Withersoever thou goest.

Today was a miracle.

2011-12-05T14:11:00.002-07:00

The title pretty much says it all. Today was a miracle. I woke up at 4:00 to finish my photo essay and study for arguably the two hardest exams of the semester. The miracle was that the morning went quickly, I finished my essay with time to study, and those things that I paid the most attention to were the things that I never would have gotten otherwise, and they were on the test. ЧУДО!!!!! Also, both of the exams I took today have their second half scheduled for Wednesday, but one of the teachers has decided to give us a take home exam for the second half, so that's one less thing to worry about, and I can get that done, and focus my studying powers on the stats test. Awesome. I'm definitely being looked after.

Keep Moving Forward

2011-12-01T12:30:00.003-07:00

This next week...let's just say it will be a miracle if I finish with my head still on straight. I have so much to do.

Why, you may ask, if I have so much to do, am I blogging? It's a form of procrastination, and therefore a reward for getting something done. I have planned to subject of my photo essay and decided what pictures I need, now I just have to get out and take them. YAY!

Thanksgiving was fun, and I definitely needed the break, and now I'm hoping all of that brain power that I stored up over those few days will kick in and get me through the toughest week of the year. Then I'll be able to rest again and coast through finals week. I only have a couple written finals to take, so that will be nice. I think that it has always been the case for me that the last week of school is lots more stressful than finals week. Then, I get to go home for Christmas and enjoy time with family and friends for a few weeks. That'll be nice. Meagan and Stephen are even coming and we'll have the whole family together. What does that mean? Well, when you get us together, there has to be singing, and there will be! We're singing "Were You There?" in church. I get to play, and as I was practicing yesterday, I was pleased to discover that I pretty much still remember the song, and it won't be hard to polish it up.

So, that's my life at the moment. I'm just chugging through. What else can we do but keep moving?

Mission photos!

2011-11-16T17:05:00.001-07:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Photo books are the perfect gift for any occasion.

The End of a Great Chapter

2011-11-12T10:32:00.004-07:00

Well, I suppose the theory of having updates from my mission kind of fell through. I'm home now! I can't believe the time went so fast. I served from 18 November, 2009 until 23 June, 2011. A little over 19 months. It just worked out that way because of visa laws, and I was happy to give a little more time.

The most common question I was asked upon returning home was, "So, how was your mission?" I really don't think that I could ever do that question justice. It was incredible. The best thing I have done in my life to this point. It was certainly the hardest thing I have ever done, and that's why I learned so much from it. It was, to steal this phrase from one of my branch mission leaders, "The best 2 years [or 19 months] for my life." I think about my mission every day. I miss it, but I know that there are other things for me to do now, better things, and that's exciting.

Here's an excerpt from my last letter home:

"Dear Family and Friends,

Hello from Moscow, for the final time! I absolutely cannot believe that I've been gone for 19 months! What a blessing this has been for me! I still can't believe that the Lord would and did use someone like me to do his work, and sometimes I feel bad that I probably got more out of my mission than a lot of the people I worked with. A week ago, I couldn't think about returning home. I avoided it at all costs, but true to form, the Lord has helped me to prepare for what's coming, but he saved it until the final moments. I guess you could say I'm ready to go, but I'll always miss this. I am really excited, though, that technology will allow me to keep track of people here.

This week has been a good one. We did some chalk drawing, and I got to talk to several people. None of them were interested in hearing more, but I felt like I was doing my work, and doing it to the best of my ability. We found out on Saturday that Sister Frolova will be training next transfer. I think she's excited, but she's also very nervous. I know she can do it. I hope I've been able to help her in some way. One weird/awesome thing that happened this week was that I ran into an old investigator from Zelenograd. 3 TIMES!!! The first time, she was outside the metro and we were going in. I had to follow my companion, so I couldn't talk to her. The second time, she was going up the escalator in the metro and we were going down. That time she saw me and waved. Yesterday, I saw her again at a different metro! We stopped and talked. She said, "I've seen you twice this week!! It HAS to be a sign." She was sad that I'm going home in a couple of days, but since she's apparently in Moscow a lot, I gave her an invitation to come to English Club and told her that I would be there. I hope she comes. It sounded like she wanted to. So, that was a miracle. Remember Nastya, who plays the piano, yeah...it was here. Either way, I'll have the Z-grad sisters look up her number and either have them call her, or have Sister Frolova and Sister Thrall (let's see the Russians say that one) work with her since we see her often in our area here.

We have a meeting tonight before English club with 2 potential investigators, and I hope it goes well! There's also a woman from last week's english club who was so excited to learn about the church and even asked how she could be baptized! We called her on Thursday and she said that she's very busy, but until she has time to meet, she'll keep coming to English Club. I'm hoping we'll be able to talk to her there. Things are picking up and going well. The Lord is preparing us to meet all the new goals He has inspired us to make! Also at English Club last week, Dilya's daughter Zardis told me that they're planning on going all together to the temple in July, and Dilya is going to receive her endownment! I'm very excited for them!

We still haven't had a new bishop called in our ward, but I'm sure it'll happen soon. They've had to call a few bishops since the conference. I have such hope for the future of the church in Moscow, and in Russia, and in Eastern Europe! Great things are happening now, and will continue to happen everywhere. St. Petersburg is preparing for a stake (soon), and they've also called some district councilors (kind of like high councilors) in Novosibirsk, and they are preparing one other area. There will be many stakes in Russia, and it won't take that long, either! We're seeing the literal gathering of Zion, and creating stakes for them to gather to! WOW!

We had a meeting with President for all of the departing missionaries yesterday, after which we went to Red Square and took a group picture. I have copies, so you'll get to see them. The meeting was short, and President said it's basically part of the exit interview, but he was giving it now so that he didn't have to give it 6 times and possibly leave something out. Basically, I was filled with a deep sense of determination. Determination to serve for the rest of my life! Determination to keep improving and fixing those weaknesses that have become more apparent in the last 19 months, and strengthening the talents and gifts that have also come out. Determination to study and love and know the scriptures as well as I can. And determination to dedicate my life to the Lord, whatever I might be doing. I think that's why a mission is so special. All the time we're thinking about the Lord's work and how we can better do it. There's no reason why I can't do that same thing with everything I do in life. I know it'll be hard, but I'm willing to face whatever will come. And I'm better prepared now.

The Church is true! Everything I've been teaching and learning for the past months is absolutely true. I feel the Spirit when I teach people these things, and I know they can feel it as well. The gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone. It is the only way to return to the Father. The Atonement of Christ is central to that gospel, and really to everything! I've felt the influence of the Atonement in my life, and seen the way it's lives of others, as soon as they begin to understand and appply it. It's a miracle, and it's available to every single child of God. That's why I've been in Russia for the last year and a half, and that's why I'll strive to keep going with a brightness of hope forever!

с любовью,
сестра Ребекка Кнудсон"

I saw such great things in Moscow! My time was the best time! I saw the dedication of the temple in Kiev, Ukraine, the first temple in the Europe East Area, and actually got to go to the temple a few times. In the final month of my mission, I witnessed the organization of the first stake of Zion in Russia. I rubbed shoulders with the Presidency of the Europe East Area, and many more great and faithful saints of Russia. I love them, and I have great hope and look forward to hearing more about what will happen with them. So, that's a small idea of "how my mission was". Words simply don't do it justice.

Now, I've moved on to the next transfer. I'm back at school, trying to apply everything I learned in the last 2 years to my everyday life. Some days are better than others, but I have many experiences now to draw on. I'll try to get some pictures up soon.

Arrival pics from the Mission President

2010-02-10T10:35:00.003-07:00

We received the following message from Rebecca's Mission President upon her arrival:

Dear Brother and Sister Knudsen,

It has been wonderful for us to meet your daughter and get to know her and feel of her great spirit. We are confident that she will make a significant contribution to the Lord's work in Russia.

Initially, Sister Knudsen will be serving with Sister Coles. Your daughter will learn a great deal from her. They will be serving in the Kahovski/Podolsk area inside of Moscow.

As I am sure you know, uplifting and encouraging letters from home are as important as food and shelter for a missionary. Sharing with her your faith, your spiritual experiences, and your love will bless her tremendously. For mailing letters, the Church pouch is the fastest and most reliable method. LDS bishops have instructions for using this system. To reach the USA, letters from Moscow generally take at least two weeks, but can require more time. Preparation day is Wednesday. You can expect to receive an e-mail from her each week. Here is the address for any correspondence you would like to send in the pouch:

Russia Moscow Mission

PO Box 30150

Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150

If you wish to send packages, address them to the following:

101000 Moskva

Glavpochtampt a/ai 257

RUSSIA

Packages generally require at least three weeks for delivery. USPS or DHL works best for mailing packages.

Wheels Down in Moscow

2010-02-10T10:18:00.002-07:00

Sister Knudson has left the MTC and Made it to Russia!
They say the best way to send letters is through the church pouch mail system, though it takes about two weeks to get there. The address is:
Sister Rebecca Knudson
Russia Moscow Mission
POB 30150
Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150
USA

Letters for the church pouch should be single sheet folded in thirds and taped shut (no envelopes). Rebecca was told by her companion, it once took six weeks to get a letter; so please be patient in waiting for a response.

MTC Address

2009-11-25T16:20:00.002-07:00

The address for Cectra Knudson at the MTC is:
Sister Rebecca Knudson
MTC Mailbox #308
RUS-MOS 0203
2005 N. 900 E.
Provo, Utah 84604-1793

She will be there until 3 Feb 2010.
Cards and letters welcome!

Called to Serve

2009-11-14T19:56:00.002-07:00

About 2 months ago, I received my mission call. I was assigned to labor in the Russia Moscow Mission. Well, life took off from there and now I find myself just days away from my report date to the MTC. I'll be in the MTC for 12 weeks to learn the beautiful Russian language! My very first semester at BYU I took a Russian class, but I haven't taken any since then. I also don't remember much other than the alphabet (very useful), and basic phrases. But, somehow, the Lord will use me to bring his gospel to the Russian people. I have been blessed with friends and family who support me in my decision to serve and hope that with their support and the Lord's help, I can do all that he needs me to do in the next 18 months, and for the rest of my life.

My mom (or someone) will post news on this blog, and also my most current mailing address. I'd love to hear from you!

Happy Mothers Day!

2009-05-09T10:42:00.001-06:00

This is the wordle that I made for mom's lesson in church. Lizzy helped too. We're quite proud of it.

Sadness.

2009-04-25T07:58:00.002-06:00

I woke up about 10 minutes ago because I thought someone was calling my name. Actually, they said, "Rebec", but that's what they have taken to calling me lately. I thought it was Laura and I looked at her bed to see if she was sleeping. She wasn't there and for a second I thought she was up early. No, her bedding is gone and so is all her stuff. In the next second I realized that Laura is gone and soon I will be too. That sounds super morbid. My roommate is not dead and I have not been given 2 months to live. We're just moving out, moving away. It was just really weird this morning.

I've had an amazing year this year. My roommates and neighbors and I have grown really close. Most of them are returning next year, except they'll take up three apartments instead of 2 as our influence over this complex spreads. Part of me wishes I could come back next semester, but the other part of me knows that I'm going to do other, great things in the fall. I'll see them when I come to Provo. We'll make that happen. It's just time for a little sadness, I guess. You spend 8 months with the same people, getting to know them, and growing to love them, and they become an extension of your family, and it's not fun to leave your family. It's time though. A time for goodbyes, a time for memories, a time for joy, and a time for a little sadness.

...This is your brain on finals.

