and then all my friends were missionaries

Slowly, but surely, everyone I know is leaving me. 

It's awesome.

Jill went into the MTC at the end of January.

She's in NORWAY now.

We skyped the day before she left to pretend that we were still living together.

That's probably the best picture of us together, ever.

My oldest nephew Austin left the beginning of February and is now in MEXICO!

Tears and guilt from this proud aunt who has yet to write him.

Oops.

My dearest Kar Kar left me exactly one month ago today.

Soon the people of CALIFORNIA will have her, 

and love her just as much as I do.

(I had this whole bff photo thing planned, then we cried, so...)

2nd roomie Jess left for the SPAIN MTC on Monday.

Ooh, this girl is ready. I'm not even worried about her one bit.

I think I love missionary letters as much as my missionaries do.

My favorite Justin sent me a birthday letter all the way from the Philippines!

In this letter I found out that he contracted Dengue Fever in November and nobody told me.

I was freaking out for days and telling all our friends, and everyone already knew.

Maybe they thought I would overreact?

He was only in the hospital for a week, guys.

Anyway, it was a solid letter. 

The best part is that last week, the Church changed its policy

(pretty sure this is now Church-wide, and not just by mission) 

and now all missionaries can email their friends (time permitting, of course)!

So next time anybody is in the hospital, I might find out before they're dead.

I am so proud of all my friends. It's kind of amazing what we're witnessing in the Church right now.

I will also take this opportunity to answer everybody's question: I would love to, but not right now.

and then i wasn't a teenager

Back here I told ya a little about my birthday day, and I finally have a few pictures to prove it.

Obviously blurry iphone pics are my fav.

i can choose my own capital letter

Last night I had the privilege to hear human rights activist Jen Marlowe speak.

She is awesome. I mean, anybody who just does exactly what they want to do is awesome.

This is her passion.

She was even deported from Bahrain last July.

I want to be deported!

I loved everything she said, but my very favorite thought of the night was that people often talk about

"refugees with a capital R, and victims with a capital V,"

but that can't be right.

Humankind has been victimized, but no one is Victim.

We must remember that people are a whole, and while life can suck rocks, we are so many things! 

So, I'm going to choose my own capital letter.

Because I am not Lazy,

I am not Failing College Student, 

and I am not Victim.

I am Erin.

did you know?

I love attention, so last week I did that "5 things" post on Instagram, 
and I thought I would share them here as well.

5 things you may not know about me:

1. One of my favorite things is stepping off a plane in a new place (or an old place). I actually love airports and I get physically ill if I think about never traveling again.

2. I like watching gross videos on youtube in my bed. Like zits and stuff. But not injuries.
I get it from my sister.

3. I love camping. My only experience before moving to Utah was girl's camp, which sucks. Then my family taught me to fish and set up a tent, and now I can't get enough. Like, I'm obsessed. I think it's romantic.

4. When I was little I either wanted to be the only girl in a band filled with boys, or a drag racer.
Still do.

5. I'm actually really awkward and slightly terrified of people (which is weird because I love people). It's getting worse as I get older.

to those like me

This is Maggie (and me).

She is my best friend.

And a doll, obviously.

She is much more talented than I,

and has started her very own etsy shop!

If I could buy everything from A Mingled Yarn, I'd do it in a heartbeat. 

But also we're friends so she makes things for me, 

like that headband I'm wearing.

This is the kind of thing I would do a giveaway for

if I was popular and rich.

Because she's that great.

check it out!