Fine, Fabulous, Fantastic, Fancy and 50!!

To the lady with the contagious laugh.

The lady who is constantly making sacrifices so others can have more.

The lady that always lends a listening ear and caring heart.

The lady that makes my life happier and better.

 To my mom!

   My mom's birthday is September 14 and mine is two days later on the 16. All my life my mom has told me that I was her birthday present and I have grown up believing that I was the luckiest girl in the world. How many other kids could say that they gave their mom a birthday present by just being born?
    Over the years I have really come to appreciate sharing this time with my mom. It always made me feel extra special. I look up to this woman so much and having our birthdays close together has always been my reminder to be more like her. She is so generous and sincere. I love her sense of humor and how friendly she is. I love just talking with her. We can talk for hours about random things or very important things. She's my best friend and example. I love her so much!

Mom had just turned 29 when I was born. (I know, I was quite the little chunk)

 

    Friday was a very important day for Mom too.. Not only was it her birthday, but she just turned the big 50! And I can't believe I'm not there to celebrate!

For all of your thoughtfulness, all of your love,
Your patience and gentleness, too,
I'm thankful--for I have a wonderful treasure--
A sweet, lovely mother like you!

 

I Love You Mom!

Letter to Me

   I thought this was cute. This is a letter that Brian wrote when he was in Fifth grade about what he thinks he will be doing in ten years. Brian and I only just opened this letter, though the envelope said "Do not open until June 2009."
      He is so random! (Especially the part about the homework-What was that little brain thinking?) I love catching a glimpse of Brian the younger! His cute little spelling- collage? What in the world are T.F.T.D phases?! Here he is at the age that the above was written. He was cute even then!! :)

Hairy Problem

    Well...to start off, Brian's hair grows fairly quickly. The second week of July we realized it was time to get a haircut because when it gets too long, the ends curl out. Well low and behold our busy summer wouldn't allow it and so we went on all our family trips and put off his much needed haircut. Well we got to Chicago and after about a week of searching through all our boxes I realized that our wonderful handy dandy hair cutting kit had been left back in Utah. We now had a problem... a hairy problem.
    We figured it would be cheaper to send it out here in the mail than having him go get it cut at a salon. So we waited for it to get here. Now after a month and two weeks of waiting to cut his hair, the kit finally came and we immediately set off to cut his hair.

    Though he would have made a rather charming caveman hundreds of years ago, I'd much rather have his hair trimmed and a clean shaven face. Doesn't he just look fabulous with his new hair cut? I know! You're all jealous of my ridiculously good-looking husband!

"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!