A Charla Life

My Heart, My Soul. My Life.

2011-11-03T21:11:00.000-07:00

I wake up.
My rested heart cries out. My tired body groans.
Hot soapy clean.
My perfumed lungs explode into water-muddled melody.
My soul sings.
A bright smile written in my eyes,
I look upon the waking day.
The sun rises.
My creaky, sore feet dance. My spirit rejoices.
Voices fill my classroom.
The choppy chorus pours into my ears.
The projector whirs wearily.
The laughter rises.

Even the walls speak.

And finally a favorite phrase recited:

¡Buenos días Señorita Aranda!

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

2011-10-29T10:38:00.000-07:00

My bestie, Aubree Hellen Ruth Johnson, got out of bed early this morning and ran a 5k with me... The Provo Monster Mile. But, what's better is that we ran this race as little minion people from Despicable Me. Enjoy! (Click on a picture to go to slideshow mode.)

One down!

2011-10-28T15:29:00.000-07:00

Today, I am smiling:

Reasons why:

I did it! I survived my first quarter as a teacher! Yeah!
My sister moved back to the states today after living in England for 3 years!
It's Halloween, a magical time of year, and I feel like watching Harry Potter. If I had time, I'd read it.
I realized today how many amazing people I have in my life that love me.
And the list goes on...

What do you believe?

2011-10-21T08:40:00.000-07:00

So, about a year ago, I created this profile for mormon.org. As I was reading it today, I felt peace fill my soul. If you want to visit the actual site, click here; or you can click on the icon to the right that says: I believe.

Hi, I'm Charla

I'm a singer/songwriter, a college student, and I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I am finishing up my bachelor's degree in Spanish Teaching right now, and I'm currently working on recording my first EP. I love to sing, write music on the guitar and perform. It's therapeutic to express myself through music and to share my love of music with others. When I'm not doing homework, working or singing, I'm usually running a race or doing something active and fun. I love being outdoors and I love a challenge.

Why I am a Mormon

Both of my parents joined the LDS church right before I was born. Growing up as a member of the church, I always felt good about living the standards of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I was constantly encouraged to serve, love and help others in all that I do.

As I grew into my teenage years, I began to feel more and more alone in my decisions to stay sexually abstinent, to refrain from using drugs, tobacco and alcohol as I watched many of my close friends do the opposite. One day I came home from high school saddened by the news that yet another good friend of mine had become pregnant. I went straight to my bedroom and began crying at my bedside. Then as I began to pray to Heavenly Father, I explained to Him how alone I felt and how sad I was. While I knelt there weeping and praying, I felt a warm, calming sensation come over me, and my loneliness subsided. I had felt the Spirit comforting me. In that moment I felt Heavenly Father's great love for me, and I knew that He had indeed heard my prayer. I felt courage to continue living obedient to His commandments, and I knew that If I ever felt alone again, all I needed to do was pray.

Throughout my life, I've continued to receive comfort during times of trial as I have remembered to pray. I know that Heavenly Father loves all of His children and that He hears and answers prayers. I have asked Heavenly Father to know for myself if the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the prophet Joseph Smith were true, and on several occasions I have felt a strong confirmation from the Spirit that it is. I know that living the Gospel of Jesus Christ, has brought more peace, joy and assurance into my life than I could ever hope for. It has been and continues to be a constant source of comfort and inspiration in my life.

Personal Stories

How has attending Church services helped you?

Every Sunday, we have two hours of sunday school wherein we study the Bible, the Book of Mormon and other materials containing the words of the prophets of God. And the third hour of church is called sacrament meeting, in the which we partake of the Sacrament, the bread and the water symbolic of the Savior's sacrifice for us when he atoned for our sins and suffered for our pains, weaknesses and sorrows. Also during Sacrament meeting different members of the congregation are given the opportunity to prepare and deliver 8-10 minute talks. Once a month we open the time we normally use for talks during Sacrament meeting for anyone present to come up and share his/her personal testimony of Jesus Christ.

Attending church every week has helped me strengthen my relationship with Heavenly Father and with my Savior, Jesus Christ. It helps remind me of what is most important in this life, returning to live with God again one day. And it helps me refocus myself at the beginning of every week as I renew promises I have made with God to keep His commandments. Also, I have received great strength simply from interacting with and surrounding myself with other people who are also striving to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

What is the Book of Mormon?

Charla answered...
The Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly. We also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. The Book of Mormon was written by prophets of God who lived in the Americas before, during, and after the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. It contains a record of Christ's visit to the America's after His Resurrection. In John 10:16 Jesus tells His apostles, " And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." During Christ's visit to the Americas he says to them, "And verily I say unto you, that ye are they of whom I said: Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd" (3 Nephi 15:21, Book Of Mormon). As I have read the Book of Mormon, I have felt that the book is true, that it is indeed another testament of Jesus Christ. As Latter Day Saints, we read the Book of Mormon alongside the Bible. I know that anyone who will read the Book of Mormon, ponder on its message, and pray with real intent to know if the book is true, they will receive an answer from God. Because I have personally done this, I know without a doubt that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. As I continue to read from its pages, I am filled with joy, peace and hope, and I am given strength to continue living the Gospel of Jesus Christ as I learn from the example of the prophets who lived in the Americas many years ago. The Book of Mormon can provide us with many answers to the most important questions of life such as, "Where did we come from? Why are we here on earth? What is the purpose of this life? and Where do we go after we die?" If you've ever had any of these questions, I encourage you to read the Book of Mormon and to pray about its message.

How I live my faith

It's all about love. The Savior, Jesus Christ, set the perfect example of love during His earthly ministry. As I begin and end each day with sincere prayer, I make time to think about how I interact with those around me. I often ask myself questions such as, "Was I kind? Was I thoughtful? Is there someone that I need to treat better? Is there someone I can serve or help?" As I pray, I often am inspired to change something that I am doing in order to show more love to my fellow beings. As I engage in this activity everyday, I rememebr to see everyone around me as Heavenly Father's precious children. I am reminded to love them, to help them, and to serve them as the Savior would if He were standing in my place. Additionally, as I strive to show more love to those around me, in turn I feel more frequently the great love that Heavenly has for me as well.

My Classroom

2011-10-15T14:42:00.000-07:00

So, I've put a ton of thought into making my classroom an inviting atmosphere for learning Spanish. Here are a few pics:

Welcome to my classroom! That's my desk!

There's a pinata hanging over my desk that my students made of my head last year when I student taught. They told me they were making a pinata of Dora la Exploradora... and the next moment I turn around, and it's hanging over my desk.

Notice the Promethean Board! I love technology... but not as much as... Well, actually...

So, hopefully you can tell from the pictures I took, but my classroom is HUGE! I love it! There's tons of space for moving around during conversation activities and learning centers. I feel very blessed.

So, this is "Spain". If my students are being amazing and get their work done quicker than the other students, I give them a ticket to Spain. So, they get to go sit on the cool chairs and play games in Spanish or read Dr. Seuss books in Spanish. They love the chairs especially.

