birthday + graduation

I have had a really awesome couple of days.
I really really love my family and friends.
Steven had both days off; it was so so nice!!!

Thursday: my 24th birthday and BYU Commencement
Steven and I got to tend Scott and Daniel that morning until about noon and Steven made me breakfast.
Then Steven cuddled with me as I watched a show and he read a book. Then I got ready for commencement. My mom and Naomi came and then we went to the ceremony. Johnita came too.
I was running late, but I got to the academic processional just in time and I even found a friend, Janae, to walk and sit with. We listened to the speakers and enjoyed the program.
Elder Scott gave the graduates some advice: Make decisions based on eternal truth, not circumstances. Establish a set of principles to guide your life. Don't make exceptions to your standards. Be loyal. Live so that the Lord can guide you to where He wants you to serve. Serve others. Smile. (To guarantee you wake up with a smile, sleep with a coat hanger in your mouth; Everyone has problems and no one wants to hear yours.) Don't complain. Always have a Church assignment. Go to the temple. Use the Savior, Jesus Christ, as your example for life. (Use His teachings as a handbook.)
Then we came back to my house and had a semi-surprise birthday party complete with blue balloons. :D My whole family was there. :D Johnita, Ben, Maria, and Scott were there too. We ate BBQ chicken that Steven made and funeral potatoes that my mom made and veggies, chips, and rolls. We also had brownies and ice cream. It was super tasty!
Then, we had a traditional Sorenson birthday which we haven't really done for me in a while. This means that my siblings and everyone got to hit me over the head with presents. I also got to suffer from a new addition to the tradition which is wet willies. Eric and Hannah thought this was particularly amusing and gave me several. My mom recorded the whole thing on camera and Steven (and others) found plenty of opportunities to say scandalous things to make me blush like crazy. We laughed a lot and had a really good time.
Steven gave me a Kindle! I am so excited! I think it's one of the coolest things ever invented! I won't go into it right now, but it is an amazing piece of technology! I can read books in Spanish and look up words with the dictionary in several seconds instead of several minutes. So awesome!!!
I named my Kindle Leo K. Libro (which is actually really clever if I do say so myself).
Vanessa and Hannah stayed the night.
I'm really sad that we didn't get photos of the party.

 

Friday: Convocation for the Humanities College
Vanessa, Hannah, Steven, and I took care off Scott until about noon. Vanessa made potatoes for breakfast. I wrote some thank you cards and then got ready for the Humanities convocation ceremony. I set a speed record by taking a shower, getting dressed, putting on makeup, drying my hair, and being out the door in like 40 minutes. Steven drove me to the Marriott Center and I found my name card. I found my seat and talked with my friends, Janae and Jody, for a while.
The ceremony started and all the graduates walked to sit down in front. Right after that I decided that I didn't want to be wearing my nylons anymore because they were falling down and bunching up. So after we sat down, I very discretely ripped holes behind my knees, took my legs out, bunched the nylons up, and tucked them away. Problem solved!
Most of the talks were nice (there was one about forgetting and then one about remembering :D) and the song was soothing; it made me tired.
After waiting in line and being inspected by like 4 people who checked my outfits and straightened my tassel, I finally got to walk across the stage, shake hands, and get my diploma cover and I didn't fall or anything. :D
Vanessa walked through the tunnel with me and I greeted a few teachers that I knew. 
Then we met up with everyone else who came: my parents, Steven, Steven's mom Elizabeth, my Grandma and Grandpa Rasmussen, Jenna, and Hannah.
We took pictures and I gave my parents and grandparents Stoles of Gratitude.
Vanessa took a lot of pictures for me.
Steven's mom gave me a really nice present.
Then we went to Sizzler for dinner. I was starving and it tasted really good.
After that my mom, sisters, Steven, and I watched Beastly at the dollar theater.
Then Steven and I came home and crashed. I was soooo tired. :D

waiting to walk

leaving the stage

 

Stoles of Gratitude

Yay!!!

If you actually read all of that, I want you to know that I love your face! Thank you!!! :D
And if you didn't read all of that, I still love you because you at least look at my blog! :D