Celebrating 7 years

Yes, we got married on Valentine's Day. The only reason is because Valentine's Day in the year 2002 was the first day of a 4 day weekend, so Spencer was off from school. I promise I am not that cheesy or sentimental. And anyway, it helps both Spencer and I remember.

Well, we are off to Mexico today. We are going one day early to celebrate our anniversary together at our favorite Italian place, which I can't remember the name of. Spence is all over it.

Here's to 7 years of struggle, triumph, and LOVE!

peace out.

Oh yeah Spence??!!

Well, if I recall correctly...I was QUEEN OF THE BEACH!! There is no greater feeling in all the world, then beating both my oldest brother AND my husband at double's beach volleyball!!

SUCK ON SAND!

Trying to get the ball back over the net
good form spence
AND THAT'S THE GAME!
My partner Miguel is awesome! He's the Activities Director



WINNER: (not picture: Miguel)

Pool Volleyball player of the year!

Player #1

Player #2(Nothing gets past this.)

Player of the year #3(being modest):-)

Anna-Marie doesn't know I posted this and will probably take it down. I was figuring out how to upload these particular pics for her, and when she went downstairs, I decided to do some of my own blogging!

Ready? OKAY!

FROM SIZE 12,10, then to an 8

WHO DO I APPRECIATE??!!

PS. in only 9 days.

The Tender Mercies of a Professor

As I walk into class, my stomach upset and palms sweating, thoughts are driving through my head..."did I study enough? what is the definition of that word again? Maybe I should reread that one section before the exam starts..." The teacher comes in and I settle on taking deep slow breaths to steady my racing pulse.
The test is placed in my hands and the nervousness subsides as I see T/F and multiple choice. Wow, this may not be anything like what I was expecting. With the turn of each page, my pulse becomes slower and more steady, my breathing more regular, and my sweat crawls back into their pores.
The turning to the last two pages is where my initial feelings of dread and anxiety make their triumphant return. As I stare at the six essay questions and realize that I can only recall one of them in their full definitive measure I am overcome with the panic and nauseau that I had so hoped had made their permanent and final exit. My face gets red hot, I search the room seeking another desperate face that says "What the ???"; and as I end my prayer of pleading I hear the words of an angel whisper to me "you may use your text book for the next 30 minutes". Confusion and disappointment enter my mind. I will not cheat! Then a voice more loud and clear..."You can use your books!" This is just not possible. I raise my head to see that everyone else must have heard the same voice I did. To break the silent tension of awe and bewilderment I speak aloud, "Excuse me, what??" Laughter and joy fill the room, as the professor silently claimed to have been the angel I thought whispering to me.

What a great day

Yeah I have exams next week, 2 weeks worth of assignments to cram over since I'll be in Mexico for the following 2 weeks after next, and labs to complete for computers. But you know what makes all those things go away... 2 things. Getting my hair done, and volleyball. My 2 favorite things in the whole world. It makes everything else seem like a whisper of a wind blowing further and further away from my mind...with every foiled strand of hair and spiking of a volleyball....
Yeah...for the past 2 years my hair has been almost black. So now I am a progressive blonde.

No pictures of volleyball... I fear laughter and humiliation at the production of a camera amongst all the men that Heather and I play with. Heather...that's your call buddy.


PS. As you can see...my tan is gone.

AWARENESS!

You know how at some point in a person's life they find something that strikes a cord in their body to where they KNOW that they are passionate about doing it or helping with it, or just being involved some how. Well, that happened to me last weekend. We went and saw the movie "Taken". And I was literally sobbing all the way home afterward. It is about a man whose teenage daughter is kidnapped into a sex trafficking ring in Europe and he goes and gets her. (GO LIAM!) I can not imagine a worse fate for any young man or woman. That is my greatest fear for ANYBODY! So, I did a bunch of research over the weekend about it. Sex trafficking is 2ND to drug trafficking!! Hundreds of THOUSANDS of woman are trafficked every year into.... SAN FRANCISCO ALONE! These women come mainly from Asia who were under the impression that they were coming here to work as waitresses or models, so they get free airfare and fake documentation to get them here. And then once here, they are under 24 hour surveillance held captive by men who tell them if they escape they will be arrested by a government they have no familiarity with, and they are 'forced/raped' to work off the money it took to get them here, and then some! There are at least 90,000 "massage parlors" in San Francisco which are used for this horrible crime! And the main clients...RICH MARRIED MEN!
The reason I bring this up, is because I am absolutely DISGUSTED that NOTHING is being done about this MOST HEINOUS CRIME! Now this is only speculation, but I believe nothing is being done about this by our government, because look at what kind of men are in our government....PROBABLY MOST OF THE CUSTOMERS!
But FINALLY! I love Glenn Beck so much. Today I saw this...and there may be hope...it may be just a glimmer, but finally with the release of "Taken" and what Glenn Beck is trying to kick start...something can be done.

4 years later

4 years ago today
Daniel was called on his way
Home to be with Heavenly Father and Mother
I miss my wonderful brother.

4 years ago today
I was in utter sadness and dismay
I didn't want to say goodbye
I wanted him to be here...by my side.

4 years ago today
I was really NOT doing okay
I was angry and bitter
And refused to see that things would ever get better.

4 years ago today
I wanted to just be sad everyday
So not to feel us growing apart
But somewhere along the line I had a change of heart.

Here I am 4 years later
And my heart couldn't feel greater
So full of gratitude and love
For my Heavenly Father above

Here I am 4 years later
Knowing I was blessed with the best brother ever
Except, of course, for Matt
Who is such a cool cat!

Here I am 4 years later
And I KNOW that my family is forever
From attending the temple and hours kneeling in prayer
I can finally say, 4 years later, today I feel quite fair.