"Great Water"

     Apparently the word "Michigan" got its name from the Ojibwa phrase meaning "great water" (no idea what Ojibwa is.. but apparently Wikipedia says it's "Ojibwe (or Ojibwa, Ojibway, or Chippewa), also called Anishinaabemowin, is an indigenous language of the Algonquian language family---as if that helps, sounds like a gargle! ha) And after going to the beach I would have to agree with the translation. It is HUGE! I honestly felt like we were at the ocean. Lake Michigan is the fifth largest lake in the world!
    I mean look at these pictures! There is no land visible in the distance (the lake is 118 miles across) and there are even huge waves! It wasn't as cold as the pacific was last year when we stayed on a beach house in California which was a plus. I have to admit, I liked the no-fear-of-salt-in-the-eyes feeling as I jumped through the waves too!

The day couldn't have been any prettier or better weather

We had such a great time that we stayed all the way until dark!

And yes.. Much to Brian's dismay, I had to take a bunch of pictures of course!

And we are still newly weds in my book (Almost a year and a half BABY!) So I had to take the traditional kissing picture with the toe pop and all!

     Such a wonderful day at the beach and a great way to take our minds off school and work! Very VERY relaxing!

There is Beauty Here

    Through our busy lives we are enjoying finding things to explore.. especially when they remind us of home. Only a few miles from our house is a forest preserve with paved trails. (Most people here consider the term "going on a hike" to be on one of these flat, perfectly paved trails. I just shake my head and show them pictures of what a "real hike" is.. Sweat dripping, leg aching, dirt and rocks in shoes because there are no paved trails kinda thing. People are stunned to see things like Zion's National Park and all the mountain hikes surrounding Huntsville, Logan, and Salt Lake).
    Anyway, this forest preserve is really beautiful, ESPECIALLY at sunset. I can't lie, Chicago's sunsets are absolutely stunning. I've gone outside every night possible to watch the sun disappear behind the trees. The sky is always full of pinks, reds, purples, and oranges. It'll never beat the look of the "Purple mountain majesties" that I miss so much, but it will do! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder right?

 (The sky kinda died by the time we took one of us..)

     Brian has his first test the day after Labor day and so he is studying very hard. All his tests are comprehensive with LOADS of information and so he's a bit nervous but I know he'll do great. It helps that I usually work late so he stays late at the library and studies until I come home.
    Work for me is getting better each day as I become more familiar with the routine I am on. The kids started school and so it's now a little flip flopped but that's alright. Hayden reminds me everyday of what a special spirit she is. She constantly tells me "I love you" and tries to blow me kisses.
    She helps me to forget about myself and my worries and lose myself in serving. To be honest, I've gotten a bit lonely out here not really knowing anyone and being so busy. It has been a bit harder than I pictured it would be for myself. But, I love the feeling when I'm driving home and I realize that I haven't thought about myself and my needs once in the last 9 hours of working. Hayden helps me forget the lonely feelings and surround myself in her sweet love.
    Anyway, life really is treating us well. The Lord is pouring out his love and blessings on us daily. We feel very close to him and to each other. I enjoy Illinois! We have so much more exploring to do here and capture more of the beauty here! Hopefully this next weekend!

Now...

    Well, it's been quite the busy couple of weeks. Here is the readers digest version of what we are doing now..

    Brian is loving school. He has made many friends and it seems like so many of them attract to him like flies to a candied apple. If it isn't his smile, it's his testimony. Already we've been out with other medical students to eat, where we are able to set small examples like ordering water to drink instead of beer and not participating in activities on Sundays. Already we've been asked many questions and have been able to plant several little seeds that will hopefully grow with more time.
    School is tough, it's a lot of information crammed into a few short hours. He goes to class from 8 until noon and then studies until dinnertime. He comes home where we play a few games together or read from our book that we've started (My sister Brooke got us into it) called the Maze Runner. I wait excitedly each night for him to come so we can read some more of it. Then it's bedtime (Sometimes work for me) and the next day repeats.

    We've garage sale hoped a few times.. I would have loved to have done more but we've been so busy and haven't had internet to see when they were that we haven't done as much as I wanted. I did find this little item above and grew so excited when I saw it and for the price I got it at, 5 bucks! Woot! It was a deal! I told Brian it can be my early birthday present.

Doesn't matter the time of day, the humidity is there. Can you see the foggy looking stuff on the windows?

The pond just down the road!

There are SO many trees here! We really swapped the mountains to live in a forest. Even though it is very city here, when you drive down the highways, the trees block all the buildings. I love it!

    This beautiful girl is who I get to spend my time with when I'm not with Brian. This is Hayden, she's 9 and has cerebral palsy. She is constantly always smiling making my job so much easier (though I couldn't get her to show me her big smile for the camera). I spend 2 days with her a week and then 2 nights with her on the weekends.
   She has such a sweet spirit.. and I honestly believe that she is really here on this earth to test and help us rather than the other way around. She has only a few words she can speak but they are, "I love you" 'Happy" "Apple" "Mommy" "Hi" and "Bagel". Her happiness brightens my day and makes work so much easier. Even when I'm changing her poopy diapers and I just hear her say, "I love you" with her huge grin--makes all the difference!

