... it just hit me.

Well, it finally became real. Honestly, it wasn't just a BOOM! moment, it was a gradual moment. Like oh wow, all my stuff is gone, and my room is really clean and has nothing to even suggest that Kelly Rogers ever lived here. And then of course, it hit me like a ton of bricks when my RA came to check me out of my room and I had to give her my keys. That's when the waterworks started. It was like leaving home all over again.

Because this really has been my home! It's been the first place that I've truly felt independent. It was the start of my new life, my college life. That room was more me than any other thing in this world. The decorations, the colors, everything about it- it soothed me, it screamed ME! It was my comfort zone. I probably spent more time in my room than anywhere else. (I know that sounds incredibly anti-social, but I promise it wasn't- I had plenty of friends in and out!)

I'm really going to miss that place. I mean, I know it was time to go, and I was ready to be out of the dorms, but at the same time, there were a ton of happy memories that I made there. I absolutely loved my freshman year of college. I truly did.

It was so hard saying goodbye to everybody, especially the boys, because who knows when I'll ever see them again! 2+ years, minimum. It's even more difficult simply because our ward is SO close. We did so much together! We went to church together, we ate together in the same place every day at the Cannon Center, and we hung out on weekends. We were best friends.

Now I feel like next year is going to be just like starting over again. I'll be making completely new guy friends, and I'll be living with more than one person. I'll be cooking for myself and I'll have an actual kitchen and living room. I'm excited, but it's a little bit intimidating. It's always hard to step out of the comfort zone. But then I think about the beginning of this year and how nervous I was, but about how eventually things got to be normal; I managed to find a routine, and I got comfortable. That's really what it is- it's not change that I don't like. It's transition- it's that uncomfortable, uncertain feeling in the pit of your stomach because you don't know what to expect. The only thing you can do is just dive in and hope for the best- at least, that's what experience has taught me.

And now, I'm off to Texas for a two-week (much needed, might I add) vacation. I can't wait to see my family and my dog and to eat the Texas food that I've been missing! I can't wait to see my home ward and to see some of my old friends from High School. It'll be nice. (Dreading the plane ride though- I always do.)

So I guess it really just hit me. That chapter of my life is officially closed. I am no longer a freshman (hallelujah!). I'm going to have new adventures, starting today. I don't know what to expect, but I've got a feeling it's going to be good.

The Blessings in My Life

I just want to take a few minutes and talk about the blessings in my life that I have received over this past year, if not the past few years.

I guess the first place to start with is the trials in my life. It's been my experience that for there to be a blessing, there's usually a trial of faith that precedes it. I have, like so many others, experienced a fair amount of trials in my life. Some of been in my family, others have been academically, others financially. And throughout it all, there's one truth that rings more loudly than any bell ever could: God knows me, he loves me, and he hears and answers my prayers.

This past year was difficult in many ways. I was leaving home for the first time; starting a new life in a place where I didn't know very many people. It was more academically rigorous, and for the first time in my life, my education was challenging me. Being a freshman in the dorms isn't cheap by any means. With three months left in school, I ran out of money to pay for my rent/ meal plan. I was stressed beyond belief, so torn up with worry and grief. I tried everything I could- I looked for a job every single day, I prayed, and still I felt desperate, like there was no hope. And then, somehow- the Lord provided a way. Looking back on that challenge, it was so easy for me to see how the Lord had always taken care of me through all of the trials in my life. But when you're in the middle of that trial, it's so hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel; to keep that perspective in mind.

Just recently, I had another trial. This time however, because it was so close to the last blessing I received, the lessons I had learned from that one were still fresh in my mind. Instead of freaking out and worrying beyond belief, I decided to put my trust in the Lord. What was my challenge? Finding a job for the summer. It was really important to me to find a good job that I could do well and make a fair amount of money at so that I could be able to support myself through school the next year. I felt impressed to stay in Utah for the summer, so I was looking for jobs all over the place.

My mom arranged for me to fly home after I took my finals for a two-week mini vacation. I was really excited, but just hoped that I'd be able to find a job before I left. I applied SO many places. I applied online, in person- I even signed up for a Temp Agency. Getting the job there, in itself, was a blessing because of how little experience I have. But I was still worried about income- after all, temping isn't steady money, it's more of a week-by-week- I'll-be-lucky-if-I-find-a-job-today kind of deal. I really wanted a steady job.

I was doing my part. I was praying every morning and night, and in the meantime, I was looking for a solution. I tried to set up interviews, I kept my mind open about what different jobs I could do, and I was constantly applying different places, but nothing seemed to be panning out.

A month earlier, I had applied for a job that I really wanted at Aspen Grove Family Camp. I was applying for a cook position, because I wanted to learn how to cook and I thought that it would be a fun job. I went up there for an interview, but was disappointed at the end of the week to learn that they had decided not to hire me. I asked them to keep me in mind if anything else opened up.

So this week, one morning I get a phone call from a Utah number. It was someone from Aspen Grove, telling me that a job had opened up and that they had received my email the day before and was following up. (I had sent them an email checking if anything had become available). I did an over-the-phone interview, and at the end of the interview, I was offered the job! I was pretty emotional, as you can imagine.

