While I was home - May before Derek's wedding

May was wonderful. I was working every day with 5 sweet little boys and really making progress with them. I got to skype Karl every day, Jenae was doing tons of fun school stuff that i got to hear about, and we were all getting geared up for Derek and Raycelan's wedding!

as i said before, i'm not going to show close ups of the faces of or use the names of my students, for their own privacy. But i do have some adorable candid shots of them from throughout may. 

best friends. 

in an effort to be more brave, one of my new year's resolutions was to cook and bake more, slash to cook and bake NEW things that i'm not already comfortable with. 

one of the many i tried:

these nutella wraps. 

I made the pastry dough from scratch, thank you very much. 

and it was pretty bomb if i do say so myself. 

they don't look all fancy or pretty, and the dough took FOR. EV. ER. but they tasted great. 

this was my boy. the one i was specifically brought in to aid. Such a sweet child. most recesses we dug up rocks under trees. Then i started reading to him while he dug, and he loved it. he started talking to the other children more and opening up more to me. Soon it wasn't just him who dug while i read. One of his classmates joined him, and then another boy from his grade, and another, until pretty soon, every recess, 6-9 first graders would be huddled around me, poking at rocks in the ground or sitting on tree roots with wide eyes as i read from Zorgamazoo, Wonderstruck, and The Hobbit. They would willingly give up their active to come sit and the shade and be whisked into space, or the 1970s, or middle earth. Even if only for 15 minutes. 

It made me happy and sad. 

happy that they loved the stories, and happy that i got to read. I love reading out loud to children. 

but it also made me sad, because they were just drinking it up. 

Which makes me believe that they're not getting read to at home. 

Maybe it's just the opposite, though, and it's beCAUSE they are read to at home that they loved it at school!

hopefully that's the real reason. 

i'm telling you, these boys were precious. 

Madera in the spring? sigh. 

especially at dusk. gold. 

and don't forget Karl!
Skyping was a crucial part of our dating life. You can read more about it on my new blog! I'm trying to wean you guys off of this one and move on to melissamichialeinlove.blogspot.com

Skyping this sweet boy was the best part of my day every day. 

HE. IS. SO. HANDSOME. 

the degree to which his hair was ruffled was directly related to the intensity of his drowsiness. 

sigh.

he's adorable.

moving on. 

I tried to soak up as much time with Jenae as possible. which meant sunday snuggles were necessary.

THEN, I TURNED TWENTY ONE YEARS OLD!!!!!

finally. 

20 felt so young! hahaha

Karl sent me a package and i opened it on skype at midnight. 

I only asked for socks. He got me several different kinds, licorice, a book signed by Body K. Packer, and a very sweet hand written letter. AKA my heart was melted. 

I slept in, and talked to all my sisters on the phone. Jenae and Virat brought me home a giant pizza from my favorite parlor, as well as carrots and fancy apple juice. they love me. 

cuties. 

AND THEN!

Jenae took me to a movie!

CINDERELLA!!!

I'll miss driving these old roads. 

I was a little skeptical about a live action version of Cinderella, but

I LOVED THE MOVIE. 

They added so much meaning! but stayed so true to the original! and I LOVE THEIR HOUSE AND I LOVE THEIR DRESSES and i would love to live in a little tiny English cottage with Edwardian meets mid-century furnishings, okay, thanks. 

we had some fun with leaves afterward. 

because, you know, Jenae's a plant expert and knows all of the coolest leaves. 

I sent this one to Karl, because it was heart shaped :)

when we got home, i opened the rest of my presents with my faily, and Karl via skype

It was a very simple, but wonderful birthday. I felt loved, and that's the best part of birthdays. 

I also got several books and my very first official book BAG, so i was thrilled. 

Mother's Day:

I saw my dad picking flowers for my mother, and for the families he Home Teaches for church. He is such a tender man. i'm grateful for him. 

My Aunt and Uncle and cousins were visiting from Utah for a different cousin's wedding! it was fun to be with them all together again, and to joke together now that we're older and more clever. 

and right about here is when Derek married Raycelan, but that's for the next post!!

onto the second half of may!

Utaaaaahhhhh

HI IT'S BEEN A WHILE. 

A LONG, LONG, WHILE. 

Almost a month ago, (it feeeeeels like aaaaaaaaages) i went to Provo for an interview, and stayed with Raycelan. I stay with her way more than is polite to impose on a friend. hahaha. 

you guys, i just sincerely love Provo. I always have. I hope i always will.

these mountains fill my heart right to the brim. 

After my super intimidating interview, i spent the evening with Derek and Raycelan! They were trying on outfits for their engagement pictures and Derek, as usual, was being a goof. they are adorable. I'm obsessed with them. 

Derek is wearing 3 pairs of pants in these pictures, by the way. 

Friday morning, i went to spend the afternoon with my sister Allison and her family in South Jordan where they recently relocated. 

i haven't seen them since OCTOBER, so it was lovely to finally see them. 

Friday night i went on a date with this cute boy named Karl! He'll get his own post soon enough. don't worry. 

Over the summer, we were friends and went on a few dates. We had planned to go to the Monte Bean Museum to see the Boyd K Packer exhibit, but the day we had planned to go, the museum was closing early. so we missed it. 

So in stead, we went almost exactly 8 months later. haha. on March 27, actually. 

It was so much fun! He's goofy and fun and handsome and i was, needless to say, totally smitten. all over again. 

The Noah's Ark that Boyd K. Packer hand carved for his grandchildren!

I have genuinely waited years to see this in person. 

thanks for taking me, Karl! I had a blast!

i took a picture of this wolverine thing for Jenae, since you know, she too is 'the evil one' ;)

Then that night, Karl and i maybe stayed up until literally 5 am talking in the Cinnamon Tree parking lot, and it genuinely felt like half an hour.

He is so cool. 

I spent Saturday with Derek and Raycelan. painting and talking and laughing. That afternoon, Dylan joined us for some frisbee down the street.

love these humans. 

also, Dylan fixes his own car. no big deal. Hey, Dyl. 

then i watched the general women's session of LDS General Conference with my provo friend Shanna. 

after which, I spent the evening with Karl.

He was a professional Balloon twister a few years ago. It's how he funded his mission for our church. 

like i said, HE'S SO COOL.

waking up to these mountains on Sunday morning was a sight, let me tell you. I cannot wait to be back in Provo again this summer, you guys. it's unreal. 

I went to church in one of my favorite wards ever - Provo YSA 146th. sniff sniff tear tear. I sat with Raycelan and Karl. Raycelan spoke to the congregation at one point, and bore witness of the Priesthood. i cried. She is so wonderful. I can't wait to be her sister (in less than a month!!).

Also, Karl held my hand all during church and it was pretty stinking adorable. When he first reached over to take my hand, i literally heard gasps from behind us. haha. 

and after church Dylan and his roommate, my other friend, Mitchell teased me as if they were my own brothers. Dylan pretty much is. 

Karl is kind of a big deal in that apartment complex, so i'm not gonna lie, i felt really cool walking around with his hand in mine. 

cutie, cutie, cutie. 

this boy.

i just really appreciate all these people. I love Provo. I'm so excited for Derek and Raycelan to have their big beginning, and i'm just stinking happy, you guys. 

After we'd eaten dinner and taken these pictures, 

Karl helped me carry my things to my car, he surprised me by insisting that he'd visit me in Rexburg the upcoming weekend, and kissed me goodbye right there in the parking lot for the whole ward/complex to see. 

needless to say, i was smiling like an idiot the entire drive home. 

and with that cliffhanger, i bid you adieu. 

until next time...