Happiness is...

Watching Kung Fu Panda 2 in Spanish and understanding way more than you thought you would, laughing way more than you thought you would, tearing up more than you thought you would, and then finding out your tender hearted little host brother had the same exact experience you did with tears and all. Absolutely priceless.

I am in love with Sunday afternoons spent with my adorable host family.

Today was an answer to prayers and thank goodness for that. I crave this precious family time together, and I can usually count on Sundays to provide it. But I prayed extra hard last night to get it, because it was just one of those blah weekends. Dearest Heavenly Father, muchísimas gracias.

Me and my Hermanos at the end of our perfect day. June 26, 2011

Don't mind my doo rag and crazy hair. I was just getting ready for bedtime.

Don't let their lack of smiles fool you. That's how they pose for all pictures. 

Don't mind my lack of posts about vacations. I'm just never in the mood, guys. One of these days. Promise. 

do what you love, love what you do.

Recently I have been second guessing myself and the career path I thought I wanted when I chose my major over 4 years ago. I've already decided to put off grad school for a year, but lately I've been thinking I want even more time off. Maybe even two years. I'm almost positive I want to find some sort of full time secretary position when I return to Provo (hopefully at some department at BYU) because I already know I'm good at it. I'd go as far as to say I'm exceptional at it. And I love that atmosphere of answering thousands of phone calls and questions, organizing things, entering data, scheduling appointments, etc. But it's completely unrelated to Speech Pathology. What the heck am I thinking?! 

I guess what scares me the most about grad school is not knowing if I'll be any good at it. Not knowing if after 2 additional long, challenging, and expensive years of education/training will I be any good at the profession.  I really, really like to be good at the things I choose to do. It's not a great trait, but it's one I've always had.

But I know that I love people with disabilities. My oh my, how they warm my heart and soul. I love them. I would love to have a profession that helps these sweet people of the earth who can't quite do all the same things everyone else can do in quite the same ways.

Mexico has given me loads of time to ponder what I like and what I don't like. What I want for my future and what I don't want for my future. Putting off planning lesson plans has its advantages and disadvantages. I lose a tiny bit of sleep, but then I find some really sweet awesome videos like this one:

You should probably know that I teared up while watching this video. And I realized that I do want to do that. That thing that's gonna change the lives of people who can't quite get out all the words they want to get out. I'm just not sure how ready I am to do that.

So even though it might not happen right away, I'm pretty darn sure it's gonna happen. Heavenly Father certainly has a plan for me, and with loads of prayers and faith, it's gonna be awesome no matter what.

And then while I'm away, I'll write home everyday.

Me and my Pops, April 21, 2011

Happy Father's Day to my favorite father on this planet. Wouldn't be the person I am today without your great example leading and guiding me all the way. I'm sendin' all my lovin' to you from the beach at Veracruz, Mexico today. 

(Momma, I really blew it this year on Mother's Day. LO SIENTO! I owe you big time next year.)

peace out, girl scout.

What's that? You never get sick of listening to this song on repeat 4,000 times a day? Me NEITHER!

We're out of town for the weekend enjoying river rafting, tacos, beach time, tacos, shopping, tacos, and all other things that equal a fantastic Mexican vacation in Veracruz. See you peeps on Monday!

I'm on the right track, baby. I was born this way.

Listen, blogging can take so much out of you sometimes, amigos. Especially if you are keeping up with as many blogs as I do (reading is much easier than writing). So I hope you'll forgive me if my Zacatlán post is delayed for a bit longer and humor me as I talk about my most recent obsession: the color code profiles. I am a sensationalist, you know.

The first time I heard about this book was my freshmen year of college. One roommate checked it out from the library and then all 6 of us proceeded to take the test to find out our true color. We made anyone who stepped foot in the dorm take it as well. I moved out and didn't really have any encounters with it again. Occasionally friends would bring up these colors/personality traits and mention how the way I just made someone get to the end of line instead of cutting was so "red", but that was pretty much the extent of it. I wasn't quite obsessed with the whole theory of it yet. 

And then I move to Mexico, and Head Teacher Kelly can't stop talking about it. I think she even brought it up at training before we even got here. She printed out the online version of the test so we could all take it when we had a free moment. Who doesn't love taking tests about themselves? We all took our turns, and Kelly had explanations for all of us. She received the book as a wedding gift and practically memorized it on her honeymoon. 

And now, thanks to her all I want to do is analyze all of my friendships and relationships. I just have to know what color you are! It's absolutely fascinating to me. It explains so much! Here's what you're gonna do: 

If we are friends or relatives or even just acquaintances in any way at all, you will take the test here. This is not an option. It is a command (refer to bullet point #5 of natural weaknesses below). Add up your answers. A= red, B= blue, C= white, & D= yellow. And report back to me as soon as possible (POR FAVORRRRRRRR) so I can better understand you and the strengths of our relationship.  ¿tu entiendes? Bueno!

For example: I had 21 A's, 18 B's, 3 C's, and 4 D's. Surprise, surprise! My primary color matches the current color of my back. 

