Graduation!!

May 19th- 25th

I got my first official calling today!! I am now the 8-9 year old's Primary teacher! Haha I'm only 17! I still feel like I'm in primary sometimes! But the bishopric said that I was the one needed to teach them, and obviousy they have enough trust in my teaching and doctrinal abilities and knowledge to teach these kids who were just baptized and beginning their steps back to Heavenly Father....! Such a big responsibility when they put it that way! But I already love my kids, and hope that I will be able to touch their hearts with the words that are given to me. I have confidence in this actually.. I was hoping for this calling because I knew it would help prepare me to teach the basic principles of the gospel, which will come in handy for my mission in a little over a year. :) I'm now the youngest one in the ward who has a calling, which is pretty cool since most kids don't have callings until they're 18, or not at all because they're in the single's ward. I sat in today and they were being a little on the energetic side, but I think that I'll be able to become friends with them fairly easily. :)
I had my Seminary Graduation today! This event made it all seem like everything's falling into place. It was a great night! Cal spoke, which is always something to look forward to hearing.. and President Solomon spoke to us about his bull that he raised, and that sin is still sin and that we need to be careful about our steps outside of high school now that we are responsible young adults and whatnot.

Monday I had my senior checkout, and returned all of my books... and so now we are one step closer to graduating!! :) I got my tears out, now let's just move along with this!! ;)
We went swimming in the Caldwell's pool for FHE.. I haven't willingly been in a swimming pool since I was like 14... so that was really strange for me! I used to go swimming ALL the time, I would never leave the water.. but it's just different now that I'm older, I guess. But this time, again I didn't want to get out of the water! So strange!

Tuesday I worked in the Pecans for a few hours weeding a planter bed... and I'm exhausted.

For Mutual Lauren came over and we just chilled in the RS room and ate some yummy food and enjoyed everyone's company. It's weird to think that these are going to be my last mutual activities!! :( I mean I'm already done with YWs now.. it's just a matter of time before I get wrinkles and gray hair!!! :O
After we got home, Lauren DESPERATELY wanted to watch the Prince of Egypt.. so we did... and she knew all the words to the songs.. it was slightly weird... but then I told her about my obsession with frogs and then it got even weirder. So happy that we can be our weird nerdy selves around each other. Then we talked until midnight when she left. Good grief I can never be not tired. :P

Thursday I went and spent an hour with my good buddy Derek Petersen! It's weird not seeing him everyday in the hallways.. it kind of makes me sad. But we went and got yogurt and laughed for a while until he had to get back to his party. It was a lot of fun! I miss that kid! :(

GRADUATIONNNNNNNNN
WUT. Haha I woke up and made plans to go do baptisms with Cal and Kayla at 9:30, and I had graduation practice at 8 in the morning.. so we got in our lines, and I was just so confused because my name was not on any of the lists! I was no where in alphabetical order, and I was having a panic attack that I failed my senior year and had to do it all over again!! LUCKILY I found my name at the top of the list with the NHS kids who got to graduate first! That's right ladies and gentlemen, I got to sit in the very front row, where it will be nice and cool and have lovely airflow for our circus tent robes. And the best part? I cheated the system! Haha ;) just kidding. I got into NHS fair and square, I worked hard on it. But I felt kind of bad because I JUST got inducted in February and the rest of the kids up front had been in there since their freshman year.. so I just took my place, with my AC and waited for the practice to be over. My aisle walking buddy is Derek Arrington, thank goodness it's someone I know! Because everyone I'm sitting by in my row I don't know them at all. After practice, Cal came and picked me up and we did baptisms. There was NO ONE there. It was a Friday afternoon, too. Really strange. And it went even faster because there were only three of us! Afterwards we went to Chipotle for lunch and I ran into my freshie Meghan!! Oh how I've missed her and it's only been a week! Haha so we ate our food, then I was given 3 minutes and 42 seconds to go get changed at my house, and then we went back over to their house and we made apricot jam and attempted to play badminton and did some other things which I can't remember. :P And then it was time for me to go get ready for graduation!! So I got home and then did my hair and put on my dress and cap and gown and we left for Phoenix! The whole drive I was kind of nervous and did not want to be going to graduation.. it was a strange mix of emotions that I still can't really describe. But Cal was singing and being goofy so that took my mind off of things for a while. We get there and I have to go wait on the other side of the building with the rest of my classmates, and we wait outside for another hour until they let us in. I forgot I had my phone with me and then I realized I had no pockets, but Derek did! I had to hunt him down, luckily he was willing to hold on to it for the ceremony. He's such a great guy! :) We wait in our lines for another hour it seemed and everyone was so HAPPY. I mean, it was kind of weird to see everyone that energetic and excited about something. Kids who I never saw smile were all beaming just waiting. It was kind of bittersweet as we all started cheering as we were walking into the stadium.. I was slightly getting teary eyed, just because I knew that this would be a "milestone" in my life and I'd never be doing this again. And I dunno, everyone in this hideous shade of bright purple was almost a beautiful sight to see. As me and Derek walked in and the cameras were on us for the jumbo tron, I couldn't help but just smile so big!! I am here. At my high school graduation. In my cap and gown and cords. Walking. Getting my diploma in a few minutes. Life starts right after this! So we walk and then sit in the front waiting for everyone else to file in two by two. And then it starts. We have our STUCO presidents stand up and give their speeches along with our 5 valedictorians and salutatorians and administration. And then they have a few musical numbers in between. And just like that, we walk up the stage. And then I'm shaking hands with some guy I've never seen as he hands me my diploma, and we smile for the camera.. then I totally am just overwhelmed with the situation, that I miss my mark, and I start walking in the wrong direction... then I do a cute little pirouette to disguise my fumble and quickly snap back around and walk down the stairs as all the lights are flashing and people clapping and I'm just totally embarrassed that that JUST happened and I didn't even take it in and now it's gone forever and blah blah blah. Yup. That is how I became a high school graduate. My first steps as a high school graduate were in the wrong direction. I really hope that isn't symbolic or foreshadowing something... :P but it was all too perfect. Of course I was the one who walked in the other direction, silly me for expecting something as simple as walking across a stage to be as simple as it sounds. ;)
It seemed like an eternity before the last person walked across. We listened to some more speeches, and then just like that, there were hats flying in the air, and we all skipped out of the tunnel like no one's business.. I found my phone, and then it was done. I found my family and Cal and then I just wanted to get out of there SO BADLY. I was done with these people, I endured my time, and I just wanted to leave before traffic got insane. But of course my mom was trying to get me to take pictures with EVERYONE and it was just making me upset.. I wish I could go back and be a little happier and less miserable, but it's long gone now. I got pictures with people I actually cared a lot about, got my hugs, said good luck to a dozen people... and then we drove home. And then had ice cream, which I consider the best part of my night. :)

Saturday I went to Lauren's grad party at her house for a few hours! It was fun! I love her family, they are hilarious.