Picking up where we left off.

So last week, on Friday, I went down to Lehi to catch up with an old friend. We were best friends in high school and hadn't chatted in a long time.

It was so fun!

It was my first experience with just picking up where you left off.

I think we both planned on chatting 1 maybe 2 hours. 4 hours later, I was heading home. And we just talked about life and everything in it.

This friend is recently divorced, so we talked about that.

We talked about a lot of crap that I've been through in the last year.

We talked about the good we've both had.

We talked about old friends.

We talked about where we thought we were going to be by now, and where we've actually ended up.

We realized that we've been friends for 1/3 of our lives.

It was just fun to catch up.

And then at the end of the night we decided we want to chat more often, stay more connected. So we came up with this rule. If one of us texts or facebooks the other, we have to respond within a week.

That seemed reasonable and realistic.

Basically, it was great to be with a friend and realize that something, good and bad, never change.

Going to bed with a smile

So yes, this is the first chance I've had to write here since Wednesday.

Wednesday was awesome! The most fun I've had in a very long time.

I went to Karaoke with co-workers and my sister.

So we get there and me and my sister sing "What is this feeling?" From Wicked, which we rocked, p.s.

We just had a great crowd, which really makes a difference, it was our group of like...7 people and a group of 4 by the end of the night, and those four were AWESOME! They were just there to have a good time.

I buy myself a burger while there, because I think they are wonderful and full of happy goodness. When they bring me my check, as I reach for my wallet Charles just slides my check out of my hand and pays for my dinner for me. Because he is an awesome person like that.

I sing with Charles later in the night. We sang a duet, we sang "All I ask of you" from Phantom. Which, p.s., I popped out that high A with absolutely no breathe support. It wasn't the prettiest I've ever sung it, but I did hit.

I also sing "One Fine Day", and the other group of people who were there, they would switch off back up dancing with the other people in their group. While I'm singing, Kim notices them dancing at their table, so she says "go up and back up dance for her." Them- "Will she mind?" Kim- " absolutely not." Them- they run up to the stage and start back up dancing for me. Followed by Charles. Me, I start laughing while I try to keep singing. I manage to get it back together by the next verse.

Me and Kim do the cup song from "Pitch Perfect", with the cups I might add, yeah, we're that cool.

Later I get up and I do "All that Jazz" from Chicago. And do I own it? Of course I do. I move my hips all over and being as seductive as this little Molly Mormon knows how to on an empty stage with no props and staying family appropriate. Jim hands Charles his fedora and Charles comes up to the side of the stage and starts fanning me with the hat, which I then take from him and start dancing with. Jim at one point gets on the floor and starts holding up a dollar bill, SO MUCH FUN!!!!!

It was just one of those nights where all the stars align and it is one of the greatest nights I've had in very long time. I went to bed with a smile on my face, just being grateful I could have life for nights like these. Where nothing amazing and spectacular happened. Just a fun night with friends and family doing something we all love.

Those are the nights I go to bed with a smile on my face. And I love them.

One of those moments when I get it.

So, here I am, sitting on a Sunday, and realize something that I love about the doctrine of my Church. For anyone who may have missed the memo, or just does not know, I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. More commonly known as "the mormons."

Now before I begin on something I love about the doctrine of my faith, I want to clarify that I am NOT TELLING ANYONE ELSE THAT THEY ARE WRONG IF THEY DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT I BELIEVE. Do we got that? I do not believe that I am the end all, be all of theological knowledge. (If I was, we would be in a lot of trouble, because I don't know a lot). I am merely stating something I love, and something that makes sense to me about what I believe to be true.

Someone or something that I was listening to today mentioned something about "being saved" (I think it was on tv while my roommate was watching and I wasn't paying attention, which is why I can't give more context) Now, in my faith, when you "are saved" it doesn't mean that you just accept Jesus into your heart, although that is part of it. It's about accepting him into your life AND THEN DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT. In order to be saved, you must accept him, and his love, AND live by his commandments. Which, when you understand them, bring you more happiness than you could imagine. (and P.S. you never understand them all the time either. There is just trust you have to live on when other ones have made sense...at least if you are me.)

