House of 8 [July 13]

I'm kind of ashamed to admit this, and I blame it on the fact that sit-com TV shows are taking over the world, but when I'm standing in my kitchen at home I feel like I'm part of some first season chick-flick, prime-time special. I live in a house with 8 girls. You would think that life under such circumstances would be a little stressful--that's a lot of estrogen--but we really get along well. What makes the whole experience really fun is that everyone brings their distinct personalities and unique strengths. Let me run through the cast:

So I come home from work and start looking through the cabinets to decide what to eat. Jackie M. is standing over a skillet cooking some sort of delicious looking stir-fry. "Did the gallery pick up today?" I ask. Jackie is an art major grad from BYU. She is as petite as they come--but what she lacks in height she makes up for in spunk. Don't be deceived, there is no power on earth or...otherwise...that would keep this girl from what she wants. She is very educated and anchored in her preferences in the humanities, even in her temperment, and confident in her identity. Her mission in Las Vegas must have further strengthened her backbone. She is currently frustrated with a boy who invites her over often to his guy parties--but won't make his interest known. "What is he thinking?" "If only we could invent a mind-probe." I say. But alas...no mind probe...life must go on.

Melanie walks into the kitchen to grab something for dinner herself. "Hey babe, how was work?" I ask. With a little prying she'll give the latest on the homeless girls she works with at Volunteers of America. She is also a BYU alumn in psychology, and is changing her colors this fall as she's starting a masters program at the University of Utah. Her eyes get wide as she tells me about something exciting or trageic that she came across during the day. She is very in tune with the needs of others and readily shares any interesting tid-bits that she came across from the internet, TV, friends, or co-workers. Always the hub of energy and enthusiam is our very own Melanie. We often make dinner for eachother and eat it over candlelight--I'm not even kidding. It's while we're cooking that we really get a chance to catch up. Boys are a frequent subject of conversation between Mel and I. She currently has her eye on a cute boy that she runs into periodically--I try to keep on the news feed.

Suddenly the back door opens and in walks Jackie Bell, Lily, and Cassie. Returning from a day at Lagoon followed by a bike-ride (I've never known where extactly they go--but it always sounds like an intense ride), the three of them come in for some AC, water, and nutritian. Jackie Bell is one of the most independent and strong women that I know. She takes off her backpack and comments on something from their bike ride. Her hair is in a pony-tail and she takes it down and puts it up again. "How was the bike ride?" I ask. "Hot." She says with a smile. She might have the heart of a warrior--but she has the face of an angel with that charming smile and those darling freckles. Jackie is a nursing grad from Dixie and currently works as an RN at a local hospital. She is a hard worker, and in no place is that better exempified than in the clean up she and Lily did in our backyard. The property was a mess before all of their hard work. And what of boys, you ask? She would never be one to settle, or waste too much energy worrying about them. Surely there must be a weakness--some way to win her heart. Truth be known: pudding. :o) But that didn't come from me.

Cassie's phone jingles as she receives a text. She smiles when she looks at it--it was probably her boyfriend who is across the country in PA school. Cassie is an American sweetheart--the girl next door with her own twist of flare. Dark hair and on the petitie, she is so collected and put together. Juggling nursing school at SLCC and work as an EKG tech at the local hospital, she manages to handle it all...seemingly...without breaking a sweat. Her comments come out like fortune cookies--word perfect and completely unexpected. :o) What a cute laugh to follow it all up. We'd have to beat the boys away if it wasn't for her ability to stand up for herself. I find her most commonly sitting on the front porch, her car, or the roof talking on her cell phone--good thing we get decent reception.

"What's the update on garden?" I ask Lily. If anyone would know she would. We all love the garden; life is simply paradisical with fresh zuchini, tomatoes, peppers, and herbs. We certainly do all love the garden, but no one has invested near as much blood, sweat, and tears caring and cultivating it as she does. "Growing like a champ!" she annouces. She's the only tall one out of the lot of us--and her mohock only empasizes her height. The occasional change in hair color causes excitement all through the house. There's no getting around it--Lily trails joy everywhere she goes. As girls come and out of the kitchen, she makes a smore in her microwave for dinner. "What do you mean you're full?" I ask. I don't know where these girls get the calories they need to survive. She smiles at me good naturedly--her soul shines through her eyes. What can you do when someone smiles like that? Give up. "Okay, let me know if you change your mind and want some of these leftovers." She is currently an art major at Westminister. Her creative ablities have been throughly enjoyed in her creation of the Fuego Nook in the backyard--a favorite place for everyone in the house. Her heart beats to Reggae. Her taste in men is Polynesian swooners--mention them and watch her heart melt.

Becca comes in the front door, just getting home from work. She's carying several bags, papers, and containers. "How was work?' one of us yells down. But she is already downstairs putting everything away and getting out the next collection of paperwork and containers for her other job. When she's not saving the world in her day-job dealing with international trade, she's working on her new and growing insurance business with her boyfriend Cody. Speaking of Cody, the two of them are pratically inseparable--they make a good team. Becca is also a Mary Kay consultant and gives plasma at least once a week. On top of her keeping up with friends and working on her calling she is one busy chica. She comes upstairs to grab a quick snack, dressed in another cute outfit, accented by her heeled boots. Becca is 100% girl. She's also 100% heart. We share a room and she is one of the most careful, considerate, and kind roommates I've ever had. She gives us a quick update on work and then she's off to meet Cody for a business meeting.

As Becca is running out the door, she runs into a pizza man who is about to ring the doorbell. The note on the inside of the door lets us know that Lexie was the one to order the pizza. Lexie is a cute a cute blonde that had made space in our garage--a dear friend of Lily's. She is engaged to be wed on October 10 to Jeffery. She works at a self-motivated school where she interacts and plays with the kids to help create an environment for them to learn. She is sweet, charming, and quiet. I don't run into her often--but it's always a pleasure when I do.

The house was bustling for a moment, but before I know it I'm alone in the kitchen--smiling on the outside and laughing on the inside. How did I get lucky enough to be a part of this crazy house of 8? All I know is that we really would make a great sit-com. I slip downstairs and change into my gym clothes--headed out to burn some calories. The screen fades to black. Roll credits please. :o)