Snowboard Bench

Jeff decided to put some old snowboards to use by making them into a bench. He recruited the help of his brother Rick and together they cut the wood, stained the wood and screwed down the boards. It looks fantastic.

Dillon's Beach

From July 22-24 Jeff and I stayed in Dillon's beach at a beach house with my family. It was a lot of fun and Jeff even braved the chilly water of the ocean. We were celebrating my grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary. My grandparents are such good examples and they truly love and support us.

Utah

Jeff and I went to Utah from July 9-12 and stayed with Phill and Jeannine. We had a blast with Isaiah and Chase the whole time (and all the adults too). Jeff's grandparents flew in from Texas and lots more family came too! We went swimming, saw Toy Story 3, ate some good food, went to Salt Lake, celebrated three birthdays and squeezed in a visit to Lehi to see my uncle Jim and his family. We can't wait to see everyone again.

Here is what we have been up to during April and May...

• CAR ACCIDENT

I was in a bad car accident last Saturday where a car rammed into my passenger side at 40 MPH. Our Nissan Sentra is totaled but I am okay. It was scary and intense but I know someone was looking out for me to have walked away from such a bad scene.

• TORN MENISCUS
  

Jeff injured his left knee at work (UPS) and just found out he has a complex tear on his meniscus (the cushioning on the inside of the knee). We learned today that he will have to have surgery to have the tear cut out. The healing takes anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months. Looks like he has new summer plans!

• WE MOVED!

Our first place :)
2007-2010

We live closer to Sac State now. Our whole apartment is the size of our old master bedroom, but we are nice and cozy and having fun! Jeff only has to commute 5-10 minutes to work, rather than 40 minutes. And he walks to school from home. We couldn't have been more grateful for the opportunity we had to start the first years of our marriage house sitting for such great friends, the Bassett family. It was something that has blessed us immensely and we will never forget their kind service to us.

• RANDOM

• Jeff has been super busy with school, and he finishes his last final tomorrow for the semester.
• I have been wearing my welcome out at Kaiser, still trying to adjust medicine for my stomach problems.
• We celebrated my sisters 19th birthday and I am still trying to believe that she is that old.
  
  
  
• We took pictures for Mother's Day...
  
  
  
• We went to a Rivercats game and had some fun in the sun.

Happy 3rd Anniversary...

• Breakfast in bed
• Shopping
• Bowling
• Hot date at Benihana's
• Drive Ins

Each day gets better with my best friend.

Things I'm Grateful for this week...and always

• Doctors (who know what they’re doing)
• Pain Medicine (it works like magic)
• Blood Banks (GIVE BLOOD, it saves lives-it saved mine)
• A flexible job and caring boss (love my dad)
• Medical benefits through UPS (my drug benefit saved me $2,789.10 on my new medicine and my hospital stay was FREE)
• Drugs (not the street ones…the doctor ones that make me feel better and keep me alive)
• The most supportive and understanding husband, family and friends

This week has been a rough one. I have Crohn’s disease, which is a chronic disease that affects my intestines and lines them with ulcers, resulting in severe abdominal pain and many other not so fun things. I went to the hospital last Wednesday very weak with a dangerously low blood count. I ended up staying five days and getting a blood transfusion. My hemoglobin was a 6.7 and normal ranges from 11-15. I am now a firm supporter of giving blood, and while I can’t donate my own blood, I urge everyone who can to donate blood. My health issues continue to remind me of how blessed I am each day and what a wonderful support system I have around me. Thank you for the visits, the prayers and the sincere get well wishes.

The Best is Yet to Be

"The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead and remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. Some of you may wonder: Is there any future for me? What does a new year or a new semester, a new major or a new romance, a new job or a new home hold for me? Will I be safe? Will life be sound? Can I trust in the Lord and in the future? Or would it be better to look back, to go back, to stay in the past? I call out, Faith is for the future. Faith builds on the past but never longs to stay there. Faith trusts that God has great things in store for each of us and that Christ truly is the "high priest of good things to come." -Elder Jeffrey R. Holland