I have a window! (Very few of the rooms in our school do)

I have 3 rules, and I'm very serious about them. They encompass A LOT.

My co-worker Melody helped me come up with this. We make sure the kids know that making mistakes is essential for becoming fluent in a foreign language. I think it has made them feel much more comfortable with speaking Spanish in class.

I teach the students a new phrase in Spanish every week. We practice it during the "Bienvenida" everyday, and I use it to get their attention by saying the first half of the phrase and having them recite the second half. Works super well.

So, "Puntos de Fiesta" are rewarded when my classes demonstrate good behavior in the classroom, like staying on-task, speaking in Spanish, being polite and kind, quieting down quickly, etc. When each class reaches 100 points, they get a "fiesta" for an entire class period. I'm amazed how motivating this is.

This is the class calendar. The kids write on it only in Spanish, and we go over the events of the week they have written on it everyday at the beginning of class during the "bienvenida", the welcome.

This is my word wall. It's a work in progress. As the kids learn new vocabulary, I try get it up on the wall for them to reference during class. The more exposure, the better.

So, apparently maps are expensive. I still need one of Central America, oh... and apparently Spanish is spoken in one small province in Africa: Equatorial Guinea. Who knew?!

And the traditional teacher posters. Gotta have 'em.

Tumba, Tumba, Tumba Vacia...

2011-10-09T18:09:00.000-07:00

So, I have two exciting announcements to make! AHEM!!!

I officially survived my first legitimate Parent/Teacher Conference! Yay!

Aaaand...

"Dia de los muertos" is coming up here in about 3 weeks!

I will now explain how these two events are related, at least in my current life. Let me start by saying that this past week of Spanish teaching was insane for me, insanely busy that is. I averaged about 5 hours of sleep a night and maybe one hour of socializing a day, which, by the way, is both incredibly abnormal and unhealthy for me. But nevertheless, the show went on. Sometimes as a teacher I feel like a performing monkey on high heels.

Anywho, we had parent/teacher conferences on Wednesday and Thursday night. So, I got home both nights around 8:30-9:00pm completely wasted. And on Wednesday night I still had some planning to do for a lesson on "Dia de los muertos" I was to teach Thursday. So, going into 11:00pm, I found this incredible song on Youtube, which you should definitely watch by the way; it's called: "Cancion las calaveras". With the aide of a sudden adrenaline rush, I was inspired to create a dance to this song. And to prove it was inspired, within 20 minutes of discovering it on Youtube, two of my roommates and I were performing this dance for the other 3 roommates and anyone else who happened to be over that night. (I often feel sorry for the girls who live in the apartment below us. I hope they don't hate us.) At any rate, it was a nice way to work off my post-bedtime, hyper-frenzy adrenaline rush. After dancing it through about ten times, I slept like a clay brick.

But the best part of this inspiration was watching my students dance to this song in my classroom on Thursday afternoon. It was hard to believe that a ridiculous dance that I had made up late at night with Aubree had turned into an incredibly entertaining class performance. To beat that though, I definitely did not expect to hear the following at parent/teacher conference Thursday night:

"My daughter just loves your class. She thinks it is so much fun. In fact, when she came home from school today, she taught me this cute little dance she learned in your class."

I could just picture this girl dancing and singing for her mom: "Tumba, tumba, tumba vacia, cierrate ya porque viene la fria. Ja ja ja, que risa me da! Ja ja ja, no me alcanzara!" (Aubree and I have been singing this song ever since Wednesday. I'm telling you it's catchy.) I often wonder how crazy it is that I get paid to simply teach my students to be as silly as I am naturally. Those lucky parents. :P

The magic ingredient to happiness

2011-10-03T16:46:00.000-07:00

I have three words for you:
READ YOUR SCRIPTURES!

Do it. In fact, if you haven't already done so today, leave my blog and go ahead and do it. I give you permission. You can finish reading this later.

So, as a first year school teacher, I have had a large load to carry, and the silly thing is that I had been trying to carry it all on my own. The first month and a half of school this year was filled with many tears, high anxiety and lack of sleep. I was still somewhat happy, but having lost a great deal of balance in my life, I was growing increasingly miserable.

Often I would pray and ask Heavenly Father, "Why is this so hard?" I would plead with Him for help.

But...

Then I would fall into my 5 hour sleep coma, and would do nothing to aid Him in helping me.

Or in other words, I was asking for help, but I was not making the necessary efforts to receive that help. It's like asking someone for food because you're starving, but walking away before they can either give you food or tell you where you can find some.

I was not engaging in meaningful scripture study. Sure I would read a verse or two, a chapter or two. But I wasn't investing myself in my scripture study. So distracted with everything else on my mind, I simply couldn't concentrate, or so I told myself.

I spoke to a good friend about my troubles about two weeks ago. I wanted to know how I could place my burdens upon the Lord, whenever it felt that I was often carrying the heavy load all by myself and consequentially and frequently tripping and falling to the ground under its weight. His advice was both simple and timeless. He encouraged me to make meaningful scripture study a top priority in my daily routine. As he advised me, I knew that I would find answers to my prayers by following his counsel.

So, for the past two weeks, I have successfully carried out a meaningful scripture study everyday. And a miracle happened! Suddenly I find myself having not only the energy and capacity to deal with all of my job-related responsibilities, but also having the inspiration to do so effectively. I've felt my burdens lift as I make time for reading and pondering the Book of Mormon and various conference talks by the apostles and prophets. I have felt immensely happy despite a tight and demanding schedule and a ceiling high stack of to-do lists. I have felt peace in the place of anxiety stress. I have felt relief and comfort on mornings when I normally would have felt fear. And I know these blessings are a direct result of me reading the scriptures everyday.

So, get off the internet, and go read your scriptures. Do it! :D

An Inexplicably Amazing Day

2011-09-12T21:42:00.000-07:00

Is it a chemical thing? Is it just me feeling happy for no reason? Is it as simple as me realizing that my life is pretty darn stinking good? I dunno. But for some reason, I came home from work today feeling like a million bucks. And I honestly cannot explain why. I mean, I actually woke up feeling incredibly overwhelmed and kind of anxious about how prepared I was to teach today. And though most of my classes went pretty well, in my last Spanish class today, I had two kids start wrestling, right there on the floor of my classroom. And, that's when the claws came out! Even I was surprised how easily my tone changed from pleasant fun teacher to no-nonsense drill sergeant.

So, despite how I began and ended the teaching portion of my day, I somehow between Sandy and Provo transformed from a stressed-out teacher into an elated human being. How is this possible? I'd definitely like to figure out how I can make this a regular occurrence.

Well, at any rate, below is my attempt to describe and somewhat preserve how I currently feel...

I want to kiss everyone I know on the forehead and then squeeze them tightly for a good minute, just to make sure they know they're loved, and especially by me.