2009-04-20T20:46:00.003-06:00

Finals week has me going crazy. All week I've noticed that my brain is kind of all over the place. Well, this finally led me to a bit of trouble today.

I have 2 classes with finals scheduled for the same time in the same classroom. One was today, and one was tomorrow. The classes are Geography 304 and Geography 307. Well, this morning I woke up early to study. I spent 3 hours studying for Landscape Ecology and I was so ready for the test! I got to the classroom and almost had a heart attack when I walked in and found not my ecology classmates, but my CLIMATE classmates. Yeah.

Well, I panicked for about a second, then I sat down with a couple of friends and joined their review sheet discussion. Luckily, I got to class a few minutes early or I really would have had to recover from that shock quickly. My friend let me look over the review sheet with her and we quickly went over some of the harder things. My brain, meanwhile was trying hard to readjust to its new task. Fortunately, there is a lot of overlap between climates and all the other geography classes I've taken (including one from the same professor). I think I did ok, somehow. Now I think the process will repeat tomorrow morning, except I only have one final left, so I can't possibly go wrong with which one I study for. I think I'm lucky that it happened this way, and not the other way around. I NEVER could have passed my landscape ecology test without studying for it.

Yeah. That is my brain on finals.

New Layout!

2009-04-10T21:46:00.002-06:00

Awesome! I designed this myself, and it is one of my favorite products of procrastination to date!

Life is crazy at the moment as classes finish on Tuesday and I still have 2 major papers due. I think I'll be able to get it all done, though. I HOPE I will. Strangely enough, I think my stress will be considerably less once classes end, even with finals looming. Give me a test over a paper ANYDAY!

I'm excited to be going home soon, and I know this summer will be at least interesting. A lot of BIG decisions will be made this summer that will likely determine the rest of my life. No joke. There is bit of uncertainty in my life right now, which makes me pretty nervous and restless, but also excited. I'll have friends at home and I'll spend some good time with my family. They'll support me in whatever happens this summer. It'll be a growing experience no matter what.

For you, JB!

2009-04-02T09:16:00.004-06:00

Just so that Jen knows that I'm still alive...and anyone else out there who was wondering-I'm still here, and I have a free hour because my only class of the day was cancelled (which I learned after I woke up and walked to campus).

Well, there are a whopping 7 days left of classes before I can breathe for a few days and then finals come upon me. I think I can make it. I wish the weather would go back to its springish ways, though. Yesterday, mother nature played an April Fool's prank on everyone. We call it snow. There isn't any now, because it melted, but it's still cold outside, much colder than it should be in April.

This past weekend, my roommates (including extended roommates,there were 9 of us) and I took matters into our own hands and went down to Moab for "Spring Break". We left on Friday afternoon, camped overnight, spent Saturday in Arches National Park (AMAZING), and then drove home on Saturday night. Doesn't sound like much of a spring break, does it? Well, that's all we could do because here at BYU we get every Saturday and Sunday off and that's all (at lesat in the winter semester). BUT! I'll be out of school and home before the rest start their finals, so I guess it's a decent trade-off. Anyway, Arches was amazing and it was fun to look at some of the landforms and know how they got there. My roommates were probably sick of me by the end of the day, trying to explain things to them, but I had fun. The weather was nice during the day, but Friday night and Saturday morning were SO COLD! And lucky me, I got to sleep in the tent with a broken zipper on the front flap. We pulled the fly cover over the front and tucked it under the tent, but it didn't help much, and of course, mine was the sleeping bag right next to the front. We did, however, perfect our fire building skills and that kept us warm(ish) while we were awake. All in all, it was a very nice break and I think everyone had a good time.

Now I'm running all out toward the end of the semester. I have a 9 page paper to perfect, a 7 page paper to write, another paper to write (don't remember how long), and a presentation to complete and present. I'm almost looking forward to finals because somehow I think it will be significantly easier than the next week and a half.

Things I'm looking forward to in the next couple weeks:
Volleyball tonight and tomorrow with my Winter '08 roommates
General Conference with Meagan
Meagan's concert on the 11th
Going to the elementary school's Aladdin production
...and other random good times with roommates and friends before the time comes to part

Aztec Valentines

2009-02-17T18:03:00.005-07:00

My neighbor, Katie, and I had a really fun night here on Saturday. It snowed for most of the day, so we decided that while our cookie dough chilled, we would too (literally). We went into the park behind our apartment complex. Originally, our plan was to build a snowman, but the snow wasn't packing, so we went with a temple instead. We also did some "sledding" on a very small hill in the park. Then we came back in and decorated cookies. It was a very fun night!

Radiation

2009-02-10T13:12:00.002-07:00

I came across this quote yesterday, and I really like it.

"There is one responsibility which no man can evade; that responsibility is his personal influence. Man's unconscious influence is the silent, subtle radiation of personality--the effect of his words and his actions on others. This radiation is tremendous. Every moment of life man is changing, to a degree, the life of the whole world.
Every man has an atmosphere which is affecting every other man. He cannot escape for one moment from this radiation of his character, this constant weakening or strengthening of others. man cannot evade the responsibility by merely saying it is an unconscious influence.
Man can select the qualities he would permit to be radiated. He can cultivate sweetness, calmness, trust, generosity, truth, justcie, loyalty, nobility, and make them vitally active in his character. And by these qualities he will constantly affect the world.
This radiation, to which I refer, comes from what a person really is, not from what he pretends to be. Every man by his mere living is radiating either sympathy, sorrow, morbidness, cynicism, or happiness and hope or any one of a hundred other qualities.
Life is a state of radiation and absorption. To exist is to radiate; to exist is to be the recipient of radiation."

That's just cool. David O. McKay said that in a speech at BYU in April of 1948. I've noticed recently that when I'm thinking about things, like this quote, things happen that give me a different understanding of whatever I'm thinking about. For example, this weekend, my personal radiation has been somewhere between death and general misery. I've been sick since Friday, but I still had to go to class. Saturday, I didn't leave my apartment once and I didn't want to. Yesterday, I was feeling much better but I had to go to class again because I had an exam in one class and a take home exam was being handed out in another. By the time I finished my four hour block of classes I was exhausted and pretty much miserable walking down the hill to my apartment. I met a couple of people from my ward on the way, and then I passed this one guy I've never met and he smiled and said, "afternoon" and kept walking. I couldn't help but smile. I'm sure that every person walking behind me got the same treatment, but that just helped me somehow. As I thought about it, I thought, that kid is choosing to radiate happiness. It even penetrated my death rays! (not that I was glaring at the kid when I walked by...) So, moral of the story: Watch your Radiation!

Other notable events of the past couple weeks: I gave a talk in church (25th i think). It went fine and I'm glad it's over with. I had sushi for the first time (not bad). We've started the process of figuring out how to get home after this semester. Everyone (minus Jay *sad*) is coming out for Meagan's graduation. Then we'll be taking a trip to Henderson before driving back home (hopefully a southern route so that I don't have to drive through Wyoming and Nebraska for the 6th time in 3 years). I'm not coming back to school in the fall. I will eventually, but I'm hoping to leave on mission in the fall or maybe winter this year. Finally, my roommate killed me last night, but very discretely. She actually got everyone else to kill me for her. That's what happens when your roommate is a veteran member of the Park Plaza Mafia.

Sanctuary!

2009-01-13T18:33:00.004-07:00

Yesterday, I decided to go for a walk. No ipod, no phone, just walking, and thinking (admittedly, my camera did come with me.)

This is a view of the canyon when it's still far away. This is in front of the temple. There is snow all around and it was really just a peaceful view.Here's a view of the canyon up close. Once I got there. There were only a few people, and it was really just peaceful. It was good to get out and clear my mind for a few hours. The stress of the first week of school does that to me sometimes, so this was a needed break. It was beautiful and I'm hoping I'll get to go further into the canyon this semester. This walk might become a weekly event. It will be interesting to see the winter fade gradually into spring...or as much spring as we get in April, anyway.When I got home, I looked up my route on GoogleEarth to see how far I walked. I know you can't see the path very well, or the mile counter, but it came out to almost 5.5 miles. Good times. I loved the opportunity to be outside in this wonderful place. I feel wonder at the beauty of this place, but also appreciation for the knowledge I have of the processes that helped sculpt this landscape. Geography has given me another set of eyes to look through, but that doesn't mean I have to analyze everything to the point that it holds no wonder.

Winter Storm Warning!!!

2008-12-13T12:09:00.002-07:00

Haha...some of my favorite words at the beginning of the winter! They're telling us to count on a few inches in the next couple of days, and it is supposed to snow at least a little every day next week! I hope that doesn't interfere with our flight plans at all. That would be really sad.

Today is a Saturday. It's also a reading day according to BYU. That's just wrong. If I don't have school on this day, it shouldn't be counted as a day on the academic calendar set aside for studying. Saturday: a day set aside for preparing for finals instead of going to classes. Why, thanks, BYU. That's really going to help.

Today I'm planning on sitting in my living room with the window open so that I can watch the storm while I finish my 211 final which is due on Monday and study for my Doctrine and Covenants and Geology finals which I can take anytime (hopefully Monday also).

Our adventures with our next door neighbors continue daily. We try to do something Christmasy every night, whether that means making snowflakes, decorating the tree, or drinking hot chocolate. We had random adventures as well. For example, last Sunday we had a huge dinner with a ton of people from the ward. Our home teachers were supposed to come soon, and the food wasn't done, so we recruited our neighbor Katie to watch the food while the HTs were here. She would be our "kitchen elf" for the day. That made us laugh, then someone had the brilliant idea that Katie should hide in the closet in the living room until the timer went off. At which point we would say, "Go, Kitchen elf, go!" and she would come out and walk into the kitchen and we would act like nothing had just happened. Well, everything went as planned...except for the act-like-nothing-happened part. Our home teachers couldn't stop laughing, so we started laughing too. I'm surprised that they didn't think we were crazy. I think their words were "Wow, I hope I can be that cool someday." Yeah...so that's our life. Hiding in closets and making the people in our ward thing that we're absolutely crazy.

Watch for an upcoming post on our amazing Christmas decorations, pictures included.

Let it Snow!

2008-12-09T06:33:00.002-07:00

We finally got our first real snow yesterday. Well, I guess you can call it real snow. Nothing stuck, but it was snowing for a good part of the day, and that was fun. We've had ridiculously nice weather for the past month, and I think it's about time winter showed up. I like the snow for about the first month. After that, I sometimes get a little tired of it. Then, by the time I go home in April I'm always ready for the warmer weather that's sure to be there in Maryland.

There are 2 days left of classes, and as you might imagine, everything that could have been left for these last few days has been. I have a lot to do today, especially since tomorrow is the last day for all of my classes except for one. I'm also meeting with my group member so that we can finish work on our paper! I have short papers to write about the field trips I've done, a HEPE test to take after my group stuff is done, and a lab to finish for Geog211. Then tomorrow my partner and I will give a presentation based on our topic, and after everything is done, I'll be able to give a HUGE sigh of relief. I only have my religion class on Thursday, and nothing is due there. I guess that all doesn't sound too bad. I think I can do this.

Countdown to home: 9 days!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-29T09:37:00.004-07:00

It's a day or two late, I know, but better late than never. This year for Thanksgiving my sister and I are staying at our Aunt's house in Nevada. We've had a lot of fun so far visiting various aunts, uncles, and cousins. I love that my mom's family lives so close together (for the most part). It makes it really easy to see a lot of people. We've also played a LOT of canasta and we even win from time to time.

