An Update on Daniel

Well, I figure its about time for me to update my blog myself. Things have been pretty busy since I've moved to Colorado, but things have also been pretty great. I really enjoy my internship. It's a lot of fun going and working on the experiments in lab. I've been creating retroviral vectors to infect cells with certain DNA fragments so that they will express specific proteins. It's pretty interesting and I really enjoy it!

In other news, I got my MCAT scores back. I didn't do quite as well as Edwin did, but I did get a 33, which puts me in about the 90th percentile range. I was pretty happy, especially considering how much I studied (or didn't study). I'm working on finishing everything else for my application right now. I've got most of my letters of recommendation in, and most everything else in as well too. Now I just need to decide what schools I want to apply to. I will be applying to Dartmouth, University of Washington, Baylor, and University of Iowa. I want to apply to 6 more, but I don't know which schools yet. 

I made a special trip memorial day weekend to visit Becca. It was great, and well worth the drive to go and see her, I also saw Mom, Dad, and David, but Becca was the main reason I drove back. We spent most all day saturday, sunday, and monday together. Saturday we went bowling, and ate dinner, and talked a lot. Sunday I drove up to Rexburg, visited with her and her mom, and then brought her home for dinner and games. Then Monday we went to Jackson and visited with her sisters there. It was hard to leave on Monday, but it was well worth the time driving to go and see her. We talk on the phone everyday and have skyped a few times as well since I've been back. Things are going well. 

This weekend Ben, Shanna, the boys, and Savitri and I spent the night in Denver, and then drove down to Pikes peak and Garden of the Gods. It was really pretty at both places, and well worth the drive. being at the summit of Pikes peak was pretty breathtaking, in more ways than one. It was really easy to get winded being above 14,000 feet. I took quite a few photos with Shanna's DSLR camera. It was really fun to use. Here are some of the photos. 

A Guest Post from Becca

Well, I thought I'd put up a guest post from my girlfriend, so here it is!

 Hello bloggers of the world!

 I had a blog once but I am not exactly sure what happened to it. I ignored it for a few years and it ran away into cyberspace to find a better blogger who could keep up with it. It seems as though this blog is doing just fine and is quite healthy with loads of information about The Adventures of Daniel!( exclamation point added because I think it helps). Shockingly though Daniel has not been keeping up with all of his marvelous adventures,sad day. Especially when it comes to "The Ladies." He only put one line in his newest update. Don't worry that's were I come in! I am the girl he met at the wedding reception.

I am not quite sure where to start on my part of the story, but I guess I'll tell you why I was there. I was there to enjoy the food and the celebration of two people being sealed. I was also there because I was the nanny. So I was running around most of the wedding after 4 boys(ages 3-12) all day. Making sure that nobody got blood,vomit,dirt, or holes on any of their clothes. I feel I did my part very well. At the end of the night nobody had beaten each other, or hurt themselves, and they all had eaten good meals. Little did I know until a few dates later that Daniel had been waiting the whole time to talk to me. I am so grateful he got the courage to come talk to me, and in Daniel's normally observant(most of the time) fashion he waited until I wasn't busy with the kids and I was actually sitting down. That was one of my first clues he was a good man, because he knew not to bother me when I was so focused. So we chatted for a few hours and then he finally asked me on a date. I was excited, I finally found someone who would take me rock climbing, and I wanted to go ever since I had been back from my mission. I learned a great lesson though, the lord always has something more prepared for those who are open. So we went on a few dates both knowing he was going to Colorado and I was going to be living in Orem soon. What I didn't expect was just how interesting Daniel would be, and how happy he made me, and how little effort it took for me to be open with him. Our last date before he left we talked(and I really do mean talked) and we decided that it needed to end. I wasn't ready for how sad that would make me, but when we said good-bye that night, and I got one last hug it was like something in my heart and head said "you're sad Becca...that is what you're feeling..you're sad." The next day was annoying as annoying can get. I was trying to do anything to get him out of my head and I would be perfectly distracted for a mili-second and then bam! something about Daniel would come to mind. Like the movie we saw together on our first date, or how silly he looks when his glasses start sliding down his nose, or how respectful and kind he is. So finally after trying to ignore him all day I texted him and asked "If it was as difficult a day for him as it was for me?"...and he said yes! So that is when we decided to take this whole relationship long distance,and I don't regret it. Even when I miss feeling his hand in mine..I don't regret it.

