week 1

To get to work each day I have to take the shuttle. It takes between 30-45 min to get all the way up the twisting bumpy road to the lodge. I work at the front desk, checking people in and out of their rooms and booking tours of the park for our guests. Right next to the front desk is one of the 2 places to get food in the evenings. The metate room. Each night the chiefs make a special meal for the employees to eat, and then get to work of preparing food for the rest of the night. I work with 2 girls from Brazil and one from Jamaica. They are all very sweet and helpful! I love my job. After work I normally come home, change clothes, and head over to the boys house to see what they are up to. Most nights they have dinner all ready and are just finishing setting the table. So far I've tried sushi, frog legs, and cow tongue. They love making things I've never tried before. and I love eating it, because, talk about your cultural experiences!! But speaking of dinner, I have to go eat and then off to bed! There's a shuttle with my name on it at 6 tomorrow morning!! I'll try to write more tomorrow on the way to work!

Unexpected Beginning...

Picture a town. Population just over 1000 people. There are 2 gas stations. There is no other town for miles.

8 miles outside this town is a little cluster of 'Wobs' (Sheds that are big enough for 2 twin beds with about 3 feet of space between them where 2 people live) and a couple of ‘Mods’ (little houses that up to 6 people can live in). This is my new home.

When I accepted a job at Mesa Verde I wasn’t sure what to expect. I expected it to be hot. I expected there to be a lot of people. But I had no idea what was actually waiting for me.

One of the first people I met was a man named Claudio. He is from Romania. Then Lane, from the Philippians, Frank is native American, the list goes on and on. Every day I meet new people from different places, of different nationalities. At first I thought it might be hard to connect with many of them and become friends, so I was somewhat hesitant. I didn’t know how much we would actually have in common, or if they even wanted to be my friend.. Last night I went over to a mod where a couple of guys live and tried different kinds of sushi. It was So much fun!! I was shocked at how comfortable I felt around these people who I had thought would be SO different from me, and would be hard to connect with. Claudio made dinner for everyone and we sat down together to eat. An Ipod was playing music in the backround, a mixture of music from all the different cultures. Towards the end of the night I was starting to recognize words out of songs and could remember what they ment. So far, everyone I’ve met has been concerned about me being comfortable and me having everything that I need. J

Today will be my first day of work at the lodge. I’m Very excited to meet more people I work with and I hope to learn more about their cultures throughout the rest of my summer!!

I also have family home evening tonight with the singles group from the wards in towns nearby. I’m very excited!!

Food Court Musical

I LOVE THESE PEOPLE!!!! It's an entire group of people, going around doing crazy things in random places. Nothing mean or scary, just funny things that everyone can enjoy. Or things that confuse other people. Just fun stuff like that.

On of these things is happening on May 15 and EVERYONE can get in on it!! On May 15th go Panic Buy carrots. Any store you can. As many as you can. Go to www.panicbuyers.com for more info!

And then they called him on a mission

Buddy left this morning! It didn't really hit me that he was really leaving until I walked into his room last night and saw him finishing packing his stuff. I love him a lot and I'm really going to miss him. He's my big brother, and he means the world to me!! I am SO proud of him and I can't wait to hear about all the fun experiences he has while he is away. I know he will be safe and taken care of, and he will be helping TONS of people. I love him with all my heart, and even though it is really hard to see him leave, I know that this is what he needs to be doing right now and he is going where he needs to go. I couldn't be more proud of him, and the amazing man he has become. This past weekend I watched him playing with our younger cousins, pushing them on the swings, and chasing them around the playground, and I decided that I want my future husband to be a lot like my big brother. :)

<3 Free Hugs<3

I Love this video. Every time I watch it I laugh out loud because this Idea makes me so happy. Because sometimes, all someone needs is just a hug. <3 <3 <3

Theres no place like home....

*There's no place like home*
*There's no place like home*
*There's no place like home*

For the past 4 months, thats all I could think. I couldn't wait to get back home! And now... I'm here.. and I want to go back to school. But I'm not going to. For the next few months I'll be here. Working. Saving money.

It'll be good to be home for a while... I think :)

I love my family. I'm happy to be here. Even if I don't act like it a lot of the time. I need to work on that...

What I've learned lately.

I've been emailing one of my old EFY counselors for the past 3 weeks or so and this is what we have figured out together.

We are given friendship to uplift us, not drag us down.

You pick your friends. Don’t let them pick you.
-You need to WANT to be your friends friend for some reason other than the fact that they want to be friends with you.

“He that loveth not knoweth not God” John 4:8

-Apply this to your life. Love everyone and try to see them as your Father in Heaven sees them. Everyone deserves to be treated as a child of God, because we all are. It’d not just you and it’s not just me-try to see His children through Heavens eyes- not just your own. Also remember to look at yourself in this regard as well. Because you are His child. You deserve to be around people who treat you this way. Also remember that to have friends you have to be a friend. So live the golden rule, but don’t let someone walk all over you. Friendships and Friends are not perfect.

Sometimes you get burned out and other times you really just don’t feel like helping people (everybody gets this way) because after a while if seems like no one will help you. But don’t think that way. Father in Heaven is always there for you.

When you help others, you help yourself. Charity is the most essential thing you can ever learn to practice in your life. It’s hard and its not something you get worldly rewards for. But when you help others, you help yourself. And someday someone will help you. Actually I’d rather phrase it this way. Someday someone will save you. They’ll save you from yourself and you’ll save them from theirself. That’s what love is about. And love isn’t just about romance. It’s about everything. We were given all the opportunities we were given so that we can excel and those oppertunities were given to us because HE LOVE YOU. If you don’t remember anything else I’ve said remember that. Love is the key ingrediant throughtout life. If you don’t, you have nothing. But you have to make that love for yourself.

Life Hurts. It’s always going to hurt. And its never going to stop. But that’s what makes it so incredible. I feel alone more than ever, even when I am with my friends here. But it’s ok. It is completely ok.

Life is sticky. It’s a mess, But learn to love it, because it you don’t you never will.

A few weeks ago I reached a point in my life when I realized that I am never going to be the smartest, the prettiest, the fastest, the most talented, and since then, everything has started to go a lot better. Because no one is all of those things.

The Lord doesn’t make mistakes, and He made ME.