Meet Marci

I met Marci about 4 years ago at one of those awkward  Singles Ward Activities.  They were going to the Jazz game and I got talked into going.  Probably one of the only activities we both ever went to.  So I think it was fate.   I didn't know anyone and she was new.  

A few months later we were bonding big time in the beautiful Cayman Islands.  Creating enough inside jokes to last a life time.

By the end of the Summer we were roomies livin the life in Sugar House.  Loved these days.  Laughing all night long on the couch.  Talking about real life.  Swapping music and dancing at all the shows.  Watching a million episodes of The OC and Arrested Development.  And of course hanging out with the best neighbor ever, Jason. 

Jason and I officially adopted her in February. 

And then we moved and I cried and cried because I missed her so much.  But then we moved home and I was so excited to have my friend back.  We may not have been able to hang out as much as we used too.   But our monthly dinners were my favorite.  

One day Marci decided to go on a Mission.  That is what I love about her.  She is so brave and strong and has such a huge testimony.  Having the opportunity to be there with her when she went through the temple was amazing.  I cried.  We got to go to St. George for her farewell and meet up with some other good friends.

We were all roommates (and tan) at one point in time, even if it was only for a few days.  

Marci,  I want you to know how much I love you and how proud of you I am!  You are going to be an incredible missionary and I am so excited to hear all of your stories and see the amazing difference you are going to make in this world.  Thank you for the example you have set for all of us.  

Love, Pop-Pop and Gangy 

CureSearch

From Skyler's Blog:
"There have been too many nights when I sat holding my sons limp hand and listening to a mother down the hall sobbing at the loss of her child, or walked by parents with tears streaming down their faces.  I still cant get the images of my son laying in a hospital bed covered head to toe with tubes that were the only things keeping him alive out of my head.  Along with the pain, suffering and heartache though I have also seen miracles.  I have seen Skyler start breathing on his own when everyone thought he never would again.  I have seen him take his first drink after months of not being able to, and I have seen him take his first steps again.  I have also received many blessings. The support we have been shown has been incredibly humbling for me.  My eyes have been opened to how much good there is in this world.  There have been so many people who have picked me up when I didnt think I could go on.  Alot of those people were people I have never met before.  This last year has changed me for the better and I want to give back.  I want to help raise money for a cure.  I am proud to be able to take part in this CureSearch walk and am so happy that they have come to Utah for the first time this year."

All of the kids in the video are from Utah, some are survivors, others are still battling, and others are angels helping fight from behind the scenes.

July 9th, come walk with us!

Join Skyler's Team. Or any team for that matter.  They deserve a cure.

http://www.curesearchwalk.org/saltlakecity/teamskyler

Utah County

Sometimes I think that God will place and replace obstacles in your life until you are strong enough to overcome them.

When my family first moved to Utah, we rented a place in Alpine.  It was probably the hardest time (in my opinion) in my family's life.  My brother and I called it "Hell-pine".  I think a lot of it stems from the bitterness and immaturity I had about moving from, all my friends, my high school, my life, and my, my, my Arizona (I was a very self centered teenager).  Then coming to this richy "my daddy makes more money then yours does"(I'm not kidding, I heard arguments over this all the time at school), small town where everyone grew up together and wasn't very fond of letting outsiders in, which is what we were, outsiders.  In any case Alpine was a hard time for me and when we moved after 7 months of trying to make it work, I swore that I would never NEVER come back.  I wanted nothing to do with anything south of point of the mountain.  In the next 8 years I could count on two hands the amount of times that I ever stepped into Utah County again.

Then we moved back from Michigan and I had to find a new job, and the one I wanted was in Highland, which is right next to Alpine.  As lame as it sounds I almost thought about not taking the job for the sole fact that it was "Hell-pine" territory.  Now after almost 10 years, Jason and I have moved back, to guess where... Alpine.  I never thought I'd see the day.  Jason thought it was really weird that I couldn't remember where my old house was or how to get to certain places.  I seriously blocked that time of my life from my memory for a long time.  Now we even attend church at the same old ward building, and the other sunday on our way to church we drove past where I used to live, by accident.  It did kind of make me queasy inside having flashbacks to those countless nights crying in my room and all those days wandering the halls during lunch because I didn't have friends to eat with.

Again, I think God knows what he is doing, and as lame as it sounds I need to face my 15 year old in secure self and realize that home is where you make it.  Who knows how long we will really be here for, but being bitter didn't get me anywhere last time, so here's to our new home, and new adventure, and new friends that I am looking forward to meeting!

Our Life in Boxes

Once Again.

We're moving.  Its tradition at this point. 

I will miss our apartment so much.  Loved the fireplace, the balcony, the vaulted ceilings, the pool, oh and the walk-in closet. *sigh* Love the mountains.  The deer and foxes in our "backyard". Love the shopping and restaurants. Love the people. Love the views. 

So long SoJo... We'll be back. (I hope)

Blessings and Love

Tonight Jason and I were able to go up to Bountiful to give Skyler and his mom a blessing.  Skyler is going in for surgery tomorrow to do a biopsy on his lungs.  He has been having bad fevers lately and the tests are showing that he may have a fungal infection in his lungs.  We are praying hard that this is not a new form of fungus.  Not the fungus that almost shut all of his organs down just months ago.  We can't bare the thought of seeing him go down that road again.  

He is one tough little dude.  

You wouldn't have known he was sick seeing him tonight, he was so happy and "normal".  As normal as a cancer kid can be, the lump under his shirt where his central line is, his fuzzy head now that his hair is growing back, the slowly healing scars from the many different tubes and surgeries he has already undergone.  He looked so big sitting in that chair tonight, with his arms folded, a wii remote in one hand and carmel popcorn in the other, he reverently closed his eyes while Grandpa and Jason gave him a blessing.  

A blessing of love and strength.  

It brought tears to my eyes.  I love that Jason is always prepared and willing to give blessings.  I love that he is worthy of the power that he holds to do so.  I love that my father raised me in such a way where I'm not afraid, or too proud, to ask for a blessing when needed.  I love that I have a testimony of the power, love, strength, and healing that can come from these blessings.  What an amazing thing, a direct line from our Heavenly Father, our own special love letter from him.  That he loves us, cares for us, wants us to be happy, and even though his answers may not always be our own, they are always for a reason.  He does not give us anything that we can't endure, and for that I am grateful.  

You are in our prayers Skyler, we ALL love you.

http://crystalandskyler.blogspot.com/

My Mom loves April Fools Day.

Jason now loves Sushi too.
AKA, gummy worms, rice crispy treats, and fruit rollups.

You get us every year Mom.

Craving

I'm craving a vacation right about now.  For all those Utahn's you know the feeling.  Winter is long, and the sun is cruel and teasing right now. 

warm. cold. warm. cold. sunny but freezing.  

Ever since I was 11 and we moved from Washington to Arizona I would save up all my money all year long and go back to visit every year (except the year they came to visit me).  

Then when we moved to Utah, and I went back to Arizona as much as possible.  

I loved traveling. 

I loved the independence of getting on that airplane all by myself and having time with just my friends.  

My first year of college I was way too poor to go anywhere.  Then I found Nannying.  Traveling and getting paid for it.  I was off to New York, then California, best job ever.

The year after I graduated from USU was the best traveling time of my life.  In a years time I had gone to California (5 times), Cabo San Lucas, Cayman Islands, and New York.  Not to mention all the mini va-kays around Utah.

Needless to say, it's been a while... 

I'd love a day on the beach with this guy.

Or a night out exploring with these girls.

How much longer til we're done with school????