Brian's Special 24th...

Happy Birthday Brian!

    Well, it was his big day! He's 24 years old! I got up early in the morning and made him breakfast in which he got to eat on the very special plate. (The tradition of the plate is anytime anything spectacular happens.. you get this plate out to celebrate! We've used it now on my birthday, medical school acceptance, graduation, and now Brian's birthday! With a pen, we've written down the special times on the back of the plate.)

  I gave him his presents, new socks (because he once told me that if he were a rich man he would wear a new pair or socks every day.. I want him to feel very rich indeed). I also gave him two new games, Monopoly Deal (Thanks to Sarah&Brett's family) and Blink! We've been playing them nonstop! 

   Then sadly, I had to quickly kiss him goodbye and send him on his way to school. Sometimes I wish the world would stop for special occasions like this.. "Oh! It's your birthday! No school for you then!" But sadly, it doesn't and it's treated like any other day. Though it isn't any other day! 24 years ago this wonderful world was blessed with a fabulous young man!

   This weekend we're going to go to the beach to really celebrate since our time is so limited today. (I had to work not long after he came home). But Happy Birthday Brian! I love you so much! I'm so happy to be married to such a hard working and incredible man!

H.O.M.E

    Drum roll please, since I know everyone has really been waiting to see exactly where we live. (This is for you Mom). The place we live in is extremely nice. It's on the Naval Base out here and is a super nice area (Very Safe!). We've slowly been meeting our neighbors and all that we've met so far are very friendly. There are lots of kids running around all the time. It's a very family oriented place (Which I love).
    There are several parks and playgrounds as well as bike and walking trails within extremely close walking distance. So Brian and I often find ourselves out on walks in the early evenings before it gets dark. The temperature here is really lovely (Though the humidity has turned me into a blonde bush).

Yes... we are still using my parents 30-year-old bedspread. The colors are a little.. er.. different. But it keeps us warm and reminds me of my childhood haha! (My little piece of Utah Home)

Our wonderful walk-in closet with enough room for both Brian's and my clothes! WOOT!

    So there you have it! Home Sweet Home!

There is beauty all around, When there's love at home!

Sunday Best

    I love our new ward! The average age is probably 31 or 32 and there are lots of little kids (kinda like our Logan ward). There are very few families without children, probably only five or so (i'm guessing). Brian has one other medical school student in the ward as well in his second year. There are about 8 or so Pediatry students though.

     My mom and sister Camille usually get their hair done by a girl named Krystal Rogers. Krystal served her mission in this part of Chicago and has been telling my mom all about it. Krystal told my mom that she hoped our Bishop would be Rudy Bourgeois because he was an incredible man. So when I went to church and found that it was indeed the same man, I had some high expectations when I met him.

     He did not let me down. I have never had, or heard of a bishop that cared so much for his ward as Bishop Bourgeois. And every Bishop I have had are amazing men. Bishop Bourgeois invited the four new couples in the ward into his office after church. At first I thought it was odd, but was quickly taken back by such a strong spirit in the room. For the next hour we just talked and listened to this powerful man. He counseled us to put the Lord first in our lives. He said that school is going to be hard.

     He shared some personal experiences of when he was in school providing for a family, working full time and trying to fulfill his church callings. He went to school from 8-3, worked 3-11, and would come home and put his wife to bed and then stay up for a few hours to do homework. He averaged 4 hours of sleep a night. He said that he would set aside one night before a test to study for a few hours. This was his only time that he would get to study. He said there were 5 different times that he was called the same night he had set apart to study for his test, by his Bishop to do something for his calling (He was Young Men President). He said it was these times when he was really tested. Was he going to study for the test and have the Bishop get someone else to help him? Or would he put the Lord first and trust that the Lord would help him on his test to remember the things he had learned in class?

     He got emotional as he told us that there were 5 times when he got 100% on his tests. Each time was after he chose to put the Lord first and helped the Bishop out. The Lord helped him on each of his tests. He turned and looked each one of us in the eye and bore his testimony about how important it is to keep the Lord close in this hard time. Too many people feel like they will just go on a “spiritual vacation” during school because they just don’t have time for it all.  But there will never be enough time. After school it will be rotations, residency, work, kids, etc. He said we will be blessed to keep the Lord in our lives throughout our schooling. It was a truly inspiring meeting and fun just to sit and talk as if we were all old friends.

   It was in this room that Brian and I were really overwhelmed with the feeling that this was where the Lord wanted us at this time. For whatever reason it was this school out of all the others, we felt a even stronger conviction that we had made the right choice when we listened to the spirit to come here.

   What a marvelous blessing the gospel is to our lives. I feel so blessed to have it apart of me, especially as we are out here. It makes me so excited to share this beautiful truth! My friend Mariah Tippetts and I talked about missionary work as Brian and I moved out here, she told me a quote she had gotten from Institute.

