Things that make me happy right now

There is much rejoicing in the land!

My cousin Kyle got his mission call to Lyon, France. He leaves in September.

These penguins named after the Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge are expecting a baby penguin. Yes.

Also, Will, Kate, and Harry wave wands in Harry Potter world.

This really expensive, but effective shaving cream from Lush. Sometimes my skin is very sensitive when I shave, which is why I need to go all out sometimes.

The Salt Lake Community Co-op. (Yay for awesome veggies!)

A million and a half weddings this summer. Love is in the air.

Everyone is getting jobs! One of note is my husband: Sam has a new job at America First. (I guess that makes us DINKs now?) My mom also got a job as a kindergarten teacher.

This video by Mr. Hill and Mr. Hoye.

Yoga. Especially hot yoga.

Namaste.

New Year, New Adventures

GLoW IN THE DARK CUPCAKES! Well, not really. But close.

All that matters is that they taste good. And look cool. January though, I am back to muffins! This is good because muffins are easier because they don't have frosting, and bad because they don't have frosting.

We had a black light party (and thus the cupcakes). I wasn't even mentally prepared for the new year. I don't really know what there is to prepare for, but somehow I don't feel ready for 2012! I am pretty sure that this will be the next best year of my life.

Many exciting things will happen this year, like:

The end of the world
I'll graduate college
Elder Helms gets home
Elder Hill gets home
Elder Hoye gets home
Elder Webb gets home
The Hunger Games comes out
The Hobbit comes out
Brave comes out
The Woman in Black comes out

...and other adventures. Bring it on!

-Meg

And I forgot to mention that the pictures are courtesy of my dear Sam.

Muffin Monday! Cranberry Cornbread

This weekend was another glorious one, filled with a healthy dose of excitement, sleep, stress and giddiness.

11/11/11 11:11 happened, and I knew I had to do something epic, so Sam and I went roller blading.

And I went home for my friend Jantzen's homecoming. That meant spending time with my wonderful sisters.

Today's Muffin Monday is Cranberry Cornbread muffins.

Recipe here

I'm getting really sick of muffin pictures. They're just so boring... but they don't taste that way!

Elder Hill is over the hill

One year ago today, my best friend became a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He'd been an unofficial missionary for a long time before that.

I wish it hadn't taken me a year to realize how brave this man is, because he left everything to go serve the people of the South Pacific. His task has been hard--he has learned about four languages and has run out of water on his island a few times. He wears a sulu (which he insists is not a skirt) everyday.

I have learned a lot about myself. I have learned that I have the strength to survive without him, but I have also learned how much I need him. It's an interesting juxtaposition.

He never hesitates to tell me when I'm doing something stupid. He always led the way in being outgoing and kind to everyone. He reaches out to everyone to make them feel welcome. He practiced his music for hours and hours every day and loves to share it with everyone.

He is an amazing person and I can't wait to have him back. But while he's gone, I'm getting better at cooking, dancing and making friends. I've learned I can do hard things, even when my best cheerleader is 6,000 miles away and letters take three weeks at best to reach me.

I'm so glad that he kept himself worthy and strong so he could go. His mission has blessed my life. It has not been comfortable, but it is so worth it.

Here's to another year. We're halfway there!

-Megan

Othering, buttoning and gerunding

How did Thursday happen? Where did my Spring Break go?

It went to my super secret origami project, syntax, letter writing, letter reading, facebooking, blogstalking, hairdoing, refining my Pandora "Mumford & Sons" station and other forms of delicious othering. The night is still young. I can still get so much done.

I know I'm totally not a legit blogger. I'm kind of a wannabe cool blogger. And since I have so much homework, I decided to procrastinate by making a button for my blog. The best instructions on how to do this are found {here}. That is what I call amazing technical writing. Easy to follow instructions make my heart glow. Thank you! So easy peasy!

You don't have to take the button. Really, you don't have to. You can wait until I have a published novel and 1,000 followers. But then you could say you followed me before it was cool to follow me... right?

But I remind myself why I blog. It's kind of like a journal, and a way to get my thoughts out. It's mostly for me and my own benefit. Writing has never failed to help me feel better. Ranting, praising, thanking, and in general just figuring out life. Writing is a great way to think.

