Wednesday, June 29, 2011

The MG's

MG get-togethers are absolute highlights in my life and I have a BLAST at every one. I am so excited we got to spend some time together last Friday. For those of you who are unfamiliar, MG stands for missionary girls. Our story begins about 4-5 years ago (depending on the girl) when we were all waiting for missionaries. We were brought together by this common aspect in our lives but we built strong friendships that grew throughout the time waiting for our missionaries and have continued to get stronger since. Most of the girls married their missionaries, some of us didn't but it hasn't changed how close we are. Now we get together every couple months and each time it's like we were just hanging out yesterday. Mostly we just sit around talking and laughing. The MG's hold an especially important place in my heart because they are really my first group of girl friends I have ever had. I have had an occasional girl friend here and there but never a group of girls like this. The first time I ever met them (on my birthday) they surprised me with a birthday cake and sang to me! Seriously when I went home that night I cried because I was so happy. No girls had ever done something like that for me! I had been praying so hard for even just one girl friend for such a long time and finally my prayers were answered :). As cheesy as it may sound, I see each of these girls as a sort of angel sent into my life and I am sooo grateful for them. (Introduced below the photo)

Unfortunately, not all of the girls were able to make it Friday night but I will introduce the ones in the photo from left to right starting at the top:
Leanna: Classy, Honest and Organized. Leanna is a red on the color scale. She knows exactly what she wants, she makes plans far in advance and works out every detail. She is extremely well-organized. I have never seen Leanna with a hair out of place or a wrinkle in her clothes. She generally says exactly what she is thinking which is one thing I love about her because I'm quite similar. Leanna has the most beautiful smile I've ever seen. She is an expert in so many things I could call her with just about any problem and she would have a solution. One Leanna quality I hope to acquire: her organizational skills, my life would be so much less stressful if I could plan like Leanna.

Adrianne: Down-to-Earth, Selfless and Confident. Adrianne does not get worked up about little things, she really has her priorities straight and she has such a mature perspective on life. I'm always blown away by her insight into how to handle what I would think could be a disasterous situation in just the right way. She is very crafty and creative. She knows what is most important in life and she doesn't get distracted from her goals. She is kind of goofy and is not afraid to laugh at herself. She is very stead-fast in her beliefs and she really lives those beliefs fully. One Adrianne quality I hope to acquire: I want to be as good of a wife as Adrianne. She naturally always puts her husband first and thinks about how every decision in her life will affect him.

Lindsay: Kind, Level-headed and Selfless. Lindsay is one of the most Christ-like people I know. It's hard to describe her in any other way. She is so caring and service-oriented. She always thinks of others. She gives the best advice. I know it's a weird word to use today but Lindsay is wise. She thinks and communicates with such clarity. I feel like she has a unique grasp on human relations and how to relate to people in ways that will bring about the best results. One Lindsay quality I hope to acquire: her kindness, especially in the way she speaks to people.

Natalie: Fun, Energetic and Helpful. Natalie is a lot of fun. She makes people around her happy because she is very positive. She is a really great listener. People feel great talking with Natalie because she genuinely cares about what they have to say. She is always eager to help her friends in any way she can. Natalie is a loyal and supportive friend. If you need someone to laugh with, cry with, scream with etc Natalie is the type of friend who will be by your side. One Natalie quality I hope to acquire: Her eagerness to help. I want to be like her because she is not just willing to help, as many people are, but she actually makes you feel like she would love to help or be there for you for whatever you need.

Britt: Happy, Genuine and Caring. If I have ever seen Britt frown, I can't remember. She is so positive about life and her smile is contagious. There are few people I know that it would be impossible not to like and Britt is one of them. You can't help but want to be Britt's friend. Britt is an extremely genuine person. I have not known her for as long as I have the other girls but I still feel like I know her very well because she is so sincere. It is refreshing to know someone who never seems to be withholding anything or pretending to be someone she is not. She knows who she is and she is confident. One Britt quality I hope to acquire: Her ability to make everyone around her feel comfortable and important.