If you were by chance thinking that attempting to apply Aloe Vera on yourself (to the back region) by yourself is a fun idea, you are wrong. Very wrong. But if you were thinking that Aloe Vera can be one of your very best friends if administered properly, you are correct. 

These pictures were just one big tangent so that I could incorporate Mexico pictures into the post. Remember, you're humoring me. I decided my tan wasn't progressing as fast as I hoped. Omitting sunscreen from body parts below your face while spending 6 hours at the pool on Saturday is one way to speed that up. It is also one way to ensure pain and discomfort. And that white part in between red? It's just the area the sun missed due to my ponytail and halter top. Never again will I neglect sunscreen application! ¡embarazoso! Now, before you tell me that I have incorrectly used this word, I will first tell you that Red Characteristic #417 has me needing and wanting to be right 95% of the time. I have and will always check with Google before posting words that seem questionable. Embarazoso does in fact mean embarrassing according to my pocket Spanish dictionary and Google translate. Embarasada means pregnant. I am certainly one, but not the other. I could have used the word vergüenza, but I prefer embarazoso. Glad we got that settled. 

Anyway. If you've spent even just 10 minutes around me, you probably figured out I have a lot of Red tendencies. Let's look at this very legit chart of Red traits I found by Google searching:

I can be very blunt which in turn can sometimes be offensive. But mostly hilarious. Sometimes I'm impatient. But I can also be very efficient and I obviously love planning things and getting things done. I will now admit that I get as giddy as a school girl when reading about potential secretarial job descriptions. I am probably the most competitive person you will ever meet and I'm super achievement driven. I was born this way.  

I have already planned and registered for our 1st reunion a month after we get back to meet up as a team of teachers in Salt Lake to compete in this:

It's gonna be freaking awesome. We'll be dressing up as Mexicans in some way or another. AND we'll also be staying at fellow party planner Paige's grandmother's mansion cabin in Midway that weekend. BTOML. 

But GUESS WHAT?! I am probably the most indecisive person you will ever meet. Did you see the very first bullet point? Yep. That is not me at all. Indecisiveness is totally white or yellow so I don't know where it comes from. Can't help it, I was born this way.  I will phone a friend and use any lifeline possible before I make a decision on my own. Whether its choosing cereals to purchase or movies to watch, I just have the hardest time making the final choice.  I value others opinions and advice so so so so much. 

So now we come to the biggest tangent of them all. I need your help with my most recent dilemma: which plate do I choose?! 

I bought my car in Utah and currently it has Utah plates. I drove it home to Texas in April, and my parents are so kindly re-registering it with Texas plates for me.

These 2 are the old standard plates that I miss so so so so much. 

This is the current standard Texas plate. I hate it. Why did we have to add that awful sky blue with horrible cursive at the bottom. Gross!

These choices are more unique designs from myplates.com. Please note the new BYU option on the far left. 

I bought this frame at the BYU Bookstore as a graduation present to myself. 

So without going overboard with Alumni-ness, what should I pick? Do I suck it up and stick with the current plate and add the frame? Or do I lose the frame and choose the special Y design from myplates.com? Or do I choose something different altogether from those other myplate designs and keep the Alumni frame? Guys, HELP! 

I thought I would add a poll about this to the top of my blog because A) I really do value others' opinions, B) to see how many people actually read this besides my mom, and C) it's actually kinda fun to add new gadgets to the sidebar every now and then!

It doesn't matter if you love him or capital H-I-M, just put your paws up and vote on my poll!

Update: my mom donated her old plates to me- as in the 2nd one pictured with the space shuttle- and forgot to tell me till after this post was written. you don't have to vote after all and thankfully someone else made the decision for me. BEST NEWS OF MY LIFE. 

My next post won't be this much rambling. Cross my heart.  And my secondary color is blue, just in case you were wondering. It actually really balances me out in a positive way most of the time. Buenas noches!

facts of life

Fact: I was kicked in the face at soccer night last week with a soccer ball (um, obviously), standing just 7 feet away from the kicker. It hurt like the Dickens. I thought my nose was broken for a few seconds.The locals can be a little bit too aggressive sometimes. And then tonight they decided it would be hilarious to fake me out and watch me flinch. It sure was hilarious after I scored a few goals on them.

Fact: I definitely know how to host a rooftop party and someone should really find me a full time job doing such a thing. We cuties on the party planning committee know how to find any reason to party. This event celebrated the fact that we made it through our first month here!

Paige and I just looking like movie stars as usual.

The whole gang minus Coreyface. 

Sometimes I find that my voice is so obnoxious. But my giggle? Oh, my giggle could warm your soul forever.

Fact: I found out my host dad is a civil engineer after my party ended when Translator Brian chatted it up in Spanish with him. He works with big farming equipment all day with the construction company he owns. That explains sooooo much now!

Fact: My host dad also thinks I spend hours on the internet talking to cinco novios all at once every night and I am quite the princess for waking up at 10AM everyday. (He said it very jokingly, of course.)

