Freedom.

Wow. What a glorious life I live.  This weekend was visionary.  No, nothing extraordinary happened, it was just simple. Simple divinity.  As I noted in my last post, most of my friends are out of town this weekend.  But not all of them.  Dear Katie and Brooke and Ian, you rock. Yesterday I started my day at the library with my English group, working hard for three hours on our 15 page research paper. We were successful.  I walked out earlier than expected to greet the heat and the shadows of heavy clouds.  I watched half an indie film before receiving a call from the one and only Brooke Beecher.  And the fun began.  And by fun, I mean calm, lazy excitement.  After watching multiple episodes of Arrested Development (a show I have never been involved in, although I found it pretty hilarious yesterday), Katie, Brooke, Ian and I decided our bodies needed nourishing.  And what better way to do so than to feed them exceptionally over-priced Italiano?  We set off to Gloria's Little Italy, to experience a little tortellini and a little lasagna.  We watched the movie Stardust afterwards to let ourselves digest. I must say I felt the adventurous and hopelessly romantic side of me at the end of Tristan's journey.

Bike ride. To campus. Best part of my day.  Although I was borrowing a kid-sized bike that was missing the ends of its handlebars, I was able to keep up with my bicycle gang.  We biked all around campus, through the sprinkling rain, and down the hill back to the Enclave.  While on campus, I came across a HUGE deer.  It just looked at me and eventually hid behind a bush as I got closer and closer.  We were going to become really great friends until Katie so lovingly said "Breanna, do you think you are Snow White or something?" Then I realized I was probably tormenting the deer more than befriending it. Darn.  I always wished Dr. Dolittle was a true story.  While the clouds continually threatened to open and pour down on us, I paused to breathe in that its-about-to-rain smell and the smell of the trees.  It was lovely.  This earth is beautiful.

Finally, we went swimming. For nearly three hours.  It rained as we played football and keep away in the pool with 12 others.  And how else to end the day but with a piece of cake and a conversation with friends? I would go on to tell you how wonderful today has been as well, but that might be overwhelming for my friends of the sarcastic nature.  I know this post is incredibly happy and content and lovey and cliche, but I do not see one thing wrong with that.

Friends, count your many blessings. Name them one by one. Throw your cares away for a weekend and feel the sun (or rain) on your face.  It is worth it to live, to really live.

Restlessness.

This morning: Dance class. Walked up to campus.  Ran an errand for a friend.  Bought a book and chocolate covered nuts.  Walked past a forest of green on the way home.  Went to the grocery store with Michelle. Bought treats for friends. Delivered treats for friends. Chatted. Unloaded groceries. Wasted time on YouTube. Wrote a missionary. Blogged.   

Also, {this video} is hilarious, but it probably shouldn't be.

Everyone is going out of town this weekend. Everyone but Breanna. I must stay behind and work on a research paper. Thus, I will be productive this weekend. I have many goals to complete, as I will not be distracted by an overflowing social life.  I am weirdly excited and bummed about it. English class has taken over my life, but the sun is still shining.

Friends are getting married.  Friends are leaving on missions. Friends are graduating. Friends are moving. Friends are studying abroad.  For crying out loud, I am in college. The most changing time of my life, but I feel restless. I'll live in the same apartment for another year.  I'll be in Provo, UT.  Restlessness is not a bad feeling, though.  It is actually pushing me to be more adventurous and daring.  I want to do things. I want to hike Timp. I want to skydive. I want to travel. I want to volunteer more often. I want to get in shape. I want to study for myself. I want to fall in love.  

I am also getting super excited for my next adventure.  I'm driving to California in a month for my first time ever to visit one of my dearest friends and attend her farewell. She is leaving June 17th to serve a mission for 18 months in D.C.  Sister Funch, bringing flavor to Virginia.

I am grateful for life. And friends. And change.  And the warmth of the sun.

Breanna's Words of Wisdom: Ok, so they are C.S. Lewis' words, but I'm telling you to read them: It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.

Divinity.

“Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels."

 - The First Presidency

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.  ~Washington Irving

My mom is all of these things, plus some. Mom, you are super. I love you.

Sobriquet.

Today,

I sat outside for four hours chatting with some really amazing people.

I stressed. I danced. I baked. I smiled.

I ate a quesadilla. {Or two.}

I fell asleep watching Gilmore Girls.

I wasted 45 minutes at the library.

I wished my mother a happy birthday. 

I read a really boring textbook for my advanced English class.

I listened to French pop.

.

and it isn't even 6pm.

Patience.

i beg you...to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. don't search for the answers, which could not be given you now, because you would not be able to live them. and the point is, to live everything. live the questions now. perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.

rainer maria rilke

This is something I need to learn.

Many things will happen in the next five years of my life.  Hopefully many huge, transitional, important things. It just seems as though lately time has been dawdling.  I'm hungry for adventure and eager for change.  Life moves fast enough, why do I have the urge to manually turn the hands on my ticking bell clock in double time?

Breanna's Words of Wisdom: You don't always have something wise to say. Sometimes, it's best to keep quiet.

Gorgeous.

I just wanted to take some time to express how beautiful my friends are.

Love you all.

Breanna's Words of Wisdom: If you are having a party at nine, you want to start baking before one.