I have a notebook I carry around with me almost everywhere. Some pages just have grocery lists. Other pages have little poems, or little lost thoughts. I love my little words.

Now for some homeworking!

-Meg

3rd Sunday in February.

The lowdown on my Sunday.

It snowed. A lot.

I sang in church. And then I left because the snow was so evil. We were afraid to stay because it was bad. It turns out the snow was quite benign, but it was nice to be home and be with my family. I adore long weekends with such a passion.

We ate delicious food and watched "Inception."

We talked a lot about missionaries. Oh missions. Forever defining my existence. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go on one, by the way.

But first things first. I need to go to sleep so I can wake up and do my homework so I can graduate. Then I'll go from there.

Sundays: always offering a dose of perspective.

Dominican Republic

My friend James received his call to serve the Lord! He's going to the Dominican Republic. Speaking Spanish of course!

I'm so proud of this kid! He'll do great!

A Post about Post (I love getting mail)

Yes, I received my first letter(s) from that random little island in the Pacific from that random little best friend of mine.

I promise I'm not obsessive. But who wouldn't be excited by mail from sunny Fiji?

This post is brought to you by the nice man who fixed my computer over the phone in a matter of minutes. He is my hero.

From sunny Utah,

Megan

Super Heroes

The past few days I've been thinking about super heroes..

NaTasha had an awesome super hero themed birthday party. As if I'm not nerdy enough, I went as Grammar Girl.

I think I'm going to refine my costume for Halloween. (Except I really want to be Amelia Earhart too... decisions, decisions.)

I love these girls. They are my heroes!

Cat Woman, Super Girl, Grammar Girl

The real Super Heros are serving missions right now.

Super Heroes are moms who run 5Ks with their daughters.

I ran the U of U alumni 5K. It was so tough, I'm not quite sure why. Actually, I do. I haven't exactly run very consistently the past few weeks. (I'm not being a very good super hero.)

Super Hero Fuel

I had do my geology assignment at the museum of natural history. Notice the boy wearing the BYU shirt. Hmmm....

But I learned not to judge people by their outward appearances! President Monson is amazing! (And he looks like my bishop... maybe that's because my bishop is his son?)

The General Young Women's [EDIT: Relief Society (I'm still way young at heart.)] meeting was so fantastic. I'm glad I skipped out on the game to go. I feel so blessed to know the women in the ward. I'm so thankful for Visiting Teaching. I'm so glad I'm a daughter of God.

I am so happy.

And a letter is coming... I can feel it. Any day. Any day. (He just passed his 3-month mark!)

-Meg

Missings Happen

Late night post.

I really need Mr. Hill tonight. Not Elder Hill, but Mr. Hill.

I don't want him to come home, per se.

I just need to talk to my best friend.

I am strong, and I'm doing alright.

But there are sometimes when I really would like to see him.

That isn't want God wants, though.

And that is why missions are hard. They are blessings because they stretch us and we become better people. Better, patient people.

It happens. One day I'll get to see him again!

-Megan

100

This is post 100.

I cannot believe I've actually written this many posts.

I'm proud of myself.

I'm also proud of these boys:

Elder Hoye is going to Ventura, Cali. He will be speaking Spanish. He leaves Wednesday.

This is Elder Webb. He's going to Albuquerque, New Mexico. (I'm going to have to learn to spell that.) He left last Wednesday. {this means he could have crossed paths with Elder Hill, who left yesterday to Fiji-land}

I cannot even tell you how much these three Elders have influenced my life. And the great part is, they'll continue to do so, even when they are out in the big wide world, teaching people about the gospel of Christ. I'm so proud of them.

On another note:

The Lion King musical is one of those musicals where I walk out of the theatre so entranced and awed that real life ceases to be seem relatively important. Reality is too boring and dull. The colors aren't sharp enough, the music isn't soulful enough.

Take me to Africa! I want to run with the lions and sing and dance to African music! I want to go so bad! (Is it any wonder that Heart of Darkness is one of my favorite books of all time?)

Needless to say, The Lion King was one of the highlights of my life. I love magic like that. I cry sometimes, when I see shows of this magnitude. They are over too fast; their beauty is so fleeting.

