Talking To Myself

I must send out a formal apology to anyone and everyone who has had  an informal conversation with me on the phone at any point in my life. Allow me to explain why.

Meet Beebs: 

Quite Possibly the Coolest Cat I know!

Beebs is the baby of the family. She’s 13 and not spoiled in anyother way besides love. We all just can’t get enough of this girl. Except however, when she answers the phone. 

Whenever I call home, or even my mom’s cell phone, I have an 85% chance of having Beebs answer the phone. Which is fine and what not, I love hearing whats going on in Beebs’ life… but… .here’s the thing. Beebs is the same kind of story teller as myself. It takes us F…O…..R….E…V…..E….R.. to try and recount a story over the phone.

“Oh wait I forgot..”, “Anyway,” “Wait, where was I going with this..” or “Hold on let me try and remember..”. We stink at story telling and it’s just amplified over the phone. 

I’ve known this fun little fact about myself for quite some. I tell stories all jumbled up in the wrong order and insert meaningless details, while forgetting important ones. However, i had never talked to myself on the phone before, so I had no idea how frustrating or annoying it could be to talk to me. Until one day… when I called Home and Beebs answered the phone. It had been an eventful day in the Rust home and I wasn’t able to be apart of it so I was dying to hear all about what happened in my absence. 

Beebs of course answers the phone. I urgently begged her to go through a play by play of the evening for me. After about 15 minutes of  “Oh wait I forgot..”, “Anyway,” “Wait, where was I going with this..” and “Hold on let me try and remember..”, I had to end the madness. i told her to have mom  call me back when she had a chance.

As soon as I answered the phone call from my mom, I blurted out, “Oh my goodness Mom, I am so sorry that you have to listen to me talk on the phone all the time. I now know exactly how it feels to talk to someone just like me. It's awful!”

So, again, I'd like to extend my deepest apology along with the promise that I shall try to improve!
Love, Noelle

BYU-Idaho: Chamber of Secrets

Seeing as I won't be returning to Rexburg for quite sometime (can you hear my heart-breaking?? Cause it is) I decided to make a list of things that I've discovered in the past 7 semesters that have made my time in Rexburg oh so incredibly enjoyable. If you or someone you know is going to school here, feel free to check out some of the lesser known, yet wonderful things that BYU-I has to offer. I've loved every single one of these, but... in the words of Lavar Burton..

You Don't Have To Take My Word For It!

Circuit Train in the Hart Gym
I discovered the circuit training area this semester (Thank you Hannah, Jenna and Michaela!) You can go do an intense full-body work out in less than a half hour. Prime.

Devotional Usher:
 I loved being an usher. I can't even really explain why. You get to devo early and get to listen to the musical number performers warm up. You get to see a million people that you know and love but wouldn't see otherwise. You get to meet new people and get asked out on dates by people you've never talked to before ;) You get first pick of any seat in the BYU-I center. You get to have a banquet at the end of the semester. You get to feel good about yourself for volunteering for a great cause. I love this and will do any and all other semesters I'm in Rexburg.
Homestead at least twice a month: 

 I feel like I'm beating a dead horse when it comes to this topic, but I can't say it enough. If you want to be happy and make someone else happy, GO TO THE HOMESTEAD. Just go. The hardest part is committing to going. I know we all have good intentions, but seriously...just do it. Make a plan and stick to it. It will be an hour out of your week that I guarantee you won't regret.


Weekly Temple Trip:The temple is so close. The blessings, peace and comfort that come from attending it are mind blowing. 

Magnify Your Calling: 
I learned this one this semester when I went from Relief Society President to Greeter. It doesn't matter what you are, just be a great one.

Customer Service Job


Get a job on campus where you help people. You meet people. For the AwkwardAwesome: Work Edition... go here.

Make Eye Contact and Smile at everyone you possibly can
What've you got to lose? For more on this.. go here.

If family is close by, take advantage of it

You're going to have them for forever, start getting to know and serving them now. Strengthen those relationships. Family Dinner November 2011

Get to know a man named Vince
He works in AV Productions. Just get to know him ok?

