Life Gave Us Lemonade: Spring Update / Happy Memorial Day!

Matt keeps reminding me to update the blog...and I keep forgetting. Oh well, I do what I can, right?
Anyway, here are the updates:

*We finished our first year of school as a married couple, and we both survived. I graduated on April 25th. My mom, Leon, dad, and Loralyn came out to see me graduate. We had a really great time with them out here.

Sorry, that's kind of a bad picture. It was dark. But there I am! Cap and gown and all!

*Emma got her mission call to the Peru Lima Central mission! She's leaving in July, if all of her visa stuff goes through. We hope it will. I miss her a lot, because she's home for the summer and to prepare for her mission. I miss our Friday lunch dates and having her come over on Sundays.

*I started working at an international school in Provo as an English teacher. I teach two different classes and I really enjoy my work and my students. Plus, it's nice to bring home a steady paycheck :)

*Matt and I were called as Family History Consultants during the school year, so we've been really into family history. I've been finding out a lot about my own ancestors, especially on my mom's dad's side, which we really know nothing about. I've gone back five or six generations on most of my lines, except for one or two that are giving me trouble. Matt's been a huge help to me in finding my ancestors, and it's been something that's brought us closer together.

*We were just recently released from that calling and called as Sunday School teachers. Starting in June we'll be teaching the Marriage and Family class. Still not sure how that's going to turn out, but we're excited for the challenge.

*Matt's sister Bethany moved out here. It's been fun having her relatively close by so we can have her over for games and stuff.

Okay, I think that's all that going on in the big picture. Now for the small stuff.

First of all, last weekend I went with Abby and Amy to see Gail Carson Levine, the author of Ella Enchanted, speak at the Provo Library. She signed my book! It was really fun.

Uh...this is Amy and me pretending to read. It's kind of corny, but the arch was cool, and we had to do something!

So glad I could share a cool experience with dear friends.

On Saturday, Matt and I had quite a day. First of all, we went to the temple and had a really nice morning there. Then, as we were coming out of the temple, we were approached by a random elderly woman who asked in broken English if she could have a ride home. She had taken the bus to the temple and now it wasn't coming again for a few hours. She was from Peru, so Matt and I chatted with her in Spanish as we drove her to her home in Orem. She was a really sweet lady, so it was nice to be able to serve her.

Then we went to the Old Towne Grille on Center Street. So. Good. Seriously, next time you're in Provo you should go.

Then we went to feed the ducks! If you didn't know, feeding the ducks is like one of my very favorite things to do in the whole world. I love it. So it's a treat when Matt and I take a walk down to the pond to feed them. And there were ducklings!!!!

Pretty much the best day ever.

Then yesterday after church I was able to get together with some of the sisters who served in Norway. We made kjøttkaker and boiled potatoes and even got to have fruit with vaniljesaus for dessert! It was delicious.

Then we sat around a campfire, roasted marshmallows, and sang hymns in Norwegian while Traci accompanied us on the ukelele. It was a great time.

Today is Memorial Day. Matt and I were going to have a picnic in the canyon, but while we were heading up there there was an accident or something, because we saw six or seven emergency vehicles going up with their sirens on, and traffic was backed up. So we turned around and decided to eat at the park near our apartment. It was such a cute little picnic!