The Rivalry

Let it be known that I hate the BYU/Utah rivalry. You probably wouldn't believe me because I can trash talk like the best of them, and I will defend BYU till I die.  But I hate it.
To me, football is about more than the sport. Don't get me wrong, I love watching football, and I was standing in the front row of the end zone after waiting for ten hours in line outside of the stadium.  My voice is hoarse, and I am completely exhausted, and of course it was worth it!  But it's not just about the game for me.  I have adapted Bronco Mendenhall's approach to the game. That it is about making men, not just good players.  You can say anything you want about his coaching, but I think he is the best thing for those guys.  He is building them into something better.  He is forming this team into something bigger than themselves. Bigger than football. Bigger than the rivalry.
This is why I hate it.  Every year we do the same thing. We get together, throw around some choice and hurtful words, and when it is over, no one can ever forget about it. Its the same thing every time.  But in my opinion, the rivalry is useless because we win it every time.  We don't play dirty.  We play hard. Sometimes our best isn't good enough, and that is something we have to learn from.  But in the end, the better men walk off the field with heads held high, win or lose. And that team is always wearing blue.  The best thing that comes out of the rivalry game is that I realize how trivial it all is.  And if that is all that Utah is fighting for, I'm glad they could have this victory.

Now, I will step off of my soapbox (i know, finally), and overload you with pictures! Because even though yesterday was hard for me to swallow, I had a freaking awesome time waiting (FOR TEN HOURS) in line!  I made some awesome new friends, and we had a blast just sitting together, loving BYU!  And let me remind you that I stood on the front row, and was on the Jumbo-tron and ESPN, thank you very much! BYU's biggest fan right here, folks!

....we think we are pretty cool

FRONT ROW BABY!

These guys we met were pretty rad!! We had a great time waiting in line with them!!

"Just find a few good buddies, and start a band."

I love to sing. It is one of many things that I am very passionate about. So every now and then, my friends and I get together and have a sort of "jamming session."  Today, Hailey and I, along with two good friends from high school, Diggy and Brian, got together in our apartment and started singing, playing piano, ukelele, and guitar. We had a blast! We even made up our own song, and it was actually quite good if I do say so myself. Maybe I will let you guys hear it one of these days. We decided to start a band....


Just kidding, haha. But it really was fun, and we are planning on doing that way more often!  I love finding people who have the same talents as you do, but you can all take it in such different ways.  That is one thing college has taught me so far, that just because everyone here is a good, smart, mormon kid doesn't mean anyone is the same. We are all so different, which makes this such a cool place to be. I guess a few of us are just a little bit too slow to realize this in high school.

After we jammed for almost three hours, I left to do a photo-shoot, and they all went to dinner.  Then we came back and played games together (I rock at Pictionary if anyone would like to challenge me;)
We even had some fun with fruit roll-ups!

(Brian, Aubrey, Alisa, Hailey)

I'm comin home.

This wednesday was September 11. I was wondering if the campus/BYU would do anything special to commemorate the day, and as I walked to school I thought about where I was and how I felt that day, twelve years ago, much as I have every year since then.  As I turned past the administration building I heard someone giving a speech. There, in front of the flagpole across from the statue of Brigham Young, was a small crowd of people watching as members of the armed forces raised our country's colors.  I walked along, continuing to listen to the speech, then stopped and stood as the flag was raised to half-stalff.   Then, just before I walked into the building where my stats class is held, I heard the loud booms of the 21 gun salute.
This small ceremony kept the theme of the day close to y heart and in my thoughts as I went to each class. But the thing that stood out to me most, was what I saw on the way home.  I walked the long way around the library so that I could get a full panoramic view of the flag, and take a picture to commemorate the day.  As I rounded the corner I stopped. I guess I wasn't surprised to see the two soldiers dressed in blue who stood guarding the flag in the beating, uncovered sun.  But I felt such a love for them, for my country right then that I almost couldn't contain it. I am so proud to be an American.

Speaking of my pride in my country, this week was homecoming for my high school. Along with two friends, I was invited back to sing the national anthem at our football game. We practiced for a few days, and we pulled it off pretty well, thanks for asking.  I was also invited by my old football coach to resume my former "duties" as the team water-girl/manager.  Guys- I have been so excited about this for weeks! WEEKS.  

Macy, the other girl who was a water-girl with me, is one of the best friends I had in high school. After two years of working together in football we can still finish each others sentences, read each others thoughts, and make jokes and laugh about everything even after spending the summer apart.  I love this girl! 