Yesterday we met our cousin (from Dad's side) at a restaurant for lunch. It was good to see her and it was nice to be together while the rest of our family was together on the other side of the country. I think my last Thanksgiving at home was my junior year of High School. That was 4 YEARS ago! I miss it, but I also love being able to come to Nevada to be with family here that I rarely get to see! I'm so grateful just to have family close by wherever I am. I can't imagine being at school in Utah and having no place to go for Thanksgiving.

So, a short list of some of the things I'm grateful for this year:
FAMILY! Near and far, past and present, they make me who I am!
FRIENDS! Also a shaping influence in my life
MY CHURCH! The absolute truth in my life on which all that I KNOW is true is based
THIS EARTH! And the opportunity I have to learn more about it daily!
MY GIFTS! Those things with which I have been blessed that enable me to love and help others
And finally, MY PHONE! After all it's been through in the past month, it's a miracle it works, and life would be more difficult without it. What a trooper!

20?? What???

2008-11-07T14:16:00.005-07:00

It's my birthday today! I'm 20 now...when did this happen??? Just last week my roommates and neighbors and I were celebrate our 19-ness. And now, like a flash, it's gone. I don't think I'll miss the teenage years much (partly because I'm still surrounded by teenagers...who I love!)

...And that's pretty much all that I had time to write on my actual birthday. It was a busy day full of projects, a test, and another test. Not to mention the test that I took the day before. When I finally got home, I was SO tired, but happy because I was surrounded by reminders of my day. My roommates had worked through the night on Thursday night hiding notecards and putting up signs for my birthday. They also blew up a ton of balloons which are still scattered all over the living room.

So, that was a wonderful thing to wake up to. Especially since I was up early to continue studying. Uncle Tim can verify that. He called me at 6:15 (AM!) and I was up...studying...just like I had been when he called the night before. While my roommates were responsible for the surprise around every corner in the apartment, the neighbors were working on their own bit of birthday magic. There was a knock on my door and I opened it to find this:"Blueberry Muffins for Brilliant, Beautiful Becca's 20th Birthday" The muffins only held my attention for a minute as my eye was naturally drawn to this:Oh yeah! A man made of balloons. He was holding a card and a poem and some balloon flowers just for me. He was also about 7 feet tall...now he's pretty much dead out there. It put a huge smile on my face, and anyone else who has walked by the apartment since. My roommates and I had some breakfast together (a rare occurence)......and then it was off to school to face everything I had going on that day. Fortunately, I lived through it, and might have even done well on the test (I haven't actually found out yet). When I got home, it was pretty noisy in my apartment. 2 of my roommates were getting ready for Preference in the back, and it was quite the event. There was another surprise for me not long after I got home when this came to the door:Flowers made of fruit...AWESOME! The fruit was very good!

To celebrate, a few friends came over and we had some dinner and watched a movie. In the end it was me and my roommates from last year, and that was so much fun! Even if it was just four people. All in all, it was a great birthday. I got my favorite cake and ice cream, and I got to spend the day with some of my favorite people. I talked to all of my family members, and got lots of birthday wishes from friends and family.

So, I'm another year older and supposedly another year wiser. I guess those things are good...what would be REALLY good would be getting a year taller! But, I guess I'll have to be happy with what I've got.

Near Drowning Victim--In Stable Condition, but May Never Fully Recover

2008-11-04T09:20:00.006-07:00

You'll remember that last week my phone went for a brief swim in the washing machine. You might be glad to know that I was able to save the phone, but it will likely suffer some lasting effects for...well...forever. I'm optimistic though. The screen didn't suffer any permanent damage despite holding a lot of water for a couple of days. The battery works fine, even though originally the charger had no effect on it. A few of my buttons work, but the most important ones work. Like the ones that let me search through my phone book and then call that person. The only numbers my phone knows are 1 and 7, and the up key thinks it's a down key...and so does the down key. BUT! the most important thing is that I can still make and receive calls as long as that person is in my phone book. Good, right?!

I'm also optimistic because my phone seems to be still improving. It gave me a scare this weekend when it lapsed into a phone coma and NONE of the buttons were working. But, after the battery died and I charged my phone, my phone was back to its dysfunctional self. I was relieved to have my 1/7/down phone back again. Also, when I first started using my phone, my charger wouldn't work. Luckily, my roommate has the same phone so we switched batteries overnight so that my battery could charge in her phone and then I could use it the next day. Then, miracle of miracles, the battery started responding to charger treatment! Maybe after some intense therapy and a lot of time the rest of the buttons will work...but until then, all's well that ends well, and I can still use my phone!

A Little Direction

2008-10-31T22:10:00.002-06:00

Happy Halloween!!! It still doesn't feel like Halloween to me. Even with the people dancing around outside my window, my roommates trying to look like fruit, and the music blasting next door. People were in costumes on campus, and we even watched Hocus Pocus! But it just doesn't feel the same. Halloween has never been one of my favorite holidays anyway. Dressing up and having people stare at me is probably one of my LEAST favorite things. Maybe one day I'll want to dive into a large group of people...but for now I'll walk next door with my roommates, then sneak back home when they're not looking ;)

I'm actually really tired right now. It was a long day. I had 4 classes, and a midterm in one. I have 3 tests next week, and a group presentation. It's going to be a long week, but I think I'll get through it. November hits and suddenly the semester's over. I have to make sure I keep up, or I'll be flying.

I signed up for classes today! As uncertain as I am about the spring, it feels good to know what I'll be doing in the Winter...for the most part. Also, my major finally showed up in my student information! I'm officially a Geography Major with an Environmental Studies emphasis. It feels good to see that. It makes it more definite, more certain, the way I like it. The decision is made and that's always the hardest part for me. Now I can stick to it and give it my all. It's good to have a little direction. Now it's time to work!

OOPS!

2008-10-28T11:37:00.002-06:00

I may have just fished my cell phone out of the washing machine. I changed so that I could wash the clothes I was wearing, but forgot about the phone!! I ran downstairs as soon as I realized, but it had already been in there for 4 minutes...long enough to drive it crazy, apparently. I'm praying that it will still work once it gets the chance to dry out. *fingers crossed* Until then, I have no phone.

Enjoy it While You Can!

2008-10-27T15:12:00.002-06:00

I'm confused. It's the end of October and it's a sunny 66 degrees outside! I'm pretty sure it was snowing around this time last year. We've had one "unreasonably" cold weekend, but other than that the weather has been beautiful. So beautiful, that my roommates and neighbors and I have been enjoying some activities in the weeks between waves of midterms. That's over now, since I have 3 midterms in the next 2 weeks, but it was fun while it lasted!

We went to Salt Lake to plant flowers like I wrote last weekend. That was a lot of fun. The weather was gorgeous and it couldn't have been more different from last year when Laura and I went. Last year the wind was blowing, it was raining, and it was SO COLD! But we stayed until the end and got to enjoy it in the spring. This year it was sunny and warm...so we enjoyed planting and we get to enjoy it in the spring! I think my roommate has some pictures, so I'll put those up once I have access to them.

Then, this weekend we got to have a little more fun. At around 8:00 on Saturday morning, 2 of my roommates and 2 of our neighbors and I hiked to the Y! It was a lot of fun. The hike up is tiring sometimes, but definitely worth it to get there. The hike down was really enjoyable, even though I fell once (darn loose rocks on the trail). No worries though, my elbow took most of the blow as opposed to my head. We got some really fun pictures there and I even found some friends once we got to the Y. Also on Saturday we went to the football game versus UNLV. That was a good game. Good in the sense that it was fun to be there, and exciting to watch because it was close. Not-so-good in the sense that the Cougars should have played better, and have played better. We won though, so all's well that ends well.

This Thursday, Katie, one of the neighbors, turns 19. Then all 8 of us will be the same age! at least until the Friday after that. So, we're in the process of planning a 19! Party. It should be fun.

Well, volleyball has me exhausted so I really need to eat something and then tackle my list of everything there is to do before FHE. Wish me luck!

Defense?

2008-10-22T21:12:00.002-06:00

I have the feeling my volleyball class is about to get a lot more fun. I've enjoyed it so far, but all of the drills and the days spent on hitting and blocking were just torture for me. We finally finished all of the separate skills and we get to have teams and finally play games! We played some today, and it was SO FUN! Well, most of it was fun. I feel like I'm in way over my head sometimes. I'm a setter and I think the coach expects me to know a lot more than I do about plays and positions and all that stuff. We play a 5-1, and that means that I'm the setter, all the time! I've never played like this before and it's a lot for me to take in at once. The hardest part is knowing where I'm supposed to be. I'm fine with serve receive and defense when I'm on the front row, but what about back row? I was so confused today, I just needed someone to tell me where to go!!! Of all the things we went over, you would think the coach would want to go over defense too. Well, I was so confused and slightly frustrated that I came home and looked it up online. Now I know where I'm supposed to be, and all that good stuff. I'm excited now for volleyball on Monday. I'm ready to play. Next step, being a "team leader"...right.

This weekend, my roommates and I are going to hike the Y. I haven't done it since I was around 12, so I figure this is the best time for it. The colors on the mountain are beautiful and I have to go now before it gets too cold and all the trees drop their leaves. Speaking of trees, I have to go on a tree tour of the BYU campus for my Biogeography class. I'm actually pretty excited. There are a lot of beautiful trees on camps and I'll finally get to learn something about them, or at least be able to name my favorites. I love fall!

FALL!

2008-10-18T06:08:00.002-06:00

The room is dark. It's 6:10 am on a Saturday and I'm the only one awake. There's a girl from my ward sleeping on the couch (she got locked out last night). It's times like this when people question my sanity. But I love the morning. It's my quiet time. The time I have to myself, but I haven't been left alone. My mind is alive in the early hours as I watch the world come alive around me. I will admit though, it isn't normal for me to be awake this early on a Saturday. This is a special occasion.

Today, we're going to Salt Lake to plant flowers around the Church Office Building. We did the same thing last year and I loved it. It was cold, wet, and SO windy the entire time, but it was so much fun! Today should be completely different. Temperatures in the 60s, and sunshine, but hopefully just as much fun. The best part was going to Salt Lake in the spring to see what happened to all those bulbs we planted. I also get to drive with 4 other people, hopefully people I know, but we'll see. So, I decided I needed to be awake before I attempted driving anywhere.

It's finally Fall in Provo, and I love it. We had patch of Winter over the weekend, and that just wasn't fun. It snowed a little, and it was super cold, but we lived and the 50s/60s are here for a little while. I think Provo was just giving us a nice little preview before actually entering the short transition phase. The colors are still beautiful and the trees are starting to color and lose their leaves. The air has a little bite to it, but not enough to make you cold. Fall is my favorite season. Not just because my birthday is in the fall, even though I'm sure that helps, but I love what happens to nature in the fall. It's just beautiful and I get to step back and enjoy it.

One final thought before I go: I got my absentee ballot in the mail yesterday :YAY! I'm excited to vote this year and excited to see what happens. On Tuesday we had a guest speaker come to campus. He is the Former President of South Africa and he gave a speech full of politics and very strong opinions. I didn't agree with everything he said, but he started talking about our elections and I really liked a couple things he said. The first thing he said was that the world was almost as interested in our Presidential elections as we are, and they feel that America has such an influence over the entire world, that they should be voting too! I thought that was funny, but there was some truth to it. The second thing he said just made me think. He was talking about our elections and he called them, "four-year celebrations of democracy". I thought that was really interesting. I think during the election year there is a lot of fighting, and contention. I know that the issues are important and need to be resolved, but I also think it's important that on election day, we take a chance to step back and celebrate democracy. Not many other people get the chance to vote and know that their vote will be counted fairly. So, in November, let's take a moment and celebrate--celebrate the system, celebrate our rights, celebrate democracy!