I feel like running up a mountain just so I can feel my lungs and legs burn and then stare at the glittery city lights. (And the strange part is, I would totally enjoy doing this alone... but probably not a safe or wise idea, seeing that it is 10 at night.)

I feel like making 100 cupcakes and sharing them one by one with 50 other people... For some reason cupcakes sound good. (Did I mention I've had cupcake dreams before? I felt like such a sinner eating all of them cupcakes, but HOT DANG, them cupcakes were good! Did I also mention that I'm an English Teaching minor? ...)

I think I could do 3 workout videos in a row, and then take a 40 minute shower with zero singing breaks. My song selection would be: the elephant love melody from Moulin Rouge, JB's "One Time", Regina Spektor's "On the Radio", "At Last" by Etta James, and maybe a few of my own.

And I even could pull an all-nighter tonight just to make some fun memories with my besties, my roommates, even though I know I'd pay for it in 2 days.

I dunno, maybe all of this is stemming from having become so preoccupied with all my new responsibilities as a "real" adult with a real job. I think I've reached a point where I can no longer care as much as I have been trying to care because it's simply not worth all of the associated stress and anxiety. I will do all that I can do, and I will remain responsible. But, everything that I cannot do, I will rest in the arms of the Lord. He will make my burdens light, and He will help me to do the same for others. I mean, honestly... how am I suppose to have a positive influence on the youth I teach everyday If I slowly turn myself into Miss Cranky Pants? I'll tell you right here and right now, in the words of Glozell, "It ain't gon' happen!"

Airports are NOT for babies.

2011-07-06T14:33:00.000-07:00

Continental Airlines British check-in lady:

"Miss, can you put your carry on into that receptacle? There, you see? It is too large. I'm sorry, but it has to be regulation size in order to go onto the plane."

In the meantime, I am starring quizzically at my carry-on, that puke brown sturdy piece of luggage I've been using as a carry-on for the past 5 years now. It stubbornly rested at the top of the bin due to a handle on the end that was about 1 cm too long.

"What was this lady freaking out about?" Shrugging, I turned back to British woman for my next cue.

"Miss, at least let me weigh your stow luggage. There. It is blah blah blah ounces away from its maximum weight limit. You cannot add anything more to this suitcase, unless you want to pay the fee."

"How much is the fee?"

"$200."

...

" Miss, what is that you're doing? I need to know what you are doing!"

"Well, I'm putting everything from my carry-on into my backpack so that I can throw it away." (It seemed like the obvious solution to me.)

"Well, you cannot re-pack your things in the check-in area. Please move out of the check in area!" (She looked disgusted with me.)

I lifted my heavy suitcase and pulled it away along with my other bags in order to stuff twenty books and dirty underwear into my backpack.

"Miss, I need you to remove your trolley. It is in the way!"

I got up, scooted my luggage cart out of the way as well, and continued the repacking. Ten minutes ticked by before I was able to successfully piece my differently sized books into my seam-popping backpack. I then began regretting hauling my summer reading to England with me. Trying to zip shut my bag, I realized that not everything from my carry-on would fit, even after stuffing some things into my purse. So, I left the items I felt I could part with in the tiny brown suitcase, which I was informed I could discard over at security. Hefting my now 60-something-pounder backpack onto my back, I readjusted the straps so that my arms could squeeze through. I had transformed into Quasimodo's first cousin.

With hunchback and all, I advanced toward the check-in counter yet for a second attempt. And to my delight and surprise, I noticed the cheeky check-in attendant that had sent me on this frantic repacking adventure was now nowhere to be seen. In fact, I was able to quickly slip something into the big suitcase, weigh it, and see it go down the belt with no hassle. Then while I was walking towards security, a light bulb went on. And that is when the redistributing began. This time it only took about 2 minutes.

With carry-on re-situated and backpack relieved, I floated through security without a word. Amazingly the same thing happened as I boarded the plane. And not one soul blinked an eye when I slid my carry-on into the overhead compartment.

As I effortlessly shut it, I heard a satisfying "click".

I smiled the entire 9 hour ride home.

Mormon Ads

2011-07-01T15:30:00.000-07:00

Warning: Cheesy Video Alert. I love these.

Coming Soon

2011-06-29T16:57:00.000-07:00

Excitement is in the air!!!

I am currently anticipating so many exciting things that are about to happen in the near future!

To list them off:

The final Harry Potter movie comes out July 14th (Hardly 2.5 weeks away)
Justin Bieber's next album comes out on Nov 17th
Colbie Caillat's new album comes out July 11th ( 2 weeks baby!)
I finish recording my cd album in 2 weeks
I start my teaching career in 7 weeks
I get to see Aubree Hellen Ruth Johnson and Heidi Jensen in 6 days

Life is good.
I am blessed.
<3

Too excited to sleep!

2011-06-13T17:58:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday (via Skype video stream):
"My last question is simply, when will I find out if you are offering me the job?"
"We'll definitely have a decision by Friday. We want to fill this position soon, but we need to check references first."

On Friday:
-no email

Saturday & Sunday:
-same story

Monday:
-I think I checked my email every two hours, just in case. (I have issues.)
-And remarkably at midnight, England time, which is 5 pm Utah time I checked my email and there it was!

All I needed was to scan the first line quickly to read "we'd like to offer".

Offer! Offer! I know exactly what they'd like to offer! Do I dare read on? Or should I try to breathe first? Am I really this blessed?

I jumped up and hugged my brother-in-law. Where is my sister at a time like this?! (Stuck in a stuffy plane flying home from a wedding photo shoot in the states) Oh, but I cannot wait to tell her! Good thing she has no access to the internet for the next 15 hours.

In short, I will be working as a full-time Spanish teacher at Eastmont Middle School starting in August. Yay!

Diapers and Sword Fights

2011-05-27T06:20:00.000-07:00

So, it's now been a week and a half that I'm in England with my sister and her cute family. I've started running again...it's a work in progress. I've picked up reading for leisure again, which I have missed immensely. And I have spent endless hours with my two beautiful nephews, Weslee and Kent. Enjoy the pics!

Weslee with his books. He loves to read.

Weslee experimenting with my camera. I was showing him how to take a picture, and he actually took a fairly decent picture of me.

Sleeping baby Kent. My little sweet pea.

A new development: Kent holding his own bottle. (4 months)

Daddy, my bro-in-law Kevin, brushing Weslee's teeth

My awesome sister Teri and Sweet Pea

Love that cheese!

Kent's favorite swing

Kevin and Weslee washing their hands

Crazy man!

Weslee's amazing hair

It's a Toaster!

2011-05-16T15:39:00.000-07:00

I may be single, but I have 155 kids...my Spanish students.
I may not have biological children...but today I got a toaster.
It's not a boy. Not a girl.
No.
It's a toaster!!!

So, today I said goodbye to 3 of my 6 Spanish classes. And after an entire semester of hard work and disciplining, I decided to bring my guitar to work, pop some popcorn and play a video of everything we've done in class.

It turned out to be a greater success than I had imagined. And a few of my students surprised me with their various gifts.

