Lucky. And blessed.

Lucky:  adj.
     1.  having or marked by good luck.
     2.  favored.

Blessed:  adj.
     1.  divinely or supremely favored; fortunate.
     2.  blissfully happy or contented.

Based on these definitions, I am delighted to say that I consider myself both more blessed than lucky...especially as of late.

Things have started falling into place quite nicely (by no fault of my own, might I add).  I completed my coursework for my Masters degree.  I've now completed two internships in the public schools.   I've been hired as a full-time SLP for next year in a school district that I love.  I graduate in SIX days.  And I'm dating a wonderful man.

The Lord truly works in mysterious ways.  He also truly blesses those who do their part.  I believe that I have done my part the past two years to get where I am today...nearly graduated!  Endless hours studying, creating group projects and presentations, prepping for clients at the clinic, writing reports, applying for internships, working two full-time internships simultaneously (for free), interviewing for future jobs, etc.  What a rollercoaster it has been!

And the Lord has been there every crazy step of the way.  He never left me alone.

After two failed tests in my graduate career, some moderately difficult clients and extremely difficult supervisors, handling two caseloads of 60-70 kids/piece, and figuring out my future plans as a Speech-Language Pathologist there is absolutely no doubt of the Savior's and the Lord's existence and love for me. I could not have made it with His love, guidance, and divine hand leading the way.  I am eternally grateful for the knowledge and testimony I have that if we seek the Lord's constant companionship and guidance, "He will not lead us astray, but He will give us aid."  (How Firm a Foundation-Hymn 85, Isaiah 41:10).

Aaaaaaand to prove that point, enjoy this wonderful Mormon Message.

 

taking luck

The month of February was good to me.
- Stake Speed Dating  (If you don't already know WHY this event was so good to me, you soon will :) )
- Valentine's Day with Cindy
- Taste of India AND Simply Thai...in the same month!
- Attending the temple for the first time since I received my endowment
- Receiving valentines from my kiddos at school
- I just really like the month of February

And the month of March seems to be following suit.
- Picking/hiring a staff for Oakcrest
- Applying for real jobs as a real SLP (Speech-Language Pathologist, for those of you who don't hear me talk about this every day)
- Desert Star theater plays
- Attending the temple (again!)
- Finishing my first externship
- First Oakcrest training (holy cow, our staff is incredible!)
- Dating perhaps the most incredible man to ever walk on this planet

Hopefully April continues to be fantastic!

pretty sure he's a keeper. :)

why have i not blogged about this before??

I can't think of an interesting way to start this post, so Imma get right into it.

Five years ago, I worked at Oakcrest LDS Girls' Camp.  I had the opportunity to be a counselor for 10 weeks to some of the most incredible girls from the Salt Lake Valley.  It was one of the hardest experiences of my life, but because of the hardships and difficulties I faced, it became one of the most incredible experiences of my life.

I vowed to never work there again.

Fast-forward 3 years: my mom is called to serve on the Oakcrest Womens Committee, a group of 15 women who oversee the workings of the camp year-round.  When I heard this news, I secretly thought, "Oakcrest??  Never, ever again!"  However, I was quite intrigued by the OC and the changes I heard.  I decided to assist my mom during the summers at the camp by driving the two-hour commute with her to spare her back, help out with small tasks around the camp, etc.  I thought, "Huh...this place isn't what I remember.  BUT, never EVER again!"

After two summers of this psuedo-service at Oakcrest and through a series of unfortunate events, my life was blown into a drastic change of direction: I realized I was graduating with a Masters degree in May--a mere six months away--as a young single adult in a very LDS-centered community (again).  Gulp.  Last time I graduated (with a Bachelors), I still had grad school to fall back on as my plan.  This time?  No such luck.  I figured I had three options: start working in the public schools as  a certified Speech-Language Pathologist (work...what is that, exactly?) , serve a mission (finally!), or work at Oakcrest (where in the crazy did this come from??).  Despite all of my efforts, I couldn't figure out which direction was best.  I knew what I wanted, but what did the Lord want?

Because I didn't have a clear direction to take, I chose to pursue all options.  I met with my supervisors and started a very basic job search to determine where I wanted to apply, I met with my bishop to discuss a mission and start my papers, and I applied for assistant director at the OC.  After taking all of these actions, the answer finally came.  I was offered a job as assistant director at Oakcrest 2012.

Ha ha!  Good one, Heavenly Father!

But He was serious.

