- Seven Swans -

Today I sold 4 sets! Ya! It was a pretty awesome experience. The only part that wasn't awesome was the part where I asked what their little boys name was and found out it was actually a girl. OOPS. BABIES LOOK GENDER NEUTRAL, OK?

Then around 6:30 we ate dinner at a families house (the Warren's) that Jarna had sold to a little while back. This family has SEVEN girls! And no boys! Except the husband. CRAZY!

They were all so cute and wonderful. I loved spending time with the family, though I only knew them for one evening. We all played and ate spaghetti and laughed and I poured a glass of water on one of the girls then we hid from her in the garage and we learned that dryer sheets don't keep away mosquito's and we ate donuts and ice cream and we watched Forever Strong- good movie by-the-way- and we learned about each other (them about us and us about them) and it was just a huge fun girl party! (Mostly.) It just was really fun, and a great way to spend one of our last evenings. :)

- A-OK -

Megan and I had a pretty peaceful time hanging our feet in the pool while eating Popsicles today.. well.. until our awesome children neighbors came and joined us. They are a bunch of Arabic speaking wild animals that only came swimming to A) getting us all wet and to B) cause lots of chaos for their mother to deal with. They were screaming, chucking trucks and rocks and food into the pool, splashing us, yelling in arabic, you know.. the usual.

These kids, though wild, are sooo cute. The family is from Iraq, I think, and the mothers name is Ala. I finally formally met the little girl today. Her name is Hala. They have four boys, two really young, and two a little older- probably jr. high age- but I don't know their names.

I've seen Hala a few times around but never talked to the funky thing until today. A funny story about her- - - Last night, we were all standing around on the porch talking about how we were going to the swim party/ if I was going to attend the swim party and Hala showed up from who knows where and stood a little out of our circle for almost the whole conversation. She look liked she wanted to be part of it, and I wanted to include her but there wasn't really a way to.. So I just stared at her frequently because it was so weird that she was there. Ha.

SO FUN.

I also met another little girl who lives across the other side of the swimming pool. Her name was.. I don't remember. I think it was Ulle or something. And she was dang cute and super jealous we got to go swimming because she wasn't allowed. Ha. Also, we caught her little sister sneaking into our apartment (we left the back door open) while we were off doing laundry in the building next door. What COOLIES~!

- Lions Roar -

Today I sold 1 set. The Old Testament... .. . And I should be grateful for that but, I'm seriously disappointed they didn't buy 4 or more sets. Ha. Even two sets would have been SO much better than just ONE set.

Tonight Megan Bell and I rode our scooters through the quiet and dark roads of Kennewick, Washington to the KOOLEST 711 in the WORLD. Yes, that's right- the Kennewick 711 has 18 flavors of slurpee and is the most visited 711 in the world. How fun and awesome is that? PLUS, we scootered there. THE BEST.

- Vintage People -

It's the official end of my first week back. Or official beginning of my second week.. not really sure which.

I didn't sell anything for the whole six days I've been here. :( so bummer.

Church was quite enjoyable today. I love fast and testimony meetings. They are the BEST.

After church we ate at the 'break the fast' dealio they had at the church, then we had dinner thirty minutes later at a really really nice couples house that I met last week while going door to door. Ha. So delicious! Sometimes I think food is the only reason I survive out here. . ... LOL.

MEGAN AND I JUST REGISTERED FOR WATER AEROBICS. YA! I CANT WAIT.

- Goodnight Freddy -

Tomorrow is Friday and I still haven't sold anything since Monday. :( That's the worst because I've already fill up my car TWICE since then and gas here is 2.69-2.74 depending on where you go. Ultra expensive and getting more-so. So.. I need to start selling or I'm going to be in more than just living and materials debt.

I love living in Washington. I love anything and everything that happens. This evening, there was a huge wind storm that instantly turned the skies brown.. and was so strong- it blew my car off the freeway overpass into the traffic below... naaahh that didn't happen. But I felt like it was going to. It was strangely awesome.

And after the wind- well, it's still kind of windy- but when it calmed a little, the sky looked super awesome lavender like and there were/are mass amounts of lightening all over the place. That happens in Farmington.. but it's just way more awesome when it happens in Washington.

I'm listening to the new Sounds album. Pretty good but I can't decide if I like it as much as the old stuff.. They've changed they're style a bit. I don't like when Maja talks/sings all fast-rappy-like.

I've been so tired lately, I think Mono is still lingering.

