To go on a mission, hmm...

I don't know if I can keep it a secret any more, but I've decided to go on a mission!  I'm SO excited!  I think most everybody knows, but I know some of my friends from Rexburg may not know.  I submitted my mission papers this past week!  I can't believe it!  It just doesn't seem real to me!  

It was 6 weeks ago yesterday that I called my bishop and told him I wanted to start my papers.  I didn't tell anyone until Mother's Day that I had made that decision.  It was really hard to keep it a secret.  I wanted to tell everyone, but I was worried that I wasn't really going to go and I was kind of worried about what people might say or how they would react.  You may wonder who wouldn't be excited to hear someone is going on a mission, but you'd be surprised.

It was really an interesting turn of events that took course over the past month and a half.  Returning to BYU-I to study abroad in Mexico, then having that trip get completely cancelled, and deciding what to do with my life until EFY (work on my mission papers, along with other things).  And now I've submitted my papers and I'm starting EFY.  All I know is that Heavenly Father is very aware of us, and everything happens for a reason.

I had my EFY training meeting today, and I met this really nice girl.  Her name is Maddie, she goes to BYU Provo, she's an english ed major (like me!), she's engaged, she just turned 21 (so she's my age), she's an avid journal writer (like me as well!), and she's from North Carolina although her family currently resides in Washington.  I pretty much love her, and I just barely met her.  But we are even more alike than I know.  She too, decided to go on a mission, but right at that time she met her fiance and at first she was kind of mad about it.  She really wanted to go on a mission.  The funny part of the story was that she met her fiance at EFY.  They were co-counselors.  I told her, I hope that doesn't happen to me.  Well, if it does, great!  But I would really love to go on a mission!

Anyway, I'm so excited for life.  I feel like I have direction, and it's kind of nice actually-to be busy and know what the next step is.

This is routine...

I'm back in Utah, again.  I feel like this is my life... I drive to San Diego, hang out for a bit, then drive to Utah and hang out and then to Idaho.  Honestly, I feel like that 10-14 hour drive gets longer and longer every time I drive it.  

Anyway, I start EFY on Monday.  I'm very excited!  I have meetings this weekend, and then I'll be in EFY mode for a month.  This week I'll be at the U in Salt Lake, and Saturday I'll drive up to Rexburg and do EFY for three weeks at BYU-I.  Then, back to San Diego for the rest of the summer...

EFY starts in less than a week!

Over the past month, I've been keeping pretty busy for not having a job and not being in school.  I'm excited that my time of doing nothing is coming to an end though!  I'm SO excited for EFY.  I leave San Diego on Friday to drive up to Utah, and  I report to the U in Salt Lake on Saturday!  I can't even wait!

I have three days to get a ton of stuff taken care of.  And somewhere in there I need to pack and get ready for EFY.  I'll get it done somehow!

It's not Mexico, but...

Tomorrow morning I'm flying to Colorado until Friday!  I am SO excited!  I know, it's not Mexico, but it's still exciting!  I'm going to see one of my way good friends and her family.  I know it's going to go by way too fast, but I'm going to enjoy every moment of this trip.

Then I'll be back in San Diego for a week, and then I'll be off to Utah and Idaho to start EFY!  Woohoo!  So many fun plans!  I can't wait!  :)

Not being in Mexico has its perks...

I got to talk to Corey today! Yay! FINALLY! It had almost been 3 weeks since I'd heard from him. And he is awesome! He even e-mailed too today! Check out his blog to read how he's doing.

I'm going to Disneyland AGAIN tomorrow! Hehe! The joys of not working, not being school, and not being in Mexico. I'm so excited!

What else? I don't know! I feel like I fail at updating everyone about me and Corey. I was at church today, and I realized that the address that was up in the "trophy case" is no longer accurate. And it's been weeks since I e-mailed everyone. I'll try to get better.

Pictures of the Past Week...

The tram ride to Downtown Disney/front of the parks from the parking lot.

Christina, Caitlin, and Angela make California!

Us with Mater and McQueen from Cars.

Standing in line at Mulholland Madness.

Getting in line for the Hollywood Tower of Terror ride, which I HATED!

Hollywood Pictures Backlot.

After the rapids ride, we were all pretty wet!

Eating fresh tortillas from the Mission Tortilla Factory! Yum!

Back at Square One...

As most of you may know, I decided to return to San Diego. I drove back last Wednesday with two other girls, both who were going on the MesoAmerica trip with me. One of them is actually from here, we grew up in the same stake, and the other is from Portland, Oregon. I love them both!

We, Caitlin and I, decided to give Angela a tour of San Diego since she had never been before. So, we went to Disney's California Adventure last Thursday and Disneyland last Friday. It was WAY fun! We took SO many pictures! None of the three of us had been to California Adventure, so that was fun. Although, I love Disneyland way more! On Saturday, we went to La Jolla Shores. Caitlin and Angela went ocean kayaking and boogie boarding while I fell asleep on the beach. Lame of me, I know, and I got a painful sunburn because of it. Later on that night we went to the temple. Sunday was church. Monday we took the trolley and went to Old Town and Seaport Village. Then today we went to the Reuben H. Fleet Science Museum at Balboa Park, since it's free the first Tuesday of every month. We picnicked at a nearby park, and we again got sunburned. We are all so white, and this burn was pink, but not as bad as the one Angela and I got on Saturday at the beach.

Angela leaves early tomorrow morning. It's kind of sad that our time is over and the three of us are parting ways. Well, Caitlin and I will be in San Diego together for the next two weeks. Then I will go to Colorado for a little less than a week to see a way good friend. As soon as I return from Colorado, I'll make the long drive back up to Utah. I'll be there a week before I start EFY at the U in Salt Lake. Those are my only plans so far.

I really have nothing going on. Life is pretty uneventful for me. I'm not going to get a job because I'm only here for a couple of weeks, and I'm not in school. So, I am just hanging out in San Diego, which is not a bad place to be. :)

PS Corey is in Japan, and we still haven't heard from him. It's been more than 2 weeks since we've heard from him, and I'm beginning to miss him a lot. Hopefully, I'll hear from him soon!