The process.

We have completed pre-training classes! This is truly an accomplishment, there are 8 four hour classes, that cover a lot of information. I would say that 75% of the information covered is scary, and heartbreaking while the other 25% is inspiring, I would also say 100% of it is need to remember, its a good thing Ben and I both were required to take the class or I would probably have to retake it! 

Now that classes are over we wait for our licensure to schedule a home study where they learn as much about us as possible, they will scurry through our house and make sure its a safe environment for children and try to learn our personalities so they can find a child that will fit in our home. This is probably the most important guest I have ever had in my home, not to mention the most nerve racking interview. 

After our home study our names and the information from our licensure go to a board of review, where they will ultimately decide if we are fit to be parents. Once approved we will be considered for placement. 

We really have no idea when we will have placement after that, we hope the spirit can be with or resource family consultant and the children's caseworker to help them place the right children in our home. 

We are looking at at least a month out before we even begin being considered for placement, it then could be another week to years before we get a call, it's truly unknown. Once we get called it seems like we have a couple hours to make the decision whether or not we can take the placement. That is why I am beginning to gather as many things as I can so that the transition can be as smooth as possible. 

People have asked if we are having a baby shower, we are not. The states goal is first and foremost reunification to parents, this however does not always happen, when it doesn't happen they look to kin (family) to adopt, if that is not an option the next choice would be the child's foster parents, We are praying that one day through this process we can have an adoption and a child that is legally our child, when that will happen we have no idea. We also do not have any clue the age or gender of the child coming into our home. We will let our family know when we get placement. 

We are very excited and also very nervous. The unknown drives me crazy, however I am being patient because I know that whatever is suppose to happen will happen. I just need to have faith in God that everything will happen the way they are suppose to happen. 

Hope

As some of you know Ben and I have struggled with infertility for over 3 years. 
We hadn't intended trying to have kids so early in our marriage, in fact I remember telling someone at my bridal shower that we wouldn't even talk about kids until we had been married 5 years. The Lord had different intentions for my plan. Around Valentines day in 2011 we went to the Logan temple, after we came out of the temple Ben and I both gave the we need to talk look to one another, we began discussing the prompting we each felt individually in the temple to start a family, and to start immediatly. Unsure but faithful we began "not trying to not" (those of you have tried to have a baby know this stage)

 I was sure because of the strong feelings I had felt we would be pregnant and ready to announce by Mothers Day, we weren't, next I thought it'll happen by the fourth of July, nope, maybe halloween? Didn't happen. (I guess I need to explain the holiday reference, I have always wanted to announce pregnancy on a holiday, with a cute gift/diddy I thought that would make it fun and memoriable)
Holiday after holiday passed and still nothing. I began to think well our timing is off lets begin the "trying stage" so right after our 2nd anniversary we began "trying" timing, testing, tempaturing etc. 3 years later, 5 false alarms, one chemical preganncy and still no baby. 

For those of you who haven't experienced infertility, it is a mind game.After a few months of trying, and testing you really start to lose hope, you think something is wrong with you you aren't doing it right, maybe you aren't meant to have kids, maybe you aren't meant to have kids with your partner, maybe you made the wrong choice from "I do" and this is God's punishment, maybe you'll be a bad Mom, the negative thoughts and feelings only continue to get louder as time goes by. You begin reading every blog and story of people it happened for or who got negative results but were still pregnant anyway, you start believing that could be you. 

Then comes the sadness, the comparison, the JEALOUSY. I can't tell you how many nights I've cried, or how many times I left a party in tears because my friends all had babies and I don't so there must be something wrong with me. Or I'd say "why do they get a kid and I don't?" I had to turn off my facebook because It felt like every person I knew was pregnant, or just had a baby. One day just to torchure myself (I guess) I counted, I had 36 facebook friends who in the past year had either had a baby or announced they were pregnant (no kidding) I'm pretty sure if I recounted that number has gone up. There are days because of social media I feel like a black sheep in a field of white stallions. 

