Scattered showers.

Guru Pathik once said, "The greatest illusion in this world is the illusion of separation."

And yes, I did just use a quote from Avatar: The Last Airbender.

I've had a lot of time to think this week due to the fact that I drove down to Cedar City to visit Marissa and take a tour of our apartment for the fall. I didn't have any epiphanies or anything, and I still don't know the meaning of life, but sometimes it's nice just to think about things. And what I realized was that every single person I have ever known has had a profound impact on me and helped to create who I am today. I'm so amazed by and grateful for that. We are all part of a bigger picture; a web; we are trees with roots all tangled together. And even when someone is gone, for a little while or a long time, many times their impact is still there, still shaping you. We are never truly separate or alone.

So anyway, I don't really know what I'm trying to say. There's my thought for the day.

I saw Batman. Not only did I see it, I became Catwoman in honor of the occasion. Complete with a velvet Halloween costume made for a ten-year-old girl, leopard print moccasins, and ruby red lipstick. Rawr.

I could rave about it for hours, but I won't. It was absolutely amazing, and anyone who disagrees can get out because this is my blog and I say that to be here you have to like Batman. So either change your opinion immediately or leave.

My heart goes out to the people of Aurora, CO whose movie and lives were cut short before they should have been. May that town and especially those families have comfort.

I went to a REAL game. They are the best, especially when my team wins (which they did) and there's a fireworks display after (which there was).

I've noticed that my eyes don't squint when I smile like everyone else's. Is that creepy? I feel like it is. Maybe it's just in pictures.

I went to Mike N's mission farewell and I think he went into the MTC today. Add him to the list of letters I need to write! Since then I have been in Cedar with Marissa. We didn't do much, but we watched some cute movies and went to a beach party. It was a much needed vacation from my crazy work life!

Tomorrow: Back to the grind. But each day brings me closer to moving back down to Cedar, so I will continue to embrace it! I'm so close!

I guess I will stop rambling now. Maybe someday I'll have something exciting to blog about but until then you can just attempt to read these scattered updates from my life. Have a good night, my friends!

Friends.

Well, hi.

In case you were wondering, I made it through this weekend. But I doubt you were since I have basically disappeared from the Internet for three whole days and you have no idea what I've even been doing. Which is like, unheard of.

Let me just start out by saying I have the greatest friends ever. This past week and a half has been made so much easier by a few select people that I am so grateful for. You know who you are... and if you don't, not to worry because I'm about to write about it so you can just look for your name.

Sierra, Madi, and Annie: What would I do without these three? I don't know why we waited half the summer to have our reunion. I will forever be grateful we all worked at Plato's so we could be brought together. Snow cones, IHOP, and coffee shop conversation were just what I needed last week. Spending a bunch of money at F21, maybe not so much. But I have no regrets. I love you guys.

Cam: I seriously can't believe it has been four years since we met! A lot has changed since before your mission but I'm so glad that we have stayed best friends through it all. Thanks for taking me on motorcycle rides and for our long conversations about life and arguments about cars this week. And of course, our bike ride tradition is still kicking. Summer wouldn't be the same without it!

Tyler Deboer: I don't know how you knew to come pick me up from my house, buy a carton of cookies and cream ice cream, and drive to a park with a swing set to talk, pig out, and look at the stars, but it was much needed. Plus, how would I ever find good music to listen to without your advice?

Mike Lee: Let's be honest, GHA was the best thing to ever happen to me. Without it I would have never ended up at SUU or met this quality kid. This whole past year and especially this summer just would not be the same without his hilarious texts and Facebook statuses to keep me entertained. And I know I will have something exciting to do at least once a week when one of us makes the 45 minute drive to hang out!

