Note: I apologize, Mom and Dad. You'll re-read a couple of things, since I just wrote you guys a quick update earlier today. I doubt you'll mind much, though. :P
So before I really begin, I wanna stick in a couple pictures/quotes that I have absolutely loved lately. The first one I really want to make for you, Trista. It kind of sums it all up pretty well, I think. (;
And this quote of Jeffery R. Holland's is just...Gah! Love it. Maybe it's the sports relation. Maybe it's the fact that it is so bluntly right! Haha. It amazes/frustrates me that we, as humans, continually struggle between right and wrong. But we're just that--humans.
So I started working in the office on the 6th, Monday! Way different than canvassing. Sorta. Technically the same job, giving a pitch to a homeowner, but you're doing it over the phones. However, it is way easier to get leads, because we go through all the old leads that were never confirmed. So we reset old leads and answer phones and such. It was definitely different working in the office with Sharon (middle-aged New Zealand woman who trained for canvassing with me), Toni (our hilarious receptionist with the cutest kid), and Arian (the younger guy who does the confirming and has way too much money saved up haha). Not much really happened at work in the office other than a lot of dead dial tones haha. I did get about 3 sales in the two weeks I was there, I learned a ton about New Zealand, and Arian and I discussed religion a ton since he's Indian and was raised Muslim. So interesting! He's an extremely open-minded guy, so it made it easy to exchange our different views. He felt as though his parents shoved their religion down his throat growing up, though, and isn't super religious haha. But he loves learning, and he hadn't ever really had the chance to sit and talk to a Mormon before. He knows a tad about the church, but we had some really interesting conversations and hilarious joking haha. I don't think we went a whole day without Arian cracking some light-hearted joke about me being a Mormon; whether it was Singles Ward Volleyball Date Nights or Toni snapping a picture of the missionaries on their bikes as she honked and waved while driving by. She then sent the picture to Arian. All I hear is him in his corner busting laughing. "What the heck are you laughing at, Arian?!" He shows me the picture and text from Toni, which said: "Tell Shelan I honked and waved at her people!" Haha loved it. (: But THIS is basically what I did all day: Took notes, rescheduled, and dialed.
Whew! So while all my family was in Idaho camping with two prego sisters, Russ, Trista, and the kids went camping, and I spent the weekend at the California YSA Conference. So. Many. Freaking. People! Haha a little overwhelming, but it was a blast! Friday night was simply a rockin' dance!...That I never went to haha. There were a couple other activities going on, but I wasn't really in the mood for a dance. Not usually my kind of thing. So while Kelsey, her sister, and others my age went and partied it up, I found myself...Heading to the Chabot Space and Science Center with a few other friends haha. We saw the Hercules Cluster!! So awesome. I was kind of the butt of all the jokes that night, though lol. You see, at the conference, everyone receives a colored lanyard with their name tag on it, depending on your age. 18-26 is red. 23-35 is blue. (Those between 23 and 26 got to choose which color haha). Welllll I was the only red lanyard with our group of 6 or so at the Chabot museum. It was a blast, though. I really love my ward and the fact that I can be with just about anyone in my ward and have a blast. Anywho! After looking through all the giant telescopes, Kyle (also on the activities committee), Hayley, and I went to check out the fun stuff inside. Sooo fun. (:
And that was just Friday night! Saturday I had to work, but I got into Oakland during lunch of the conference. We went to what was called the Panel Discussion. Three speakers, all public figures with high profiles, all managing to balance religion, family, and their professions. The woman was a politician; she told us the story of running for a certain position for Contra Costa Valley and how her opponent attacked her beliefs. Another man was a Harvard Professor and manager of some sorts of the Deseret News. My favorite was the Sports Illustrated journalist, of course haha. He told us the story of when he wanted to write a story on Jabari Parker--possibly the best high school player since Lebron James--and the fact that he's LDS. Awesome story. Here's the front page story: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1198498/index.htm
Then a few of the Bug Boys (guys in my ward who sell pest control) and I meandered through the plethora of activities going on. I disappeared and had the chance to finally walk around the temple and up on the terrace. Lots of people, but I'm always in awe of how glorious a single building can be.
A picture my friend took:
I did end up staying for part of the dance Saturday night, and I'm glad I did! A couple of my good friends, other than Kelsey, has been two of the Bug Boys. Steven and Kody. Originally I met them at Tuesday night volleyball, and we got along super well, because they're unbelievably competitive and talented haha. It's always a blast setting them up for great hits or them setting me up. Anywho, Steven is from this area, and Kody is from the Las Vegas area. They served their missions together and became "best buds" in the MTC four years ago. Well it turns out Kody grew up a little more country and knows how to swing dance--extremely well. It was super hot in the gym, so I went out and sat down with them. I don't exactly know how to swing dance, but Kody loves it, so he and I danced outside with Steven laughing. Hilarious, to say the least haha. But we definitely all enjoyed the dance! This is a few of us on top of the light boxes!