When my best friend came to tell me she was pregnant she cried with me because she knew how bad I wished it was me, she knew how much I wish I could have what she was having, she was so afraid to hurt me that she didn't enjoy telling her best friend the most exciting news in the world... thats's the crappy stuff infertility does. 

Just a little note if you are going through infertility remember feeling mad, crying, jealousy, questioning yourself are natural things, I literally thought I was a crazy person before I started reading blogs and researching the feelings associated with infertility. 

I compared infertility to the grieving process, ever month you lose the idea of a family, the chance to hold your child in your arms, and then you are expected to pick up and try again the next month, just to feel the same hopelessness over again. I read an article recently that said it's exhausting hanging on to hope, and thats true.

So after years of prayer, sorrow and hope Ben and I decided to try a new avenue of having children and open our home to children who need a safe place, with loving parents. Are we giving up on having children? No, after the pain I've felt with infertility I don't know that I will ever close that door, I still want to experience pregnancy, and giving birth, having a child that is part of me and the person I love but I don't want it to be my focus. I know that Ben and I have the ability to love any person with all our hearts and call them our own.

The journey of adoption through foster care is not easy, I've been told this many times, I know that children who have been through the things these children have been through don't come easy, hopefully my training and years as a counselor will help us help them cope. 

We are very excited and very nervous for this next stage, we would like to hear peoples stories on adoption and things that were successful for them and things that were not we may not use your suggestion, but we are open to hearing them. We also welcome all prayers, to give us strength through this hard road. 

Going back to that day in Logan, I still don't know why the Lord asked us to begin this journey years ago, but I am going to continue to have faith that God has a plan for me and Ben, and he will bless us if we listen to his promptings. We love God and are grateful for the trials we have had because through all those questions, and doubts Ben and I grew stronger, and continue to grow stronger as individulas and as a couple, I am so blessed to have Ben in my life to go through this with me as a team. I am also so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ, he has calmed my mind and reminded me that those doubts aren't from him that God has a plan for me, and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ I can feel peace and more importantly I can feel hope.    

I've began praying for my future children, that they may feel God's love and that they may hang onto hope, just like Ben and I have had to hang onto hope these past few years. 

Romans 12:12; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer

4 years.

We just celebrated our fourth anniversary! I can't believe how time flies. This year we have had so many great adventures! I am so grateful to have Ben as a husband. He is a good husband who treats me like a Queen. I am one of the few lucky ones.
Over our anniversary we went on a road trip from LA to San Francisco. It was so BEAUTIFUL! We spent a few days in wonderful Monterey, drove up the 1 along the pacific coast a drive that very should do once in their life. We went Whale Watching, a little dancing dined over the bay it was so romantic and beautiful so grateful we have had this opportunity. Thank you Ben, I LOVE YOU!

Dear World.

Dear World, 

We all have important roles in our families, at times our roles change. Today I want to talk about the role my brother Brue has played in my life, the role of example. 

When we were younger I compared my little brother to *Nephi a lot. Michael and I were more like Laman and Lamuels, complaining and fighting all the time, but Brue he was our Nephi. 

Brue had a lot to endure as a young boy first he had to put up with Michael and I, second he had many health problems, he had a brain tumor and had to have brain surgery, he has a bone disease which makes his joints square not rounded so he walks and is in pain, he is deaf in one ear and without his glasses he can't see. I don't tell you these things to tell you he is weak, because in spite of all these things he is so strong! 

Growing up my brother had so much faith. He believed in God and in the Jesus Christ. His countenance showed that, his presence made you feel the Lord's love. Brue even though he was my baby brother has always been a man I looked up to. He was an example to me of standing up for the right and the truth. 