Him saving you was ALL about his love for YOU, as a person, an individual. But, just saying you accept him isn't enough. After all, actions speak louder than words. We are expected to become perfect, like unto Christ. We are expected to live as him. We can't just say we believe and then do what we want. Isn't that great?

But it gets better.

He knew that being perfect was not going to happen right off the bat. He KNEW we were going to make mistakes. He KNOWS we are human, so he atoned for us so that we could repent and make it right. He provided us a way to learn from our choices and we can make our mistakes and stumblings and shortcomings a true thing of the past. We can move on and grow a little better than before. And there is nothing we can do that he won't help us come back from. Nothing.

But it gets better.

He gave us a CHOICE. We get to choose whether or not we want to follow him or not. We are not forced to do anything. Choosing to follow him doesn't always make anything easier,but for me at least, it can help it make sense. It also helps me remember there is so much more than I can see and understand. And in all of this, he gave ALL of us the choice to follow after him or not. He gave us the choice to BELIEVE in him or not. Our choice, which means we are responsible for them, but I literally CAN NOT put any blame on anyone else for MY choices.

But it gets better.

Even if you choose not to follow him, he still loves you. HE STILL LOVES YOU!!!!!!!! More than you could ever possible imagine. More than is possible for you to comprehend. He loves you. YOU! Whoever you are reading this, HE LOVES YOU!!! And there is literally nothing, NOTHING, you can do to EVER change that. No matter what you do EVER, he will love you and want you to be happy.

I think that's one reason why I love my faith so much, it is a message of love. It is a message of hope. I would never survive somewhere where I was told that my Father in Heaven and his son could stop loving me. Told that I would never measure up. I am told on a weekly basis at church how much he loves us.

And if I can't seem to get anything else right in what he's told me to do, I hope I can get that one down.

To love. No matter what.

I love that love is infinite. That the more I give, the more I seem to have to give away. Just loving people makes life easier. It makes life better. Remembering that people are people and they make mistakes, and they are trying to figure out life, just like I am. They are doing the best they know how. And if I can know that, maybe we can figure things out together, share the burden.

Loving isn't easy. In fact, if you want to stay guarded don't allow yourself to love anyone. Because the people you love most will hurt you most. Because they are the ones you care about. But, oh, I believe that loving is worth it. I'm so much happier when I feel love from my friends and family.

When I feel that love, I feel like I can make it one more day. I feel like I can take the blind step into the dark. It's easier to face every storm.

Because that's how I understand it works, that's why I want to learn to love others. Maybe I can help them make it one more day.

I Love that I am expected to work for my salvation. It helps make me a better person. And maybe, I can help someone else with their ride through life.

It's like He knows what he's doing up there or something. :)

...That was an interesting week.

So...lets start with last Saturday. I worked all day, then went on a date to see Lone Ranger. A group of co-workers were going and one of my co-workers asked if he could take me.

and I had a lot of fun, so I said that I would give him another date.

After the movie was over, and dinner was over, I drove up to Tremonton, where my family was. Woke up Sunday, went to church, hung out with the family.

Got up early Monday...went to work. I was on vignettes during the day and then train conducting for the private event we had that night.

I was at work for 12 hours.

Then I drove back up to Tremonton.

I was tired.

The next day my little sister went through the temple for the first time. (It's part of LDS ordinances, and it's kind of a big deal.)

Wednesday, I get up early and drive back down to work. Conduct the trains all day. Do a "We came to Zion" that night. Lost my wallet. Find my wallet. Get back to Tremonton. (Keep in mind that I am beyond tired at this point.)

Thursday, we go around Logan. I GOT ME SOME AGGIE ICE CREAM!!!!! I freaking love me some Aggie ice cream. Richard got a job!

Friday morning, get up early. Drive to Salt Lake. Work in the Saddelry, mom and Rachel came to visit the park that day before heading back to Texas.

