She's in Georgia!!!!

Well, she hasn't melted yet, but she says, "Its HOT!" But between fighting off the mosquitoes and trying not to melt, busyness is her middle name. Despite these obvious difficulties, she still has had time to baptize a family. (Isn't that just like her?! Incredible in everything she does!)
Pics of MTC life.

Time for another post! Questions 342, 332, 161

NOTE: I found an old, unpublished post of mine! Here ya go!

April 20, 2010: Well, my last day of student teaching was last Friday. It was so sweet, we had a pizza party for lunch and had the Big Bowns Drawing for big prizes. I had fun, but I miss "my kids" already!

This week has been and is going to be crazy. I'm doing my last few days of work, cleaning and packing (which at this point seems like it will never end), getting ready for graduation and for the big get-together on Saturday. So much to do!

Okay, on to questions:

Question 342:Write about feeling loved and by whom.

Just feeling loved in general? Wow, there are SO many times I've felt loved...it's hard to just think of one.

Okay, I've got one.

I had some really stressful things going on, had a cough, and I just couldn't sleep. For days. I mean, I was literally getting sick with stress and frustration, but I was still unable to sleep at all. My grandma came in and stayed with me. Now keep in mind she's...well, I don't know how old she is, really, but she's not young enough to stay up all night like us spring chickens, you know? But she came up and stayed with me, rubbing my back and getting me water and making me drink vinegar to help the cough (which was gross, but it worked somewhat). She was probably so tired, and yet she did that for me and it helped. I remember thinking, "Wow. She really loves me." I was able to sleep that night, and was much better then next morning.

Question 332: Write about how a prayer was answered.

This is a hard one, because a lot of those times are pretty personal and sacred. I guess one that was pretty impactful was this time Mommy and Daddy were going to Salt Lake for their anniversary. I prayed for them to be safe and then forgot about it. I was at work laminating when I got a call from Mommy: they'd been in an accident. I just went cold, but Mommy assured me that they were okay, although the car was totaled. The accident happened in such a way that we all knew that they had been protected. I was pretty shaken up, because I had prayed for them to be safe without thinking much about it; I just always pray for them to be safe when they go somewhere. I was really glad my prayer was heard and answered.

Question 161: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Hopefully married with a few kids. With some sort of church calling...I'd like to be a stay at home mom at that point, but who knows?

Jar Questions 86, 4, 288

Firstly, tomorrow is my first solo day this block! For the next 2 weeks I will be the teacher in the class. I'm excited, but also nervous. Wish me luck!

Rebecca had her first date this weekend, you'll have to ask her how it went, cuz I'm no snitch. ;D

Also: HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Shantel! I know I didn't join in much on the festivities, I didn't want to impose on family time. ^_^

On to the questions!

Question 4: Describe a typical day in elementary school.

Ha, the one I'm in now or MY elementary school? XD I'm guessing the latter. Well, typically the day would begin with breakfast at 7. We'd be to school at 8, and first track (which went to school from 8 to 2) was in Core classes. These were the classes that taught math and reading. I think that's all they taught, math and language arts in general. The second track students arrived at school at 9:30 (they went from 9:30 to 3:30) and went to Specialties. You had 2 specialties a day: they were semester long classes. The first have of the year you'd have Art and Social Studies as specialties, the second half you'd have Science and Music. Anyway, so after lunch the first track and second track "swapped," with first track going to specialties and second track coming to core. It was fun, because the tracks would leave notes and stuff for their "counterparts" to find. I was first track so my day ended at 2. Depending on the time in my life, I've walked home, carpooled home, but mostly been driven home by Mommy. Then came snack, piano practicing and homework. After that we could play until dinnertime. After dinner was family time until bed at 8:00. Ah, those were the days! ^_^

Question 86: Did you go camping as a child? Share an experience or memory.