Zack with his kind and thoughtful note.
Carson, who lingered after school just to hear me play and sing one more song.
A handful of kids who told me thank you and that they'd miss me.
And then there was Bryen.

Bryen is the kid who makes strange faces at me while I'm explaining a task to the class. Bryen is the kid who draws a circle with a X through it on every white board in my room. (I erase them frequently). Bryen is the kid who invented "the game". (Basically if you think about the idea of "the game" or a game or the word combination "the game", then essentially you lose the game.) And mostly, Bryen is the kid who would blare this voice recording on the loudest setting of his speakers when we were in the computer lab that yelled, "It's a toaster!"

It happened twice.

It was because of this that all semester I would hear students from his class say this phrase at random moments ALL THE TIME. Giggles would follow ceremoniously. Then I started seeing this phrase written on my white board when I wasn't looking, or on homework assignments for me to read. This one time I made the mistake of handing them an assignment with an array of pictures of household items on them, including... you guessed it... A TOASTER! You can imagine what these papers were covered in when they were turned in to me: large circles and arrows pointing to the toaster, and that coined phrase, "It's a toaster!" in capitalized, bold letters.

So, as you can see, Bryen has made himself quite the celebrity in this one Spanish class. Sometimes when he raises his hand, I am afraid to call on him. You never know if he's going to contribute to the lesson or throw it off entirely. Well, after playing my first song today, up went Bryen's hand, and what did he say?

"I have something for you."

The next thing I see emerging from his backpack is a shiny, new toaster. He hands it to me. Next come bread, a butter knife and some jam. Laughing inside, I held up the gift, and surrendering said, "It's a toaster."

I believe in LANGE

2011-05-10T16:08:00.000-07:00

- Oh great... another talk about lange - droned Aubree.
- Lange? - I snickered
- Ha ha! Lange?! No! Change, I said change! - retorted Aubs.
- Lange. I love lange! I’m all about lange.- me
-Your face is lange! –you guessed it

The stake high councilman’s talk was langed forever after that. But, I guess that’s what happens when you sit next to your best friend in Stake Conference. I’ll have to review my notes to remember what exactly I got out of that meeting, other than a good back scratch and a new nonsense word. But we’ll save that for another post on another day. Today, I want to talk about lange.

Sick of that word yet?

Well it just so happens that THAT word, if there were ever a word that you could roll the past 3 years of my life up into, would be the word. So, sick of it or not, I guess I’d better get used to it. And while we’re on the topic, why don’t we take a look at my “recent langes” list.

RECENT LANGES:

Plan	Langed Plan
Live in Provo all summer	Live in England all summer
Get a tan	Live in England all summer
Finish Independent Study course in Provo	Finish it in a week and a half to go to England
Chill with Aubree	Skype Aubree
Spend summer with friends	Spend summer with adorable nephews and sister
Get some boring job to make a couple of bucks	Read tons of books, play with babies and go to Spain
Finish and distribute my cd in Provo	Finish cd quickly and distribute in England
Play my guitar ALL THE TIME	Play bro-in-law’s guitar ALL THE TIME

So, as you can see, not all the langes are bad langes. And though I will miss chillin’ with Aubree and adding to our endless list of inside jokes, I will start adding again to that list that my sister and I had to put down when she moved to England. I miss that list. And most of all, I miss my family. (Did I mention I get to go to Spain?!)

Hasta el agosto, Provo. ¡Te extrañaré!

And this little piggy went "Wee Wee Wee" all the way home!

2011-01-26T19:22:00.001-08:00

Teaching.
It's a test of one's ability to multitask.
A way of proving to one's self that no matter how many things you're already carrying, it's always possible to carry one more.

So, the other morning...not day but 6 am at the teacher's butt crack of dawn, I found myself walking out the door with a backpack jammed full and zipped tight on my back, and a purse, paper/file container, oatmeal bowl, water cup and keys all in my hands. I wasn't sure how I was going to open and close the door to the garage. But then I discovered the incredible utility and strength of my pinky finger. With my one little pinky...and mind you the other 4 fingers were already being used to carry or hold something, I opened and shut the door, and I managed to even push the garage opener button on the wall!

Never underestimate the power of "The Pinky!"

"SKA-DOOSH!"

The Power of One

2011-01-20T19:48:00.000-08:00

One of my friends brought this video to my attention today. Watch it.

I love my high school students already

2011-01-14T11:05:00.000-08:00

"My friend totally made me this fire airbender necklace out of wood. I love it!"
"This class is so boring."
"Senorita Aranda, do you actually LIKE working here?"
My name's not Nate, it's Bryce."
"Conjugar? What does that even mean? I never understand what he's saying. Ugh!"
"Senorita, que tienes anos?.... "Cuantos anos tengo?"
"When are YOU going to start teaching us? Today? Tomorrow? Soon?"

So, it's been a week and a half, and I'm already loving these high school kids. They are so hilarious that I find myself constantly trying not to laugh at things they say and do. On Wednesday I officially get to take over the class. They become MINE! I'm having a blast thinking about real (vs. imaginary) students when I plan my lessons.

Christmas music, oh how I love thee...

2010-12-17T13:33:00.000-08:00

Since December hit...wait, make that November, a certain local radio station has been playing Christmas music. Sick of being brainwashed with Katy Perry, Pink, Bruno Mars and Sarah Bareilles and their most recent hits played over and over again, I have found myself listening to that station on a fairly regular basis. And in so doing I've noticed how much calmer I feel when I'm singing along to my favorite Christmas songs. They carry a message of hope, of love, of faith.

Sunday was a Christmas music festival for me. I had the privilege of singing several beautiful and touching Christmas hymns and arrangements with my ward choir and stake choir. My calculated Christmas hymn singing time on Sunday summed a total of 5 hours! FIVE! And it was entirely rewarding.

One of the most simple yet most spiritual and touching songs for me was "Silent Night."As I reflected on the birth of the Savior, I sensed the sacredness of that night. I am so grateful for all that He has done for me. His birth and life on this earth comprise the true hope that I have in my heart that I can make it home one day to live with my Heavenly Father again. I know that Jesus Christ made it possible for me to repent and become clean of every sin, to become whole despite my many weaknesses, to be healed from the many difficult challenges and trials I continue to experience.

Here are a few videos that help me to feel the Christmas Spirit:
CLICK THE PAUSE BUTTON ON THE SIDEBAR TO TURN OFF MY BLOG MUSIC-->

Remember the reason for the season. Spend time serving others, spend time with family, spend time pondering on the birth and the life of the Savior, Jesus Christ. I know he Lives. I know he loves us. I'm so grateful for all he has done for me and for my loved ones. Merry Christmas Everyone!

Lamericks

2010-12-05T22:37:00.000-08:00

I had some time to kill today while waiting for a meeting in the JFSB. So, I decided to take a little stroll down the 4th floor. And I began reading a bulletin board that read: Lamericks. Feel free to add your own lame limerick to the board. As I perused the hand-scratched limericks, I felt inspired to write a few of my own.