Mike Nash: The fact that our friendship has survived all this time also kind of shocks me. I remember all the way back to ninth grade biology when we met. Middle school wasn't exactly my shining moment but I guess that didn't matter! We've been through the highs of crashing sweet sixteens and definitely the lows of a certain house by Draper temple. But we made it through it all and now you are also weeks away from the MTC and a mission. Loved that joke of a tennis match and Arctic Circle ice creams this week.

Danielle: What can I even say? I know that I transferred schools and randomly joined the track team sophomore year for a reason and I'm pretty sure it was so that we could become friends. No matter how long we go without talking or seeing each other, nothing will ever change. You are my best friend and I know I can always call on you whenever I need someone to talk to, hang out with, or get free food with (which was our purpose this week. Cow Appreciation Day!). You're the best, seriously.

Marissa: Can't forget this girl! We were both kind of MIA this week but a midnight Skype date last night got us caught up. I'm still amazed that I was lucky enough to get a roommate this cool. I literally cannot wait for fall semester. Come faster!

So you see why my friends are awesome. Other than all of these adventures, I spent around 50 hours of my time at Plato's/Cowabunga, which was just as awesome (that's me being sarcastic). Except for yesterday was Grab Bag at Plato's, which really was super great. Basically, you stuff all the clearance items you can into a grocery bag, and you get the whole thing for ten dollars. When I got to work at 8 am, there was already a line outside the door and we don't even open until 10. The people in the front of the line said they had been there since 6:30! This was the line when we opened our doors. You can't even see the end of it. People are crazy.

I was in charge of dressing rooms, which I have never done before, and it was madness. However, the best part of Grab Bag is talking to everyone, which was kind of hard to do in the past when I was on registers, because you have to go so fast. I loved finding out everyone's story: how long they had been there, who they were shopping for, and their strategies to fit the most into the bag. There were old ladies braving the crowds for their grandchildren (One sat down right in front of a dressing room to sort clothes and narrowly missed getting a black eye from the door opening.), couples in search of a cheap date idea (Okay, I might have made that up. There were couples but I hope they weren't on an actual date.), and moms dragging their little kids around hoping they didn't get trampled (This is my personal pet peeve due to the fact that I spent half the day being attacked by small children with balloons.). My favorite was the woman and teenage boy I met that were friends only because they see each other at Grab Bag twice a year and the boy taught her how to stuff the bags. It's pretty much my favorite day to work at Plato's Closet, even though it might look like the worst.

In other news, I have successfully gone 6 months and 15 days without drinking soda, which is a big deal. It might be the first new year's resolution that I have actually kept. I've been doing pretty well at working out four times a week but it was difficult in France, and getting back in the habit is even more difficult.

Now I am just sitting on my bed eating European chocolate and dreading tomorrow when I have to start another 40+ hour work week. It gives me something to keep me busy though, which I am grateful for. Plus, Dark Knight Rises comes out on Friday and I cannot wait. If anyone wants to join me sometime this week to watch the first two, feel free!

Thanks again to all of my fantastic friends. I'll see you guys soon.

Bicycle.

Tonight I went on a long bike ride at sunset, and I realized things.

I looked up at those gorgeous mountains that I live right underneath and I realized how beautiful the world is, and how many times I don't appreciate it.

I thought about time, and I remembered a day almost two years ago that I felt overcome by joy because I knew that my life was going in the right direction, even though it wasn't easy. I felt that same feeling tonight, sitting on my bike.

I also thought about that summer and I realized how those two years have flown by.

I worried about the future, but then I realized that I am still only 19, and the world is wide open in front of me. Whatever choices I make will be my own choices. I create my own universe.

I thought about these few weeks of summer that I have left and how I kind of want to fast-forward through them. Then I remembered words that are written on the wall in the break room at Plato's Closet, of all places.

"If you don't like something, change it.
If you can't change it, then change your mind about it."

Sometimes I think my friend Annie, who wrote them, is the smartest person I know.

"He bet me I couldn't find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I told him that was a stupid bet because the rainbow was enough." -Rita Mae Brown

Dear elder.

