Something I did

My grandma lives in the hills of Raymond, California. A few years ago we were going through her garage and we took some stuff home. One was this old chest. Sorry I didn't take a really good before picture. But it wasn't really in the best shape. But I always really like it.

When we moved a few months ago my brothers broke one of the feet off. And my parents were going to take it to DI! I know, right? Well I stole it - screwed the leg back on, stained and finished it. And I'm pretty happy with the result :)

Also inside were a bunch of old handmade quilts. Love it.

New Events

I have tons to do, so it seems like a perfect time to write on my blog.

This month has had lots of changes - I moved home! I started nursing school! I moved home!

Living back at home has it's advantages...and disadvantages. I love putting all my money in savings for my trip to Thailand next summer. But I hate not having any friends!

Suddenly not having friends down the hall or across the street is depressing! I loved my Provo bubble with everything you could ever need, my job, my school, social activities everywhere. With a river and a lake and mountains to hike!

But life moves on. And now I'm going to Salt Lake Community College. Today I decided that I definitely like BYU more than SLCC, but SLCC's not too bad.

Happiness is a choice! And I choose to be happy. Yesterday I went hiking, and even though it was a longer drive - it was muchprettier. And even though I'm down in my new room all alone, with nobody to talk to, I can get a lot of studying done, right?

Quickly - here is a shout out to all the best roommates and best friends I've ever had:

Carmen - my best friend of all time

Emily(Slemily)!! Julie(my first roommate)!! Katie-the-roommate-Reeser! Kate!! And Nicki-kiniki. So much fun in this apt - a prank war and late nights...and endless couch cover failures.

Rebekka! She was sent from Heavenly Father just for me, I know it. She's so great.

Rose House ladies - Ashlee (Ashcrack), Marlee (Marlay), Kristen (meine liebe), Skye (totes BFF), and Buffie. Moving into the Rose House was the best decision I ever made. Seriously - these women helped me be happy in a hard time and also (blessing or curse?) taught me how to shop properly and buy grown up clothes! Best memories - floating down the river in the rain, every night dance parties, Gilmore Girls, talking on the stairs, throwing things at people on the roof :)

And I could go on forever.

I need to make some friends!!

Attractive Men

If you know me, then you know that I have a lot of best friends. It's ok to have more than one best friend. Some people say that you can only have one or whatever, but that's just not realistic.

You need certain friends for certain times, and certain situations. For instance, I wouldn't take my best friend James to Costa Rica to have an adventure, and I wouldn't take my other best friend Vann to a broadway musical. I also wouldn't ask my best friend Ashlee to cut my hair - that job is specifically for best friend Mary.

I would never ask best friend Kellie for financial advice, that job is for Skye - but I would definitely take best friends Kellie or Maddie to a museum somewhere. I could go to France with anyone, but best friend Rebekka is a very good one to take, and best friends Chad and Carmen knows Spanish and can quote hot rod so they're good in multiple situations.

Roommate (and best friend) Sarah told me that I have very attractive boy best friends. I started thinking about this, and she's so right. Take a look:

Danny - we grew up together. We even have a picture of us holding hands at a birthday party when we were like 5. He looks the same, haha. Through Junior high, high school, BYU and beyond, we've been friends. Danny is a very wise man. And he is going to be somebody important someday. I love him a lot and yes, he is very attractive.

Aaron - have you ever met someone perfect? Because I have - his name is Aaron and he's amazing. He was my next door neighbor and I loved him from day one. Never have I known a more genuine, intelligent, or talented person! Aaron is the whole package, and I love being his friend. He is going to make one hot doctor.

Alexander - he is so fun. We met at EFY! He basically won every award, even the poetry award or something. He is a great gymnast and dancer. And he. is. hilarious. Also - Alex is so nice to everyone, something I definitely need to be taking lessons on. We took a class together at BYU and I couldn't sit by him because I laughed too much. He is definitely very attractive.

Jordan - we met freshman year and were instant kindred spirits. He is so attractive! How can you not love him? He is a great person and his personality is infectious, everybody wants to be Jordan's friend - life's a party with him around.