Saturday, Work...we had 3 family reunions, a fun run, a trek, a we came to zion, a wedding, and the general public. One of the reunions was the Jospeh Smith Sr. Family reunion...1200 confirmed guests. I got moved to trains, in addition to doing the random we came to Zion in the middle of the day. (Which they were an HOUR LATE FOR!!!!!! RUDE!!!) Then stayed late to help conduct an extra train.

Sunday...last night was my second date with Brent...let me tell you the quickest way to almost kill all chances of getting another date with me...Text me to let me know you are here...it's like honking. You just don't do it.

He is a nice guy, but nothing there.

So yeah...that was Mandy's interesting week.

Overview of the last week...really that's all it is.

So, this last week I had Monday and Tuesday off, these things happen. But Monday I got up at 5 in the lovely AM to go to work because Big Buddah was coming. He works at Fox 13, so does my friend Kelton. So I mention to Buddah that he should tell Kelton to answer a text message and we need to play. I mentioned this thinking he would say it back at the station....

...He didn't...

He instead decided to day it on-air, live. So it's not like I could do anything about it. It was just funny.

I then went home and took a long nap, the night before had been one of those nights where I didn't sleep. Then wake up and I watched 7 hours of criminal minds. This is a show that fascinates and disturbs me. But I can't seem to stop watching it. I also feel like I should have been way more scared to go to bed than I was.

Fast forward to Wednesday...Pioneer Day...the 166 anniversary of the Pioneers entering the Salt Lake Valley. And the second busiest day at the park. We had roughly 3,000 guests that day alone. So many people...I was on the news again. Fox 13 again, in fact. For like...30 seconds. They had me and April in our crowns. (It was technically the last day of our reign.) While Cliff talked about the various activities going on around the village.

After getting off work, me and Kim head down to Mapleton, to see some cousins, but mostly to see my family when they get in. My little brother is moving out here to school and I don't see my family very often, so I do what I need to to see them when they get into town. I was also REALLY tired the next day. ( I didn't get home till after midnight, and I had to be up at like...7 ish. And pioneer hangover day isn't always very fun at work, all the pioneers are just tired.)

Fast forward again to Saturday. So Saturday night I am suppose to leave from work to go up to Tremonton to spend time with the family. Except that I got asked on a date to the movie that a bunch of Co-workers were going to. I don't care what anyone says Lone Ranger was AWESOME!!!!! And it's even cooler when you go dressed up in pioneer clothes.

So this is the second date I have been on in the last two years. (The last date I went on was Brighams Ball, and the last one before that was 2 years ago...and it...yeah...it's its own story...)

Brent, from work, took me to the movie, we then had dinner at California Pizza Kitchen and then I drove to Tremonton, getting in around midnight.

But it was a really fun date actually. He was very much a gentleman, and we get a long really well. We are going on another date next week, after my family is out of town. I doubt this is going to go very far, because quite frankly, I don't think I will ever see him as more than a friend. But it was just a lot of fun.

So there is a quick catch up from Mandy's life.

Brother Brigham's Ball

So, remember my post a about a year ago? Entitled a "A ball gown". Talking about my ball gown, ya know the one where my bosses are incredible and wonderful and amazing and got me the gown last year? If you need a reminder on what it looked like here it is.

So this year, I, once again, know the greatest human beings on the planet. Planning on just borrowing from the closet. My friend Amber, up in Logan, asks if she can make me a ball gown. I told her I couldn't pay her. She didn't care, she just wanted to make me a ball gown. Wouldn't even let me pay her materials. I did make her rice crispy treats, because she loves them and I knew she wouldn't say no.

Here's the problem, She lives in Logan, right? So she could fit the dress to me. So when she brings it to me, the top doesn't fit quite right. But of course I have the greatest co-workers on the face of the earth. So April takes a look at it, and takes it in a little and adjusts the sleeves for me, right? Well...the neckline was still just a little to low for Mandy's taste. So I ask her if I bought some more material if she could maybe sew it into the neck line and help me make a sash to tie around my waste.

