Rexburg Wind

I woke up late for class this morning because I'd been up till 2am writing a stupid paper for my Design Basics class. I quickly showered and got ready, thinking all was well. I surprisingly got ready ahead of schedule and thought...the day can't get any better. Well...I was right. A huge cold front has apparently decided to come in and I have yet to buy a winter coat. The cold isn't necessarily the problem. It's the wind! The wind cuts through you like knives! While walking by the construction area, which not so conveniently is right in between my apartment and most of the places I have to go on campus, a HUGE gust of wind ripped through the building I was walking by and the building they were working on. I had a huge urge to scream, but, you will all be proud of me, I didn't. I kept walking as fast as I could until I got to my apartment. I have now decided that it is essential to own enough under armor to last a week. That will be my next purchase along with more winter clothing. Growing up in the South really did nothing to prepare me for this weather.

First Week of College

First off, let me just say this. College is AWESOME! When I got here the first night, I wasn't sure I wanted to be here. I was in my apartment with none of my belongings because my boxes hadn't showed up yet. Luckily I had brought the basics and had one blanket and one pillow, so I didn't have to buy anything new for that. The next morning I got my boxes and I have been loving it ever since!

As far as classes go, I have 5 of them. They are amazing, along with my teachers. They will be incredibly challenging, but well worth the work and effort put into them. My other class I will find out tomorrow because I haven't had it yet. It's my Design Seminar class and is only held when the teacher says we have a reason to! It's nice. My schedule is pretty crazy, but at least it keeps me busy. I have gotten used to the fact that homework is going to take a long time now. No more done in an hour kinda stuff. It takes at least 4-5 to get everything done correctly and that's what my goal is. I gotta keep my GPA up in order to get my tuition paid for!

My roommates are all so awesome! I'm incredibly blessed to have gotten such good ones. My actual roommates name is Amanda. She is in love with the color pink, which I will admit took some getting used to at first to walk in our room and notice all the pink. It's okay now though. I'm used to it. Two of her friends are also in the apartment with us. Chelsey and Erin. We all get along great and they have let me into their "clique" as they called it. We have the same kinda sense of humor and laugh about the dumb things we do. Just the other day I had to go out into our living room laughing hysterically to tell them about how Amanda had just run into our door frame (a very me thing to do in case you didn't already know). We were all dying and by the time Amanda and I got back to our room, we were both in pain from laughing so hard.

I have met other friends as well. I have two really good guy friends that I met at orientation. Nathan and Lex. Nathan is way funny and nice. I helped him get ready for his dance audition on Thursday (I don't know why he chose me to help, cause I can't dance) and it was a lot of fun. He taught me how to Cha-Cha and some more Swing moves. Lex is an awesome friend. The worst part of this whole experience so far was last Saturday when I got caught up in all the orientation stuff I had to do and completely blanked about the mandatory meeting I had to go to for the Design Program I'm in. I was so scared I'd be kicked out of it. I called him up on my way home from the University Store and he met me as I was walking past his apartment. He gave me a huge hug and I, being such a girl, started crying. He made me feel a lot better and he walked me home, carrying all the books home for me.

Dad, you'd be proud of me. I was at my friends dorm "party" thing on Thursday night with no one to walk home with. I was going to leave before it got dark out, but my friend told me to just call the campus security and they'd send someone to walk me home. I thought that was stupid, but I got caught up playing soccer and before I knew it, it was dark out. I really didn't want to walk home in the dark alone, so I ended up calling. A very nice guy (RM, cute, very sweet, and easy to talk to) showed up and walked me home. Sadly, he didn't ask for my number and all I know about him is what little he told me on the walk to my apartment. I'm hoping I'll run into him on campus sometime soon, but with my luck I doubt it. Anyways...what you're supposed to be proud of Dad is the fact that I didn't walk home alone in the dark. I called someone to keep me safe. I knew you'd be worried if I was doing that kind of thing.

