Senior-itis

I know it might be a little early for this... but I think that I already have Senior-itis. I've only been in Logan and back at USU for one month now and I am already itching to get out of here! I am just ready to be done with my undergraduate degree. It has taken me long enough (started about 6 years ago). Granted... I did take time off for a mission and to study abroad. And I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything. 

I am just ready to finally put all of my education to use in the real world! I am excited to walk across that stage and throw my cap in the air as I graduate. I am excited to move to a new place and start my internship. I am excited to become a board-certified music therapist. I am excited for the possibility of graduate school. I am excited to see more of the world as I travel. I'm excited to see what I will do with the next 5 years of my life. I am just excited... for everything except this semester. I think I bit off more than I can chew this time around.

Well there are some exciting things to write a little about... My practicum this semester is at the Cache County Jail working with 10 protected custody male inmates who are charged sex offenders. We are going to have our second session tomorrow and I am SO excited! It seems like a really good group and I feel like we can make a difference with the 12 weeks that we have to work with them. I turned in two of the four internship applications! One is for Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital and Clinics in San Francisco, California and the other one is Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare in Columbus, Ohio! These seem like two really amazing internship opportunities and I can't wait to hear back from them! I don't really know where I am supposed to go but at least I know where I should apply to go. I think that things will fall into place when it comes time to make a decision.

It has been good to be home and see my family every once in a while. We were able to meet up over Martin Luther King Jr. Day for lunch in North Ogden. Every time I get to see a member of my family it fills me with such happiness. I am glad that my sisters and I have become so close these last few years. Kelli is even going to run a half-marathon with me! Next weekend we are all going to go to St. George to watch Sandi play in a tournament. I always look forward to family time. I am so grateful for the family that I have. I am grateful for parents and sisters who are so supportive of all that I do and who show interest in my life. We are now spread over the whole state of Utah and when we all are finally together those short moments are precious and full of fun and laughter.

So I am sitting here at my job working on this blog post and I just figured out that I only have 93 days until I graduate!!!
(yeah, pretty stoked about that, can you tell??)

London, Yellowstone, Back to School

Hello to all of you loyal followers of my blog! I am BACK! I know it has been many weeks since I have posted here... 

About one month to be precise.

My life is finally starting to settle down a bit and so I thought I would catch all of you up on my latest adventures! 

After I left Ghana, I was able to spend a few days in London on may home! I traveled around with my friend Annie and we were able to see all of the classic tourist sites that were there. It was fun to be there with a friend and experience such a rich part of the world's history. Here is the long list of the things that we were able to see: British Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, Natural History Museum, Hyde Park Chapel, Big Ben, House of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, London Eye, Trafalgar Square, National Gallery, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park WINTER WONDERLAND!! (that's for you Annie haha), Tower Bridge, Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral, The Globe Theater, Oxford Street, Abbey Road, Portobello Road, AND the musical "Singing in the Rain!" Yup... We did all of that in 4 days. 

Then I finally arrived home in freezing cold Salt Lake City. It was so great to be come with everyone for Christmas! As everyone in our family begins to grow up and move in different directions, the times that we do get to spend together are becoming more meaningful because they are less frequent. 

A few days after Christmas we took a 4-day family trip up to West Yellowstone to spend some time in Yellowstone National Park! Everyone was able to come and it was great to visit that area again. Our family really enjoys to go snowmobiling and it was a lot of fun to spend some time riding in the park. We were able to see a lot more wildlife this time around than when we went there 6 years ago. It is such a beautiful place!

Then a few days after getting back from that trip... I moved back up to Logan to finish my last semester at USU! YAY! I am living with a great friend and it is just the two of us in this three-bedroom apartment. We turned our extra room into a music room to house all of our instruments as well as our weekly music night! 

This semester is going to be a tough one but somehow I will make it through. Here are the classes I am taking: *Clinical and Professional Issues in Music Therapy *Psychology of Music *Music Therapy Practicum (this semester I will be working at the Cache County Jail doing weekly music therapy sessions with 8-10 male inmates!!!) *Mountain and Road Biking *Personality Theory *Human Anatomy ... And on top of all of those classes, I am working at the Fieldhouse, applying for internships, and preparing for my big Level 3 music exam!  

Well my friends, I have closed the Ghana chapter in this book of my life and am now beginning this new one. I had the opportunity to speak in church today and I talked about some of the life experiences that I had in Ghana and how it has helped me develop as an individual and become closer with my Heavenly Father. I will always look back on that time with fond memories. Although I was very sad to leave my ISEP family, my church family, and my closest friends, I know that this next part of our journey will bring us new growth. I want to continue to find joy in my journey.