, or when I get the wrong book. Or that no matter how happy and peppy and cheerleadery I try to act there are still about half the people that see me as the loser trying to fit in. I guess high school really never ends. I'm not cool because I work at Wal-Mart and my family and Luke are the only people proud of me for working and going to school. I'm not cool because I don't have a lot of money or I'm being too friendly. I give up!!!! Whatever they want I obviously don't have so I'm just going to be myself and they can either be my friend and deal with it or they can hang it in their ear. I thought maybe I could make friends at college where no one knew me. I was wrong. So, I'm going to go to school. Get my degree and teach all their children when they hit high school. Who really wants friends anyway? My apartment room has a lot more to offer than anyone here.

School...

Well, I made it through the two days of orientation and have had about all the orientating I can stand. I'm ready to start school and get it done with. I hate my job, but there really isn't much I can do to change that. I miss Vernal. I have made friends and what not but this place will never be home. I miss my friends and family and everything. I want to go home but I have way too much stock put in this to leave. I'm about half miserable but no one knows that.

Lessons from Old Men

Back in the day when I worked at Naples Cafe, I made friends with the old men who came in daily to drink coffee. In my last week in Vernal I decided that I really needed to go in and visit with them. Its amazing how 70-80 year old men can be some of the best friends you'll ever had. One old man named Nord is headed down hill pretty quick and I will be a sad little girl when he is gone. Friday when I was down visiting he got really dizzy and had to take one of his nitroglycerin pills and it didn't help much. I don't think he will make it through the winter. So long as he makes it to the 23rd he says he can die happy. It will be his 70th birthday. For having such a huge age gap those old men have taught me little things that I will never forget. An example is even though I'm more than 50 years younger than most of them they still treat me as an equal and listen to my opinion the exact same way they listen to each other. Another old man named Thom gave me his number today so I could keep him posted on his "favorite grandkid" while I'm at school. They don't look at me as a little girl that doesn't have enough experience to know about life, they look at me as a young adult that can give them a different point of view. I hope as a teacher I can take that into my classroom. And they never look down on me if I disagree. They challenge me instead to back up my opinion and teach them why I think what I do. Even if they don't agree at all with each other they still respect that everyone has a different head to think with and maybe their point is more correct than their own. And as far as guys walking past and making crude comments to me, it doesn't happen. One boy thought he was funny and said something perverted about me and he had five old men ready to rip him to shreds. And they let him know in no uncertain terms that he was to apologize to me and learn not only manners but respect for women. On top of them respecting my opinion they call me ma'am as if I'd earned it and always open the door. It's all but a race to see who can pay first for the whole group. The little things that they do out of habit never cease to amaze me. Even though they sit out on the porch they all stand up to push a chair over for me when I get there. I hope that when I get out on my own I can give someone the same high opinion of me that I have of them. I hope I can take their ideals of respect and communication into a classroom and teach some teenagers the same things that these old men have taught me. I've written down a list of the things I have learned from them that I think that all teenagers should learn. If everyone could share ideas like they do the world would be a much better place. Here's to you Nord, Thom, Tim, Troy, Clint, and George.

Well...

Here I go... Less than two weeks from fly time. Luke and I broke up on Sunday so I could adjust to being without him for school. We agreed that since I'm "doing good" we can still hang out til I go, just not near as much. I was real confused and hurt, but its starting to make sense. I think it might be for the best. I don't want to get down there and sit in my dorm all the time wishing I was home with him. Growing up is getting old. On the up-side I think I'm getting 'er figured. :) I'm starting to almost get excited to get down there and find out just what I'm made of. The only part that scares me now is I don't know if I even remember how to make friends. Good old Wal-Mart approved my transfer and gave me a job offer (in Wal-Mart speak that means they have a position for me to fill). I have somewhere to live and my classes all lined out. I'm going to be a busy little goose. I'm taking Spanish, Math 1010, Public Speaking, P.E., History of England, and some freshman orientation thing. And on top of that I have to get a 3.5 this semester. EEK!!! I know I can do it though. I guess this is just the first day of the rest of my life... Wild how its going to happen all over again tomorrow :)

Once Upon A Time in Vernal

the Red Fleet

Split Mountain

On top of Pitt's Hill

Overlook from Pitt's

Doc's Beach