Be on Food Services SBOD

Of all my extracurricular/volunteer activities, this has been one of my favorites. Free Food? Ok!


Be involved in a sport. 
Any sport. Any league. Any aspect of the sport.

Make time to be in the I-center at least once a day.
 I'm going to miss this building so much. It holds the memories of some of my weakest moments and greatest successes.

Find out which Zumba teacher you like, and go every week.
Zumba is so fun. Take your roommates and go. You'll feel a lot less guilty about those 12 tubs of ice cream in your freezer :)

Serve your roommates.
It's great to serve random people, but serve, serve, serve your roommates.

Make at least one close friend in every single class you're in.
This always gave me that extra bit of motivation to actually go to class each day. It helped me look forward to class and if you do have to miss, you have a friend who'll let you know what you missed.

Get to know your Professors. 
This is crucial. These people are smart. They know people in high places. Let them get to know you.

Go to Nashville Nights and the Best Of show
Ok, why did I not go to Nashville Nights? A bunch of adorable cowboy wearing cowboy hats and boots while serenading us to "Crazy Girl", "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not?" and more.. sign me up! The Best Of show is legit. I loved it.

Go Sledding at least once a week.
:) 
Hope this helps! Take care of my dear BYU-Idaho while I'm away!
 
Love, Noelle

Broken Love Stories

As much as I adore a good love story, my heart simply breaks over a tragic one.

 Last night I started reading "The History of Joseph Smith By His Mother". It's exactly what it says it is. It's a history written by Lucy Mack Smith about her family growing up and then more specifically about Joseph Smith Jr's life. Ohh I'm loving reading about the tender heart of a mother for her children. I'm not very far along in it, but I'm rather enjoying it so far.

In the second chapter, she told the story about her brother, Jason Mack. I'll paraphrase for ya.

Jason was a "studious and manly" boy. He became a minister at the age of 20 and fell in love with a beautiful and wealthy young woman named Esther Bruce.  Everyone who knew Esther loved her. She was smart, beautiful, well-mannered and kind. Pretty soon Jason had convinced her that she couldn't live without him. So they were engaged to be married! Yay!!

When it was about time to be married, Jason's father (Joseph Smith Jr's grandfather) received a letter from Liverpool saying that there was a heavy debt due to him that was ready to be collected. Apparently Jason had to come along with his father to collect it so the wedding had to be postponed (I don't get that... must've been an 18th century thing.) So with a heavy heart, he left his beautiful betrothed with an agreement that he would write to her once every three months and as soon as he returned they would be married.

The plot thickens. There was a rotten scoundrel (excuse the harsh words, but I am furious with this man!) who worked at the post office who happened to have a bit of a crush on this Esther Bruce...an engaged woman!!! So in his desire to thwart Jason's efforts, he used what ever he could to dissuade Esther from waiting for and marrying Jason. In the meantime, he detained Jason's letters to Esther to help his filthy cause.

Well, Jason and his father got stuck in Liverpool and weren't able to return at their scheduled time. When Jason had been gone for two years, that awful man told Esther that Jason was dead. Esther did not believe him the first time, but after awhile her worst fears were falsely confirmed. But she still refused to marry the post office man.

However as time went on, and as the post man persisted, she agreed to marry him. Four months after the marriage, Jason returned to America. He immediately went to Esther's father's home  and waited for his betrothed to come home. He had no idea that he was actually waiting for a married woman.  When Esther returned to  "the same room where he had wooed her and obtained her consent to be his", she saw Jason sitting in the room. When she recognized who it was, she "clasped her hands in agony and, with a piercing shriek, fell lifeless to the floor."  
Oh my goodness, that part breaks my heart. Can you even imagine??

Jason then learned that the postman had kept all of his letters from Esther and had lied to her of his "death". Not seeing anything that could be done, he went to sea and lived single until he was 50.

When Esther was revived from her collapse,  and understood the situation better, she fell sick and never got better. She lived, or rather lingered, for two years until she died, "the victim of disappointment".

Is that not the saddest thing you've ever heard?? A real life love story, broken by a greedy, deceitful post man and a town by the awful name of Liverpool. Seriously, what a gross name!