Ok, so after every single touch-down Macy and I did a chest bump. Many times this
meant we had to get a running start. They were quite entertaining to watch i'm sure.
We have been trying for years to get this picture, and we finally got it!! Yay!!!

We met up just before the game, and went down to the field together.  But I have to tell you, I had a strange experience at the game, much different from what I was expecting.  You know how when you have done something truly amazing and life-changing, and you say "I would love to go back and do it again?"  That is how I felt about football.  The time I spent with Macy, the boys, and the coaches on that team, were probably some of the funnest times I have had in my life.  But it isn't the same anymore.  Those boys have moved on, gone on missions.  I graduated.  My life isn't the same.  I often think,"wow, high school was great, I wish I could go back and relive this day or that," but I don't actually wish that.  High school was great, but it has nothing to offer me anymore. I have grown up, and out of that stage in my life, and it was like a slap to the face when I realized it last night.  It is so hard to accept that this is actually happening.  I am growing up.  Those times were good, but I am not the same girl I was even a few months ago, and I think that is the hardest things I will ever have to accept. But [change] is something that you must constantly accept.  It's hard to explain, I guess...

Right after the game all of us headed over to my best friend Ashlyn's house to watch her open her mission call! (you can see the photos I took for her mission papers here) Her place was PACKED! Like, to the rim. But I got a front row seat :) I guessed that she would go to Canada, but she actually got called to Hamilton, New Zealand! Oh, and she is speaking English! How cool is that?!? Seriously though, if I was called to the world of Middle Earth I would be stoked out of my pants! That's right people, out of my pants.

I am not a fair-weathered fan in case anyone was wondering.

BYU vs. Texas. The first home game of the season. Yesterday morning I woke up out of my pants excited for the game! I did everything at super human speed when it came to getting ready for the day, and I was ready to go to the game at 10:30 a.m.  I went to the stadium with my friend Ashlyn to check out the line for the student section.  It wasn't that long at all, but I wanted a good seat so I knew I had to join the line soon. I went back to my apartment to eat lunch and wait for my friend, Kaitlyn, to give me a call and tell me she was ready to go. After about an hour of not hearing from her, I gave her a call and she told me she was having computer problems and that I should go over to her apartment and we would leave from there. So I went. An hour later (about 2:30) we finally head over to the stadium and the line was HUGE and packed so full that even halfway through the line (where we were able to sneak in with a high school friend of mine, Madeline) we were still way far back in terms of being seated in the bleachers.  A few minutes before we went inside, the players walked by on their way into the locker room.  We high-fived them (as you can imagine) as they walked by. My hand touched Cody Hoffman, Kyle Van Noy, and Taysom Hill in case you were wondering.  I would say I would never wash my hand again but the story that is about to come kind of washed that notion down the drain.... literally.
The day was scorching hot. I don't say that lightly either, since I have been walking outside in the blistering sun everyday and thought I would be somewhat used to it by now. This was not the case. There were no clouds except for those coming over the mountains, so the sun was beating relentlessly down on us and there was no shelter since we were sitting on metal bleachers in an oval stadium. The sun was everywhere and like a prepared college student I was sitting there with nary a water bottle or a pair of sunglasses to my name.

Madeline and I with photo-bombers and a nice finger there in the corner:)

Kaitlyn and I at our first freshman game!!

It was about 3:45 when the clouds blew in like smoke. They came so fast that I hadn't even realized the sun was gone. The clouds were huge, dark, and menacing, and the temperature started to drop. All of a sudden the wind was blowing so hard that papers and leaves from outside the stadium had picked up and were flying through the air. I seriously thought I was going to end up in Kansas before this thing was over. And then like buckets the rain began to pour. It was raining so hard that the drops hurt my head and back as they pounded down relentlessly. At first all of the students just had a freaking party. We were dancing and jumping around and cheering like crazy, "BYU! BYU! BYU!" But after about ten minutes the wind and rain was coming so hard we could see the other side of the stadium and it was getting hard to breathe. Our clothes were soaked, obviously, by the time they rallied us all underneath the stadium. Once safe from the torrential rain storm, we started to party once again! I don't know how many times we sang the fight song, but if you didn't have it memorized before, you did now! We all went nuts when we sang the words "we will fight day or night, RAIN or snow!!" I was having a blast with my hair and clothes plastered to my body and by feet sloshing around in my socks and tennis shoes :) 

Me, trying unsuccessfully to protect my self from the marshmallow sized rain drops!