Christopher - we are new best friends. He was my ward crush! I told all my roommates. Turns out he was my home teacher and now we're basically BFF. Chris is very intelligent, and we can talk for a long time...about who knows what - he loves the stock market. He'll probably be super rich someday, and he loves Harry Potter - it's great. Super attractive man.

Chadley - (Chad) gets on my nerves sometimes...hahaha - but he is such a good friend. He always checks on me, and is willing to help me anytime. I love him - and he is very handsome. He wants to be a dad someday - what's more attractive than that?

James - bestest best friend. We met freshman year at BYU and were instant friends. I love James because we are the same - and he always always always makes me laugh. No matter what I will always have fun and be happy when I'm with James. Also - he's super cute, right?

Here's Vann - he's one attractive man. He's high adventure, and super smart. He's the best big brother I never had. He gives great advice, and he's tall and has huge arms so he can reach things - he's great to have around the house! I love Vann so much, we've been friends for a while and he's always willing to do anything to help me - he's so great. And also super good looking!

Like I said - I have infinity best friends. I love all my friends a lot. More friend posts to come soon. :)

Maturity

I hate getting older and having to "schedule" in hangouts with best friends. Or even phone calls. Schedules overlap and there's no time to be together! Vacations must be scheduled MONTHS in advance, and it takes weeks to get together with the ones you love most. Sigh.

Currently trying to squoosh in:

This girl
and these people

Sometimes

I got a new job - in the Shock/Trauma ICU in Murray. It's a very exciting place to be. Only downfall is that I have to work nights again...7pm-7am.

Haha...but sometimes I forget that it's 3:37 in the morning. I like that, but then I always remember - "I'm so tired!"

UUuugggghh

Some people have the stupidest facebook statuses. I can't take it anymore.

Costa

Costa Rica was awesome - I went with my best friend Vann. Basically we rented a truck and drove around and camped for a week. It was great. Many thanks to my mom who got us great flights (we had 8 flights total - they were all standby and we made every one - miracle!), and Katie and Cameron for putting us up for one night in NYC. You guys are the best (say that in a nacho libre accent please). Well here are some pictures - and the videos I took, I wish I could go back.

Spring

I really love flowers, and now they're finally blooming. I always love walking down the street and picking (stealing) flowers from my neighbor's yards. It makes me smile because I love flowers, and also because - I totally just stole their flowers. But it's not really stealing, right??

From today

I graduated!

I graduated - from BYU! Can you believe this?

Graduating is awesome, I wish I could do it every day. It's the best.

I got my Bachelor's in Public Health Education, and I'm starting nursing school at Salt Lake Community College in August. :D

Grandpa cleaning up after the big party:

It's all part of the plan

I haven't blogged in forever, and I'm not apologizing for it. :)

Something that has been in my mind lately though, is death. In the last 6 months, three of my close friends have had their mothers die of cancer. It's crazy! Not to mention, I work on the Oncology floor of the hospital. So, I see people die a lot.

I don't consider death a bad thing. Because I know that it's all part of the plan. It doesn't make it any less hard, though. Because we're stuck here, while they get to go on, and we miss them. I especially don't like seeing younger people die, and I don't like having to watch their families be sad. It's hard, too, when you get close to a patient and their family, and there's nothing you can do. But the thing I always remember is that they will be together again soon.

Ok

This week is going to be a little bit crazy. Finals and all. But after it's over - in almost exactly a week from now - I am going to start on the projects I've been wanting to do for a long time:

-finish sewing some laptop cases for dear ones

-finish my quilt

-make some flower poufs

-finish Dracula

-finish Gilmore Girls season 2 (weird how I'm just barely jumping on this bandwagon)

It's gonna be a great Christmas break. Next semester will be my last!! Woo hoO!!