Bonnie: Funny, Quirky and Honest. Oh I love Bonnie. She is hilarious. Seriously sometimes I think all of us just love waiting to hear what Bonnie is going to say next because she is SO witty. Bonnie is kinda quirky (ie: she doesn't like elbows) but it just makes her all the more lovable. She doesn't take offense easily, she loves life and she is a great storyteller. Bonnie is delightfully unpredictable. She is full of energy and she sees the world from a completely unique perspective. One Bonnie quality I hope to acquire: I have to say her wit. Sometimes I try to pretend I am as funny as Bonnie.

Jamilyn: Stylish, Dedicated and Brilliant. I have known Jamilyn for the shortest amount of time but am more and more impressed with everything I learn about her. Jamilyn is an extremely accomplished musician. She works hard and is determined. Jamilyn has an awesome fashion sense. Jamilyn is ladylike and classy. She is fun and extremely creative. One Jamilyn quality I hope to acquire: I want Jamilyn's dedication. Jamilyn is an accomplished woman in every sense because she never does anything half-way.

Stephanie: Cute, Happy and Friendly. Stephanie has the cutest giggle you will ever hear. She is so energetic, fun and upbeat. And she is passionate. When she loves something she REALLY loves it. She doesn't do things half-heartedly, she really follows through when she sets her mind to things. Stephanie is adventurous and very creative. I love to steal her date ideas. She loves to do things for other people and is always one of the first to volunteer to help out with things. I think she has at least helped (if not done it herself) to plan almost every MG bridal shower, get-together etc. She is very thoughtful and tries hard to let people around her know that she cares. One Stephanie quality I hope to acquire: Her creativity.

Annika: Beautiful, Smart and Talented. Annika is pretty much wonderwoman. She can do anything. She is not one of those people talented in just one area, she is artsy, scholarly AND athletic. Annika is very intelligent and focused. She is outgoing, passionate and loves to have fun. Annika does not live inside of any type of box or comfort zone. She is adventurous and up for new things and new experiences. Annika exudes confidence, strength and independence. I'm not sure if Annika is scared of anything but if she is I have no idea what it would be. One Annika quality I hope to acquire: Her willingness and desire to experience new things (without being scared of change like I am).

Sunday, June 12, 2011

My Beautiful Nieces

Ok, you've got me, my family is beautiful. Here are some pictures from a couple weeks ago when we went down to St. George for my sister Randi and her family to be sealed to their lovely adopted daughter, Annessa. I'm so happy I got to be there. It's such a special ceremony and not very many people go through it because kids are usually born sealed to their parents so it was a really neat opportunity for Reed and I.



Saturday, May 21, 2011

Blog Makeover

I really want to be able to post larger and better quality photos  and maybe even put them side by side...if that's what the below pictures end up looking like then you know I succeeded! So ya... I'm experimenting. If our blog disappears...well that will be sad. Hopefully that doesn't happen. BTW...here are some darling picture I just took of my new nephew. So cute.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Springtime in Provo

Well school's out and spring is finally here! It actually has stopped snowing in Provo and we are starting to see a little sunshine. Reed and I are loving the break. Especially now that work has started for me...it's just enough to keep me from going crazy but it's nice that when I leave work, I can actually be home and hang out with Reed instead of just coming home to do more homework.

I am working at Heideman, McKay, Heugly & Olsen. They are a Utah firm with offices spread around Utah but I'm here in their Provo office. I LOVE my job. I mostly work with Sonny Olsen and he is awesome. I really like that they trust me with substantive work and they don't hover over my shoulder. They just give me an assignment and let me do it my own way. It's so nice...I really don't like being bossed around and I like to be trusted with important work so this place has been a wonderful match for me. I am working on a defense case for someone charged with tax evasion, a class action tort case, and a property ownership dispute. All of my assignments have been extremely interesting and challenging.

Reed is working as a TA at the school but he doesn't work very many hours so in the meantime he has been doing this (he let me help a little as you can see--as you can also see he was not happy about me taking pictures of this):

Planting us a garden!! Yay! I am really excited to have fresh veggies like tomatoes and cucumbers so here's to hoping Reed's garden grows!

We also had a nice experience yesterday going to the Carl Bloch exhibit with my sister Dana and her husband Jason. The paintings were beautiful but we weren't allowed to take pictures in there.

