All in His timing...

I guess it really is time to update this blog. I go back and forth about even keeping it, but I guess if it is for anyone, it should be for us to remember these times. And if we're going to do that a little better I should at least update the only place I'm recording our comings and goings.

Time really has flown for us in this past year and we have had one of the best years too in Bountiful Utah. We've grown really attached to our ward here and have made some great friends. My brother Ramiro and his wife Stacey also moved to Utah last May so she could get a PhD at the UofU in school psychology. So now that we're finally in a ward that we love and could see ourselves staying in for a while, and we have even more family close by we end up having to move. But this move is really exciting for us, and we're ready to move forward. Well to catch you up, we moved to Bountiful for Aaron to be able to start getting experience in the medical field. He has had an awesome job here working as a medical assistant in a Pediatrician's office. He applied to PA school (which I kind of talked about before) but things just didn't work out this year as PA school is very competitive so we were totally not thrown off by this outcome. We both know that it is just going to take some more experience and also get more science classes in so his science GPA will shine. We are also keeping our options open and Aaron is actually trying to get into a nursing program right now so that he can have that to fall back on and possibly go into a nursing practitioner's program once he gets a nursing degree.
Our plan was that we would both apply to grad school, and if he got in then we'd go to school for him, and if he didn't then I would go if I got into school. Well, the application process for me was a bit stressful. I really wasn't sure if I was even going to get into school, and after several rejections, I was already ready to move forward and start doing things to make my application better. Fortunately I was accepted into a program in NM at ENMU, and I was waitlisted at Texas Tech. I accepted the spot I was offered at ENMU instead of waiting to hear about Tech because things in Portales (where ENMU is located) just seemed like they were falling into place for both Aaron and I. Aaron can attend classes at a community college in Clovis where it is super cheap even for out of state residents, and they also have a nursing program he has applied to. I also was offered a graduate assistantship which gives me money, as well as waives my out of state tuition (so I'll qualify for in-state tuition) (SUPER GOOD DEAL) It will almost be as if I won't have to pay tuition at all.
Anyway, needless to say we feel blessed. We expect to have many more years ahead of us of hard work, but this is our start and we're so happy to move forward.

It's crazy how it has almost been a year that I have been staying home with Sam. It has been a wild ride that I have absolutely loved and I'm so grateful I've had this time to spend with him. I've grown so much, and I know my heart is forever changed and bonded to his. There is really something special about being able to stay home with your babies that I will never take for granted. I know it is going to be super hard for me to go back to school and even have to work afterward while Aaron is in a grad program. It's a sacrifice, but I feel like now is as good of a time as any and I'm ready to get it done.

Well friends, that is the update. We have limited time left in Utah since we're moving so Aaron can start class right away in June. Hopefully we can make the best of our time. I'll update again soon with some of our recent adventures. Till then, New Mexico here we come!!! We're excited!

San Diego & My Best Friend's Wedding

My best friend Heather gave us a great reason to escape snowy Utah when she decided to be married in sunny San Diego last Friday. She was a beautiful bride.

Jason her husband seems to be a great guy, well he must be since he won Heather's heart. I was beginning to wonder if anyone would ever make the cut. I'm so glad he did, and I am so happy for her and him.

Her wedding was followed by a beach BBQ, it was great... I wish Sammy would have been more interested in socializing more than trying to escape into the ocean, and eating seaweed and sand. I admit, Aaron and I both wanted to have a blast but we were both a little stressed with our little adventure seeker who we couldn't take our eyes off. I wonder if I will ever have a child who will cling to my leg and won't let me out of his sight. Since I'm on the opposite side of the spectrum right now, I wouldn't mind a little more separation anxiety coming from my baby :).


On Saturday we got to go to the famous San Diego Zoo. It was fun to see the animals and point them out to Sam, not to mention did I say we were in San Diego? The weather was beautiful, it was a perfect day to be outside together.

We ended our trip with a nice visit with Aaron's family in Riverside. Uncle Bob cooked us ribs and chicken on his grill, Grandma Vicky made her famous beans and rice, and we got to talk photography with Uncle David.
San Diego was a great getaway, but it just didn't seem like Christmas in California. Now that it's over and done, we're glad to be back in snowy Utah!

