Across the Continent

Greetings all!

How is everyone? I am fantastic! I just got back from a most amazing trip to the East Coast. A vacation of the utmost experience! Maelyn and I were busy seeing just about everything! In the space of 8 days, we visited two cities, saw four plays, went to one comedy show, 3 museums, did the freedom trail, saw many various types of bodies of water, crossed many bridges, saw many landmarks, stayed with friends and family, and mingled with all sorts of diverse peoples and cultures! At the end of each day, it was a most amazing feeling to feel genuinely exhausted!

Thanks to Guinevere, Clark, and Sarah, who provided us a place to stay and had knowledge about and advice for the things we definitely should see in Boston and New York. Thanks to Mom and Dad for teaching me and allowing me to love history and to learn how to make things happen when it seems like progress and completion are impossible. It's been a great trip!

After Guinevere, Maelyn, and I went to Walden Pond, I resolved to reread Thoreau's book about his experiences and contemplations on the peaceful lake in Massachusetts. I found a most incredible quote from Thoreau's book, that really puts into great perspective some of the thoughts about my life I have been having lately. He gives great insight into human recollections of the past, present and future:

"I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. He will put some things behind, will pass an invisible boundary; new, universal, and more liberal laws will begin to establish themselves around and within him; or the old laws be expanded, and interpreted in his favor in a more liberal sense, and he will live with the license of a higher order of beings. In proportion as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex, and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness. If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them."

Rarely does such a redefinition of perspective occur as it has on this trip. I am so grateful for it.

Life is Good

I'm in Boston!! Can you believe it?!

After a redeye and some resultant red eyes (I now see why they call it that), I arrived safely and I am so ready for a fun little vacation before reality begins again! The plan is to split 8 days between the Boston, Massachusetts area and New York City. Maelyn will come out and join me tonight at 11. Meanwhile, Guinevere and I get to play today and I get to see Ben! Wahoo!!

Life is so good. I think all the time about the t-shirt company that has "life is good" as their simple slogan. I love it! I love that such a simple phrase can encompass so much about life! I want to get one of their shirts, but I have yet to find the best deal on them.

I have had an amazing summer in San Diego, I have worked some awesome jobs, I have been able to hang out with Lincoln and show him a lot about my hometown and childhood, and I got to go on some very fun trips! I am actually looking forward to school starting! This next semester will be so much fun because all of us Thomas kids will be in one location for the first time in a really long time. Also, Spencer Pickett and some other extended family relatives will be up in Provo! I am so excited! I will be able to also keep close tabs on Lena and Ben so they don't grow up too fast and forget their Auntie Claire!

Well, I'll make sure to post pictures from the Boston trip! Meanwhile, I love you all and I hope "life is good" for you too!

I'm finished with my psychology class!!! Well, almost. I have to take the final and then I will be finished!!

I have been really busy lately, but it seems like there is light on the horizon! I have been researching information for school and admission to PT school a lot recently and things are looking more and more probable. I am just about finished up with both of my jobs that I have had this summer and I am looking forward to cracking down on school!

This last weekend was one of the best weekends I have had in San Diego. Friday Mom and Dad and Lincoln and I went over to the Picketts for a fun night of yummy food and reunion. Then on Saturday, Lincoln and I went downtown to Balboa Park and looked at some of the museums down there. We went into the San Diego Hall of Champions and got to see my name in the database down there for high school prep athlete. Kinda cool. We also checked out the automotive museum and then most of the museums were closed after that. We were thinking of going to the zoo for a couple of hours, but instead we ended up stopping by to see Evan and Hannah for a few hours.

Dinner with Evan and Hannah was so much fun! Hannah made some great food and we had a great time talking and catching up! One of my favorite things is seeing Evan just melt into a big teddybear with Lena and Hannah just caring for every little detail with Lena. They have the perfect little family! I'm looking forward to being up in Provo with all the Thomas kids together again! We are going to have so much fun!

Boston/New York countdown: 1 week!!