THE Biggest Surprise

When I feel any emotion too strongly, I cry. Sadness, joy, anger, stress, whatever → tears happen. 

Here I share with you an example of pure, utter shock that leads to an episode of uncontrollable (yet very happy) sobbing. Enjoy.

Once upon a time I was going to Kneaders with my parents and brother and his family (who were all in town for graduation) for the world's most delicious bottomless french toast.

Little did I know, this wasn't just any old trip to Kneaders.

It was a trip to Kneaders where my sister slash best friend in the whole world would suddenly appear across from me at the breakfast table and say, "So, whats for breakfast?" as if it was totally normal and expected that she was two feet away from me in Provo and not hundreds of miles away at her home in Texas where she had pretended to be the last five times i'd spoken with her over the course of the previous day. Let me tell ya folks, I have never been so surprised in my entire life. It literally took my breath away and the only thing I could do to release the overwhelming emotions of shock and joy in that moment was to cry. Hard. For a long time. And of course, it was all caught on camera both in video and picture format. 

I've made a few people shed a few tears of their own already just by showing them this video. I sometimes have that effect on people ;-)

I applaud my entire family in keeping this wonderful secret from me for the last six months. Job well done!

Pretty sure the dude in the red hat behind me thought that I had just found out I was dying or something. My reaction to such a situation would probably be pretty close to this.

I couldn't even look at her for like a solid two minutes. It just seemed too impossible that she was there!

In case you haven't noticed yet, i'm not o' dem cute criers. Even when its a happy cry, its an ugly cry.

My brother Kevin and his wife Carli and their girls also drove down from Seattle for graduation. I already knew they were coming, it was awesome to see them again, and I am SO grateful for them being here to celebrate with me!

Even though I was big time missing Rob and Diane (and after this experience I was half expecting them to also appear out of thin air at any moment) it was wonderful to be reunited with so much family for the week.

Also, I think I have a new favorite table at Kneaders now.

Plot Twist

Turns out Utah isn't quite finished with me yet.

So i'll be around here awhile longer.

Because Of Him

Jesus Christ.

Creator. Carpenter. Teacher. Leader. Bread of life. Lord. Redeemer. Light of the world. Son of God. Master. Messiah.

Savior of the world.

He lives, and because He lives, I do too.

"He is not here, for He is risen."

Happy Easter!

Seattle... Again!

That's right. This girl journeyed home again this last weekend.

I couldn't possibly resist when perfectly gorgeous Seattle spring days, Mariners baseball, a long training run with my marathon buddy, a beautiful cousin's wedding, and all my family awaited me! It was one last perfect at-home hurrah before graduation and all that jazz.

I don't care if you're not a Mariners fan or even a baseball fan, there is no denying that this right here is a little slice of heaven.

Some people really don't love hanging out with their parents. I am so not one of those people. My parents are my best friends, and we have all kinds of great fun together. Also, i've been training them in the art of crazy-faced selfies. I think they've been picking up the skill rather nicely.

The perfect way to spend a Friday night with family at one of my favorite places on earth!

One of the newer blessings of heading north to Seattle every once in a while: MALLORY. Who ever would have guessed that while in Tonga I would be lucky enough to strike up a guaranteed lifelong friendship with a girl who lives in my home city/state? It is so great! Plus I finally got to meet her hilarious hubs Joshua this time around. I was so happy to have them join us at Safeco Field for their first-ever Mariners game.

Less than 12 hours after the game Mal and I were together once again... this time for an early morning 16-mile training run. Its a pretty big deal that I was able to run for three hours without listening to any music, and its all because of this girl right here. We can talk forever about whatever, and even when the sweat gets real and the legs get wobbly, running with her by my side is great. I can't wait for our Rock n' Roll in June!!

Saturday was wedding day for my stunning cousin McKenna and her love Jason! I was zombie-tired all day long, but still so glad for the chance to spend a beautiful day with family in celebration of the kick-off of their eternity together.

I don't even know how to explain it, but this picture perfectly captures a moment of hilarity between a mother and her daughters. Maybe you had to be there...

I love to see the temple.

THIS FAMILY.

Basically my brother and his wife are super-parents. With three active little girlies, they're outnumbered and have very full arms and hands and bags and diapers and cars and LIVES. But they handle it so well and manage to look dang good while doing it.

Me and mini-me. Crazy-faced-selfie skills at play once again. 

This was way too much fun.

I love my family. I love my friends. I love Seattle. 

And I love putting them all together for one fantastic weekend.

Then And Now

Three years ago, I started a journey. It was a journey that involved scrubs and stethoscopes, and I was SO VERY excited about that fact. Remember? I even blogged about it here. I had just started my first semester of nursing school and didn't even have clinicals yet. I had never so much as touched a real patient, but I was just giddy about the fact that I got to wear my scrubs to campus to do free blood pressure screenings. 

That was then.

Now, I am nearing the end of this journey, and I am SO VERY excited about that fact. I am finishing my last semester of nursing school this month. I have completed hundreds of clinical hours in too many different places to count and i've had my fair share of torturous early mornings and extremely late nights. I have given shots, drawn blood, and started (and messed up) a lot of IVs. I have taken vital signs, stood for hours on end in freezing ORs, and assessed patients from the very top of their head to the very tips of their toes. I have sat in on psych therapy groups and assisted in showering a burn victim. I have helped bring lives into the world as well as held the hands of those departing from it. (... And yeah, i've seen a lot of butts). My scrubs are worn out and stained and begging to be retired. And yet, I still get stoked to put them on. My patch and name tag have travelled across the world and back with me, and it has always been an honor to represent BYU in all that I do as a nursing student. 

Last night, I put on my scrubs and donned my stethoscope one final time as I completed my very last shift as a BYU nursing student. 

This is now.

THEN

NOW

I'll be honest, it doesn't quite feel real yet. I'm still feeling like come next fall i'll be assigned a clinical group and we'll be meeting at the crack of dawn in the Brick Oven parking lot to carpool to Primary Children's or the U of U hospital for a day full of learning and being terrified/excited/eager/hesitant as we try new things and cross our fingers for a good preceptor. But in reality, come next fall i'll be in Texas where I will (hopefully!!) be waking up at the crack of dawn to drive to a hospital where i'll have new scrubs, a new name tag, and a position as an RN where i'll actually get paid (*gasp!*) for my hard work. My journey as a nursing student may be drawing to a close, but my life as a nurse is just beginning!

Seriously, i'm one lucky blessed girl.