That's why I use all my creative power to be imaginative and child-like. Because who wants to ever really grow up. Not me. I want to be so creative that the ordinary becomes golden. I'm always imaging this or that, and let me tell you-- it's worth it. I'm so tired of being practical and stoic. I want to be an emotional, passionate person my entire life.

-Megan

All sorts of exciting

Holy Whoa! I deem the first week of school a success.

Looks like working at the Chronicle is going to consume my existence, but I'm alright with that.

I love copy editing, but it's grueling mental work. The trick is to not necessarily know ever grammar rule, but to be attentive to spot where there could be an error, and to know where to find the answer. But anyway, I don't want to bore you with the subtle nuances of editing.

On the other side of the coin, page designing is a taxing session of creative gymnastics and larger-than-life tetris. I justify playing tetris now by saying I'm practicing for page designing. Heck yes.

Syntax and phonology blow my mind, although we're in the slow beginning stages were we have to define everything, and that's getting old. I'm ready to jump into the thick of things!

Choir is going to be sublime at the very least. To be singing again feels wonderful.

I received Elder Hill's last letter from the missionary training center! He's off to the land of Fiji. He's so excited, and so am I. I'm nervous for him, actually, but I know things will be great.

And tomorrow... I see the LION KING! My childhood fantasy is about to be fulfilled.

-Meg

Let's see, what else...

Today I started training, if you can call it that. A measly 1.5 miles today. And it took me 15 minutes! Lame! I used to be able to run a 6 minute mile. What happened? I'm not fatter-- well okay, I'm 7 pounds heavier-- but still!

Tomorrow I think I'm going to lift some weights at the field house.

Oh dear, I'm sorry. That was terribly boring. No one wants to hear my workout schedule! I honestly just don't know what to blog about, but I want to blog because I don't want to do my homework.

Nothing exciting has really happened... no letter (dangit, I was NOT going to mention him in this post!) Actually, I did get a letter! I take that back! From one of my wardies. I got a letter from him. He's serving in Alaska right now.

I got to see my family last night, they're so cool. I love them!

My friend Katie got ENGAGED!

Let's see, what else...

Okay, since there is nothing else, I'm just going to end this torture. I'm going to eat and then go to FHE. See ya.

-Megan

My New Mission!

Well, Mr. Hill, I mean Elder Hill is off to the Missionary Training Center! (The empty sea hehehe)

I thought I was going to much more upset than I actually was. Well, that's not particularly true. The night before he left I did have a MAJOR breakdown. That was a dark night. {shudder}

But the past few days have been superb. I just keep busy doing homework and work, and I have actually been quite productive. I was just thinking... wow, the time is going by so fast! This isn't hard at all!

Then I realized it's only been 2 days... oh. That felt like a month! A fast month, but a month! {sigh}. I just need a musical montage and then BAM! He's home! (That would nice...)

I was insane before, but I'm really crazy now. So sometimes random passions take hold of me and I get these drives to accomplish something. My next mission: TO RUN THE RAGNAR!

If you know me well, then I know you've just burst out laughing. But I'm dead serious. I'm really going to do it next year. I'm making my whole family do it too! They're all much faster runners than I am. We just need to find the rest of a team. (you need 12). We might not get in, because it's really popular, but we're going to try.

I'm doing this. This is my new quest. I'm a goal oriented person, so if I have a set race I want to accomplish, I will do it.

What brought this on? Well people have been talking about it because it was just last weekend. I was so inspired and motivated by their stories. It sounds so hard, but not too hard that it is out of my reach.

Yay! I went running today to start training right now. My first mini-goal is to run the 4th of July 5k. Eeek! I'm so excited.

This will make 2 years go by so quickly!

-Megan

Out of Nowhere-- A Curious Declaration of Love

Oh look, it's 12:07 a.m. Not a bad time, actually, but late enough that I can write a great blog post.

So I saw Elder Hill for the last time. His farewell was amazing! He is such a good public speaker, and his testimony is so clear and simple. "God just wants to talk to us so badly! He's just waiting for us!" He loves talking about God's love. He also talked about his own father.

Ah I love that kid. I really do. But saying "I love you" seems weird, because it's more than anything romantic or twitter-pated. It's a deep, abiding love of the purest sort. It's a caring love. I want the very best for him, oh so much. I don't know how to explain how I love him... this all sounds so horribly cheesy and it just falls so short of what I really mean to say.