Fields of Gold

So I was looking for my journal tonight to write in, but I couldn't find it in the whole 10 seconds I looked. Sometime in those 10 seconds I remembered I did have a blog that was in desperate need of an updating!Aaron is applying to PA School right now as we speak, he has 13 applications submitted so far including schools in AZ, CA, NY,PA,OR,TX and UT... well we can cross the UT one off because they didn't want our business so we're looking else where but we're optimistic that Aaron will get in somewhere. I've also been quite ambitious myself lately, and I am also preparing to begin applying to grad school. I took the GRE yesterday and received a good score, so now all I have to do is buckle down and pick some schools. This is the hardest part I think though because obviously Aaron's getting into school is more important to me than me getting into school, and not a lot of schools have both our programs. So we'll just have to toss up options into the air and see where the wind takes us because we're both going for it!
Nope, we haven't forgotten we have a wonderful son. He's all part of this decision too, It's going to be a rough couple of years for all of us! Speaking of the bubs, I still love being his mom. I'm probably never going to change my position in feeling like it's so much harder to be selfish with a child. But I do love him so and so really... it's really not that hard. I mean c'mon, who could resist this face?

Sam's been learning some new words. So far (and finally) he can say Mama, Dada, baba, papa, ouch (outh), gotcha (dot tha), Gidget (didit), pants pants pants (ba ba ba), and up. He can also shake his head no and say uhuh, and nods and says uhHUH. At his last apt in October he weighed 28lbs, and was I believe 33 inches tall. This little man is growing so fast not even my muscles are keeping up with him... that's why its a good thing he's walking like a champ now, minus the few falls and quick trips we had to make to the Dr. to get some stitches on his lip (actually a walking with a bottle in his mouth accident) and have his elbow popped back into place (yeah, don't pick a heavy kid up by the arms... ever.)
Anyway, glad the holidays are here! We're looking forward to spending some fun times with family and friends! Love to all!

Summer Sets

As I contemplate what to write in this post, I can think of many stories to share. I only wish I updated this sooner so that I could have remembered/recorded it all. Not that we had an amazingly eventful summer, but this summer was filled with lots of firsts. 1. Aaron's first college degree. (Biology) 2. Aaron's first full time job. 3. My first time ever without a job. (since freshman year college) 4. My first summer as a SAHM. 5. Sammy's first birthday. 6. Sammy's first words. 7. Sammy's first steps.

Oh yeah, and we moved to Bountiful! The move was bittersweet for me at first... I don't really miss the rabbit hutches... sorry wymountians... I loved that place because that was where we called home for 2 years, we brought our baby home to apt 569, and we had some great friends in our ward, but we're glad to be away from the construction, and the living wall to thin wall and on top of our neighbors. I thought that since I love Provo so much, I would definitely need time to adjust and feel like Bountiful was home, but the feeling came quickly. We know we belong here, at least for now. We still live in a small place (a duplex), and we're renting... it's only appropriate since we are living off half of what we used to! But we feel very fortunate and blessed to be in our situation.

Yes, we've had a low key summer, and I loved it! I think I needed time to adjust to being a full time mom- and let me tell you, it was an adjustment! This job is hard work, but I'm so glad it is me who gets to do it. In saying that, I don't regret leaving my wonderful job. I knew when I left full time employment with BYU I'd probably never have a better office, better coworkers, or better benefits. That job had great perks, this one just has more. Poopy diapers, screaming flailing baby and all!

Sam at 7 months

we are playing catchup. Sam is really 10 months on the 15th. he is growing fast and learning to demand more things. So imagine him even bigger than this.

little buddha

I love this picture. I just wanted everyone who looks at this to see this cute picture of Sam.

Teether

Sam has two teeth! This picture was taken before they sprouted, but as it appears he was taking the cutting part pretty well ;).

An update on our family- We're still very busy! I hope it slows down for us when Aaron graduates next month. We'll basically have a year without school so we'll only be working. That is going to be so nice!!! At least the being done with our undergrads part. :)

Aaron is almost finished taking a CNA certification course. He's excited to start getting healthcare experience for PA School. CNAs are very hard workers. I once had an opportunity to become one, and I took the class for a week, but then another work opportunity working for the Girl Scouts of America came up as a camp counselor. I couldn't pass that up, so I walked away from a summer as a CNA. Aaron will most likely work in a nursing home. I personally found that maybe that kind of work would have been hard for me. I'm so glad though that there are people who can do that kind of work and are very good at it--- because they care. I'm not talking about those who don't. That's why taking care of people who can't take care of themselves can be difficult. Aaron worked with the mentally handicapped last summer, and he told me a story about how a woman did not get to eat any dinner one evening because she did not come when they told her to. He said she cryed because she wanted to eat. I felt so bad for her I even became tearful. He said she was being taught a lesson that when it is time to eat, she needs to come. I understand that, but even still I would feel so bad. I would be way too emotionally involved working in that kind of environment. I guess someone like me should just stick to working with computers and people for now.

I'm so proud of Aaron though. He'll be done after this next weekend. I'll try to get a picture of him up wearing his scrubs ASAP :)