I'm sorry if this post put a damper on your day, if so you can find much happier love story posts here, here and here :)

Or simply watch George Paddley and Sarah Anne Frank's love story on 17 Miracles. Oh my gosh, he loves her so much!

Her:"Not sufficient materials but must be completed regardless? Doesn't that make you crazy?"
Him: "No, that does not make me crazy. It is you who makes me crazy."

Her: "My betrothed spent that day as the Savior would have, helping those in need. I wondered how he could bear it, walking the day through that bitter water. Later, I would wonder how I could be so weak as to allow him to do so.... George was not the only one to give so much of himself that day, but he was the only one that I loved so much."

Her: "George have you begun a journal?"
Him: "Perhaps. Or perhaps it is thoughts of you."

Him:
"Hast thou a heart, my dearest maid,
to freely give away?
Nay, do not blush nor be afraid
the simple truth to say.

For love's a power none can withstand,
which even death cannot part.
But I'd not wish to have thy hand
unless I have thy heart.

For all that's mine, I give to you,
not holding back a part.What else might I do,
my darling Sarah,to gather in your heart?

Others say that they have seen angels watching from the bluff
But I have seen thine lovely face, and for my dear Sarah, that is enough"

Them: "It will all be worth it"

Their love story also broke my heart, but I'm sooo glad the movie included the last part about President Faust.
"When James E.Faust heard the story of Sarah Anne Franks and George Paddley, he wept.
He called theirs the greatest love story of the Mormon frontier.
In 1997, he asked that they be sealed for time and all eternity."

'It will all be worth it."

If you haven't seen it yet. Go now.

Love, Noelle

Playlisting

The songs I'm in love with are kinda old news. Alas I love them nonetheless, and I'd like to share them with you.

But by all means, introduce me to something new, please!

For your convenience, I've divided them into two separate categories.

Songs that make me melt and go "Awwwwwww"

Crazy Girl- Eli Young Band

The music video is a bit extreme, it makes me laugh. The "crazy girl" is in a psych ward. It's nice to know that us crazy girls have a chance at being loved like crazy ;)

I Wouldn't Mind- He is We

"Forever is a long time, but I wouldn't mind spending it by your side."

Honey Bee- Black Shelton

Just a Kiss- Lady Antebellum

Happy- NeverShoutNever

This has been a favorite for along time. And it probably always will be

Other Songs that I Just Really Love Listening to

Lose Yourself-Eminem

Can you say perfect pump up song??

Someone Like You-Adele

I straight up love Adele's voice. I think I could listen to it all day. However, I do think it's weird that she's singing to her married ex-love, move on woman.

Keep Your Head Up-Andy Grammar

No explanation necessary. Awesome song.

Knee Deep- Zac Brown Band

It's physically impossible for me to listen to this song without movin' to the beat and smiling really big.

All Your Life- The Band Perry

Why Hello Reality, Nice of You to Finally Join Us

One week! One week, one week one week!
Or.. as I like to say, " Una semana, una semana, una semana!"

In una semana I will be on a plane flying from Vegas to Miami anxiously awaiting my reunion with Abigail and Brittany where we will then leave the continent and arrive in South America all together (thank goodness for that).

My passport is here. The shots have been injected (didn't even hurt really, huzzah!) and my bags have been packed for days. Reality is just barely beginning to set in... but only a teensy, tiny bit. It's still kind of surreal.

For instance. I can't believe that BYU-I school starts today! Woah! Good luck to all of you!
Bittersweet.

Also, I have a great big fatty announcement! Are you ready for this?

After much contemplation and internal debate, I have decided to start a brand new blog dedicated to my time in Peru.  You can find a link to it here. Or if you look to the left side bar portion of my blog you will find a permalink to my new Peruvian blog. Simply click on the picture that looks like this:

If you'd like to follow our adventures, feel free to do so! Although I will probably set that blog to private (for safety reasons) for the duration of our time in Peru. But you're more than welcome to follow it, so if you'd like, simply click on the orange button at the top that says follow and you will become one of my readers and have full access to the blog.

