waterfalls and dancing

Scott provided the dancing entertainment

Jared beat me to the waterfall

Trying to smile even though we were so TIRED!!

then we found THIS!!

Dave showing his manly muscles!! 

Time for some food for Jared

The hill was too steep to walk down so jared went on his bum...

The Newlyweds came out of hiding for the weekend!!

 we are a little fuzzy in this pic but we had lots of fun!!

I think this is my favorite picture of the day!! 

They are so CUTE!!

Trying to get the energy to hike back to the car..

Did I mention how pretty it was?

On our ride home.. it was seriously the funnest weekend

we went rafting down the provo river earlier that day so we were so exhausted but well worth it!!

Thanks Harris Family for such a great weekend!!

Brown Eyes

Lying down I stare into your brown eyes

As lovers connect by power of gaze
I see fire from your spirit inside
I know within, there is no end of days

You are a cherished daughter of our God
You know water you've been through fire
You are a new creature, one of our Lords odd
You have a will that will never tire

As our spirits connect and dance awhile
I feel our unborn children around us
The're proud we are enduring our trials
They know in us they can forever trust

Behind your brown eyes I see a good wife
Who always knows how to help me through life

Enjoy the Moment

The discussion of what our future holds is a conversation Jared and I have often. When we think about all that we want to do in life i get excited for the school and education part of our lives to be over with and rest of our lives to begin. However, i wonder if  i know how to stop and enjoy the moment. I once wondered if i would get married, that happened, i then wondered if i would ever accomplish my dream of being a nurse,  and with a less than a month left of school i find new things to wonder. I ponder if i will ever get the dream job in nursing that i want (or even a job these days), will i ever be a mom, will i ever get down the finances, will my student loans ever be paid off, will we ever get the home we want,  etc. I have had this conversation with jared many times. I look at others and wonder if i will have what they do, because i swear things always look better when others have them. As i have talked about this more and more lately i have began to wonder if i can slow down and enjoy where i am at in life and savor the moment. Life is simple right now. It is Jared and I at night, we eat dinner, clean the house, go on walks to get ice cream (love the 50 cent ice cream cones at Macey's) and we talk, laugh, and go to bed.. Sure finances give me a headache because as students do you ever have enough to survive? Miracle by miracle we make it pay check to pay check, with the idea we are suffering now to make a better future for us and our children to come. So why can't i just stop and enjoy where we are in life? Why do i constantly have something else i want to do or have someone else i want to be like? Do i have a fear of enjoying the moment? I am a busy body.. My husband often tells me he never knew life was so busy till he met me.. I keep us running, striving to be better, going a thousand places.. I do not like to just sit at home usually. Will i go crazy when nursing school is over? To just work 3 days a week and not have school, that sounds wonderful and terrifying at the same time.  I guess my new goal is to enjoy the accomplishments i have now and remember there will be a time when i will look back and try to remember the simplicity life is right now.

Daddy oh Daddy

I am told i act like my father and look like my father. 

Is this a bad thing? NOPE!! i think he is pretty cool and so much fun to be around! 

On fathers day i was not able to spend the day with him, 

but i spent the previous week with him so i think that is ok. 

I love my dad and i have been taught so much by him. 

My dad works so hard to keep our family close.  

He is my hero. My dad would spend every moment with the family if he could. 

I love this man and i am so lucky to have him as my father. 

Thank you dad for all you do!! i love you!

and then there were 4...

