Wedding

I have a new sister! Please welcome Kathryn as the newest member of the Worland clan!  It still surprises me that anyone would want to marry Phil (haha just kidding), but if anyone is up for the job, it's definitely Kathryn. She's amazing, and she was the most beautiful bride I've ever seen. Abby and I had the honor of being two of her bridesmaids, and it was such a fun experience. All of Kathryn's other bridesmaids were so kind and friendly - I felt like I'd known them for a lot longer than three days! The wedding took place about twenty minutes away from the town Kathryn grew up in, so a lot of wedding activities took place at Kathryn's parents' home. Dr. and Mrs. Hartford are incredible people.  They are so generous and fun, and I so appreciate how they have really made Phil a part of their great family, as well as Abby, my parents, and I, too!  I don't think I can ever rant enough about how great Kathryn and the Hartfords are, but that will do for now :)

Phil and Kathryn included 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 in their ceremony and verses 4-8 are some of my favorite verses in the Bible.  "Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails."  How beautiful is that?  And even better, 1 John 4:8 tells us that GOD is love. So God possesses all of those characteristics; He is the perfect embodiment of them all.  God never fails, and He keeps no record of wrongs. Amazing. Simply mind-blowing.

It was weird to think about this weekend, as Abby, Mom, and I sat around getting our hair done, that the next time someone in our immediate family gets married it'll be Abby or me.  Preferably Abby.  Haha. I'm already planning a pee-your-pants-laughing then cry-your-eyes-out maid-of-honor speech!

Wedding: check - my brother is married to a wonderful woman. Next thing on the list:  Young Life camp at Lost Canyon!!!! So excited! Can't wait to see what God has in store for this next week.  Hope everyone is enjoying the wonderful beginnings of summer as much as I am.  Love these lyrics from a Bob Marley song: "Sun is shining. Weather is sweet. Make you wanna move your dancing feet." Savor this season!

Summer

I am a useless bum.  How did I come to this conclusion? The minute summer hits, I literally do nothing. I didn't get dressed today until three in the afternoon. I lounged on my bed, perused Facebook, and watched One Direction interviews on YouTube.  [Tangent:  if you haven't listened to One Direction, please go do so now. I love their music, and I love them because they're British and a boy band - can they get any better?? No. End tangent.]  Anyway, as you can tell, I'm lazy.  I have all of these brilliant plans to read hundreds of books, write a novel, watch a ton of movies, run marathons, save the world, etc. during the summer, but I cannot follow through. That is why I'm really glad I'm traveling this year - I'll feel like I'm actually doing something useful and educational.  And awesome...

Update on the moths: they followed me to Los Alamos. We have a colony living in our hallway, and they are sabotaging my house.  They (in the course of battle) broke a picture frame on our wall.  My dad dove on the floor yesterday in order to kill one.  Mom and I battle-royaled with three in the kitchen last night. I fought one in the stairwell this morning. Absurd. Dear moths, y'all and your moth dust need to GET OUT. Sincerely, moi.

Realization from the four days I've been home:  my mom and dad are super cool.  Like they are so funny. And they are great people. My dad took me on a date to see the Avengers, and he talks really loud in the theaters, but that's okay with me now. I don't get embarrassed by them anymore because, honestly, as I get older, their quirks are more endearing than annoying.  I appreciate them more and more every time I'm with them because I realize they're my God-given Yodas: so wise and so thoughtful.  Just take a minute and think about all your parents do for you, sacrifice for you, and about how much they love you. It's amazing, and I thank God for my mom and pops every day.  *end of sappiness* Haha.

Nicole found this quote the other day, and I want to travel this way this summer:  "Put down that map and get wonderfully lost." Isn't it so true that some of the most amazing moments in life are unplanned and unmarked?  Take some time this summer, no matter if you're in Timbuktu or your hometown, and leave the map at home so you can stray from the beaten path into a world of adventure and spontaneity.

I'm reminded of Bilbo Baggin's words:  "It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door.  You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept of to."  But Bilbo, what if I don't want to keep my feet? What if I want to be swept away on a glorious adventure?

I think I'm ready for this "dangerous business", Summer 2012!

Procrastination

Here's the deal.  I have severe writer's block for my term paper for my 19th Century Lit class.  Don't get me wrong, I actually really like this class, and I enjoy my topic for the paper - insanity in the Victorian woman - but I have zero inspiration right now.  Maybe that's because it's not two in the morning which seems to be prime writing hour for me...Awful, I know. Haha.  I can only write in "that chill which comes over one at the coming of the dawn, which is like, in its way, the turn of the tide" (Bram Stoker).  Where is my turning of the tide at 5:30 in the evening??  Apparently resting up for another late night...

I am done with school in 4 days.  Thursday at noon I'm done with my last final.  Hallelujah!  I'm ready to head home and spend several days relaxing before the craziness that is Summer 2012 truly begins.  I'm soooo ready!! Come at me, Summer!

Finals Week is a funny time.  A wave of impostors descends upon Zimmerman.  There's seriously a 50% increase in the amount of people at the library.  All of my favorite study spots have been hijacked.  Starbucks is making bank: there are 8 Starbucks drinks in my immediate vicinity. And suddenly the motivation that's been faithfully walking next to me all semester deserts me.  All I want to do is lay in the sun and read a book.  Okay, done complaining.

Must. Write. Paper. Good luck to everyone else taking finals and finishing up school! Summer's just around the riverbend!