sickly, storms & stuff.

I don't really know where to start this post. This last week has been pretty crazy. Well last 10 days since I posted last. A lot has happened, and there wasn't much beach time put into any of it. So it goes like this.

I worked 34 hours last week. That's a story in itself. We are only allowed to work 19 hours a week while in school and I broke that rule, obviously. In the summer however [even while in school] we can work up to 25. Weeeeeell, I still broke that and worked 9 more. So this is what happend. We were having parties on the daily at work, and with me dropping my music class, [oh that happened!] I wasn't so stressed about tests and junk and I just volunteered myself the extra hours. The biggest problem was, I worked over 19 hours, now 4 weeks in a row... with my 4th week being the highest. I was in trouble and I knew it. I was dreading the phone call from Auntie Bae--the lady over our department. Well, I got the call and I was freaking! I went in and she wasn't mad, not at all actually, she was just scared. She wanted to help. We went through my hours and it was against the law--well for the school to let me work 4-weeks in a row over 19 hours. My 4th week had to be 19.  If not, they would have to pay the insurance $600 and I could easily lose my job over it. To say the least, I was FREAKING OUT when she said this. I told her I was on my parents insurance and if there was anyway we could go through them or what we'd have to do. We started talking and she made a few phone calls... one thing led to another and we were able to figure it out, but dang was I freaking out! She was nervous too. She just said, "Next time, just make sure your 4th week is only 19 hours, okay?!" I agreed and thanked her. Man, that was a close one. 

So, back to still having a job! We had an open mic night at work, which was so fun and we had a pretty good turn out. I wish more people would have come, but hey, it was only our second one; so with time. The first one, was actually the day I was hired and I showed up at the very end of it. We decided we are going to have them every last Thursday of the month for the rest of the year. Which I'm not sure how it's going to work in October and November... since the last Thursday in October is Halloween, which without even looking at a calendar makes the last Thursday of the month in November Thanksgiving.. which happens to fall on my birthday this year. How fun is that? Awesome. Also this week, BYU-HSA had their opening social at the Game Center and it was a huge dance, so that was fun... I guess. I don't know, it was super annoying cause we had the bowling lanes going and they kept breaking and all of Kat's friends were there so I felt bad so I just pretty much sat in the back most the time just fixing the lanes. It's alright though. We finally shut off number 2, because it was ridiculous and had to be fixed every single time someone bowled and so the pins literally had to be set into each cell every time. Annoying.

Next was Aaron's birthday. Ooooh that boy. I got his package sent off in-time and called my mother to make sure he didn't open it early. It came two nights before his birthday and she went and hid it so he couldn't find it. He begged to open it and she said no; thanks mom! It wasn't much, but being a poor college student, like legit poor, this kid is luckily he got more than a card! I couldn't hardly believe it when I wrote, "Happy 20th Birthday Aaron" on the inside of that card. 20! He was no longer a teenager. It was crazy realization. I know we are all growing up and moving out, but writing that card just made the realization that much more real. I love that not-so-anymore kid brother of mine so much. He has always been such a great example to me of what it means to love and to be a good friend. He may not always say he loves you [he tells me all the time] buuuut for those he doesn't, he shows it in his own way and in his own time. I know he loves me and has always showed it. I also know how much he loves his little brother Jared, and the rest of our family. Our family wouldn't be complete without him. This kid is also my best friend. He is loyal and is always willing to lend a listening ear and shoulder to cry on. I love that kid so much and am so grateful to call him my little brother. Don't know where I'd be without him.

So I called this lovely little brother of mine and he said thanks for the package and then asked, "So are you celebrating my birthday over there today?" My reply, "Of course I am...!!" So what do I do? Run to the store before I had to be at work, find a muffin [cause cupcakes were only sold by the dozen], buy some candles and a .79 cent lighter [poor college kid probs] and I ran to the beach! Um, have you ever tried to light a candle next to the ocean? Yeah, it was too breezy to keep it lit, but it was the thought that counted, right? Right... So I wrote his Happy Birthday Aaron in the sand and then ran to work... That's celebration enough, right?

I worked from 11-3 that day and then had to go back in and worked 5-11:30pm. It was a looong day to say the least. But that night the family called to sing happy birthday and blow out the candles via FaceTime. For some reason it didn't connect the first time, so I missed the candles, but we sang again when I was finally connected. I loved talking and seeing those little goobers faces! My family is seriously so great.

Well, next thing you know, a storm was rolling in. Tropical Storm Flossie. I'm not going to go into much detail, but we had heard that it was going to be this huge 3-day storm and craziness! It has hit the Big Island Sunday night and was headed our way. They closed the PCC Monday in fear that it would hit during the Night Show and having to evacuate a bunch of misconstrued tourists didn't sound like much fun to the directors there, so they closed it down. That is a huge call for a business the size of the PCC-- and being that the only day of the year it's closed besides Sunday's is on Christmas Day. So yeah, it was a really big call and shock! So while we are checking our weather apps and storm channels for any updates, sand bags are going out and things are closing down. People are at FoodLand buying huge cases of water and flour and rice like this thing is going to leave us in complete disarray. I was hoping for more warning if it was, but I just filled up my two water bottles I had and called it good. I had top ramen, peanut butter and popcorn in my drawers, I was golden.

