Returning To School: Year 4

"You live your life by a code. An ethos, every man does. It’s your shoreline.  It’s what guides you home and trust me, you’re always trying to get home."

Angels Landing in Zion National Park

It's 12:45 a.m. and I really should be asleep.  I've been awake nearly 24 hours and I'm moving back to college today.  It's exciting, sort of, so when you can't really sleep on normal days the hype of it all makes for an interesting combination.

Every time I pack to move it's like an expedition.  I always spend way too much time going through the random items I find in my closet and drawers that I forgot I had.

One such discovery was my wallet.  I'm not the guy to really carry a whole lot - usually my phone, keys, debit card, and drivers license.  There are some important things to take with you when you are away from home though, so I figured I should start using a wallet again.

I found my long-lost wallet tucked in a drawer.  It only took me a minute to realize that this was the same wallet I carried throughout my mission several years ago.  There were three things inside.

First, there was a picture of my sister Kambree.  She must have been about three or four, holding a miniature baseball from an SLC Bees game.  I used to show it to everyone.

The photograph from my wallet

There were two more things.  One was a card my Dad gave me before I left - his card - that had all the Priesthood Ordinances on it.  In time I would learn them by heart, but I carried that card and that picture with me everywhere I went.

The third was a folded piece of paper.  I unfolded it and saw in my handwriting my parents cell phone numbers written down so I wouldn't forget them when it was time to call home.

My first day as a missionary

Looking at that paper, I saw for just a moment an 18 year old kid, me, who had never been away from home for more than a week.  One who looked just a bit younger and w
ho was just a bit more naive. One who struggled being away from home.  I absolutely loved my mission, but I've never been one to really like being away from home for long. Now, years later, when school ends I fly on in my truck with one destination: home.  That may or may not have got me pulled over last fall break for going a lot over the speed limit.  No ticket!

This summer has been wonderful.  I baptized that little girl in the photograph.  I traveled lots.  I paddle boarded to an island with my brothers, rode horses in Canada, saw Glacier and Yellowstone, rafted through rapids with everyone including my grandparents.

Rafting Montana's South Fork River

I spent lots of time watching all the Longmire that Netflix had to offer with my Mom and my Dad.  I took a trip to Las Vegas with my Dad and in another marathon beat Plants vs. Zombies with my Mom.  I spent many Sunday nights with family eating the best homecooked meals and playing board games. We popped lots of kettle corn to sell at the local fairs and events with the best people you could ask for.

Helper Arts Festival, 2017

Roadtrip to Las Vegas

I worked hard to save money so I could make it through college debt free.  I spent time shadowing an awesome surgeon in his clinic and in the operating room and that was sweet.  The picture on the left is of me as an "anesthesiologist" during career day during 9th grade, while the one on the right was taken just last week on my way to Dr. Jensen's office.

I'm wish the summer wasn't over, but although it was a great summer it's not the close of the book. Another great chapter begins as I go back down to Southern Utah University.

A picture I took of the Carter Carillon clocktower, SUU

This is my fourth year of ten years as a college student.  I get to apply to medical school this spring at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine.  It's an early acceptance program - if accepted, I wouldn't have to worry about applying my last year of undergrad, my seat would be secured for Fall 2020.

SUU football, dances, concerts, socials, they're all on the schedule.  Hanging out with my roommates, midnight hikes, temple trips, getting snowcones from Soda Run.  Late night chats guessing which one of us will get engaged this year.  Last year was 0/4.

It's important to get out and see the world, to do something different, to have experiences you can only have elsewhere.  It's so bittersweet.  I'm ready to go and ready to come back home at the same time.  You always will be when you're never really ready to leave.  The good thing about it is that home is always going to be home.  My Dad still likes to wrestle me, my Mom and I still chat for hours.  Kambree still asks me to play with her.  You've got to enjoy those times while you can, and you've got to enjoy those college years while you can.  I love my family.  I really do, and I hope they know that I do.

My family, 2017

Wish me luck though there isn't much luck involved - what you put in is what you get out.  That goes for school and other things, like dating.  Everyone in my family hopes I find a wife.  That would be nice, but I'm really hoping to get an A in Organic Chemistry too. Pray for both, will you?

