Furlough

I woke up Tuesday morning, October 1st, to a shutdown government.  It was my regular day off so I went about my errands and completed my chores.  Even though I live inside the park, I was not allowed to do anything but drive from the gate to my house (no running the dirt roads, no watching bats, no hiking, no caving).

I went into town on Thursday and stopped by my former

roommate Natalie's place to discuss with her my thoughts on taking a gamble and driving to Utah to see my brother.  She has family in Utah as well and said she'd come too if I decided to go.  We flipped a coin.  Within four hours, we were on the road.  We got into Provo about noon on Friday.

My brother seriously knows everyone in Provo.  Somehow he was able to swing free tickets to the Imagine Dragons concert in Salt Lake.  The concert was amazing!

Adam and I at the concert.  Of course, I forgot my camera for this adventure, as well as my cell phone charger.  A HUGE thank you to all my friends who have provided pictures for this post.  (My brother discovered he'd left the plastic cover over the camera lens on his phone, hence the blurry photos from him, but thankful for them regardless!)

The first weekend in October is our semi-annual General Conference for church.  It was wonderful being able to watch conference with my brother.  In between sessions on Saturday, we went for sushi with his roommates and it was delicious!

Sunday, Adam talked me into going to Salt Lake to see if we could get in to the afternoon session.  We didn't have tickets.  I stood in the 'stand-by' line while he stood on a street corner holding up two fingers.  He had two tickets in about fifteen minutes.  That boy has skills!

Our seats were on the floor and pretty spectacular.  How awesome it was to be in the conference center, to listen in person to the speakers and the choir, and to look on the stand and see the first presidency sitting there.  All three of  them!  In one place, in person!  What an amazing experience.

While I was in Provo, the apartment fish, Caesar, died.  I attended the burial and said a few words.  This is me, Adam, and his roommate Dave at the graveside service.  It was a lovely ceremony.

Monday I cleaned and cooked for my brother and his roommates and Tuesday I left and headed north to Brigham City to Natalie's dad's house.  We made a late-night grocery run and below are the results.

Wednesday (10/9), Natalie and I headed over Sardine Canyon into Logan.  I drove around town, reminiscing about the places I lived, the buildings I spent hours in on the Utah State campus, and tried a handful of buildings before I finally found a school newspaper.

We had lunch at Angie's, then drove half-way up Logan canyon and enjoyed the fall colors.  They were amazing.  The trees were amazing.  The mountains were amazing.  I need to stop accepting jobs in the desert...  We parked and walked the short trail up to the Stokes Nature Center where I used to volunteer, but it was closed.

Natalie's step-mom is a crafter.  She was making these lovely scarves and I decided to try my hand.  I went a little overboard and made five.  I also learned how to crochet which has opened up whole new worlds to me.  I love learning a new skill.

By Friday, there seemed no end to the government shutdown and I decided to gamble again, and went further north to Montana.  I got to see old friends in Deer Lodge and it was wonderful.  It was cold, freezing, but wonderful.  Saturday we headed up to Missoula, one of my most favorite places in the country, went to a movie, and had MacKenzie River Pizza for dinner.  It seriously is the best pizza!

Next May it will be ten years since I first met these girls.  It's amazing how fast time moves.  I love that we can go months or years without seeing each other and when we do get together, we pick up right where we left off. 

Monday I hurried back to Brigham City and early Tuesday morning began the long-haul back to Carlsbad, NM.  We got in late that night and I stayed in town with Natalie.  Wednesday, I got back to the house, unpacked, sorted, and then began packing my life to get ready for my next season.  Thursday the 17th we were all back to work, I was interviewed and appeared on a local news station about being back at work, Friday I had my exit interview with my supervisor, and Saturday was my last day of work at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. 

This month has taught and reminded me of many things.  First, I am thankful to have a job.  I am even more thankful to have a job I love, working for an agency whose mission I really and truly believe in.  Second, I'm thankful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I know who I am, I know why I'm here, and I know what my purpose is.  I am thankful to have wonderful parents who have taught me provident living.  I am thankful that I had the financial and material means to undertake my road trip.  I am thankful for a wonderful brother who is willing to rearrange his room to accommodate me, who pushes me to be more spontaneous, and who gives great advice.  Finally, I'm thankful for good friends.  I have been blessed with wonderful and life long friends.  I hope I can be as good a friend to them as they have been to me.