As for this "Love, Noelle" Blog of mine.... I believe that I will still update it on occasion. Because I'll still be thinking and remembering and planning and that sort of stuff goes here. So keep an eye on both!

Until then, hasta luego!

Love, Noelle

Why Every Little Girl Needs A Big Brother

Me and My Big Brothers: How Cute Are We?

I was just sitting in the kitchen eating frosted animal crackers with my two baby sisters (Holly-16 and Beebs-13... where did the time go??) when Beebs (who missed the Stake Dance age cut off by just 23 days!) asked Holly to recount everyone that she had danced with at last night's stake New Years Eve dance.

Sidenote: Gosh I wish I had a picture to show you of how gorgeous Holly looked last night! Her make-up was classily done, her long, thick golden-blonde hair was down in perfect upside-down curl ringlets and she was rocking my teal zebra shirt. Ow Ow!! But I don't have a photo, so just picture a knock-out diva goddess.

As soon as she started talking about which boys asked her to dance, which ones she asked on girls-choice, and which ones she danced with multiple times... floods of memories from my own stake dances filled my mind. I adore the memory of my very first dance, and I had forgotten about it for a long time until now, and I want to remember it for my children, so it must go down in the blog.

Noelle's First Dance
It was a New Years Eve Dance (I only know this because I turned 14 midway through December, so it would make sense that my first dance would be the NYE.)

I can't remember how I wore my hair, probably curled... but maybe straight... but I do remember that I wore a black and white striped polo and that I looked preeeettty cute :) The dance was held in the Fine Arts Building at the Logandale Fair Grounds. I was the only one of my friends who was 14 and so I was pretty nervous about going and having no one to hang out with. Not to mention that  the idea of enjoying dancing with a boy was so foreign to me. I remember there were various stations set up around the room of activities to do. I was grateful for that and headed to one of those and began chatting with one of the leaders, hoping to avoid the dancing scene all together.

I forgot to mention that accompanying me to the dance were my two older brothers Daniel and Travis who at this point were Stake Dance Pros and were there with a slew of their friends (Many of which I had had crushes on for who knows how long...it's a little sister thing). Anyways, I don't remember at what point of the night it was, but I do remember that Daniel came and found me and brought me over to the middle of the dance floor where I found that he had gotten what seemed like every single boy in the valley to stand in circle. He then took me to the middle of the circle of men and told me  that I could choose any boy in the room to have my first dance with.

I was so embarrassed surprised terrified mortified. All of these older men standing in a circle, waiting for me to choose one of them! My mind was racing, "You can't choose one that you like, because then they'll know you like them and then it'd just be awkward... But you can't choose one that you don't like because then they'll think you like them and that could just be disastrous." Oh the woes of a 14-year-old.

Now, wouldn't it be cute if I could say that the boy I chose to have my first dance with ended up being my best friend all through high school, served a mission and came back and married me....yes it would. But that would be false.

I don't remember exactly how it went down, but I remember looking to my right and seeing Cory Diamond, one of my friend's big brothers who I had actually talked to before so I figured it wouldn't be too weird. And so we danced, my first dance.  I don't remember it at all to be honest.
The rest of the boys were all perfect gentleman and I believe that I danced every single dance from then til the end of the dance that night. And I loved it. It was so much fun!

Once I had built up my self-esteem and confidence a bit, I looked back and thought, "Hello-ooo Noelle, Daniel gave you perfect opportunity to dance with _______________(insert names of 3 or 4 older boys that I'd had crushes on since the beginning of forever)!" But I was much to shy and nervous and flustered. And besides, Cory was so nice and was a wonderful first dance.

Also something I've realized upon looking back in hindsight... what a cute, sweet thing for a big brother to do for his little sister! Yes, at the time I wanted to murder him, but seriously, how cute it is that he rounded up all the boys just for me!

Disneyland 1996: Noelle (5) and Daniel (8)

I know we don't have much control over it, but I think every girl should have a big brother, and I was lucky enough to get 4!

Crawdad hunting!

Love, Noelle

P.S. Do any of you remember this? I don't think I've told this story much and am curious to hear what other people who were at the dance remember. Where did the rest of the girls go when Daniel put together the circle of boys? The world may never know..