Just Laugh!

Hey Ya'll, hope you're doing well!!  Derek and I are back in school for spring semester... and we already have 2 tests on the second week of school.  Good times!!  I came into this semester pretty nervous because of difficult classes I am registered for, the fact that I am taking 17 credits, and the fact that it is my last semester so I seem to have checked out somewhat already.  Well if there is one thing that I've learned this week is to just laugh through it all!!  Life it hard, school is hard, no one is perfect and all that we can do is our best!!  Derek and I have been hanging out with Mark and Heather Buys this semester, and we are SOO grateful for their friendship.  The first time that we hung out, ALL of our deep secrets just blurted out to each other.  It's amazing how easy it is to get along with certain people and how much you can find in common with one another.  We laughed, we shared testimonies, and we laughed some more.  Derek and I laugh non stop with them, and they are great examples to us.  We are so grateful for their friendship, and for the fact that they taught us to laugh through life.  I hope we can all remember to spread our cheer to others because you never know what someone is dealing with.  Surround yourself with positive people who are good examples, and always remember to put others before your self.  Keys to a successful and happy life!!!! I dare you to smile at strangers, laugh through difficult times, and give up your time to help those who are suffering or are in need of help!! I am so grateful for all that I have been blessed with.  I have a wonderful husband, I am fortunate enough to receive an education, I have great friends, a wonderful family, and I am lucky enough to have such great in laws and fun sister in laws that I can talk and relate to.  I am grateful for all of you blogging buddies that I have, and I admire so many of you!! I hope you have a fun weekend and remember to laugh! :)

Recap of the Semester

Yay!!! I made it through another semester!!! I finished my last final today and I think it went really well!! I really enjoyed this semester, and it was 1oX better than last semester!! Since the semester is coming to a close I thought I would recap on some of the things that I went through.

- I did my intern this semester and LOVED every second of it!! I worked at a Physical/Speech/Occupation/Pediatric Therapy clinic. It was such a blessing going to my intern 2 days a week and seeing everyone at work. Everyone was so gracious and kind to me, and it was a humbling experience working with people who's bodies are injured and improperly functioning. I was offered a job out of all the other interns and I was sooo thrilled. Unfortunately I couldn't make my schedule work next semester to take the job offer, but they are trying to hire me in July when I graduate, so cross your fingers that it all works out!!!

- I took a dance history class... and LOVED it!! I learned how much I don't know about dance, and it was a way fun class!

- I judged my first dance competition last weekend. It was so much fun and I was so grateful for the opportunity. The hardest part about it was the dance off. I had to go give little girls medals and tell them to sit down until we finally picked a winner who got a trophy. I felt like a jerk when I would hear the audience aah in sadness when I approached their daughter and gave them a medal. Other than that part, it was an awesome opportunity and I had a blast. I even made a new facebook friend out of it. (One of the other judges, which is my sister in law's friend).

- I performed with my contemporary dance team Aspire. After all of our hard work for the year we performed for our families and friends. It was bitter sweet and I was so blessed to be a member of the company. It was a TOTALLY new experience for me, especially because the style was oober modern. For those of you who know me... know that modern is NOT my thing. But I overcame it and I learned a great deal. I have a fonder appreciation for modern dance and the art of dance in and of itself.

- I took my first Microbiology class. It was hard, and I am now germaphobe from it... but I endured to the end and learned a lot!

- My favorite class this semester was Kinesiology. That class is incredible!! If BYU-Idaho had that major, that would definitely be mine! I love learning about the muscles and how the body moves. My teacher came up to me after class one day and told me that I had my head on my shoulders and would do well out in the real world after I graduate. I was so grateful for an encouraging teacher who went out of his way to help me along my way.

- I survived finals week!

- I met new friends and enjoyed getting to know new people from my class.

- I came out of this semester a better person with more light and knowledge, and I have been able to help family members with injuries just from taking Kinesiology and from my intern with the Physical Therapists.

-I applied for graduation!

- I registered for my last semester at BYU-Idaho!

- One of my best friends gets married tomorrow at the close of my semester!

I would say that I definitely had a fulfilling, challenging, and uplifting semester! I am so grateful for the opportunity to receive and education. I especially am grateful that I am receiving it at BYU-Idaho. I have grown spiritually and mentally. Here's to the weekend, passing my classes, and learning a great deal more from this semester!! I am officially a Senior and I will be graduating this July!!! Can't wait to see what is to come in my future!

