the uvu thermometer thinks it's 82 degrees outside? i say, no!

i really am just baffled over the fact that some people think it's appropriate to be wearing shorts in 30 degree weather?

like....no....it's not okay!

i've seen people in shorts, a girl in a mini-skirt (yes....it was bad), and people riding bikes with no gloves?

i can see my breath when i'm SITTING IN MY CAR

let alone standing in the freezing air.

just put on some pants.

put on some gloves.

speaking of...

yesterday i went to cafe rio with christina and laurel,

because i just wanted to.

i was wearing my very favorite mittens 

(they are not only cute, but warm...because they're lined in the inside, you know)?

oh, i love these mittens.

i ordered my chicken salad, after asking the lady if she would choose pork or chicken on this particular monday.

she said, "chicken," and i said, "chicken it is."

i paid in cash, because i don't have anything in my checking account.
(thanks Gold's freaking Gym for taking all the money i was proud to own. it's a good thing i work out so often, that money is being put to good use....)

i should have just gotten the tostada, but that tortilla on the bottom makes all the difference, and i'd hate to neglect the tortilla! besides, no one even likes corn tortillas, do they? i mean, they get so soggy and taste just like paper?

anyways.

when i left, i realized i lost my mitten! 

the right hand one! which is the good one!

so i went back.

and searched forever.

looking under tables,

by the soda fountain,

by the bowl of mints,

and i even asked the employees if they had seen it.

it was nowhere.

so i was really sad and couldn't get myself to pull away in my car
 (that i really shouldn't have been driving, because did i mention a tree fell on it? well, it did. and because of that, my windshield is shattered and my side-view mirrors fell off. but cafe rio was calling for me)!

so i made christina go look for it,

because you know how sometimes when you're doing a word search, and can't find a word,

and then someone glances over your shoulder and just points to the word you've been trying to find for the past hour? yes, that's why i don't do word-searches.

well, i was hoping that would be the case with this situation.

she came outside holding my mitten

and i cried.

that's how much i care.

so you could say that was a good time.

(side-note: i trusted those employees when they told me they HAD NOT SEEN MY MITTEN. so, people of cafe rio......why did you have it sitting at the register? yeah, that's what i thought)!

and then today i had a history final.

it wasn't supposed to be comprehensive,

but then it WAS ALL COMPREHENSIVE.

so i just played russian roulette and hoped for the best.

it was a fun guessing game.

then i sold that history book back SO FAST.

they gave me $9.50 for it, plus they had a bowl of free mini candy bars.

so i took one a few

and then put some in my purse for the road.

i mean,

finals week is so stressful sometimes.

ha.

who am i kidding.

my life is wonderful and i wouldn't trade it for anything.

my thoughts

refrain from judging,

be more open to loving.

don't you think?

xo

jasmine

do good. be good.

i just can't get over how beautiful and wonderful this life is.

how people are truly good.

i am amazed at the amount of love people have in their hearts.

i know that each person i come in contact with has so much to offer me.

whether it's a smile exchanged, or a heartfelt conversation.

i can learn so much from those that surround me.

i truly believe that every person wants to be and do good. 

everyone has different weaknesses, but we all have strengths. 

we all have something that we can learn from others...

and we all have something we can teach.

i hope i can always remember to use the goodness that's instilled within me.

hold on to me as you go

so remember how i told you that i loved philip phillips

despite his name?

well....christina and i made this video last night.

and i love it.

and i keep watching it.

because it brings me back to how great all these nights were.

xo

jasmine

pesto and chicken crepe....is rumbling in my stomach right now

so.

this is my favorite song right now.

(my dad ALWAYS gets so mad at me when i say that, because at any given moment, i have about 43 favorite songs "right now").

sorry that i love my music?

anyways.

i know this song is super popular....which normally bothers me,

because i tend to like the tunes that aren't all over the radio.

however,

this song hits it right on the head for how i'm feeling.

if you really listen to the lyrics, it applies to leaving on a mission.

for me, i'm leaving for a year and a half.

to a new place.

completely new, and quite far from the home i'm used to.

"Hold on, to me as we go
As we roll down this unfamiliar road
And although this wave is stringing us along
Just know you’re not alone
Cause I’m going to make this place your home

Settle down, it'll all be clear
Don't pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you’re not alone
Cause I’m going to make this place your home"

um....
okay....fine...philip phillips.....go ahead and make this song just for me.
go right ahead.

and p.s. who names their child philip phillips?! i bet you think you're SO original there. don't ya?


anyways.
i feel like i could bold every word in this whole song.
and i do-- i bold it in my head.

the road i'm about to go down is completely unfamiliar to me.
in fact, this road is unfamiliar in every, single way possible.
sometimes the fear gets a grip on me,
when i start thinking too hard.
when i start to look at the ukrainian alphabet and it doesn't make sense.
when i go shopping with my family and burst into tears because i keep thinking how i won't be able to shop for so long.
when i think about how hard the mtc will be.
when i think about the huge possibility that maybe my companions won't even speak english...and how in the world will i be able to communicate with them?!
 and what if i hate borscht....and that's all ukrainians eat?!
"Borscht is the most popular soup of Ukrainian cuisine that got its name from the most important ingredient, beets, called in old Slavic, borscht."

but then,
when i realize how silly and selfish i'm being,
i think of how i'll never be left alone.
how this is the best thing that I could possibly be doing with my life.
how i know that the demons are there... just to fill me with fear.
how i know that i was called to ukraine for a very specific reason.
how i will be lost in the service of the Lord.
how i won't even care that i'm wearing the same five outfits: week after week after week (crossing my fingers that i won't mind that one).
how i will be fluent in ukrainian by the end of my mission.
how much i'll grow those eighteen months.....more than i ever have before.
how i will learn to truly learn to be humbe.
how i will truly learn about myself.
about how strong i really am.
how ukraine will be.....my home.

so philip,
thank you for your wise words.


and God,
thank you for trusting me enough to send me to this new place.
to teach of Jesus Christ.
and the infinite amount of love He not only has for me,
but for all of us.



xoxo
jasmine

ode to the roommates

meet two of my very best friends:

laurel (left)

and christina (right)

we have had the most amazing experience together the past while. 

i love both of these girls so much.

 i became great friends with christina while we were both at utah state,

and laurel and i have been friends since high school.

we all moved in together,

and all decided to serve missions. 

it's been so amazing to share countless conversations, tears, temple trips, thoughts, fears, and ideas 

with these great girls.

we have grown so close, and i'm so glad we all finally have our mission calls!!!!!

laurel: ARGENTINA

christina: PUERTO RICO

me: UKRAINE

how amazing is that?!

......of course i'm leaving last. what am i going to do with myself?!

love you girls.

xo

mission call

KYIV, UKRAINE, people!

ukraine. as in the country on the other side of the world. the country that speaks UKRAINIAN?! the place i'll be serving for the next year and a half. (starting in march). crazy. crazy.

and....here's the video.

because i know you want to watch it as many times as i have.

(i guess you have to click on the link)?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKwrOJsL5yU