Saturday was the Welcome Back Dance on the upper fields. (There are a lot of fields and gardens. It's hard to keep them straight.) I begged my roommates to go with me and they did cause they love me. That and I'm sure they didn't want to sit around our apartment for the rest of the night. We went and I only got asked to dance twice. :( Sad day...I know. The first dance however was a Swing Dance! One of the guys from my Ward saw me standing there and asked if I knew how. I told him I knew the BASICS, but that was all. We started dancing and he was swinging me all over the place! It was so much fun! I loved it. What I didn't expect was when he reaches down and proceeded to FLIP ME!!!! over his arm!!!! I definitely wasn't expecting that, and I ended up landing on my knee. He said "You're supposed to keep going." I argued my defense saying I only knew the basics and I wasn't expecting to be flipped. We continued dancing and at the end of the song he did it again (warning me first this time) and I actually did it!!! I flipped over his arm!!! Me...Kate...did a flip during a swing dance. It was so cool!!!

Well, this is as far as my college life has gone so far. I'll keep yall up to date on what's happening with it.

Mesa Falls

I am finally in Rexburg! My friend Terrance happened to be down in Salt Lake City and offered to give me a ride up to school...for FREE! That was the best part. That and I didn't have to pay for the trip! hehe. We made the trip hauling a trailer on the back of his Jeep, but we made it safely and I am now staying with the Lucas Family. They so graciously let me come and stay in their home for a couple nights because I can't move into my apartment until tomorrow. I am so grateful for them and all that they have done for me.

Today their family was going up to Mesa Falls and invited me along with them. It was GORGEOUS! I loved it! It was a little chilly in the shade, but warm in the sun. We even picked some berries and ate them! It was a lot of fun. After that they took us all out for dinner along with their little grandson. He's 4 years old and absolutely adorable. He's in his bossy stage, but nonetheless a lot of fun. When we got home he showed me how he can ride his dirt bike. SO CUTE! I didn't know they even made dirt bikes for 4 year olds, but they do and he rides it like a pro.

To Take or Not to Take...That is the Question

Packing for College is one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do. I never realized how many things I have that are so precious to me! Things like my bed, stuffed animals, and my bulletin board...they are all things that I will miss tremendously when I am gone. Silly, I know...but nonetheless true. Mostly, I'm going to miss a lot of people, and I now realize that I won't be able to see or talk to them for a long time. Okay, so 4 months isn't THAT long, but it is when you're used to talking to them everyday, every week, or even every month.
I have cleaned out my closet, packing away the clothes that I will be shipping out west and putting things that I won't use in 30 gallon bins for storage. Most of what I need will be bought once I am already out there. School is paid for, but food and things like that is not. I will have to deal with that when the time comes. I leave on the 13th...crazy I know. This Sunday will be the last Sunday I am here and then I'll be a college student! I'm terrified and scared silly, but at the same time so incredibly excited.

Carowinds

Two years ago when I went to Six Flags with my best friends family, I was too scared to go on a roller coaster until we were about to leave...then found I loved them and rode it 2 more times. Today I can officially say that I am completely over my fear of any kind of ride after my flight experience at Carowinds this past weekend. My best friend Jordan and I paid the $15 each to have the chance to "fly." I was terrified, but I did it!!! I was so proud of myself and of Jordan who pulled the cord that let us drop. It was soooo much fun, but I drowned Jordan out with my blood curdling scream. It's the funniest part of the video.

Selling the House and My Car

My car has recently been acting up. I'm not exactly sure why, but it has. When I was driving to Charlotte to go to Warped Tour with a friend, somehow my break lights ended up staying on. A very nice gentlemen (I feel bad I never introduced myself or got his name or anything) helped me with my car. He ended up showing us how to take the lights out and put them back in for our drive home. Thank goodness this worked and we made it home safe and sound.