Recently he has come upon hard times. Trials that only the savior can comfort. He is still as strong as ever but he doesn't believe it. He feels so weak and so alone. I am heartbroken knowing that my baby brother has so much pain. That this once leader has become a lost sheep. I know that he can find his inner strength. I know he can find the light in all this darkness but I am asking that no matter your faith no matter your religion please pray, pray that he can believe in his ability to overcome the darkness, sorrow and pain. Pray that he will surround himself with those who truly love him, and that he will recognize those wolves in sheep clothing that are in his life only for their personal gain. Help him to know he is loved. 

I cannot share his trials at this time, they are his. But I can share that he needs all the strength the world can send him. I love him and believe in him and his ability to overcome. I love the Lord. I know that with him all things are possible. Thank you for your prayers, love and the good that you are. We are all God's children and I am so grateful that we have a merciful loving Heavenly Father, who wants all of us to find happiness. God bless.

With love and prayers. 
-Felicity 

* For those of you unfamiliar with the Book of Mormon Nephi is a hero. Nephi was very obedient to his father Lehi who prophesied that Jerusalem would be destroyed by the armies of babylon and commanded his family to flee into the wilderness. Lehi asked his sons to Laman Lamuel Nephi and Sam to return to the city and retrieve the Brass plates which were a record kept by the Jews. The record contained laws, lineage and history. The plates were held by an evil powerful man Laban. After 2 attempts by his brothers Nephi was able to receive the plates and return to his father. Nephi also helped bring his people (the Nephites) to the promised land... which we now know as the America's. Nephi endured many hardships and trials but was a strong man because of those things and his faith in God. 

If you are interested in knowing more about Nephi and other Book of Mormon hero's click on the link or leave a comment and I will get you a book of mormon and somebody to teach you the wonderful stories and faith of people who lived amazing lives.  Book of Mormon

Tigga and the joyride.

As many of you know our Jeep has been a headache. We have spent over $7,000 to get it running and now we need to sale it for another car so Ben can commute back and forth to school at the U and it not cost us our first born ;). 

The jeep has been sitting in front of our house for sale for a few days. Yesterday a woman came to Ben and asked him if she could take it for a test drive. Ben excited to have someone interested and being very trusting, gave the woman the keys and said "Yeah, just take it around the block." 

The woman was on her way. I was inside on the phone when she pulled away. I finished my phone call (about 20 minutes) and asked Ben who the lady was and if he knew how long she was going to be. He said she should be back any minute and he didn't get the womans name. I started to get worried and began the 20 questions. After about 45 minutes and pouring rain I was really conserned something happened to the woman so I took the car and went looking for any sign of the woman or our Jeep. I drove around for about 30 minutes, the car had been gone now for about an hour and fifteen minutes. I went back to the house and Ben told me he had called the cops. I decided that maybe the woman needed to do shopping or something so I drove to Walmart and around Tooele looking, When I got back I was sure, and so was Ben that our Jeep had been stolen. 

The officer told us if she calls you don't answer if she comes back to call them immediatly because she was at this point going to be arrested for joyriding. At about 10:00 ( she started her "test drive" at 6:30) she text. 

"I had to go to Salt Lake. My mom is in the hospital I am bringing her back now, but I'm afraid to drive back.This is the girl who test drove your Jeep.-Tigga " 

Ben called the officer and gave him her number. The officer had her take the Jeep straight to the police station. Where Ben met him and searched the car for any missing things or damage. 

Everything on the Jeep was fine, except that the registration was missing. The officer asked "Tigga" if she took the registration, she replied... 

"I didn't take that, I don't do that shit." 

WHAT!? You will commit Grand Theft, but you would NEVER steal something like a registration. 

We went home (now 11:30) and got settled when the officer called Ben and told him that "Tigga" had admitted the truth. 

She stole the Jeep to go drinking with some buddies in Salt Lake. She is not from Grantsville she was visiting some friends. She was arrested and being charged with joyriding and petty theft for now. The DA may want to charge her with more. She told the oficer she had no intention of returning the Jeep, but her brother told her that if she didn't return the Jeep we may call the police and she could go to jail. 

