hearts and purple ribbons

It is past 1:00am and I should be sleeping, but I just couldn't sleep. There are plenty of school related things I should be doing, but my mind is racing and I cannot concentrate.

In 2 days February will be over, and I cannot help but to think of all the eye-opening experiences I have had in 2011...and it has been less than 2 months.

You always hear about people suffering from a variety of medical problems but you can never really understand how fast life can change until you have an experience like that with someone in your family.

2011 started out with my mother in law (one of the most health-conscious people I know) getting open heart surgery to replace a valve and to remove an aneurysm. Lisa is such a strong person and we are so blessed that she has recovered very well with no problems.
We were told by the doctors that if she had not listened to her gut feeling to go get her heart murmur checked, that this year it was highly likely (if not expected) that one day she would have been out running, her aneurysm would have burst, and she would have been gone, just like that.

Naturally we took Mitch in to the cardiologist to get his heart checked since this condition is genetic...and have discovered that Mitch has the same valve problem. Nothing to freak out about immediately, as he is still young and his heart is healthy...for now. He will have to follow up with a cardiologist a minimum of once a year to get it checked, and it is inevitable that he will someday need surgery as the problem worsens. It is a blessing that we know this so soon and can keep track of it, but that doesn't change the fact that it will constantly be in the back of my mind, haunting me. I will always be worried whether his valve problem is causing an aneurysm to form...until finally our yearly checkup comes around and then I'll be good for a few months until the worry sets in again.

The last major medical problem we have recently discovered is that my cousin in law, Alexis Kaufusi has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, stage 3 that has spread to her liver, spleen, and the outer part of her skeletal frame. It is hard for me to grasp because she is so young, has so much life left to live. But I know if anyone can get through this, it is Alexis because she is strong and she is a fighter. She has also had a very good attitude about this whole situation, which I hear is a big factor in helping your body fight it off. You can follow her battle here: http://alexiskaufusi.blogspot.com/

I guess these situations have made me come into grip with reality. When Mitch and I volunteered at the hospital every Sunday, we saw some very sad things but it didn't affect me as much as the past 2 months have. I guess I have just never had things like this happen to close, young members of my family. I have had grandparents who have passed away because of health issues, but it is a completely different feeling when it happens to people so young who still have so much life to live.

These experiences have deepened my passion for wanting to be a nurse, for wanting to have a permanent positive effect on people. I want to help save lives. I want to help bring new lives into the world. I want to comfort those who feel like the struggle is too much to bear and I want to be there for the people who feel like they are alone. I want to be a tool that heavenly father can use in his miracles, whether it is the miracle of healing, the miracle of bringing a new life into the world, or the miracle of helping people find comfort in the last moments of their lives on earth.

I have never been very good at expressing my feelings about things like this, and I don't feel like I let Lisa and Alexis know just how much they mean to me in my life. Its amazing how closely tied your relationship with someone can become in such a short time. Its scary how one moment everything can be fine and the next moment your life can change so quickly. I feel like Mitch and his family are so much better at handling things like this because they had to overcome one of the toughest family tragedies ever. When I think about Daniel, I miss him and my heart hurts inside even though I never got to meet him, but I know someday I will.

I get so much comfort from the gospel. I am blessed to feel and know that this life is not the end, there is so much more after this. So blessed to know that every struggle we go through in life is only to make us stronger, and that everything happens for a reason. So blessed to know that when we have to part with someone in our family who's time it is to move on, that good bye is never forever. So blessed to know that we are never given a trial that we cannot endure.

I started this blog post with the intentions of letting everyone know just how much they mean to me and I ended up rambling a lot. Even though I feel like I don't always do a good job of expressing it, I just want every one to know that my love for my family, both my "original" and my "new in-laws" family is deeper than I can even begin to describe. Life is so precious and those little moments we get to spend with each other mean the world to me. I am blessed to have each and every one of you a part of my life and I am so thankful that we will be a part of each other's lives for all eternity. I am sorry if I don't talk to you enough. I am sorry if I seem to put my studying before spending time with you. I am sorry if I have ever done anything to offend you, and I am sorry if I have not told you recently how much you really do mean to me.

