Days 1 and 2

I packed my whole car and drove to Utah. Provo. It was all very BYU-esque, and I almost felt like an excited, bubbly college co-ed. Almost.  I thought about why I was coming up here in the first place. Here are some of the things I came up with as I was driving:

• Green
• Mountains- I never get sick of the mountains..especially in the summer.
• Culture-concerts, art museums, interesting and intelligent people (don't hate, Vegas..you just don't have a lot of those things in abundance.)
• The radio stations..my alternative folk/pop/indie heart gets all excited hearing something other than the processed crap on the radio (and I heard plenty of it on the drive up).
• Fry Sauce-It's true, it made me happy.
• Laid Back, Small Town Niceness
• Nice boys (they won't date me, but they'll talk to me)
• New people
• Seeing old friends again
• Being so close to Salt Lake and its many amenities (Temple Square, the Family History Library, Church Art museum (with my girl Minerva Teichert..Love her) and the abundance of amazing restaurants and parks and things to see)
• Cool mountain air

As I was driving, it felt like I was going home. Utah really is a place I can truly be myself. It's ironic in a way because I'm anti-Utah (in the stereotypical LDS culture way ).  Maybe it's because I don't feel like anyone else and know I'll never be like anyone else here, so I quit comparing myself. Which, in essence, makes me unique and AWESOME! The more I talk to people, though, the more unique and awesome they become..so I guess I'm breaking down long-held stereotypes of my own.

In my excitement and my late night driving, long story short, I couldn't find the key in the secret spot and ended up sleeping in my car. I woke up, knocked on the door, and promptly fell asleep  on the couch after I brought all my stuff in. I slept for hours and completely missed church, then I set up  my little rooms that will be my little home for the summer.

Settling in any where new is a little bit exciting and a lot scary. There are so many nuances about moving into someone else's space..almost like a new world to navigate. My roommates, MJ, a darling teacher and Amy, who works at BYU in administration in the Maintenance Department (I think), have been more than welcoming and even cleared an entire wrap around pantry shelf for my food-which knowing me and the way I like to spread out things-was delightful. Amy has an amazing kitchen set-up with anything any one could possibly need or use to make amazing, delicious creations. I covet her knives. My first Sunday here, we all pitched in to make Chicken Divan-a classic Relief Society cook book recipe (proven when we found not one, but two recipes in one of the RS cookbooks on the shelf). I was surprised neither of the the girls had heard of it. We didn't have enough cream of chicken soup, so Amy just whips up a white sauce! It was great. AND she has a rice maker, which is also awesome, because if anyone cannot make rice, it's this girl (me). I have to admit, the casserole tasted a little processed. My taste buds must have changed since the last time I had it, for the better, I think.   It was comfort food-y/Sunday Dinner-y, and gave us an opportunity to chat a little bit. They are really great girls, and I am lucky to have such welcoming roommates.