We are saling our jeep for $4,500. I would imagine all of her fines will be equal too or higher then the cost of the Jeep. I think thats ironic. 

I'm happy it was returned safely. The GPD did a great job! 

Lessons learned

-Don't trust someone by the name of Tigga

-Ride with interested buyers on test drives

-When you think your car was stole... It probably was. 

BLAH BLAH BLOG!

I have gotten so lazy on my blog!! I love blogging but its so easy to forget to do it. I don't scrapbook, barely keep a picture album with minimal journalling so my plan was to blog, give some sort of written record. Oh well. I guess if i just keep trying. 

New things

*We got a second dog... Ollie :) 

*Have done a lot of home improvement 

*Got callings 

(12-13 yr old sunday school teachers)

*Spent the 4th of July in Anaheim

*Brynn had her first baby

* Whitney is pregnant! (yay!) 

 (these two things are super exciting, Brynn wasn't sure she would be able to have kids, it wasn't easy and Rafeal has spent many weeks in the NICU... coming home tuesday, Brynn has been such a great Mommy already! Whitney is my best friend and will be an AMAZING mother I'm so excited for her!) 

*I've lost 12 lbs since my last blog. 

* I left ATW

*I'm back in school full time (and working full time, hence leaving ATW) 

So theres a quick recap. 

Going to go back to watching the HOME RUN DERBY... Let's Go Cano! 

Hopefully some exciting things to be blogged soon!(Like me passing my classes ;) )  

-Felicity

Homeowners

We bought a home! I'm very excited about this. I will be making a completely separate blog for our home, its an older home and needs a little TLC so we will be doing a little bit of a DIY blog! I'm super excited about it. We begun painting and are having Easter there this weekend it should be a lot of fun!

Abide with me tis even tide

This is my favorite hymn. It expresses the prayer I have held in my heart many times. This is the plea I send to our Savior in faith knowing he will abide with the Children and families of yesterdays tragedy.

Abide with me; 'tis eventide.
The day is past and gone;
The shadows of the evening fall;
The night is coming on.
Within my heart a welcome guest,
Within my home abide.

O Savior, stay this night with me;
Behold, 'tis eventide.
O Savior, stay this night with me;
Behold, 'tis eventide.

Abide with me; 'tis eventide.
Thy walk today with me
Has made my heart within me burn,
As I communed with thee.
Thy earnest words have filled my soul
And kept me near thy side.

Abide with me; 'tis eventide,
And lone will be the night
If I cannot commune with thee
Nor find in thee my light.
The darkness of the world, I fear,
Would in my home abide.

Listen, and please pray no matter your religious, political or other views keep a thought a prayer or a plea that we can find peace among so much chaos and that all those who may be suffering can have the spirit of peace in their hearts. 

California Weekend

I haven't really mastered the self portrait with my new camera. So my head looks abnormally large in both pics but I like to prove to myself I was there. That is Octavio Dotel, Ben met him he is a pitcher who helped the Cards win the world series last year. Props to ben for taking the cool shot of Dotel against the fence. Props to me for the baseball stadium shot ( I'm allowed to tutee my own horn occasionally.) 

Peace, Connection and Movement

I travel... Why so much a friend asked, don't you miss home? 
Yes. I do, but it makes me love it so much more. I love my family and my job more because I leave it on occasion. Some may disagree with me, however in my life I find this and the following things to be true. 

I am a stranger to boredom I don't allow myself to sit still. When my life has slowed it is then I am afraid I will lose touch of who I am. I am afraid I will become the person I was a few years past, the person who questioned the worth of her own life. I am afraid I will become content and careless, hurting ones I love and myself.