Tuesday we managed to fix the car. Ended up something with the break pedal or something or other along those lines. Then Wednesday came. I had a doctors apt bright and early at 9am, then I was supposed to come home, pick up the house, shower, and leave so it could be showed at 11:30. This was all going according to plan. Drove to the doctors (which I am healthy now, YAY!), drove home, cleaned, showered and even ate lunch. After gathering my things, I headed downstairs to the car, only stopping to turn all the lights on downstairs. I got in...opened the garage...and started the car. It stayed running for a whole 2 seconds before going dead. I tried it again...same thing. Again...same thing. I was stuck. I went upstairs and called our realtor who said to take a walk. I figured I could do that, so I grabbed my keys and water and left. They were already here though. I explained to the realtor what happened and I walked down my driveway. I was checking the mail when I heard, "We can't open the lock box. Can you let us in?" So I hiked back up and let them in. They toured the house for about 15-20 minutes and then left. Apparently they liked though, because they are coming again to take one last look before "committing" to anything. They were a cute little family. They had a son that looked to be about 3. I guess there was a reason my car broke down while I was at home...

The Funny Happening...

My Ward has always been like a 2nd home to me. I go there and everyone knows, loves, and cares about me, so I never think twice about being myself there. Sometimes life throws one at you. I mean...I know Heavenly Father has a sense of humor...but I never thought he'd do this to me.

As usually, I was running late for Church. I didn't think to look at the stand, figuring I'd know everyone up there. My dad...his counselors...the usual. I knew we were getting a new missionary however, so I did look to see who it could be. There was only one missionary sitting next to the new guy though. I didn't think anything of it and proceeded to my 2nd to front row pew where my mother was waiting. As I was putting my stuff down, someones eye caught mine from the stand, looking around the Podium at me. With a quick flash, I recognized the eyes and sat down quickly. I asked my mother, "Mom, is that who I think it is?" to which she responded. "Yeah, is that the one you went on a date with?"

Two years ago, in august in fact, will be two years from the day I went to Lagoon on a blind date with Nate. We had an amazing time, during which I'd asked him if he was planning on serving a mission. He said yes and I told him it would be hilarious if he was sent to the Charlotte North Carolina Mission (the mission I happen to live in) knowing it would NEVER happen. We said our goodbyes at the end of the day and that was the last time I saw him. We did stay in touch however. We would chat on MSN or we had the occasional phone call. We just kept it friends (thank goodness, or this next part would be really awkward).

About 5-6 months later, he received his mission call. I was on my way to church for Wednesday night activities and he calls me as I'm parking in the Bi-Lo parking lot to run in and grab something. I answer my phone and I say, "Hey, what's going on?" I knew something big happened, not knowing he'd gotten his call, considering he never called me. He tells me, "I just got my mission call and wanted to tell you." I immediately get excited for him and say, "Oh! Tell me." He says, "I'm going to the Charlotte North Carolina Mission." I say, "No seriously Nate, where are you going?" He repeats, "The Charlotte North Carolina Mission." I paused for a second, trying to decide if he was serious and said, "Your being serious aren't you?" I couldn't believe what he was telling me. I had predicted (on accident of course) that he was going to come here!

About a year and a half went by and I had heard from him twice. Once to tell me he was going to ask his Mission President if we could write and the second to tell me his Mission President said we couldn't. I had even asked his Mission President before I had heard back from him if I could write Nate and been told no. Which I understood and didn't get mad about, but I figured...he knew Nate and I knew each other. There was no way he was going to send him to my Ward. Little did I know.

After I had flipped out a little sitting there, I found out it was the 5th Sunday of the month...meaning it was Missionary Sunday and the Missionaries were giving talks. Do you want to guess what Nate spoke on? He spoke on how he knew he had a reason to be here and that it was meant to be. During his talk, he did say how we knew each other and that we had gone on a date and were friends. After Sacrament meeting, we said hello for the first time in person in almost 2 years. Soon after I stopped talking to him, I had about 5 people come up to me saying, "Boy, you sure do get around," making me sound like a complete tramp.

Now, I have mono....which I have already been called a "Floozy" for (Thanks Bro. Matz, haha) and I'm hoping my reputation doesn't get any worse as the Biphop's Daughter.