Entry #19-I'm Standing in the Rain.

So I really meant to write this long ago, but I got super busy and I also kind of forgot about it... I know, it's really bad, but finally I have a story that I feel is worthy of being on this page. So a couple months ago, I started working at this Coffee shop/Bakery. But I was working about a week and a half ago and much to my owner's pleasure, it had been a mix of rain and pouring rain all day. Rain is perfect coffee weather because everyone wants coffee when it rains; it's such a comfort. Anyway, it was a Saturday, and there was a lady who was walking past the door. She seemed rather old and a little cuckoo. Anyway, I felt like I should smile and wave at her—and it wasn't busy—so I did just that. She glanced over and smiled right back at me. By that time I was feeling pretty good about myself; making a stranger smile is rather rewarding after all. So after that, I'm just trucking along in the morning and then it was time to change the sign outside the coffee shop. The weather must have been trolling today because a period of pouring had just commenced. Anyway, it's not like I could, or would, refuse my boss. So out into the rain I ventured. I was trying to velcro a sign over another sign, and it was taking me an absurdly long amount of time. For some reason, the sign didn't want to lay flat and I was getting wet and such, and then all of a sudden, the rain stopped. I looked up to see the lady who I had smiled at holding a teal umbrella over my head. I finished fixing my sign and said 'Thank you.' She smiled back and said "God bless you, thank you for your beautiful smile." That simple act was so touching to me. Like something out a movie, it was so sweet of her to help me out. I was so stunned by her kindness and it gave me a heavy reminder not to judge people before you know them.

Entry # 18-Charging a Car

Today, I had the fortune to have dinner with my friend. He's a good guy, we talk we laugh, we have dinner every break that I come home from school. However great of a friend he is, this entry is not about him. As we were walking down the street, down the street, down the street we happened to pass by a car with it's hood up. Unfortunately for him or her it seemed as though his or her car was dead for any of the various unknown reasons. Fortunately for him, some person had taken pity on him and there were cables connecting two cars together. Instead of leaving him high and dry, the person next to this stranded individual took pity on him and took time out of his or her buys schedule to jump-started the car. I don't know about all of you, but being stranded on a December night (even if it is on the 47th lateral) is not very fun when you could be at home sipping hot chocolate and watching "It's a Wonderful Life."

Entry #17-There's no place like home...

Truly, there is no place like home. Whether you are going home to your parents or home to your spouse and kids. Although not all people are diagnosed with homesickness, there is nothing quite like seeing your family. Whether it be your siblings or parents, children or spouse, maybe even your cat or dog, all people are happy to see someone at their house. It's the warmth and happiness that seems to encompass us that appeals so much; after a long day at work, months away at school or a couple weeks gone on vacation, it's always nice to go back to something familiar.
Now Thanksgiving is coming up, that's generally the time when college students (AKA me) are thinking about heading home. Unfortunately for some, the distance can sometimes be too much (going from Idaho to Washington), or the cost too much ($250.00 plane ticket). I was thinking that I wasn't going home for Thanksgiving because it was too much money. However, today a family friend living in Utah called me up and asked me if I wanted a ride to Seattle for Thanksgiving. I was utterly overjoyed and incredibly thankful. It was so considerate of my friends to give me a call, they were in no way obligated, in fact if they leave from Utah, they would have gotten there faster. Thanks to them I get to see my family after not seeing them since September. I am so excited to be going home, and it's all thanks to someone who remembered me and was selfless enough to give me a ride home.

Entry#16-Helping Hands

Dropping things can be very unfortunate; dropping things in front of a lot of people is even more unfortunate. The other day I happened to be carrying a lot of things as I walked into my class. In this particular class, we have to turn in an assessment ever class. While I was trying to pick my assignment out of my book, a ton other things also fell out. Unfortunately, this is at the front of the class and was in front of 10ish people... However, a girl, seeing that I was struggling, proceeded to walk over and pick up my many things. A small but easy act of kindness.

Entry #15- The Halloween Cone

I was feeling pretty down today having received some slightly unfortunate, but not life altering news. I didn't feel like I could accomplish anything and for some reason I felt helpless, unwanted, and lonely. All my roommates were out at parties. Needless to say, I was in a rut.
While mindlessly gazing out the window, I saw one of the girls in my complex go by. We're not extremely close friends, but we do know each other and get along. I assumed she was coming to talk to one of my roommates, so I simply yelled "Come in!" When nothing happened, I again yelled "Come in!" A few seconds later, she scampered away; I knew then something was up, so I opened the door and on the handle was a plastic bag. The bag contained a bag of carmel corn, four brownies—one each for my roommates and I—and a poem that reads:
Since this is the time for goblins and bats

Halloween spirits and ghosts and cats
Happenings are weird and witches make brew
The following are the things I wish for you.
May the only spirit you chance to meet
Be the spirit of love and friends that are sweet.
May the only goblin that comes your way
Be the neighborhood phantom, the breeze takes away.

So by tomorrow, pick a friend down the street
And give to them a Halloween treat.
Fill this cone with goodies galore,
Then hang it on their front door.

You only have one day to do this, so hurry
Leave treats on their door and run in a flurry
As this cone moves along from friend to friend,
All good wishes go on and never end,
HAPPY HALLOWEEN.

This gave me all those warm and fuzzy feelings we as humans have grown to cherish and love. My mood immediately improved—the carmel corn didn't hurt either—and my night significantly improved from there.

Entry #14-Escaping from the Outdoors

Walking down stairs and across the courtyard to get a bottle of soda shouldn't be a big deal right? People who are lazy and have other people go get them are dumb right? WRONG! Any other situation, this rule would apply. However, because of the extenuating conditions that are experienced in Rexburg, Idaho; this is a special case. In order to travel in Rexburg in the winter and not be cold, it's necessary to bundle up like an eskimo to go anywhere. It's only October 29, and already at 8am in the morning, it is in the 20s. For a not-so-small town girl form Seattle, Washington... That's a huge change. Upon my request, my friend willingly braved the cold, and went and got me a drink form the vending machine. It wasn't anything big, but it didn't have to. Doing nice things willingly, tells a lot about a person. It shows that they are caring, and willing to go out of their way to do nice things for people, simply to be nice. Not having an ulterior motive is an extremely admirable quality; it shows the true nature of someone.

Entry#13-Healing Hands

When you're sick at home, your parents take care of you; give you ginger ale, bring you food, get your drugs, the usual. At college, you're in a totally different ball park. No ginger ale, no food, and definitely no drugs; unless you get them yourself. They aren't served to you on a silver platter, you have to drag yourself up, and to the store to buy them.
However, when someone gets them for you, it makes being sick a little more bearable. My roommate got sick the other night, and didn't attend our Family Home Evening group as a result. After FHE was over (around 9sih) one of our members came to our dorm—the opposite side of campus— and brought her juice and two different kinds of medicine in attempt to try to help her get better. The person whom I wish to thank is a average boy who lives in a small town. He's quite and meek, he does things selflessly and thinks of others. He goes out of his way to make my roommate feel special and happy. The world needs more good people in the world. Like him.