 I admire the souls who can sit in their home and be at peace. I am not that soul, I was born to do, to see, to taste, to experience, to love and to feel. I cannot neglect the energy that runs through my veins, I cannot retrain my heart to stop longing for the ocean air or the open road. I get a thrill when I leave all I know, and for instance am at the mercy of strangers, to trust the human spirit to befriend and  to direct. A conversation with a stranger at a ballpark, or in line for a hotdog in New York is conversation and opportunity to hear somebody who you'll never hear again, to connect the human spirit not through anything deep or unusual but through something common. This reminds me that each of us no matter our race, gender or beliefs is human. We are humans. Humans simply looking for other humans to help them figure out what makes their soul soar. 

I travel to move. Not always to go somewhere certain but to get out and move, to feel the earth beneath me and see the sky above me. I am happy to not rest if this means one more day of looking at something I don't get everyday. I look for the chance to just escape the fear I have when I don't see life changing. It's natural for energy to move. We are energy, its natural for us to move. I travel to move.

Finally traveling is my vice, I do not smoke, I do not drink, I am not promiscuous but I leave, I run away and escape. The thing about any vice is it will become something you need. No longer is it something you hope for or occasionally want, but your thought process turns it into a passion, an obsession. when do I leave next? where else can I go? If I had millions of dollars and endless hours my travels would exceed the space I can make in days and become the space I can make for years.  

I know I am not alone in this need of traveling I found a partner who too wants to be somewhere fresh wants to sit in the ocean and feel waves. I was blessed to find a like soul. Life is so short Mark Twain summed it up pretty well, he said something along the lines of in 20 years we will not regret the things we did but the ones we didn't. Maybe I'll regret not staying still, but if I feel peace when I travel then I feel like if I go against this desire that will be thing I regret most. 

Girls Trip Picture Montage

Magic Wand... Keep, Donate, Trash!

   Do you watch "Hoarders; Buried Alive?" I do. I am in constant awe of how much stuff those people have... How? How do you get so much stuff? 

   

   I am moving in with my grandma, since my grandpa passed she has been very lonely, it will help us save for grad school/house and give her some time to adjust to the idea of being alone. It really is a benefit to us both, plus if you refer back to previous posts you know my grandma is very cool. My Grandpa in all his greatness did have a weakness, like all mortals do he overcame many of his vices but kept one... or maybe a should say one of everything. Yes my grandfather was a hoarder. No, not as bad as you see on TV but yes,  he has piles and piles of stuff! If it were up to my Mom and Myself we would order a huge dump truck and throw it all away, however it is not, rightfully my grandma wants to go through it ALL. That is fine, I am more then happy to pull boxes and clothes and treasures from the nooks and crannies of her house. I do however wish there was a magic wand that just by waving it over items would tell you keep, donate or trash, that would make things speed along a little faster. 

   I asked my grandma how and where all this stuff came from, she replied it just adds up. So after a day in "Hoarders; The Experience" I go to my own home and begin compiling a list of keep, donate and trash... I have come up with a few things. I've gotten rid of 2 boxes of clothes and next I go through the decorations... I know I have some Chinese decor that HAS to go. What was I thinking when I bought it in the first place? I don't decorate with an Asian flare unless you count the Hideki Matsui rookie card in the "dugout"(room much like a man cave but I think the word cave makes Ben seem primitive and unintelligent plus dugout is so much cooler and our style. Currently the dugout is our guest bedroom.) So my list is building and I am going to be one simplified lady come October 1st (Moving Day.)

   Maybe the key to not hoarding is moving a lot, forcing you to go through all your things. Maybe I'll be a gypsy. I think I have a little of their blood in me I can travel from town to town only taking what I need, and my husband. It would basically be impossible to be a hoarder if you were packing up and moving yearly. Who really wants to apartment hunt yearly though, not me deposits, refunds, painting, figuring out a way to remove the spilt orange soda stain, no bueno. I think I'll just name September the month of the anti hoard... Goodbye to all the old crap you haven't touched in the past year and hello simplicity, space and style.  