Sunday was the largest sacrament meeting/relief society/Sunday school of my LIFE. It took 8 men to break the bread, which took a good 5 minutes after the song was over haha. About 30 others passed the sacrament. It was incredible to me. Why? I'm not sure. But I couldn't help tearing up a little as I watched these thousands of people take and pass the sacrament. After sacrament meeting and relief society we all had lunch. Throughout the entire weekend a guy was going around a snapping pictures of everyone, and he was in charge of posting pictures of our Oakland conference on the YSA California Conference Facebook page. Lo and behold, Steven, Kody, and I made it on there! Haha. We're the weird people sitting on the grass there. :P My little head is behind the girl in the yellow dress.
We're at the bottom there.
Kelsey made it on the page, too!
Well Kelsey, the Bug Boys, and I wanted to do something after the conference and a nap. So we all headed our separate ways, took our naps. I spent time with the always-missed Teeter family once they returned from their camping trip. Then I headed over to Kelsey's to make some no-bake cookies and to play some games. I was going through their MANY games in the garage and saw Twister. I had this odd urge to play, so I got it out. Kelsey and I soon found out that Steven and Kody were not only good at volleyball, but also Twister! Kelsey managed to snap a picture of the one time I almost won. Right before I was almost put into a cradle. Thank you wrestling stats for giving me experience of how to get out of a cradle!
I went back to work! I don't recall anything super exciting happening during that week other than a couple nights of volleyball. But this last Saturday, the 18th was Kelsey's birthday! So on Friday night we wanted to celebrate. Games. Sushi for dinner. Contests of who can fit the biggest piece of sushi in their mouth in one bite...Yes. We are very attractive with our mouths full.
Kelsey and I have decided this picture describes our friendship very well :P
After sushi with her parents and sister, Chelsi, we met up with the boys to go bowling! Of course, Kelsey had to get pictures with everyone. I had to purposefully make the picture look awkward by "preferring to hold my bowling ball" than hugging her. (; We had a good laugh later haha.
No, I was not totally ready for the above picture lol. But this one is a bit better haha. Behind me is Steven, and the guy behind Kelsey and Chelsi is Kody.
So before any of this birthday stuff, I had been planning on watching Sam and Brook so that Russ and Trista could go to the movies and celebrate their belated anniversary! Well, as I've mentioned before, Trista is unbelievably selfless. She told me to not worry about it, that they'd go the next night, on Saturday. So I went bowling and such. Began talking with Steven and Kody about it and having to change Trista's plans and such. They get quiet and look awkwardly at each other. I become confused, of course. Steven: "Uhhh well...So there's an Oakland A's game tomorrow night that Kody, Kaleb (another Bug Boy), and I have been planning for forever...Looks like I'll have to find a new date!"...Doh. Now I felt super guilty. Talked to Trista about it...**Sigh** Thank you, Trista. I'm sorry I had to keep making you guys change your plans. ): I did have a blast, though. Thank you so so much...Needless to say, I was pretty stoked to go to a baseball game. (:
And Kelsey even let me borrow her A's shirt! AND it was my number! Whoots! Number 8! :D
The A's won 8-5!
Sooo I didn't ever get a picture of all of us. But Aubrey, Kaleb's date/girlfriend, happened to snap a picture. Yeahhh not the greatest, either haha. But that would be Steven, me, Kody, and Meghann!
Then came Monday!...LAST DAY OF WORK! It was a great last day. We head home about 7 pm, but at about 6 pm, Arian tells me to clean up. "Dude, you're done. Just clean up. Chill. You already have 13 leads, the highest you've ever gotten. On your last day. I'll clock you out at 7, no worries." It was overall just a very...bittersweet day, actually. I was stoked to be done, but I never thought I'd create so many friendships. HIS boss, whom I've only met once because he travels all over for the different Future Energy Savers locations, called up Arian. Paul is his boss, he told Arian on the phone, "Dang. You're losing a shooter out there. Too bad she's only a temp, she's done a lot of good for us out there in Livermore." You see, people who work for this company never tell their "last day" date beforehand, because they know they'll get cut before then. They just call up the day they plan on quitting. Just this last week a couple people came in on Monday and said their last day was Thursday. My boss assumed they wouldn't do much for the next 3 days, so he cut them that day. The girl who I replaced on the phones had planned on staying through a Saturday. She began getting lazy, always on her phone, painting her nails. On a Wednesday evening she told Arian before leaving, "Alright, see ya tomorrow morning!" His reply: "Y'know, actually, let's just make this your last day. Good workin' with ya."...Well, I took the chance of letting them know beforehand of my last day. And I made it! Before hugging Sharon good-bye and having Toni tell me to not be a stranger, Arian stops what he's doing and thanks me. He thanked me for my work ethic and consistency. He said that if I EVER plan on coming back down this way and am looking for a job, they'll hire me on the spot. It was a good day. (: I plan on bringing in a pizza for them during lunch before leaving, since they did the same for us several times. Great people.
