New Blog Name Based on My Decisions of Idiocy

So, I'm thinking of changing my blog name to "I'm Having Delusions of Grandeur Idiocy..." Honestly. I really am. Because it seems as if everything I do lately revolves around stupid decisions I make. So, I made the dumb blizzard mistake (see "Good Samaritan" blog) and now I have made another one. Granted, it was also part accident. But if I was being smart, I wouldn't have the problem I am now dealing with.

Friday night my dad and I stopped at a hotel in Wyoming on our way to Salt Lake. The next morning when I was taking a shower I realized the shampoo and conditioner was on the sink...not in the shower. So, instead of turning off the water and stepping on the towel, as to not get water on the floor, I decided to leave the water on, and try to sneakily (sp?) step onto the towel without getting water on the floor. BIG mistake. And I mean, BIG. I stepped out and slipped. Not only did I slip...I slipped, hit my back on the edge of the toilet seat, and then hit the floor. I rolled onto my hands and knees and then the pain and panic set in. Next thing I know, I'm crying and I can't stand up.

I managed to throw on some clothes and opened the door. I crawled to the hotel bed and laid there for about half and hour while my dad decided what to do and refigured the packing in the car so I could lay down and make it to the hospital/Salt Lake. After 30 minutes I was able to stand and "shuffle." We drove all the way to Salt Lake and there I went to Emergency Care. Luckily, the doctor said, I didn't break anything. But he said I mutilated my muscles. "You took a hit and you took it hard."

So, I've been on a few meds and have been resting a lot. I am a million times better than yesterday, there is no need to freak out, and really...I'm doing great. A lot, a lot, a lot better. But I know several people have been asking about it because my loving sister felt the need to ask EVERYONE to pray for me. Lol. I love her. :)

But as I said earlier, my dumb decisions of idiocy. Is it time for a blog name change? I think so. If it's not one thing, it's something else.

Like Father, Like Daughter...All the Way to Utah!

Tomorrow morning at 6 am another journey across the country will begin! I am packed, the tank is full, got my Dasani ready (this is a Liz tradition), got my map (That's right. No GPS. An actual map.), and I am good to go! I have actually driven this route more times than I can remember. We've been taking it since I was 8. So needless to say, I know where I'm going, but my Dad and I like to quiz each other on the state capitals and nicknames and I can't do that without a map. Yes, we're nerds.

I love driving. I really do. I just find some kind of comfort in driving and I actually have this secret dream of being a stunt driver. Anyway...I am very excited to have my dad with me on this trip. I have made the trip by myself, with my sister and brother-in-law, with my friend Nichole, with my mom, and with my dad.

We have a lot of fun. My dad is a lot like me sometimes. We want to get there. No stops, just go. Get there. But sometimes we do like to stop and look at something or visit some place. My dad also likes to quiz me on my "film score" knowledge. Here's the story. Me and my dad both love film/movie scores. We love listening to instrumental music and his collection is insane! He has so much music from The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, that it would take a day or two to listen to all of it. It makes me insanely jealous. Every trip he'll make a new mix and play it in the car. And I have to guess what movie the song comes from or what the title of the song is. Then we rehash our favorite parts of the movie, favorite lines, etc. And then he gives me the mix.

We talk movies. Music. What it was like for him growing up. Stories from his mission (the BEST). College. He asks me questions about anything and everything. I love it.

We also very good, deep, gospel discussions. The plethora of knowledge my dad has about the church and the gospel is amazing to me. My dad hasn't always been a member. He joined the church when he was 19. But he can quote something from every single prophet and a lot of general authorities. He can tell you what the talk was called and when it was given. He knows the scriptures better than anyone I've ever met and when you ask him a gospel question, he can walk over to our "church bookshelf," pull a book from the 30 that are there, and flip to the exact page to find the answer. It never ceases to amaze me.

Most girls want to grow up to be like their moms. And I do, too. But I also want to grow up to be like my dad. If I can grow up to be like both of them, then I think I'll be happy.

All in all, I'm looking forward to this trip! And I am even more excited to see this...

and this...

and this...

Hang on, Utah! I'm coming!

No Longer in Limbo

"Who says God doesn't answer prayers? Because He does." - Iris Dunn

The amazing woman who gave the above quote is my grandmother. I love my cute, little, British grandma with all my heart and this is what she said when I gave her the news.

I am no longer in limbo. I have a job! And for this, I could not be more grateful. On Monday the 10th, I received a phone call from a certain school district in Salt Lake City, UT, asking if I was still interested in working for their district. YES, YES, YES! What they didn't know was that I was still in Georgia. They agreed to have an over-the-phone interview with me the coming Friday. I had my interview and felt very good about it. I felt that I could have done better, but that I did fairly well and was very excited to hear the outcome the following week. They said they would call "mid week" so I practiced exercising patience and waited. I was a wreck all Tuesday, Wednesday, and then finally on Thursday, let's be honest, I had just become a hot mess. My mom said she was afraid to ask me if they had called because I looked like I'd burst into tears at any second.

Friday came and I decided to have a late run on the tredmill. I had been jogging for about 25 minutes when I heard my phone ring. I looked down and didn't recognize the number, but I knew the area code! It was the school! Hallelujah! The principal called to extend me the offer of working with them at their school. And of course, I said yes. :)

I was completely overjoyed. I had been praying and hoping for so, so long to find a job. And I knew the possibilities of finding a teaching job MID YEAR were slim. Finding one out West, even slimmer. I almost couldn't believe it.

I called some family members to let them know and tell them the good news. When I talked to my grandma she was so excited! Mostly because this means I'm coming to live with her (haha!) but then she said, "And who says God doesn't answer prayers? Because He does."

Elder Richard G. Scott said, "Communication with our Father in Heaven is not a trivial matter. It is a sacred privilege. It is based upon unchanging principles. When we receive help from our Father in Heaven, it is in response to faith, obedience, and the proper use of agency...When we explain a problem and a proposed solution, sometimes He answers yes, sometimes no. Often He withholds an answer, not for lack of concern, but because He loves us—perfectly. He wants us to apply truths He has given us. For us to grow, we need to trust our ability to make correct decisions. We need to do what we feel is right. In time, He will answer. He will not fail us...He is your loving Father; you are His beloved child. He loves you perfectly and wants to help you."