Liverick:
Have you heard of Old Man Quiver
Who lives down by the river?
They say that his van
Is stocked full of cans
Of preserved onion and liver!

Smellerick:
There once was a foot with six toes.
The sixth one resembled a nose.
It sniffed in a shoe,
And then turned quite blue
From smelling a smell that it loathed.

Limericks...a wonderful way to waste time and still feel semi-productive.

The Paper Cuts Were Worth It!

2010-12-04T23:07:00.000-08:00

Living off student loans and any job that fits between classes, I've worked many random jobs during my time at BYU. Here's a list:
-Deseret Towers custodian (These dorms no longer exist...that's how long ago I was as freshman. I cleaned S Tower. I chose not to live in the dorms my freshman year, but ironically I ended up cleaning them.)
-Elementary school speech tutor (The little kids I worked with were adorable. I loved teaching this one little boy named Remington how to say the letter "X". The whole "ecks" sound was a daily challenge for weeks. Then one day, he got it!)
-ESL teacher for Koreans using Skype (I now love S. Korea. And most if not ALL S. Koreans love Americans. They must be some of the sweetest people on earth.)
-Bindery worker (I worked in a gigantic paper factory for 3.5 yrs. My favorite task was jumping in the huge paper bin to smash down the shreds of paper and make room for more...word to the wise: empty your pockets before entering paper bin. You just might lose your tiny ipod and spend precious time diving and searching through the horrific mass of paper to find it.)
-EFY counselor (I loved it!)
-Door to door pest control saleswoman (This was the longest summer of my life. I discovered quickly that I am not into selling people...nor am I a huge fan of being sold by a salesman. If I want it, I'll buy it. Don't pressure me.)
-Call center representative (I called people and signed them up for online college. I also spoke to several angry people who did NOT want to go to college.)
-Sales company translator/claims/collections/dispatch/customer service person (This is the job I just put in my 2 weeks notice at today! Let's just say I'm not a fan of sales companies.)

And so...after years of working these types of jobs...I am incredibly excited to begin my student teaching in January. I received my assignment yesterday: Riverton High School in Riverton, Utah. It is there that I will embark on my journey to becoming a Spanish Teacher! I love teaching. I love Spanish. And I love working with the youth. I know it will be a challenge, but I'm up for it. With all this random experience under my belt, I can handle anything! Bring it on!

Facebook...virtue or vice?

2010-12-02T12:04:00.000-08:00

One of my friends recently deleted his Facebook account. He didn't say why. And it's caused me to wonder what would happen if I deleted MY Facebook account. Let's examine the pros and cons of Facebook:

Pros:
Facebook is great for...
-Networking
-Sharing pictures
-Inviting friends and family to important and recreational events/activities
-Keeping in touch with people.

Cons:
-It's addictive for many people.
-Can become a time waster.
-Gives people access to your information (granted, there are security settings for preventing this)
-People can post ugly pictures of you. (this one really isn't too important, yet it happens frequently)
-It's an easy way for people to digitally stalk you. (ex-boyfriends/girlfriends, creepers, other people)

That's all I can really think of for now. I guess I can add to that list later. Feel free to comment and I'll add yours to the list too.

So, what good things would I be missing out on if I were to delete my Facebook Account?
-Status updates that tell me how my friends/family are doing.
-I'd probably miss a lot of peoples' birthdays.
-People might find it more difficult to contact me since most have become so dependent on Facebook.

I know these aren't really life-altering things. But, they do affect my social life. It's kind of nice to see how my friends who have moved away are doing.

In conclusion, I think I will keep my Facebook Account for now.

Good Things Are Happening!

2010-11-30T23:28:00.000-08:00

After months of worrying about financial aid for Winter semester, today I opened my email to find a delightful surprise: a Pell grant that covers tuition entirely and a subsidized Stafford loan that I can live off of for the next 4 months. This means I won't have to work while student teaching! Yay!

Also, my friend Ty Trejo in my ward invited me to open for his show on December 15th! So, I'll be playing a song I wrote earlier this year on my guitar, and as I sing, Ty will be joining in on the piano. He also invited me to sing some harmony vocals to his original songs. So, I am incredibly excited about this. I love music. And I love singing. It's nearly impossible for me not to feel happy, even on the crummiest of crummy days, if I'm singing to music I love.

As far as the cd recording goes, I am currently wrapping that up, now that I can afford to. I have half of the vocals completed now! I'm actually hoping to have the vocals all recorded within a week from now. Fingers crossed. I was going to go in this morning, but my voice was hoarse. So, Thursday we shall try again. My goal is to have the cd mixed and mastered before Christmas.

And lastly, I am going home for Christmas!!! Yay! I miss my family. There's just something about being with family for the holidays that makes life ten times more meaningful. Working at a job where I speak with strangers everyday on the phone. Living far away from all relatives, Utah,...when everyone I love lives in England, Massachusetts (thank goodness for spell check, b/c I definitely did not spell that correctly on my first try...my second try being me clicking on the spell check's correct spelling option), Texas, Oklahoma and so on. And spending most of my time worrying about MY life. My car, my rent, my job, my schooling, my bills, my crushes (or the lack thereof), my everything. Buying a plane ticket tonight with my mom on the phone suddenly shifted all my thoughts from me to my family. And thank goodness for that.

So, this past year, and especially these past few months have been rough for me. But, things are now looking up. Good things really are happening!

Let Us Be Writers!

2010-11-02T22:37:00.000-07:00

Are we losing the ability to express ourselves in writing? Just look at the upcoming generation of youth. With all the texting that goes on and its associated acronyms, and with all the hours spent in front of a screen, be it a laptop, a TV, a cellphone, an I-pod, a kindle, an I-pad, are they dooming themselves to a life of horrible communication skills? I mean I think of the time spent in front of these screens as time NOT spent interacting with other people. As an important form of communication, writing is an art that needs to be nurtured, developed, encouraged. And, I'm sorry but Facebook just doesn't cut it. When I say writing, I'm not talking about typing up a one sentence blurb or comment on how much you love Justin Bieber, or how disappointed you are that you're going to miss watching your favorite reality TV show tonight. No Sir, I am talking about writing about thought provoking ideas. I am talking about developing the ability to analyze and decipher the world in words, be they typed up, written down, or even orally expressed.

There is something beautiful that happens during the whole process of writing. --We were talking about this at FHE last night at Brother Tucker's house. (He's the first counselor in my single's ward bishopric)-- You see, when you take the time to write down what you're thinking, experiencing, or feeling, you somehow, during the whole process of putting it all in words, come to understand better what is actually taking place, what you are actually thinking, experiencing or feeling. You, in the act of writing, are forced to truly clarify your version of reality for yourself.

It's always a funny experience for me to try writing in my journal about something or someone I am mad at. As I'm getting those childish, one-sided, and often selfish feelings in black and white, I see them for what they are: childish... one-sided... and... selfish. And I begin to realize more what it is that I need to fix.