When I was selling in Eltopia/Pasco yesterday, I met a young farming family. They were super nice and invited my whole apartment over for dinner on sunday. WAHO.. That's kinda cool, huh? And they gave me a large map of the area [which I totally needed] and the wife lent me their tennis rackets and a frisbee so I could play-- in all my free time? Ha. Still. How nice of them!

OK. 2 last things.

1. So we have these happy customer sheets that we have people sign and say a little bit about what they like about our product. And, I went into a house yesterday and talk to the lady, she already had all the movies, and I asked her if she'd sign my sheet. She said she'd love to and this morning when I read what she'd written.. I could help but laugh SO HARD.
She'd written something to the effect of:

"Mandy is a really delightful person. She has the right personality for a job like this."

WHAT THE EHCK? .. Ha.

2. I knocked on a door today and the ladies excuse for why she couldn't talk was:

"I'm actually in the middle of ordering something on eBay, so this really isn't a good time.."

LoL. Seriosusly.

- Hospital Bed Crawl -

Anything to blog about would be nice.. Anything happening in my life would be so nice..
Heck, I'm in Kennewick, Washington. There has got to be SOME adventure I can experience while my body is in sick, mono, paralysis. .. Maybe I should go layout on the little patch of grass in back that all the little cute ethnic babies ride their scooters around nonstop.

- Swim -

'Swim'

You've gotta swim
Swim for your life
Swim for the music
That saves you
When you're not so sure you'll survive

You gotta swim
And swim when it hurts
The whole world is watching
You haven't come this far
To fall off the earth

The currents will pull you
Away from your love

Just keep your head above

I found a tidal wave
Begging to tear down the dawn
Memories like bullets
They fired at me from a gun
A crack in the armor

I swim to brighter days
Despite the absence of sun
Choking on salt water
I'm not giving in
I swim

You gotta swim
Through nights that won't end
Swim for your families
Your lovers your sisters
And brothers and friends

Yeah you've gotta swim
Through wars without cause
Swim for the lost politicians
Who don't see their greed as a flaw

The currents will pull us
Away from our love

Just keep your head above

I found a tidal wave
Begging to tear down the dawn
Memories like bullets
They fired at me from a gun
Cracking me open now

I swim for brighter days
Despite the absence of sun
Choking on salt water
Well I'm not giving in
I swim

You gotta swim
Swim in the dark
There's no shame in drifting
Feel the tide shifting and wait for the spark

Yeah you've gotta swim
Don't let yourself sink
Just find the horizon
I promise you it's not as far as you think

The currents will drag us away from our love

Just keep your head above

Just keep your head above

Swim

- Jack's Mannequin

I've been in bed since Tuesday morning. It's lonely, pretty miserable, yeah- mostly those two things. But I'm thankful that I didn't get this disease during my last semester of school (though it would have been a good excuse for my grades being what they were), I'm thankful that I have a good friend here, Megan Bell, who is taking pretty good care of me, I'm thankful there are worthy elders in our ward that could give me a blessing, I'm thankful I have mono and not some crazy unheard-of thing that requires more blood being drawn and more moving around. That's me trying to be positive :) .. maybe my list will be longer tomorrow.

- This Place Is A Prison -

Today would have been my third day selling, but unfortunately for me, my sore throat took me to Kennewick's Urgent Care center this morning.

I spent a total of probably.. 2 hours at the clinic. First thing there, I had to fill out paperwork. WEIRD. I've never had to do that for myself before. Next, they pulled me back to a room, got mad at me for using my phone in that room, and swabbied my throat for strep. When my test results came back negative, they drew a small sample of blood from my left arm (after miserably failing to find the vain in my right). OUCH. Then I waited. 20 minutes.

The blood test came back positive for Mononucleosis. Also known as the 'kissing disease'. Which is lame, because the only boy I kiss doesn't have it so that means I got it through someone coughing or sneezing or something and that's just disgusting.

What a bummer.. I drove to Washington so I could take part in a job, and now I've been advised by a nurse- that I am not well enough to knock doors, I'm contagious, I'm going to be very tired and sick, there are no antibiotics for this because it's a virus, and I'm out for 3 weeks of the season. I started to cry at the doctors office, that's embarrassing. But appropriate.

After the clinic, I went and bought myself a package of Mint Oreos to help me feel better but turns out they hurt my throat too badly to eat. I guess the only thing to do now is rest.

- Some Crap About The Furniture -

We have none. I sold two sets today- keeping me in the lead of all the girls teams. And my throat is hurting so bad-- that I make funny faces and shoot my neck back when I swallow. Gargling salt doesn't really work.. I'm so tired. And I miss Levi and my family and my home. :(