I don't want to do my homework so...

So I don't want to do my homework.... so judge me for it whatever I don't care. Haha. Here are 30 random facts about me that I'm sure you are dying to know.

1. I graduate in July.... hopefully!

2. I know what I want to do with my life, but I totally don't know what I want to do all at the same time.

3. I got married at age 19 and I was told I wouldn't make it. I love people's reactions when they ask me if I thought I missed out on life and how hard it must be. I love proving people wrong and my marriage is my number 1 priority. In all honesty, marriage was the best thing for me at that time in my life.

4. I have the funniest family in the world. Family get togethers are never a let down.

5. I have never peed my pants in public..... no wait, yes yes I have I take that back. Dang it!

6. I want 3 kids and then I want to adopt 2. Derek wants a cute little black boy, and I want a little Asian girl.

7. I want 2 boys and a girl, and I have all of their names picked out, and I have since before I was married.

8. I want to learn to speak Italian. Once I learn.... I am pretty sure I will be able to convince Derek we need to take a trip to Italy so I can prove my mad skills.

9. I want to get certified in teaching Ballet Aerobics. Haven't heard of it? Yeah... I haven't really either, but I am pretty certain that this is what I want to get certified in.

10. I hope to establish my home and family in Arizona. I love the City and I love the sun.

11. My family is the exact OPPOSITE as Derek's. Everything about them is opposite. I think Derek and I are pretty sure about what middle ground is because we have extreme opposites.

12. I am a very laid back person.... but I have anxiety at the same time so it makes life get interesting at times.

13. I love taking time to laugh at myself every day. If you can't laugh at yourself than what can you laugh at?

14. I love growing and learning everyday. It doesn't seem like it, but looking back at where I started and where I am now, I would say I have learned and grown a great amount.

15. I love listening to music for hours.

16. I love to dance. I miss dancing with Derek and I miss performing. I am on a dance team but it's not my favorite genre. I love it when I am in my element and when I can release all my stresses into something I am so passionate about.

17. I adore my intern and the people I get to work with when I go to my intern every Tuesday and Thursday.

18. The happiest year of my life was one of the hardest years of my life all at the same time. That was the year we moved to Arizona.

19. The older I get, the closer I get to my sister. I love it! Other than Derek she really is my best friend. I love her cackle and I love all her stylish clothes that I can wear when she visits.

20. I am getting another sister in March, and I am so excited for her to become a part of my family. She is a sweet heart and such a cutie.

21. I have been so blessed with my health so far in life. I am so grateful for my body and my health and strength every day.

22. My favorite facial feature is my cheek bones.

23. I am a detective with my nose. I can hunt down anything with my nose and I tend to freak Derek about with my nose.

24. Everyday when I'm driving to school, I always wish that I could crawl back under the warm covers at home and snuggle with Derek all day.

25. My body was made to fit Derek's. My head fits in Derek's nook on his shoulder. We form perfectly together and we are the perfect cuddlers. It ROCKS!

26. I have had 3 pets. A bunny named Baby Socks, a cat named Chicken, and a dog named Camo.

27. My first doll was named Pea Pod. I named her after something I loved so dearly. Her head was popped off by the neighbor boy and I was traumatized. My brother's friends were never to see me play with dolls again.

28. I was never afraid of water until I took swimming lessons with my best friend and she screamed and cried in the water. Seeing her made me traumatized, and I was then a goner.

29. My favorite books are the Hunger Games and The Help.

30. I worked with my friend one summer and I made her laugh so hard I witnessed her wet her pants. This could possibly be one of the funniest moments in my life.

I thought I would tie peeing your pants one more time into my post. I hope you are all having an enjoyable winter and are finding ways to stay warm.