2008-10-07T15:21:00.002-06:00

I lived through a busy week last week. General Conference was just the break I needed. For the weekend, school was in the back of my mind and I devoted my attention to listening to the Prophet, First Presidency, Apostles, and other leaders of the church. In Family Home Evening yesterday, my apartment was assigned to give the spiritual thought. We went around and shared something we had learned from conference. It was hard for me to decide what to share with my "family". I mentioned that every time conference comes around, it means more to me. When I was young, it was exciting to hear the prophet, but I didn't appreciate the messages shared as much as I do now. I also mentioned to my group how grateful I am that my parents took us to all sessions of conference. It set the habit and now that I appreciate the messages shared, I don't have to think twice about whether I'm going to listen to each session. I can't wait for next month's Ensign to come.

After Conference, I was thrown back into life as a collee student. I have an exam to take, either today or tomorrow, for my geology class, and a quiz in my landforms class. But, I think I'll survive. Last week's tests went well, as far as I know, and I'm still breathing. This week is also Homecoming! I'm definitely looking forward to the game on Saturday. I love football games! I'll get some pictures at the game.

How I Missed Them...

2008-09-26T17:11:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was my first day of helping out the elementary school with their musical. It was pretty much a madhouse. Lots of kids, only 3 teachers and a bunch of volunteers. The highlight of my day was probably spending 10 minutes trying to help one little boy with his shoes. He tied them together, and he was quite the knot maker. I asked him why he did that and his reply was, "I wanted to see how long it would take my mom to notice when I got home." Yeah...I'm pretty sure she wouldn't have missed it...he couldn't even walk straight. Yeah, I miss those first graders. He was all smiles though, and he promised that he wouldn't do that anymore.

Also this week:

I had my first exam of the semester today in Biogeography. I think I did really well. I studied for a really long time yesterday, and I felt like I knew the material. It paid off.
We did "jump serving" in volleyball on Wednesday. Mine was a complete failure. It didn't go over the net ever...but then a lot of other people had trouble too. I think the hardest part is timing. You have to time the toss, the steps, the jump, the swing...it's just too much to think about at once. I have the same problem with hitting. HELLO! That's why I'm a setter! I can't jump and hit.
Laura and I went to the store and bought a can of pineapple. Then we went to the Kimball Tower where Catherine works on the 10th floor. While in stealth mode, we went to her floor, found her cart, and left her the pineapple. She was confused at first, but then she said she started laughing. I think Laura finally told her it was us. It would have been 10 times funnier with a real pineapple, but we didn't want to spend too much on it.

Not much else happened this week. It's just business as usual.

Looking Back

2008-09-22T17:00:00.005-06:00

I knew it would happen! I miss being around kids. I'm not saying that I want to be around them all the time, but sometimes would be good. The funny thing is that I'm the oldest of my roommates now and whenever we go somewhere I find that I sound a lot like the "mom". It's like I never left. I actually had to tell Laura and Thomas to STOP pulling up the grass! I also had to tell them not to pull leaves off of the trees. That makes us all laugh.

On that note, I have good news. Laura, Kacey, and I are all signed up to volunteer at one of the elementary schools here in Provo. Get this: We'll be helping their 4-H group put on a musical: ALADIN!!! We're so excited. I'll have some kids again and it will just be fun all around. So, I'll have a weekly dose of elementary children and that should keep me happy. I'm really looking forward to it.

In other news: I have a biogeography exam on Friday and probably some other ones coming up soon after. Wish me luck! Also, the football game on Saturday was AMAZING! I didn't actually go, because I woke up with a sore throat which I'm still trying to fight off...but I still listened to it! Cougars won 44-0 making it our second shut-out in a row! The first one came a week ago against UCLA where we won 59-0. Both were very exciting games. GO COUGARS! I guess the final news is that I'm still all in one piece. My knees alternate which day they want to hurt the most, and I still have some pain in my shoulder from two weeks ago...the same day I got this:

Beautiful, isn't it? That's my knee after day 1! of volleyball class. You might be happy to know that I haven't taken a serious hit since. Usually the floor wins these confrontations. The colors are mostly gone...I still have a red half circle, but that's all that remains of this bruise. I'm quite proud of it actually.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have INTERNET!

2008-09-17T17:36:00.002-06:00

Laura and I just got back from Lindon where we picked up our internet modem. Finally, after three weeks of asking, "When are we going to do this?" we got it done! I hooked everything up and it all works. None of this demonic router business like last time. Although, we can't quite get it to work right on Laura's computer. I love being able to take something home, put it together, and make it work. It makes me feel smart to be able to set everything up myself. Just for that moment, technology is my friend, until something goes wrong. So far, so good. I'm writing this with no cables attached to my computer and connected to my own network! YAY!

(DOUBLE YAY! I just made it so that Laura can be wireless too!)

Besides my technological triumphs, life's pretty dull out here. I watched two movies today. They were interesting enough, but when the teacher turns off the lights it's just asking for trouble. "Lucky" for me I can't EVER sleep during the day. It just doesn't work. I do have volleyball twice a week just to keep me awake. Whether it keeps me alive is questionable. I have a giant bruise on my knee from last Monday and there may be something wrong with my shoulder from the same day. Also, my other knee decided to go crazy this week. Laura thinks that I should get a full body cast until we know what's wrong with me...but that wouldn't be any fun! What doesn't kill me makes me tougher.

In other news: My apartment doesn't have hot water. We're working on getting that fixed, but it hasn't happened yet. Luckily our other two roommates are really good friends with the girls next door. "Dearest neighbors, may we use your shower?"

Chiaroscuro

2008-09-02T16:27:00.002-06:00

Before I left for school, I noticed three identical blue paper-back books that have been sitting on the bookshelf in my family room for a long time. The book is called Chiaroscuro: Portrait of a Family. It is an auto-biography of sorts by my Great-Grandmother Ruth Ellsworth Knudson. The reason we have multiple copies is that there is one copy each for myself, Meagan, and Jay. There is also one for the family, or my dad, I guess. I'd never taken an interest in the book before, but I decided it could be interesting to learn more about great-grandma and her life. I had no idea how much it would fascinate and impress me as I read.

The first thing I noticed was that one of the copies is actually mine. She wrote a note in each of our books, making it even more personal. It says:

"Dear 'Becky Jo' (I don't remember ever hearing that name in my life.)
"The older you get the more you'll learn how important families are. Here is a book that will let you learn something about the family you belong to."

I've found this to be absolutely true. My realization of the importance of families has grown with me. I haven't gotten very far in the book, but reading about Grandma Ruth has been an incredible experience for me. I didn't know her very well at all, and this book is teaching me so much about her and the rest of my family. I'm glad that I had the inspiration to pick up this dusty blue (her favorite color) book from the shelf. I can see it becoming a strength for me in coming years.

Killing Time

2008-08-30T15:12:00.002-06:00

...as in I am killing time, not as in time for killing.

I'm just waiting for the football game to start and figured that I'd mention a few things:

1. I made it to Provo just fine (obviously). I did almost get run off the road in...guess where...NEBRASKA! That makes 2 terrifying experiences for me in that one long state. Last year we were caught in a really bad rain storm and I couldn't see anything. I was trying to slow down, but the car decided to leave the road and make life interesting. We went into the grass median and I had to do everything I could not to hit one of the mile marker poles. Luckily we came out unscathed, but it still scares me to drive in the rain.

2. I'm moved in to my new apartment and I think it will be a good semester. Move-in day was stressful as always, but I got through it. Thank goodness I have Laura to just be calm when I feel like I'm going to explode on the inside.

3. The next time Laura asks if I want to watch a movie/go to a movie and it's past 8, I'm saying no. The night doesn't end with the movie and I've been up way later than I want since I got here.

4. GO COUGARS! I'm off to the football game. Thanks for killing time with me!

Time to Leave!

2008-08-25T04:04:00.003-06:00

It's time to leave. Literally. I'm out the door hopefully within the hour. Pray that we'll have a good roadtrip, and that we won't go off-roading in Nebraska again.

A Time to Rush and a Time to Breathe

2008-08-22T07:08:00.002-06:00

This week is a lesson for me in when to worry, and when to just let it happen. We went to King's Dominion on Wednesday, and it was a lot of fun. I don't really like going to amusement parks with a big, varied group (such as my family), but I decided to do it and just have fun. That became easy when I decided that I didn't need to worry about time or what everyone else wanted to do. I wasn't in charge, so I didn't need to worry about that stuff. I was just there to relax and have a good time, which I did. It was definitely a time to breathe.

On the other hand, I'm leaving on Monday to go back to school. Today, I really need to buckle down and get stuff down. I'm am in charge of this, so I need to be the one getting it done. My whole house is in a rush this week, it seems. Jay is trying to get his Eagle done before he leaves, which is on Monday. Which means, Mom is trying to get Jay's Eagle done before he leaves. That's all she can do until it's done which leaves out making sure Zac and Liz are ready for school, and also getting Jay ready for school. It also means that it's better just to stay out of the way unless there is something I can do, which there isn't really, except for take myself out of her list of people to be worrying about this week. This week is my time to rush!

I'm excited to go back to school, which is new for me. School is a change, and I used to be so against change, but I guess since I've been at school for 2 years, and my friends are there, it's not really a shock to leave. BYU is just another home to me. So, I'm leaving one home for another. It's time.

time to end

2008-08-16T15:39:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was my last day of work. I can't believe it's over. It's been a good summer, and I'm glad that I got this job. It hasn't really sunk in yet that I'm not going to camp anymore, it will probably hit me on Monday morning when I don't have to wake up. I'll miss it, but it's time to be finished. I worked hard this summer, and I probably don't have much left in me. It's an exhausting job. I have one ore week, and then it's time to go back to school. I'm definitely ready...except for the packing and cleaning and driving part.

My days for teaching this week went much better. I was supposed to teach all day Thursday, but in the afternoon, we had a big thunderstorm and had to stay inside for the last 2 hours of camp. The morning went well though. I also taught on Friday morning. Thursday was about avalanches and blizzards, and Friday was about forest fires. I had fun. My teacher, Sarah, said that I did a good job, and the kids did too. That's one good thing about the older kids: they know how to compliment/tell "white lies". I think they had fun though. Their favorite activity by far was building shelters in the woods out of fallen sticks, leaves, and bark. They worked on them every day and could have worked longer. That's another good thing: long term projects are okay. We did have to send one kid home on Friday. We'd been having trouble with him all week, and he finally crossed the line. It's sad, but the afternoon was much quieter without him there.

As a "thank you" all of the interns were given a gift card to Starbucks. I don't drink coffee, but I'm sure I'll find some use for it. I think they have other stuff there, and I have lots of friends who love Starbucks. The inside had a small note for each of us from Anne and Sarah. Mine said I did a really good job making connections with the shy and reserved kids. I thought that was funny, but true. I connect with those kids because I am one of those kids. This summer, I found myself drawn to those kids because I saw a lot of myself in them and I remember that when I was their age, I really just needed someone to come and talk to me. I loved all of my campers this summer, but it's definitely true that I have a special connection with the shy ones. The teachers can't deal with the individual when they're leading a hike or teaching a class. As the intern, I had that opportunity, and I took it. A lot of the teachers were also very outgoing and "loud" people, which is needed to teach a big class. I'm not one of those people, and I loved going after the individuals. I loved the little quirks of each kid and going after the kids who needed the individual attention. I realized the role I could play during my second week of Pre-K camp. There were several little kids who were nervous during the first week, but when they came back, the nervous ones were separated from the truly reserved ones. At that age, all they needed was a friend, someone they could walk with, or hold hands with on the hike, or sit next to in circle. Someone who would listen to their stories. I remember the very last day of Pre-K camp. My afternoon class was particularly small and it was really nice since we normally had a crazy class. I noticed one boy who had barely said anything the whole 2 weeks. Now I could give him that attention. I walked next to him and asked him a few questions and he talked to me for a full 20 minutes after that. I almost laughed out loud at how quickly he had transformed. For the rest of the day he was coming up to me and talking to me. I was sorry it couldn't have happened sooner, but at the end, he was happy and had a good day. It is truly rewarding to watch a camper open up over a 5 day period. It's even more rewarding to play a role, even a small one, in that change.

