Flashbacks

Last week marked the two-year anniversary of our engagement, so Travis and I decided to relive some memories of that day and go to the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point.

This was the first place Travis took me on our engagement day. The entire week before, he had doorbell-ditched a poem on my doorstep every night, telling me about some of his favorite times we've had together. When he picked me up on the night of our engagement, he had rolled out a red-carpet from the car to my door- a real gentleman! We drove up to Thanksgiving Point and walked around the beautiful gardens (it was during this Tulip Festival), then had an elegant dinner at the Harvest restaurant. After dinner, we drove up Provo Canyon and visited the bridge where we had our first kiss. :) After dancing on the bridge, he knelt down and opened this beautiful ring box, in which he had installed a light (being an engineer...) that would turn on whenever the box opened. It was perfect because it was already so dark outside, and the light made the ring just sparkle! The best part of the whole night, though, was Travis asking me to spend the rest of time and eternity with him. And I said yes! :)

We had so much fun being together, looking at all the beautiful tulips and reliving memories. This will have to be a tradition for our family in years to come.

Field Trip!

Last week, I had the opportunity to take a group of my Spanish students to BYU's Foreign Language Fair (known as "Espanolandia"). BYU sponsors this every year for junior highs and high schools, but Alpine School District is usually unable to participate because it always falls on our spring break- but not this year! I remember how much I loved going when I was in junior high, and I wanted my students to have the same opportunity to attend.

The students were given a "passport" and left on their own to wander throughout "Espanolandia", going to the different booths (pharmacy, market, bookstore, post office, etc...) speaking nothing but Spanish! If they were caught speaking English, they would be "arrested", and taken to the "carcel" (jail). The students had to talk to people at these booths, and once they did, they would receive a stamp in their passport. They couldn't leave Espanolandia until their passport was full!

I also required my students to participate in different competitions, such as poetry, show and tells, and skits. They all did very well, especially the skit group. They all received "Superior" scores on a Spanish II level! And they're only in Spanish I! They were so excited to tell me their scores; I was so proud of them! (The picture above is me with the skit group, posted with their permission.) Travis was even able to walk over from work and take his lunch with us! It was kind of funny to see their stares as Travis and I held hands. One student said, "Wait, so, if you're her husband...that would make you...Mr. Anderson?" :)

Everyone had such a good time- unfortunately next year Espanolandia will fall on spring break. :( But maybe we'll organize a group and go anyway!

I Believe In Miracles

Bountiful Temple
About a month ago, I went to San Diego to present at a conference for work. The conference was supposed to end on Wednesday afternoon, but I was able to work it out to come home Tuesday night, since one of my really good friends, Colby Green, was getting married Wednesday morning. My flight was supposed to leave around 5:45, but the plane had mechanical problems (one of the engines was leaking oil). They flew a mechanic in from L.A. to look at it, then they had to fly a part over to fix it, and then the airport closed and wouldn't let us take off. So they sent us all off to a hotel for the night. In my prayers that night, I asked Heavenly Father to help me make it back in time for the temple sealing.

The next morning, I got up at 4am to catch the shuttle back to the airport and I got on the first flight back to Salt Lake. Traffic was really bad for Lacee as she was coming to pick me up, because there had been some pretty bad wrecks on the freeway. We left the airport and Lacee drove up to the Bountiful Temple as I changed into my suit in the car. We arrived just in time for the sealing! I know the Lord helped us make it there, and I was very grateful. It was a miracle!

Provo Temple
Then last Saturday, it was Lacee's turn!  She was on a trip in Mexico during her Spring Break building houses. She was coming back on Saturday, and Bridger was going to receive his endowment that evening. They were making good time until they reached Payson. A couch had flown off a trailer and crashed into a motorcycle with two people on it. The freeway was closed as they brought in a helicopter to life-flight them to the hospital. After almost two hours, traffic started moving again. The people Lacee was riding with were kind enough to drop her off in Provo on their way back to Lindon. I picked her up and after a hug and kiss, we rushed over to the Provo Temple, again making it just in time. I know the Lord helped us make it on time! It was another miracle! It was wonderful to be with Bridger during that special time. He'll make a wonderful missionary!

Graduate School
While we're talking about miracles, I also found out I was admitted to the graduate program I applied for at BYU! It's a dual-degree program focusing on product development, where you get a masters degree in mechanical engineering and an MBA (Masters of Business Administration) at the same time. So it's basically about inventing a product, and then building a business to market and sell it. So we're really excited about that! I found out I was admitted to mechanical engineering program a few months ago and was waiting to hear back from the business school. I had my interview a few weeks ago, and as I was leaving the interview, Dr. Sawaya told me that I could expect to be admitted, and he welcomed me to the program. Last week I got my official acceptance letter!  So we're really excited about that!

Mi Semana En Mexico

Over spring break, I had the wonderful opportunity of spending a week in La Gloria, Mexico, building houses for those in need. It was with the Utah chapter of a national organization called Builders Without Borders. It all started when my friend, Danielle (the French teacher at my school), and I were wondering what we should do over the break, since both our husbands would be busy with work and school. One of her students mentioned Builders Without Borders to her, and after looking into it, we found out they were planning a trip during spring break. Perfect timing!

