oh HI blogging world!

Life lately has been busy as ever! I am past due for some life updates. Well I went to California last week! My first time ever in San Fran!!! I am almost done with this term, and today was my last day EVER glass blowing. My little missionaries just left the MTC last night and I saw a big white bus cart them away towards the airport (tear). They grow up so fast! And I also took a second little gig working at a Chinese immersion school teaching Mandarin to little kids (and not well I might add). All in one day I had to break up ninja karate chop fights, corrale children throwing crayons as deadly projectiles, and calm a crying but speechless little girl who was terrorized by the boys throwing the crayons.....all in my third language. MAN. OH I forgot to mention how I got sick for like a week and had to miss my singing jury at school because my throat hurt so bad and there was so much snot up my nose that It probably could have filled a baby wading pool once all blown out. That sure is a nice visual huh? want to come and swim in my pool of SNOT? Didn't think so. I also infected 6 other people and counting who admire and revere me for sharing with them my priceless germs for sure. Yup.

OK So now i'm just rambling. Want to know why? Mostly because it's been a long day, and now I can't sleep. And sometimes that happens when things are written on that little chalk board on the inside of my head that can't be erased yet. And the inside of my eye balls just keep staring at that chalk board and just won't let it go. But tonight I went into my email and and I saw about 3 emails from Lyndsi Shae that I haven't read yet. If you don't know about her you should because she's my best friend and she's servin a mission in California. And her latest email talked about how its her birthday and Pday so they were playing water games and the Elders dumped a huge barrel of water on her head. Their sign of admiration i'm sure. And how after that all of the missionaries were talking about how their families have no idea what their daily lives are like. And Lyndsi was like "its so true though, this week was so hard; a roller coaster of all roller coasters emotionally" And she didn't even want to talk about it, which is unusual for Lyndsi because she never has a problem expressing herself, or with using too many words. But I could feel the extent and depth of this hard week, and it made me remember those days and those weeks being a missionary pouring my soul out all over the street with no one listening, with nothing else to do but speak about Jesus in a foreign language to people who don't give a crap that you poured out your blood sweat and tears to bring them this message. and eat food that you've never even seem before. And sleep. And then get up and do it all over again. And I remembered the days where I felt like I was doing it all by myself and it was HARD. And I know God was carrying me but sometimes it was so hard to feel, even though if he wasn't, I couldn't have done it at all. When I remember those times, those days, I realize I am ridiculous for thinking that my day was hard today. I did nothing hard today. I tanned at the park, ate tacos with my friends, and cleaned my room. Shame on me for thinking my life is hard. I went back to my old mission account and started reading some of my sent emails and I remembered exactly how hard it was. And so beautifully great at the same time. And I remembered where my strength came from. My patience and my virtue and my faith. I remembered them in a time of need in my life and I am thankful for EVERYTHING that I have. I am thankful that I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. I am thankful for my best friends, esp Lyndsi Shae that showed me this right when I needed it. Funny how best friends do that. They help you when they don't even know they are doing it. Please read this woman's perfectly written words. Her optimism, wit, and wisdom will change you.