It's My Day!

2008-08-14T03:33:00.003-06:00

Despite the optimistic sound of the title, I'm feeling less than secure about my day teaching. This group has been really difficult. Not because of the age group (at least I don't think so), but because of the individuals and how they clash with other individuals. But, I've been watching Sarah this week and I've picked up on how to deal with certain behaviors. Hopefully that will help me because I was never good at talking over people to get their attention.

Today's topic is: Blizzards and Avalanches. We'll start the day with a general discussion about types of precipitation and how they form/what happens as they fall. Then, we'll talk specifically about blizzards and cold weather climates. We'll build some igloos and probably play a game after that. When that's done, we'll talk about animals and plants in cold weather climates and how they've adapted to living conditions there. Do some experiments, play camouflage, and hopefully then it will be time for lunch. After lunch, we're going on a long hike to talk about erosion and some other stuff, and then we'll come back, have a quick discussion on avalanches, and finish other projects from the week. There are some advantages to working in the last week. One is that "free time" is something that all the teachers have done. It's the last week, we're tired. So, it's okay if I work some of that into the schedule. Two, the older kids can take longer to do stuff and if they're finished early, they can mostly be trusted to be on their own while the slower people finish. Three, discussions about the actual topics can go for 20 minutes. With the little kids, you say what you want to say in 5 and the rest of the "questions" are actually unrelated stories, and by the time you're finished, no one is paying attention anymore.

So, that's my day. I hope that it goes well. It's my last week. I think I've learned enough to put together a fairly good day for my campers.

Another Week Gone

2008-08-09T05:19:00.003-06:00

Saturday: one of the best days of the week this summer! Actually, I like every day this summer...except for Wednesday. Wednesdays are just hard for kids, and therefore hard for me too.

My group this week was fun, but also very physical. There was always someone in my face, or pushing on me, or pulling on me, or trying to climb on me. We were playing games, but still very physical. There were 10 boys, so lots of boy energy and I'm pretty much sore everywhere. But that might be just from yesterday. Yesterday, as I mentioned, was the day of the races! We took them on a fairly long hike, well it was long for them. The way Janet was talking I thought it would be a lot longer. From where we stopped, I could see the temple over the tree tops. The kids thought it was some pretty castle. We stopped for snack and story and then the kids took their ducks onto a big bridge, probably 15 feet up from the water, while Janet and I climbed down the rocks and into the water to catch the ducks before they went too far. It was a lot of fun. My duck never won (I guess my ducks are cursed) , but it was for the kids so that was ok. At least he looked cool! I had a good day, and took a few pictures: Walking in the back of the line with Toby who still wants to know how the world got started.
Here's the whole group with Miss Janet on the bridge ready to drop their duckies.
There's a small yellow blob in the middle of this picture...that's someone's duck. They had a hard time with ready, set, go.
And here they come!
This is me with my group, and our ducks. YAY! We tried to get a picture of me in the water, but my camera wasn't cooperating with Janet.

on my own

2008-08-07T20:20:00.003-06:00

My teacher, Janet, gave me the entire day today to teach. Technically, according to the intern schedule, I only had to do a half day this week, but she gave me the whole day, so I did it. I helped a lot that she had already given me plans for today, so I just had to choose what I wanted to keep, throw in a few of my own activities, and look like I knew what I was doing. I think that it went well. They didn't complain as much as my kids last week, although they were almost completely crazy. I think the morning went well, but then it started raining. We came in from lunch and had to stay inside. Meanwhile, Janet was in and out dealing with two boys in my class who are having some behavior issues. I was pretty much by myself for the whole afternoon. My volunteer was there, but she won't do anything unless I give her specific instructions on what to do, and she left about an hour early. So, for the final hour of camp, I was by myself with 16 crazy kids. It was hard and we were doing an experiment so I had to explain it and pass out supplies...it definitely would have been easier with someone to help distribute stuff. They were going crazy after the experiment was finished so I handed my volunteer a bottle of bubbles and we started blowing. We made them sit down so no one else got hurt...and that calmed them down a little...well, "calm" is a loose term. It got their attention. Then my volunteer left and we played a game which would have been better outside, but Janet was still dealing with stuff and I was NOT going to take all 16 of them outside without another adult. Finally Janet came back in and we went outside to let them melt some ice and just run around a little. There was a lot of cool stuff that I wanted to do, but we didn't have time for everything, and they were not able to sit still long enough to listen to instruction, let alone watch a demonstration. But, all things considered, I think it went well. My throat's a little sore, which is expected after spending the whole day trying to talk over such a big group. But other than that, I got out alive and whole.

Tomorrow we are decorating rubber duckies and then racing them! I am, of course, an expert at this:

But, there probably won't be enough ducks for me to have one. Instead, I'll make sure I get the job of standing in the water to catch the ducks as they finish the race. My camera is SO coming to camp with me tomorrow!

looking forward to looking back

2008-08-06T18:37:00.002-06:00

I'm having mixed feelings about returning to school. I'm excited to be going back, and I'm ready. I'm looking forward to living with my peers and going back to student life. I was thinking about what a relief it will be to not have to be constantly reminding people to keep their hands to themselves, or keep one foot on the ground, or use their "forest voice". Then I realized, I'm going to miss these kids. I get sick of them sometimes, but I've been surrounded by little kids all summer, and I'm going to miss it. I've loved it! I don't always realize how much I enjoy something when I'm in the moment, but looking back, it's a lot easier to see the positive side of a situation. So, I'm looking forward to going back to school and remembering the amazing friends I've made this summer, wishing I could go back, but at the same time grateful that I'm done.

I was walking with one of my campers today and we were talking about the animals in the forest. Suddenly he started talking about female animals and how if they were all killed or if there weren't any, there wouldn't be any animals! Quite logical for a 6 year old, but what came next really stunned me. He asked me, "So, how did it all start?" I was shocked! In his mind, there was probably a simple answer. In my mind there is a simple answer also, but not an answer that I could share with him. I told him that there were lots of different ideas about how the first animals got to the world and that maybe that was a good question for his parents. He'll probably forget, but I was really impressed by him. I'm so grateful for the knowledge I have that God created this earth for everyone, and also gave us stewardship over His wonderful creations. The beauty that can be found anywhere on this earth is a great source of joy and peace for me, and I hope it will be throughout my life as I learn more about it.

Reflections of a Summer Camp Intern

2008-08-05T04:36:00.003-06:00

I realized yesterday just how amazing this summer has been for me. Maybe I was a little down last week because my lesson didn't go as well as I wanted, but it was my first attempt at planning and leading more than an hour. I get to try again this week. I'm nervous, especially because Janet is having me lead an entire day!, but I'll do better this time. Today will be my day to watch Janet and learn from her style.

Anyway, I started thinking yesterday about my summer and all the awesome kids I've gotten to meet. Every time I watched another camp march past, I saw waving hands, or heard shouts of, "HI MISS REBECCA!" I know at least 2 kids in every camp this week (except for the 5-7 camp because I haven't worked with them yet). Even some of the volunteers know me. I've made friends this year...even if they are 4 years old! I got to be a part of their lives for at least a week, and I've loved it. I started out kind of bummed yesterday that the summer was almost over, but when I got to camp and saw all these kids who I recognized and who knew me, it felt good. It has been a good summer, and it's alright for it to be over. My energy will soon be completely zapped! but I've done some good, had some laughs, made some friends, and learned a lot! It's time for the end.

A Time for Change

2008-08-02T13:55:00.002-06:00

I felt like my blog could use a change, and possible a theme. Actually, I just wanted a new title, but it's a difficult decision to make, and in the process, I decided a purpose would be nice too.

I came across a phrase that made me think: "You will have great joy in your life, for which you are to always give thanks. There will be times of difficulties, trials and sorrow." Everything has its place and purpose, even the bad stuff. Pursuing this topic, I came across this passage in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."

We are not meant to be one way, or stuck in one time forever. Changing from one "time" to another is a trial all in itself, but it is a trial that will make us stronger. When I was younger, I hated change. If I was happy with the way things were, why would I try anything different? In fourth grade, the friends I had been with since the beginning decided that we didn't have anything in common anymore and we shouldn't be friends. In my 9 year old mind, life as I knew it was over. I had no friends now. Luckily I did have friends even though I failed to recognize it for some time. One day years after I had forgotten the whole ordeal, I started thinking about those old friends. I still knew them, we still went to school together, but they were not the kind of people I wished to be around. My life had gone in an entirely different direction from theirs, and I was grateful for it.

There will be good times, and bad times; triumphs, and failures. What I am supposed to do is learn from both. Both come from a loving Father in Heaven and both increase my faith and trust in Him.

Just an Assistant

2008-07-31T04:46:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I planned and led my camp for three hours. From morning until lunch I was in charge of the activities I planned. We had mostly games and crafts. It started out very badly. I guess the game I planned was a little too complicated for them, although I think they would have liked it more if they hadn't been set on playing camoflage and nothing else. All I heard all morning was "Are we playing camoflage today?" "When are we going to play camoflage?" "Are we playing camoflage next?". Yeah, that might have had something to do with it. After my crash and burn game, we had snack and then went to the bamboo forest and played camoflage. They played for almost an hour! After that we went back to the classroom and made a mural of a bamboo forest complete with pandas, snakes, and zero gravity. (We tried to establish where the ground was and where the sky was, but it didn't last long) We finished with a dance, and I think they enjoyed it. Really, I was relieved when it was lunch time and all too happy to give the kids back over to Ariel. I have to lead another half day with 1st and 2nd graders next week, and then I have to plan and lead a whole day with 5th-7th graders. I'm not sure how that will go. I've never worked with that age group before.

I've really enjoyed working at this summer camp, and it's been a great experience, but I've also learned that I don't think I could ever be a teacher. I much more enjoy being the assistant. I get more interaction with the kids that way, but less formal. I didn't at all enjoy being the teacher in charge yesterday. I'm more of a "behind-the-scenes" person. I don't work well in the spotlight, and I'm not comfortable being placed in the spotlight. Oh well, now I know.

Under Attack!

2008-07-29T20:03:00.003-06:00

I'm back with the 1st and 2nd graders for this week, and next. It really hasn't been that bad. This week's group is so much better than my first experience with the age group, I think the 1st and 2nd graders might be redeemed by the end of this week (but I'll still like the older ones best).

Our topic this week is "Nature and the Arts". It's been a lot of fun, and since I'm generally a crafty person, I've been enjoying it. I even got to make a tissue paper flower and a hand-painted butterfly today. Hand-painted means I painted my hand and then stuck it on paper. It was fun. Tomorrow I'm leading an entire half day. I might as well just lead the whole day, actually. The all camp activity takes up an hour after lunch so all my teacher has to do tomorrow is one hour right after lunch. I'll be teaching the entire morning. It seemed pretty daunting at first, especially after I was given my topic: Bamboo. Really, how am I supposed to teach for three hours about bamboo??? But, I've gotten some old lesson plans and I have some pretty good ideas. I think better in the morning, so I'll write them down and finalize the plans when I wake up especially early tomorrow. I wouldn't call it procrastination. I really do think better then.