        Do More With Less

        L=ove

        E=xample

        S=ervice

        S=hare 

White Coat Ceremony

    It was a very important day for Mr. Brian J Larson! Brian was "cloaked" in the traditional garb that physicians have worn for over 100 years. The white coat is to serve as a reminder to physicians to be compassionate empathetic leaders and healers. The ceremony brings families, faculty, and students together to celebrate the achievements and take a pledge of professionalism called the Hippocratic Oath. This oath states that healthcare professionals swear to practice medicine ethnically and honestly.
   It was exciting to see Brian "robed" on the stage and take the oath. It made this whole journey become even more real for us.
   Brian's brother Mike and his wife Robyn, along with their two little ones Aiden and Esther came down from Milwaukee to join us at the ceremony. They stayed overnight with us, had dinner, played games, and enjoyed lots of giggles together. We really are so blessed to have family so close!

 There he is! Brian Larson! Check out some of those other names.. especially the last names!

 The big moment! As he walked across the stage, he came to the microphone and answered the question that each student was asked to answer (Name and What you will bring to medicine), "My name is Brian Larson, and I'm going to bring my BEST to medicine!"

It feels SO good to be here!

Uhauling 1500 miles?

   Well it is official! We are now residents of North Chicago Illinois! We drove away at 5:30 in the morning from the small town of Huntsville on Tuesday July 31 and said hello to the large city of Chicago on Wednesday August 1. We drove straight through with one 6 hour stop at a hotel to get some shut-eye (We really just wanted to get there).
    Our drive through Wyoming, Nebraska, and Iowa was pretty boring. Corn and Soybeans take up everything that is in sight. I had no idea that the US grew all that corn! We repeated the same line to each other the whole ride, "Plant'n corn, harvest'n corn, and eat'n corn..." (See if you can name that movie!) We are definitely happy to be here, though it is going to take some getting used to. (My hair has been having a hay day with all the humidity!) School started for Brian this week and I started my job (details coming soon).

    This is our Uhaul that held all of our belongings. Granted it's only half full. We've already been told by so many astonished people, "That's all you brought?" Yep! We brought out two pieces of furniture. A king size bed (I couldn't part with it..) and a desk. The rest we're shopping for on Craigslist and good ol Walmart.
   I'll post pictures of our place and the area, and all the fun we've had the past few weeks before the move, when we finally get internet. (I'm at the library now using the interent). Ta ta for now!

Beautiful Nauvoo

     We arrived in the “Windy City” yesterday afternoon to find that our apartment wasn’t ready yet for us to move in. We didn’t let disappointment grab hold of us though as we decided it would be a great time to take off for Nauvoo, Illinois. Brian’s parents and sister Mandy had been visiting Brian’s brother Mike and his family the week before (We will live about an hour and a half away from them in Milwaukee). 

    All five of us piled in the car and took off for Nauvoo since none of them had ever been there before. (I went with my family back when I was 11-random memory, the 5th Harry Potter had just come out the morning we left for this trip) Anyway, here are some pictures of our wonderful trip! In Hebrew, Nauvoo means beautiful. I certainly find the town, traditions, and the temple to be just that.

    Nauvoo has tours of the little homes and shops which are so fascinating! It was great to learn the history of the church and how these people lived! I got Brian into the Work and the Glory books and it was fun for us to talk about the different things he had read.He kept teasing me that we should look for the Steed homestead.

    We drove a few miles away to visit Carthage Jail where Joseph and Hyrum Smith were martyred. It is such a sacred place to be.

    The window where Joseph was shot and killed.

 Cute candid photo of Laurie and Craig!

 Then it was time for the games!

 And then the Nauvoo Pageant!

 Gorgeous temple... absolutely stunning!

 Then of course I had to take a picture of the Mississippi river in the spot that the saints crossed when they journeyed west to Salt Lake Valley.

 Then it was on to the grave-site of Joseph, Hyrum, and Emma Smith.

    How blessed we are for what the early Saints went through to bring about the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Their faith strengthens ours. I love hearing their stories and it was wonderful to learn of their sacrifices and really come to appreciate the gospel and our families. How hard it would be to have built such a beautiful city and then been forced to leave it behind with all your belongings and the things you have worked so hard for. We truly are blessed in our day.

   It is true that we are all modern day pioneers. We don't have the same struggles that these people faced. The physical trials and suffering as they crossed the plains and left their lives and homes behind. They endured much persecution for their beliefs. We face struggles and suffering in other ways today. We can learn from the Saints' faith and dedication to the gospel and Jesus Christ and apply it to our lives and our struggles today. If we can only keep in mind how truly blessed we are each day, we will find that we will be happier and come to enjoy and love life more fully.

   Thank you to our wonderful families who have helped us get out here and have taught us gospel principles and for their great examples to us. We couldn't have asked for better support, love, and people to look up to.