Let me try this way: I heard a quote once, "Anyone you truly know, you love." Well, I feel like I truly love Elder Hill because I truly know him. I know his weaknesses, his strengths, his quirks, everything... He is not perfect, he's just Paul. I mean, Elder Hill.

Holy Whoa, I did not intend to write all that about my love for him! Where did that come from? Well inside of me, I guess. And, as you have well figured out by now, I don't really delete things, even though I should. So that proclamation of devotion was unexpected... Sorry, dear readers. I try so hard not be sappy and cliche, but it just happens sometimes.

I really wanted to just tell the world that I am so happy. I am so happy. I am happy. I thought I would be upset and wallowing in a tragic pit of tears, but I'm not. Mind you, I have cried. I have been sad, and nervous. But I have been overcome with a deep sense of peace. I am sad, but it’s a happy sort of sad.

All my emotional space is filled with this peace. The sadness and fear and loneliness are still inside me, but they aren’t as real. They’re nothing more than a slight coloring of the calm inside of me.

I know it may seem strange that I’m talking about emotions like this. I can’t help it. I find it so curious that my feelings are not the center fiber of myself right now. I’m used to them consuming my whole existence.

All I can say is that I feel God's love in my life every day. I do not know the end, but I know it's going to be okay! Everything is the way it should be.

-Megan

** Story behind the picture ** I was lining up to get my picture with the popular Elder Hill. So I go to stand next to him, and before I know it, he's picking me up! Talk about lover's leap! That made me really giddy. (Ah, I'm such a girl...)

Exclamation Points, Eating, and a short list of utterances

Yay! Another really late post! Hold on to your hats! Let's hope that this is semi-good (let's face it, the last couple of posts have been LAME!)

Now that I've overused my exclamation points, we can move along to the rest of my rant.

I'm so so tired. (Duh). It is so hot. I can't believe I complained about the cold just a few weeks ago! (Crap, I just used another exclamation point.) I am blaming the heat for the reason why I cannot sleep. The heat is keeping me up, that and my homework, which isn't due until Monday, but I have a feeling I will have absolutely no desire to do it tomorrow, because tomorrow is Mr. Hill's farewell. The fact that tomorrow is his farewell and that in a just 3 days he will be embarking on a long journey to an island 6,000 miles away is NOT why I'm still awake. Because I wouldn't whine about that on my blog. How cliche would that be?

Another reason I'm still awake and it's almost 1 a.m.: I think I've had like MAYBE 700 calories today. And like half of those were from a serving of Alfredo noodles. Alfredo is my weakness! I know it is one of THE most unhealthy dishes one could eat, but I always get it! (Well, actually my mommy made it for dinner, so I didn't have a choice.) But I actually didn't feel as guilty as I normally would. I had a toaster strudel this morning and a slice of left over frozen pizza for lunch. So I was so happy when I drove all the way home from work and mom had saved me food from dinner! But even with a normal dinner, I'm still out of whack from not eating. I love eating, I just don't ever have time to eat.

Wow, that was an pathetically long paragraph about food. I'm sorry, I know it is so impolite and boring to write about food! And I'm feeling nauseated anyway, so writing about vittles was an extremely poor decision... oh well! (And there I go again with the exclamation points!)

Maybe I should only write blog posts in the wee hours of the morning. The floodgates of my creativity are so weakened by sleep deprivation that they break open all the thoughts I would keep to myself while in a rational state.

I am really going to go to sleep soon, but I have to say one more utterance! (Okay, maybe more like 3 or 4.)

1. I saw TOY STORY 3. I loved it (I mean, is there any other way to feel about that movie?) I could really hype up this show, but it really stands alone. Just see it, and if you cry, that's okay, because I cried too.

2. I love my daddy. Happy father's day dad! I suppose I should make a Dad blog post just like I did for mother's day. Well... I will ... I guess. But I just get the feeling my pops aren't as sentimental about that kind of thing. I'll still do it though.

3. There are a total of 12 exclamation points in this post alone! Not okay! (13) Using exclamation points is like laughing at your own jokes. (Name that movie!) (14). Sometimes they are necessary, I think, especially in texting and such, because how else can you convey an excited and engaged tone? This is an endless puzzlement for me.