Well the evening was coming on, and I was at dinner with my friends Manu and Brendon and I go, "Guys, I just want to go down to the ocean, just to see how big the waves are getting..." Manu jumped on the chance and said, "If you go, I'll go." Because just that morning at breakfast there was a bunch of us and they were telling me how last winter semester there was a tsunami warning and a bunch of the kids went to the point and how STUPID it was. Ha!  But I just wanted to check it out... Manu totally did too, and Brendon came along as well. They talked about getting their suits on and grabbing a canoe... I was definitely against that idea, and the sun was almost down, not that you could tell cause it was so gloomy and dark outside from the nasty gray clouds... Anyways, they didn't end up getting them, and we just headed down. We got down the beach and the water had risen a few feet, at least. It was way higher and the waves were definitely bigger. It wasn't until we walked up to the point, [I know, I'm such a hypocrite] that we saw just how big the waves actually were! They were ridiculous! The white wash was insane behind each wave and it was crashing up on the rocks bigger than any of us had ever seen. It was an amazing site.. and too dark to get decent pics! But believe you me, it was nutsooo. Well, we decided to stat heading back and then it stated raining. Not like a hard, crazy rain. It was more soft and small drops, but a lot at the same time. To say the least, all layers were completely SOAKED by the time we got back to campus. But it was worth it.

I forgot about having a pink sweater in my backpack... but when I was freezing & wet in the library, I didn't have much of a choice and stuck in on.. and then people started pointing out all the pink I had on... From my earphones, down to the toe nails and my bag of cough drops... Pathetic!! One kid goes, "You can tell she was in a sorority, because she was freaking out cause she was wearing Pink on Monday instead of Wednesday!" [Mean Girl's movie reference, I died.] 

So the storm. Not as big as they thought it would be. It was downgraded from a "Mini-Hurricane" from the Baja to who knows what. But today it actually turned around and came back our way and gave us some good hard rain for a while during the day... and the few following. Hopefully it'll stop soon.

Other then that.. Oh, I got sick. I'm hoping I'm on the mend! But yeah, not fun. It started out with a sore throat last week, and Manu went down to the store and got me some cough drops. I took them and seemed to be doing better. So I stopped taking them... Then remember how I mentioned I walked soaking wet in the rain and then, oh, sat in a cold library and studied for my hundred question psychology test I had to take and then in a cold testing center for an hour to take it? Yeah, that happened. So I feel like that kind of shoot my immune system and said, "are you crazy lady?" The answer is, yes. So that evening my throat started bugging me again, and then Tuesday it was hardcore hurting. I thought I could push through it by just taking more cough drops and obviously it didn't work. Wednesday was awful. I had a fever, I was nauseous all day and my throat was like death. I had become super congested and it had gone up into my ears and I was getting awful headaches on top of it all. I couldn't take ibuprofen, because it was making me more sick because I didn't have anything in my stomach, and when I took some da-quil Manu had given me, I was sooo much more nauseous afterwards. It was a lose-lose situation all the way around. I didn't sleep good, Monday or Tuesday night, but last night, Wednesday was for sure the worst of them all. I literally thought I was going to die. Yesterday I had to push through a three hour work meeting and afterwards I just wanted to cry. I sucked it up and didn't even tell my boss I was sick, but I honestly wanted to die afterwards. I saw Manu and Brendon as I was sitting on a bench outside work, not even having enough energy to get to my hale and asked them for a blessing. They said of course and gave me one. I was so grateful. I made it back to my room and my roommate came home later that night. She felt so bad. She came over and gave me a hug and told me she'd go with me to health services in the morning. Another friend came by the room and asked what she could get me, and went down to the store and got me some sprite and saltines. Let me just say, being sick here SUCKS!! Big time!!

So today I got up and got a picture message with this face. Don't worry, this little one just loves cherries.

If that wouldn't make your day, what would? Sherri than texted me, "I just clipped Wesley's fingernails and he said, 'lets send these to Aunt T!' Have you checked your mail today?" I told her no and how sick I'd been. She sent her condolences and told me not to worry about it until I felt better. Of course I was already on my way to the mail by the time I'd gotten that text!! She had sent me the sweetest care package ever!! I opened it and the first thing I saw were the 'e-mergen'c's, I was so excited! I had just thought the day before how bad I wish I had some, and here they were! She is so sweet. She even sent me some of her own homemade products that she's making now!! They smell sooo good and work even better. Thanks again sis for the care package, it came on the perfect day and time... just like magic.

I went to Health Services today, and they are now treating me for strep and an ear infection. Wahoo! Hopefully these anti-biotic's will kick in soon and I will be better.  As for now, I will try and stay down and recover... and drink some emergen'c and eat some candy ;)

I hope ya'll's week was healthier than mine!

Kisses from the sea xoxoxo