Yay!

And it continues...

Diet Coke...

                                                                        

Dearest DC,
My heart is breaking as I write this.  I want to start off by saying it's not me, it's you.  I'm taking a path that you just can't follow.  You're not good for me anymore, our relationship has become toxic and I want different things.  It's over.


I'm not going to pretend we didn't have some beautiful years together. You have been with me through thick and thin.  When I am down, you're the first to pick me back up.  When I am happy, you're there to celebrate with me.  You have pulled me through 8 hour lectures, you were there on long road trips and some short ones too.  There was a time that I thought you could change the world.  So, why does it seem that everyone is trying to convince me to dump you, you ask?  You're incompatible with my life.  I want to be a mother and you cannot help me accomplish that.  I will miss your sound, your taste, the way you could always make me smile and feel so at ease.  I know at first, it will seem impossible to live without you.  I can't live without you...but I'm going to.  No, I can live without you.  I just don't want to.  I know I will see you around and I will feel that longing.  I know there will be others who will shamelessly try to replace you (i.e. your evil twin, caffeine free DC).  I will think of you often as I sit in classes, wanting you to be by my side.  My friends say that soon, I will not even notice your absence.  Maybe true but I will miss you.  And when I do, I will miss you and then release you. So, citing irreconcilable differences, I am ending our love affair.  I'm sure you will make some other girl very, very happy.


All my love and sanity,
Me


P.S.  Maybe we can meet one last time on Saturday?  Just to properly say goodbye?

Kick The Bucket List...

Things you have done during your lifetime:
(x) Gone on a blind date
(x) Skipped school
(x) Watched someone die
(  ) Been to Canada
(x) Been to Mexico
(x) Been to Florida
(  ) Been to Hawaii
(x) Been on a plane
(  ) Been on a helicopter
(x) Been lost
(x) Gone to Washington, DC
(x) Swam in the ocean
(  ) Swam with Stingrays
(x) Cried yourself to sleep
(x) Played cops and robbers
(x) Recently colored with crayons
(x) Sang Karaoke
(x) Paid for a meal with coins only
(  ) Been to the top of the St. Louis Arch
(x) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't
(x) Made prank phone calls
(  ) Been down Bourbon Street in New Orleans
(x) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
(x) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
(x) Danced in the rain
(x) Written a letter to Santa Claus
(x) Been kissed under the mistletoe
(x) Watched the sunrise with someone
(x) Blown bubbles
(x) Gone ice-skating
(x) Gone to the movies
(  ) Been deep sea fishing
(  ) Driven across the United States
(  ) Been in a hot air balloon
(  ) Been sky diving
(  ) Gone snowmobiling
(  ) Lived in more than one country
(x) Lay down outside at night and admired the stars
(x) Seen a falling star and made a wish
(  ) Enjoyed the beauty of Old Faithful Geyser
(x) Seen the Grand Canyon
(x) Seen the Statue of Liberty
(  ) Gone to the top of Seattle Space Needle
(x) Been on a cruise
(x) Traveled by train
(  ) Traveled by motorcycle
(x) Been horse back riding
(x) Ridden on a San Francisco cable car
(x) Been to Disneyland OR Disney World
(  ) Been in a rain forest
(x) Seen whales in the ocean
(  ) Been to Niagara Falls
(x) Ridden on an elephant
(x) Swam with dolphins
(  ) Been to the Olympics
(  ) Walked on the Great Wall of China
(  ) Saw and heard a glacier calf
(  ) Been spinnaker flying
(x) Been water-skiing
(x) Been snow-skiing
(x) Been to Westminster Abbey
(  ) Been to the Louvre
(  ) Swam in the Mediterranean
(x) Been to a Major League Baseball game
(  ) Been to a National Football League game
(x) Swam with sharks
(x) Seen Wicked in London
(  ) Been snow shoeing


This list was a good reminder for me of just how much I have had in my life.  Yesterday, Michael and I went to Murray Park for a little nanny reunion and was able to catch up with some dear nanny friends.  We reminisced about silly things we used to do and it got me thinking...I can't believe it's been 9 years since I left Utah the first time to be a nanny!  I also cannot believe how blessed I have been to have that experience.  It is one that I will never regret or forget.  Sometimes I think how nice it would be to be done with school since I was only supposed to be out in Connecticut/New York for 1 year instead of 4 years.  But, still I don't regret all that time I spent out there.  It shaped my testimony and made me realize who I wanted to be and what I wanted out of life.  I also learned invaluable life lessons, especially regarding motherhood.  I learned what kind of mother I want to be and what kind I DO NOT want to be.