I have used the phrase "till we meet again" one too many times lately.. However saturday afternoon i got the call from my dad that my uncle grant (the one in the middle) was in the ICU at IMED in SLC and was not going to make it.. I was in a deep sleep that saturday afternoon, however Jared and i were soon up and packed for the night and headed to the hospital. When we arrived i was met by my aunts and cousins.. Grant was hooked up to every monitor possible and for once in my life i was wishing i did not know so much about the medications he was getting and the severity of the condition i was encountering. I love medicine, but when i am the family member there seeing another family member in the hospital i am NOT a fan. Grant was taken off life support and returned very quickly to be with his parents whom i know were there waiting for him. Grant was such a great man!! The last time i saw him was at draper historic theatre where he was in many plays. The last performance i saw him perform was one of my favorites. Grant was the cowardly Lion in the Wizard Of Oz and he was SPECTACULAR!! i was in tears because i was laughing so hard. This is the first family member for me that i have lost besides my grandparents and it hit me that our lives are so short in the scheme of things. I am so grateful for my Savior, for the Gospel and all that i have been taught. I know this is not the end, its just a goodbye and while i do not like saying over and over again, the phrase is true and brings peace to my heart.. I love you Grant, thank you for the laughs, give grandma and grandpa a hug for me... You were my favorite performer and i am going to miss you.. Till we meet again.. 

Beautiful Day Horrible Night

Yesterday Jared and I joined in celebrating our closest friends joining together for time and all eternity. They were gorgeous and completely happy. I have lots of pictures since they asked me to take the pictures for the wedding day. darby was a beautiful bride and scott was needless to say full of smiles and excitement!! The day was amazing and i was sad when it was over and we had to return home. 
I wish the happiness lasted into the night. Earlier that day we learned tragedy had hit a sweet girl where we live the day before (we met here at these apartments and loved it so we moved into married housing). I was informed a girl was raped and beaten severely ( in midday)  while she was by her apartment by the riverwalk. She is in the ICU at the hospital down the street i hear. I was so sad by the news, but had the thought it will never happen to me. I tend to hear news like this and brush it off, as i do with all i see in the ER. However, i think this hit a little too close to home, literally. When we got home there was a flyer on our door talking about the safety one should have. I was severely disappointed as was Jared by the content of the flyer. The wording seemed to point to the idea this poor girl brought this upon herself. I was angry and hurt that the owners of the complex we live in would insinuate girls would ask for trouble like this. After going to sleep with a long talk of even throughout the day with Jared, i figured i would wake when it was time for me to go to work. Sadly at about midnight i awoke with my heart pounding, nausea, an intense headache and terror streaming through my body. I tossed and turned for a couple of hours till i woke my husband with all my movement. It hit me eventually this event the previous day has scared me to my core. I felt fear of leaving my home. Panic and anxiety quickly took over and the tears started. Why would someone do this? Did they watch the apartments to find a victim? I love to go out and go walking here and by myself usually. Am i in danger? My home security has been rocked, i thought of moving many times last night. Where would i find peace? We want to have a baby soon, could i be safe here with a child? This is Provo, where could i go to be safe if Happy Valley no longer felt safe to me? This event made me sick mentally, emotionally, and physically. For those that live here where we do, please be safe. For the girl who has had her world turned, i pray for you, i pray for a recovery mentally, emotionally and physically. In no way think this was your fault. As for me, i am home, in my home, trying to find the safety i once had. 

Special Olympics & complete Perfection

I was given the wonderful opportunity to attend the special Olympics for the state a few weeks ago. The closest i can describe what i felt there is Heaven must have been close because i could not stop smiling. It was complete joy and happiness. The people there were perfection, happy for being where they were and happy to cheer others on. We could learn a lot from them. When i was taking pictures of the runners i was holding back tears. The competition to win was not what was important. Everyone was excited to run/walk and excited to finish. To try and get out on the track and field is what was important. When they crossed the finish line, most turned around immediately and cheered whoever was running with them. I took lots of pictures, i hope you enjoy them, there is no fancy editing. How can i edit complete perfection, as this is what these people were.  I do hope one day to be medical personnel at the Special Olympics, but this opportunity was AMAZING!! thanks tiffany for inviting me to go with you!!

the official torch for the opening ceremony

I loved the enthusiasm everyone had!

it was pure smiles all day

if you did not want to run, throw things or jump, no need to worry there was a stage where you could dance your day away!!

My beautiful friend tiff with her sister who has gone to the world special olympics and brought home the gold!!

no worry of age, you just run!!

she was amazing!!