My theme song

Go ahead - turn it up

Best friend Julie

My very best friend is Julie. Her nickname is Jewels - or also Hoolietta. I love her to pieces. She is so good. She's a great mom. She's a college grad. I really love her a lot. I miss her now that she moved to back to Fresno. I'm also really sad because Julie lost her mom last week, it all happened so fast. I love Julie and her family, and I've spent a lot of time thinking, praying, and crying for them. I hate being far away. I wish I could be there with Julie to help her and give her a hug.
Shelly Catton was my favorite mom. She was always happy, she was always so nice, and I remember her voice - she was always happy to see me "Hey Brittney!"Julie's mom always let us make anything we wanted in the kitchen - especially CCC's! (Chocolate Chip Cookies) The Cattons were the first family to introduce me to the wonderful world of Nutella. She put up with us doing weird Brittney/Julie stuff like making up dancing into wee hours of the morning. I always felt at home with them.

I enjoyed being around her. She was definitely a great example of Christ. She raised 3 awesome kids, and she won't be forgotten. I'm sad that she left, but I'm happy that she lived a great life and that she is in a better place free from pain.

Fall is here

A pretty view out my front door - but soooo cold.

A new study

Today I discovered that "studying" in the library can be just as unproductive as "studying" at home.

I think I killed somebody

Today at work a patient was on her way out...like about to pass away. Her daughter asked us to give her a bath and wash her hair, and so we did. But right before we were almost done, she stopped breathing. And then she started gurgling yellow goo out of her mouth. Her husband was right outside the room. I kinda freaked out - I just wanted to get out of there. I just looked at her and I felt it - the death vibe. Have you ever felt it? It's cold, and unfamiliar. I tried to close her eyes, since they were wide open - staring into space. But then her eyes popped back open and she started breathing - just shallow death breaths. She passed away a few minutes later.

A few hours later, I'm sitting in my nutrition class, taking notes and listening about the use of Vitamin K - and I think "I saw someone die today." And all of a sudden everything seemed so insignificant and weird.

This wasn't the first person I've seen die. But it was so sudden, it just caught me off guard. I've always heard stories of things like that happening (death by bed bath), but it's never happened to me!

Anyways, I'm glad that she's home in a better place, free from pain and illness. Her family is sad, but they'll see her again. And I'm glad I got to wash her hair for her before she left. Maybe someday she'll thank me?

Trouble Sleeping?

Are you having trouble sleeping? Just come to class with me some day....

Sewage

Kate Blocher (one of my dearest old roommates) inspired me this week. Thanks Kate.

I just bought a new laptop, and I love taking it on campus, but it gets scratched in my backpack, and ya know - I paid a lotta money for it, so I started looking around for a case. The bookstore had some manly ones for like 40 bucks, and Etsy had some really really cute ones. But every time I see something on Etsy I just think...why am I buying something that I really could just make myself? Laziness, really. So I was about to buy one until I read Kate's blog (she is a master seamstress lady), and she sewed her own baby holder thingy - for goodness sakes!! So I thought, if she could do that, then I can definitely sew a dumb little case. Turns out I didn't even really need too many supplies, and voila! A laptop case :)

Behold:



I made two. But there are more to come. Want one?? :D

Margaret Sanger

Have you ever heard of Margaret Sanger? Me neither until a few weeks ago. She is one crazy lady. She basically is responsible for the discovery and legalization of contraceptives and birth control. Her first endeavor was just basic contraceptives like the female condom/diaphragm. She went to jail over 8 times for distributing contraceptives and even just talking about them in public. My favorite quote from her is(talking about the laws prohibiting birth controls):

"I bumped up against this very, very arrogant, old fashioned, stupid law,

which had to be changed, but it was going to take a long

time to change it. And I decided the best way to

change it was to break it."

Aw yeah! You go girl! Haha...but really - she is one of my heros. Not just for what she did - which was to make birth control possible and bring forth the single most important factor for women's liberation and equality in the world - but for her attitude and her determination to do what she believed. Even when it seemed like the whole world was against her, and especially when her church was saying that she was going to burn in hell for her actions, she didn't give up. She's an inspiration to me, and I love her feisty attitude.

Here's a video I found of an awesome interview with her. It's 30 minutes long, but it's worth watching:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1118049676798642567#

P.S. The ridiculous Phillip Morris ads in this interview could be a whole other blog post, thanks to my excellent substance abuse class

I need to go back to Switzerland. Right now.