A trip down memory lane

A dear patient of mine was able to stop by for a little visit a bit ago. She has been dealing with cancer and is finally in remission! She looks so good and it was so exciting to see her so full of energy. We chatted for a while, talking about our chemo stories, baldness, throwing up and etc. I told her the good news and she asked me if being pregnant brought back any memories of going through chemo. I laughed and told her definitely yes! In a way, I feel going through chemo has prepared me quite well for pregnancy. Yes it sucks throwing up and feeling nauseous but this time around, I don't mind it. It kind of reassures me the baby is still in there and things are going well! Secretly I always get nervous right before I go to my doctor appointment, thinking they are going to tell me I miscarried and that I am no longer pregnant. Am I the only one that is this paranoid? 


One thing that has also brought back memories during this is the small things that I am constantly thankful for. I love that new outlook on life and I feel being pregnant has renewed that for me. I feel I need to have that outlook on life more often. I remember going through chemo and being so grateful when I could hold something down for longer than a couple of hours. Now I'm grateful for when I have one day that I am not feeling nauseous. But I would go through all that and more for this little baby. I don't even know if it's a boy or girl yet, but I love this little baby already!

Past, present and future

Over the weekend, Jake had planned a wonderful date for the two of us. He had planned it around all of our firsts and fun things we did when dating. The first restaurant we went to. First movie we had watched together. Taking a little trip to Ikea where we would always meet while dating. Going up to the Draper Temple where we were sealed for time and all eternity.

My favorite was when we came home and both pulled out our boxes of letters we had written to each other. We sat on our bed and just read them back and forth, saying things like "did I really write that? Wow I have pretty good handwriting! Wow that was when I was a missionary...etc" Even now Jake will write me a little letter and I love spending my time reading every little word he writes to me. It was such a fun date, remembering all the fun times we had while dating and getting to know each other. This then brought us to thinking about the present. Thinking how we loved each other a lot back when we were first married and how much that love has grown today. How we love spending time with each other. Life at the present is good. Amazing actually. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Now I don't like to look too much into the future, future plans etc, but I am really excited for our future together. All the wonderful trips we will take and all the memories we will make together. I can't wait to pull out those letters again when we are cute old people!

Fathers that I love

Father's Day was met with a lot of mixed emotions. Some tears, some smiles, and some laughter.

To my father: I couldn't have asked for a better role model father in my life. You have always been there for me, through my high and low times. I'll never forget that moment in the hospital around Christmas time. You and I were reading a book you had found. We got to a chapter that got pretty emotional for you. For both of us. You couldn't finish your sentence. I looked at you and said, "dad, let me read for a bit". It was my little moment to help you however I could. I don't know that I made it very far either but it was good to take over for you when I always felt so helpless during this time. You have always treated mom like a queen and spent lots of time with us kids. We all have so many memories of things you have done with us. You are loved by so many people. And loved especially by your family. I love you dad!

To my father-in law: You have taken me under your wings and have made me feel like one of your own daughters. Made me feel at home. I am so grateful for the counsel and wisdom you have given to both Jake and I as we dated and in our newly married life. I thank you for being such a wonderful father to Jake as he was growing up. He looks up to you in so many ways and has learned much from you. Trust me! Whatever you had taught him, you did a great job. I am so grateful for the way you love your family. I see it all the time when we get together. You always check on everyone and make sure they are all doing okay. You are a great man and I am so glad to have you has my father-in law.

To my grandfather Ivan: Every time I see a tree,  I am reminded of you. Reminded of your love for trees. For your love of life. Your love to watch things grow. A trees roots need to grow deep and strong in order for the tree to survive. Your love, hard work and knowledge has made our family grow deep and strong and we all support you and love you. I am also reminded of your love for theater and how it was instilled in me. I remember when I was in sixth grade and I was trying out for the lead of a play we were doing. I would bring my lines over to your house and we would practice and practice. I also had to faint during my tryout and you helped me faint like a professional! I did end up getting the lead thanks to you! Jake and I have loved being able to spend time with you these past couple of months. Bringing you to his basketball games and seeing you cheer him on and get so excited about the game. It just made my heart swell with love for you. To see you so happy. Jake and I would frequently come up and tell you all the new things that were happening in our life and you were always so excited for us. You are also loved by so many people grandpa. As one of them, I just wanted to tell you how much I love you and have learned so much from you.

Happy Father's Day to all those wonderful fathers out there!

Moments through 2010

Here are a couple of our favorite moments in 2010

First off we were married in the Draper temple June 4th, 2010. 

We spent a couple of weeks in the summer camping. I also caught my first fish!

Here is Jake at the ropes course getting ready to jump off blindfolded and try to catch a ring suspended in the air

 Jake and I decided to take a little road trip to St. George to see Thriller and to get away from school and work. 

 Best work party ever thanks to APX and Jake working there. They turned their whole front lawn area into a motorcycle arena. Talk about cool!

 Here we are with my little sister at the zoo. I can't even tell you the last time I had been at the zoo before this.

  

BYU games! Too bad it wasn't their best season. 

And of course. The beautiful lights on Temple Square. 

 2010 was a big year for both Jake and I and it brought along with it so many memories. I can't wait to see what 2011 has in store for us! 