Other Happenings:
Reed had a Birthday! Unfortunately it was during finals week so he did not get as much attention as I would have liked to give him but I think it was still a success. He got 3 pairs of new shoes, and a custom made "Chef BoyarReed" man-apron for when he cooks :-). Okay yes he got a store bought cake...my last home-made cake did not turn out well haha...I can cook but I seriously cannot bake. Maybe cause I don't like sweets so I never really got much practice. I made him dinner the night of his birthday but then on the weekend took him to Tucanos for his traditional Brazillian birthday meal.

My little brother moved home :-(. We miss him already. Especially at meal times cause he eats a ton and he is always VERY complimentary of the cook. He lived with us for this whole school year but now is back in St. George for the next 3 weeks before he leaves to Arkansas on his mission. We are very happy we got to have him with us for a little while.
We also went to Reed's mission reunion a little while ago. It was very long and boring for me and I didn't understand anything anyone was saying haha but I'm glad Reed got to see his friends and mission President again.
I also had my big hip hop performance right before finals in April. I really don't have time to be in the hip hop club but I do it anyways because it keeps me sane. I figure I need to allow myself at least that 1.5 hours per week to do something active that I love....Here is a pic of me with a couple friends after the big showcase. If you have nothing to do for about an hour, you can watch the showcase here: http://www.synergetikmedia.com/film/club-style-2011 --I'm in about 6 dances spread around throughout the showcase.

Well...we are a little sad that we won't be posting about amazing adventures in Europe this summer but we are excited to relax a bit and explore our own home. Reed has an interview coming up for an engineering internship too so hopefully that works out for him. I will be working at this firm for the next 6 weeks and then I'm going to be working at the US Attorney's Office in Salt Lake in the violent crimes division! So this should be a very interesting/educational summer.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

When it Rains...


In the past week...

-I have received 3 rejection letters from all 3 firms I interviewed with for a summer associate position this summer (for which I missed 2 full days of classes for call back interviews in SLC)
-I did not make it past even the first round of the moot court competition (more than half of the 80 students who did it moved on)
-I got sick
-I tried to bake my first cake and failed MISERABLY
-And Reed just told me Texas lost (yes I had them winning the national championship on my bracket...and no that doesn't really matter to me but it's one more thing to add to my list of failures for my short little pity party).

I'm hoping all of this means something great is about to happen and it's only going to be greater in light of the recent failures :-).

Yes. I'm Polish.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

SOLD!!!

I finally said goodbye to the old 1988 Beemer I have been driving for the last few years. It has been a good around town car but I needed something I could hop in and go to Arizona without worrying about being left stranded on the Rez. I had it on KSL for a few weeks and finally sold it.


Mom and Dad came up after the MWC Tourney and they helped me pick out a new car. Dad also helped me out a lot so I could get something nicer. THANKS DAD!!! Well here it is, the Honda Accord LX.



I was thinking and this is the first time I have had a car that was built later than 1990. The Carolla was a '78, the Jeep was a '79, and the Beemer was a 1988. Natali is happy to have a 2nd reliable car too.

Monday, March 7, 2011

CS Lewis

I read this quote the other day and thought it was good enough to share.

“We begin to notice, besides our particular sinful acts, our sinfulness; begin to be alarmed not only about what we do, but about what we are. This may sound rather difficult, so I will try to make it clear from my own case. When I come to my evening prayers and try to reckon up the sins of the day, nine times out of ten the most obvious one is some sin against charity; I have sulked or snapped or sneered or snubbed or stormed. And the excuse that immediately springs to my mind is that the provocation was so sudden and unexpected: I was caught off my guard, I had not time to collect myself. Now that may be an extenuating circumstance as regards those particular acts: they would obviously be worse if they had been deliberate and premeditated. On the other hand, surely what a man does when he is taken off his guard is the best evidence for what sort of a man he is? Surely what pops out before the man has time to put on a disguise is the truth? If there are rats in a cellar you are most likely to see them if you go in very suddenly. But the suddenness does not create the rats: it only prevents them from hiding. In the same way the suddenness of the provocation does not make me an ill-tempered man: it only shows me what an ill-tempered man I am. The rats are always there in the cellar, but if you go in shouting and noisily they will have taken cover before you switch on the light.”

- C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

What rats are in my cellar? If you sneak up on me suddenly then you might just find out...