The End

It's my last night in Seattle.

I have

Lived here for the summer.

Interviewed approximately 43 wonderful families and 5 not so wonderful families (very approximate).

Seen the sights.

Met some really great people.

Learned a LOT about myself.

Learned a lot from other people.

Loved another person from far too far away.

And now I am packing.

I am ready to make my way home now. It is time. I am not sure how much I will miss Seattle because there is just so many new adventures waiting for me at home and in Provo, but I am sure glad it happened and I don't think I was suppose to be anywhere but here this summer.

Someday I will come back to this blog and tell my adventures.

Until then Goodbye Seattle. Hello Home!

My Life Gets a Little Hectic One Day of the Month

For the month of June it just happened to fall upon the 29th.

I woke up to a waffle breakfast prepared by our Professor. Before I knew it we were doing crazy amounts of office work. Post finishing what I had in the office I ran home to change and was out the door to do an interview. It was a good one but far away so by the time I got home it was time for me to do my end of the month Visiting Teaching which ended up lasting approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes. Man my partner likes to talk. I ran to the grocery store to get some nourishment when I received and invitation via text message to join in a small showing of Harry Potter #6 since I will not be here during the usual time. By the time I got home it was time for bed. In the midst of this day I couldn't help but think that I would be on a plane to SLC in 48 hours making my way home to Idaho Falls for the first time in 6 months.

Thus I did not send my one of my best friends a Happy Birthday text or facebook message, card in the mail, phone call, blog post on the date of her birth, etc.

So Ashley Burgess, I apologize because I forgot. But I wanted to say Happy Birthday to YOU! Welcome to 20. I hope it is the greatest! Because you are the GREATEST! I can't wait to be your roommate once again in good old Allred 11. Sorry your birthday fell on the one day of the month that my life gets a little hectic!

The Beach.

This summer is quite the adventure.

Quite the wonderful adventure.

And this adventure took me to the beach on a sunny day in Seattle.

This adventure was complete with :

Confusion and Children

Co-Workers and a Natural Teeter-Totter

Roommate Love

And messages in the sand...

Also

I love the beach.

I love Seattle.

I love life.

Edmund...

I will now tell you a little story of a little boy.

Once upon a time Hannah Marie went on a little adventure to Goodwill and came back with a couple of little picture frames. Little did she know that in the back of one of the picture frames was a selection of priceless photos. A little boy and his mother. A collection of 7 pictures total.

Just a taste of what we found.

So we thought it would be great fun to tape these pictures above the beds of our roommates. Three made it above each bed and the extra one found its place on their bathroom mirror.

When they came home confusion came over them as they discovered the treat. A little laughter later and the pictures were discarded... or so we thought.

Days later I open my cupboard and to my surprise little Edmund was there to greet me. I immediately opened Hannah Maries cupboard to find Edmund and his mother on her side.

I couldn't help but laugh and laugh. And laugh some more. They got us back.

Edmund and his mother are still there, and probably will be for the rest of our little Seattle Summer.

I Have Made a Decision

I want a line in the backyard of my future home for drying clothes.

This is mostly inspired by the fact that dryers here at Executive Estates do not work. And I will not pay $1.25 for something that does not work. I made do and found some nails in the wood that I could hang hangers on. Before I knew it three hours later they were semi dry. So I probably should have started earlier in the day, but I just didn't know the dryer didn't work. Oh well.

I learned I want a line in the backyard of my future home for drying clothes.

AKA a clothesline.

And a dryer too. For the winter months and the day that I find out this picturesque idea is not so picturesque.

My Friend

We are Roommates.

Hannah Marie and Mallory Hazel

We are a little awkward pair.

Late night bunk chats.

Lots of laughter.

Crafts with our free time.

Let's just say I think she is pretty neat.

We also found Narnia in Seattle.

Pretty cool.

A Sunshine Day In Seattle

Yesterday was sunny.

Absolutely beautiful.

So my roommates and I wandered around our little complex.

They are cute. Let me introduce you to two of them.

Ashley Bell and Hannah Marie.

Ashley Bell resides in the large bedroom next door. She is spunky and loves life. She puts passion into simple things. Like making a meal and eating it too. I love her sophisticated style. Her hair is naturally curly and so beautiful. I am a little jealous.

Hannah Marie resides on the top bunk. I love this girl. She is witty and sassy. It is great. Most of the time we just laugh together, but when we get a word in between the laughter she has some good insights on life. I have come to really respect her opinions and views. She is honest (a little like me) and it is so refreshing. We have bunk bed chats about everything in life and I love it. I love being her roommate. I love it. Love it. LOVE IT.

Okay done. For now.

Oh and this is me. I am just loving life here in Seattle. It is a good place to spend summer.

Finally and Officially.

I am a Research Assistant- that is the title at least.

