Summer Plans

It's 1:23 am, but I can't sleep so what better else to do than write on my blog and let you all know about my plans for the summer.

First of all, I don't think that I ever wrote on here that I have started to work at the MTC. I started right before I left for Ecuador, met my district for 1 day and then I left and they had a teacher sub in my place for the month I was gone and then I came back and they were in their 5th week. I like it a lot. It stretches me and makes me almost feel like I am back out in the field because I find myself stressing and thinking about them all day even when I am not at work just like we do with investigators. It will be good though.

I also am still doing some work for the Vein Center. I just have a hard time leaving that place. Everyone is just so good to me, they are really flexible with my hours and they have killer bonuses and kick backs. I will have to quit in the fall. Actually, I don't know if I will officially quit, maybe just stay on prn, but I won't be able to handle working at both during the school year. It was a hard decision to "leave" just because I do like them so much, but I figure that I will be able to do medical stuff for the rest of my life if I choose, and working at the MTC is kind of a once in a lifetime opportunity.

I also started working at the Provo Temple a couple of weeks ago. It has been in the plans since I got home from the mission, but it takes a while for everything to be processed, to schedule an interview with President Bateman (yeah that was cool) and by that time I was about to go to Ecuador, so I decided to wait to start until after I got back. I work Monday mornings from 6 to 11, so if any of you want to come in during that time I would love to see you. I have really loved it so far. First of all, I feel like I have 30 new grandmas. The first day, they all were calling me Kathy (not really sure why), but then one of them read my nametag last time and realized that it was Katie, and quickly spread the word to the other ladies. So cute. Second of all, I think that it will really help me take the time to ponder and meditate a little more which is something I have really been missing lately. So that is exciting.

If that isn't enough to keep me busy, I finally decided to go ahead and sign up for the Provo Canyon half-marathon on August 8th. I had been wanting to do it for a while, but wouldn't ever commit myself, but I paid on Monday and so there is no turning back. I don't really have a time goal or anything, just a goal to run the whole time. I convinced three of my other roommates to do it with me, so that will be fun. I have a lot of work to do to work up to 13 miles, but it will be good.

Travel plans:

I am going to go up to Seattle again and visit my parents at the end of June when my missionaries leave for the field.

My friend Eleanor and I are planning on putting together a roadtrip out to Mount Rushmore sometime this summer which should be really fun (there are still spots available on this one, so if you are interested, let me know. . . ).

My cousin Becca and I are planning on travelling out of the country for her birthday, August 14. We still don't have firm dates or even a destination yet, just that we will leave after I run on August 8th and make sure that we are gone over her birthday. Becca is in Africa right now, so she's kind of left it up to me to choose our destination with the sole request being that it be a country she's never been to before which doesn't sound too hard until you see her list: USA(born and raised), Australia, Canada(2 times), United Kingdom(3 times), Ireland, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Argentina(2 times), China/Hong Kong, Guatemala(4 times), Honduras, Mexico(3 times),Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Holland(2 times), Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Thailand, France(2 times), Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine, Belgium, Ethiopia, Kenya, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Paraguay, Brazil (3 times), Costa Rica, and Belize(2 times). Ridiculous. The girl even has plans to go to Anarctica this January or February! Jealous. I think the top contenders right now are: Switzerland, Greece and Denmark, but we'll see.

And sometime before the summer ends, I will also need to go on a couple overnight camping trips or something random and fun.

So yeah. My Grandma Fern summed it up best when I was talking to her the other day on the phone. She said, "Well at least you don't have to worry about waking up in the morning and not knowing what to do with yourself." She is right, and it should be fun.