As of Lately

Looks like I'm due for some catching up. Derek and I had a fun Christmas break that flew by far too fast. We were able to spend Christmas with my family and loved every minute of it. My family has some hard core traditions that sound absolutely ridiculous, but to me, that's Christmas. My family gets together Christmas Eve with the Maeser side. After we eat dinner we pass around cups of rice pudding. If your cup of rice has the almond in it, you win the prize. My mom won this year which I believe was her first year ever winning. After that we go downstairs and all the grandkids get to decorate the tree with homemade sugar cookies, popcorn balls, and candy canes. Once the tree is decorated and the dishes are done we gather around and read Davey's first Christmas, the Nisa Man, and of course the story of Christ's birth from the New Testament. For those of you who don't know who the Nisa man is, he is kind of like a little elf. The Nisa man is a Danish belief. So it is safe to say that our traditions on Christmas Eve are very Danish. The story is written about my great great Grandpa and his encounter with the Nisa man. Like I said, our traditions sound silly, but so fun! After we read, we hold hands and sing songs around the Christmas part. As cheesey as this sounds, it is by far my favorite part!! My dad's side of the family is where all the humor comes from. You can expect opera singing, and the can can to occur. I love my family! Then we pass out the presents and open them.

Christmas morning was awesome and then we spent the afternoon with my mom's side. We had a lot of fun and ate WAY too much food. We had a fun time relaxing and playing the Wii and enjoying each other's company.

On Tuesday my sister left, Derek's family was all gone, and there was nothing that we knew of going on for the rest of the week. Derek casually asked me if I wanted to go to Arizona. I laughed and said, "No way!" Then we sat there and said, actually we totally should do it! So we packed up our stuff and 3 hours later we were on our way to Arizona. We did have some car problems along the way but we were safe and it happened at the best possible moment.

We enjoyed the weather and good company of some of Derek's family. We went to the park, played wiffle ball, lightening, went shopping, bowling, and made a stop at Lee Lee's. Lee Lees is a grocery store and every aisle is a different country. My parents are obsessed with it! We took a picture in front of it and sent it to them. They were ecstatic!! We brought home some candy and herbal tea from Japan for my dad. He was thrilled! New Years Eve we did fireworks and went and played at the park. It was so much fun getting away for a bit and warming up.

We would have liked to do a lot more while we were there, but it was hard getting everyone to agree on something. Maybe next time we can travel a little more while we there. But we definitely were grateful for our trip.

We have been back at school for about a week and a half now. We are pretty burnt out but we are grateful for the opportunity to receive an education. I am currently doing my intern at Rehab Services of Idaho and I absolutely LOVE it!! Everyone is so awesome and I am learning a lot from the therapists. They offer Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Pediatric Therapy, and Physical Therapy. I am mostly in the Physical Therapy department, but I have had the opportunity to spend time around the other therapists.

Other than that, not too much is going on. We are just staying busy, learning all that we can, and enjoying our life along the way!!

New Years Eve Fun

My soap box for the day

Sorry it's been so long since I posted last, but I literally have no time anymore. I'm lucky if I am home for a few hours in the evening, and I'm lucky if the dishes get done, so consider yourself lucky that I am able to update.

Just have a few thoughts. This semester has seriously been one of the most challenging times in my life. My classes are soo hard, that's an understatement. I am normally a good student who gets A's and 90's on her tests. This semester is not the case. I am the student that is sitting there saying, "What the heck is he talking about?" It's been a humbling experience, and I look at learning from a completely new perspective. It has been rough, and it has not been pretty, but somehow I'm still floating and passing my classes. I just pray and I can make it to the end.

This semester I have also been pretty hurt from some people. Due to the extra extra stress, it has made me overly sensitive and I have become so hurt and so bitter I was miserable. I finally realized that through the hurt I was feeling, I was becoming someone I didn't enjoy, and the negativity that I was around was really rubbing off on me. Because I have been having such a hard time, it's really hurt my self esteem and I have been beating myself up and believing the things that others around me were saying about me. Yesterday in my religion class we talked about the act of gratitude. President Monson said that the act of ingratitude is a serious sin. This is scary. How many times have we been the lepers who didn't return to thank Jesus Christ for blessing us? How many times in our lives have people done incredible things for us, and we never even thought to thank them?

It is so important that we start now and count our many blessings. Rather than focusing on all of the things we can't do and all of the things we don't have, we must focus on all of the things we DO have and all of the things we CAN do. It's incredible the difference it will make in your life. As women, we tend to compare our weaknesses to others strengths.... or at least I do anyways. We should never ever do this. We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, and we are made this way for a reason. Heavenly Father never gives us something that we can't overcome. Whether it be anxiety, bad grades, family problems, etc, we have the strength to overcome them. If the issue is never taken away such as an illness, we can always learn and grow from it and become a better person in the end. It is all in our perspectives.

