"Embrace the current season of your life."- Gabrielle Blair

So I'm back in Provo... and you know what that means! I freaked out and was really sad on Monday. But ever since that freak-out, I feel so much better!! This past week has been great and I realized that I need to work on being happy where I am, not always thinking about the past or getting excited about the future. And let's be honest, it's way easy to embrace summer!  Let me tell you why my life's been so great:

• My mom's birthday. So last Friday was my mom's birthday and she ended up having to drive me to Provo. However, it was so fun to jam to some crazy 80s songs and hear the crazy things she and Melanie did. The next day, we went out to Red Lobster to celebrate. I just love her! I'm super glad she's in my life and the example she provides for me. The second she drove away, I was already sad. 
• Perfect Thursday evening. So the other day, I came home from work a little bit exhausted. Marisa, being the greatest roommate ever, suggested we make something delicious. So we drove to Macey's, where I found my pure source of happiness: STARBURST JELLY BEANS. I'm fairly certain that nothing makes me happier! :) haha but then we bought ingredients to make what I now call "Chocolate Crack" because it is seriously only chocolate. We then had a huge dance/ lip-sync off with everything from Nicki Minaj to boy bands to Celine Dion. As we were sitting there cracking up, I realized that perfect moments can come at any time. We then made our deliciousness and watched/quoted Swan Princess. So yeah, it was a perfect evening, reminding me that perfect things come when we least expect it. I am SOO glad she is my roommate. 
• Work! Okay, I already love my job again. I love knowing what I'm doing and I forgot how much I love being at a job where everyone talks and is loud. My internship in DC was super quiet and I forgot how much I love people. I pretty love my co-workers. Kevin and Lincoln (or as I call them, Kevy-Kev and Linx Minx), are basically brothers, so they are HILARIOUS to work with. Look at them hanging this sign:
  
  They also have this thing called "Whopper Wednesday" where they go get cheap Whoppers. We've since decided to add Milkshake Mondays into the mix, because Mondays can be pretty rough. Let's just say I'm glad to be back working here!
• Catching up with friends. This past week I had the opportunity to eat lunch with Danny twice, which was so much fun. I realized that even though I have known him for so long, I didn't know a lot of basic things about him, like why he liked running. I'm so glad he's put up with me for so long. And I got to see Michal!! Last Friday, she came over and it was like my other half was here! I don't know how to describe Michal other than to say that she knows me completely, can finish and validate everything I say and still loves me even when I'm telling her I hate Utah. Anyways, it was super good to see them and realized that people do love me! :)
•  Today I had an epiphany about friendship and marriage. I realized that my truest friends were those who I did not have to apologize to for being myself. This hit me, randomly, while I was walking with Danny to lunch and my voice must have carried pretty far because a guy in the distance turned around. I'm used to people being irritated by how loud I am, so when Danny mentioned that guy must have heard me, I instantly apologized. But, he surprised me by saying that he loves how loud I am. And then I had a similar experience with both Michal and Marisa this week. I apologized to both of them for things that are probably irritating to them, but they both just said they loved it. I was sitting in marriage prep today in church and I realized that I will wait, decades if necessary, for the man who can respect me just the way I am, yet encourage me to be better. My mom always says "it only takes one," which used to bother me a lot but I recently realized it's true because of Marisa. My roommate Marisa and I had led pretty similar non-existent dating lives until recently when she met Jake and everything just worked out. I am so overjoyed at the thought that one day, I will meet someone and it will just work out how it's supposed to be. Also, I just love Marisa and Jake and I AM SO HAPPY FOR THEM!! 

• Marisa and I went on a run the other day. Yep. I don't know how it happened either. I decided to go, and even though I felt like dying most of the time and had to walk for a few blocks, it was so good to just get in the zone and feel yourself stretching outside your comfort zone. I may have to start running!
• Saturday! I woke up and watched like 80 Taylor Swift music videos and then Marisa and I went to see the Great Gatsby. I'm still not sure how I felt about it because it was so overwhelming visually and musically, but one thing is for certain, I LOVE the last lines of the book:

It reminded me of DC because I got to see F. Scott Fitzgerald's grave and this is what is on it. I absolutely love when it say that we "tomorrow will run faster, stretch our arms farther." I could go on about it, but let's just say it's one of my favorite quotes. I then got to go to my friend from DC, Catherine's house, where I got to catch up with some of my DC friends. Catherine, who I visit taught (and she visit taught me) is one of the only girls I actually got close to through visiting teaching. 

• I absolutely loved what my bishop said during testimony meeting last week and I want to write it down so I can remember. He said that in times of spiritual lows, we do not need to compare ourselves to others OR to our more spiritual moments. Because I was going through a spiritual low during that meeting, I loved that he said we shouldn't compare ourselves to the better version of ourselves. It was super important for me to hear this, and I hope I can remember it. 
• Today, while I was walking home from church and actually admiring how pretty Utah looked, I realized another thing. I have never written myself a love note. I know this sounds weird, but think about it. If you were having a bad day, who better than yourself to cheer you up? So I've decided I'm going to write myself a note about all my good qualities so that some day, in the future (when I'm either crying about not dating someone or that I hate living in Provo), I will have a reminder of this day. 

Anyways, life is great. It is really funny to see how I can transition back into being happy in a MUCH calmer environment than DC. It is so weird to think that a year ago, my favorite moments would be starting to happen (i.e. receiving a letter from President Uchtdorf, meeting my summer roommates and Jess, going on my first date, getting in the Washington Seminar, getting the best internship ever and having the experience of a lifetime in DC). I wish I could go back to that girl last spring who cried every weekend by herself about how her life was miserable. Life is always getting better! I am truly happy in my 'current season' of my life right now, and I encourage you, if you're not feeling happy, to remember that you are where you are supposed to be. That's my little inspirational message for you! Cheesy, but true!  xoxoxo 

P.S. This is my new jam: (It makes me feel like I can do anything!)