Also, as we write about our most spiritual and meaningful experiences, they are captured in black and white as a reminder, as a reference for us to return to in the future. How many amazing experiences have I had with Heavenly Father that I have failed to record? I guess I'll never know...I can't remember them all.

So, this is my goal...I want to start writing more. I want to keep this blog more updated. I want to write in my journal every night. I want to record those special and spiritual experiences as soon as they happen. I know that through writing, I can also open up another line of communication between myself and God. As I write my way through problems and questions, I know He will help guide me to an answer.

What Scares You?

2010-10-24T02:33:00.000-07:00

I love the motto: "DO SOMETHING EVERYDAY THAT SCARES YOU!" I wonder what the world would be like if everyone lived by this motto. I imagine for some people, this might create a problem. But, I would hope that at least for most of us, this would mean getting out of our comfort zones, making new friends, becoming more open minded by trying new things. So, given this introduction, let me stray a little and tell you a story.

My freshman year at BYU, I lived off campus at Liberty Square. There was this guy that I saw all the time practically everywhere I went. And one day on my way to campus, I found myself walking just a few steps behind him. So, I sped up a little to catch up with him and strike up a conversation. You can never have too many friends, right? Plus, I did think he was kinda cute.

I introduced myself to him, and he told me his name; and then... he kind of blew me off. I can't remember if he just didn't help me keep the conversation going or if he sped up and walked ahead of me. Maybe he just wasn't feeling well that day and didn't feel like talking. Or perhaps he was in a hurry because he was late for class. But, regardless, in my freshman insecurity, I took it personally. And the next time I saw him, I could feel the awkward vibes generating. And by that time I had forgotten his name. (This happens to me frequently. It's a curse.) All I could remember was that it started with a D. Was it Derrick? Daimen? So, I didn't bother approaching him again. Besides, he didn't seem to notice I was there. I know. So sad. Poor little freshman me.

So in the years that roll by, I see this guy at nearly every intramural soccer game I play at BYU. I see him at random stake events, parties, races. I ran the Red Rock Relay a little more than a month ago. He was there! That guy whose name starts with a D that blew me off when I was a freshman. (That's what I began calling him in my mind.) And now I start seeing him every Wednesday at stake institute! What the crazy?

After pointing him out to my roommates and telling them the silly "history", a month rolls by. And finally, I get up the nerve to approach this guy, yet another time. It's been some 7 years since the last time I "talked" with this kid. So, I grab my friend Sarah and start walking over to him. He starts heading out the door, not because he saw me though. I'm not sure if this guy even knows I exist at this point. So, we follow him into another room, and he slips into the bathroom. Well, I had made it that far. So I decided to wait for him to get out. Luckily some other friends walked by during the five minute wait, which provided the perfect atmosphere for what I did as soon as I saw him walk by.

Dajavu set in as I heard myself spout off a practically identical greeting from 7 years earlier, "Hey! Don't I know you from somewhere? I feel like I see you everywhere."And, I still am not sure why this happened, but as soon as he whirled around to look at me, his face turned bright red, and he said, "Umm, yah. Actually. I feel like I met you a long time ago." And I'm wondering, "Did he recognize me? Did he remember that awkward walk to campus 7 years ago? Has he ever noticed that I seem to show up to practically everything he goes to?" Then we made a few friend connections from my freshman year, and introduced ourselves to each other yet again. I found myself telling him about some of the events I've seen him at, worried that I'm beginning to sound like a stalker. (Who knows what might have been going through his head at this point) But he was actually really nice and friendly this time. I guess we've both matured a bit in the past 7 years.

And I told him, "I just think we should be friends, since I see you everywhere." He agreed. I went on, "In fact, the next time I see you, I am definitely going to say 'hi'." And he responded, "No, I am going to say hi to you first, Charla."

And so, there ya go! I conquered a silly little fear, I made a "new" friend, and I found out the kid's name again. I'll admit it too, I felt kinda ridiculous going out of my way like that just to say "hi." But, It was actually quite the empowering experience. I doubt he had any clue what that meant to me, to become friends with him. In all reality, It meant that I decided not to allow my life to be governed by fear, by little things that "scare" me.

So, what scares you? Whatever it is, I encourage you to conquer that fear. Feel empowered!

By the way, his name is Dustin.

Words speak LOUDLY.

2010-10-16T15:51:00.000-07:00

What do you say?
Out loud, what do you say?
In bold articulated words,
What tangles do you weave?
What sunshine do you spread?
What do you say?

About me, what do you say?
Do you paint me well?
Do you love me in words,
Even in my absence?
What do you say?

About yourself, inside your head,
What do you say?
Do you speak of your beauty?
What do you say
To yourself in the mirror?
What do you say?

About your enemy, what do you say?
Do you cartwheel on his name?
Do you speak with your hate?
Do you speak with YOUR pain?
And what about his;
What about his pain?
And about his name,
What do you say?

What do you say?

I Like Rollercoasters?!

2010-09-09T00:21:00.000-07:00

"JAMIE'S riding the Texas Giant, aren't YOU, Charla?" said my 7-yr-old older brother, challenging me as I stood looking up and trembling at the realistic implication of that name.

Rolling it over in my 5-yr-old mind, TEXAS GIANT didn't quite match up with my idea of fun. So, on that day I made a decision, a very wise decision (in my opinion) to stay with Mom on the safe, nailed-to-the-ground bench just outside the waiting line. And while my best friend Jamie, my brother, sister and dad all rode the rickety monster, Mom and I shared some of that incredible, sticky, expensive, theme park ice cream. It was our little secret.

A year later though, I'm proud to say, I did begin riding scary roller coasters. I rode the Flashback, the Shockwave, and, you guessed it, the Texas Giant! I remember how scary that first climb always feels.

Tucked into your seat by a heavy plastic bar, the cart slowly creaks up the track, ascending the terrifying hill that soon will be bowing to Gravity's powerful pull. And once you do finally get to the top, there's a slight moment where the cart stops.

It's almost as if it's waiting for Gravity to yell up, "Ok, let 'er rip! I'm ready for ya down here!" And then the creaking starts again: creak, Creak, CREAK, CREAK! CREAK! CREAK! And Zoooooom! Down you go! Every part of you, except your stomach...

Now as a 25-yr-old, I feel like I'm slowly cranking one notch at a time up a huge hill that's leading me to unknown wonders. What is that descent going to be like once I reach the top? Why is this hill taking so long to climb? What kinds of loops and sideways twists am I headed for? All these questions pop in and out of my mind as the cart creaks steadily up the track. Creak. Creak. Squeak. Creak... The anxiety growing.

And isn't that life?

Take my current situation, for example: The roller coaster of Unemployment. Sound scary? Daring? Out right crazy? Ha! If only we could choose ALL the roller coasters life takes us on. It's like being blindfolded while you're waiting in line, and then suddenly you find yourself strapped in and headed for the most insane ride of your life. At that point, you have two options: You can either cringe through the whole experience, squeezing your pried eyelids as tightly shut as possible, indenting your chin permanently into your chest while loosing all feeling in your white-knuckled hands, OR smile, laugh, and throw your hands up to really enjoy the ride. At least that's the way it feels sometimes.