We should always remember to compliment those around us rather than bring them down and trying to build yourselves up. Something that I have learned is to always show kindness to those around me, especially to those that are unkind to me, because they obviously need the kindness the most. If someone offends us 7 times, we should not only forgive them 7 times, but 70 times 7. Forgiveness is a continuous process, and it can be very difficult. It is so hard when someone does something so hurtful and so cruel, but we must always remember that it is not our place to judge, and we are taught to forgive.

By showing kindness, gratitude, and forgiveness we too can be forgiven. If we do these things the negativity will be taken away from our hearts and we can feel of the spirit. As hard as these things can be, they are so important. I am trying to live by them each and every day. I challenge everyone to do their best to compliment those around, and when we are feeling pity on ourselves consider service rather than thinking woe is me, nothing good ever happens to me. Turn the m in me upside down to we. Try to put others first and our lives will fall into place.

Sorry for my soap box, but this is something I am struggling with. I remind myself each and every day of the importance of these values, and I have seen a difference in my life when I am living this way, rather than becoming like the rest of the world and having unkind thoughts when someone offends me. I know that it is my choice to become offended, and it is my responsibility to forgive others. I love you guys and I am so grateful for all of my family and friends. You are great examples to me and you all make me a better person.

Aspire

Wow... this week has been a doozy! We're back in school and man, it's going to be a hard semester! I've been swarmed with homework everyday, and I have a sinus infection on top of it. My body needs rest but I haven't been able to give it any. Derek... bless his heart. He's been working nights and going to school. He is SOOO behind on his sleep, and he basically will fall asleep anywhere. Tonight is his last night working for the week, and then he has a full week off so hopefully he can feel on top of it again.

Other than that not too much is new. I am so happy to be dancing again! 3 years has been far too long! I'm taking a ballet and jazz class at the college, and I am on an amazing contemporary team called Aspire Dance Company. The new director just made a website and it was finished yesterday. Go check it out, it's amazing!! So grateful for dance in my life!http://aspiredance.weebly.com/index.html

Arizona trip

Derek and I were lucky enough to go to Arizona for a week!! Oh my word! Why did we ever leave? I miss it so much!! I can't wait until we're done with school so we can be back there again!!
Basically last Wednesday morning after Derek got off work from his night shift, we drove with Thayne and Kiama down to Maricopa, Arizona and spent the week with Raylene and Raylon. There were a lot of kids so it made it difficult to really get to go out and explore and do all the things in the city, but that's ok. We had a lot of fun family time and we were still able to do some fun things.
We went swimming 3 days, went to the Chandler Fashion Center, the girls went to Emili's bridal shower while the boys went to Jesters for Raylon's bachelor party. Jesters is an improv stand up comedy center. It's basically like watching Who's Line Is It Anyway in person. We had lots of ping pong and air hockey tournaments, and we played late night games together. I got 2 of my requests in. 1 was going to In N' Out Burger. It is so fresh and yummy, we even went twice!! I also requested that we go to RA Sushi, and luckily we were able to!! I was one happy lady!!
The best part of the trip was visiting our old ward. Our ward in Arizona is seriously the MOST amazing ward hands down!! The bishopric is amazing and that ward is so involved and active. Everyone wants to be there and everyone does their part. It was so fun seeing all of our friends. It was crazy because all of our friends now have babies and they are all so big! It was crazy but so fun catching up with everyone and seeing how much they have all grown. Derek and I were able to spend an evening with some friends from Idaho that have just recently moved literally a block away from our old apartment!! It was fun seeing them and playing games together.
All in all the trip was a blast, and we were sad to leave!! It's always hard to come back to the real world after a fun trip. Today was my last day of work and we start school on Monday. YUCK!! I am soooo not ready for it!! My semester consists of Physics and Chemistry along with 4 other classes. I am dreading it. This is what I plan on being my hardest semester. It's going to be very difficult for Derek to balance working full time all night long, sitting through class all day, finding time to sleep, and finding time to study on top of it all. I feel really awful but right now we don't really have another choice!! I hope we can come out on top after this semester! Wish us luck!!!