My Little Announcement

After waiting 4 months and 27 days I have finally received the news that I was admitted into California State University Northridge's Master's of Health Administration Program! Such a happy day for me as I have changed my mind 3.7 billion times up to this point in my undergraduate degree, then I moved to California to throw another wrench in the plans. (This post may refresh your memories of some of my educational crisis up to this point) Anyhow I will graduate from BYU in August and then a week later I will begin the master's program.

To be honest I had no intention of pursing a graduate degree when I entered college and when the idea crept into my head I would shoe it out with the worry that I couldn't get accepted. I have since grown up, gained some confidence, and got married (that really was what did the trick) Enoch and I will attend the same school and yes, our programs are even in the same building although my program is mostly in the evening. The Health Administration program is two years, which will make for a very happy day for our little family when we both graduate summer of 2012.

My closing remarks are these: education is so important- gain all you can, sometimes (and for me all-the-time) you have to fight for what is important to you, there is no such thing as Senior-itis when you already know you are going to grad school after, Cal State Graduate Admissions deserves a kick in the face for not processing my application until I inquired about it in March, I am grateful for the Northridge Earthquake which contributes to the more updated campus today, I think this news deserves a trip to Europe, and Go Matadors!

Highlights from my new job

I just started a job here in LA, I am not sold completely on the whole thing yet, but today I really warmed up to the whole thing- to explain I will share a few short stories.

The job is as a "coach" for an after school program of elementary school kids of low income families. Like I mentioned earlier I am not sure I agree with the program- but for the sake of my story I will leave out my commentary on that and move on.

Story #1 Today the group I was over joined with another "coach's" group for an activity. She first set up a large square (half a soccer field) to run around. The boys were being all macho and stuff and said they wanted to run around it four times, so I took the challenge and said I would race them. My pride was absolutely on the line and my heart started to race (I would be so embarrassing to lose to a bunch of 4th grade boys, seriously they are like 10+ years younger than me) calming my heart, I quickly devised a strategy. Take it just a bit faster than my normal jogging place and pick of the boys one by one because they all will sprint the first lap and die after that. Well, I was absolutely right in the strategy and by lap two I was in the lead. The girls were going crazy for me; when I crossed the finish line I had lapped every boy and passed numerous boys convulsing on the ground strewn about like dead bodies trying to recover their manhood. I was a hero.

Story #2 Following our little race we set up to play kickball. I rallied my team around me as we dubbed ourselves the tigers. When we were up to kick I chuckled at myself, they were using a soccer ball- suckers. So I laid into it and most definitely scored a home run. Once again I was the hero of the world. I had numerous kids ask to to teach them to kick like that, to which I happily obliged.

In summary it may sound low to race little fourth graders and then leave them in the dust or nearly decapitate a few others for the sake of a home run, but it felt so glorious. The events today made up for all those times in my sporting career when I just wasn't all that good. In the eyes of these little kids I sure am something- it is good to be reminded of that from time to time.

My last story is a classic and accentuates my experiences here in LA. Today some kids noticed my green eyes and got all excited saying, "You are different than everyone here, you don't have brown eyes." Or yesterday they began practicing for the play Wizard of Oz and the man in charge reassured the kids that they do not need to look like the characters they are playing for the show. For instance Dorothy does not necessarily have to have fair skin. I chuckled to myself after looking around- I think their is a possibility that one kids is white out of the entire 160+. Or when the girls insisted that I have blond hair to which I replied "No it is brown," but when everyone has black hair I guess my hair is lighter?? Or when I was trying to take role, I took a deep breath and began asking the kids their names, but all I heard was jibberish, they would repeat it again with a bit more enthusiasm and include all 12 of their names, "my name is Fernando Juan Sanchez.........." Trying to maintain my composure I ask once again by this time the letter of their last name and the name that appears on the paper I have. Their Latino-ness comes out when they say their names and I am once again reminded how vanilla I am. In the end, my days are very eventful, and you never know I may just pick up on Spanish one of these days.

Lake Piru / The Great Soggy Bottom Adventure

Enoch and I are trying to get used to the whole idea of Spring Break, it was go, go, go at BYU; It has been many a year since we have had this luxury. Anyhow we decided to try our skills at camping. Just so you understand the magnitude of this event, let me preface it by saying this is the first time Enoch and I have gone camping together alone. It is not like we haven't been camping- we have been camping a few times with family together and of course many times before we got married, but it is a whole different world being the responsible people while camping. We raided Enoch's parents home for camping supplies, made many a list's of all the necessary items, searched for a quality location, and packed our car to the gill's- yes just two of us for two nights (we may need to learn to pack lighter next time)

Everything was fine and dandy with the small exception of bad fire wood until we went to bed night #1. The rain soon came and Enoch woke up to a wet bum- yes the rain was pooling under our tent and had soaked through his pad. So after covering the pad with garbage bags and chucking to myself for a second we went back to sleep. Next I woke up to the soggiest bum of the year. Apparently I was not immune from this terrible event and the back of my sweats were totally water logged, it was nearly morning so after changing out of the nasty sweats I shared E's pad. Not to mention the pools of water on the outer edges of the test.