50 Random Things About Me

It's been a while since I've posted on my blog.  I've come to a new resolution to post more!

It seems standard for bloggers to include a post dedicated to introducing themselves.  Since I never did that, here it is!

The general things:

My Mom, Brenda, and I at my college graduation.

• I was born in Provo, Utah and raised in Price, Utah
• I'm the oldest of 5 kids
• My Mom is from Green River, UT, my Dad from Alcalde, NM
• I attended Utah State University - Eastern and graduated with my Associate's of Science there
• I served a full-time LDS mission in Fresno California from Feb. 2013 - Feb. 2015
• I am a chemistry major at Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah
• I'm preparing for medical school

My Dad Lex, brothers Tanner and Colton, and myself at the Provo City Temple open house.

That's all the usual stuff.  Here's the random stuff:

Seeing my sister Kambree for the first time in 2 years

1. I use pomade
2. I have cut my own hair for nearly four years.
3. I have worn glasses or contacts since 2nd grade.
4. I taught myself how to play the piano at eleven years old.
5. I like to be politically involved/informed.
6. I am an Eagle Scout.
7. I like blondes, and brunettes, and redheads, and black hair too.
8. I broke my leg/ankle but didn't see the doctor until about two months later. Sometimes rafting the Green River the next day is more important.
9. I love international food.  Carson Tatton's Thai food is particularly amazing.
10. I ran myself over with my moped - sad, I know.
11. I am studying to become a doctor - either a family doctor or heart surgeon, depending on if I prefer clinical or surgical applications during medical school.
12. I'm a Mormon and I love it.
13. My humor is drier than a dead stick, or so I've been told.  I think I'm hilarious.

    

    Hammocking in Spring Canyon
14. My Pandora stations range from orchestra to dubstep to acoustic to rap.
15. I drink lots of milk  As in maybe more than two gallons in one week before.
16. I love camping.
17. I enjoy long, all-day trail rides on four-wheelers.
18. I prefer cool weather to hot weather - spring/fall are the best, followed by winter, followed by summer.
19. I'm a fan of thriller films, but generally dislike animated movies.
20. I'm pretty great at hide and go seek.
21. Heights terrify me, unless it's a rollercoaster.  I'll ride any rollercoaster.
22. To go along with 21, I had to be rescued off the top of a rock wall before.  Not my greatest moment.
23. I like to just look at my handwriting and think, "Man, that's good."
24. Someday I want to have my dream home built in the countryside.
25. I was a swimmer in high school.
26. I enjoy reading, especially history and non-fiction.
27. My ancestors came from England, Spain, and Native-Americans.  If you want to get technical, I also have ancestry from Poland, the Middle East, the Caucusus region, and North Africa,
28. I have a problem with laughing at times I probably shouldn't laugh, such as in class or in church.
29. I grew up in rural Utah but I'm probably more city slicker than cowboy.

30. 

    World of Concrete, Las Vegas

    I prefer dressing up to dressing down.
31. I speak fluent Spanish.
32. I prefer sweet to salty.
33. I was on a four-person competitive culinary team in high school.
34. I teach Sunday School.
35. I love to travel and want to visit Nepal and western Europe.
36. I was an assistant swim coach for our county youth team for several years,
37. I've slept in snow caves, handmade platforms high in the trees, and on a roof.  Urban camping at its finest.
38. I've been to Canada and Mexico.
39. Despite several close calls, I've never gotten a ticket.
40. I sang in the Utah All-State Choir for three years, once under the direction of Mack Wilberg.
41. I am always up for an adventure.
42. I drive a 2010 Chevy Silverado.
43. I enjoy shooting guns and my bow.
44. My favorite foods are snow crab and shrimp scampi.

    

    Riding near Green River, UT
45. I really like swimming in the ocean.
46. I currently work in e-commerce sales and marketing.
47. I prefer to be clean shaven.  Mostly because I can't grow a beard.  Yet.
48. I like time alone to just sit and think.
49. I enjoy watching professional football and basketball.


50. I'm 6'2" tall.

Well, there it is - everything you need to know about me.  I hope you can be friends with a guy that rides a moped.