That, alone, is a blessing in itself. But to me, it goes even deeper than that. The job starts on May 4. I get back from Texas on May 2. One of my main worries was that A) I wouldn't be able to find a job before I left, or B) That if I did get a job, I wouldn't be able to make the most of my summer and work all the time that I had. I thought if Aspen Grove did actually hire me that it would be for the June-August session and I'd waste the whole month of May. Or I thought that I'd get a custodial position and I'd be miserable the whole summer. But I got a job that I'll actually like! I'll be working in the store, which means that I'll be checking people out and doing inventory and serving ice cream, which is so totally do-able.

Plus, working at Aspen Grove is supposed to be an incredible experience. The scenery is gorgeous, and the people are super friendly. Plus, there's tons of great facilities and cool stuff to do. There's a Ropes Course, a swimming pool, hiking trails, Arts and Crafts, and tons more. Basically, it's awesome.

But the most awesome part is that I know that this is where I'm supposed to be for the summer. I know that the Lord truly heard my prayers and that He knows my needs. There's a reason that I'm supposed to be working there this summer, and I can't wait to find out what that is.

I'm so grateful for the hand of the Lord in my life. I don't know how else to say it. The Lord loves me, and He loves you, and I've never been more sure of anything in all my life.

I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends

Well, let me first start off by saying how much I LOVE my friends. They are so great! They're so supportive and loving, and I have never laughed more with anyone than I do with them!

There's the talented (photographer of this beautiful shoot) Jess:

Then there's the lovely Meagan:

And of course, the beautiful Brittany:

These girls are so amazing. I'm really going to miss them this summer. (Although I'll probably see Brittany and Megan sometimes cause they both live in Utah). But it's not the same as spending the amount of time with them as I am now. Anyways. I just love them.

If you want to see the whole gallery of the pictures we took, go to this link: Photo Shoot!

As the end draws near-

Wow! I can't believe that my first year of college is just about over. It's really astounding to me. It seems like just yesterday that I was a nervous freshman getting lost trying to find my classes. I still remember that whole knot-in-my-throat feeling of making new friends and being in a new environment. I remember the novelty of the mountains and of the freedom and the lack of curfew. :) And I look back, and I think about how it's gone- there were some weeks that seemed to drag, while most simply flew by. Now that I've gained the perspective of a year come and gone, I see that it was simply a culmination of weeks- I simply took things week by week, and eventually, the semester was over.

I must say though, this semester has been infinitely better than the last. I knew how to choose my classes and the work load was much easier. I think I've finally gotten this whole college thing down! Last night, I registered for classes, which was a nightmare- as always. The servers ALWAYS crash and it takes forever to register! I was totally bummed because I didn't get into the ASL class that I needed. Hopefully somebody will drop it before Fall semester and I'll be able to pick it up. Other than that, i got all the other classes that I wanted! And I even managed to sign up for Bott's missionary prep class! (I know I'm not pre-mission, but Bott is supposedly an INCREDIBLE teacher).

Finals will be coming up pretty soon, and I have to say that I'm not altogether that nervous. I'm taking my Biology final in class- my teacher said we don't even need to study for it; we're just going to use what we've learned in class. For my creative writing class, my teacher is just going to give us a piece to analyze- we're supposed to spend two hours on it and then turn it in. I could do that in my sleep. For my Social Recreation Leadership class, our final is happening tonight- we're throwing a kindergarten-themed party for the whole class! We're going to have games and songs and skits and it should be pretty fun. So that leaves me with only 3 finals to study for! Book of Mormon, which shouldn't be too difficult, and LDS History and World Religions, which should. But, good news- all my finals should be done in a matter of two days. Then I pack up all my stuff the day after and then I go home to Texas for a couple of weeks. (Hopefully I'll be able to secure a job in Utah BEFORE I go- finding one after I come back might be a little more difficult) But I am very excited to go home. :)

I'm not super excited about checking out of the dorms- the cleaning process alone is supposed to take a minimum of four hours. Not that I'll mind that- cleaning relaxes me. I think it's going to be hard to leave all the good memories though. Don't get me wrong- I feel like I have fully outgrown the dorms, and I'm ready to live off-campus- but these dorms were good to me, and I've loved the time that I've spent here! I love the quad, and I love the lobbies and I really love my room. Plus, it's nice being so close to all my friends- if I want to talk to them, it's a very short walk- either up the stairs or across the way to the next building over. It won't be like that next year :(. Plus, I'm constantly reminded of how transitory my life is now. Who knows, I'll probably be moving every year for quite a while! Packing and unpacking- what a hassle! It's just so weird, knowing that this is going to be the first of many experiences like this to come, and I doubt that it will get any easier.

Easter was lovely, as was General Conference. I went to Grandma and Grandpa's house and we had an easter egg hunt with all the little kids. I love being so close to my cousins- they are so sweet. Right as I was leaving to go back to my dorm, Tyson waved bye and said "Have a good day at college!" in that sweet little voice of his. That boy is a sweetheart.

And last but not least- my ward had a talent show last night! It was way fun and there were a ton of people that performed all sorts of things! I sang "Wide Open Spaces" by the Dixie Chicks. Here's a link to that performance (it'll download, but you can totally delete it after: Kelly Rogers, "Wide Open Spaces"

But the highlight, at least in my mind, was the video. I put together a video of all the boys in our ward who had received their mission calls. I worked on it all week and I was really happy with the result. I think the happiest bit was just seeing how much the boys loved it and how it showed their excitement for getting their calls. Here's a link to the video (please watch it! It's a great testimony of missionary work!) Called to Serve