   Now if any of you are hoarders. You know who you are. Take this advice from a granddaughter in distress and a family in dust. GET RID OF IT! Technology has allowed us to store so much information on our computers there is no need for files of bank statements, or receipts, no reason we should have boxes and boxes of books we read once and will never read again, no purpose to News Papers in print stacking high or VHS's covering walls. Free yourself and your posterity. Buy a laptop and a scanner and dejunk. (Being a photographer I do recommend you keeping pictures, they do tell a story and you never know which picture will touch whose heart.) 

Now enjoy the National Month of DeJunk. (Not an actual accredited month, but sounds good) 

Goodbye Facebook, Hello Blogger.

Does anybody read my blog? I doubt it, however I don't care. My blog will be my main internet presence.
I'm done with Facebook, every time I get  on Facebook I am disgusted with the selfish inconsiderate posts. I end up playing the compare game because so many people are "fakebookers" what I mean is they make their lives seem completely different then whats really going on, very few people are truly genuine on Facebook, however on Blogs people seem to open their hearts a little more.

No I will not completely leave Facebook, as much as I would like to shut down my account and never go back, I do a lot of business through Facebook, I plan on keeping that form open and will pop my "face" in every now and again.

I do tweet. follow me @ishigotsch I like to tweet, the idea that someone important somewhere may read my thought is kinda exciting.

Point is, I'll be blogging my opinions, pictures and stories way more often then I am sharing them on other social medias.

So back to my original question does anybody read my blog? I guess if they/you are curious what is going on in my life they/you will, that or call me or better yet stop by sometime I'd love to catch up, but if your life, like mine is super busy, I understand if you're keeping up with the Gotsch's through blog!

So a few things for those of you who are not familiar with my personality or writing style. I am sarcastic, I will be honest, I do get sappy, I do/will make typos ( I try not to, but when I only have 5 minutes and I want to vent, well... it happens.) and finally I will NOT cover it with pink daises to make you feel better, if its shit, I'll say it, if I'm sad I'll share it, so naturally when I'm happy, its truly happy.

Looking forward to blabbing... I mean blogging.

ONE LAST THING- for those who only stay in contact with me through Facebook...
(You know who you are!).... I will post that I updated the blog so you can see, maybe not every time but occasionally.

Dear Grandpa.

Dear Grandpa,

I love you so much. I will miss your stories, your facial expressions and your wisdom. I will always remember the way you treated the earth with such love and kindness. I will teach my children the importance of all living things because you taught it to me. I will look for the beauty on earth and rejoice even in the smallest rock. 

I know you will continue to watch over me, and when God see's that Ben and I should have kids you will watch over them as well. 

I'm no longer afraid to speak my mind and to let my light and knowledge grow and shine, you always shared how you felt or what you believed and I hope that I can too.

When you were in the hospital and I saw you there so weak. I could look in your eyes and see the strength that you had always had was still in you and you weren't weak you were humbled before the Lord. I know you have a greater responsibility in the next life. I am in awe at the peace that I have and the comfort the Savior has given me to know that I will be with you again, that I will get to feel your scratchy beard on my cheek as you hug me once again. 

Thank you for the many things you did for me that I'm sure I never even knew. Thank you loving my Grandma and Mom. Thank you for being a Dad to my Mom so I could in turn have an amazing Grandfather. 

Thank you for teaching me how to work hard and help others enjoy their families. Thank you for the jeep and the blessing it was for me to have a vehicle down at school. Thank you for bailing me out in hard times without me even asking, and helping me find my path. Thank you for believing in me, from the time I was a baby to pageants to college and finally when I decided to marry Ben.

I love you. I miss you. 

Love your higamire,

Ishi. 

Fact and Crap

wow! I think this the longest I've ever gone without blogging. I love blogging and happy my life has slowed down enough to find a minute to express my feelings and life experiences from the past few months!
I guess I can start with a Fact and Crap session (Crap is not necessarily a lie just stuff that has happened I think is total crap.)

Fact
I opened a studio with a business partner
Crap
People don't just line up at the door to try a new business
Fact
They will because we have a good product and great service

Fact
I went to illinois for a week
Crap
All Ben's Friends now live there and we are here.
Fact
We Miss Them.