After much thought, prayer, temple attendance, fasting, scripture study, more prayer, and pondering I came to the conclusion that Oakcrest is where the Lord wanted me to be for the summer.  I was surprised shocked by this answer, but I ran with it anyway.

While I can't say that I'm uber excited for a summer at the OC again, I am very grateful for the miracles I've witnessed and the blessings I've already been given for accepting the job.  I've met some absolutely incredible women and already forged amazing friendships with them.  I'm looking forward to working with the rest of our staff (whom we picked yesterday!  hallelujah!) and learning from both the staff and the girls.  Oakcrest truly is a place of miracles and peace.  I know, without any doubt, that Oakcrest is where I'm supposed to be this summer.

I'm still working on figuring out the "why".   Help a sister out!

a post with pictures

You read right, my friends.  This post will have pictures. 

November 2011
I fail at Easy Mac once again

No-Shave November

Thanksgiving with the Duvalls

December 2011
Last "finals week" ever  (At least at this point...hint hint)

Blue Man group with Kimber

Christmas with the Irvings

Ice skating with Chelsea

January 2012
Start two externships to finish up my degree

24th birthday (complete with 24 acts of service)

Recieve my endowments in the Oquirrh Mountain temple

Become too lazy to put the extra roll of toilet paper away

February 2012
Girls lunch with former roommates

Sister-date with Chelsea

I shovel the first real snowfall of the season

talk about inconvenient

Some of you may have wondered  why my blog is titled "something inconvenient".  Isn't there a rhyme and a reason for everything?

The title originally came from a website that gives quotes upon quotes upon quotes.  I was doing one of those silly activities your friends post on Facebook that ask you to find a picture from "this" website, then a quote from "this other" website, then something else from "another" website...the rules go on and on.  The quote  I found originally stated "There is no moral precept that does not have something inconvenient about it" by Denis Diderot, but I decided to only use the something inconvenient portion to title my blog (although now that I'm reading the quote again, it's profound!).

As I've sat here and typed my many, many thoughts on life (and how it rarely goes where you expect and/or want it to go), I've come to realize how inconvenient my life has become.  Again (and I'll make this very short), my life has not gone where I thought and wanted it to go; I'm in a place I'd never thought I'd be (thus the inconvenience of it).  BUT, I am beyond happy.  I've been pushed and stretched beyond my limits, I've been through the trenches and back again, I've been built up, torn down, then built right back up again.  And through it all, I've become a better me.  I'm becoming who I never realized I wanted to be. 

So, my peeps, here's to an inconvenient life.

The Big 2-4

So...

My 24th birthday came and went.  No big deal, right?  (Especially given the fact that I've been saying I'm 24 since last fall...and my birthday fell on a Sunday.)

To commemorate turning 24, I stole an idea from a blog I found on Pinterest.  A woman performed 38 acts of service on her 38th birthday.  Brilliant, right?  After reading what she did, I quickly "pinned" the idea myself (and tried to think of alternative acts of service I could perform given that most of hers required mucho dinero).  A couple of months later, my birthday came to pass and the time to perform the services was upon me. 

1.  Cleaned the stove for dad.
2.  Took Misti on a walk.
3.  Put a neighbor's garbage can away.
4.  Did the laundry for mom.
5.  Sent *** flowers.
6.  Sent *** flowers.
7.  Visited grandpa's grave.
8.  Baked treats for the OC meeting.
9.  Visited ***.
10.  Visited ***.
11.  Visited ***.
12.  Wrote *** (a missionary) a letter.
13.  Took *** cupcakes.
14.  Baked treats for ***.
15.  Talked to *** on the phone.
16.  Sat with *** at church.
17.  Visited grandma.
18.  Prayed for ***.
19.  Called ***.
20.  Wrote a letter to a soldier.
21.  Visited *** in the nursing home.
22.  Visited *** while he was sick.
23.  Wrote my testimony in a Book of Mormon to give away.
24.  Wrote a "thank you" card to ***.
*** Names have been removed.

I don't think I could have spent my birthday any better way.  Not only was I not focused on the fact that I was turning 24 (which, actually, has been really great to me already), but I was focused on helping others.  And you know what, I re-discovered something:

Service = Love.  Love = Joy.  Service = Joy.

I am so grateful for the opportunities I had to serve those around me.  I know that many of these acts seem menial, and there are a few repetitions, but I truly believe that the smallest things can make the biggest difference.  

This is definitely a tradition I'd like to keep going for a long time coming.