ill

It's no fun to be ill and pregnant. You're limited in what medicines you can take, plus you're tired and have congestion anyway.

I've had a cold for the past few days, and it finally kicked into high gear. I'm hoping I can recover in time for Thanksgiving break- it's also no fun to be sick over the holidays.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Stump the Professor

I wrote about advertising for Stump the Professor last year, so this year I wanted to write about what happens at the actual event. So, here were some of the best questions from the event today:

What Supreme Court Justice is known for installing an ice cream machine in the cafeteria? Justice Kagan

Who had the most influence in writing the preamble to the constitution? Gouverneur Morris

What was the cause of death of Pademe (from Star Wars)? Lost the will to live

What are the middle names of Pres. Worthen and Pres. Gordon? J and Douglas

What is the basis for measuring a meter? 1 ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the north pole

Name two of the following: Utah's state rock, state mineral, or state gem? Coal, copper, topaz

What does the acronym FOMO stand for? Fear of missing out

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Political Asylum

Today I had my final presentation for my political asylum class, where I gave an 8 minute oral argument arguing in favor of an alien receiving political asylum.

This has been one of my favorite classes this semester, mostly because we have a professor who is a former immigration judge and who gives us practical advice and practice. Even though I have had experience with asylum through my various internships, I have learned so much by being able to study the topic in depth this semester. I now feel confident that I can analyze an asylum claim to determine whether or not it has a chance in court, and then advise a client accordingly. I can't wait to be an attorney when I can do this for real!

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Everyday Heroes

Mitt Romney spoke in a forum today on BYU campus. While I didn't attend in person, I did watch most of his speech online. He talked about everyday heroes that he encountered during his campaign.
For example,

"At one of my first speeches in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the applause from the audience was instigated by someone with a loud, piercing shout. "Isn't he wonderful?" she would yell. Or, "we love you, Mitt!" "You're the best!" I can assure you, I was as pleased as I was startled.

After my remarks, a delightful middle aged woman named Joni Scotter made her way to the small stage and threw her arms around me. This was the first time I met Joni, but it was far from the last. Over the campaign years, I have seen Joni dozens of times. She drives to wherever I may be in eastern Iowa. And at every speech, her enthusiastic squeals of support energize both me and the audience. She is my hero." 

For the full text of his speech, click here.

What did I learn from these remarks? To be grateful for the everyday heroes in my life, particularly those who read my blog. You are my heroes. Thank you for your support and interest in my life.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Cloth Diapers

Had you asked me several years ago if I would ever consider cloth diapering, my answer would have been "no." But as they often do, opinions change over time. After considerable research, we are taking a leap of faith and committing to cloth diapering. Mentally. I have yet to buy and use the actual diapers.

Here are my reasons for using cloth diapers:

1. Saves money (the initial downpayment is higher, but it saves in the long run. also, we may live in an apartment where we pay a flat rate so I don't have to worry about utilities going up)
2. Health benefits to baby (supposedly, less diaper rash and fewer blowouts)
3. Eco-friendly (less energy to wash diapers than to take out bags of trash)

And that's about it. If I were to change the font size of the three reasons to emphasize importance, number one would be in 100 pt font, number two would be in 30 pt font, and number three would be in 10 point font. We'll see how it goes!

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Restaurant Review: El Tropical

There's a Dominican Restaurant that just opened up in Provo! "El Tropical" is at 40 W 400 N, Provo, UT. Matt and I decided to try it out yesterday. We ordered mostly fried food, since that was the most common for missionaries to have (and the food I most enjoyed on my mission).

I give them an A+ on empanadas. They were so good we ate them before I remembered to take a picture. The drinks were also great, although I'll have to go back when they have chinola juice (they were out at the time). The quipe was a lot bigger than I expected, so if you're planning on sampling it, one will probably suffice.  We ordered one platter of pica pollo con tostones, which was more than enough for the two of us. So for main dishes, expect big portion sizes. Overall, it was a good dining experience. They offer San Cocho on Wednesdays and Fridays, so we'll be going back sometime to try that out as well.

The best part was using my Spanish to order food! Our waitress was Dominican, and she was very attentive. I'm so glad I still understood the accent and slang words after being back for over 2 years.

For all you RMs from the Dominican, I'd recommend you try this place out. Then you can tell me what dishes you really enjoyed.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Baby Shower

The day finally came!!! I've been looking forward to my baby shower for MONTHS, ever since my amazing cousin offered to be in charge back in August. It seemed so far away at the time. I was thrilled to see family and friends, and especially grateful for their support. And now, I will barrage you with pictures:

Jen really outdid herself with the decorations

And the desserts- oreo truffles, cupcakes, and cookies

We had an awesome turnout-
Lots of family members and even some of my high school friends came! 

Not to mention old ward buddies

My mom brought an awesome blue punch that had rubber ducks floating on top-
(see my cousin serving herself some?)

Presents!! We got SO MANY clothes--
Possibly enough to not have to purchase any more for the next 6 months. :) 

I also felt the love and support of those who couldn't make it. Thank you all.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah