Havasupai Here I Come!!

Gah I'm so stoked! I'm going to Havasupai tomorrow! Well we're driving down there tomorrow night, sleeping in the car at the top, then hiking down early Saturday morning! It will be awesome! I haven't been since the summer of 2006.. and since then there was a HUMONGO flood that changed some of the falls. Navajo falls, which was my favorite one... is no longer there, but there are 2 smaller falls that took it's place.
I'm not so sure how I feel about that, but hey what can you do? What's done is done. Havasu falls is a little smaller, and I think rumor has it that the direction is slightly changed, but it's basically the same. I'm not sure about Moony and Beaver falls, but I think since they are farther away, not a lot of damage was done. Man, I just love this place! It's a ten mile hike that is WAY worth it, it's definitely one of the most BEAUTIFUL places I have ever been! Plus there is CLIFF JUMPING.. I still have a few beauty marks from last time, I'm not sure they will ever go away, so I guess it's time to make more! :) I'll be sure to give an update of the "new and improved" havasupai. In the meantime, here's a few pictures from last time. Ya, It's okay to be jealous, it's THAT cool!!

Water Balloons and BBQs

Today we were in the midst of a normal Memorial Day holiday when Adam got the GREATEST idea. We were all planning on going to my dad's house later that evening for our family BBQ and Adam decided to make it just a tad better with WATER BALLOONS!! So he came over and we filled them up to take over there. We wanted a sneak attack, but we weren't exactly sure how to do it. We got there and everyone else was already in the pool, so as unsuspicious as humanly possible, we moved the 2 coolers of balloons to the garage and got in the pool. 45 minutes later it was time to eat, so everyone piled out of the pool and found places to eat around the yard. After dinner everyone was still lounging around, talking and such. Adam snuck out of the conversation and got a balloon and launched it at Jacob, it was awesome because no one was expecting it. Everyone else went inside and Adam, Amanda, Jeremy, Rachel and I all snuck around the yard with a balloon in each hand and fired at my dad, just minding his own business, flipping the burgers. His whole back was soaked, and before he knew what hit him we were out of there! Kayla thought she had a great idea and went inside and got her handful of balloons and started filling them up in the front yard, she had no idea we had 2 coolers full of them sitting in the garage. As she was filling them up we got her too! We were on a roll and no one knew where our resources were. Kayla got everyone (including us) in on her plan to attack someone, the special chosen someone was Schuyler. So as the kids went around the yard waiting for Schuyler to come out, we went inside, told Schuyler of the plan and had him join forces with us. We were headed to the garage when we were spotted and everyone launched the balloons at him. Little did they know what would soon be coming to them. The war was on. There was a massive uproar, running and screaming everywhere, exploding balloons coming from every direction. and no more than ten minutes later it was all over. But. It. Was. AWESOME.

It's Back!

Well i'm back in good'ol Mesa. It was pretty weird at first, but now i'm used to it again. One thing I was really looking forward to being back in the "real world," with TV and news and such, was sports, especially baseball. But when I first got back and my brothers were talkng about all the standings and players and everything that was going on, I felt so lost! I hadn't watched a single Diamondbacks or Suns game ALL season, and the Suns were in the playoffs! It was mighty ridiculous. I didn' even know half the players on either team. I almost felt like my fervor for watching sports was over, now isn't that a sad thought! But luckily that didn't last long. I found the cure! It was as simple as just watching a few games! The Diamondbacks are still awesome, hahaha, well I can say they're awesome because I always do, very few people would agree with me seeing as how they are in last place in the NL West and they have the WORLDS WORST bullpen, but that's another story. I am just happy to be watching them again, I will always be a fan! Then came the Suns games. Game 2 (against the Lakers) was a loss, lame. But game 3 was an exciting win, yay Zone Defense. and holy smokes game 4, take that Kobe! Channing Frye, I love you, those 3 three pointers were great. It was an awesome game, it seemed like everyone had a sweet thee point shot, and the bench played amazing. It was beautiful and we just happened to come out on top! Way to be Suns! Now I think it's safe to say my passion for Arizona sports is back! YEEEESSS!!

The END is NIGH

Holy smokes! 2 weeks from Today is the start of finals week, yes FINALS! Where in the world did this semester go!?! I can't believe it's almost over! It's quite bitter sweet. I love school, but yes, i'm starting to get a little burned out, a break would be nice right about now.

But It's been an awesome semester! I love summer and i'm excited to go home and be with my family again.. but i'm going to miss all our adventures!

Summer means no more late night spontaneous drives to Globe to get a frosty from Wendy's, no more scavenger hunts - almost getting kicked out of Walmart, no more haircutting by moonlight. Goodbye mattress surfing, pranks, trips to the mountain, scootering to Burger King, tubing down the canal.. finding snakes, owls, squirrels, and beavers. Farewell Sunday Night game Nights, Disney Scene It competitions, chalk drawings, forts, waffle Saturday's, flying kites from the back of a truck, car chases, bonfires, haunted houses, kayking - and the many adventures that come with that. See ya later trips to the river,cramming in cars, awkward conversations, star gazing, craw dad fishing. No more girls nights where we sit and talk for hours and hours which leads to laughing for hours and hours. Goodbye to some of my favorite people who I don't know if i'll ever see again. Goodbye Thatcher.

But on the brighter side I can take a break from all the DRAMA, PMSing roommates and friends, and everyone thinking they can't get along with other people.

Oh so maybe I can welcome summer after all. It will be good, but I still don't really like thinking about it. haha. But now it's crack down time, 2 lab practicals, 2 quizzes, 5 tests, a few more homework assignements, 5 finals, and a whole heck of a lot of fun and stressful times and the semester will be over. Wow. I swear it just started.
But the end also means the beginning! Welcome family reunions, swimming, being with family, working, making money, Havasupai, baseball, free laundry, real food, Matthew, seeing Eric for the last time for 2 years. Maybe even the lakehouse, water skiing, and a cousins weekend!
So this semester has been good. Lots of good learning experiences, in many aspects, lots of good friends, lots of good fun, lots of good adventures, but HERE I COME SUMMER! Bittersweeet.

and the sickness came and went...

Once upon a time there was a day called Sunday, March 28, 2010. The day was a glorious one in the town of Thatcher, AZ. It was a beautiful day outside and church was awesome. I love fast Sundays! When the great day turned to evening, Cynthia's hometeachers, Dallin and Jonathon, came to my house to give a wonderful lesson. The first half, the only part I was really mentally there for, was good. But in the middle of it all some weird things started happening to me. I, all of the sudden, lost all energy, became really tired, got a massive headache, and had no idea what was going on around me. It was so weird because it all came on soo fast. After the lesson was done they left. I tried to get up to get some water.. but that didn't end too well. I got really dizzy, the whole room was spinning and there was black spots blurring my vision. So I just decided to lay back down. After a few more seconds, I still felt miserable. I kinda half whispered that I wanted a blessing. Kate and Cynthia got up and literally ran after Dallin and Jonathon to stop them. They came back and they gave me a blessing. It was probably one of the greatest experiences I have ever had. When it was done I didn't all the sudden feel great and wonderful, I still was half dead. But I was reassured that all would be well. I knew the words of the blessing came from Heavenly Father because some of the things that he said, Dallin had no idea I was going through. He did say I would get over the illness and my body would become stronger.. it just didn't happen right away. He also said something about getting up the next day refreshed and ready for what was coming. I had been stressed out because I had a lot of things coming up that I wasn't very prepared for. But Monday came and I was calm all day long. I used all the spare time I had to get ready for what was coming, and I wasn't stressed out. It was great. Plus. more that I will keep to myself. It was such a great experience. It is so awesome to know that I have a Father in Heaven who is so aware of me and all that I am going through, and through the Priesthood I can receive blessings from him. It's also such a blessing to know so many worthy pristhood holders who would come over in a heartbeat to give blessings. Everything is just so perfect and great.

Well ANYWAY (I tend to go in to more detail than I need to.. oh well.. i'm pretty sure there is only like 5 people tops who know about this thing). so Monday and Tuesday came and went. I didn't really do anything, I didn't really have any energy. It kinda wasn't that fun. Well then Wednesday afternoon I thought I started feeling a little better. A couple people were going to the canal and putting their feet in because the sun decided to shine a LOT that day. So I was sitting there, feeling the best I had all week. We went over to the other side, right by the bridge in the front of Goodman's and, just like before, all the sudden I just felt everything going down hill. I went and laid in the grass and watched as the whole world spun around me. Kate and April went to get me a waterbottle, but when they came back I couldn't even hold it up.. I had no grip. It was soo weird. So after a long time of me laying there we all decided I should go back to my apartment and lay down.. only it was kinda far away. So Jared picked me up, but all that movement and the headache mixed with the dizziness just made me nautious, so I got back down for a minute then both April and Jared helped/dragged me to my apartment. I felt helpless.. which is not a good feeling at all. I laid on my couch and was out. Which is weird for me. I slept for like 2 hours.. it was a weird sleep, I was kinda still awake because I could hear the things going on around me, but I was still completely out. I don't think I could have responded to someone if I wanted to. I woke up around 9 and felt extremely tired, yet better at the same time. Raegan gave me some Vitamin C pills and I was ordered to go to bed. I don't know what time I actually went to bed, but I think it might even have been before midnight! I woke up Thursday and felt stronger, I wasn't normal, but on a good route there. I felt better and better throughout the day and have been fine ever since. It was soo weird, let me tell you! I don't know what happened to me, it was all so strange. But it's ok.. because i'm better now!
Now looking back on it there were some funny things that happened... one morning I went to plug in my straightner and had to unplug something from the outlet. But either I just couldn't grip it, or I didn't have enough strength to get it out, or something, but Rachel had to do it for me. haha. Then one night I went over to Brenna's to get my keys from her while she was unpacking. She was setting a bag of clothes onto her bed, but she missed it, so she was trying to get it on, I tried to help her.. but did nothing because I absolutely had no strength in me. She was just all, "sheesh, didn't know my clothes were THAT heavy." haha. Good times!
But one thing I did learn was that I have the greatest friends in the world. They helped me out so much! They really did. I can't even tell you how many texts I got everyday from like 10 different people, asking how Iwas feeling and things like that. In those few days I heard things like.. "Wow, you look awful", "you really should see a doctor", "you have a fever", "You better not have mono, Woman!", "You better be in bed by ten tonight!", "Please get better soon", "I don’t want you to be sick anymore", "Hannah it’s not cold, something is wrong with you", "you look like you’re going to cry", and "You still look sick". Sometimes it got annoying and I wished they would stop telling me that.. haha. But really it was great to know that so many people cared and were interested. One thing I don't really like is people doing thigs for me, especially when it's because I can't do them myself. But everyone offered to help and do things for me all week. I just am surrounded by the greatest people! I love them all!
Now there you have it. The sickness that came and went.

