Welcome Randy & Atacha!

Our good friends Randy and Atacha just moved her from Cleveland and we are so excited to have them here! Randy served his mission in Argentina with Kevan and they are best buds. It has been so fun having them here so far. We hit up the malt shop last weekend and Atacha had us over for dinner Sunday night, so sweet of them. Danny and Albert also served with Randy and Kevan and it has been great all hanging out together. Still nothing can top quality time with  my man! 

 

Starting with Kevan... Kev, Danny, Albert, Randy, Atacha, Jennifer (Atacha's little sister who is in town for a few days to help them get settled)

Me and sweet Kev!

P.S. I love the malt shop... check it out, inexpensive shakes that are delicious. We shared the banana cream pie shake and love love loved it! 

I also loved this...

... and wish I could eat this for breakfast everyday.

Working Woman

It has been a long two days of orientation. See, you might have thought from the exciting posts the last couple weeks that my life is actually exciting, but usually it is just the same old day in and day out. Which is also good. The last two days I have been orienting to my new job. I have teared up several times, but I am glad to say it is not because i am overwhelmed, it is because I am so touched but the things I've seen and heard in orientation. They show these really touching movies about nurses who touch peoples lives through what they like to call the "healing connection". This is the movie that really got me crying. After this movie we were talking about how it is that special effort, your touch, that special connection you make that makes people feel that they are not only being taken care of, but they are cared for. At orientation I shared a little bit of my story and why I became a nurse, so now you get it...

Almost seven years ago my brother, Brady, started getting headaches and after several weeks of this was admitted to the pediatric unit. He was thirteen at the time. He was diagnosed with viral meningitis and encephalitis and was life flighted up to a children's specialty hospital after a few days. During our time there the nurses who cared for us were amazing. I remember getting a little stuffed fabric doll in a hospital gown. They explained to us the different tubes and machines Brady would be hooked up to and let us practice putting in IV's on our fabric dolls. They made a poster all about Brady's favorite things and gave him a batman blanket to keep. I say these nurses cared for "us" instead of my brother because while they did provide all the physical care my brother required, they were also there for "us", his family. My brother had a hard few days in the hospital and unfortunately on October 26, 2005 passed away and returned to our Heavenly Father. It was a very hard time for my family and I, but was made much easier because the of the special way the nurses had helped us out during this difficult time. This experience taught me so many things and also gave me the desire to be a nurse. I didn't just want to fix peoples boo boos though, I wanted to be the nurse who people remembered because she made such a hard time in their life a positive one. I wanted to be the kind of nurse that no matter what the patient was going through, their day was brighter because I was there to be compassionate and help them out and care for the person instead of just their body. So now I am a nurse, on labor and delivery. While this is usually a very happy place, it can also be a very sad place. I love that either way I can be the nurse who makes this once in a life time experience special for them. I love that my actions will have an impact on the experiences they will remember for the rest of their lives, and I want to make those good experiences. If my patients do have to deal with difficult circumstances, I want to be a nurse they can rely on. I want them to be able to ask me questions and lean on me for support and know that I will care for them, that I am there for them. I want to touch people's lives the way my life was touched by nurses I barely knew, who made a time of great suffering easier because of their care, because of their love.

This is the last school picture we have of Brady. We sure love him and miss him.

Nursing is truly learning the healer's art. It is learning to heal the mind body and spirit. This talk and it's message encompasses some of what I feel about the privilege and joy I have in learning and practicing the healer's art.

Oh YES I did!

Today in the mail I got my nursing license... yes, Yes, YES! I'm a real nurse, officially now. Yes! Oh, and only one more day until I start working my dream job. YES!

Football Camp

It is official... fall football camp has begun. That means my husband is at our university from sun-up to sun-down lifting, watching film, in meetings with coaches and practicing in the boiling sun. Yesterday there was an open practice where family could watch and I was dying of heat just sitting in the shade while Kevan is out in the sun with a helmet on running, hitting, and sweating his guts out. I am so proud of him and all the hard work he puts into football. My proudest moment yesterday though had nothing to do with football. Near the end of practice the team was huddling up, and all the sudden I see Kev sprint off from the main group. One of his team mates was on the ground just straggling behind the group and Kev put his hand on his back and made sure he was okay. Then the trainer took over and Kev went back to the huddle. I am so proud of my boy for looking out for others and being a team player. Go Kev! He looked really good on the field too, smooth and strong and confident. If you ask me, he is the best football player in the world, (it's true)! 

Number 46 - best linebacker ever! 

My man in action! 

 

Kind of gross they all pile in these cold tubs after, but I guess it's good for their muscles and to cool them off! I won't be hopping in one of those ever though! Kev's on the left pounding down a Powerade protein drink.  

So since this is Kev's life, my time has freed up a little bit. I spend each morning riding this...

...and running miles and miles (feels like it anyway) with my team mates. Today I even did an Insanity (seriously insane, try it) workout with my sister-in-laws, and then we hit up the pool to lay-out for a little while. Then we made some good food for lunch and called it a day. Here's us in our swimsuits with our delicious pasta with a spinach, garlic, tomato and pesto sauce and some shredded chicken. It was so good! 

Then I came home to this... 

... letters from my sweet missionaries! One is from my cousin Josh who is serving in Anaheim, CA. He comes home in two months and I can't wait to see him! The other is from my cousin Tara who is going to Italy but is in the Missionary Training Center (MTC) right now. I am so grateful for the missionaries in my life and I am especially grateful when I get letters and get to hear from them. Go missionaries! 

Oh, P.S. I got to go to a fun little birthday lunch yesterday. It was my cousin Gabby's birthday, so my mom and I went to lunch with Gabby and her mom, and sister Justine, and Aunt Ginger to celebrate my mom, and Gabby's special day. Our poor waiter, it must have been his first day or pretty close to it because he kept making absolutely awful mistakes and I just wanted to tell him that it's okay - it gets better! Ha, but in the end it all worked out and we thoroughly enjoyed our free birthday brownie with ice cream. Yum! 

 

Yes the waiter took these pictures, and no, neither of them really turned out. It's okay man - it'll get better! Ha, and after these photos were taken my mom commented on how that's why you always ask a woman to take your picture. 

P.S.S. I start my new job on Monday, wish me luck!

 

Happy Birthday Mom!

Yesterday was my Mom's birthday, so happy birthday to the most wonderful mom in the world. All growing up I have always wanted to be just like my mom and I love it when people tell me I am! She is the most amazing multi-tasker ever. It seems that she always has a million projects going on at once, and not little projects, big projects. Yet she is able to balance everything and do it all. She is my number one supporter no matter what I am doing. She is there for everything she can be, and not just for me but for my siblings and husband and even extended family. When you walk into her home you are immediately welcomed, she has a way of making everybody love her and often the teenagers who come to hang out with my brothers end up talking upstairs with my mom divulging their whole life story. I look up to my mom so much, so here is a shout out to you mom... I love you! You are one of my best friends and always will be. Happy Birthday!

 

These are pictures from my wedding... obviously we have a great time together!