psychotic mother monkey

AAAGH!  That's how the last three days of MayMester felt.   Little to no sleep and much anxiety!  I still wouldn't change a thing.  I loved my professors and got to make some fun new friends.  Now that I survived the group presentations and reports and final papers, I am looking forward to a weekend in Panguitch with my family!.  I start my next term on Tuesday, calculus and "content area literacy" whatever the heck that is!  I'm hoping my calculus class doesn't kill me.  I didn't learn a thing the last time I took calculus.  Should be interesting.  Ryan and my kids have been SOO supportive of me in school.  I love them so dang much.  Hope you all enjoy the long weekend.

The Snail's Path

So...I started school today.  This is what I saw on the sidewalk this rainy afternoon as I was leaving campus.  It represents how I feel - slow, might get stepped on, but I've got a tough outer shell and I'm on the right track.

I felt alive again is really how I felt.  These past nine months as I've spent four hours basically alone in the pharmacy compounding lab each day, I've painfully realized how much I miss people and need to work with them.  It was SOO renewing and refreshing to be learning again, meeting new people, discussing, and thinking!!!

I am so grateful for Ryan for being willing to let me do this.  I honestly feel like I'm finally headed to where I belong in the working world - education.  It is something I'm passionate about but really haven't done anything about for years.  Why didn't I stick with my original Biology Education major that I declared and got my associate's degree in 18 years ago??  (Holy cow, that dates me!!)  I honestly don't remember the real reason I switched to straight human biology - a major that left me graduating a bachelor's degree with no real job.  I should've done my education classes way back when, but believe me I'm more motivated now than I was back then.  I have such a strong desire to learn about the incredibly different ways that each child learns. 

I'm so excited!!

Cousins 'n baseball

We don't get to see family as often as we'd like, so we soak it in when they come around!  My cousin from Richfield was down for her son's baseball tournament on Saturday- We soaked up the rays, enjoyed some Cafe Rio, and got caught up.  Thanks guys!

Mother's Day 2011

Dev and Dall got up early and made a delish breakfast!  Thanks so much you guys!  Ry got me a dozen peach roses, and my two favorite treats- Swedish Fish and Lindor Truffles - MMMMMM - never had those for breakfast before, you've got to try it!!  I requested a picnic lunch, so since the weather was windy and cold we picnic'd in the basement on some blankets.  Great memories made!



Tess planted these for me with her activity day teacher, too sweet!



I got to accompany my dear friend, Mari, while she sang the song "She" by Cherie Call.  It is such a perfect Mother's Day song.  I always think of my saintly Mom when I hear it.  Here are the lyrics:


"She is not the picture on the magazine



She's the woman just behind you at the checkout stand


She may appear to be common but she mystifies


In all the ways the wisest men and children understand


'Cause she has eyes that sparkle with her love


And she has a smile that's as gentle as a dove


And no woman from a movie or an ad could ever hope to be


As beautiful as she






She is not a highly honored diplomat


Held responsible to lead the world to peace


But what she does is every bit as serious


Amidst the turmoil everywhere that will never cease


'Cause she has hands that wipe the tears away


And she has a voice that makes everything O.K.


And no woman from the papers or T.V. could ever hope to be


As indispensable as she






And it breaks my heart every time I see her wonder


If she means anything in this world that pulls her under


And she doesn't always see the way that Heaven smiles above her


That's the reason I try to always tell her that I love her






'Cause she may not be known for giving millions


To the charities and auctions on the news


But I believe she's given more than anyone


In all the times she's ever had to choose


To give up sleep to rock her children every night


And give her heart to always hold their dreams so tight


And the best that you or I could ever hope to be


Is as wonderful as she


And the best that you or I could ever hope to be


Is as wonderful as she"

A10 Warhawk

Dallin joined the civil air patrol a few weeks ago.  I am still trying to figure out exactly what it's all about, but he loves it.  Kind of a civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (ok, ok, I had to google it to come up with that definition!!) :) .  Anyway, Thursday night an A-10 warhawk was having troubles with its flaps and had to do an emergency landing at the Cedar City Airport.  The cadets were having their meeting, so they got to run over and check it out.  Kinda cool.....

Discovery

So....last day playing with powder at the pharmacy today....School starts Monday - educational psychology and educating diverse populations (professor's name:  Kholoud Al-Qubbaj?!?!)  The clinic I did transcription for switched over to voice recognition last week with no warning.  All of a sudden I am an unemployed mom and student??!  The timing was really interesting.  I never would have quit the pharmacy if I would have known transcription was going to fizzle out, but I think it must be for a reason.  Last night I realized I had some time to go play with my sweet little darlins.  We didn't have much time before the sun went down, but we ran up to the park.  Wow, it has been so nice to not always have a medical report calling my name morning, afternoon, and night.  Soon it will be homework calling, but for this weekend, the name of the game is RELAX!!!!  I love this fam of mine.  I'm so blessed~~~~~~

My first Mother's Day card from Derek.  Loved it~

Pirates and Pizza

Derek chose to go to "Pirate Island Pizza" this year for his birthday.  We had a great time the last time we went down, but sadly this time the food was disgusting?!  Not going to happen again but the ambiance was still there and the kids loved it. 

Happy Birthday Der-Bear!!

Women's Conference 2011

I was able to go up to Women's Conference at BYU last weekend.  It was SO fun!  My first time ever, and I highly recommend it!  Had tons of fun with two of my sister-in-laws and friends.  I also got to go up to Salt Lake and visit one of my best friends who moved up there a couple of years ago.  She just had a darling baby boy - way too sweet!!   One of the highlights of the conference for me was Sister Julie Beck's talk; she is the general Relief Society president of the LDS Church.  She spoke about finding out who we are and really what we are supposed to be doing here.  She said she hears so many questions from women like, "Should I stay at home or work outside the home?" (one that I've struggled with this past year), and she said that really these are the wrong questions to ask.  She said that we need to align ourselves with God's will for us through our own personal revelation and then do those things that were given to us as non-negotiable duties and responsibilities before we came to earth.  She reminded us that the world's view/ideas of what women should be is entirely opposite of the Lord's vision.  It is a rich and powerful vision for women- caring and compassionate and able to make a huge difference in other's lives.  She also spoke about this era of "entitlement" - how we feel like people "owe" us and we "deserve" this and that.  She said something that was profound and direct and smacked me across the face:

"No one owes us anything - We owe Christ EVERYTHING." 

I tell Ryan all the time that he owes me!  Most of the time joking, but not always!  :)  It was a great reminder to me to remember my nothingness and the overwhelming debt I owe to my Savior.

Gorgeous day 1 - campus was spring personified

trottin' around campus

Chillin' with the tulips

most of the gang

winner of the coolest free shirt award

woke up to snow day three - bummer!!

Crash and burn - Came home and got to see all of my kids asleep together; this hasn't happened in ages!  Too sweet.

Oh, did I mention my pretend best friend, Hilary Weeks?  We weren't about to wait in the mile-long line to talk to her, but we snuck in and got a totally dorky picture.  She's been begging me for a copy :)

Thanks girls for a refreshing, uplifting weekend!!

- I also ran into (literally - right after I stuffed a whole York chocolate mint into my mouth because I wasn't supposed to be eating in the classroom) a second cousin who works at BYU that I haven't seen in 15 years.  SOO good to see her.  Also ran into some darlin' Cedar friends of mine.  People are really all that matter to me in life.....