the happenings

timp cave

carried hazel all the way down

felt quite happily like backpacking

spike, mabel's pet hedgehog

REI joy

salt lake cathedral w/ andy

the chick chick chickies

roosting and looking so evil

baby zuri!

story forthcoming

my momma's so cute

lake michigan love

busy busy busy

wow I have neglected you all ---

but I have REASONS!! important REASONS!! for this:

- my family arrived

- I graduated. with my momma. it was fun :) (pictures to come forthwith)

- dinner at yamato. heavenly.

- I packed all of my stuff in an amazingly concise way and packed it into the van even more amazingly

- I said good-bye to my most excellent boyfriend who I love, which was really hard to do, and rode for 5 days across the country with dad and charlie

- spent less than a week at home doing all kinds of productive things, like living at ikea, and completely scouring "my" car, inside and out, just so it could be taken to the shop, because it's dying and I don't get to drive it after all ... the car situation needs a remedy. quick.

- I spend time every day looking for cheap flights so I can once again see my most excellent boyfriend who I love. in case you weren't sure, in case you were wondering, long distance relationships are not fun. believe me. it hasn't even been 2 weeks yet.

- I moved all my stuff into my (abundantly shared) house and built a bunch of furniture with my momma. we were awesome. until it came to the dresser knobs. those knobs kicked my trash. I gave up. so there's still 2 loose knobs. fiends.

- today I had new student orientation for gspia (graduate school of public and international affairs) which was very interesting and informative, but long and I'm exhausted and came home and accidentally slept for 5 hours.

school starts on monday. I will soon share pictures of all of these exciting events, and some of pittsburgh, as soon as I do anything other than grocery shopping. I think I will be doing a lot of exploring on my own because I want to get to know this city. there's an outdoor art festival tomorrow I will hopefully make it to, for starters - a good chance to explore shadyside.

p.s. I really really really need a good job. any job. but hopefully a good job. prayers and job offers would be nice.

p.p.s. I live in squirrel hill. it is cozy and jewish and old and I like it already.

okay, scrap the postscripts, I have more things to say.

I'm getting old :( I've started getting motion sickness over simple things, like reading on the porch swing (yes - I have a porch swing!) pretty soon I won't be able to take roller coasters. this is depressing.

you remember those sandals I superglued? well, they're still awesome. and don't give me blisters - huzzah - as I start exploring this city.

almost goodbye

it is really hard to believe that utah is almost over. everything is happening so fast and slow.

- I turned in the final copies of my thesis for binding, all fixed up, edited again, printed and signed. oh hallelujah.

- there's a fiasco with my senior seminar class not accepting the OPI I took in the spring, so we'll see what happens with that. in my life, there is always a fiasco with something.

- I still don't technically have a place to live in pittsburgh. I have a couple of options I've been looking at, but just this morning I finally got in contact with some people from the ward and it looks like I'll have a small room for very cheap, living with the relief society president and one of her counselors. so, a cheap place with good people in a good neighborhood. it's not all set, but I think this is going to work out and I'm so relieved.

- me and andy are still scrambling to do some last minute things we've been wanting to do. also trying to spend as much time as possible together. I am so not excited to be away from him.

- the family arrives! tomorrow!

- also, I'm going to the zoo :)
:) :) :) hooray