4. Speaking of puzzles... well, I'm not going to say anything about that. Mr. Hill does not read this blog, but YOU NEVER KNOW!

5. Speaking of Mr. Hill, after tomorrow he shall be called ELDER HILL. Although I've decided that when I get letters from him, they shall be called "Epistle of Paul." Because that's just cool.

14 exclamation points later and WAY TOO MANY CAPITALIZED WORDS, I end this tremendous blog post, which exhibits the extreme insanity of me. If you have read until the end, I commend you (as I often do). You are a brave soul.

-just little old me(g)

Missings

I was going to write a post about an incident I had today, but then I got the distinct impression that I should not. So I did not.

Mr. Hill is home. Or Elder Hill? I don't know what to call him these days. Maybe just Paul for now.

He was so jet lagged that he fell asleep while talking to me on the phone. It didn't help that he was still under the influence of his sleeping pill, which he took to help him on the long flight home. But from what I could gather from his slurred speech-- he had a great time in Israel. Next he has his mission... 23 days left. Okay, I just got a little nauseated when I thought of that.

Paul is my best friend. I can't believe that he's actually growing up and moving on.

I really don't want to be one of those girls who whines and moans as she counts down the seconds until her missionary comes home. But now that I'm almost-kinda-but not really- in that position, I almost understand why. Do not worry, I won't turn this blog until a bawl fest. Some times I just need to get it out there! I am going to miss him!

Anyway, I'm tired. I'm excited for Memorial Day! Mmmm BBQ with the family down the street!

Good night.

-just little old Me(g)

12:25 a.m.

I am done! But I don't feel like it. I don't even have time to adjust to any changes. I don't like change. I started a new job, and I am taking summer classes. I'm not having a summer; that's alright though, at least I'll graduate sooner.

What's in store for the summer?

Nutrition (this will probably make me go crazy about my eating habits), Cross-culture communication (this should be thrilling, especially since the Tim James affair), English 2600 online (this will be interesting... I just want to get it out of the way though) and International Children's literature.

I can't wait for the fall, though.

Syntax, phonology, creative writing, Spanish and probably choir! I think I need to take a math class or something... so much language! (I never thought I'd say that).

I would usually write a post about how I've learned so much this year, and all that jazz, but I don't feel like it. Now I'm just rambling on about life instead of going to bed. My schedule is getting way out of whack... I am no longer a freshman, which is nice, but I never really was one to begin with.

Mr. Hill turned 19. Whooo hoo! He can go on his mission to Fiji now. 48 days. Not like I'm counting. He has to go to Israel first though. He is singing there with the University of Utah singers.

Alright, enough rambling. Good night folks.

-Meg

P.S. my buddy missi started a blog. If you feel like laughing, click here. If you want to remain in a somber mood, then don't bother. :D

Au domoni iko

Au domoni iko

Fijian for "I love you"

A Random Island in the Pacific...

"I think the mailmen opened it up. They must have really wanted to know. That's why it took so long to get here." He says as his hands tremble. He's opening his mission call with his dad's pocket knife.

Four cell phones are on speaker phone. About 10 people from the ward are gathered in the common room of the dorm.

When we asked my sister to guess where he was going, Adriana said: "Some random island in the pacific."

He finally pulls out the letter. He laughs and puts his hand to his face in amazement.

"...you have hearby been called to labor in the Fiji Suva Mission..."

Everyone erupts in screams, gasps, and claps.

Only an hour before, a different audience was applauding. Paul sings in the University of Utah singers, and they performed Rachmaninoff's "All Night Vigil." But for two years, he's going to leave the life of performing and practicing. He's going to serve the people in Fiji.

I'm so proud of him. He has been my friend for a very long time. I will miss him so much, but I'd be being selfish if I kept him here. (As if I could). The people of Fiji need his goodness! To see how excited he was was such a joy. I know he is so ready to go.

As soon he could, Paul started looking up facts about Fiji. They have a temple there! He'll speak Fijian. He leaves June 23rd and after three months in the MTC, he'll head to the islands of endless summer, white beaches, palm trees, and clear blue water. (He won't be swimming in it though).