If I'm going to be up early, I should probably go to sleep now, but first I'll give an account of the interesting experience of the day:

It was the very end of the day. We were down in the carpool area just waiting for the other camps to get there so that we could start sending the kids home. Most of my kids were running back and forth playing Red Light, Green Light. I was watching them from one of the benches. From next to me I heard Ilan saying, "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!" There was a yellow jacket stuck in his sandal and it kept stinging him. I took off his sandal so it could get out and then started looking for the bee-sting lotion I have in my med kit. I looked up from my kit in time to see Ilan watch in terror as yellow jackets started swarming his legs. He was screaming. I don't know why I thought of it, but I yanked off his other sandal and grabbed him away. He was in tears with at least 2 stings on each foot. I looked over and the yellow jackets were still swarming all around his sandal. Thank goodness they went for his shoe and not for him. I'm sure his stings were hurting him, but I think that the fact he had just been surrounded by yellow jackets is what kept him sobbing for the next 5-10 minutes. I felt so bad for him! It must be a lot of pain for a first grader. I'm glad his shoe came off easy and we could get away before he got more stings. We had to leave his shoe there because by the time he went home, the yellow jackets were still all around it. He must have stepped on a nest or something. It was HORRIBLE! I hope that he comes to camp tomorrow. So, that was my adventure for the day. Saving my campers from enraged yellow jackets. Strangely enough, I didn't get stung (at least not that I know of), and I was right there next to Ilan when it all started.

Right now, I'm most thankful that the thought came to me to take off his shoe...I can't think of a reason I took it off and it doesn't make sense, but it made all the difference.

A Victorious Return!

2008-07-26T13:35:00.002-06:00

I have returned from my quest to the Chesapeake Bay.

I would call the quest a success. We all returned happy and whole. No broken bones or horrible injuries. No life-long enemies or explosions of animosity. I could not have chosen a better group of 12-14 year olds to accompany on my quest. Actually, it was more like their quest and I was part of their company. We spent some time on the adventure course doing team building and part of the high ropes course. They got to try "The Swing" and I think they had a lot of fun. The most interesting parts (at least for me) were the day we spent on the boat exploring the Chester River, which empties into the Chesapeake Bay and our "Scanoe" trip. A Scanoe is basically 3 canoes bolted together to make one big boat and then we row around in the swamp.

Lara, the teacher, and I were really impressed with this group of kids. They had their issues as all kids do. For example, they had a really hard time following instructions the first time. But they were always good to each other, which was the most important part. It was fun to see them change as the week went on. We could tell as soon as we met them on Monday who the quiet ones would be and the best part was seeing those kids become more comfortable. By Friday they were speaking more and had made at least one new friend. No one was ever left out.

Our craziest time was definitely Wednesday night. We had spent most of the day on the boat, but left a little early when we heard thunder. During dinner, the storm started and the evening activities had to be cancelled and the kids had to stay in the dining hall until the thunder stopped. Meanwhile, the storm was really bad and the power was going on and off. At one point they let the kids out, but as soon as we got to the dorm, there was more thunder and so we had to stay inside. From 7 until at least 9:30 we were stuck in the dorm with 14 very restless and disappointed teenagers. We came up with games to play but it just got more and more crazy. And through all of this, we had NO power!, and no power also meant no water. No bathrooms, showers, drinking water, NONE! We played games: Machines, cards, physical telephone, mafia, whatever we could think of. Finally we sent the kids to bed with the storm raging, and still no power or water. I think our power came back around 2 in the morning. It was a really long night, but we made it.

I was really looking forward to working with this group and I wish that the camp we took them to would have let me have the opportunity to have a more active role. Really I just followed my group around while the other camp staff led them through everything, but it was still fun. Camp Director Anne thanked me for taking on the difficult group, but really, they were the group I wanted. It was the highlight of my summer to this point.

On a Quest...Be Back Later.

2008-07-20T17:48:00.003-06:00

Last week's camp, Aquatic Odyssey, was the best one yet! It was a good group of kids and even though we had our crazy moments, most of the kids were pretty calm and that helped others stay calm too. I loved it!

One of the more interesting parts of the week was creating and leading my own activities. I led a discussion on ecosystems and had them create a mobile before we went down to the pond. The kids really got into it and it went longer than I would have expected, but they seemed to enjoy it too. That was exciting. So, I would count that as a success. My second activity was on Ocean day and I led our introductory discussion about oceans, had them do a word search, and then played four corners, except with the four oceans instead of numbers. They didn't want to stop playing the game, so I'd call that a success too.

I'm starting to get anxious about this week. I'll gone all week long, living at some camp by the bay. It's sure to be fun, but the jump from leading 3rd-4th graders to leading the 8th-10th graders is a big one. I've traditionally worked better with older kids, but I'm still pretty anxious. I think that with the older kids, I actually have to earn my status as a leader. The little ones accept it just because they're kids. These teenagers might not take it so easily. Everyone assures me that it will be fine, but I'm actually nervous about meeting the kids tomorrow...something I didn't have to worry about with the Pre-K kids or even the 3rd graders. It probably has something to do with the fact that these older kids are capable and accostumed to judging everyone they meet, and that makes me nervous.

Lucky for me, I've been blessed with lots of experience with all kinds of kids and the ability to deal with them patiently. I'll just do what I can to love the people I'm around this week, and everything else will fall into place as it usually does. I can be patient, sympathetic, and loving. That's who I am. Thank goodness for that!! I feel like I'm in the right place this summer. That this internship is what I'm supposed to be doing. Whether for my own benefit, or the benefit of those I meet this summer, I need to be here. It's a good feeling to believe that you're doing what you're meant to be doing, even for a little while.

So, tomorrow I'm leaving on a quest. I find it interesting that for two consecutive weeks I'm on some kind of a water voyage. First an "Aquatic Odyssey" and now a "Bay Quest". Interesting. I'll return from my quest Friday evening. May the wind be with me!

2008-07-17T04:05:00.003-06:00

As I mentioned yesterday, I really like the group of kids that I'm working with this week. I have 3rd and 4th graders again, and 4 of the same kids I had last week, but the group is so much easier and I'm having a much better time with them. I guess we just have the right combination of personalities this week. Last week was better than any week so far, but we had too many crazy kids making each other more crazy. My group this week has their problems, but they're much easier to handle since I can depend on the rest of the class to stay calm while I'm dealing with problems.

Now for the bad news: I think I'm losing my voice. Horrible timing because I have to design, teach, and lead an activity today. I better not be getting really sick because my travelling camp is next week and I've been looking forward to it ALL summer!

I LOVE THIS WEEK!

2008-07-16T04:26:00.000-06:00

I don't have much time as I should be getting ready for week...but I only have one thing to say: I LOVE THIS WEEK! yup, that is all. Maybe there'll be more after work.

One More Down.

2008-07-12T10:44:00.002-06:00

Another week down! The camp director, Anne, pointed out yesterday that we are half way through the summer. It's gone by quickly, and I'm glad because that means I've been active and it has been fun. Another factor contributing to the fly-by pace of this past month may be that every week is different. 5 days, and then I move on. There is always something new to look forward to, especially if I'm having a bad week.

The Sleuths camp I did this week was awesome! I was working with 3rd-4th graders and it was so much better than the week before. I love the younger kids to death, but I could never teach them. A lot of the stuff my teacher planned for the kids was hard, but they worked through it, and we had a good week of mystery solving. Next week I'm with the same age group and then I get the high school group! I'm not sure what to expect from that group, but I think I'll like them, and by the time I'm done I might be ready to go back to 1st and 2nd grade for a couple of weeks.

Thunderstorm!

2008-07-11T04:36:00.002-06:00

We played a game in camp yesterday where all the kids would run around and when Sylvia called out some kind of natural disaster, they had to do the action of what would save their life in such a situation. Example: "TSUNAMI" means they run to the higher ground in our play area and hang on to something sturdy. So, before we started the game, we had to tell the kids what action to do with each disaster. Sylvia was asking what they should do in a thunderstorm and the kids started talking about being well grounded and what not. Sylvia told them that actually, you don't really want to be grounded because it's not good for lightning to go through you. Well, of course someone had a response to that. Ogden replied with, "Unless you're trying to jump-start a heart!" I'm thinking if your heart needs a start AND you get hit by lightning you're one of the luckiest/unluckiest people in the world. What are the chances??

Today is the last day of Sleuths! The kids will finally solve the mystery and then prepare a skit for the rest of the camps showing exactly what happened. Maybe I'll bring my camera.

2008-07-09T17:58:00.002-06:00

No funny quotes today. I was too busy to listen in or be party to any interesting conversations. Something about Wednesdays makes these kids CRAZY! Charlie did, however, develop an interesting strategy for freeze tag: "All those people running around out there like idiots...it makes a person go after them. I'm just gonna stand here and when most people are frozen, I'll just drop in." Yup, he's a thinker.

Kids Say...

2008-07-08T16:31:00.002-06:00

Working at a summer camp has it's difficulties, like crazy pre-schoolers who aren't quite ready for interaction with...anyone, or first graders who throw a fit for twenty minutes and then want to hug you and hold your hand. However, when they're not driving me crazy, kids make the experience a good one, usually with the interesting things they say. I wanted to do a crazy quote of the day or something, but I have unfortunately missed the first three weeks, which were very entertaining. I'll do what I can, though from now on.

Week 1-2 with Pre-Schoolers and Kindergarteners: It was the end of the first day for the morning class and we were almost ready to tell the kids to get ready to go home. I noticed Booker kind of bent over his craft and his face was kind of wet. I figured he was crying, but to attempt to be sensitive of his four-year-old ego, I asked him what was on his face. He replied with, "Nothing. Just tears." (except he has a problem with his "r"s so it sounded more like "Nothing. Just teeows.") aw...I love that kid.

Week 3 I was with first and second graders. I didn't end well with them, so I can't remember anything funny...but the volunteer made my day with something she said. We were playing hide-and-seek. One of the kids found her and she replied with "You can't see me!! I'm INVISIBLE!!!!!!!!" Yeah, that made my day.

Week 4 with the 3rd and 4th graders. The week is still young, but this is by far my favorite group, and they say some funny things. Charlie can tell you pretty much everything about anything (although you can only believe about half of it...). After a 40 minute lecture he gave me about basilisks (he doesn't really need anyone to listen to his talking...just look like they're listening...), I knew Charile was an interesting character, and a great source of amusement. We were playing a circle game and the kids tried to get the ants to participate. Sylvia encouraged them to only play with the other mammals in the circle. Charlie replied with, "NO self-respecting mammal would ever be seen in THIS circle." HA!

Yeah, I'll get through the hard times, as long as I have kids like Charlie around to talk my ears off and occasionally make me laugh out loud.

No More Pre-K!