We did! We used to go to this place called Hobble Creek. I don't know if I'm blurring times, but there was this one camp site we went to that had...I'm not sure if it really was steep or if this is just a child's memory, but it had this really steep trail going up just a bit away from the camp site. It went up, then leveled out and went across. We kids used to go up as far as we dared, then scooch down real quick on our boosers. Anyway, this one time I was determined that I would climb that trail (I really like hiking and was pretty stubborn). Anyway, I made it to the fairly flat part, and felt pretty proud of myself until I heard Mommy calling for me. I realized I couldn't get down! Uncle Daniel tried to tell me how to plant my feet and come down sideways, but I just sort of sat down and couldn't budge. So he had to come get me! I still have lots of fond feelings for that camp site.

Question 288: Tell about your social life as a teen: dances, football games, outings, church functions, etc.

Oh, there's SO much to TELL! XD Honestly, not really. In my family school was a time to learn. I wasn't a real social butterfly. I had acquaintances in all of my classes, but only one really close friend. I don't like loud music or "dance" parties (read: bob your head up and down and drink punch), so "clubbing" was out. I guess I'll tell you about Show and Chamber. It was the "high choir" at our high school. We had such fun! There were a few drama kids in there and they always livened the place up. We'd burst into song at random times on the way to performances. I love our concerts, because it was always like getting together with friends and singing, not some uptight thing. We had classes together every day of the week, and rehearsals after school. We had fun just hanging out and being doofy!

No Jar Questions Today

I'm just writing really quickly on my way to bed. Firstly: This has been a GREAT week! Thursday I was observed by the BYU liaison (that's the lady who is over all of the student teachers and interns in the district), and she said I absolutely knocked it out of the park! In addition, the principal came in to observe my mentor teacher while I was teaching (he didn't know that) and stayed through my lesson. Afterwards, my mentor teacher and the liaison told me he was asking them if they thought I'd like to teach fifth grade in that area (meaning at that school). How fun! Only my papers are in for my mission so I would have had to turn him down. But it's still cool knowing he thought I was good enough to be looking at me for a job offer! ^_^

Mission Prep was fun, Brother Brad Wilcox came and shared some fun stories (and said hi to me, he knows me from some classes). Some of the most memorable quotes:

"Live every day so that when you wake up in the morning Satan goes, "Oh no. She's awake!"
~From a Sister Missionary's quote book

"In Spanish sign language, the signs for Savior and Missionary are the same."
~Brad Wilcox, quoting a brother from his mission

I'd also like to say how grateful I am for the "restrictions" placed on us by the gospel. I have a friend right now who is not a member and has very different values than I do. She's a good person, but since I met her she's really fallen apart. She's drunk a lot, can't control her rage, and hangs out with friends who are very into "hooking up." She lets people sleep over in her "suite..." Basically, very against everything that is right. I look at her journal and what she says to me when we talk...she hates her life! She has all that "freedom," does whatever she wants, follows no rules, and yet SHE IS MISERABLE! She's always angry and hurt and disappointed...I almost feel like I want to slap her up side the head and say "GET IT TOGETHER!" or tell her that I know why she feels this way and help her turn her life around. But she's pretty resistant to any change right now, especially any she sees as taking away her freedom. But I look at my life, and then at hers, and...I am so much happier! I have stress, things aren't going perfect for me, but I can look back on my day or week and say: "This has been a good week!" Where as she looks back and hates her life. I hope some day I'm able to help her turn around, my heart just aches for her.

Anyway, that's today!

Personal History Jar Questions 150, 441, 324

Today the theme in Sacrament Meeting was Home and Family. We had some great talks. One of the things that was talked about was preparing for future family. A few things that were brought up:

