"You never climb the same mountain twice, not even in memory. Memory rebuilds the mountain, changes the weather, retells the jokes, remakes all the moves."    

--  Lito Tejada-Flores --

He walked the whole mountain like this.

I'm done with being Organic.

I've officially finished all my organic chemistry requirements (mmk besides an advanced organic lab?!) :) But for now, I'm done… as least with any classes coinciding with pre-med/pre-dent students, which is weirdly a relief, mostly because I'm done being asked, "what [I] got on the test?" In a way I was flattered to be somebody's standard for success? But mostly, not really… I wanted everyone to do well (in the beginning), even though most didn't want anybody to do well, and I didn't want my success to be based off the failure of others, but the pre-professionals bred that, and I found myself not wanting anyone to do well, or to do slightly worse than me.  So my malicious attitude has been reformed, and the competitive cut-throat personalities are out of the Benson (or at least my classrooms).  I'm half-way done with my college career now, and I still feel like a baby, luckily two years is a long time… or at least long enough.

Speaking of time and passing years, my dad had a birthday this past month and not just any birthday.  This was his 50th! That's half a century!  I'm tempted to say he's old, but he can still out bike me on any mountain and help me with my college level homework, so maybe aged would be a better word choice. aged to perfection.  Because my dad truly is almost perfect, and I can't wait for the adventures in the next 50 years. 

In celebration of finishing finals - (not having any commitments in Provo) my mom and I headed up to Park City for a few days.  We laughed and laughed and laughed like we were children! It was beautiful.  And I think I'm going to own the Montage, or Stein Eriksen Lodge someday… or at least a cabin up in the middle of nowhere, because nothing can surpass its purple mountain majesty.  It screams America, or at least my kind of America, and I like it a lot.     

Let's get married in Vegas

Beautiful Laurel got married a few weeks ago in Vegas.  I met Laurel in London in the fall.  I seriously loved her from day one because she showed me where the best gelato was on Bayswater and took me with her to the dry cleaners.  She went with me to Denmark and taught me all about the preservation of food… apparently it can last for… a long time. :) Over Thanksgiving break she flew to New York City to visit her family, and Jordan (the love of her life) surprised her with a ring on the top of the Rockefeller Center.  This is the second Londoner to get married (in Vegas).  She was a beautiful bride, and I'm so happy for her and Jordan.   

They respectfully cut and ate the cake?.. But really.  I kind of hate the "let-me-shove-this-in-your-face-and-and-blame-it-on-spontaneity" trend. 

Laurel is obsessed with bows. 

In London Maggie and I got the nickname "PTA moms" because we would stay up late into the night talking and talking and talking just like PTA moms?.. Either way I love this girl.