This list also reminds me of the stuff I would still like to accomplish in this life.  There is so much!  Maybe I will actually sit down and write out a real bucket list.  That would be fun!  First thing on it is our latest special project...I gotta go give myself a shot now.

Freeeedoooomm!...

Freeeedoooommm!

...Wasn't that line yelled just before a disembowelment? Yes, I think it was but it's totally appropriate since sitting through Med/Surg was sometimes comparable.  I have a long list of things I would like to do before school starts again:

#1 Clean my dirty house!  My house has not had a good cleaning since the beginning of the semester.  Sure, I wipe counters down and do a some dishes now and then but I haven't had a Saturday to get on my hands and knees and scrub.  The weird thing is, I am actually excited to do this!

#2  Read!  I miss reading for fun.  I'm going to try to read this...
                                                                                                                    

and this

and I have to read this for next semester...don't really want to

#3  I want to work out while I still can!  I have a few weeks until I have to take it easy so I am going to try to lose 5lbs...I'm putting it out there.  We'll see how it goes.

#4  Go to California!!  I'm sad that Michael can't come with me but I am excited to spend some time with the parents and just relax.  I have a mini list of places to eat at while I am there.  It's not going to help to-do #3...

I'm eating here

and here

and here

and here (never been but I was told I have to go)

#5  Start my shots!  Yes, I'm so excited to start and be done.  Here is the first box I got in the mail...

Okay, I guess it doesn't look like that much but that is 60 syringes and that little, tiny box is the med that is supposed to last 3 weeks.

#6  Spending more time with these guys.  We are having our first sleepover soon...I did not have choice in the matter but it will still be a blast!...

Tate, 2.5 years

Graham, at 8 months

#7  Getting my Beez on!  I miss my little sister being so close...

Isn't she pretty?

#8  But mostly, spending lots of catch-up time with this guy...

                                                        

Michael, being silly while I was taking a pic of the box-o-meds.
*I love him!

Thank you all my friends who got me through some near melt downs.  We have learned so much about each other like when we need to be picked up and when we need to be left alone...ha ha, good times you guys!

*Brandi and Josh are missing.

I need to thank Michael for being my biggest support through this past semester because it was seriously crazy!  I can't count the number of times he said, "Don't worry about the______, I will take care of it. You just focus on school." He really is the greatest hubby anyone could ask for and I am so blessed to have him in my life!  I love you, baby.

P.S.-Top three things I do not want to do but have to...the dentist, the dentist, the dentist!  I am sitting here recovering from a tooth he pulled today and I have to go back in two weeks for more torture.  It's ugly, people and it hurts!  

Beautiful Blogger...

Fun!  Are you excited for a post that is NOT about IVF or infertility?  This is officially my first tag as a blogger. Thanks, Meredith.  Meredith is a good friend and we went to high school together. I'm so honored.



INSTRUCTIONS

1. Thank the person giving you this award
2. Copy the award to your blog
3. Place a link to their blog
4. Name 7 tidbits people don’t know about you from reading your blog
5. Nominate 7 bloggers
6. Place a link to those bloggers
7. Leave a comment letting those bloggers know about the award


My 7 tidbits...


1.  When I was young I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew-up and I always said...a bus driver.  Why? No clue whatsoever.  I never rode the bus as a child and I don't think I had ever even been on a bus when I aspired to this career.  I think I was in kindergarten at the time and the prospect of aspiring to drive people around the city in a bus baffled and worried my parents.  


2.  In my most recent years I have developed an irrational fear of the dentist.  I have no basis for this fear but I am brought to tears thinking about having to go in for even a cleaning.  There was no one incident that caused this but I have, in recent months, cancelled several appointments.  I just don't want to go.  I am supposed to get a broken tooth pulled but I am managing just fine with Advil, thank you.  I know, I know.  I'll go...I'll just need a Valium first.


3.  In high school, I was mediocre student.  I was far more interested in socializing and planning what to do on a Friday night.  I didn't fail classes (probably a B average) but my parents were constantly saying, "...the things you could do if you would just apply yourself."  Still a student 10 years later and I am now the most obnoxious over achiever.  Michael has witnessed a few too many "A- melt-downs".  That's A MINUS!  I would say it's due to being more mature but I'm not sure mature is the right word.


4.  No surprise to people that know me, I love music.  However, I rarely listen to music anymore, especially in the car.  I have no idea what's hot or new on the billboards.  I have very few CDs in my car and no iPod connector.  It's a little depressing and not so much a conscious decision but driving in my car is the only quiet time I have in my life right now.  It is the only time I am alone with my thoughts and my one chance during the day to just be QUIET and meditate a little.  I do listen to my iPod when I work out but that doesn't happen as often as I would like.  


