New news.

Here are a few pictures of my 21st birthday celebration- we didn't get any big group shots, which I'm bummed about. JD surprised me by inviting a bunch of people from the office over for a surprise party. We went to lunch at Matt's and everyone gathered at our apartment for the party. When we walked back into our apartment, a lot of our friends in the office were there to celebrate with me Hawaiian style. We limbo-ed, ate cake, and played games. JD's cute for planning it all and I really would've been 100% surprised if he hadn't been acting funny all morning. I love him.

New news: I've been spending a lot of time with Brittany out here and thus, a lot of time with her dog, Thea, too. When we first got here. . .she seemed so huge and freaked me out a lot. Now, I like her and she's pretty precious. The new news is. . .I think I might actually like dogs and want one of my own. (All other animals, though, are still not for me.)

Thumbs up.

JD's mom, dad, and little brother have been visiting for the past 10 or so days. On Thursday, we took a tour of our nations' capitol and got to sit in on meetings of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. If I were more mature and sophisticated, I might think the hour we waited in line for those meetings was worth the five minutes we got to hear of debate. However, I clearly haven't reached that level in my development because it all seemed rather boring and pointless to me. Granted it was probably a once-in-a-lifetime type of deal...Larry was very enthusiatic and excited... so I put on a happy face and acted very engaged in the whole she-bang. In the end, it was all good. We went to see Despicable Me to appease my 10-year old brother-in-law (and partly me too).

(I was looking at the pictures from our outing today and couldn't help but notice a common theme throughout... thumbs up.)

How I feel about turning 21.

I feel anxious. I feel old. I feel nervous. I feel excited. I feel changes coming. I feel grateful. I feel responsible. I feel sophisticated. I feel childish. I feel antsy. I feel bittersweet emotions.

A few days ago I posted on Facebook that I was trying to find a way to stop time. Well, that hasn't happened. My next birthday is still coming. Tomorrow.

If I had an unlimited flight budget...

I wouldn't have missed this cute Utah celebration in May or this beautiful Texas affair in June.I wouldn't have to miss her happy day on August 13th in Utah

or his San Antonio blissful union on the 21st.
I don't care who it is, or where it is, or how far away I am..

my heart always breaks a little when I have to miss

happy celebrations of love and marriage.

I hate that flights are so dang expensive.
So bummed I'm missing all the festivities!

Bad day

Yesterday was a bad day. I was cranky and frustrated and generally just down and out. After work, I went back to my apartment to make sugar cookies with frosting and cute, happy sprinkles. I was sure they'd make me feel better (I also wanted to bring some over to my friend, Brittany, who I knew was also having a pretty crappy day. . .) Well, in a quick flash, which I can't quite explain, my finger decided to battle the blade on my hand mixer/blender/death tool. I don't know how it happened, so don't ask. . . all I know is my finger was gushing blood and I didn't know what to do. I ran it under water and tried to apply pressure with a paper towel. After I bled through about 4 paper towels, I started freaking out and trying to decide what to do. I didn't know if I needed stitches and I didn't want to call JD at work and stress him out if it wasn't a big deal. I ran barefoot down two floors to Brittany's to see what to do and if she had any bandaids or something. I could tell she'd been crying too, but she calmed me down and tried to act rational. After my finger finally stopped gushing, we went to the store to get band-aids and some other supplies. We rented a few movies and went back to her apartment to make the cookies I was trying to make in the first place. We also made dinner for our husbands and ate together when they got home. I had a really bad day yesterday, but I'm glad I had a good friend to sympathize and cry with me. (Also, my finger is fine. . . the cut is more annoying than anything!)

Thoughts.

I never knew I liked cherries before I tried them this summer. My toes are usually painted some shade of pink. I paid $10.75 to see a movie this weekend. I want Cafe Rio. It freaks me out my brother is going to college. I'm having a hard time imagining my future. Half my heart's in Texas. Half's in Utah. I like country music. Sometimes when I play basketball with my husband, I surprise him with 3-pointers out of nowhere. I like when that happens. I'm not as good at Scrabble as I thought I was. I want a sewing machine. I like watermelon. I'd like to try a new recipe sometime soon. I feel tired. I might want to do graduate school. Psychology is interesting. If I was Ali on The Bachelorette, I'm not sure what I would do or who I would choose. I would like to go to California. I miss my extended family. My thoughts are scattered. JD's parents will be here tomorrow.

Maryland and Utah.

Dear Maryland,

I've enjoyed our time together, for the most part. We've done lots of fun things and made lots of happy memories... But we need to talk- I think maybe we should start seeing other states. We can still be friends. I just think we've kind of drifted a part and there are better things out there. Being with you just isn't good for me at this time in my life.

Love,

Summer

(This picture was taken at the Museum of Art in DC.)

Dear Utah,

Everything about you feels right. I can't wait to see you again. I miss you so much and am counting down the days until we meet again.

Xoxo,

Summer

Things that make us happy!

JD took a day off work this week to spend time with me and go shopping. We haven't really done much "extra spending" this summer and we were both itching for some new things. Because we won't be back in Utah until right before school starts, we figured this trip could count as our "back to school shopping," seeing as we won't have time to go before we start up again. (Ps. Everything we bought was on sale!)

Recipe to make Summer happy: colorful new pad of scrap paper, stickers, jewels, pretty curly embellishments, drawing pad, charcoal pencils, lovely little flower headband, turqoise essential cardigan, happy striped tees, sailor shirt, perfect army green dressy pants, red drop earrings, Tae bo work out DVD, cute little summertime heels, Victoria Secret lipgloss, and dried mangoes :)

Recipe to make JD happy: 2 pairs of smokin' hot jeans, Hurley black shorts, cargo black shorts, Adidas red shirt, 2 DVDs, ipod cover and skull candy headphones, new socks and underwear (he's embarrassed I mention this...), 2 hats, a Cardinals tee, G2 gaterade Costco package, Orbit gum, and seafood for dinner.

I took a picture of Thursday's findings, but left my camera at home. It kinda makes me giggle how girly my list is and how boyish his is. :)

Red boots.

I love the 4th. It's one of my favorite holidays! Our day was very relaxed. We debated long and hard about going downtown to DC, but finally decided against it because of the unbearable heat and the crowds. Instead, we just churched it up, napped, and relaxed at home.

Later in the evening we headed over to Tyler and Kristy's for hamburgers,

drove to Gaithersburg to relax on the lawn,

wait for fireworks,

listen to the live band,

throw a football around and enjoy the evening.

It was such a good day!

The fireworks were phenomenal. I love the white ones that boom and sparkle and then burst at the end when you think they're about to die.

ps. Any day I wear my red boots is a good day!

pps. Take note of JD's buzzed head in the first picture. I think he looks cute :)

Agency.

I believe there was a war in Heaven and a big battle was fought over the idea of agency. Satan had a plan; his plan was for everyone to come to earth and be forced to do the right thing and return to Heaven by sheer force. He wanted to force men to do as he said. Christ had a plan, too. His was better. He thought it would make more sense for every being to have the ability to choose Heaven, to choose good, to choose Him, to choose the right. He thought happiness would be more valuable to us if it came through our own decisions.

Isn't it interesting that the same war we fought before we came to this world continues today? Thank goodness for the brave men and women who fight for freedom, essentially for the agency, of every human being to be able to make their own choices and decisions. They truly are defending a sacred notion.