Be Happy. Now.

It has been a while, true.  Maybe I was just waiting for something interesting to write about.  Maybe I still am.  I'm sitting in my kitchen.  Listening to some amazing music by Beirut, and looking at Leroy the Dog.  Well, he's not a real dog. He sits over our kitchen sink, a black and white dog with sad eyes.  You see him straight on: he's sitting, waiting for something.  Waiting for something that will never come? I don't know - but I can say that so far this year he hasn't had much luck getting whatever he's waiting for. His sad eyes never change.

I don't like it when people do nothing but wait.  Just wait 'til you graduate. 'til you have a job. 'til you go on a mission. 'til you're (yes I said it) married. Or have babies. Or make a bunch of money. Until you can travel the world.  Until you're a better person.  'Til you stop screwing it up.

I want to live RIGHT now.  Be happy now.  And why shouldn't I be?  I have everything I need - wonderful friends, the gospel of Jesus Christ, my health, the opportunity to learn, a family who loves me (with a new nephew on the way!). I have passions - for learning, for politics, for life, for love.  For spiritual things.

So perhaps I'll try to take my own advice.  Take time to just feel the sun on my face. Appreciate things I take for granted.  Assess my life and realize that yes - it is wonderful.  And I am very grateful for that. For my family, my friends, my mind, my heart.

Here are some of the things I am thankful for --

Wonderful Roommates/Besties and Midnight Shopping Trips

Beautiful DC people. Simply wonderful souls. 

Heros. 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ. And my favorite temple - in DC. 

My MOM, who has given me everything. 

Sisters, who truly make the best friends. 

Beautiful Things.

The Home Stretch

This is it.  Last week in DC.  All of the sudden, I don't want to leave! This city is beautiful and amazing.  I love Capitol Hill.  I love all the madness of politics. I love that I live 10 blocks away from the PRESIDENT of the United States.  I love my BCers, and will miss them dearly.  I love the DC rain.  I love Georgetown, so much. I love the shopping, the food. I love the phrase "urban living" that will cease to apply to my life on Saturday. Because SLC isn't really Urban Living. And Provo, well, it definitely isn't. 

BUT I'm excited to go home too.  Mostly, I'm excited to see my family.  Especially the Little Ones, Erik and Aves. And my SISTERS and Mama, I miss them so much.  I'm excited to see the mountains.  To DRIVE MY CAR, OMG.  It has been ages since I've driven.  Foodwise, I am so excited for Spicy Thai and Cafe Rio.  Mmmmm. Because DC does not have food like Cafe Rio, not even close.

Anyways. Here's a pic of everyone at the Barlow. See if you can spot yours truly, in pink. 

DC Rain

I'm from Utah.  We are lucky if we get one or two grand summer storms.  When it rains, it comes down lazily and rarely POURS. 

Not in DC.  

At least once a week, sometimes two or three times a week, it comes down like there's no tomorrow.  Step outside for 30 seconds and you are soaked to the bone.  I absolutely love this.  Every time it rains, my fellow BCers run down the stairs, stand on the porch, marvel at the rain, and even sometimes dance and sing in it.  It is marvelous.

Today, I'm at work, and it's raining.  Luckily today I get to sit by a window and enjoy it :)  

 

A day in the life...

I did it. I finally broke down and started a blog.  Who knows if it was the boredom, the need to say something, or the need to keep all of you (I currently have 2 followers....) caught up on everything m.a.n.d.y.

I guess I'll start with today. 

I'm at work. Well, if you can call it work.  Because usually people get paid for work.  I'm at my internship.  At the Woodrow Wilson Center in DC.  Don't get me wrong.  I love the Center.  I have learned so much here.  But, only seven days left.  I am so excited to get back to ol' Utah and see all my dear friends and family.  You know who you are (at least hopefully my two followers do). 

Anyways,  here is what I'm thinking about today:  My final paper for my internship.  I have to write about how I'm going to change the world. But honestly, what I'm going to write about is changing one little boy's world that I love.  He is my nephew - Erik.  In 2005, Gov. Jon Hunstman signed a bill into law called the Carson Smith Scholarship fund - it is for young students with special needs.  This law has made a wonderful difference to a lot of kids and families - the satisfaction rate is 100%!  Unfortunately, funding ran out, and this year only about 60% of qualified kids got the scholarship.  I think this needs to CHANGE.  Every single child who needs this scholarship should receive it.  Research shows that the success of autistic children later in life is directly related to their learning experiences is early life. My paper's due on Friday.  I have a lot of work to do!

This is Erik on his 5th birthday, about one year ago.  Utah and its citizens should make it possible for him to go to the school he needs.  If we don't invest in our children, does anything else really matter?