Fact
I am currently in a bunko group
Crap
Not really any crap here I really LOVE it.

Fact
I still work for Valley Mental Health
Crap
We don't get as many days off as we originally had been told.

Fact
Its summer
Crap
NEED MORE TIME OFF TO GO PLAY:)
Fact
I still plan on playing as much as I can.

Fact
My hair is very short
Crap
I miss my long hair
Fact
I get a lot of compliments on the short hair

Fact
I have sat close enough to hear the ball hit Yadier Molina's glove
Crap
We missed Matt Holiday's home run.
Fact I made it back in tie to see Yadier Molina's home run
Crap
The Cards Lost due to some really bad calls
Fact
There was a streaker

Fact
I'm still and forever will be married to the most AMAZING man in the world
Crap
That means house guests
Fact
I have anxiety with house guests

Fact
I am tired.
Crap
I'm REALLY Tired.

Thats a quick update. I'll post some pics from the game it was SO fun. Hoping to take another adventure soon, even if its just an overnighter. :)

2011 A year of change.

2011, What can I say? A year of change. Two Thousand and Eleven has been a year of change. Yes that sums it up.

We started the year living in North Salt Lake, I was working as a bus driver for Valley Mental Health, and Ben well didn't have an "official" job, he was on admin. leave with the police department and we didn't know what was going to happen. With Faith we moved to Grantsville, feeling like this was where we were suppose to be, it didn't make sense why, it was 30 miles farther from our jobs, and going to cost a little more money which we really didn't have at the time, but we moved. Immediately we began to question our decision, Ben was let go from the police department and our income had just been cu

t into 1/3 now we had more bills and less money. Ben had been looking for a job and had a few prospects. He worked about a week at a food storage company, he seemed to like the job itself but I kept getting this sick feeling every time he went to work. I don't know what but something wasn't working. My anxiety became to much and he quit that job.

He had another job in his back pocket, working for Quest, as technical support. He began working and seemed really excited about the job, he was excited for all the money he COULD make and I think just excited to be working. The job ended up being a Sales position and there was a lot of dishonesty in the company, Ben kept pushing through, because it was a job.

Meanwhile I had gotten very busy at my job. I was covering for one of my coworkers who was out on short term medical, I went from 32 hours a week to 45+ the extra money was great and I was enjoying staying busy. I started working as a temporary counselor and loved it! The extra money I made in overtime made up for the money Ben wasn't making at

Quest. Things seemed to be working out, but we still questioned our moving.

My mom began to get sick, she was bed ridden for about 2 weeks. She'd try to go to work, but most days she couldn't even walk. When we'd go see her you could see how much pain she was in. My mom has always been the one to take care of others, and does not accept being the one who needs taking care of very well. It was very hard to see her struggle and feel like there was nothing I could do to make her better. I stopped questioning our move, I knew that for my own sanity I needed to be closer to my mom just in case something happened.

Back to Ben he had worked at quest for about a month maybe two when he called me. He called and said, I hate this job, I can't take it anymore, I'm going to quit. I was at work and went into panic mode, telling him not to quit to stick it out, everyone has bad days etc. He agreed hung up and called me about 5 minutes later, saying he had quit! I was so mad, before the anger could wear off he called me back saying he had a job interview with "Boart Long

year" on Tuesday.

We had planned a trip to Colorado that weekend to see the Cardinals play. We considered canceling but I'm very glad we didn't considering it could be the last time we ever see Albert Pujols as a red bird, and the last time to see Tony La Russa Manage. When we got back from Colorado life began to fall into place. Ben interviewed and was hired as a Temp to hire with Boart, where he is still working and enjoying. My Mom was able to get medicine to feel better and my family began to plan a family vacation to Disneyland.

