Potter Mania!

So I'm taking a class called FS 121 Rereading Harry Potter. Yes it is an actual class worth three credits and counts toward the Aethstetic and Humanistic Inquiry part of liberal studies. But actually its a lot of work! I do more writing for that class than any other and that's saying something considering I'm an English major. Anyway, we had a party and I was put on the food committee and volunteered to make a cake. Originally I was going to make one in the shape of a snitch but all the pictures online were so lame that I decided to make the Hogwarts crest instead and it was so much work!!! The party was amazing and I dressed up as Professor Trelawney because she's just awesome.

Other things I forgot about...

I was going through my pictures the other day and found the ones I took over winter break. At first I was thinking "when in the heck did I take these? I don't remember them" then I realized there were three weeks of winter break in which I was not planning a funeral or being sad. I forgot that I spent a week with my mom in Window Rock, I forgot about the two days spent in Mesa, I forgot about the New Year's Eve party at my aunt Robin's house, I forgot about our family friend named Bonnie visiting. I forgot that up until January 2nd, I was actually having a good time. So here's the pictures and if I was holding a glass of martinelli's sparkling cider I'd toast and say "here's to remembering never to forget".

I forgot about New Year's

With everything that has been going on in the past month since my dad's passing, I'd quite forgotten New Year's and everything it entitles. I don't even remember what resolutions I made so I'm making new ones. The Chinese New Year is in February anyway so technically speaking this is not cheating.

Usually my resolutions have to do with losing weight, but this year I have decided to focus instead on being healthy. If I happen to drop a few pounds in the process I will not complain though. I've decided that I will start slow by changing my diet and exercising once a week for the first month. With time I'll increase my exercise routine and intensify it. I've completely given up carbonated beverages and I'm working toward cutting carbohydrates. I've been thinking about my dad alot. He was only 50 when he died of heart disease and he had diabetes and so does my mom. I don't want to be unhealthy- I want to live a long and happy life.

Speaking of happiness- another resolution is to be happier. I want to be more involved and make a difference in the lives of others. I think I'm pretty happy the way I am, but I know I can always do more!

Moving On and Remembering to Live again

Today marks the third week since my father's passing. The first week was one of the hardest of my short existence on this earth. Since I was still on break from college and I am the only one of siblings without a family of my own to care for, I therefore took upon myself the task of organizing a memorial service for my dad. I did this to spare my already busy siblings, but I did not expect to learn or grow so much in one week. Becca and I went through my dad's belongings and found his journal. In it I discovered my father that I had never taken the time to get to know before. For most of my life I've been angry and bitter towards him for things he didn't do, but really I should have seen what he did do. I learned, through reading, how much he loved me. Although he was well read and versed, my dad did not have a very effective way of expressing himself. I have always believed that actions speak louder than words and as a result I didn't believe him when he said he loved me. But in looking at his actions, I forgot to listen to what he was saying. I now know that my daddy truly did love me, more than I ever cared to admit while he was alive.

Since I was planning everything, I got extremely stressed out, but I think in so doing, I grew up. I thought I was mature and grown up just because I was nineteen and in college and had some tough times in High School. But now I know that the worst is yet to come. My life so far has been a cake walk compared to what the future holds. But, surprisingly, I'm okay with that. In my dad's death, I also grew closer to my Heavenly Father who listens when I speak, who answers when I call, and he also weeps whenever my tears fall. Through my savior's sacrifice, I will see my dad again and I will wrap my arms around him and tell him how much I love him.

Yes, losing a parent is tragic, but forgetting who you are and how to live is a horrible result that should never appear. I have been beating myself up with guilt for things I didn't say, but there were still things I did say that mattered. I saw my dad the day before he died and I gave him a hug and told him I loved him. And although it may seem trivial, I feel comfort knowing that we parted in love.

My morning adventure

This morning I had one of the most spectacular yet now seemingly meaningless adventure. As I have before mentioned, my spanish final was set for today at 7:30am and we were told that if we arrived even a minute late, we would not receive a test. Then of course, I could not sleep at all last night. I woke up at least seven times. So I woke up at 6:30 and hit the snooze button. I woke up again at 6:40 and turned my alarm clock off. I woke up again at 7:00 from the alarm on my phone and hit the snooze on that (I'm not a morning person and I do not like waking up) and thought I would get up at 7:10 but then I had the most random dream. I dreampt that the CIA recruited me to help bring down the drug cartel in Show Low and then in New York. My mom was very supportive, but my brothers were not. They said it was stupid and dangerous. Anyway, I woke up again and looked at the time on my phone, it read 7:22. Immediately forgetting my exhaustion, I jumped out of bed, put on my sneakers without regard to socks, and pulled on the first sweatshirt I saw (which happened to be a bright pink hoodie with Animal from the Muppets on it in case you were wondering) and ran out the door grabbing my keys, my phone and a pencil. I rushed down the stairs and out the door. I was booking it! Luckily my shoes have those little bumps on the bottom to give them traction so I was able to run all the way to Babbit. About halfway there I realized my phone was gone. I looked back but I knew I didn't have time, so I decided my grade in Spanish was more important than my phone and I ran the rest of the way to Babbit. I took the final, which I think I did well on, and people began arriving late and she gave them a test anyway! I was so mad. Anyhow, I started to retrace my footsteps but to no avail. I was certain that my little phone had joined the eskimos. I went back to my dorm room and got dressed because I was freezing wearing nothing but pajama pants and a hoodie. My roommate and retraced my path again, this time using her phone to call mine, but we could not find it. I called my mom and told her so she could have Verizon shut it off. The funny thing is that I prayed before calling her and heard a voice in my head say "check the lost and found" but I figured geez that never works and instead ate breakfast with my roommate. Again I was prompted to check the lost and found. Finally I caved and figured what the heck it couldn't hurt. It was there the whole time! Apparently someone saw it fall from my pocket as I was running and turned it in. Yay! Thank goodness for human decency!

Finals week- (annoying sobs in the background)

Next week is finals week- gag. My first final is at 7:30 AM Monday morning. Whoever decided to schedule it so early should be publicly shunned and then the monkies from Madagascar should fling poo at them. As for my other finals- I have to do a giant portfolio for my Honor's 190 class, a portfolio and final exam for Photograpy, an exam covering everything we've done in class and some we haven't for Art History and of course Spanish. Why did I want to come to college again?

Rice Krispie intensity challenge

There are two things in this world that I absolutely cannot resist: Rice Krispie treats and kit-kats. My roommate discovered these weaknesses and thinks it is extremely funny. She bought me a kitkat once when I was having a chocolate craving because of a certain monthly gift from mother nature and then I had to go buy another one because the frenzy had started. There was a similar much more violent reaction to rice krispie treats when she first saw me eating them. Getting to the point, I've been trying really hard to get back into my exercise and dieting routine, but my roommate also thinks it's funny to mess that up. I know she loves me and just enjoys to torture me as much as I do her, but still what she did was just wrong. She bought me a giant box of Rice Krispie treats for my birthday! They are so gooey and delicious and almost half the box has already comfortably relocated to my tummy and now I have decided to forego my greatest undertaking yet. I am going on a sugar cleanse and I'm starting with the remainder of the rice krispies. If I can resist their gooey marshmallow delightfulness, I can tackle anything!