the end and the beginning

It was finally time to return back to the loveliness of Utah, so I woke up early [August 22nd] and helped weigh suitcases and get ready to go. This year we had to move Jehn (Jenna/Jenny/whatever) out to Utah for her freshman year, and it's hard to move everything out on an airplane--especially with the new luggage restrictions. Luckily we were flying on Southwest which allows 2 suitcases per person, but we still had packed every suitcase to 49.8 pounds and had 2 extra suitcases beyond the 6 we were allowed to have (Jehn, me, and my mom flew out). So we got to the airport and we were kind of cutting it close....and then we had to go through the airport dragging almost 3 suitcases each and 2 carry-ons....

I swear August 22nd must be National Slow Day. Everyone was SO slow. The lady who was checking our baggage must not have made it past 1st grade math. We had this one overweight suitcase (which costs $25) and two extra suitcases ($25 each). I'm sure most of you have already done the math in your head and figured out we had to pay $75. I knew this. I even told the lady at the beginning of when we starting checking the luggage. But still, when she finished checking all the baggage, she sat there for like over 5 minutes trying to figure out what we owed (and remember, we were cutting it close on time). That 5 minutes seemed like half an hour. She's like....okay, there was an extra suitcase, that's um....okay, there was an extra suitcase, that's....$25. Okay, then uh.....there was an....oh, an overweight one...okay, thats, um.....uhhh.....okay, the overweight one, thats $25. So thats $25 and $25...... okay, that's $25 and $25.... [At this point, I'm so irritated, I'm like, yes, so thats $50. And then we had another extra suitcase, so thats another $25. So thats $75. We had 2 extra and 1 overweight. $25, $25, $25, thats $75. But did she listen? No. I could've been talking to a wall.] So okay....then there was another....another extra suitcase...okay, thats...thats $25. So that means its $25....$25...$25....okay, $25 + $25 + $25.....that's uh....okay, $25 +$25+$25 is $75. Okay, the total is $75.

If that was painful for you to read, imagine how painful it was to watch.

Anyway, we made it to Sandy fine and my Aunt Karen was kind enough to loan us a car. My mom stayed with my Grandma and Jehn and I stayed with my uncle and aunt Ole & Dena. It was fun to stay there and to bond with our cousin Ryan. Oh, wait, I feel another story coming on...

Okay, so Ole knew I was coming over in the afternoon of the 22nd. So when Jehn and I got there, we knocked on the door (well kind of, the glass door was closed but the regular door was like 1/3 of the way open). Then we waited. Rang the doorbell. Waited. Knocked again. Waited. We heard stuff upstairs and it was hot outside (we didn't just want to sit out there), so I just walked in and said "Hey, it's Natalie, I'm letting myself in!" (before you all judge me and think I'm weird, I wouldn't normally do this, but I'm pretty close with Ole and I've stayed at Ole & Dena's multiple times, and I had knocked...and it was hot). Well, no one answered when we came in. So we just went down to Tyler's room and put our stuff in there cuz that's where I always stay. Then we came back up. No one was around. Kind of awkward. So we just sat in the living room, waiting. Awkward. We just sat there whispering back and forth. Then we looked at their wedding album (cuz it has pics of my mom and dad). Still waiting. At this point, Jehn's like, maybe we should go back out and try to come back in again. I'm like, cuz that's not awkward?? Our stuff was already in the basement and I was thinking maybe someone heard us and just didn't respond...? So we just waited. Then Jehn was hungry so I got her a graham cracker. Then I saw there was a bunch of dishes so I rinsed them and loaded the dishwasher. At this point, Ole hears the water going and yells down "DENA?" I stop and panic. Uh....um. Jehn turns red. "RYAN?...LIAM??..." Okay, what was I supposed to do?! So I yell back "Uh, no, it's Natalie. I knocked earlier but no one heard us so we kind of just let ourselves in...." Fantastic.

So after a bunch of shopping and eating out and spending time with family, we came down on Monday the 25th to move in. Jehn and I both moved in early and got our dorm/apartment set up. My mom was an angel and NEVER ceased to help me with things. She helped me bring stuff up, unpack, organize, etc. and she bought me surprises (including yummy food), AND I'd wake up in the morning to her washing dishes or vacuuming. Basically my mom is amazing.

Wednesday through Friday I volunteered as a y-group leader for the freshman orientation. It was a lot of work (mostly just because it was basically all day) and tiring, but it was a good experience and I'm glad I spent the time doing something useful. On Saturday I went to the BYU football game and although it was very hot, I had a good time and BYU won.

My apartment is way nice and I like my ward so far. My bishop is from Australia and has a way cool accent.

So it's the end of the summer....
and the beginning of another school year....