Hakuna Matata

This morning I woke up around 5:45am.  I was totally awake and energized, I felt great! I walked out onto my patio in my pajamas, and my glasses just instantly fogged up, it was comical how quickly they fogged!  I did a little exploring and took some pics before breakfast.

 This church is just to the side of the hotel, this is where they hold a lot of weddings for people getting married while they stay at the hotel.  It's really pretty!

 This is my "oh my gosh! I can't believe I'm experiencing this bliss right now!" face

 I seriously think it would be beneficial to my health to move here. I just need a doctor to prescribe this to convince Dan...

 They have these cool zen looking gardens and gazebos every where!

I showered and had breakfast.  They my boss Phil, his wife Linda, my new boss Teryl, and I headed off to go find the ward that started at 9:00am.  It was neat to drive around the island and see things in the daylight.  Guam is a lot bigger than I thought. Phil said that he thought it would take about 6 hours to drive the whole thing.  We found the church just in time to take the sacrament.  

 Yay we found it! After we pulled into the Jehovah Witness Kingdom Hall and thought it was the LDS church, haha

 The Barrigada Ward building

 It was raining when we got out of church, I love how this picture turned out!

This by far has been one of my favorite parts so far.  The four of us stuck out with our white skin and it was pretty easy to spot the missionaries in the ward too (they had 4 sets of missionaries, and 2 senior couples!) I was so humbled and so touched by the people.  There were people from every walk of life. I guess when they have General Conference, they have to it broadcasted in 6 languages for their ward! The first speaker in sacrament was a teenage boy.  He talked about how when he first received the Aaronic priesthood he was a little nervous, that he was sure what to do with it or how it worked. He shared how he didn’t want to come to church, but that his mom made him come anyway, and that having the priesthood has helped him understand the gospel and why he wanted to come to church.

The second speaker was his mom. She was a single mother and talked about the importance of having a Christ-centered home.  She talked about how we have been counseled to have Family Home evening, family prayer, and family scripture study, and that we to not just do it, but do it effectively. It really struck me that she didn’t say “consistently” or “efficiently” or “regularly”, but effectively.

The last speaker was the High Priest Group leader. He was from the Marshall Islands and shared a little of his conversion. He said that he was married and he was drunk Monday-Sunday every week. He had a drinking problem! One day his 9 year old nephew came up to him in the street with two missionaries and told the missionaries they needed to teach him. This man didn’t know English, and it sounded like that’s what the missionaries were teaching in. He taught himself English and can now read and write in it.  He and his wife moved to Guam so that his children could have a better education. I thought that was a pretty amazing story!

I loved that every person in that building was there because they wanted to be, there were no social pressures for them to be there and it was so so refreshing.  They bore the purest testimonies and I got so much out of church today. The women wore moo-moo’s that were colorful, and they all had big smiles, a lot of them with metal teeth.  I introduced myself in Relief Society and they all welcomed me to Guam and I felt like they accepted me into their ward family for those short couple of hours. One woman waved at me as I was leaving and I walked over and she took my hands and asked me my name.  She made my whole day. She made me feel so welcome and she was just glowing with the light of Christ. What a wonderful experience!!!

Afterwards, I came back to the hotel and got in my swimsuit. I went and laid on a beach chair next to the beach and read a book. I am such an idiot though. I didn’t put on sunscreen for the first 30 minutes and I am a LOBSTER! I didn’t think about the fact that we are a lot closer to the equator (I think) and that sun got me good. I was out on the beach for about 5 hours and relaxed and read another book from start to finish. It was paradise.

 I mean I was in and out of the shade, but I still got FRIED. But it was so nice...

 Don't mind this embarrassing pic, but I had to get the point across how much I was soaking this moment up.

 

 A view of the beach

For dinner, one of the guys from Guam that has been helping us plan the conference, invited about 16 of us over to his house for dinner. They had cooked an entire pig!!! Plus 6 other amazing dishes of chicken, fish, mussels, rice, and for dessert- fresh coconut pie. IT WAS AMAZING! All of the food was so so good. I felt like a missionary again for some reason. I think it was the situation of these humble people sacrificing so much to feed us that triggered that feeling.

YUM! :)

 Why do they cover the ears with foil? I dunno. But the mouth open without an apple in it has got be breaking some sort of rules.

 Here is some of the group, and the two chefs who made our dinner.

 In this picture, you can see the pies and desserts on the counter. They made us fresh coconut creme pie... OH MY GOODNESS! I have NEVER had such a good fruit pie. It was to die for!

It was a great day, despite my horrible sunburn.  I am just so grateful to be here and to have experiences such as these!

I'm Never Coming Home!