2008-06-28T16:06:00.003-06:00

Alright, I have successfully completed 2 weeks of camp with Pre-K and Kindergarten kids. It was a lot of fun, and the kids were so cute, but I'm ready to move on. I'll miss those kids, but I'll see them around. I love those kids, but teaching them was a big challenge. I definitely work better in a teaching capacity with the older kids...or at least I think I do. Actually, I haven't worked with any older kids. It might turn out that I'm better with the little ones. My teacher filled out an evaluation for me, and it was all good. I doubt people ever give poor evaluations...unless someone is really bad. Well, it's all over now. I get to move up one grade level at a time. My schedule has changed a little since I posted it last month:

Week 3 (June 20- July 4): Wild at Heart with 1st-2nd grade

Week 4: Sleuths with 3rd-4th

Week 5: Aquatic Odyssey with 3rd-4th

Week 6: Advanced Bay Quest with 8th-10th

Week 7: Nature and the Arts with 1st and 2nd

Week 8: Water Works with 1st and 2nd

Week 9: Storm Chasers 5th-7th

Yup, I get the full range and get to work my way up. It will be interesting to see how each group changes. Only a few things have changed and the camps that I really wanted to do, I still get to do. So, all is well.

I'm pretty much exhausted after two weeks of Pre-K. Everyone is congratulating me on surviving, so I guess this is normal. The most important lesson from the past two weeks is probably flexibility in lesson plans. The dynamic of our AM and PM classes were completely different from each other and Ali and I really had to figure out what to change to make it a good experience for the PM campers, and for us too. We decided on more unstructured time, and working in groups. For me it meant doing a lot of stuff without Ali. I lead my group of 8 on hikes, crafts, games, etc. It seemed like a lot to me, but it worked, so I stuck with it and really enjoyed it.

So, goodbye Pre-K! You taught me a lot and looking back, I promise not to remember all the bad times and just remember the cute ones...there were plenty of both.

There! Aren't they cute?? They were convinced that I couldn't see them when they hid there.

Who Knew?

2008-06-21T17:56:00.002-06:00

Wow! Pre-K camp was amazing the first day. Now it's totally kicking my butt. I love the kids to death, and actually, the morning class is pretty amazing. The afternoon class is more than I ever thought I could handle. The combination of personalities in that class makes it very difficult. I have no idea how to help them. It's so hard! Who knew?

It really is an abnormal class though. The teacher I'm paired with teaches Pre-K during the year and she said that she's never had a more difficult group. Just our luck! The first 2 weeks of camp too. There are 11 boys out of 17 kids. They're really cute, just...energetic, curious, and less than concerned with their own safety. One boy is especially difficult and he's actually signed up for several camps over the course of the summer. Well, I wish them luck. I get one more week to try to figure him out. Then I can share my wisdom with the other interns as I wave from a distance. This is the only Pre-K camp I'm doing. It's kind of bittersweet. The kids are so fun and endearing and totally lovable at times, but I don't think this is my age group. At least not for teaching purposes. It's good to know. This past week has stretched me, and next week will too, and no doubt every week for the rest of the summer, but I need it, and I'm excited. This camp has taught me about being flexible with lesson plans and campers' needs. Ali and I have worked together to figure out how these kids will learn the best. Our morning and afternoon camps are supposed to be the same, but we can't do them the same way because of the kids. I'm learning a lot! I guess our bad days at the beginning really helped us have better days later. We're learning from our "mistakes". Who knew?

Good to be BUSY!

2008-06-11T17:45:00.003-06:00

Alright, it's almost the end of my first week of work and I'm already exhausted! And the kids don't even start coming until NEXT week!!! Luckily, I think tomorrow will be an easier day and then I get Friday off to "rest up for camp". The best thing about today was the weather. The heat finally broke and we were back down in the 80s where we should be this time of year. Actually, everything today was pretty good. We had CPR/FirstAid training for a couple of hours this morning, then we played some games, learned how to do lesson planning, and did a lot of camp prep. It's good to be busy.

Get to Work!

2008-06-09T19:18:00.002-06:00

I started my internship on Saturday! I have training with the other interns this week and then camps start next week. It's been really hot outside, but the house is nice and cool and when we're outside, we're mostly in shaded areas. All of the teachers and interns are really nice. It's going to be a good summer. The worst part is the traffic. Driving is a pain and I wish I lived close enough to ride a bike or walk, but that's not really possible, so I'm ok.

The property is beautiful and I've already seen a lot of deer, squirrels, birds, bugs, etc. There's enough there to keep kids busy for a long time. Inside the house there are a lot of books, and paintings of the people who used to live in the house. Also, there is a huge library that is full of ancient stuffed birds. Actually, it's kinda creepy. I'll probably avoid the room if at all possible. Personally, I'd consider it a punishment to go into that room. Also, we met with Raj the property manager and he told us about the history of the house. Apparently, the woman who gave the house to the society also died in the house. She's been "seen" a few times. Grand...I'm working in a haunted mansion!!!

All in all, I'm really excited for the summer ahead of me working with kids of all ages and teaching them about the importance of the environment. It'll be great fun and I'll be learning from some great teachers and naturalists.

My Internship!

2008-05-30T07:50:00.004-06:00

I guess I was so excited about getting the internship, I failed to explain what I would be doing. My title: Environmental Education Intern. It sounds really serious, but it isn't. I'm working at a Summer Camp in Chevy Chase, MD. Every week, or two weeks depending on the camp, I teach a different group of kids about a different topic. I'm paired with a teacher and I help her with her lessons and at the end of the summer, I'm supposed to be teaching my own lessons with the help of the teacher. So, basically, I'm a camp counselor at a nature camp. I can't wait!
I went to the police station after I got home to get finger printed and yesterday I got letters from the state telling my that I don't have a criminal record so I'll be alright to work with kids. So, that's all finished. A week ago, maybe two, the camp director e-mailed me the schedule for the summer, so now I know what camps I'll be doing.

Week 1-2: Creepy Crawlies with the Pre-K and Kindergarteners
Week 3: What's Under Foot with 1st and 2nd graders
Week 4: Native America 1 with 1st and 2nd graders
Week 5: Aquatic Odyssey with 3rd and 4th graders
Week 6: Advanced Bay Quest with 8th-10th graders
Week 7: Nature and the Arts with 1st and 2nd graders
Week 8: Once Upon a Time with 1st and 2nd graders
Week 9: Storm Chasers with 5th-7th graders

So, as you can see, I get a wide range of ages and topics. From bugs, slugs, and snakes to tornadoes and global warming. The one I'm really looking forward to is the Advanced Bay Quest. It's a 5 day, 4 night camp at a site on the Chesapeake Bay. We're going to do fishing and crabbing and all kids of good stuff. I'm really hoping that I get to do that one. There was an issue of driving and the overnight camps might have to be shuffled around, but I hope I keep this one.
Camp Page
I tried to add a link to the website where you can find the camp catalog and read descriptions about all of the other camps offered. Hopefully it worked. If not, just copy and paste this:
http://audubonnaturalist.org/default.asp?page=547 and hopefully it will take you there.

Countdown to camp: 8 days!!!!!!!

Home

2008-05-03T20:34:00.002-06:00

Well we made it. After four days mom and I finally arrived. The last hour or so were probably the scariest as mom was driving and trying to make it home before the bus. We made it, but I didn't feel too great after racing through the mountains of Western Maryland. Anyway, it's good to be home.

Meagan made it safely to Jerusalem and everyone keeps asking me when I'm going and where. I don't really know where I want to go. I just know that someday, sometime I'm going somewhere. Spain would be cool, or really anywhere I would be able to use my spanish. Somewhere with history, too. Old buildings, paintings, culture, etc... I'd be happy to go pretty much anywhere though.

Yesterday, I went to the Police Station. I know what you're thinking..."What did she do this time?" But, really...I went voluntarily. I had to get fingerprinted for work. I'm excited to start my internship. I think it's going to be a great summer.

GO to the Light!!

2008-04-15T10:35:00.002-06:00

YES! Today is the last day of classes!!!! I'm officially heading for the light at the end of the tunnel! I have to write a 2 page paper about my volunteering this semester, and then I'm DONE! Well, done with classes. I do have finals, but I think I'll be alright through those.

In about 10 minutes my roommate and I are heading to the Marriot Center for the "Unforum". A bunch of groups perform including Vocal Point. Well, I think they'll be there...they were there last year. Either way it will be a lot of fun. A perfect addition to the last day of classes. Wow, can anyone tell that I'm excited??!?! In 2 weeks, I'll either be home, or really close to it. YES!

Testing 1, 2, 3...HOURS!!

2008-04-12T14:46:00.002-06:00

I just spent nearly three hours taking an English test. It was long and all written. It may take a while for my right thumb to recover. It's still shaking. On the bright side, this is the last midterm of the semester and the last test for my English class. The only thing I have left to do for English is the final which is a creative group project that we already have a pretty good idea for.

I can't believe that this semester is over! I only have two more days of classes. Some of my classes I have to do a lot to be ready for the last day. Some of them I don't have to do anything. Actually, now that I think about it...I only have to do something for one of my classes, and it better be good, because what's due on Tuesday is like the final for the class. I say like the final because we don't actually have a final. The pressure is on, and now is crunch time.

I can't wait to go home. I'm looking foward to the drive, but at the same time I'm not. Not because it won't be fun, but because it's long. I love driving, especially across the country, but right now it just means more time between me and home.

Today's To Do: write scholarship essays, finish at least one Development paper, look over questions for Geog 120 exam, and...ICE THUMB!

Our Day in Salt Lake

2008-04-06T13:51:00.004-06:00

My roommate Catherine and I both got two tickets to the Saturday Afternoon Session of General Conference, so we decided to spend the day in Salt Lake. We left early in the morning so that we could sit in the Tabernacle for the morning session. Meagan came with us since she was singing in the choir (I hope everyone saw her! They showed her during The Morning Breaks and other times).

After the morning session, my roommates and I walked up to our car and ate our lunch.It was kind of cold outside, so we decided to put the seats down in the Jeep and sit in the back while we ate. It reminded me of a covered wagon with the widow up.After lunch we went back down to the Conference Center. We were so excited (especially Laura). I was sad because where we sat I wouldn't be able to spot Meagan, and since I'm wearing my older glasses I probably wouldn't have been able to see her anyway, but it was alright because she was on the screen a few times.

We met up with everyone outside the Conference Center and took a few pictures with roommates and Meagan. Then Meagan left and we went to take more pictures!In October, Laura and I did a service project where we went and planted flowers on Temple Square. It was cold, wet, and REALLY windy, but fun. Well, part of the reason we wanted to go to Salt Lake was to see all the flowers! And so we did! They're beautiful. I'm still surprised they let volunteers go and do stuff like that. Maybe they go around at night and undo everything we did and then do it right. Either way, Temple Square looks amazing and it makes us happy that we got to have something to do with it. The weather was worth it! I was sad that the tulips haven't bloomed yet, but maybe we'll go back after finals and see them.

Enjoy the slideshow!

Good News!

2008-04-02T10:09:00.001-06:00

I GOT THE INTERNSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
that is all.

OUCH!

2008-04-01T09:37:00.002-06:00

So, yesteday for Family Night, my group went out into the field behind my apartment complex and played games. Our games were missionary tag and commando (I think that's what it was called). They were fun, but the field was muddy in the places where the snow had already melted and everywhere else there was still a layer of snow. Well, running around on that kind of surface, no picnic. I slipped and fell on my face! My glasses got bent (I knew I shouldn't have worn them...), and I have little cuts all over my face, and some bruises on my nose. My glasses are the worst part...I'll have to see what I can do for them.

The Most Dangerous Season

2008-03-31T16:18:00.002-06:00

I have decided that the transition between winter and spring is the worst one. At least here in Provo it is. All we want is a little warmth and sunshine, and for a while, we were getting it. But, of course, the weather can't have us too happy. Just when spring was here, the flowers were blooming, we get another couple of inches of snow, just because! And, that is why I've decided this is the most dangerous time of year. The weather does whatever it wants. I came closer to falling today than I did most days in the winter! Also, all this up and down makes me sick (like cold sick, not disgusted sick). There is little more sad than looking at the flowers burried under a fresh layer of snow. Little pinks and purples trying to poke their frozed heads through.

