I'm alive

With all that's been going on in our lives the last little while, all I can say is I'm happy to be here, happy to be me, happy to be healthy, happy to have a family, and happy to be alive. Sometimes we choose what trials come our way by the choices we make, but sometimes we don't. It's the little surprise ones that make life interesting. Sometimes they stretch you till you feel like you're gonna snap, but when that stretching is all said and done, we are all the better for it. Ryan's had a health issue come up and we still don't know what exactly it is, but his health is slowly improving (his color is improving too--yellow eyes, yellow skin-a little freaky) and the hematologist now thinks it's not an auto-immune disease (whew!). Ryan has always been so healthy and fit that to all of a sudden become sick has been a little hard, especially with this kind of timing. It may be slow-going until he's 100% but we're very hopeful and will no longer take good health for granted. Thanks for the love and prayers from those of you who knew. We haven't advertised it until now. I've done a lot of pondering this last little while about life, what is most important to me, my weaknesses, and how I can try to be better. I know for a fact that the Lord can truly make "weak things become strong." It's up to us to do the work though. Life is wonderfully sweet and our Heavenly Father never leaves us alone.

The medical school scene is winding down. I'm sorry to say that we won't be visiting Oregon anytime soon. It's a little saddening but we know it just wasn't meant to be. But we can feel it getting closer, something will happen soon. We have faith it will. Whenever I start to doubt that maybe this wasn't what we were supposed to do, that doubt only lasts for a brief moment and then I immediately remember those promptings I got 3 years ago and how everything came together and I KNOW this is what we should be doing. I know the Lord will help us out because we've given it our all. We've done everything we can possibly do. There's nothing else to give or say. The competition is great out there--everyone wants to get into medical school but there are very few spots. It's in His hands now.

No matter what our trials, life keeps plugging along. I've felt the demands a working mother faces as of late. We've been busy little bees here in our little house trying to keep up with everything. I think spring fever has hit. The natives are restless. Some sunshine would do us good--(especially for Ryan). Here's a little of what we've been up to lately around here...

The restless natives


6 games and 6 wins, knock on wood!


Sowing some seeds of love


What a beautiful sight


Rainy, president's day activity-making rice bags. The kids love these and all wanted their own. We even made some small pocketsize ones for them to take to the bus stop on those freezing cold mornings.


Gwen's bow breaking--this is one of her old bows (it was old and falling apart-cheaper to just buy a new one than to fix it). She had fun cutting the horse hair with scissors and prancing around with a broken bow. Oh, and crazy clothes are a must for this kind of thing apparently. Good way to take out her frustrations with La Folia on the docket. She deserves a little fun for all her hard work.



Can you tell Chrissy wants a cello?


My new found love--crocheting. Gretel walked in the office the other night, saw me sitting here with needle and yarn, watching a youtube tutorial on left-handed crocheting, when she asked me: "Mom, are you turning into a grandma?" First she sees me up at the organ in sacrament meeting, now this. Perhaps I am.