Flight from SLC to LAX

 

My flight from Salt Lake to Los Angeles was a good time.  I was on one of the smallest planes I’ve ever been on (besides the little one Dan proposed to me in) and there had to have only been 50 people on the plane.  I sat next to this guy wearing a carnation pink polo shirt and had a fuchsia carry on bag.  He was super friendly and chatted with me for quite a bit. He was from Montreal, Quebec and in the mining industry.  He travels constantly all over the world, and I guess Kennecott Mines are one of his biggest clients.  Despite my first assumptions by his pink and fuchsia ensemble, he was not gay, but married with 6 kids. He said they he and his wife had a themed wedding… the theme being everyone had to wear pink. Guess the guy just really likes the color pink! He was pleased to know that Mom had brought us up right by feeding us poutine and that Dan and I eat it fairly often.  He gave me a lecture on the proper way to make poutine and I was proud to say I was already doing everything he said.  I managed to get a good nap on this flight which was great :)

When we got to LA, they didn’t have a gate for our little plane.  So they just wheeled up a ramp to the side of the airplane and we all got to walk out of the plane onto the tarmac, and then into the airport which was pretty freaking cool!

Flight from LAX to HNL

 

I absolutely loved that I had a layover in LA.  I did a lot of people watching and thought a lot about the last time I was in this airport…. My a lot has changed.  I felt as if I glowing walking through the airport. It felt SO good to be among diversity!!! There are a lot of things that drive me crazy about LA, but I will always love the people. Ha I have never seen so many people running through an airport in my life.  About every 10 minutes, someone would run by with their carry on bag wheeling behind them trying to make their next flight. Apparently it’s a huge airport, but I didn’t have to go far to find my gate thankfully.

This flight to Honolulu was a hoot. It was a FULL flight, to the point where they had overbooked. They were announcing every 2 minutes that if anyone would like to take a later flight, they would give them a $250 credit to fly United.  Had this not been a work trip, I seriously would have considered it. They also kept announcing that if they ran out of room to store carry on luggage, we would be forced to check it. I was really not wanting to do that. I was in the last group to board the plane, and definitely towards the back of the line. My chances weren’t good.

When I got to my seat, there was a Jewish man sitting in my seat with his two children and wife sitting next to him.  I guess they sat on the wrong side of the row, so I told them I’d just sit on the other side of the row so they wouldn’t all have to move. And lucky for me, there was an open spot to put my carry on bag- KARMA! 

The guy I sat next to was moving to Guam, he just took a job as a newspaper editor for the island. Had he not had the worst breath I’d ever smelled, it would have been an awesome flight and we would have had some great conversations. I offered him gum and he declined my invitation. He honestly didn’t look like he could have been that much older than me. Across the aisle from me was an Asian bachelorette party, they were a good time. I slept 4 of the 5 hours which I was so grateful for! 

Flight from HNL to GUAM

 

The airport in Hawaii was HEAVEN! It was so WARM!!!! I was freezing on the flight to Honolulu, I’ll never fly without a pair of socks in my purse again!  I just couldn’t believe how beautiful Hawaii was and I was only in the airport.  I tried to walk around as much as I could during the layover to breath in the humidity and prevent any blood clots. I seriously couldn’t believe how amazing it was.  I’m so excited and grateful I get to go back for a week.  On this flight, I met up with 5 others who are participating in the conference.  It was nice to know I wasn’t traveling alone any more from this point on. I got a window seat this time and sat next to a boy who I wasn’t sure spoke much English.  Other than asking to borrow my pen, we didn’t speak the 7 ½ hours of the flight. I finished an entire book, watched an episode of Sherlock Holmes, and got another 3 hour nap.

I MADE IT!!!

The pilot came over the intercom and said we were about 70 miles from Guam. I opened my window and just looked at the huge blue ocean… then suddenly this strip of green land appeared out of no where!!! It was amazing to look at and think that this random chunk of land was just sticking about the ocean and people live on it.  It sort of reminded me of the Jurassic Park, it just looked wild down there! The vegetation was so thick. Then suddenly that island was gone, and we were over the next island, this time it was Guam.  It was much more inhabited and developed. I was so excited!

We had a really smooth landing, I got through customs quickly, my luggage was all in one piece. I was a happy camper. We arrived to Guam 6:00pm  and when we got out of the airport to take the shuttle to the hotel, the sun was just going down…. It was just breathtaking. The humidity is unlike anything else and I absolutely love it.  That first breath of air walking out of the airport was like breathing into a wet towel, it sort of took my breath away at first. 

The Hotel

 

We are staying at the Hilton Guam hotel, right on the ocean.  Interestingly enough, Guam is like Hawaii for the Japanese. It’s where they come for their warm getaway vacation, just like many from the US go to Hawaii. So there is a separate wing of the hotel that is mainly for Japanese tourists. We are staying in that wing because it is much cleaner, nicer, updated, better managed, etc. I am lucky enough to be on the ground floor and my room has a walk out patio to the ocean… I’m seriously considering moving to Guam.

