Its been a long time

So I know its been a long time since I have written on this blog, but I am glad to say that I finally like college! This second year has been so much better than the first. I have a routine, I have new friends and I have more confidence in myself. I think I have come a long way from the girl who graduated high school. Granted I have no way to prove that because you guys would see how much I have changed more than I would.

So my college life up until this point. Well this year I am living in a suite, which means I live with 5 other girls. There are three bedrooms, a bathroom and a common area. I have really enjoyed the suite because it provides a way to step away from homework and talk with friends just by walking outside of my room! Also its a lot homier because we have a couch and TV and things that remind me of being home. The other day while I was working on homework, one of my suite mates was vacuuming her room and it was like being home again. Its strange the things you miss when your away from home. Aside from family I miss thunder storms but that's a different subject.

Classes have not been terribly stressful. I've managed to retain academic excellence and will continue to work hard at my grades. As for the harp I am working really hard at that. I am learning these very complicated pieces and am loving it. I have to work even harder at it but that's ok because that is what I am here for.

So who ever reads this you will be proud to know that I have gone on a few dates this past semester. I went on two dates with a return missionary names Nate. It was nice to just go on a date again just to have fun. No, sorry, we are not currently dating but it was very nice.

Over Christmas my family went to Disney World and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! it was so much fun! Disney was everything I remembered it to be. Tower of Terror is still my favorite ride and Matea and I went around taking pictures and getting autographs with characters. It was awesome. Also Disney has a trading pin thing going on which I enjoyed. You basically just get to go around the park and most of the workers had a lanyard with pins and if you liked one of their pins then you just traded one of yours for one of theirs. It was really fun. We went right before Christmas and the crowds really weren't too bad, however, Christmas day was crazy! Magic Kingdom was filled to capacity (82,000!) by guest who were staying on the resort! But it was way fun and we had an awesome time!

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is everything it sounds like :) fantastic! Its a little small, it only has three rides and 5 shops and then Olivander's which is an experience. The Hogwarts Castle is the best line you have ever waited in. Once you get into the castle you get to watch paintings argue, go through Dumbledore's office, meet Ron, Harry and Hermione, listen to the Fat Lady, see the Sorting Hat and everything in between! The ride itself is phenomenal. It combines imax screens with 3-D objects like the whomping willow to take you on a crazy ride! The other rides were fun too but the ride in the castle is the best. Olivander's is also fun. They allow 30 people in at a time and then one person is selected to be paired with a wand. Your's truly was the lucky person to be picked! It might have had something to do with the fact that I was literally dancing with excitement but hey, it worked! So how it works is Olivander begins to tell you of wandlore while taking all sorts of weird measurements, I think the last one he took was the space between my eyes. Then he handed me my first wand to try, he told me to say "Lumos" and I started an indoor thunderstorm. Next he handed me a different wand and told me to levitate a particular wand box. So while thinking swish and flick I cried "Wingardium Leviosa" and managed to knock over a couple of boxes. Then on my third wand he pulled out a really dusty box while being cryptic and saying "I wonder". Of course it was the correct wand and a light came on over my head and some pretty music. It was awesome! I bought the wand and it is currently at home.

Harry Potter was extremely crowded! Mostly because it was after Christmas and Harry Potter. Also it was COLD! We were riding these rides in about 30 degree weather in FLORIDA. INDIANA was warmer at the time then FLORIDA! Crazy! It also made trying to find a Harry Potter Scarf impossible because everyone was buying them to keep warm!

So that is all I really have to report. So thanks for reading :)

Love,
Valerie