I envy Mitch's passion, positive energy, and his ability to constantly make everyone feel how much they mean to him every second while in his presence. He is the best husband I could have ever dreamed for and I love him so much. Thank you to my in-law family for being a part of Mitch's life and for helping to mold him into such an amazing person. Thank you to my family for being a part of my life and for helping to mold me into a person who was somehow able to get the attention of such a wonderful man.

New Years Cabo Trip

Better late then never right? Enjoy

New years Cabo Trip 2010-2011

Great News!!!

This young man is the luckiest son of a gun in the state right now because...


KIMMY IS ENGAGED!!!

I am so excited for her and so stoked to help her plan the wedding! This man better treat her great! But seriously, he is a great guy and is perfect for kimmy. Out of all the guys she has ever dated, he is the only one who I felt actually deserved her...I guess sometimes you have to date a lot of frogs before you find your prince charming!

Here is a good picture of her new bling:

I would like to list some of the things that I LOVE about kimmy.

She is a great sister. I have so much fun with her. We have the same mannerisms and the same silly humor. There is never a dull moment with us!

She finally caught herself a good one!

She likes to go on vacation to wonderous places

Even the mean animals love her

She is silly

She is part of my awesome family

She dedicates lots of time and money to help the orphans

She is super tough!

...But still really cute

She dresses up in creative costumes for halloween even though she is all grown up

She is a trapeze artist

She is a Utah fan!

She tries new things...like guinea pig!

She absolutely stunningly amazingly beautiful!

I love her so much!

Congrats Kimmy!

Christmas in Vegas!

This Christmas Mitch and I had the opportunity to spend christmas in vegas with my family! It was super fun, I hadn't spent christmas with my family in 5 years! We mostly just relaxed and did family things, but we did go out to eat one night and go to the strip.
Here are some pics from the Belagio Gardens:

In other news...one of the best things was that we got to talk to Jeremy on Christmas! It was even better than we expected, because we got to skype! Live video chat and it was free! He already had a slight British tone to the way he talked...and it's only been 6 months! Haha! It was so great to talk to him, although it did make me miss him very much. I am so happy for him and can't believe how grown up he is!

The day after we got back from Vegas we went to Cabo for a week, it was just as amazing as last year! I will post pics of that trip after I get more of them from other family member's cameras!

My 24th Birthday

Ever since I graduated highschool, my birthday has been somewhat an inconvienience. It is always on finals week and there is always studying I could be doing instead of celebrating. However, each year I worry about it but then after I go out, I am grateful I took the time to do something because it is always nice to have a break!

On sunday we did cake and presents. Unfortunatly, I did not get any pictures of that.

On Monday night we went out to eat with Mitch's family at the Garden restaurant in temple square. Afterwards we walked around temple square to look at the christmas lights. It was a very fun night!

We brought our camera, but didn't realize until after we took pictures at dinner that there was no memory card in it...so the pictures werent saving. It was my fault because I forgot to put the card back in after uploading some pics to my computer. Luckily the maxwells took some pictures for us.

This is the only picture we have dinner, taken while we were all looking at my camera that had no memory card. This picture just makes me laugh. At least one of us was looking! haha!

Temple square lights!

My favorite picture of the night

Finals are done for me and I'm finally able to take a breather.

Mitch has been working so hard the past two weeks...pretty much two full time jobs because he is in the process of becoming the new General Manager of the Fat Cats bowling alley in provo. He is driving up there all the time to train, and working extra hours at Pizza Factory to get everything ready for his abscense...he does so much at that place! I'm not sure they realize how much he will be missed!

In one week from today we fly out to Vegas to spend christmas with my family! Then, on the 27th we fly to Mexico to spend a week in Cabo! So excited! This vacation is much needed for the both of us!

I'm Thankful...