Fact: I have zero novios and I consciously made the decision to wake up when I do because when will I ever get a chance to sleep in again like this when I return to the real world and get a real grown up job?

Fact: Okay, maybe I have one novio and his name is Jack. He sent me the best piece of mail over a month ago and I finally received it yesterday. I'm in love.

If you notice, our birthdays are only a month and a few years apart. 

Fact: I have 2 best friends pregnant at the same time with nearly the same due dates, both living in Utah. It's a really really really good thing I'll be moving back there in the fall to spoil them both with baby clothes, baby showers, baby cupcakes, free babysitting, etc.

                               Lindsey and I,  Gen Conf April 2, 2011                      Katie and I, Graduation Day April 21, 2011

Fact: Yes, I have changed my plans for the fall at least 7 times and I'm allowed to change them as much as I'd like.

Fact: Mexican banana baby food is not quite the same as American banana baby food, but I love it all the same.

Just one more way for Novio Jack and I to bond. 

Fact: The weather for the month of June has turned out to be some of the best weather yet here in Mexico. It hasn't rained for about 2 weeks now and I can finally sleep under the covers right away instead of halfway through the night.

Fact: Kimi has peed in my room or on my bed approximately 5 times now. This last time we tried so hard to hide it from my host dad by changing out all my bedding before he could notice. I pretended not to know what he was asking when he said "What's going on?" (in Spanish of course) and looked down at the pile of soiled bed linens by the door of my room. Victor Andres answered for me from the bathroom and said "Nothing!" and then he knew, and it was all over. I couldn't stop laughing.

Little puppy girl got it all the way through to the bottom layer! We had to flip the entire mattress, all before Victor Papa came up the stairs after work. 

Sheets changed from constellations to sports just like that. 

Fact: I can't wait to invest in some Crest Whitening Strips when I return home. I have given in to brushing my teeth with the tap water (I don't swallow, duh! and I use plenty of mouthwash) and I can't wait to have a serious cleaning at the dentist when I return.

Fact: You need to let the shower water run for at least 5 minutes before it gets warm. It wasn't your little host brother playing a cruel joke on you, he just didn't understand the question in English, "So there is never any hot water  upstairs, only downstairs?"

I'm super lucky to have an actual tub right next to my room. Usually it's just one big room with the toilet, hence the mandatory use of flipflop shower shoes.

Fact: Every single day I walk by tons and tons of fresh squeezed juice stands. But there is a particular one with particular guys who never fail to smile and tempt me with a litro of delicious OJ.  Every single day I just smile back and say "No, no! mañana!".  But today was the day I finally gave in. Pictures were taken. Spanish was spoken. Juice was purchased. Flirting only slightly happened. And if Kelly reads this, punishment is sure to follow.

He's not smiling very big on the outside, but on the inside he's in heaven. How do I know? He took his own photo of moi on his phone (probably to prove to the other guy who was not there that I actually came). And I am 86% sure I heard him ask the words número de teléfono as I reached for my pesos to pay him.

He posed like this probs to seem more macho.

In this outfit, I probably really confused him when I said "no hablo espanol." Poor guy. 

Fact: I bought the latest Lady Gaga album on Amazon for 99 cents. What can I say, I'm a sucker for dollar items and that one song "Born This Way".

Fact: We have recently become obsessed with the "Color Test" and our own personal color profiles here at the school. Each teacher will be taking the online test at least once this week. I'm 97% sure my primary color is Red, but I'd really like to find out my secondary color.

Fact: Teo (Presidente Luna) is the Stake President here in Tehuacan. He also teaches Latin Dance Lessons and runs 2 schools. He is constantly telling me to be proud to be a Mexican and that it is absolutely necessary that I  become a professional at dancing since it's in my blood. I whip my hair back and forth, shake my hips a little, and put my prissy half white girl hand in the air. I think I'm doing alright.

I've gotten this spin down almost perfectly. 

My mom thinks this pose is hilarious. I think I've been dancing like this since I was little. 

Fact: My love has grown so deeply for the people here, especially my host family and extended family. If you could only see how happy I am each day to see Malu at school before I begin class. Oh wait, you can!

This is a bonus picture for your viewing pleasure. Marian is not related to me, but she sure does make an adorable photo buddy.

Fact: I have been stuck on trash duty for my weekly chore for the past 2 weeks. I hate the sight, smell, and feel of anything in a trash can. Even in the United States. I have the strongest gag reflex of anyone you'll ever meet. I am sure to wash my hands with dish soap and then promptly use hand sanitizer (cuz those are my only 2 options here). OCD Germ Freak is what they should start calling me.

Fact: When I see FB status updates about research projects and challenging internships from peers in grad school in the specific program I'm looking into, I am quickly reminded and very happy that I have put that part of my life on hold for at least a year for valid reasons.

Fact: I owe my momma a very detailed giant account of my recent excursion to Zacatlán. Later this week, cross my heart.