Meet my best friend and the boy I've been dating, give or take, for the past 6 months: Tyler.

He is leaving tomorrow for two years on an LDS mission to serve the people of Ireland and Scotland. I feel it's only right to relive a few of the memories.

• Labor Day weekend when a group of us headed down to St. George, stayed in Melissa's grandparents' house, and had all kinds of adventures that included caving, getting free Iceberg shakes, Insidious, the very first Game of Things, and hiking in Zions. I think, looking back, this was one of the best weekends of the whole year.

• Bonfires, hay rides, and playing "Never Have I" or whatever that game is called. 
• Modern Family and Game of Things on Sunday nights.
• I think what really solidified our friendship was when Tyler asked me to draw a beard on his face with eyeliner for Halloween. All I can say is, he came to the right place.

• Basketball games, Virgin Diaries, and bowling.
• The Messiah, which I doubt he will ever go to again, but I liked it!
• Temple Square during the first few days of winter break.
• When I got my wisdom teeth out and Ty was the only person that wanted to come over and watch movies with me. We watched Scott Pilgrim and skyped Marissa and I remember it being so fun... but that was probably just the drugs. I doubt he will ever do that again either.
• New Year's Eve. Even though Tyler got lost for like three hours, so I don't know if you can really count that as a memory but we do have a picture!

• Gymnastics meets, especially the time we thought there was one but there totally wasn't.
• Learning blackjack and then playing it all the time like the world was ending.
• All of our many, many movie nights: Fired Up, Sydnie White, Facing the Giants, Paranormal marathon, etc.
• Both being there when Marissa faceplanted into the wall at church.
• Going shooting for my first time ever!

• This video.
• Our first date (finally!) along with Mike and Dylan. Me out-eating everyone, winning Cranium, and watching In Time.
• Making the sushi bet during the Superbowl. Me winning it. Going to Ninja.
• The prank war. (It's still not over. A two year intermission won't stop me.)
• My favorite Valentine's Day ever. Double date to Texas Roadhouse with Daniel and Sarah, winning mini golf (we win everything), jumping in a freezing cold pool, Iceberg shakes, and watching Star Trek. Nothing can beat that. (Also, no, the cactus is not a hat.)

• So much Call of Duty.
• Geocaching.
• Institute.
• My birthday when we all went to St. George and partied.

• All the nights we spent watching Lost. Unfortunately we didn't get very far so now I have to wait two whole years to finish it! The suspense is killing me already!
• Hunger Games midnight showing.
• Skiing/snowboarding at Brian Head. Still haven't gotten over the windburn (whatever that is). Luckily Tyler didn't show an inch of skin so he was unaffected.

• Lunches and dinners in the dining hall.
• Sundays spent indexing at church... or in the dorms.
• Spring break! There are too many things to even name. Bellagio fountains, Truth or Dare at the hotel, flying water at Hoover Dam, sneaking into the pool, the hour long treading water competition for more sushi (luckily I haven't had to pay up on that), Fremont street, and driving the Mustang down the strip.

• Movie nights and game nights at Mike's house.
• Making dinners and the occasional cookies/brownies.
• Bowling bets.
• The drive to Draper when I got something in my eye, cried the entire way, and made Tyler steer my car for me so we wouldn't die. Then when we finally just switched places it came out.
• The Festival of Colors and the night we watched Indiana Jones. It's way up there on my list of favorite weekends.

• Our mini spring break in St. George with Janessa, Andrea, and Katey. Caving, glowsticking, swimming, and more Iceberg shakes.
• The nights we forgot about watching Lost when we discovered the Walking Dead.
• Free pancakes at Ihop.
• When I was house-sitting for my aunt: playing with their dogs for hours and playing N64 for hours.
• Double date with Marissa and Brayden. Making the best pizza and decorating the best Easter eggs.