Singing the fight song under the stadium!

 We went outside and were called back in one more time before my friends decided they couldn't take the cold anymore and they went home. So by myself I went outside to sit on the fourth row of the end zone and make some new friends who probably all thought I was weird to come all alone, especially at a game like this. But how many craps did I give? Not many, my friends, not many. I  cheered and danced around with the best of them as it continued to come down, and flood the stands.  The people running the place tried their best to keep us entertained by bringing out popsicles and starting crazy cheers! I was laughing as hard as I ever had in my life with these people I have never met! It was awesome!

Eventually the rain stopped and the game started (which was a good thing because if the continuous sheets of rain would have gone on any longer we might have needed to build an ark!). What a great game! I mean Taysom? Seriously! He was so sick yesterday!!! To all of the people who bagged on him after his rocky start last week, all I have to say to you is watch out, because he is coming HARD!!

That was a home-opening game to remember! I can't wait to play the Utes! GO COUGS!

Missionaries, Basketball Players, and Swamp Things

So tonight I went and watched one of my best friends open her LDS mission call! It was so exciting. This past year has been so full of missionaries being called, heading out, and coming home. I love it. It keeps me so close to the gospel and always helps me to remember the bigger plan for all of us. Shout out to all of my friends on missions right now, though I know they wont read this, that I am so proud of them for the choices they have made in their lives to get them where they are now, and for the huge examples they are to me in my own life! These are just a few of my friends who are now serving throughout the world:

      

    

After my friend opened her call in Lindon, my friends and I booked it back to Provo to watch the Women's Soccer game against Utah. It was a great game! Super stressful since it was zeros until the last three minutes (!!!) but our cougars played hard and it totally showed in the end! Click here to read about it!

Around the end of the first half, the clouds completely shut out the sun, and an eerie fog started to set in on South Field.  But this wasn't just any fog, my friends, this fog was like a blanket of dead fish and humidity soiling everything in sight. It smelled like the lake had risen into the clouds and was hanging over us. It was bad. That's all there was to it. I don't know where it came from, but it followed us all around Provo for the rest of the night.

Right after the game,  as we were making our way out of the South Field, wouldn't you know it but I walked straight in to half of the mens basketball team. In other words, I just walked right into the MENS BASKETBALL TEAM!!! You would be correct in your assumption of my immediate course of action. I recruited my friend who had a camera and I waltzed right up to them (about 7 guys, all of which were at least two feet taller than I am) right in the middle of their lively conversation and asked them for a picture. Of course they agreed, and for the rest of the night I was on cloud nine! I was literally shaking from head to toe in sublime happiness! I don't think anyone understands what that meant to me!! Oh, I can die happy :)

                                         
I seriously cannot remember a time in my life when I have been as happy as I am right now! I have been so blessed on this journey so far, and I can NOT possibly wait for what is to come. BYU Football anyone? See you at the stadium bright and early! You know I will be camping out in line!

                                            

New.

This summer was probably the best of my life. After my senior year concluded I spent three long months hanging out with my best friends, and sending lots of boys on missions! The end of August showed up unannounced and brought many goodbyes, and also the biggest hello of my life. I said goodbye to many old friends as they moved all over the state or country for college and missions. Goodbye to my family (who is really only ten minutes from where i live now, but for story's sake) and the house I have lived in for 11 years.  Goodbye to the comfort and security that comes with being a child.  Hello to the college of my dreams. To the place I have been visiting since I was young.  Hello to the hundreds of new opportunities and people that meet me at my doorstep.
College life is hard. Or so they say, I mean, school just started on Tuesday so what do I know? But I have had a blast in the mere week and a half that I have been living on the third floor that overlooks the beautiful campus shaded by the mountains that have watched over my home for my whole life.  Not being able to put tape on the walls is a downer for sure, but I found a way to adorn my room with many BYU sports posters and trinkets I have picked up over the years. Already this small bedroom that I share is beginning to become a home for me.
Speaking of BYU sports (or was that just me?) a few days ago I met two of the players on the BYU basketball team, which I absolutely adore! I met Erik Mika, a 6'9" freshman from lone peak.  I think I came up to his armpit...

But my dream come true was meeting Tyler Haws, who I have been watching since he played in High School at Lone Peak!  He even tossed me a basketball which is now sitting proudly on the top shelf of my desk :)

Ah, I love it here!

And, that is what I know.