update! on life.

DISCLAIMER:
Beth, this may sound really familiar. Yes. I did copy and paste (and then edit) some of my email to you into this blog so I wouldn't have to re-type the general news. You can skim over the familiar stuff. Or skim over it all if you so choose. Whatever.

So... I'm moved in. mostly. The rooms still aren't done. I think that's mostly what I was waiting for... to be totally done so I could post pictures. but whatever. It's not that important and as soon as the apartment IS done, you'll all be the first to see it. k? wonderful. We set up our living room and chose to go with the whole green/beige/black color scheme. We went to Wal-Mart and got some really cute green couch covers because the couches we have are hideous, (of course) and Casey had tons of black picture frames she wasn't using so we arranged them cutely on our wall. yes I just made up the word cutely. They also bought black and beige pillows for the couch. All-in-all, it's going to turn out really really cute and I'm pretty excited about it. Again, pictures as soon as it's done.

YESTERDAY! was a wonderful day. yesterday, I got my first letter from my missionary. I had written him through dearelder.com, (a nice way to send letters for free to missionaries in the MTC) and he got that monday, and he was responding to that. He said he had already written me, but that if I hadn't gotten it, that it was probably just lost in the mail system somewhere. I'm thinking that IS what happened because we weren't receiving any mail during the first 3 or 4 days we were here. So, it's a good thing I did get a letter yesterday, because I was starting to get a little depressed with the whole situation. It was a really good letter... mostly just telling me about his schedule, and how the sister missionaries get all the mail... a completely unfair situation. PSH! I've talked to the Garrards, so I know he's getting stuff. Whatever. Liar. Anyways, his letter not only brought a few tears (of joy, of course) but also sent me on an hour long tangent about how mike and I met, and all about our relationship to my new roommate... HANNAH GEARHEART! Luckily she's not the kind of girl who's gonna get annoyed with my stories. hopefully. sweet girl.

I went to a "retreat" for my job here as an intramural supervisor. Phil Kelly, my boss, says it's mostly to get to know all the other supervisors so we can "bond" and "enjoy work" when we go. Happy employees make happy work, right? So this all occured last wednesday through friday morning ish. Wednesday was hard just because we had a ton of free time that we were supposed to use for "bonding" and there is 30 of us... I dunno, I really had to go out of my comfort zone to talk to complete strangers, half of which already knew each other and were already friends. Thursday was easier because we had less free time and I didn't have to meet as many new people. All we really did Friday was wake up, eat breakfast, vaccuum and had a last minute "announcement session." Then we came home. So I got back to my house around 9:30 am. Not too bad. The evenings were hardest, just because I would be tired from the days activities, and... other reasons.. I had to spend a few minutes to myself wednesday night because I was so tired and stressed... not too fun. All in all though, it was ok. Not a complete waste of time.

SO. I went to visit Erin, Sarah, Stacy and Howard Garrard who had all come up for Swiss days last night. There wasn't a parking space available under the house so we all decided it would be a good idea to park next door in the school parking lot. hehe. right. So after spending a lovely hour and a half ish with them, and watching Sarah's stelthy MTC goodbye video (I don't know why I decided to watch that there... eh, oh well) and sheding a few tears, I left to leave. Erin walked me out to make sure there wasn't a boot on my car or anything, and low and behold...

k, I was gonna paste the picture here, but that didn't work... LAME. but uh, yeah, there was a boot on my car. Erin did her best, but alas, we were cut NO break. anyways. long story short, it's 12:20 and I've got 9 am church. and with 6 of us to shower... I've got to get up early. so. there you have it.

Thanks again for breakfast Brother Garrard! it was delish.