• Our soccer team! So many good memories.
• Double date with Marissa and Chase to see Titanic and play games.
• Ty getting his mission call.
• The Mustang car show in St. George.
• Camping. Tyler was sick, it was freezing, our tents got flooded, we didn't sleep, and we went home early, but someday we'll be able to laugh about it. It might still be too soon though.

• Running through the sprinklers and playing that stupid game of sardines that I'm still mad about.
• Skyping when I was in France.
• Drive in movie, days at the park, swimming, volleyball, Will Smith movies, Game of Things,  sparklers, and whatever else we have done in the past month.

He has taught me to take risks and do so many things I thought I would never ever do. It's seen in the way I now get excited whenever I see a Mustang, how I can play hours of video games, and know how to shoot a real gun. Even though I still don't think sunscreen is poisonous for your skin or think buying a bullet bike is a good idea, maybe someday I'll come around. Who knows?

What I do know is that I'm going to miss this boy. The people of Ireland and Scotland are one lucky bunch. See you in two, Ty.

The chair by baggage claim.

Yesterday I was at the airport. As you may or may not know, I grew up - and when I say "grew up", I mean I spent the majority of my elementary school years - in South Carolina and made many friends that I now follow on Instagram. So two kids from families in my ward in SC were coming out to good old Utah to go to EFY (Especially for Youth, it's a church camp) so my mom and I were kind enough to go pick them up at the airport.

Since these two strapping young boys are minors, my mom got a free pass through security to go meet them at the gate. Our conversation with the man at the ticketing counter where she had to obtain that free pass went something like this:

• Mother: So I'm picking up my friends' kids and they said I'm supposed to come here to be able to go through security..?
• Ticket Man: Okay, what flight and what are their names and your name?
• Mother: (Tells him, he gets confused, figures it out, etc.)
• Ticket Man: (Gestures to me) Is she going with you?
• Mother: If she can, she will, but if not that's fine.
• Ticket Man: Well we usually don't allow it, but I can make an exception. (Looks at me) How old are you?
• Me: Nineteen.
• Ticket Man: Okay I can't make an exception. I thought you were quite a bit younger than that.

This is the part when I got super offended, told Ticket Man he could shove it up his you-know-what, and stalked away muttering "people these days" under my breath. Not really. I just smiled and laughed and went to sit in a chair by baggage claim.

The chair by baggage claim is where the magic happened. I sat down on that black, worn out, yet surprisingly comfortable leather, folded my legs under me, and proceeded to text my friend Mike to pass the time. However, I had the good fortune to sit down by a family that had a couple of cute little kids that came over to say hi to me, which caused me to look up just in time to see another family come down the escalator, fresh off a plane.

This wasn't just any family, though. From where I was sitting I could make out the black name tags on the front of the father's suit and the mother's blouse. I had just enough time to deduce that oh, this was probably a mission president and his family coming home, before they were attacked by the crowd of people waiting at the bottom of the escalator. As I watched the many tearful hugs shared by loved ones reunited, I myself even got a little emotional. It was so beautiful and so perfect.

When everyone had finally been hugged and kissed, the whole group got together to take a picture. Keep in mind, this family didn't blend into the crowd. There were probably about thirty people there, all dressed up and carrying balloons and signs. So this was when I turned my attention to the other people passing by. Everyone coming off the escalator was staring, and I saw more than a few people crack a smile when they realized what the situation was and saw the happiness this family was radiating. I even witnessed one girl stop and take a picture of her own with her phone, and then keep walking as if she didn't just document the homecoming of random strangers.

Basically, the half hour I spent sitting in the chair by baggage claim made a huge impact on me. While I have always wanted balloons and signs (or maybe a boy with open arms and a heart-shaped pizza) at the airport when I come home from a long trip, it wasn't jealousy that I felt. I truly was touched by the love and raw emotion I witnessed. Tears of joy are the best kind.

It makes me happy to know that for every farewell, there has to be a homecoming.