In preparation for our trip, we got the whole school involved in a clothes and school supply drive. We got so many donations from the students and faculty! Danielle and I were so happy to actually see them being distributed among the people in Mexico.

This was the first time I was really going to spend time outside the U.S. I've been to Canada for a couple of hours when my family visited Niagara Falls, and I've been to Tijuana for a couple of hours on another family trip, but it was the "touristy" part- not a real, authentic experience. This has made it hard for me to share cultural experiences in my classroom. I usually have to tell about other people's experiences in Spanish-speaking countries, instead of my own. So I was super excited to apply for my first passport and go!

We left on the Saturday before the break and returned last Saturday. The drive down was long, but it gave us an opportunity to create new friendships with those in our car.

Crossing the border into Mexico was fine, and we were so happy to see our new "home" for the next week. It was a very nice LDS Stake Center, and I met so many wonderful Mexican members. I admire them so much for all they did to serve us during our stay, despite the many challenges that faced them in their own daily lives.

As far as the work went, I was on the "stucco crew." We went around to 3 different job sites and stapled black paper and chicken wire to the walls, then applied the stucco. The first house was already built, but the walls were simply plywood, so we reinforced the walls. This house was located right by the Pacific Ocean, and the view was beautiful! That is, until the clouds and rains came! But that didn't stop us! We were able to talk to the dad later that week, and he thanked us so much for the new walls. "Before this week, my family would always feel the wind through the walls. Now we can't!"

The second and third houses we built from the ground up. The second family consisted of a young couple with a baby, who lived in a small camper. All these families owned the land, but had no means to actually build a house. The Stake Presidency decided who in the stake needed these houses the most.

I'm grateful for my knowledge of Spanish (though not perfect), because I was one of the few in our group of about 40 able to communicate with these wonderful people and hear their stories. As I conversed with this new mother at the second job site, I found out that she and her husband were married only a month after Travis and me, and they had always lived in this camper. Not once did she complain of her circumstances. She was outside every day with her baby, just watching the walls of her new home come together. Her huge smile said more than words. I would look at her smile, look back at her new house, and think, "Wow...and it's still not even as big as our 2 bedroom condo back home..." It was truly a tender, eye-opening experience.

The third site was smaller than the first two, but we finished sooner than anticipated. So we moved down the street and asked another family if we could finish the walls on their house. These people were not members of the church, so it was a wonderful opportunity to explain to the mother why we were there, and what we believed about serving others. We ended up leaving a Spanish Book of Mormon with her.

Work commenced in the early mornings and ended at sunset. When we returned to the stake center each night, the Relief Society made a delicious dinner for us. Sometimes we went to a local taqueria, which was lots of fun. Carne asada is the best- es para chuparse los dedos!

We left for Las Vegas on Friday afternoon, and I got home to Travis's arms on Saturday. I missed him so much! I was also able to bring back some strawberry Fanta, which Travis has missed since his years in South America. He was so excited that he didn't want to wait for the carbonated pop to settle after the bumpy ride home...needless to say, after opening it, our kitchen, clothes, and window blinds looked like a science experiment gone terribly wrong!

I'm so grateful for the things I was able to see and witness last week, and for the people I met and grew to love. It was an unforgettable experience!

Mission Call!

My little brother, Bridger, received his mission call last week! However, due to my dad being out of town, he didn't open it until yesterday. In this photo, my parents are holding cell phones close so my Mamita (in L.A.) and sister (at BYU-I) could hear the news. This was a new experience for all of us, since Bridger is the first boy after 5 girls in our family! It was wonderful being there when he read his call.

Imagine our excitement when we heard that he was going to labor in the Mexico, Merida Mission! After that, everyone kept saying how well he was going to fit in (since we kids are half-Mexican), and wondered how much darker he was going to get from his mission! :)

He leaves July 21st for the MTC- almost a month after his birthday. Congratulations, Bridger! We love you!

Ode To Being A Teacher

A couple years ago, I remember a BYU-Idaho professor asking those of us who were about to begin our semester student teaching, "Who here is becoming a teacher for the pay?" Of course, not a single hand went up. Teachers don't become a teachers for the pay (at least, not in Utah, anyway...). We do it for a better reward. The students are my reward. Just being around them every day has made my life so exciting, and "totally" fun! There's NEVER a dull moment, especially in a junior high! The students make me laugh so hard, there's so many times where I have to stop what I'm doing and write a funny quote down so I can take it home to share with Travis. (They always like it when a quote of theirs makes the "Things-to-share-with-my-husband" list.)

