Where the green grass grows

Hello people who read my blog. It was a crazy week but we are in the homestretch. Only 4 more weeks of class! Plus I get to see almost my entire family this weekend for Easter. That basically never happens with all of us living all over the world but my uncle and cousin who I haven't seen in over four years are coming to Texas for Easter! I'm so excited. 

Monday started out pretty routinely. School, work, the whole shebang. I had a Google hangout interview scheduled for Tuesday, so I wanted to familiarize myself with the platform ahead of time. I enlisted the help of my trusty roommates to get me accustomed to proper Google hangout etiquette. In the midst of testing all of the features of Google hangouts, I left the black and white feature turned on. I assumed it would shut off when I logged out and back in again, but no, it didn't. So I did my entire webcam interview in black and white. Super embarrassing. Maybe the guy thought I was just super vintage and artsy. Anyways, I ended up getting the job so maybe the black and white helped me stand out. It's for a daytime writing camp that I'll be a camp counselor at for 4 weeks this summer. It looks super cool! aiwcamp.com peeps. 

I tend to lose track of the days that happen in the middle of the week. They are just kind of there. This week was no exception. It was hot, I had school, I worked, I slept, and I ate. It was also hot. Did I mention it was hot? This California girl is not used to the Arizona heat. Ew, it almost pained me to call myself a California girl. But being that my family has lived in California for almost as long as I lived in Texas, it is almost time to start accepting it as my home as well. In a frugal attempt to stay cool, I blew up a kiddy pool that was left over from my birthday party. It was no simple task, but the reward was more than worth it. 

I didn't want to indulge in my paradise alone, so I enlisted the help of my friendaroomie Annabeth. 

Wednesday and Thursday consisted of more school and work, and a Relay for Life bake sale on campus. The baked goods were melting, it was hot, and not many people seemed to want melted cupcakes at 2 in the afternoon. But it went well and the important thing is that money was raised to go toward cancer research. Here are some pictures of me dying in the heat. 

A wonderful wonderful surprise came for me in the mail on Thursday. A young cutie named Josie Thompson came to visit Tucson a while back, and she spoke of her courageous battle with bipolar disorder, a topic which hits close to home. She was so inspiring and strong, and her mission in life is to spread happiness and to find what makes others happy. She started something called the 444 project (the name is an homage to her family's favorite scripture, Alma 44:4) where she travelled around the country for 100 days, living out of her car, to ask random strangers "What gets you out of bed in the morning?" Her willingness to spread joy and love is awe-inspiring. Her cute mom sent me this bumper sticker which immediately made its way onto my RAV4. 

On Friday, we had a devotional where we had an "Institute Conference" which was like a mini General Conference. Refer to my General Conference posts or mormon.org if you'd like to learn more ;) Lauren interpreted for a girl (who ended up not knowing sign because she was newly deaf...but that's ok) and it was awesome to see her in action! I am always amazed by the talents of the people around me. It is rare to see them showing their talents off, and it is a great reminder of how important we all are to all aspects of life. 

On Friday afternoon, Annabeth and I headed on over to the institute for a technical rehearsal for choir. I had a speaking part that was supposed to be memorized, so I wrote it on my hand just in case. It was quite lengthy. Don't worry, I said it correctly during the actual performance. 

After practice, we rushed up to Mt. Lemmon to partake in a much needed getaway. It was only one night, and all we really did was eat and sleep. But being away from the chaos of University life and "becoming one with nature" is so cathartic. It felt nice to have a quiet evening with good company. 

Selfies are always in order, even in the wilderness. 

I was totally mesmerized by the fire. I think I will become an arsonist. 

Cutie roomies. 

Below is a series of pictures of Annabeth trying to find a bag inside the deflated tent. 

AM selfie as well. 

Since we were embracing all that Mother Nature has to offer, I stopped at the vista points on the way down the mountain. Sometimes you need to just stop and take it in. 

After camping, we rushed home to shower and then headed off to Spring Fling. It is the largest student-run carnival in the nation, and this is the first time in years that it has been held on campus. It was so awesome and I can't wait for next year!

That evening we gathered at Funtasticks for some kick-butt games of laser tag to celebrate my friend and coworker Isaac's birthday. 

