Finally

So, it took me a little longer than I expected--okay, a LOT longer--but it's finally finished. I'm done with my Bachelor's! I passed both of my classes and am now officially a BYU alumna.

The Good Stuff

Let's be honest. If these don't look delicious to you...

you're nothing less than insane. And the incredible thing is: these cupcakes taste even better than they look. Yes, this post is a shameless promotion for Lovely Lorraine's Cupcakes. My sister, Ashley, did the Wilton cake decorating classes awhile back and had a very natural knack for what she learned. She has graciously used our family functions as practice arenas for what she now hopes to turn into a small business. Her prices are practical and her desserts are delicious! Consider giving her a try for your next book club, Young Women activity, birthday, or family dinner. I have no doubt that she will exceed your expectations.

Check it out!

http://www.utahtheaterbloggers.com/4605/oklahoma-is-a-heap-bettern-ok

And while you're at it, check out the show for yourself. :) We run until May 14th.

Briana

It's no secret that I don't like the ward whose boundaries I'm in. For the two years I had my records there, I did anything I could to get out of going. I had a calling for like 3 months before they realized I wasn't doing anything and released me. At the end of the year, Kate and I suddenly felt motivated to be good visiting teachers, so we actually found out who we were supposed to visit and set up appointments. We visited one girl, a med student at the U, and had such a great time with her. I think we both thought, "Why have we not been doing this before?" Our second appointment for the night was with our second sister, Briana. Something came up and Briana text me, asking to move our appointment back. Kate was going to a concert later, but I was free. So I told Kate I would just visit Briana alone. As I was heading to her apartment, Briana called. She had old friends from out of town that had come for a surprise visit and asked if I could reschedule.

I never did.

The next month I text her, but we couldn't find a time that worked for us both. I said I'd look more at my schedule and get back to her.

I never did.

I never got better at visiting teaching, and in an effort to stay active in the Church, I found a new ward. I didn't give Kate and my brief attempt at visiting teaching another thought until last week. I was cleaning off a bookshelf and came across the card and message I'd printed off for Briana several months ago when our plans fell through. I felt a brief pang of guilt for never following up with her, and then I threw away the card.

This morning Kate informed me that Briana was killed Saturday in a rollover. That guilt came back as more than a little pang. I'd say "flood" is a more accurate description. I never even met her. I had months and months that I should have been spending time with her, getting to know her better. And I lacked enough faith in the whole program of visiting teaching to even make a decent effort.

All morning I've been reading touching accounts and memories of Briana's life like this and this. What an incredible woman. On Briana's own blog, I just read as she reflected on life. She wrote:

This cycle is born out in the natural world where the death of one organism gives life to others, and in our own generational cycle when our aging parents come to rely on us like children and infants for their care and we are required to give back all that we were given in ways that we as parents could never conceive of needing from our children.

What a selfish person I am. What faith I lack. How ignorant and narrow-minded I've allowed myself to become. I don't have a right to mourn the passing of Briana, so I guess these tears are a manifestation of anger and a bit of self-loathing. I've always felt frustrated with people who need a tragedy to make them open their eyes. Now look at me with mine wide open.

And in case you were wondering...

This isn't funny as much as something I came across in my notes that I'd written down verbatim for some reason. So in case you've ever wondered about heavy metal, according to my professor it was:

"A reaction against the stifling conformity of uber-patriotism that Reagan was promoting."

So, next time you're listening to Lynyrd Skynyrd, you thank Reagan.

And to finish off the decade,

"At the end of the 1980s, so many walls were coming down. 

It was a magnificent decade for democracy."

And a comment I appreciate, when comparing New Kids on the Block to John Wayne:

"The 1990s marked the era of the dancing boy."

Funny things my professor says...

Reviewing notes for my final and came across this one:

"The Reagan Revolution was like the New Deal 2.0 . . .
Except conservative."

Good News

Oh hey, I'm going to law school

Just paid my seat deposit. Yay :)

Math I can handle

Dad says it's the reason we lost to Florida. Quite frankly, seeing my always-in-red BIL wearing a BYU shirt and cheering for Jimmer was worth it. I held on to this picture long enough and couldn't think of a suitable blackmail use, so I figured it was time to publish it. Rise and shout!