It's been awhile, i haven't had access to my internet for a couple weeks but I'm finally getting settled into my new place. I moved into a house about 10 minutes from the DC Temple here in Maryland with a couple of roommates. I've slowly but surely gotten all of my things from random parts of Virginia here so that I'm no longer sleeping on an air mattress, wearing the same thing to work everyday, and eating pitas and hummas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The new job is really beginning to take shape. It's been a little nuts, as new jobs always are, trying to figure out the balance between who i want to eventually be and who i need to be at the beginnning. I really don't think the line has to be that defined, but there are slight differences. I won't lie, I've gotten overwhelmed at the tasks at hand. Sometimes it seems like I'm not making any progress at all and I want this to be a thriving program and start so many new things, but i can't even seem to get next semester solidified. My dear mother is coming out this weekend to help me get my '70s looking classroom fixed up and my ice cube of a bedroom feeling a little more like home. I'm not sure she knows what she's in store for, i have a list as long as Nebraska for us to get accomplished while she's here... I've been putting in on average of 14 hour work days though. This will end, it's temporary, but for a while i was the first one to school at 6 and the last to leave at night around 8. It's funny how natural that feels to me though. People keep looking astounded, but when i think back, that's as much as I was at Neuqua in high school... up at seminary at 6 and always at rehearsals/lessons/whatever till late. And then in college i was never home either. So it really isn't that foreign, I don't feel like i spend my whole life at school until i get home and realize i don't have a life cuz i'm always gone. So yeah, things may need to change. But it's been nice to be able to focus at least these first couple weeks without having pressing matters or events afterward
Don't worry, I'm not an anti-social bum, i just don't spend weeknights the way others might. Take Thursday for instance... i met Scott Bakula ("Quantum Leap" guy) and went to his concert and a party with him afterward cuz my girls from Duke Ellington sang with him! it was awefully exciting for them. I was beat though, getting 4-5 hours and then trying to party with old rich people all night doesn't work for my little brain. But you better believe i was at school at 6 the next day, singing my little heart out.
And whenever I think about complaining I think about what my dad and brother and the people of Chicago are doing, tehre was a really bad flood in one of the towns where we have a little branch in our stake. They've been down there pumping out water from people's basements, supplying food, tearing up carpet, doing all kinds of things and it's 2 DEGREES! i can't even imagine but the stories my dad tells are amazing. Miracles are happening in a town where people really dont like our faith. God opens doors and it's awesome to hear about from a distance. wish i could help more.
All in all, i get by pretty good these days. My family is doing so well, staci and her 2 little babies are getting big, Preston is taking NY by storm and giving them the truth, and my parents are still saints. Friends are coming out to visit from UT, i'm meeting more people in the past 2 weeks than i did in 4 months last semester, and i feel like i can finally start somewhat of a stable life for awhile here. Every other day or so i still stop myself and think, "what the HECK am i doing in Maryland??" I guess I'll find out.