While all of this was happening, my adorable parents jetted off on a cruise to Cozumel and Belize. They have limited cell service and email, so talking to them becomes much more precious. My mom was concerned about how our animals were doing, but rest assured our petsitter posted this beautiful photo of our pups on her Facebook page. 

I also received this picture from my dad while they were docked in Cozumel. Humidity does not fare well for Shaw girls. It's ok, she's still pretty. 

Tonight we all went to U-Swirl for a goodbye to Elder Hickenlooper. Surprise! Another zone in Tucson was having a zone meeting there and I got to see one of my besties! Sister Hale. She has never served in a YSA ward, but I've seen her around maybe 4 times. We had an instant connection and we are basically soul sisters. I love her. We even have the same perfume. Rock on Nat. 

Roomies with Elder Hickenlooper, Elder Cooper hanging ten in the front, and Ryan Dee showing off his muscles in the back. 

Since it is Easter week, I kicked us off with an Easter egg hunt. Not really a hunt, just hidden eggs around the apartment. Any reason for candy is a good reason for me. 

Speaking of Easter, this is the perfect reminder to celebrate our Savior. I don't necessarily like to get all churchy up in here but you can read these quotes or hit up the hashtag #BecauseOfHim on any social media this week. Rock on humanoids. 

Fairest of the fair she is....

MISS AMERICA! Jk it's Lauren. But close enough! They are basically one in the same. In true friendaroomie fashion, please enjoy this post of 20 things I love about Lauren. Because she's turning 20. What a cutie pie. Without further ado.....20 beautiful things about Laur.

1. She is boy crazy. In a good way. She is so loving and has such a big heart that she is eager to share with everyone! Including boys. 

2. She is a wild and crazy addition to our apartment. Perhaps not THE wildest (she has tough competition) but she adds a ferocity to our roommate situation. It wouldn't be complete without her. 

3. She is silly and always willing to make funny faces. She is my partner in crime and is always up for an adventure!

4. She has the sweetest relationship with her siblings. She is a perfect older sibling as she is an example for Alie, DJ, and Nate, and she is a rocking younger sibling to Morgan. 

5. She has the most beautiful countenance that radiates throughout herself. She spreads joy wherever she goes and everyone can see that. 

6. She is just a little cutie pie. She has the best fashion sense and is always wearing new hairstyles and keeping up with the latest trends. 

7. She can be a typical girly girl with me and go and get our nails done and gossip and shop til we drop. 

8. She is always up for a social event or a picture. Unlike the rest of us in this photo....she actually likes people and being around them. She thrives off of being surrounded by friends. 

9. She finds joy in everything around her. I have never seen Lauren not get excited about something. She appreciates everything and lives life to the fullest!

10. She's not afraid to get down and dirty and try new things. From caving to paintballing and having a paint fight. She is always up for a challenge!

11. She is a great roadtrip buddy and one of the few people I know who it is totally natural to have a deep conversation with. We always talk about all of the important things in life and it's so nice to have someone like that. 

12. She is going to be the cutest little homemaker. I love her style and her drive to make things nice for the people around her. 

13. She is one of the best social media users I know. Her snapchats are always on point and her instagrams get more likes than anyone else I know. 

14. She was one of the first people in Tucson to talk to me and to befriend me. I will always be thankful for her consistent kindness and friendship!

15. I know this isn't a signing picture, but it was the closest I had. She has such a passion for what she is studying and it's amazing to see how she helps others and where her career will take her. 

16. She accepts many church callings willingly and is always helping out others. Lauren is behind basically every church activity or FHE or break the fast or anything. I can guarantee you will find her helping set up. 

17. She appreciates good food and is always up for a dinner or lunch date with me. She is the best restaurant buddy around!

18. She loves children and they love her. They gravitate to her kindness and gentle personality. 

19. She is brave and has a great sense of humor. She loves wordplay and any fun jokes. I always appreciate someone who laughs at my jokes, and Lauren is no exception. 

20. Perhaps most importantly, she has a firm foundation in the gospel. Along with that, she has such a strong bond to all of the members of her family. She has a pure love of everything in the Church and is always striving to be more Christlike. She knows that families are forever and her forever family is a cute one!! 

Without Lauren we would have no one to organize the bills and stand as a peacemaker in our apartment. She is always encouraging us and actively being interested in what is going on in each and every single one of our lives. I love Lauren and I can't wait to celebrate her birthday tonight! You go girl.