So we learned a few valuable things
1- don't camp when it is going to rain
2- make sure the tarp under your tent is the same size (not bigger) than the tent
3-invest in a water proof tent -I'm guessing the tent was supposed to be waterproof, but let me clear things up once and for all, it was not
4- dig a ditch around your tent, whatever it takes I guess

After spending the morning drying off our belonging (our clothing bag even got wet) and looking like complete losers/ hillbillies / prepared people (take your pick) we were able to continue on with our camping adventure

In case you were wondering the about the puddle, yes- that puddle was from the mat

Here are the clouds finally moving out

Aside from our weather mishap we really did enjoy our time at Lake Piru. The camp sites were seriously close together, but with 5/6 of the spots empty it was not too big of a deal, the grass was green, the flowers in bloom, we got a hike in, played Frisbee golf, and took the maiden voyage of our dutch oven. We got the dutch oven for Christmas and after some coaching from my sister Rachel and her husband Tim - our meal was a complete success (after they all they won a dutch oven cookout and have the dutch oven bolo sp? ties to prove it.)

So without too many battle wounds, many memories, and a few laughs that completes our Spring Break Camping Trip

Easter

This Easter we...

-Dyed Easter eggs at the Jones house (and you better believe no event at the Jones is complete without a ton of food and fun)

-I made Cinnamon rolls for the first time, a favorite conference tradition of my mom's- and don't they look beautiful
-Hid Easter three Easter eggs for each other and then found them at Enoch's parents house

And we finished off our Easter by making dinner for Enoch's parents and watching General conference.

It has been an interesting process trying to come up with our own traditions for each holiday. I hope to come up with some create more of a religious aspect for Easter. This year I decided to read the book of John. We also attended a joint religious celebration in Palm Sunday with the Pilgrim Baptist Church in LA complete with numerous gospel choirs, drums, and you how could I ever forget the keyboardist who played nonstop. However, I feel I definitely could become better versed in the last week of the Savior's life chronologically along with understanding the events better, perhaps it would bring a greater appreciation for the Resurrection/ Easter.

A little Book of Mormon Insight

I am not one to have too many pet peeves, but lately the world is going to end attitude about politics and the economy have gotten to me. We elect a democratic president and everyone is predicating the absolute worst possible scenario for our country, we are in an economic downturn and everyone panics like we are reliving the depression, it doesn't rain for a few weeks and people are complaining about how bad things are, the healthcare reform bill passes, proposition 8 happens, global warming, etc etc etc.

We live in a troubled world, we are imperfect people with an imperfect knowledge and understanding about the world around us. However, the bottom line is we DO have a very loving Heavenly Father watching out for us, he is in control and KNOWS what he is doing. I am not advocating a life of irresponsibility, but their is reason to rejoice, there is reason to be optimistic about the future, we are so blessed.

I just finished reading the Book of Mormon and reading it this time gave me a different perspective about our day. Mormon has just watched the total destruction of his people in spirit and body, and yet the words he leaves his son are still filled with hope, "My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written down grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ life thee up, and his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and eternal life, rest in your mind forever. " (Moroni 9:25)

Let us live life with a little more faith, perspective, and hope. "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7)

The Mills Music Monopoly

On Sunday I was brought into the Bishop's office and I received a second calling, I am now the new Nursery Music Leader along with being the Relief Society Music Leader. Enoch also represents our family in the music callings and he is the Junior and Senior Primary Chorister for those you didn't know. Truly we are both a little shocked, we never thought we were this musical, but in our small ward you get these opportunities, so we do whatever is asked of us. My new favorite thing is hearing Enoch constantly practicing primary songs and brainstorming ways to keep the kids entertained every week, he is so cute. As for me, I better brush up on head shoulder knees and toes and songs of the like.

For all those who take pity on us, feel free to pass on any memorable activities/ words of encouragement for us.

We've got a sleep talker on our hands

Last night I was up a bit later than Enoch. Anyhow I was so glad I was when he mumbled something about the TMJ joint and that it was ok .....(I don't remember/ couldn't make out the rest) I was cracking up and tried to coax him to keep going, so he repeated it again and then said never mind. I have a few conclusions from this sleep talking episode

1- Enoch must do so well in school because he dreams about this stuff- I have wondered for years now how he does it, but now the cat is out of the bag
2- Physical Therapy is taking over our life

So to end this story, I pretty much loved that I heard Enoch talk in his sleep for the first time and then that he was using all sorts of physical therapy lingo. It reaffirm the many day to day interactions with him telling me that he really loves what he is learning, it comes so naturally to him, and PT is absolutely the right fit for him. What a wonderful place to be in, I'll get there someday.