 I had a discussion with an Elder once on my mission about whether or not you could really fall in love or if it was all just lust. How could you learn to do that? Was it even possible? What is the definition of love anyway? And what is the purest kind of love that could last for eternity? I am not sure about all the answers, but I do believe one thing. I think how you fall in love is different for everyone just like how different our answers to prayers can be. Each answer is suited for each person to understand. Luckily we have been given guidance on how we do receive answers, and that it involves both our hearts and mind. It involves happiness, peace, joy, calmness, attached to whatever the answer may be. We won't always be happy with the answer, but if we are truly committed we will be willing to act on whatever the answer is and because the Lord knows our hearts He understands if we are truly committed or not. I was looking to have some fun while praying every night to become prepared to fall in love and be worthy of such a thing. Like I said before the Lord knows when to answer. This has definitely been an adventure and I am looking forward to see where it leads, no matter where that is. So what do you all think? What does Daniel think? Hmmm those are good questions, but I am happy enough knowing what I think,and that answer will have to be in a later blog.

Sincerely,
Becca


 So I hope you enjoyed the guest post! Here are a few photos to enjoy

Some Recent Happenings

Well, I keep getting told that its high time I update my blog, seeing as how it's been a few months since I've updated it. So I'll just highlight a few of my recent adventures, and upload some pictures. I survived my last semester at BYU-I. It was a little bittersweet to leave, but I survived taking 10 credits of chemistry, and only got one B, the rest were all A's this semester. I did have to stay up almost all night taking a take home test, that was due the day of commencement and convocation, as well as take the ACS standardized final for physical chemistry that day. It made for a long day, and sadly I fell asleep during commencement. Graduation was great though, Elder Ballard came and spoke at both commencement and the convocation for the college of physical sciences. After graduation came studying for the MCAT, as well as Brent's wedding. It was great to go and see Brent and Madi sealed in the Rexburg temple. I also had a fun time catching up with Jaxon and Levi and their wives since I haven't seen them much since they got married. I also met a girl at the reception, but thats a story for another blog post. Another exciting thing is I sold my old jeep, and bought another cherokee. This one runs much nicer, is manual, and actually survived the drive to colorado. Which is the other exciting thing that has happened recently, I am now in colorado, after a two day trek to make it here. I drove to Salt Lake and spent the night at Parker and Carly Chapple's. It was great visiting with them, and splitting my drive up. I also saw two other friends while I was in the area. Well, that about sums things up. I am studying for the MCAT all day everyday this week, I take it on Saturday, so I'll see how that goes, expect a post in the near future.

Colorado Awaits!

Well, I figure its about time I update my blog, I don't feel like working on my homework right now, so this is the next best thing. It lets me think through whats going on, and keep a journal of sorts. Life is grand, its been a crazy last semester, but its working out alright so far. I am enjoying most all of my classes. I really like my introduction to literature class. Its been an excellent diversion from my 10 credits of chemistry. My FA 100 class has also been interesting. I've enjoyed most of the events that I've attended so far, its been helpful that I've attended most of them with a good friend, Tess. I've had a lot to do with my chem classes. I'm starting work on my independent labs, in one of them I'm going to determine the amount of nitrite in lunch meat, in the other I'm working on a complicated synthesis of a compound for my professor. They should both be pretty interesting. I may be presenting my research in a research and creative works conference at the end of the semester. I'm still trying to decide wether or not I will do that. I've kept up the trend of going cross country skiing. I've gone the last 4 weekends in a row, all to different places. I went to Grand Teton National Park for one of them, and I also went to Harriman state park with one of my chem professors, and I also went to Mesa Falls and skied all the way to the upper falls with Tess. It made for a great way to relax on the weekends, as well as get some good exercise, skiing about 10 miles most of the days I went. I'm sad there hasn't been more snow in Rexburg, otherwise I would have headed out and skied most days after classes. Its been great to get out on the weekends though.