It was really cold today too...but finally the sun came out and melted whatever it could reach. For Family Night tonight my group is combining with another group and we're going to be playing "outside games" in Kenny's words. It'll be interesting to see how long we last outside. Oh, spring...why won't you come and stay?

Sheep in a Blizzard!

2008-03-30T10:27:00.004-06:00

You know the saying: "March comes in like a lion, and out like a lamb"? Yeah, no one told Provo. Sure it was really windy and cold at the beginning of the month, but the lion has yet to leave the building. Actually, that's not true. He does leave for a few days at a time. We have really nice weather, but its still windy. Well, today is the 30th of March and I'm not seeing this whole lamb thing. It looks like a blizzard outside! The only possible similarity I can think of is that the snow is white, like a lamb. Luckily, it's only the 30th and Provo has two days to redeem itself, which will probably be enough, the way things go here. Tomorrow the temperatures will be back in the 50s and everyone will be happy, like nothing ever happened. The weather makes life interesting. I'm not really upset, the weather just makes me sick. Literally, if it keeps changing like this, I'll keep being sick.

My left hand is numb and tingly and has been since yesterday. Is that bad?

Decisions

2008-03-27T17:33:00.002-06:00

I've made a couple of discoveries in the past month. First, international development is amazing and of great importance in this world, but I don't have the capacity to do it. I enjoy learning all about the methods and theories behind it, but I don't think I'll get a degree in it. Second, I love geography, especially the physical environment emphasis. I also love teaching, but a formal teaching career is not something I'm looking for. The internship I'm hoping to have this summer is exactly the kind of thing I want to do. Teaching kids and even adults about nature, about the environment, but not in a formal classroom setting.

Now I just need to find a way to work my discoveries into my degree. Wish me luck!

By the way, no word on whether I got the internship, not yet. I did get an e-mail from one of my references letting me know that they had called her yesterday. At least they're still interested enough to call my people! *fingers crossed*

Interview

2008-03-25T12:28:00.002-06:00

I had a phone interview on Wednesday for the internship that I'm hoping to do this summer. It's funny how nervous I was. About five minutes before they were supposed to call I couldn't do anything! I just sat there with my phone waiting for the call to come. It wasn't horrible and both interviewers were very nice, so why did it make me so nervous? I've decided that knowing the impression I made on the phone would determine my chances at getting this internship is what made me so nervous. My summer plans are entirely in the hands of someone else, and that lack of control makes me nervous. But, I lived through it. They called right when they said they would, I answered their questions, and they asked me to send some references. I take that as a good sign.

The internship itself is about 40 minutes from my house (gas will be an issue), but it's only on weekdays and it's at a summer camp. Combining education with environment. PERFECT! I'm really looking forward to it, and now all I have to do is wait to hear from them. The funny thing is that the only reason I even found this internship was for an assignment. I hate the class, but if I don't get anything else out of it, it will be worth it because I found this internship.

2008-03-23T10:40:00.002-06:00

HAPPY EASTER!!!!

In Russian to wish someone a Happy Easter, they say:
"Christ is risen!"
and reply:
"Christ is risen indeed!"

Winding Down

2008-03-19T20:32:00.002-06:00

I'm getting to the point where I just want school to be over so that I can go home. Kudos to all those crazy people who stay here during the spring and summer. I'm saying "Get me OUT!" Not that I don't like it here, because I do, I love it! I'm just not ready to sell my soul to Provo, at least not this summer. Take me home!

The weather's been nicer this week. Even though it snowed on Sunday. That was crazy. Today it was wonderful. My roommate and I went and played volleyball for a little while. It was fun. I miss volleyball. It was my form of stress relief. I'm a quiet and reserved person, but even the shy people need to hit things every now and then.

Spring!

2008-03-05T21:02:00.002-07:00

Spring is definitely on the way, but we're not quite there yet. Some of the surest signs: NO SNOW!, more people walking around without jackets than with them, the breeze! (it just feels so good), and the birds. It's wonderful to walk outside and just listen. To hear the birds. It's a hopeful sound. Winter is so long here, and so cold, we just can't wait for the spring. Another sign might be the frisbee season in my ward, or the beginning of baseball season! I love the spring. It also means that I get to go home soon.

Speaking of home, my Bishop asked me on Sunday if I'd be staying here for the spring. My reply: "NO WAY! They can't keep me here much longer." He was surprised, but he understood. I love my Bishop. I've been blessed throughout my life with wonderful leaders who love me, and who actually get to know me and are concerned for me. Where would I be without them?

English test

2008-03-01T10:01:00.001-07:00

Moliere, Shakespeare, Enlightenment, Renaissance (if there really was one...) . Such information as this will be flowing out of my brain for the next 2.5 hours. After that I plan to forget most of it, except for the stuff I actually liked, while nursing my VERY sore hand. JOY! Wish me luck.

Sunshine in my Soul

2008-02-28T14:46:00.007-07:00

I heard this story years ago in Young Women's but it always stayed with me. I was always sad that I didn't have to story, but I remembered the message and the main points. This semester I'm taking a class on "Hymns of the Restoration" and part of my assignment was to read a talk by Merrill J. Bateman given in 1998 while he was President of BYU. I was so excited when I realized that the story he was telling was the one I heard so long ago:

[This story] concerns a young girl, the fourth child in a family of six children. Her name is Heather. Three of the children, including Heather, suffer from a rare disease called glutaric academia. In each case, the onset of the disease occurred during the first year of life when an enzyme attacked the brain, causing paralysis. The disease results in acid forming in the muscles, similar to that which occurs following a period of intense physical activity. The problem faced by the children is that the acid never leaves and causes great pain. Cindy, the first child with the disease, died at the age of 23. She was one of the oldest living persons known with the disease. At death she weighed about 40 pounds.

Soon after Heather’s birth, the parents realized that she would be physically handicapped and that her spirit would be housed in a body with great restrictions. As she grew, she was confined to a wheelchair, unable to speak, and could only send messages with her eyes. A direct gaze and a smile meant yes. A blink meant no. Despite her handicaps, one could feel the vibrant spirit inside.

As Heather progressed, it became obvious to the parents that she was extraordinarily bright. She would play guessing games with the family using her limited means to communicate. When she was old enough, the parents enrolled Heather in a special school to see if she could learn to speak. The teacher was a gifted therapist. One morning as Heather and the teacher visited about the prior weekend, the teacher learned that Heather had attended Primary. The teacher then sang for Heather “When He Comes Again” (from the children’s songbook). The expression on Heather’s face revealed the delight within her. When the teacher asked Heather if she had a favorite song, the you girl’s wide eyes and engaging smile left little doubt. But what was the song? Through a series of questions, the teacher learned that Heather’s song was one whe had heard in Primary. She wasn’t sure which songbook it was in, but it was about Jesus. The teacher sang all the songs she could think of, but to no avail. However, Heather was not about to quit—she wanted to share her favorite song. At the end of the day, the two were still searching. The teacher agreed to bring her Primary songbooks to school the next day.

On the following morning, Heather and her teacher continued the quest. From the first hymn to the last, the little girl blinked her eyes indicating no. They were sill unsuccessful. But Heather was not about to give up. She wanted to share her favorite song. Finally, the teacher told Heather that her mother would have to help her find the song and then they would sing it. The next day Heather arrived with the green Church hymnal tucked in her chair, but there was no marker. So they began with the first hymn. The teacher would sing the first part of each song, and Heather would give her answer. After the first 100 hymns, there were 100 no’s. After 200 hymns there had been 200 no’s. Finally, the teacher began to sing “There is sunshine in my sould today…” Heather’s body jumped, a big smile crossed her face. Her eyes gazed directly into the teacher’s, indicating success after three days of searching. Both teacher and student rejoiced.

As the teacher sang the first verse and began the chorus, Heather mustered all her strength and joined in with a few sounds. After finishing the first verse and chorus, the teacher asked if she wanted to hear the rest of the verses, and Heather’s eyes opened wide with a frm yes. Thea teacher began to sing:

There is music in my soul today,
A carol to my King,
And Jesus listening can hear
The songs I cannot sing.

Heather’s reaction to these lines was so strong that the teacher stopped. As the reality and significance of the words pressed on the teacher’s mind, she wondered if those lines were the reason Heather liked the song? The teacher asked: “Heather, is that what you like about the song? Is that what you want me to know? Does Jesus listen? Does he hear the songs you cannot sing?”

The direct, penetrating gaze was a clear answer. Feeling guided by the Spriit, the teacher asked, “Heather, does Jesus talk to you in your mind and in your heart?”

Again, the child’s look was penetrating. The teacher then asked, “Heather, what does he say?”

The teacher’s heart pounded as she saw the clear look in Heather’s eyes as the little girl awaited the questions that would allow her to share her insights.

“Does Jesus say, ‘Heather, I love you’?”

Heather’s radiant eyes widened and she smiled. After a pause, the teacher asked next, “Does he say, ‘Heather, you’re special’?”

The answer again was yes. Finally, the teacher asked, “Does he say, ‘Heather, be patient; I have great things in store for you’?”

With all her strength, Heather’s head became erect and her eyes penetrated the teacher’s soul. She knew she was loved, she was special, and she only needed to be patient.

Two years later, Heather died because of the ravages of the disease. Her younger brother, Mark, also suffers from the disease but not to the extent of his older sisters. He can talk, although it is not easy. As the parents discussed Heather’s passing and the funeral that would take place, Mark exclaimed, “No go Heather’s funeral!” Heather was his best friend. As the parents tried to explain death to him, he would not be consoled. He was crushed and did not want to attend the service. For two days he could not be persuaded.

On the morning of the funeral, the father went to Mark’s room to get him up. As he entered the room, Mark was sitting up in bed with a big smile on his face. His first words were: “Dad, go Heather’s funeral!”

The father responded: “Mark, what has changed your mind?”
“Dad, had dream.”
“What did you dream about, Mark?”
“Dad, dreamed about Heather.”
“Mark, what was Heather doing?”
“Oh, Dad, Heather running and jumping and singing ‘There is sunshine in my soul today.’ Dad, go Heather’s funeral.”

I love this story! I don't remember what the lesson was about in Young Women's, but from the perspective of my hymns class, it shows that the hymns have a special ability to apply to our lives and give us peace in our trials. The hymn itself teaches that even feelings that we find impossible to express are known to the Savior.

Testing Center

2008-02-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

I went and took a test on Saturday, and I did well. So far the testing center has been kind to me. That building is an interesting place. Beautiful on the outside, but inside there is a distinct feeling of dread. I had a class in that building last year and we decided that they were trying to get us to be able to walk into the building without fear.

If you do well, the testing center is a friendly place. On the screen that shows your score at the end it will add comments depending on your score. If you got an A, 90% or above, it will say things like "Way to Go!" "Awesome" "Good Job". It makes me feel so good about myself! Anyway, I started wondering as the testing center congratulated me, who gets to write those things? Now I realize a computer is probably one congratulating me, but what if it were a person?

"You work at the testing center, what do you do?"
"I make up comments for people to see when the leave the testing center."

BEST JOB EVER! So, what if it were a real person? What if one day they got really bored and decided to mix it up:

"Smart Cookie!"
"Now you may rest in peace."
"Come Back Soon!"
"Good Try!"
"Maybe Next Time."
"Better Luck Next Time."
"You're Not Alone."
"Average"
"Bummer..."

What phrase would you like to see as you leave a test?