Over the summer I took one the role of counselor full time, even though I hadn't been officially hired to the position, I was doing the job. I spent the summer, rock climbing, taking pictures, roasting marshmallows, canoeing and mainly hanging out with some rea

lly awesome teenagers. When the school year started there was a lot of Change at Valley, we were going through our third layoff and a few people were quitting. I officially moved to a counselor position and started teaching. I LOVE MY JOB!

We took our family trip and I fell in love with Disneyland. I can't wait to go back, and am making plans to go very soon. The end of the year has been pretty stable, we are trying to buy a house and its a very up and down game, I know we will find what we want, but right now it seems like we might build. Still haven't made a decision. My photography business is doing rather well and I'm really excited for its future. This year has truly been a huge change, from where we live and what we do to even my hairstyle, much is different. As for Ben and I, well how lucky are you when you truly marry your best friend. Ben is my sunshine, everyday I spend with him is a day at the beach, and life is good at the beach.

Vacation, Anniversary and World Series!

Great things have happened and are going to happen. We just came home from our family vacation. I had a lot of fun. I LOVED Disneyland! I could have split my time between Disneyland and San Diego and not done anything else. Everything else was fun but Disneyland took the cake.

As many of you know I am very afraid of birds, and they were out to get me this trip. 2 years ago when we went to SeaWorld the birds didn't seem to bug me as much, this year the story was different. It made it hard to relax and enjoy the parks, but it was still a lot of fun seeing all the different sea animals at SeaWorld and the African Safari was really neat we even saw a baby Gorilla- MOnroe. Monroe was a cite little guy and made fighting with all the birds worth it.

Universal Studios wasn't what I expected but it still was cool. I will warn you the King Kong 3D tour is gross, very great technology, but gross.

For our anniversary we went to a resort in San Diego, right on Mission Bay, we rented a corvette, and a boat, played all day either cruising in the car or speeding on the water in the boat. That night we went to Ruth's Chris for dinner, it was great! The food is amazing and well worth the wait and price, I recommend it. It was the perfect way to end our vacation.

Also the Cardinals made it to the world series, that makes Ben pretty happy! Its been exciting following them this season and I have to say GO CARDS! For those of you who follow the Cardinals on twitter, I think Torty is good luck ;)

The excitement is KILLING me.

I'm so excited!!! We leave in just over 5 days.

Just stopping by and blogging.

I really have become terrible at blogging. I feel like all I do is updates and nothing truly fun! I'm trying to set a new goal of posting "Wordless Wednesdays" and blogging about the things that really have struck my interest lately.

BUT....today I'll start off with an update.

Ben and I haven't been up to much traveling, we took a mini trip to Las Vegas in July, other then that we've been home counting down the days until our big DISNEYLAND vacation... It will be with the entire family and I'm sure will have a TON of pictures to share and many many funny stories to tell when we get back. We don't leave until October so I'm getting antsy.

Ben is working at Boart Longyear a company that makes drills. He really seems to love it. I got promoted at work and am now a councilor who CO-teaches. I have a really interesting job. I have my own classroom and work with a lead teacher in making lesson plans and teaching kids 12-17 all subjects! It's pretty hectic yet extremely rewarding. Teaching these classes has sealed my decision of becoming a teacher and I will be back in school come January.

Ben and I are still looking for a house, building is becoming more and more intriguing, but buying is so affordable right now. We love our apartment so we surely are in no hurry to move and we will wait until we find exactly what we are wanting.

Ben is officially a Ute. I'm very proud of him, and now having a real Ute in our house makes last night's VICTORY that much better.

That is really all that is going on, it doesn't seem like much but it keeps us busy.

PS. Keep your fingers crossed, the Cards are cutting it close and we'd love to see them in the playoffs.

OK, OK, OK

So many people have been telling us, the time to buy a house is now. Well tonight Ben and I take some baby steps to being home owners. I have no idea what I'm doing however I do watch a lot of HGTV so I know some of the tricks. Hopefully I can find the home that will be perfect for our first home! I'll keep you updated and put any helpful tips, I learn on here for those who have not yet started the buying game.