In country

I made it to Cairo! I had to argue with a guy to let me in the country because I didn't know my address here or phone number so he didn't want to let me through. However, after some convincing he let me go through and I was then left to choose which line to get in. I chose one that said "passports". While in that line, some guy came up with a sign that had my name and he told me to go buy a visa and then led me through a gate with no line. After waiting for my luggage, we realized that one of my pieces had been lost. So, my clothes are currently MIA somewhere in the world and I am left to scrounge up outfits from my mom and sisters. After the airport fiasco I was finally able to see my family. My sister is as tall as me now and my brother is quickly catching up. I'm going to be the runt of the fam. There is something wrong about the oldest being the shortest.

This morning we took a shuttle into downtown to some markets. We created the usual spectacle, especially when we had to run back to our shuttle because we were late. I always love finding out what vendors are going to say to us in different places. Today we got "spice girls" and "spicy girls". One guy told Coryne that she was "breaking his heart" because she wouldn't buy anything. My mom is a bargaining pro and we came out of the market successfully with souveniers.

Tomorrow I get to see a wonder of the world. I expect it to be nothing less than magical.

On a jet plane

So I am currently writing this in transit from SLC to LA. When did planes get Internet? Technology these days..

SLC-LA

LA-NYC

NYC-Cairo

Running on 4 hours of sleep. But, I just had a complimentary cookie and cran-apple beverage so I'm good to go for a little while.

My adventure has only just begun.

Onesie

Marshall #6. This is us.

My dear friend Maddie captured us perfectly. 

http://maddlymegan.blogspot.com/

Home is wherever I'm with you

I am in love with this song. I seriously can't stop listening to it.

A few things worth loving

Cousins

Mashed potato fights
My roomates
Fall

So break me to small parts, let go in small doses

This weekend was an adventure. 

Friday: I was in the presence of Regina Spektor and listened to her play fantastic, amazing, beautiful music. 

Saturday: Decided last minute to go to St. George. We drove down and stayed in an awesome house at which we had a bonfire, drank mate, hot tubed, played sardines, watched movies, and stayed up way too late. 

Sunday: slept in. Then surprised my grandparents and talked with them for a while. Drove home. 

Side note: Jess and I bought onesies and it is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. 

I think I'm a very nostalgic person. It's a problem. 

Round Two

It's time for a little update on the happenings of my life. I'm back in P-town and living south of campus, which is wonderful. I have fantastic roommates and I'm in a constant state of playing 

catch-up with school. Well I love pictures, so I'll let them speak their 1,000 words. 

The Killers in Concert

Football game

Waterfall on our hike

At the top! We made it!

Hiking Timpanogos. Hardest thing ever. 

Roommates

Family at my Grandparent's 50th Wedding Anniversary

And now to end with a few words from mr. cummings. 

"you shall above all things be glad and young

For if you're young,whatever life you wear
it will become you;and if you are glad
whatever's living will yourself become...

I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing
than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance"

On the road

I was able to take a few road trips with summer. I travelled with great friends, met up with old friends, made new friends, and realized once again how much I hate Oklahoma roads.

Fountains at the Bellagio

The Strip

St. George

Maddie and I in Zion National Park

Marcus and I in downtown Dallas

Two of my best friends in China that I visited in Texas

Ponder, Texas

Lawrence, Kansas

A Summer in Pictures

Locations: Alaska, Vancouver Canada, Arkansas, China, Boracay Phillipines, Hong Kong, Beijing. I have seen so many beautiful things this summer. 

Friday Mornings

Every Friday morning Andrew and I get up, grab a Monster to wake us up, and drive over to the Crisis Center. We volunteer for 2 hours and then turn around and come home. We started doing it for our service hours in American Heritage, but it's now one of my favorite parts of the week. I get to play with little kids the whole time and I love it. I volunteer in the nursery where parents can drop their kids off if they need a break or are having a hard time. The center also has a place for them to sleep if necessary. Today there was a 1 year old whose mom is a drug addict and was recently sent to jail. The kid has been staying the night there and I think they are trying to find him a foster home. This boy is the cutest kid in the world and I wanted to carry him out and bring him home with me. However, I'm not sure how well that would have gone over. The kids that come into the center are adorable and every time I leave there I'm floating on air. I really do take my life for granted. I had a wonderful childhood and I have an incredible family. The center focuses on building positive relationships with adults because a lot of these kids don't get that at home. 

I am blessed. 

Wanderlust

I got my passport back in the mail today and it's full of brand new pages for me to fill up with stamps and visas. I'd like to add Spain in soon. Either next winter or fall of 2010, I'm not sure yet.

If home is where the heart is, I've got several

Provo, Utah-where I currently reside

Bentonville, Arkansas- this will always be home

China- also home. And where my family is.

Definition of home:

-a place where one lives or resides

-a dwelling place together with the family

-an environment offering security and happiness

-a valued place regarded as a refuge or place of origin

Instead of getting to know Plato, Aeschylus, and Thucydides

I've decided it's time to start writing some stuff down. So here goes nothin'.