The problem, I wasn't able to get the fabric and her into the same location until the day before the ball. When April had really no free time. So she asks Tate if he can take a look at my dress for me. I show him the yellow and cream fabric. and say I just want a cream sash and the yellow fabric in the neck line. Then my lunch is over and I head back to my site.

By the time work is over he has finished the neck line, where he sewed in the yellow...but then sewed lace over the top and hand stitched some beading around the entire neckline. (I know he didn't have time for that). IT WAS SO PRETTY!! The only reason I didn't buy lace for my dress was because lace is expensive. Because there was now white on the top, he asked if he could make the sash yellow instead because it would help bring out the yellow on top. Which I agreed. He said he'd make the sash that night when he got home. I was still stuck on how pretty the neck line was. Then I side mention how I wish I had a small bag or purse that I could carry my phone, wallet and camera in while at the dance so that I didn't have to take my whole bag. Jen had one she was going to let me borrow, but it didn't really match. Tate says, well I could probably make you one...but I don't know if I want to make one with the cream fabric because it gets dirty and stays dirty.

I'm thinking, that's cool. I wasn't asking for him to make me a reticule, (I learned what it was called...not how it was spelled.) And I'd figure it out the next day.

Next day comes, I see my dress and it has the sash, and a yellow reticule, lined with my cream satin and the same beading stitched across the top.

I have the best co-workers ever. 2 years in a row they went out of their way to make sure my dress was as pretty as possible.

Then, one of me and my date.

One of the girls in their dresses.

One of Tate, because he is amazing.

Things I get to say i've done

So I work at a pioneer park, right? I get to do a lot of cool things because of this.

For example, last summer, I was crowned Pageant Royalty for a Pioneer Pageant. Seriously, how many people are involved in pioneer pageants? Do you even know of any other pioneer pageants?

I've also learned how to pan for gold.

I've been getting good at learning how to crush iron pyrite without getting to many shards in your hand.

I took a donkey for a walk like it was a dog.

I've milked a goat while wearing a beauty pageant crown.

And the most recent one, I'm going on a date with a blacksmith.

We have our annual Brother Brighams Ball coming up this Saturday, and I was 100% sure I wasn't getting asked, and therefore was just planning on attending stag.

Then, Friday, I was moved from Brigs to conducting the train. As we make a stop outside brigs, Lane gets on the train. I ask him what he's doing down at Brigs, It's not exactly close to the main part of the village. (keep in mind that I do have guests on the train so I only have a few seconds here and there to talk to co-workers who get on the train, bug I have to keep the train going.) conversation went pretty much as follows.

(Lane gets on train.)

Me- Welcome aboard.

Him- thanks.

Me-(addressing the guests on the train.) If you look towards the front of the train you see, the front of the train. But just beyond that you'll see our Walk of Pioneer Faith. Now, contrary to popular belief Mormons were NOT the only faith to settle here in the Valley, there were actually several faiths that settles here. Each of these monuments has a plaque to represent each faith known to have been here at this time.

Me- (putting the mic down, talking to Lane) So, what brings you down to Brigs?

Lane- Actually, I was looking for you.

Me- Oh yeah?

Him- Yeah, I was wondering if you had been asked to the ball yet?

Me- I have not.

Him- Would you like to go with me?

Me- I'd love to go with you.

Me- (realizing that I need to get back to conducting. Here is the ironic part.) Just behind the Walk of faith we have our Garden Place, it is the newest building here at our park and it was built for the sole purpose of hosting events. We've had weddings, birthday party's, bar mitzvahs, corporate events, business parties, lazer tag competitions...okay, we haven't had that, but if you want to be the first, it'd be really cool. Also coming up next week we have our Brother Brighams Ball, you come dressed up in your pioneer best, if you don't have pioneer best come in whatever suits your fancy, and we have a pioneer dance and it is a lot of fun.

And that's the story of me getting asked to Brother Brigham's Ball. This will be the first date I've been on in 2 years, so I'm actually pretty excited.