So a blog update is long over due, but between school, homework, job, and squeezing a little fun inbetween has taken up all my time!

Thanksgiving was good for me but not so much for Mitch because he had to work open to close on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

I ate thanksgiving dinner with my mom's side of the family, the hamptoms and then brought a plate of food to mitch's work so he could eat some! After that I went over to the Haslam's house (cousins on my dads side) to visit and eat a little pie.

It was a good visiting day for me, I saw lots of family that I have not seen in awhile, it was long overdue!

I just wanted to make a note of 20 of the things I am thankful for:

1~Mitch, who is so absolulty wonderful and perfect for me. sometimes I wonder if I even deserve him. I am very blessed!

2~My parents who are so fun. Going to visit them is one of my favorite places to be. I miss them so much! Everything I have grown up to become is thanks to them. I couldn't have a better mom or dad!

3~My Inlaws. Ever since day one of Mitch and I's relationship, they have been so welcoming and loving to me. I love every moment we spend with them.

4~That Jeremy is on a mission. His weekly letters have been so inspiring to read and I look forward to it every monday morning.

5~My wonderful sister kimmy who I really don't see enough! We have so much fun together and no one else brings out my silly mannerisms like she does! I still think we were supposed to be twins. Love her tons!

6~My silly brother nathan, who is always making me laugh. He has grown up to be such a handsome young man!

7~The maxwell family. I have the best sister in law I could ask for and the cutest little neices in the world.

8~The gospel. I cannot even begin to imagine where I would be without it. I was blessed to be raised in it and i'm thankful to be sealed to my husband for time and all eternity.

9~Friends who give us a break from school and work and allow us to just relax and have fun!

10~Our apartment. I love everything about it. How spacious it is, our deck thats big for an apartment, the really big trees surrounding it , every season has been beautiful!

11~Our new addition to the family...a Beta fish we named Sushi :)

12~Diet coke. Enough said,

13~Chocolate. Again, enough said.

14~My job. I'm blessed to be able to be working in the medical field doing what I like already while I finish school.

15~Music! All kinds!

16~Mitch's hugs and kisses...makes me feel better no matter what!

17~Runner's high. Nothing can compare to the feeling after a good run!

18~Books! I love getting so sucked into a good book that I can't put it down.

19~That the Utes beat the Cougars!

20~The Utah Jazz...our first date was a jazz game and they continue to be one of my favortie things to do on date night!

I could go on and on, and I knew I would and thats why I set my limit to 20 things.

On a side note, this past month was my favortie season for sports of the whole year because my 3 favorite sports are going on. College football, college basketball, and the NBA! Here are a couple pictures from sporting events!

Georgia on my mind

Today on the way home from class, I was listening to Michael Buble's rendition of the song "Georgia on my Mind." Maybe it was because I was tired and therefore easily moved, but whatever the reason, this moment brought tears to my eyes and I felt I had to share it.

I guess I have always just assumed I would go back and live in Georgia someday and live happily ever after. I haven't thought much about it since recent changes in my life the past couple years.

I have married the man of my dreams and we are perfectly happy here in Utah. We live close to his family. My family has moved from Georgia to Vegas and are only a half days drive away. In other words, I have no reason to go back to Georgia to live. I will likely never get to live there again.

This realization hit me hard. Don't get me wrong, I love my life right where I am. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family and wonderful in laws. I am married to a man who is better than I could have ever dreamed of. It is just a hard thing to realize that the place you have always and still consider your home is no longer obtainable. This makes me sad, but I accept it. I will be happy no matter where I live because I have Mitch, and someday we will have kids of our own.

I guess this is my official good bye to Georgia. I will miss the moisture in the air, trees everywhere, Stone Mountain, the Georgia rainstorms, heat lightning, Chickfilas by the plenty, the Georgia Aquarium, the green hills, the hot summers, the winding roads, lightning bugs, Wafflehouse, boiled peanuts, Lake Lanier, being 4 hours away from awesome beaches and warm nights.

Just an old sweet song keeps Georgia on my mind...