For the Flourishing Families Project.

And last night I did my first for real interview with a Seattle family.

With the green shirt and gray jacket.

That makes it official. Finally.

The Pizza Man

My mom tells one story from her childhood that I especially love.

It is the story of the pizza man, or rather the pure fear that came with calling the pizza man.

(Pretty much she tells me how she hated calling the pizza man)

I think there is something slightly terrifying about calling people, and I am not quite sure why this fear is present, but I know from life experience that it is real.

For my little job here in Seattle I have to face this fear. Call lots of people. Ask them to participate in the Flourishing Families Project, leave messages, answer their questions, schedule dates, call back, wait for them to call back, it is a crazy thing. It is good for me. I would definitely say I have overcome the "pizza man" fear.

Yipee.

Hamsters

When I first arrived in Seattle the hallway to our room did not smell good.

It was awful. Like old motel. Yuck. Luckily it was miraculously gone when we entered our room (WOOSH).

Well they are currently doing something with wood in our building. I love the smell of fresh wood. But the wood + old motel combo is just awful. Mostly it reminds me of cleaning the cage of lil vince back in the day.

115 G is a great place to live.

This Is My Temporary Home

I made it to Seattle.

After a great little drive in a whole lot of rain I am finally here.

115G is my temporary home.

I kind of love Seattle. When I was driving in I was in awe. It is beautiful. I am excited to do a little more exploring.

Next week we start the interviews... kind of CRAZY.

As much as I love this new adventure, leaving Provo was a little harder than I imagined. You see when I left Provo I left a little bit of my heart in that city.

True story.

His Sacred Name - An Easter Declaration

Well I know it's not Easter yet. But it is close.

And in T minus 1 week when it really is Easter I will be driving 8 hours to Seattle from Bosie.

But this is what I will be contemplating during that time.

Happy Early Easter!

Memory Lane

It was on this night last year when I first discovered the joy of ice blocking.

In the midst of finals week saturday night we convinced our friends to join us on a little adventure. It actually did take a lot of convincing, especially our dear friend Randy Hulet (pictured far right). He was in no way going to join.

Lucky for us Viv put her flirt on, how could he resist?

Just look how good she is with the guys.

It was a night of long trains, crashes, lost keys, and laughter.

I hope tonight is just as good. Oh how I love a good break from finals week!

On My Mind

I have a lot on my mind.

~Last Day of School.

~Finals Week.

~Wishing it were more like spring and less like freezing.

~Need for Sleep.

~Comprehensive Finals.

~A Bridal Shower.

~This Fabulous Talk

(http://lds.org/general-conference/2006/10/and-nothing-shall-offend-them?lang=eng&query=Elder+Bednar+Offend)

~Decisions. Decisions. Decisions. So many decisions. And I once heard from a very wise man that decisions determine destiny. I also heard today that the years of ones 20's, meaning 20-29 I presume, is the decision decade. The time of ones life to make pretty much the most important decisions that the rest of ones life and eternity hinge on. I am 20. Already into the life and eternity changing decisions.

What's a girl to do when she doesn't feel like she has a clue?

Let me know, because I have a real close friend who is in that situation...

Happy 11th

Today I was wearing this shirt.

I was with these girls.

And it was sunny!

Happy 11th.

Howard Ray

Last but not least.

(I never really liked that phrase because I always felt like that means there is a least. No one is least.)

My dad is a very good dad. I would go as far as to say the best dad. Yep. It's true. The BEST.

And I am his only daughter. So if it's okay I would like to take this time to claim the title of Daddy's Little Girl. Because I am.

Anyways back to him.

He has passion. For government, sports, golfing, the University of Utah. If he loves something, he LOVES it. With all that he has. He exerts so much energy and time to those things that he is passionate about. He knows so much about those things he is passionate about. I love to ask him all sorts of questions about everything he knows. I love his passion.

He is funny. I love that about him. I hate it about him. First we will define why I hate it. Because sometimes I just want to be mad. And when I want to be mad I don't want someone to try to make me happy. And he is the one that tries to make me laugh in the midst of my anger. So really it is not a bad thing... it's a good frustration of mine. Other than that I really do like it when he makes me laugh. He is pretty funny most of the time, and even when he isn't his efforts make me laugh.

He is kind and compassionate. He respects everyone and is not one to judge. He is friendly and does his best to get to know people. He takes time to really learn about someone. I wish I could learn to develop that characteristic.

My dad has been an ultimate teacher to me, not only in school but in all life matters.

I sure love him.

Lisa Beth

My mother has taught me so much.

Especially about sacrifice.

She took on the stay at home mom role when we were little. Dropped out of school and supported my dad while he was finishing up his education. Then she supported her kiddos, including me, and taught us all we needed to know about life I guess. When we all got older and were in school she went back to school to get her degree in elementary education. During that time she donated her kidney to her brother in need.

