yet another nighttime adventure

My first nighttime adventure up AF canyon consisted of a 10 hour hike in the dark with my best friends. This time was slightly different yet just as cool! As a ward, we went showshoeing under the moonlight! It was absolutely beautiful. Even though no camera could capture the beauty, just imagine this: snow laced on the ground, trees and bushes all around, silence, a clear sky, seeing all the stars, then being pleasantly surprised and excited when the moon comes up and lights everything up. Man, something everyone must do in their lifetime.

I'm glad I got to go, even though it was VERY last minute, because I met some new friends! I'd been having a hard time getting to know people in the ward, but I just clicked with a few girlies. They're really great. And live in the same building as me! Hopefully we become good friends.

Here are some pictures of the evening!

The group at the top of the ridge. It was a gorgeous view!

Bishop literally plopped right on top of us! It was funny.

L-R: Aubrey, Kelsi, Amber, and me

Then Soo decided to pop in!

weekly gratitude.

It's been awhile! But here it goes:

{1} My bishop. The Atonement. The Gospel. It's true, folks!

{2} My musical talent. I accompanied for 2 ward choir practices, played the organ in my singles ward, and the piano in relief society! BAM baby!

{3} My best friend. And letters. And his example. He's the best.

{4} My mom's delicious food! Mmmm Sunday dinners.

{5} Mr. Weyand's AP Language class. And the 11 page research paper I wrote for it. Ha.

{6} Good friends that know how to listen.

{7} Money! For gas and BYU bookstore attire. Gotta love BYU sweats :)

{8} The MTC. For taking good care of my man.

{9} My neighbor who I just found out today (as I was helping her in nursery... haha that's what I get for going back to visit my home ward!) that she waited for her husband on his mission! Even though she's married and has 5 kids, I can go over whenever to talk to her!

{10} My family. I love living at home.

weekly gratitude.

I'm gonna be quick here because my time with him is short and it's really inhibiting my ability to be happy and find the positives in life. It's hard. But here we go.

I'm thankful for:

{1} My mom's artisan bread. Um. Absolutely divine. So glad I still live at home!

{2} My geography TA's who put on an amazing review session that helped me get the grade I did on my midterm (89% baby... highest score yet!!)

{3} Good friends and football games

{4} My fellow ward members. Even though I don't know any of them, their testimonies are inspiring.

{5} My down comforter. Ah. Finally put it on and it's so comfortable and makes sleeping in my dungeon room more bearable in the cold weather.

That's about it, guys. I need to get better at this.

3 weeks left.

didn't I tell you?

Remember Jared? Yeah, we met up and he bought me a Jamba Juice. yadayadayada

You've heard that one.

But now there's a new kid in town.

His name is Jordan.

What's with all the J names??

Hey, his middle name is James so that means something, right?

Anywho, moving on.

Sunday, I went to church. I came home and immediately dropped my skirt and put on my most comfortable sweats. It was not an hour later when the doorbell rings. No big deal, right? People always come over on a Sunday.

HA.

My dad walks down the stairs:

"Vanessa, Jordan's here for you."

Me (thinking what the heck?): "Dad, I don't know a Jordan..."

Dad: "Blonde hair, blue eyes...?"

Me: "Nope."

Dad: "Well come up anyways!"

I trudge upstairs in totally mismatched clothes to see a stranger standing in my doorway.

Jordan: "Hi Vanessa, my name is Jordan."

Tell me something I don't know.

Long story short, he asked me on a date.

I've never met him before in my life. Granted, I've seen him at church (he's in my singles ward) but I didn't even know his name.

And now I'm going on a date with him.

The stories keep getting better and better...

Stay tuned! I'm pretty sure I'll have something more exciting next week.

A first for everything.

There's a baby's first steps. Then a baby's first words. There's the first time you ride a two-wheeler by yourself and the first time you ate it because you were paying attention to the sky instead of the road. There's the first day of public education, and then the first day of school for 12 years following. There's the first time you ignored at school. Remember the time you answered the question wrong and got your first bad score on a test? Or remember that first love in junior high that broke your heart a few months later? Or that first kiss you never want to think about again? There's the first time you pulled an all-nighter because the stress was too much to handle and the amounts of homework were piling up. There's the first time you cried over a boy. Or cried over stress or worry from school. There's the first time you cried with a friend. There's the first time you cried yourself to sleep.

Now add these to the list:

There's the first day of summer. Of complete freedom because you know you are free from public education and never have to return to high school. The first day of summer is always the best.

There's also the first day of your first job. That's always a frightening thing to overcome. The first day is always overwhelming and you feel so tiny in a room that's so big and empty. You become swamped. Remember that first day on the job?

And then, there's the first day you attend church and family night outside of your ward and family. That dreaded day that never seemed would come is here. There's the first time you don't wake up early with your family to make it to church on time at 9. Instead, you now attend church at 1. Without your family and by yourself. There's a first for that, too. Then, don't forget, now that you're a part of a new ward, you don't attend family night at your house anymore. There's that first Monday night that isn't spend in your living room but at a church, surrounded by young adults.

Today was the first day of summer. Today was the first day of my first real job. Yesterday was the first day I didn't go to church with my family, but rather to a new ward where I had to make new friends. Today was the first day I didn't attend family night at home. To be honest, I don't like how I'm being forced in to the singles ward. But that's kind of besides the subject.

Sometimes, firsts are good. At this point, I'm just trying to accept them all.