This is my third year teaching, and I can honestly say I have learned so incredibly much from my experiences over the past years. Earlier this month, one of my vice-principals came in to observe me and scored me from 0-5 in several different categories with 5 meaning, "you walk on water." I was very nervous because this vice-principal is pretty strict, very experienced, and detailed about everything. After her evaluation, we met to discuss how the lesson went. She had given me practically straight 5's in almost every category, including classroom management! I was so thrilled to hear this because it makes me realize how far I've come. My mind went back to when I was hired on at a Jr. High in West Jordan, the week after I finished student teaching at a nearby high school. These classes had no prior teacher, only substitutes the whole first semester. Obviously, there was no order and students were bouncing off the walls and swearing at the sight of me. I remember picking up crumpled notes off the floor, opening them up and seeing a student's artful depiction of me. It wasn't very flattering, to say the least. Things like this happened for weeks, but thanks to the support given by family and friends, and countless prayers to my Father in Heaven, by the end of the school year there was order and we finally saw eye-to-eye. They even wanted to help out with my upcoming wedding! :)

I'm so grateful for the opportunity to do what I love most- to be around jr. highers (and all their drama), and teach them something I love dearly. I love to help them realize their potential, and raise themselves to my high levels of expectation. I must admit, however, that even though I am their "teacher", they are really the ones teaching me.

(In the photo above, we're playing our "bow and arrow" review game, where someone calls out an English word, and we search for and shoot the Spanish translation on the board- I never play unless I'm challenged... And I haven't been beaten yet! :) All credit goes to Travis for coming up with the bow and arrow part of the game.)

My Housing Account

I feel there's some background information that I should share before talking about the presentation I made this last week at a conference in San Diego; but I'll try to make this as brief as I can.

I work for the BYU Campus Accommodations Office. We do all the contracting and billing for all of housing and dining services (about $40 million worth per year). Four years ago, we purchased a software system called RMS (Residential Management System) to help us manage our housing and dining contracts. RMS is one of the premier university housing management software packages available on the market today, and is used by over 150 colleges and universities, including Notre Dame, Geogria Tech, Northwestern, Duke, Purdue, and many others across the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.

After we installed RMS, we quickly discovered we couldn't customize it the way we wanted, and the user interface left much to be desired. At the time, I was working as a student employee providing customer service and creating Crystal reports. I did, however, have a fair amount of programming skills I had learned in the past. Drawing from these skills and learning new ones, I began writing web applications to supplement the services RMS provided. Since then, my applications (named My Housing Account) have replaced the need for RMS's online student portal; I've been able to provide students and administrators with so much more than RMS can provide, and all at a much higher quality and lower cost, with much greater customer satisfaction.

My Housing Account gets on average over 1600 users login every single day, and receives over 3.5 million pages views per year. There are a lot of really cool things in My Housing Account that I am really proud about. One of the more "showy" features, though, is a graphical, visual Room Selection process. Rather than have someone in our office (it used to be me) have to manually assign each of our 4800 residents to a room with a roommate, students can now select their own room themselves. It has a pretty slick user interface and has a lot of bells and whistles. It's kind of a similar process to selecting your own seat on a plane when you book your flight, but a little more elaborate.

Every year, the company RMS sponsors a users conference for all its users. Two years ago, in Las Vegas, I showed our Room Selection process to a number of RMS employees at that conference. Their developers were particularly excited about it, and we were asked to present at the users conference the following year in Orlando. Last year, however, our presentation was blocked at the last minute. They didn't explicitly say why, but I figure it was because RMS didn't want us to show other schools what we could do without using their product. We did, however, get a chance to talk quite in depth with Phil Mosely, the new VP of Operations at RMS. Phil was intrigued and agreed to come to Provo a few weeks later to visit more with us.

During Phil's visit, the director I report through proposed a partnership between BYU and RMS, in which we would provide RMS with the source code for our Room Selection process, and in return, RMS would change their product to offer support for what we were doing. Phil was very, very excited about that idea. During the next several weeks, BYU's intellectual property attorneys and RMS's attorneys hashed out an amendment to our service agreement, and we were officially made partners. Over the course of the next several months, my student staff and I created an open source version of our Room Selection process which we provided to RMS's developers. Again I was asked to present at the next users conference, this time in San Diego, which happened last week.

In San Diego, I presented our Room Selection process (which is just one small part of what we have in My Housing Account!). The other schools were so blown away by it! In their eyes, this was the best thing since even before sliced bread! :) They asked a lot of really good questions, and were overwhelmingly excited about the entire concept. After my presentation ended, everyone ran up to talk to me and ask questions. They were all so impressed! They wanted a demo they could take back and show their bosses at their schools, so I provided them with a video demonstration we made for our students. My favorite part of all was seeing their jaws drop after telling them the entire Room Selection was developed in only about 8 months time by two students (myself and one other), in between answering phone calls and responding to emails. (I since was hired to work full time to manage the office's software development.)

While at San Diego, I met with Phil again, who basically said that our Room Selection has redefined the direction the company is heading in the future. RMS's development teams have been told to make the integration of our Room Selection process their top priority.

Anyway, it was a fun trip. It was great to meet with individuals from other universities across the world, and it made me feel good to know that I developed something that will literally change the students' contracting experience in the entire university housing industry.