Guam reminds me more of Pirates of the Carribean!  The staff here are so so so nice.  I love the island people- they are so gracious and genuine. 

 

I could get use to this view from my room everyday... in fact, I'm used to it. I need it. 

 At first I was completely terrified of what the heck this toilet was and how it worked...

 I got the hang of it though :)

 My heavenly abode

I went to bed about 9:00 and had no problem falling asleep, even though I napped on every flight. More to come tomorrow!

Peace Out Mainland!

It's really dawning on my that for 15 days straight, I will not set foot on the continental US- and I am freaking ecstatic! I will spend 7 days on Guam, and then 8 days in Hawaii! Island life here I come!

#WATCHTHIS

This song has been stuck in my head for a month. You should definitely click and listen while you read the rest of this blog!

#FIRSTSTOPGUAM

 

I seriously can't comprehend this...

Never known where Guam is? Me either.

Guam has such a cute flag, why is Utah's so ugly?

 Again, seriously can't comprehend this.

#SECONDSTOPHAWAII

 

 Getting our luau on...

 "Crush" from Finding Nemo! Sea Turtles galore

 Oh this is me and Dan, tan and toned... in Hawaii (HA HA)

Aloha until June!

1/4 of a century...

25 Things to Accomplish While I'm 25

1. Become consistent. In anything and everything... just be a more consistent person.
2. Give up chocolate for 1 year.  I really need to give up something that will help me learn self control and self discipline. Chocolate is my weakness, wish me luck.
3. Knit a blanket. I did this for a Young Women's project when I was like 14, and I really enjoyed it. But I haven't done anything like that since.    
4. Go to the temple 25 times.  I freaking live next door to the temple. I am never going to have this much time, or be this close to the temple ever again. I seriously need to take advantage more.
5. Graduate from Institute. I never graduated when I was in school, but I've been going on my lunch breaks and I absolutely love it.
6. Buy a car.  We have been saving since we've been married to buy a car, and I'm hoping we can make that happen this year.
7. Read the Book of Mormon again.
8. Jump at least one time while wake boarding this summer!
9. Become friends with my future sister-in-law. I don't know her well at all and I'd like to change that.
10. Be active. I really need to find something I enjoy doing for exercise, and DO IT!
11. Go to a concert. I have not been to a concert in SO long. I don't even care what it is, just someone awesome! Katy Perry? Just kidding those tickets are as much as a car payment. But really it could be the best concert ever... I'm so torn.
12. Master driving a stick-shift car.  I've been practicing, but it seriously will take me a year to get this down.
13. Meet Kate Middleton.  This may be on my list of things to accomplish until I die, but I'm going to make it happen!
14. Rent a car! I'm finally of age!
15. Go to Guam... I don't even know what to do here, but I'm just going to do it!
16. Go to Hawaii and hike the "Stairway to Heaven"... I might not survive this.
17. Snorkel with Finding Nemo and Dory fish
18. Try surfboarding, I don't even have to get up, I just want to try it!
19. Go to a Catholic Mass on Christmas Eve. I've always wanted to do this.
20. Find a new job... yeah, it's time.
21. Have a legit missionary experience!
22. Become a blondie. I haven't' had blonde hair since 2009...
23. Learn more about Graphic Design. Get some Photoshop skillz.
24. Visit Pasco, Washington- thanks Becca and Quentin :)
25. Be patient, be prayerful, and be positive!

Okay, I'll Write it Down

I get an email every morning from "The Universe" that says something positive or gives some sort of random advice.  It gives me something positive to read as I am laying in bed waking up every morning. It's a good time! This one happened today.

My Grandpa asked me several months ago why I blog, don't I have anything better to do? That question really stunned and stumped me.  I didn't blog for quite awhile after that. I wanted to think about why I like to blog. After a lot of thought here's my conclusion.

I just like it! I like turning an empty canvas/screen into something full of my thoughts, ideas, and memories.  I like the feeling of creating something.  Also I have discovered my memory is horrible.  On a weekly basis Dan or a friend or family member will remind me of something that I have either totally forgotten, or have no memory of at all. It's kind of scary! I need to write things down so I will remember.

So I will. I will write it down. And I want to write it down here.

Laugh it Off

It really is a miracle that thousands of students survive finals week.  The amount of stress and lack of sleep is heinous.

This last week was a busy one, full of people moving, Dan taking his finals and studying until the wee hours of the night, some unfortunate events and LOTS of driving!

#FREAKOUTFRIDAY

Friday was not a good day.  Obviously there are way worse things that could have happened, but this was enough for us that day.  I was supposed to be to work at 7:30am on Friday to proctor my boss' final exam (he was at a meeting in Baltimore). To make a long story short, I didn't get there until 8:00am.  The students emailed my boss saying I wasn't there, and my boss emailed me asking where I was and what was going on... I thought I had for sure lost my job that day.  Everything worked out in the end, but I was not in the best mood... until this happened.

