Now I Know Why People Dread Moving

Hey y'all!  It's been an insanely crazy busy last few weeks for Matt and myself.  I really haven't been on the computer and therefore social media too much recently just because there isn't enough time!  There's a lot of good on Facebook, but there's also a lot of bad and frankly, I'm quite tired of seeing it, so I'm trying to spend more time on the blog and document Matt and I's adventures when I get the chance.  This post is all about our big move back to TEXAS and my new understanding of why people dread moving so much.  Now I understand just how much it really sucks...

If you don't know or don't remember, Matt and I are newly-weds, meaning we really don't have that much stuff to move.  Or at least I thought we didn't. But it really seemed like we did. I graduated from BYU on Friday, April 25th and we were planning on driving back to Texas the next Tuesday and Wednesday. I needed to be back in town for an interview I had on Thursday so I was really stressed out about making it back in time for the interview.  With the help of my parents and in-laws, our apartment was all packed up and ready to go in two days.

Majority of our stuff in the living room.

Someone wasn't stressing over anything... 

The truck all packed and ready to go!

 As the truck was pulling away Monday morning, Matt turned to me and said, "There goes our life Sweetie."  I replied with, "Maybe, but my world is standing right next to me."

Matt had to work Monday so I stayed home and finished cleaning/packing.  I was starting to feel really sick and really sad about leaving our first home.  We truly loved living in American Fork with Matt's Aunt and Uncle and I feeling super sentimental until I noticed that it was snowing outside... Yep, of course it would snow the last day I was in Utah.... Just solidifying the fact that I belong in Texas.

Tuesday morning Matt and I packed up the last few remaining items and started the drive home.  At the start of our two day drive, both of our windshields got cracked and I came down with the flu.  Travelling while sick with the flu was awful - I felt so sick and just wanted to sleep but I knew I had to get back for the interview Thursday so I pushed through.  Wednesday I was just so sick that we went to an urgent care center and spent over 2 hours just waiting to see the doctor and then spent another hour getting my prescription.  The doctor thought that I just had strep throat and gave me and antibiotic and a steroid to help with the symptoms.  Turns out that when you have the flu, a steroid is the LAST thing you want to take because it actually makes the symptoms worse. At least I had gorgeous scenery to take my mind off my throbbing throat and running nose.

Matt leading the way out of Utah for good!

I've waited SO LONG to see this sign!

West Texas

Matt's car in my rear view mirror and my graduation tassel :)

My front seat travel companion!

So even though it was super stressful and I was incredibly sick, we made it back and I got the job.  I love Texas and I'm SO grateful to be back in God's Country.  And just as an FYI to everyone who thinks that Texas is all desert, dried up and ugly...

Texas is GREEN!  NO cacti!  These pictures are not photo-shopped or re-touched in any way so STOP saying that Texas is just one huge desert because, as you can see, it's rather quite gorgeous.  

My favorite scene in the entire world is a huge green field with a big red barn and an old white plantation house with a porch that wraps around the entire house.  Matt said I can have all of that here. I love being in Texas, I know this is where I belong, and I can't wait to build a life here with my best friend. 

Question Everything

As much as others might disagree due to my love of fashion and clothing, I'm a huge nerd.  Like honestly, I would rather watch Star Wars or LOTR any night instead of a chick flick (just ask Matt), my favorite board game is Cranium, I love reading and above all else, I LOVE SCIENCE.  Yes my friends, I absolutely love science. I love it - all of it - and I cannot get enough of it.  I want more of it and I want to share it.

Back in September of 1980, Carl Sagan, a famous astrophysicist, wrote and narrated a scientific TV series called Cosmos.  This year, the same series is being aired again just by a different astrophysicist.  I recently read a short article called "The Brilliance of "Cosmos" - Seth MacFarlane Uses His Power for Good".  The author states that he is impressed with this "new" TV series because it's so unlike all the other crap that is found on prime time TV. "Cosmos is exhilarating.  It makes you feel the way you feel when you sit in an open field looking up at the stars, feeling like part of something much bigger than yourself, and also very small". How true this is. I love how this series is actually teaching thought-provoking concepts in unique and interesting ways. The purpose is to make people think and I can think of no greater good that could ever come from a TV show than giving the gift of knowledge. "TV spends too much time celebrating people whose greatest ambition is to be famous. Each week Cosmos celebrates a different science teacher doing the often-unheralded work that needs doing for our civilization to continue".  How awesome is that?!?  Just another reason why this show rocks.

In one month I will be a graduated Microbiologist.  I have spent the last 4 years of my life studying biology, physics, and way more chemistry than I'd like.  It was A LOT of work (holy crap, the hardest thing I've ever accomplished in my life) but I love my major and I love the classes I took to get my degree. In fact, I wish I could've taken more Biology classes, but I guess that's what bookstores are for right?  

So why on earth would I write a bunch of posts about how much I hate BYU but then admit that I actually enjoyed majority of my classes?  Here's why:  I love learning.  I love new ideas and concepts. I love thinking.  I hate studying useless facts.  I hate memorizing.  And I LOATHE tests.  I do not agree with the school system at all.  BYU taught me how to study, memorize, and fail at exams.  How is that considered "learning"?!?  No, learning is not about cramming for a stupid test and then forgetting all the information at the end of the semester.  No, learning is about thinking about new concepts and ideas, making connections with known concepts and then questioning everything.  Yep, that's right, question everything. 

The overall idea of "Cosmos" is to question everything and I couldn't agree more.  We would not be where we are today with the amazing technology and knowledge we have if previous scientists were not bold and brave enough to question everything.  

I absolutely love this picture because of how it beautifully combines the human eye and a galaxy.  It's beautiful and so thought provoking.  You and I are made up of the exact same stuff the universe is made up of - how cool is that?   I'm so done with the school system, but I'm so not done learning.  I'm grateful for science and the joy that it brings to me everyday and for the opportunity I had to get an education in the thing that I love most (other than Matt).  Watch Cosmos, think about the concepts and ideas it presents, and above all else, never stop questioning.