Phew! It has been a while since my last update. Let me just say that life is getting crazy again. First off, I finally found a job here in Kansas. It's at a small company that does bio-research on corn to find a more cost effective way to use the corn as an energy source. They are actually genetically modifying the corn so that the whole plant can be used and not just the husk. I am a "Program Associate" which basically means that I am the accounting clerk, office manager, HR rep and receptionist all in one. So I went for working for a commerical developer/real estate firm (which bought up open space to build shopping centers on) to now working for an environmental company. My life is so ironic. I am still trying to learn the duties of my job and come home every night very mentally tired. My first day of work was actually on my birthday (Sept. 4). So I got my best birthday wish ever - to have a job so that we can pay the rent (and other bills)!
I am now one year older... Because I started my new job on my birthday, I took in chocolate cupcakes to celebrate (and try to bribe my co-workers to be my friend). The cupcakes went really fast and I think they might actually like me. Later that night we went to girl-in-Aaron's-cohort's house for appetizers and socializing. The girls (Aaron is the only boy in his cohort - so it's him and 10 other girls) actually suprised me with a beautiful (homemade) cake. That is where this picture comes in:
Look at that cake! It was so beautiful! And apparently made me have crazy eyes! I am so grateful to Jenni and all the time she put into making it, especially because grad students really don't have a lot of extra time.
So the next big thing is that Aaron and I got church callings. Aaron is the ward financial clerk (just like he was in our old ward in Salt Lake) and I am the second counselor in the Young Women's Presidency. And so far I am loving it! As the 2nd Counselor I'm over the Beehives (12 & 13 year old girls). Right now there are about 10 or so girls in our YW program but we only have one active Beehive. But we are working on getting more! Let me just say that church is so different outside of Utah.
So life has gotten busy again. So much for my month long "vacation" (i.e. unemployment). Now our lives are full of work, reading articles, school, reading textbooks, YW, reading more articles and writing papers...but it is much better being busy than doing nothing!
So I have decided to be social and joined the book club group in my ward. (I know, me and being church social don't usually mix.) We just read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I LOVED this book. I don't know where I've been for the last year and a half (because that's when it was released). I'm obviously behind the times because everyone in my family that I have suggested this book to had already read it. I started reading the book and was loving it when Aaron and I need a book on tape for the drive to Utah. So we went to the library and checked out both The Hunger Games and Catching Fire (the sequel) on tape. The 16 hour drive to Utah and the 16 hour drive back to Kansas just flew by! (We listened to The Hunger Games on our way to Utah and Catching Fire on our way back to Kansas. Each book was the perfect length or each leg of our trip). Now I am dying for the third book to come out! I loved the complexity of the story and characters and how it really made me think of what I would do if I was in Katniss's situation. I also loved the romance side of the book too. It was so much more real and believable than the Twilight romance - and much less sappy. So...are you Team Peeta or Team Gale?
There were no costumes to be found at my house yesterday. No trick-or-treaters either. Last night we stayed home, got a pizza, watched a scary (but not gory) movie and ate candy. We are basically the lamest people ever....but we loved being lame! Happy Halloween (a day late)!!!
.jpg)