Of course, on my last day, we find a baby lizard in the garage during lunch! Gotta catch 'em all! :P
Went hot-tubbing with Kelsey and the guys to celebrate my last day, but I was pooped, so I went home early. But the next day is what I call Attempt at Motherhood: Crash Course 101. Three days. Three nights. No Trista. No Russ. Just me and the kids haha. Well yesterday, Tuesday, was the first day! They took off about 10:30 am, and we chilled for a while. Then about one they wanted to go to Partipalooza. Okay! Let's go!...Yeah, they closed early for some kid's birthday who had it rented out or something. Lame. But the woman at the counter graciously suggested to go get ice cream lol. Of course, all I hear is: "YEAHHH!!!" Off we go downtown for some frozen yogurt!
Silly kids. (:
Gotta hit up the water fountains! Soaked and playing Rock-Paper-Scissors.
Around 5 pm or so, Kelsey calls me up, wondering if I was planning on going to volleyball that night. With two kids? I certainly wasn't expecting to! Haha. But Brooklyn perked up and asked, "Volleyball? Can we play??"..."Uhhh sure...? What do you think, Sam? Volleyball in a couple hours?" Sam: "YEAHHH!"....Okay then! It was an interesting/fun attempt haha. I think I played four full rotations, which is a lot more than I expected haha. But we always have music going, so everyone loved Brooklyn's enthusiasm and spunk she put into her dancing. (: We had a blast playing on the stage and being spies and sneaking around the church building haha.
I have to share one thing that made me tear up. We were all climbing out of the van to head in to volleyball, and I mentioned that Brooklyn will get to see Kelsey again. Sam thought I said Chris. "Oooh Chwis! I wuv Uncle Chwis! And West! They're my favowites. And of course Wanny! I miss Gwammie and Gwampa and Bubba sooo much. I wanna see Nay Nay, too, and baby Jackson!" This Summer has been a huge eye-opener. I mean I've always loved my family, but I've never realized how much everyone means to me. I've always said that my sisters are my super role models, and my brothers are my Supermen. But most of all, they are my best friends. Same with my parents, even. They've done the best to raise us as best as they knew how, and I'd like to think I turned out pretty good! (; I love that I can be with any of my brothers, sisters, in-laws, parents, and be completely comfortable. I look up to every single one in their own specific way, and I am SO glad Brooklyn and Sam have caught the "family bug"; we all know where the credit lies: Trista and Russ. Trista always makes a point of having family time, giving loves and cuddles and kisses, making sure the kids know they are their Momma's babies, always loved and protected...
Well the night of volleyball finished off with them exhausted but excited to meet all my friends, but then came the part I most worried about: Bedtime. Luckily, all it took was one quick show, a game of Spot It!, and some Lanny Time with Brooklyn...I come back into Trista's room to find this bugger all passed out and adorable. He even woke up just as cute! He began tossing and turning a bit before rushing out of the room to go potty haha. He climbs back into bed with me, I open one eye, and he sees me. A curious look covers his face, not knowing if I'm a grumpy morning person or not haha. "G'morning Nammy!" I say with a huge smile. "Bahahah morning Wanny!!" (:
Then commenced Wednesday...A few more "I miss Mommy"s from Brooklyn. A lot more "I want Momma"s from Sam at bedtime. Today, we literally did nothing haha. They were wiped out. Brooklyn sat on this couch from 8 am to 8 pm, except for the one time going potty and another time to grab a cookie haha. But I was go-go-going all freaking day! I couldn't sit. I was able to read most of my book and take a nap, though haha. But I mostly cleaned, packed, cleaned, did dishes, made monkey splatters, sat outside, took a nap, chilled...I needed to do something haha. So I gave it one last shot: "Hey guys, you know the water fountain we went to yesterday? Well it has lights that light up the water when it's dark...Do you guys wanna go when it's dark out?!" Sam and Brooklyn: "YEAHHH!!!" Haha sweet! So I grabbed a couple towels, assuming they'd probably get wet, despite it being chilly outside. It was a blast!
All packed up!
Minus the few things left in the closet and laundry...
So many lights and so much water!!
OKAY!...Now that it's 12:30 in the morning, and you're all sick of my 40 pictures and 3 long weeks worth of updates, I'm done! I'm exhausted!...Bring another day of Attempting Motherhood: Crash Course 101 tomorrow. :P
Love you all!