Besides the huge sacrifices she has made in her life, my mother is also always the one to make the sacrifice so that we, as her children, can do those things we desire.

She is the one to leave Hebgen Lake early so Steph O can make it to his football practices.

She is the one to drive to and from Provo in one day so I can come home for Christmas.

She is one to spend numerous unpaid hours after school to make sure her lesson plans are done and ready for her other 2nd grade kiddos.

She is the one I hope I can be like someday.

On another note I like to call my mom a lot.

She gives me really good advice most of the time. But sometimes when I am freaking out over something that is probably dumb in the long run, but pretty important to me at the time, she sits on the other end of the line and somehow cannot control her laughter.

I have been in the "depths of despair and concern" many times and she has found it to be quite humorous. Mostly because she has been through it all too, so I guess she has the right to laugh. And in the end, looking back at the things I am most concerned about, I can see why she laughs.

That probably didn't make sense. Maybe my mother dearest will get it.

Jordan Ray

Jordan Ray is my older brother.

Yes. I do take my place as the sister in between two brothers.

It is great when both of my brothers get together and decide to full on tease attack me. They are relentless. And if it wasn't so funny I might go insane.

But it is pretty funny.

(Awkward Christmas Morning)

Things I remember about jord from our younger years include:

Watching him separate a bag of M and M's into color coordination. Then playing basketball with them.

Once when he was biking he fell off and skinned his knee so blood was running down his leg. I thought he was going to die.

We used to use this large mat he had that had a basketball court on it to slide down the stairs with. It was awfully slick which made it really fun. I don't think our mother appreciated it so much.

Jord had a hamster. Named him Lil Vince. Once he ran away and we set up a trap with food. He came back.

Then we got older.

Jord was definitely a cool guy in high school. I was always jealous of his ability to be social and funny.

He went on a mission to Montreal, Canada. In doing that he became such a good example to younger siblings, cousins, friends, ect.

He likes to wear his hair long. And in a ponytail. I have no words.

(Awkward Hand.)

Stephen Howard

I miss my family.

I kind of want to see them a lot.

Especially since I don't get to go home until August.

So the next few days are for them.

Stephen Howard would you like to be the first?

Okay perfect.

Stephen Howard was born two days before my birthday. I was about to turn four years old when he came into the world. At first I was a little disappointed because it kind of took away some of the emphasis on MY birthday. But in time I would get over that. Woosh.

Stephen got all the athletic ability that I didn't get. He can play pretty much any sport. And although that includes your general sports like basketball, football, baseball, and golf, it also transfers into the realm of non-common sports like water sports. Waterskiing, wakeboarding, wake-surfing, body surfing, trolling for sharks, he does it all and more.

Way back in the day my room upstairs would get really hot in the summer months. So Stephen and I would pull out the mattress and sleep out in our basement. After watching TV for a little bit we would turn it off and one of us would say a familiar phrase "You wanna talk?" Then other one would quickly respond with "You go first." We would usually talk about Hebgen Lake and what we planned to do on our summer days. He would always fall asleep first. I loved those chats though.

Stephen fulfills his role as little brother by being the most annoying person on this planet. Just so you know.

But I love him anyways.

I miss him sometimes.

I miss watching him excel at sports.

I sometimes wish I could watch him in his high school years.

Love you Steph O.

Could Everything Please Just Happen At Once

Thanks.

I would really appreciate it.

This is kind of how I feel right now.

Out in the water dragging behind the boat. Ready to get up.

Life is a little like wake surfing.

Sometimes you have to take the plunge into the freezing cold water. Get in the ready position while holding the rope and board, dragging in the water, until you say hit it. Then you are up (hopefully). Learning to get your balance before you can let go of the rope and ride the wake.

So this all makes sense in my head. And relates to my life in my head too.

A while ago I took the plunge into college. I am getting ready for life after schooling I guess and there are a lot of things to hold on to. Right now I am juggling getting through finals, figuring out how I am going to get to Seattle, figuring out how I am going to pack for Seattle, new roommates, new adventures, classes I need to take, a boy I really like, assignments I need to finish, classes I should probably attend, religious responsibilities I have, it doesn't seem to end. I am ready to go to Seattle. I am ready to get up there and find my balance. But right now I am just dragging behind the boat waiting until I can say hit it.

Don't get me wrong it is a wonderful journey. And I am trying to enjoy and learn from it.

But Seattle is just so close.

And I am just so excited.

Since I accepted my acceptance into Flourishing Families I have known it has been right. I expect I will learn a lot from this experience. Maybe something about myself, probably something about other people, definitely a thing or two about sacrifice, and hopefully more than I can currently imagine.

So Seattle and I will meet in three weeks. And I will get up and going. But until then could everything please just happen at once?

Thanks.