But I think about how my mother knew I wasn't ready for the Texas Giant when I was five. She didn't force me to ride it; in fact, she lovingly helped me still enjoy my theme park experience even though I wasn't quite ready for the big, scary, roller coasters. Likewise, I am positive that even though I'm not sure what awaits me on the Unemployment roller coaster, my Heavenly Father would not have put me in line for this ride if He knew I wouldn't be able to handle it. Sure I might lose my stomach a few times, and I might even have some ups, downs and crazy loopty-loops, but eventually the ride will end, and I'll carry on victorious, having conquered another one!

One victorious ride is all it takes to gain the confidence you need to ride it again and again. After that initial success, you think to yourself, "Ha! I can do this. This? Pa-lease! Give me something new, something more challenging. I can take it!"

So, who knows? Perhaps this whole unemployment business is helping prepare me for greater roller coasters ahead. All I can do for now is smile, laugh, throw my hands up and REALLY enjoy the ride!

Click here to experience the Texas Giant!

Utah Bound

2010-09-02T23:04:00.000-07:00

So, I suppose I'm one of the strangest Texans a non-Texan could meet. Today my roommate, Cali, asked me about my long-term life plans, and if I wanted to return to Texas to live out my life one day. She was shocked when I told her that I'd be entirely happy if I never had to live in that hot, humid climate again. Now don't get me wrong, I do love the TexANS there, but I'm not infatuated with TexAS like people expect me to be, you know...being a born and raised Texan myself. So, call me weird, but I am actually quite happy with Utah's dry climate right now. I love the mountains here. I love the cool breeze that I can still enjoy if I choose to go running at high noon in August. I love the healthy culture here. Seeing tons of people outside running and exercising all the time motivates me to do the same. And more than anything, I love that I feel this is where I'm supposed to be right now. Utah.

Now that's another thing that makes me odd. I was originally planning to student teach in Houston this semester, but a month before I was going to leave, I felt that I should pray and reconsider my decision to move there. And Heavenly Father helped me realize that He needs me still in Utah for now. So, here I am! My decision to stay was made so close to student teaching that my BYU professor in no way would have been able to find me a student teaching placement in Utah for this semester. So, I am deferring for a semester in order to work and save up the money I need to live on during my student teaching. And, I will be able to student teach somewhere here in Utah come January, and I'll graduate in April!!!

And believe it or not, so many things have fallen into place for me since I made the decision to stay in Utah. My roommates probably wouldn't agree with that, having seen me apply for a gazillion jobs in the past two weeks. But, the fact that I'm rooming with these girls is a miracle. They are the cream of the crop. I look up to each of them, and I'm constantly learning from them. I already love them like sisters, and they are simply amazing people. I'm close to finishing my cd I'm recording right now. That's a goal I've had for a while now that is finally coming together. I've been able to reevaluate my personal goals here and take charge of my life in little but important ways. I feel close to the Lord and I feel that I am moving in the right direction. And there are simply moments when I notice that I feel entirely at peace with who I am becoming, where I'm at in life, and where I am headed.

I know that for most people taking 6 yrs to complete an undergraduate degree seems crazy. But, you know, I changed my major half way through to something I really love. I love teaching, and I love Spanish! Put 'em together and waddaya get?: A major that I am passionate about. Not to mention, my previous major was English teaching, and the job market is looking much more promising for Spanish than it is for English, which is a comforting, reassuring reality for me. I feel that adding an additional 2 years to my graduation plan was well worth it. Besides, I've heard that many people have been going on to graduate school upon obtaining their undergrad simply because they can't find a suitable job in their field of study. Six years, eh. I've enjoyed the journey, and I've learned from some incredible professors at this university.

The closer I get to graduation, the more gratitude I feel for my BYU experience. I love the Spirit you feel on campus, the dedicated buildings. I love the social aspect that is woven into everything. I love how safe I feel here. I love the incredible life-long friends I've made during my time here. I've met people here who have impacted my life in unmeasurable ways. And more than anything, since I came here, I feel that I have grown in positive ways as a person. I can look back and see the way I've grown into adulthood. At least, I hope I have. I still have a long ways to go, but I can tell I'm better than I was before BYU.

So, on Tuesday I start working as a customer service personnel for "Costume Craze!" During this semester I'll get my last GE credit taken care of via Independent Study, SFL 100. I'll save up some moolah for an exciting Winter semester of student teaching. I'll create some awesome memories with my roomies. I'll finish my cd. I'll run some races. And, come to think of it, I should start donating blood again. So, I'll save some lives too!

Did you follow all of that?! We went from Texas pride, and the lack there of in my case to blood donation. This is what happens when I start a blog and then decide not to post for 4 months. My apologies. I'll work on that.

Good Bye Ghetto Super Car

2010-05-06T19:36:00.000-07:00

I was in a car wreck on Monday.

Basically, I was accelerating to make a yellow light when another car turned left in front of me. Life slowed down. And five seconds turned into an eternity. I could see the expression on his face through his windshield as I slammed on the brakes and began praying. A gazillion different thoughts streamed through my mind in those five seconds. To summarize, it went something like this: "Whoa! Where did this guy come from? Hit brakes! I hope this doesn't hurt. Why is this happening? Slow down! New tires, headlight, tie rod, windshield, mirror...all down the drain...ugh. I wish I could stop. Brace yourself." And then...CRASH! Then, suddenly everything sped up. I smashed the passenger side of his car. (Thank goodness there was no passenger.) And his car slid into the front of a stationary car waiting at the light.

As soon as I was able to drive my car over to the side of the road, I jumped out to see if he was ok. My focus automatically turned from my car and myself to him, the nice middle-aged man I just pummeled. I was too adrenaline pumped to cry when I saw the blood on his face and the big bumps on his forehead from the collision...but I felt like crying. I felt horrible. I felt like it was all my fault. I sat down on the curb. Just sat and glossed over a bit.

My trance was broken when I saw people running toward me, waving cell-phoned hands in the air. The police had been called. Thank goodness.

From there it was just a list of post-crash business, some enjoyable, some not: police report, chiropractor visit, several phone calls with car insurance companies, Craig's list searches, full body massage, crying, flashbacks, and whiplash.

And then came the blessings:

First there was Ryan. He picked me up in Orem, and drove me back to Provo. He and dear Chris then proceeded to give me a priesthood blessing, and he drove me all the way to Springville; Brittany hopped in for the ride, love that girl.

And, then there was my roommate Jackie. She and her boyfriend Chad took me to Taco Bell and icecream that night. Hit the spot.

After that my parents jumped in and took the greatest stresses off my mind. And, slowly everything has started falling into place. I might have even found a job this week! ...and not at Taco Bell.