Why do these things happen?!

You know how sometimes you just have the weirdest experiences? The stangest people...well not strange people, but random people just come into your life randomly? WELL WHY DO THESE THINGS HAPPEN!? Why do I meet the people I meet? Why do the things that happen to me happen? It's all so weird. Like really. I'm just scooting through my life, doing my own little things, and BAM someone comes into my life.. and then you get to know them.. and you talk to them. AND GUESS WHAT?! YOU LEARN FROM THEM. Not just a little either, like a LOT! You learn a lot! But it's not just like one or two people either.. it's A TON OF PEOPLE! Some people I still don't even know that well but I have learned great things from them. [Everyone that I meet here in Thatcher is here for the same reason, to go to school. We are all in about the same stage of life. But we all have WAY different lifes, pasts, and trials. It's so amazing to be around all these people. BECAUSE I LOVE THEM ALL! and they make me so happy, and have thins that I can learn from them] It's crazy! Then you just have the coolest, yet again, random, experiences and you learn sooooo much from them as well! [It's almost like I LOVE learning or something! :)]
Well. The other day I got to thinking about this because these little things keep happening to ME. Then it hit me.. EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. Seriously. EVERYTHING! Every little bump or jump that happens to me, is for me to learn and grow! And want to know what else? I'M DOING IT! I'm learning and i'm growing! I know i'm off at school for a reason... you know, to get that thing we all like to call an education! Well. I'm learning a lot more than the things this school can teach me. and. I LOVE IT! But. There is still more learning for me to do! I definitely know that there is a plan that is just for me, that I am on this earth for a particular reason, and that I have help ALL around me. The lord, My family, my friends, strangers, Institute, Promptings from the spirit. Yes. They are all helping me become the person that I am and need to be. And maybe even hopefully I can help other people as well. I'm in love with this concept. It just makes me so happy!

Valentine.

Well Valentines Day was on Sunday. What a glorious holiday it is. It is this crazy holiday where everyone spends as much money as they have.. or don't have.. to express their love for someone. Well hello, how much more materialistic can we get?! Do we really need a holiday excuse to tell someone we love them? I find it a dumb holiday. But the conversation hearts that come with it are awesome and many hilarious situations come because of them, so maybe it's ok afterall. Well. This particular Valentines day was just a normal day in the life of Hannah Gunderson. It was a great day, even without a "valentine." Along came Wednesday (ya, 3 days late.. whoops) when I decided to stroll on over to the Post Office because I hadn't been there for a long time.. and the Post Office is a cool place. So I opened my box.. and.. WABAM. There was a TON of stuff in there. A lot of junk mail, a letter from the post office wanting my money to renew my box, Rachel got some checks she doens't needs, and I was quite suprised to find an envelope from my dear cousins in Cedar.. Rachel and Tara. Oh how I love them. and there was a KEY in there! Do you know what this means?!? PACKAGE!!! I was so stoked! So I got it out and found the box that belonged to my key and opened it up. There was a beautiful, festive package addressed to Hannah Gunderson and Rachel Hicks, from the one and only Kymber! (There was little rays of sunshine coming off of her name.). I got home and opened everything up. My dearest friend Kymber. I love you. There was a card for both of us and a box of CHOCOLATES. I love chocolate. But I love you more. You really made my day!!! Then I opened the envelope from Rachel and Tara. I love you guys too!! A whole hecka lot! They both wrote me a valentine letter and even water colored a beautiful picture just for me. I was in heaven that day. haha. But really. Besides the fact that the three of you made me feel guilty for not doing anything for anyone, it really meant a lot to get that from you guys. I definitely am surrounded by the greatest people in the world. (Well actually i'm not exactly "surrounded" by you guys, you live far away.. but you get the picture, right?) I am honored just knowing you guys. I LOVE YOU!! Thanks for the Valentines folks!