5.  I have a not-so-secret love affair with sushi.  I could eat sushi for breakfast, lunch, and dinner...everyday.  I want to go to Japan just to eat cheap sushi 24/7.  I much prefer raw fish over cooked.  I buy smoked salmon from Costco and just eat it plain, 1 1/2 lbs all by myself.  If I was on death row, my last meal would be a smörgåsbord of rolls from Tsunami.  


6.  If I were magic and could choose only one magical power to possess, I don't think I could pass up being able to teleport from one place to another.  I could totally go to Japan and have sushi for lunch and be back to work in time.  However, a close second would definitely be to...wait for it...pee mentally.  Yes, I said pee mentally.  Do you know how much time I could save if I didn't have to go to the bathroom?  Lots!  Urinating is a normal physiological function but I find it inconvenient and much too time consuming.


7.  I have lived in 5 different states, 11 different cities, visited 6 different countries and 21 different states.  Michael and I love to travel and agreed that we would take a vacation every year no matter what.  We have been on three cruises together which makes a total of six for me.  We are hoping to go on an Alaskan cruise next year and to Italy or Denmark in 2012.


And the nominees are...(sorry if you hate tags)


Terina
Tara
Brittany
Dana
Joy
Morgan
Rosalie


I'm not linking your blogs to this but have fun!  

The Story of Us...

Since it was just Valentine's Day, I want to tell you how my sweetheart and I, met. I'm stealing this idea from my friend, Rosalie because I thought it was so cute. I hope she doesn't mind.

It was January 2006...no, no it was actually before that. December 1999, West Jordan, UT. I was living in Provo, UT and going to school at UVSC. I was about to leave for Christmas break and was waiting for my sister to come pick me up to go to the airport. Where was I? I was at his parents house. For those that don't know, Michael's brother, Braxton, is married to my cousin, Britny. We lived together that year and Britny, Braxton and I were three peas-in-a-pod. I suppose I stayed at his parents house that night for some reason. Michael had just gotten home from his mission that week and I suppose I had met him before this day but I can't remember. So that morning, my sister picked me up and Michael came stumbling out his room and Whitney said "Hi! How's it going?". I told Whitney that he was not Braxton, who I knew she was mistaking him for. That was first memory I have of him. I didn't really take any notice of him because he was already dating someone at the time. I left Utah that April and did not return until 2005.

So, January 2006 rolls around, Britny and Braxton have been married for five years and they have a son who was having a birthday party. They invited me to Michael's parents house for the party but for some reason, I couldn't go. The next day was a Sunday so I went to church and then went over to the Hall's to give Carter a birthday present. I was in the living room talking to Britny and who comes stumbling out of his room again? Yes, Michael. Exactly the same way he did six years before that. He did not live there but for some reason slept there that night. He said hello and Britny urged me to stay for a while.

Since I was in my church clothes, I decided to go change. Britny walked me outside and Michael poked his head out of the door and said "My dad wants to know if you are staying for dinner?" I told him no because I had plans to take my friend, Joyce out...it was her birthday. But, I assured him I would be returning later. Britny gave me a look of intrigue and I blushed and left. I returned shortly and we played a few games and there was definitely a moment where I looked at Michael and he looked at me and I thought, "Whoa! He is really different". Different in a good way...a man, not a boy. I was about to leave to go to dinner and as I was saying my goodbyes, Michael put his hand on the small of my back and led me out the door. He walked me to my car and I can't remember the few things we said, but I remember the butterflies. I told him that I was going to come back after dinner to play more games (yeah, you're right...I just wanted to see him). I called my mom and told her I was in trouble! We hadn't said more than five words directly to each other but I knew he was special.

I had a great time at dinner but I could not wait to get back to the Hall's house. I came back around 7pm. By the way, it was my birthday in a couple days and I was supposed to go a joint "not-so-surprise" party with my friend, Joyce. I told Joyce that since I wasn't supposed to know about it, that I was going to skip it (sorry, Denise...thanks for planning it). We played some more games and I flirted. We decided to watch a movie. I chose "Mr. and Mrs. Smith", which he claimed he had never seen it before. Yeah, he had. We held hands during the movie and there were more butterflies. I love the first hand hold, it's divine. Then, he kissed me! We were pretty much inseparable from then on. I talked to my mom two weeks later and told her I was DONE dating and that this was the man I was going to marry.

We were engaged three months later (I know, embarrassing. But, we technically knew each other for six years...that counts, right?) and married eight months after that. It really does amaze me how much I love him more and more each day. He makes me laugh everyday and I just can't get enough of him!