As of Late

Since November (sorry for not posting sooner!!), some things have changed, but not much ;) Here is a quick recap:

Still in school, trying to learn everything I can, be a good student and classmate, and get good grades! I LOVE my art classes! (I've even come to appreciate and like math more!) I had a sculpture piece accepted into an art journal for the school I'm at. SO COOL!!! It'll be out in May. Hehe.

I'll be finished with my Associates of Fine Arts in December. I'm leaning toward a degree in family and marriage studies from BYUI or UA with a minor (or double major) in ceramics or 3D visual arts. Still not exactly sure where I'm going, but eh, it'll work out... I'm pretty sure I'll be moving from Tucson here in the next year or two though. I feel the itch to adventure elsewhere ;)

Summer plans have been secured! A week visit to the fam in St Louis, yay!, then off to the east coast, aka, I'm going back to camp! (Hopefully this will tide over the moving itch for a bit). I know my post about camp last year seemed not as "shining, happy, I want to go back there" kind of post, because camp was really hard, but camp was really amazing and it hurts my heart thinking about not going back. Plus I know what I'm getting myself into and can be prepared a little more. The friends I got along with best will be back too which is comforting.

Church is fabulous! I LOVE my calling! (It'll be put on hold while at camp, but they said I can come back to it:) Teaching the young women is amazingly rewarding. Getting to take part in discussion type teaching and learning with all of us participating is just cool! I know to understand the Gospel you have to study and pray, fast and ponder, and desire and apply. What a testimony builder to see these girls doing that! Trying to be prepared for teaching (remembering to do all of those things too) has been humbling.

Ive been lacking on going out with the missionaries in my ward, which I have been feeling in my soul! Every. Member. A. Missionary. Is a motto I'm trying to live by, along with the scripture found in the Book of Mormon in 3Nephi 27:27 "What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am."

I really do recognize my human nature and that the only way to achieve the divine nature that is Jesus Christ, I must give, have, obtain and be, as Peter writes in 2Peter 1:4-7, all diligence, faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity. I have a long way to go, but I see the path and am trying to stay on it.

Institute! It has helped me so much in recognizing the need to study and know the scriptures and how to apply them to my life (there is also the perk of the cute Tyson in my class that usually sits by me and his amazing perspective ;).

I've officially aged out of institute and won't take classes during the day anymore. I'll see about a mid singles evening class or stick with my plan of doing genealogy during the 2hrs each week I would have been in class. I feel either is a good choice, but I am really leaning toward genealogy.

Work has been work, somehow I just keep doing hair and more hair. I usually love doing it, but sometimes not so much. I have to remind myself what a blessing it is in my life to have these skills and be thankful I have the clients and income I do from it. I have met great people doing hair and enjoy talking with them. (Their going to hate me whenever I tell them I'm moving)

Speaking of hair jobs, I resigned from Zotos! I felt prompted to do so. I think hair and educating about it is going to officially be on the back burner soon because I need that time to be working on organizing my home and my time a little better.

Since I have started to eat local, organic, mostly veggies and fruit diet, I need that said time to keep up with dishes and food prep ;) Wowza, there is A LOT more to clean up when you make everything from scratch.

Perk though, I've lost 15 or so lbs and quite a few inches since starting this in January. My mind, spirit, and body fully appreciate the change. As does my self confidence. It's been pretty amazing to realize once I have the food and eating right down, the exercising will kick in automatically. I've already noticed that I WANT to get out and be active because I FEEL a need to do it. My body is telling me too. That is a totally new experience, but pretty amazing. My friend Andy (the cute one I cut his hair, [mini update: we are totally friends, maybe even just client to stylist. We seem to be completely opposite on religious and political views, so no go, but he's nice and cute still]) had found a better/lighter bike for me so I can start commuting more on it than using my car too. Health benefits are sure to be had unless you count the higher risk of being hit by a car in Tucson. But whatev, its still worth the change ;)

This pursuit of my health change kicked in because I wanted a stronger testimony if the Word of Wisdom (Doctrine and Covenants Section 89) and tried The Lord on His promises contained in it. I know that by following His law of health we are blessed physically, mentally, but most importantly spiritually.

I feel good and I'm not confused about food anymore (I don't buy food thats packaged and I try and eat things as they would have come out of nature). Another perk, I don't feel guilt at all with what I eat, including fats and carbs. I think taking a nutrition class at the same time has added to the knowledge I needed to withstand the "not healthy for me" food. The book In Defense of Food by Michael Polan is highly recommended.

Well, I think that's a good start to catching up. I'll post again soon about the guy who flirted with me at the library and told me he had a dream we got married.