• Prepare for responsibility. You will have it. Take responsibility for your actions, learn to be responsible for what you have and what you are in charge of. Because soon you will be responsible for a lot more.
• Prepare for pressure. Life doesn't get easier as you go along. That's just the way it is. It may seem to get easier as you become accustomed to the pressure, but the pressure doesn't go away. Don't hang on the the promise of college graduation and think it's going to be easy street from there. We live with pressure, and if you don't learn to handle it and be happy you won't be happy.
• Learn to talk to, rely on and love the Lord. He's there to help! When you realize you're not alone and go to Him and can keep that in mind, you will have comfort and be able to hurdle anything life throws at you.
• Learn to take the focus off yourself. Right now is a very self-oriented time. "Satan doesn't care what you think about yourself, so long as you keep thinking about yourself." If you find ways to focus on others during this me-centered college time, it will become a habit and will bless your life. This isn't to say you don't need some me time sometimes, but me time shouldn't be all the time.
• Learn to be grateful. Being grateful automatically makes you think about the good. If you can find something to be grateful for to a person you don't like much, you'll have started thinking about good things about that person. If you can think of one thing to be thankful to God for about your day, you will have started thinking about the good things about your day.
• Be in the world AND not of the world. Don't just "hunker down" and wait for sin to blow over. Be active, be involved. Make the world a better place. But don't fall for this "I must be tolerant of everything" viewpoint so many people have today. The speaker talked about a girl who got herself in trouble because she didn't want to "judge" her boyfriend. She ended up going with him while a drug deal went down and got herself in trouble. Her excuse was "I didn't do the drugs, and thank heaven I didn't judge him!" So many times we're afraid to judge sin as sin! It doesn't mean we have to judge the person as "a bad person," just a person who sins! Just because you like the person doesn't mean you have to like the sin.
  

All right, on to the questions. I decided to switch this up and do random numbers of questions to try and get a variety.

Question 150: Do you have a testimony? Write down the things you do believe and you know are true?

I do have a testimony. I know that God lives and loves His children, and me. He knows me personally and wants the best for me. He knows what he's doing and I see so much evidence of that every day! He has a plan for us to be happy, and all of His commandments are to make us happy. He has prophets on the Earth today, the most recent being Thomas S. Monson. Revelation continues today, God still speaks. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is God's gospel restored in it's entirety. I love God, and I know He loves me.

Question 441:What instrument do you wish you could play and why?

I wish I could play the flute and the guitar. The flute is so beautiful and folksy, and yet it can be in marching bands and other types of bands. I love how pretty it sounds when Janette plays it. I wish I could play the guitar because you can sing and accompany yourself. I've always admired teachers who could sing with their classes and play along on the guitar. You could do that on the piano, but a lot of schools don't have a piano and a guitar is portable.

Question 325: What was your least favorite subject in school? What was your favorite?

Growing up, at least in elementary school, I don't think I had a least favorite subject. In high school, because it got harder, I think Chemistry and Calculus were in a way my least favorite, but they were all tough. My favorite subject has always been music. Music in Elementary School, and Choir and Orchestra in High School and Jr. High.

Personal History Jar Questions 1, 2, 3

Yesterday was the last day of my solo teaching. I'd post pictures of my students, but I think that's illegal. XP

I'm really going to miss Wasatch. The teachers are really great, I really feel like I have a connection with the school because of Mommy having taught there. Jane, the secretary, even found an old letter of recommendation for Mommy when she was cleaning old files and gave it to me! And my mentor teacher and I are great friends, which just makes everything better.

Today Janette was doing a friend's hair for Preference and used me as a guinea pig. XD She took pics, I'll have to see if I can get them from her and post them. She did a BEAUTIFUL half-updo on me, all curled with rhinestones in it and ULTRA glittery hair spray (Seriously, two sprays of this and I'm STILL having glitter come off every time I shake my head). It only took her 35 minutes to do the whole thing! Anyway, when her friend came she did an even more amazing job on her! Janette has a real talent.

Okay! I have these Personal History Jar Questions to help me hopefully journal/blog/update SOMETHING more. So! Questions 1-3 today!

Question 1: Are there any family heirlooms in your possession? Tell about them and how you came to acquire them.

Well, I don't really have anything right now, because parents and grandparents aren't gone yet. XP I don't even know what I "should" get. *shrug* I do have this peach and cream teddy bear I got from Grandpa Bell's house when they were selling his posessions, and a little chair that I think is from my Mom. I have a special little cupboard that I think Grandpa Bell made that was given to me by my Mom (I think). I have some quilts from various people, both sides of the family. I have a blue bowl that was designated to be a family heirloom, and a little round box with angels on it from Grandma Rene (I can't remember who it belonged to before that).

Question 2: Are you involved in any clubs or extracurricular activities?