Finding

Besides Calvin and Hobbs reading, and scripture reading, I have found Sunday to be a very appropriate day for going through old photos.

I happen to come across this....

and this....

In the first picture is Megan and I in our overly frilly dresses. I remember wanting to take Megan for rides all. the. time. The second picture is the family, minus Natalie and Amie because they were not born yet, standing proudly over our semi finished kitchen floor. Love the hair mom! Dad has more hair! And both Megan and Nathan look like midgets. Me....oh the dress and bangs.

Gotta love it.

Grapefruit tree

As I was eating my grapefruit this morning I accidentally swallowed one of the seeds.

oops.

Totally brought back a memory of when I was younger and that happened. I thought that if I drank enough water, a grapefruit tree would somehow spring out of me. So far that hasn't happened.

Oh the things little children think of.

Thanksgiving and BMT Birthday

There are so many things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. First I am so thankful for the wonderful family that I have. I have the best parents anyone could ask for. They are the greatest and have raised me well. I hope I can continue to show them my gratitude for them as I continue to grow. I am also so thankful for my brother and sisters. We all have grown up so much over the past couple of years and have continued to come closer as siblings. They are all such great examples to me. Second, my wonderful grandparents. They all have lived such wonderful lives, have accomplished much, and are full of memories and love for all their children, grandchildren, and even great grandchildren. Third, I am thankful for all the wonderful friends that I have had through out my life. They have all been such great examples to me and they are the kind of friends that are always watching out for ya. I have never had to worry about my standards around them because they had the same. Mostly I am just grateful for my family. I love them all so much. And my dads cheesecake, mash potatoes, turkey, and the plethora of pies. I can't forget about those. Today was also Megan and I's BMT (bone marrow transplant) birthday. This is the first time it's been right on Thanksgiving. This became a tradition in the hospital when I first received my bone marrow transplant from Megan. The nurses told us that this bone marrow transplant was in a way for me, giving me new life. Therefore I needed a birthday! I gave Megan a gift, and my parents gave Megan and I a Christmas ornament. That tradition has continued in our family ever since, except now my parents give all the children a Christmas ornament. This year is our 8th year since the transplant. Crazy how the time goes by. Sometimes it feels like this was all a dream. As a family we read a little bit of what my parents wrote about that day of the transplant and looked at some pictures....we all looked so little. Thinking back on this, I am full of gratitude for my parents and my sister Megan. I started to get a little teary eyed reading what happened during this day for Megan and I. It's a time in my life that I will never forget. I hope I can use this experience that I was given to help others in any way I can. I didn't get through this trial just to sit and be happy about life.

I can't end this without thanking my Heavenly Father and my savior Jesus Christ. I know that they have been with me every step of the way through my life and they will continue to be with me. I know I still have some things to learn and trials to go through, but however hard and difficult it may be for me, I do not fear for I know that I can always turn to my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for the gospel and the part that it plays in my life. It's hard to think of what my life would be without it.

First

Well this weekend has been quite something. My first day of school was Wednesday, and I started out the day with my 7:oo am history class. You all probably think I am crazy, but actually it hasn't been quite that bad. I really enjoy learning about history and my teacher is pretty funny. I guess he does war reenactment for a living and he likes to bring in guns for us to look at which I think is pretty cool. Today he brought in a Colt revolver...(?) I'm not exactly sure.

Oh back to my first day of school, I ended the day with my very first concert...EVER! I know how embarrassing huh? I'm 20 and I am just getting around to a concert. I can now check that one off my bucket list! I have gone to my fair share of orchestra, choir, and John Schmidt concerts, but those don't really count. We went to go see Nickleback, which to be quite honest, I'm not a huge avid fan. I knew a couple of his songs so that was fun because I could actually sing along. They put on a great show! Fireworks included. I will say I have never ever seen so much beer, or heard the "f" word so much in my entire life! I was shocked! I guess I kinda expected it at a concert, but man! It was like every other word. There was a really REALLY annoying girl that was sitting behind me that had a scream like no other. It reminded me of when my cousin and I would have a contest every 4th of July to see who could lose their voices during a screamer firework. I don't remember who won but that's what it sounded like.

Times 3.

Pictures will be posted later. I will admit....you could totally tell that this was my first concert. I tried the head bang out.....no bueno.

Beach Boys

I had to drive up to Salt Lake today and I most definitely picked the worst time to drive up there. Traffic was awful. There were two car accidents, and one wasn't even on my side of the road! I hate when morbid curiosity takes over people. This is when I usually start to lose my patience with people driving. I have found over my driving career, that when I am in horrible traffic and getting really annoyed, I put on The Beach Boys. For some reason, their happy, go with the flow music calms me down and I actually have a decent ride home. Beach Boys bring back so many childhood memories. When I was little we would always turn on Beach Boys or Queen when we were cleaning up the house. My dad would crank up the music so loud! We all thought it was the best and would dance around the living room. It also reminds me of my grandparents house in California. Oh how I miss that house. We would visit almost every summer and would head to the beach for six hours, then come back, shower off, and swim in the pool for another six hours. We pretty much lived in the water. I even remember doing a dance in second grade to Surfin' USA. We all had our cardboard surfboards that we decorated and I had these awesome glasses.

Thank you Beach Boys.