Peace I'm Out

While I'm gone you can write me aaaaaaaat:

Sister Allison Riding

Brazil Manaus Mission

Rua Loris Cordovil, 1066

Alvorada 1

69042-010 Manaus - AM

Brazil

Interested in reading more about why I'm on a mission? 

Lemme tell ya!

My wonderful mother may or may not post my letters here. We'll see :)

Both to BRASIL

Okay first of all I'm having slight anxiety over how to spell Brazil (Brasil???). Like I totally get that Brasil is the "correct" way to say it because that's Brazil in Portuguese but we don't run around calling Germany "Deutschland" just because that is Germany in German!!! 

I digress. If you are not friends with me in real life slash do not stalk me via social media then you may not be aware that my sister/best fran is ALSO going to Brazil! Yippity skippity!! It's funny because when I opened my call I was cool/calm/collected. When Jen opened hers? A different story. 

Jen- "I'm going to Brazil!"

Me- *crying*

My visa still hasn't gone through yet, so I'll fly out to Provo next Monday afternoon and do my training at the MTC (Missionary Training Center) there! Time is ticking! Still excited and feeling great about heading out to serve the Lord. But yes, I am a bit of an emotional wreck. *grin*

MW Goes to Washington

It is high past time to address the elephant in the room. Err...  blog. I am going on a mission (ur like ya ya ya, we know). I also have a boyfriend that I love and adore, who came to visit me this weekend! (eek!)

So remember that boy who gave me his number during finals week? His name is Michael. And he is wonderful. And he is such a trooper to put up with these crazy people.

To put alllllllll the rumors to rest (subtly letting my audience know that [i like to think] we're a piece of hot gossip)- I've loved dating Michael and hope to date him when I come home in 18 months. The end.

Prezzy Day

This weekend I headed down with some pals to Zion National Park for some well deserving needed sunshine. We stayed in a weird motel, painted the tiny tiny tiny town, hit up the continental breakfast and spent the beautiful afternoon hiking! We came back late Saturday night, then oh a whim headed up to Logan first thing Monday morning for some snowmobiling. Fun to stay with Michael and Neal's gracious family, and always great to get out of Provo. Didn't even mind the appx 15 hours spent in the car. Srsly though.

Love Day

So half the reason I even have a blog is because it's fun to look back and read it. Let's be honest, we all love to stalk ourselves. Who doesn't get a kick of reading old journals, no matter how cringe-worthy they are?! Anyways today I went back and read my blog entry on last Valentine's Day. Oh ho ho I was so incredibly single it kind of makes me giggle. 

Last year my date cancelled on me, day of. We were supposed to double with his roommate and Sydney, and the roommate decided to cancel too after hearing the news. And yet, neither of us were really all too disappointed because it meant we got to go to dinner with Sydney's sibs and mama who was in town. And also at that point we preferred each other's company to any boy in Provo soooo.....

A lot happens in a year! Twelve months ago I was happy to get cards and letters from my missionary pals, and now I'm about to be a missionary myself. 

Happy Valentine's Day! I'm surrounded by people I love and feel incredibly grateful for that fact. Give somebody a hug. Or a side hug, if you're wary about touching other people like my pal Brookie is.

Look how cute my (first ever) valentine is :)

Wonderful

(source)

I am an incredibly happy camper. I can rag on Provo with the best of them but at the end of the day it really is exactly where I'm supposed to be right now. Sixteen more days until I fly back home!

Free Time

Although I was initially concerned about this limbo time I have before I report to Brazil in March, I've been filling my time, with all those things you plan to do, "when you have time." Like.....

:: redesigning my blog (y'all likey?)

:: redesigning my sister's blog

:: sewing buttons that have fallen off (don't let that trick you into thinking i can sew)

:: burning dinner

:: weekly temple trips

:: blog stalking manaus, brazil missionaries

:: writing missionaries

:: spending time with the grandparents

:: organizing my closet. multiple times

:: visiting the BYU Museum of Art (see above picture)

:: feeling cool and cultured at the Andy Warhol exhibit

:: online shopping for missionary clothes (spoiler alert- they're all uglaay)

:: getting caught up on my tv shows (Nashville anyone?!?! it's GOOD)

:: dancing around to this song on repeat 

:: attempting to learn portuguese

This is the least busy I've been since probably sophomore year of high school. 

AND I'M LOVING IT!