I got off work early so we could drive to Ephraim for my brother Gavin's graduation from Snow College.  As I biked into our apartment parking lot, Dan was just pulling in as well.  He got out of the truck and had this MASSIVE rip up the front of his pants.  I couldn't help but start laughing.  Apparently Dan went up to campus to take his last final. He parked the truck and grabbed his longboard and started to head to the building it was in. I guess he didn't get very far before this happened, which caused him to fall and scrape his knee (that part I felt bad about).  I seriously have never seen such a huge rip in my life! It was one of those moments when you wish you would have had someone filming it because I know we would have won money from America's Funniest Videos.

#BRAGMOMENT1

So my youngest brother Gavin just graduated from Snow College Saturday. I am pretty proud of him for a number of reasons. First, living in a place like Ephraim for 2 years (no offense to anyone, but GAG!). Second, for paying his way through by working hard during the summer and having a part time job through the school year. Third, now all of us siblings have been to college and earned some sort of degree.  That's a big deal! Also pictured is his fiance Kacee who graduate on Saturday.  They are getting married in September and I'm glad they both have some school under their belts.

#BRAGMOMENT2

On Sunday, Dan and I went to the blessing of our nephew, Tanner Partner Harrison. He is seriously THE happiest baby boy I have ever seen in my life.  And the cutest. And the sweetest.  He is going to be such a big blessing to not only his immediate family, but I can already tell in our lives as well. This is the first baby born in the Wouden family since we've been married, and that's really exciting. I feel like I might have a different relationship with him since I'll know him from birth, and not just from marrying into the family.

#TWENTY-FOUR

A week from today I will turn 25 years old... WHOA! I am actually freaking out less about this birthday than I did when I turned 24.  I've been mentally preparing I guess.  We had a family party on Sunday (after the baby blessing) to celebrate my birthday, my uncle's birthday, mother's day, and Gavin's graduation.  It felt more like I was celebrating my last week of 24, than turning 25. And I kind of liked that. My family was extremely generous as always and I'm so grateful for all the support they have constantly shown.

#LESSONLEARNED

Sometimes you just have to laugh off all stupid things that go wrong. Other good things are coming too fast to stay stressed out or upset.

Dead Week

There are so many GOOD things going on in life, and I feel like my memory is failing me already in my mid-twenties. So I'm stealing the idea of a sister in my ward (who I admire in every way and I hope I grow up to be like her!) and am going to try blogging every week to help me document and REMEMBER all the good things that happen in my life.

This past week is what USU calls dead week, the week before finals when professors aren't supposed to give any tests/projects to allow students to prepare for finals.  That usually ends up being a joke.

Dead Week for Dan

Dan has been busier than ever! I don't know how he functions on such little sleep every day.  He has finals in Statistics, Physics, Calculus III, and Linear Algebra.  We tried to go for a bike ride the other day and discovered Dan's bike had a flat tire.  We pumped it up, but it was flat again the next day! So I'm sure once finals are over, getting his tire repaired will be one of first things he'll do.

There are two things that Dan asks for like once a day: yellow cake with chocolate frosting & cowboy caviar.  We were just introduced to Cowboy Caviar by our friends the Reddens- we are addicted! It is so yummy!  I was really glad they shared their RECIPE with us!

Dead Week for Megan

Dead Week was a little different for me. I seriously went to bed at 9:30 almost every night! I have had zero energy lately.  I blame the weather mostly.  It wants to be Spring/Summer so badly, but that blasted snow and cold weather never stops (it's blizzarding outside this very moment)!  I need warmth and sun! Extra sleep seems to be the cure for anything :)

Wednesday we had our last Relief Society activity of the semester. We made the EASIEST and CUTEST craft ever! We made cherry blossoms out of sticks and tissue paper, they are adorable. I am one of the least crafty people out there. Crafts usually stress me out because I am always the last one done and it never turns out how it should! But this-- I could do! I had so much fun! Here is the link: http://www.creationsbykara.com/2012/03/diy-cherry-blossoms.html/

#BRAGMOMENT

So due to my car being out of commission for the last month, I've been driving the Blue Dart aka Dan's truck all over Logan and looking like a complete idiot most of the time.  As much as I hate that truck, I'm sort of grateful I've been forced to finally learn to drive a stick shift. I put my skills to the real test and drove to Ogden and back by myself on Saturday- and survived! I was pretty proud!

#BABEALERT

We had stake conference yesterday and got a new Stake Presidency which is pretty exciting. But my favorite part was taking pictures after with these beautiful friends (Becca Wright, Shan Karren, and Jessica Wilkey)! I'm so grateful I get to serve with them in the Relief Society.  We have so much fun and I love getting to spend time with them every week!