Not really, now. Student Teaching has been eating up all my time. In my spare time I like to read and daydream, usually I get home in time to plan and fall into bed. I like to dress up and to go to the mall with Janette and Alicia. I love to just spend time with family, and I'd like to start cooking a bit more.

Question 3: Describe each member of your family.

Okay, here goes! XD Hope I don't end up inadvertently offending anyone. This is just from what I see or remember or...yeah. This is supposed to be FUN!

Immediate Family

Daddy: Patient, easygoing, loyal. Totally trustworthy. Solid, not the solid that means "cool," but solid...like steady and reliable.

Mommy: Changeable, creative, ULTRA-caring, senstitive, willing, helpful, clean, worryful, loving.

Andrew: A-MA-ZING. Inspiration, growth, funny.

Janette: Miss Personality to the MAX! Makes everywhere you go with her fun. Smiley. Boisterous, tomboy-ish and yet feminine, sort of like Jo in Little Women. Unafraid. Successful. Smart. Talented. A leader. Condfidante. A peacemaker.

Rebecca: Like me. Reader, a bit moody, quiet, mysterious, pokey, beautiful, flexible, serving.

Gordon: Really growing! Troubled, tempermental, teen (ha!), handsome, proud, forgetful, distracted, smart.

Catherine: The baby. Growing just too fast. Beautiful, artistic, flowing, floating, hugs and smiles, fashionista.

Grandmas and Grandpas

Grandma Rene: Patient, near-saint, pusher, wise, optimistic, fixer, good listener, tickles backs, caring

Grandpa Fuja: Attention-liker, sensitive, likes to learn and show knowledge, always needs to be "in the know," can't keep a secret (XD), phone dialer, football obsessed (sports obsessed), food lover and talker.

Grandma Bowns: Sensitive, lonely sometimes, loves company, talker and laugher, fun mom.

Extended

Randy: talker, a little intimidating, teaser, opinion sharer.
Jennifer: fashion setter, great seamstress, involved.
Shayna: Sporty, good mom.
Shantel: Grounded, creative, lucky, finding her feet, fun.
Sharielle: Pretty, impressionable.
Jameson: talkative, opinionated, likes attention and praise.
Alexa: CUTE, princess.

Danette: Fit, care, chill.
Paul: Funny, eyes like Daddy's, talented.
Madison: late-night whispers, fun stories, thoughtful.
Rachel: Talented, athletic, laughing.
Kenya: Tan (!), runner, trampoline-jumper.
Erin: Petite doll, smiley
Matt: Fun boy, friend
Jacob: Conscientious, serious, boy of few words

Tannin: Serious, sensitive, perfectionist, thought-provoking, fun, caring, educational adviser
Megan: Small, bacon-lover, creative, smart, patient, loving
Tayton: SMART, Thomas train-lover, verbal master, curious, thinker, laugher, toe-runner
Hunter: "I WANT!" (ha), fun, dancer, tackler, sporty
Cumorah: knows what she wants, little doll, smiler, has me wrapped around her finger
?: Don't know yet!

Daniel: Confidante, piano-teacher, late nights and sleepovers, the smartest guy I know, patient, an AMAZING laugh that makes me want to laugh too, board game master, nintendo player, ping pong champion, mask scarer, advisor, strappy-shoe buyer.
Wendy: Caring, friend, girl-talk advisor (XD), lovely, so fun
Spencer: Tiny cousin, BIG cousin, funny-face maker, laughter machine, dancer, toddler

Diane and Karen: Barbie players, self-esteem boosters.

Phew! Well, that's about it! I couldn't get EVERYBODY, because the list would be WAY long, but I think I got most of the extended family.

Love you all!

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What was the last book you read?

I'm guessing my school's literacy protocol doesn't count. XD Thursday I read a bunch of children's books to my students (it being our valentines day party and all) and really liked one called "Guess How Much I Love You" and one called "My Love for You." As for "grown up" books? About a week ago I read a book called "A School for Sorcery." It was REALLY cool! You don't have a Hogwarts vibe going on, which I thought you would, and it has some AMAZING twists to it. The beginning wasn't immediately compelling, but it kept me going. ^_^

Ask me anything

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