I guess I should also say that I found my internship. I'll be going to the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and working at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes. I'll be doing research on developing an assay to test for the presence of T-cells that are attacking the hosts insulin producing cells. I'll be learning a lot of molecular biology techniques and am excited to go and work there. I'll be starting my internship mid may, right after I take the MCAT.

Stress Relievers

This last semester is proving to be a stressful one. I spend 12+ hours a day monday through friday doing homework or going to class, then I have to cut into my weekends to try and get everything else done that I normally have to do during the week. It is a lot of homework and assignments. I guess thats what I get for being a senior chemistry major, and taking 10 credits of chemistry in one semester, its going to be an intense semester. I do make sure I have time for fun though :) This week I had a friend over on wednesday for dinner and just to relax and catch up on our crazy lives. Both her and I are very busy this semester. Friday I had a lot of fun going to the climbing gym with a girl. It was a very nice stress reliever, and made me realize how much I missed climbing. I was sad that I only made it climbing on real rock about 2 times this last summer. I did get to make it to twenty plus states though, as well as kayak quite a bit. So it had its trade offs. On Saturday Aaron wanted to go hike some places and go skiing. I went with him, but took some cross country skis. It made for a good Saturday afternoon/night. I am a little sore from it, but will definitely go again. I also tried his downhill skis. They were fun, I want to try downhill skiing on a real slope. Maybe some weekend I'll find time for that... I'm also hoping I'll be able to go on a winter backpacking trip this winter. I'll see how it goes with school.

I am trying to get an internship in Colorado, and I'm also working on an application for an internship in Taiwan. I hope I can find a good internship that I'll enjoy.

A new Semester, the last to be specific

Well, I've been pretty lax on updating my blog lately. I haven't done much on it for over a month, so I figured its high time I finish updating it, and get going with keeping it updated. I finished last semester, I got a B+ in p chem, which isn't too shabby, I was a little disappointed though, I was .06% away from getting an A- but such goes life. I got an A- in my technical writing class as well, but its over with. The rest were A's. I still have a really good GPA so I don't particularly care. The break was a good break, I didn't work on fixing my jeep, which just hasn't been the same since I flooded it last march (learned my lesson there), I think I'll be looking at buying a new car when I graduate, which will be at the end of this semester (pretty crazy!). I'm still working on getting an internship, and have a goal to spend time studying for the MCAT everyday (I need to get working hard on it!). Its going to be busy this semester though, I have 10 credits of chemistry, spending 12 hours in the lab every week, and still trying to keep up a social life as well as keep grades up. I don't know how things are going with the ladyfolk lately. I still try and go on a date once a week, but its slowed down some. There is a girl I'm interested in, but I don't know quite how she feels. Anyways, thats about it, I don't know what pictures to put up, I didn't take many during the break, but I guess I have some of me and my nieces Katelynn and Claire (at least I know those girls like me :)).

Commitment

No this post has nothing to do with me finding a significant other, more of just my commitment to myself and the future.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about commitment and what it means to me. I have always liked to make informed decisions and know that what I'm choosing is the right thing for me. It took me a long time to decide that med school was the route that I wanted to take. Although it is a hard route to take, It feels like that is what I should do with my life. I have found that the harder something is, the more rewarding it is to achieve it. The more I have to stretch and grow the better things will be. That is partly why I enjoy rock climbing, and why I am a chemistry major. I enjoy the outdoors and would have loved to have taken a different route through college, a route that would have been much easier, but I felt like it would not have been a good application of my mind, it would have been too easy I guess. I live to have commitments.

As part of being committed, I realize that I've made the commitment to go to med school. I need to make choices according to that. I need to fully commit myself and put forth the necessary effort. Commitment is essential in exercising the agency that I have given to me. Commitment is also essential in relationships, but that is another story.