September 18 was my birthday. In the days prior, Scott kept saying he didn't know what to get me. I just kept thinking, "All I want is for you to come here." But I know school and work keep him busy, so I didn't say anything. It would be a perfect weekend for him to come, but I didn't want to push it. I just kept my mouth shut and kept wishing with all my heart he would come.
It was Friday night, my birthday eve, and Scott's sister Rachel (who lives in Salt Lake) planned to take me out to dinner for my birthday. Scott said he got me a present and that Rachel was going to bring it to me. I kept hoping that he was the present, but throughout the day he kept texting me about how he was so busy at work and what his plans were for the night, etc. As the day wore on, I was pretty convinced that he was not coming. I was so upset.
In the attempts of lightening my mood, I started listening to a BYU devotional about gratitude. I tried to implement her sentiments by saying to myself: "I am grateful that Scott is not coming this weekend because that will make next weekend so much more fun." (We were planning on meeting up in Vegas next weekend.) It helped a little.
Then Scott called to talk. He told me that he was on his way to bring dinner to his grandpa and was meeting up with his friends after, so he won't have much time to talk. We talked a little. Then he told me that Vegas next weekend is a no-go because he had a test to study for. And then he had to quickly get off the phone because he was at his grandpas house.
I was devastated. I tried again to be grateful, but mostly I was just heartbroken and upset. "He doesn't even care about me. All he cares about is work and school," I thought.
I was so bummed, I considered canceling dinner with Rachel, but before I could, she called to say she was here and had been knocking but no one answered the door. (My roommates weren't home and I was in the back room, so this was believable.) I frantically finished getting ready and then rushed to open the door.
And standing there, instead of Rachel, was Scott.
I. was. shocked. Jaw dropped. Bag dropped. The first words out of my mouth were, "I hate you." And the next were, "And I love you." It was so great. I was so happy and excited that my insides were shaking. He took off work, postponed studying and drove up the whole way by himself just to be with me. It is definitely out of character for him. He must really like me.
It was such an amazing weekend! From hiking with Jenna's family, hanging with some of Scott's family: Rachel, Andrew, Michelle, and baby Drew, delicious gormet dinner with the Nethercotts, walks around Provo with my best friend, and a much-looked-forward-to annual birthday dinner at PF Changs (gluten & dairy free!) with Scott, two of my roomies: Brittany Warnock & Malia Anderson, Jacob & Natalli Ellsworth, Jenna Russell, Bronson Lott and Sierra Sullivan. It was so great & so fun!
Gormet dinner with the Nethercott's-DELISH! My "cake" was dairy and gluten free!!!
Hiking with Jenna and her family was so pleasant and it was so beautiful!
I looked forward to this dinner all year, and it exceeded all my expectations!
Then it was back to the daily grind.
Tuesday, I wasn't feeling too well. As I climbed on my bike to ride home from work, my boss asked if I was going to be ok riding home on my bike, considering the fact that I was ill & the sun was hot. I told him I would be just fine...
Riding down 900 east. Breezy. Easy. Downhill. I was picking up speed and began to feel nervous about being in the bike lane with the cars right next to me. I saw a driveway with just a 1-inch curb. Perfect place to get up onto the sidewalk. Or so I thought...
Actual Site of Injury
I quickly learned that riding downhill, braking, and trying to hop a curb on a bike all at the same time is not the best idea. I crashed and fell, luckily onto the sidewalk (had I fallen the other way, into the street, I would have probably died.)
My ankle hurt. A lot. A man came out to make sure I was alright. Then these two angels (I don't even remember their names), pushed me on my bike so I didn’t have to walk, hailed down a car to drive me home, rode my bike home for me and carried my stuff up three flights of stairs. Good Samaritans.
Once home, all my roommates were either gone or sleeping so I grabbed an ice pack and cried to myself. My ankle hurt SO BAD. The pain was so intense that I passed out. Luckily, by this time, my roommate Caitlin was home and woke up Brittany who immediately rushed to my side to help.
Since that moment, Brittany took care of me day and night, from wrapping/icing my ankle, driving me everywhere-to the doctor, to get lunch, to school, to work, to the gap. She’s provided me with crutches, ace wraps and helped me get a parking pass. She made me breakfasts, lunches and dinners. She bought me boxes of Almond Dreams (delicious ice cream sandwiches made with Almond milk), and more. I am so grateful to her. She is a blessed saint I tell you!
At the judgement bar, when God is trying to decide whether or not to let her into heaven, I will shout out, “YES! Please let her in! She should get a free ticket in because of all the good she has done for me!” I don’t know what I would have done without her. We have practically become Siamese twins because we are together nearly every hour of the day from before sun-up til after sun-down. I LOVE MY BRITTANY!
So…What have I learned from all this? Miracles have not ceased. Angels exist. Blessings help. Birthdays are great. Brittany is a saint. Crutches are a pain, but are great for developing solid deltoids. There is good in the world! And sprained ankles hurt. Bad.
For three weeks, this was my view from the couch. Lovely.