So, it's goodbye to the ghetto super car. The insurance company is going to total the car and haul it off to a junk yard somewhere. Man, it's been in our family for years and years. I mean, I went on a roadtrip in this car with my sister and brother-in-law when I was 16 yrs old. That was 9 yrs ago! I'm gonna miss this car! So, here's a tribute to the GSC, Gesuka, the Ghetto Super Car:

Your grace and beauty make the tow yard seem like the valet parking lot at an expensive hotel.

I love you ghetto super car. We all do!

The headlights that guided me home at night...

The expensive, busted window I fixed up every six months with duct tape and gorilla tape.

The thingy that flopped in the wind and tapped against the back window when I drove down the highway. It was saying "Hello" and "I love you" with every tap.

The last time I'll ever see the Ghetto Super Car again.

Dogs

2010-04-28T20:59:00.000-07:00

So, I moved to Springville! With Jackie!!!

And with her brother's two dogs: Tucker, a big, white, hairy mutt, and Sam, a feisty little doxin. I didn't grow up with pets, except for a stray cat we adopted for a year, Kitito. But even then, we just let the cat roam the neighborhood and then would feed her when she came around. It was a pretty low maintenance affair. Only in the past two years have I decided that I actually like dogs enough to perhaps want one as a pet. Most of my life I've actually been scared to death of most dogs due to witnessing a huge German Shepherd bite my mom when we lived in Argentina. He just came up and bit her leg...for no obvious reason. Ridiculous! After that I was always certain that most dogs have a vicious angry devil in them just waiting for the right moment to jump out and attack you.

In the neighborhood where I grew up, I swear EVERYONE owned a dog. But they were all aggressive, mean creatures. And I recall one specific instance when I was out for a run around the neighborhood and this yippy, ugly, little dog came charging after me. He was actually trying to bite me in the heel! So, for a good block I was sprinting to try to escape the darn animal. Then two things happened: I became incredibly winded and incredibly angry. I was so mad that I actually stopped, yelled at it, and I kicked it right in the face. Then I felt even more evil for laughing when he flew up and flipped over. (I wish I could replay that moment in slow-mo...it was hilarious.) Stinkin dog! He was asking for it.

Then I was called to serve a mission in Uruguay...the country right next to German Shepherd infested Argentina. The only thing I was NOT looking forward to were the dogs. I knew there would be many. During my first week in the field, as my trainer and I walked from house to house, I looked at each dog with fear and paranoia. And, they were literally EVERYWHERE! And what's worse is they weren't chained up or fenced in. There were dogs, several dogs just roaming in the street. You could count ten per block, small blocks. But, after a week, i realized something. These dogs were free dogs. They didn't have all this pent-up anger like the dogs in Argentina or the dogs in my neighborhood. I took note how they would just sprawl out in the middle of the dirt road to take a nap without a care in the world. Not only were they too happy to want to bite anyone, but I honestly think they were too lazy. There's no way any of those dogs would be chasing me at full sprint down a long dirt road. And thank goodness! After my mission, I was cured.

So, being cured of my fear of dogs came first. Then I sold pest control two summers ago in the ritzy neighborhoods of Sacramento, California and realized that not only was it possible to encounter friendly dogs, but that some dogs are even so well trained that they're a ton of fun to have around. And that's when I decided that one day I'd like to own a nice, expensive, well-trained dog.

So, going back to Tucker and Sam...these dogs are my test. After the next three months of living with these dogs, and caring for them I should know if this is something I really want to do, or if it's simply a romantic idea I've dreamed up in my head...but not one I really want to come to pass.

Well, as part of this test, today I gave a dog a bath for the very first time. Make that Two Dogs! Sam was smaller, so I bathed him first. It's easy to control a Doxin in the tub. However he was completely freaked out and shaking all over, poor little guy. But, in the end I triumphed, and he NEEDED a bath! Then came Tucker. He was actually just fine with getting a warm bath in a tub (It was too cold outside today to hose him down in the yard). but then I experienced the mutual dog bath. That's right...as soon as I had wet down all of his hair so that I could shampoo him, he shook it all over the bathroom, and more importantly all over me!

In that moment images from movies like Beethoven came into my mind. Then I realized...I should have seen that coming.

As of today...I'm reconsidering the dog for a pet idea. But, I'm still undecided.

Last Finals Week Ever!

2010-04-19T15:46:00.000-07:00

With 4/5 finals to go, you'd think I would be studying harder right now. But, the simple truth is I am more than excited to be finishing this school year at BYU, to the point of distraction. For this reason, I've decided to start my blog. Today. What a better time than final's week right? Right?!

Man, it has been a long and rather enjoyable journey going to school here at the Y. I really do love it here. Somewhere between changing majors and serving a mission in Uruguay...I was finally able to figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life: Teach Espanish to the chitlins! And I'll have you know this discovery was worth the several classes that do not contribute to my overall graduation plan. Classes such as social dance, latin dance, that darn calculus class I never would have had to take with my current major, and extra English classes that helped me realize that I am not an English teacher at heart...not really. For any of you who have seen the movie Tommy Boy, you'll recall that it took him 7 years to graduate college! SEVEN! Luckily...it only took me 6. Eh he he.... Can you see now why I am excited to be finishing?

Sigh...Finals. You know, I figure,these tests will all be over in two days...and I'll be headed off to Texas to visit my mom. Texas...a state I can't seem to escape. Don't get me wrong, I love Texas because of the many family members and friends I have there. Well, and I actually do enjoy the warm southern culture. However...Texas??? Where are the mountains? Where are the rocky hilltops for me to climb and explore? I know. I know. Technically there are "mountains" in Texas...but in comparison to the Rockies, in comparison to the Uintas, the towering and breath-taking giants that beckon to me every summer, the gorgeous snow-capped angels that have been standing right outside of my college apartment for the past 6 years...in comparison to these mountains, Texas is covered in dirt mounds! Texas loses, and I'm here to tell you: not EVERYTHING is bigger and better in Texas.

Speaking of Texas...did I mention I'm moving to Houston in August?

I prayed an entire semester about this decision, and once I was able to make the grand decision, I cried for two entire weeks. Wow! I'll say it for you: What a baby I am! I guess I just couldn't imagine life without all the amazing friends I've grown close to since I've been here. And, the truth be it told, although I've stopped crying, this is still going to be a bitter sweet transition for me. I'm leaving the familiar, the comfortable, and moving into the great unknown. Houston is the 4th largest city population wise and the 4th fattest city obesity wise the United States! (I always knew there was a reason why the food tasted so good) Scary. But, one of the most comforting assurances I have is that I will be rooming with three amazing girls. At least I don't have to face the Big City and Big Bad Student Teaching alone. I have a feeling these girls are going to become my new family in August. At least I hope they will, because I am definitely going to need some sisters.

All in all though, I know this is what I am supposed to be doing. So, I guess until then I have three months to thoroughly enjoy the Rockies and my Provo friends! It's gonna be a fun summer!!!