more joys of nursing

sometimes, i love the nursing program.  sometimes, i hate it.
right now i am feeling the latter.

i know that i need to chill out and believe that it will all be okay -
that in three weeks time i will be home.
with my family.
and my cute husband.
for christmas.  {yay!}
but right now i have so many scary tests looming over my head.
and i am terrified that my grades won't be up to snuff.
sometimes, the nursing program is so incredibly difficult!
actually, it all the time is.  {please excuse my poor grammar}.

but i know i shouldn't be complaining,
since i am so lucky to have what i have.
and to be where i am.
and to love who i love.

speaking of who i love.....
it's our 2nd month aniversary.
i just thought i'd tell you, since you're probably DYING to know.
i promised myself that i wouldn't mention it in my blog.....
but i guess i don't keep promises.

to be perfectly brunt: thanksgiving edition

thanksgiving with the brunts went far beyond exceeding my expectations!

leslie, ashley, and erin totally outdid themselves.  the company was wonderful, the food delicious.  

luke and weston practically mowed me over when we got to the henrie's house.  

they were actually excited to see their new aunt!  it warmed my heart.

thanksgiving day we played soccer, ate DELICIOUS food {of course!}

and spent some quality time napping.

on black friday we saw tangled, which i highly recommend, 

unless you're a ball-baby like me, 

in which case you should bring a box of kleenexes and mascara to re-apply after the show.

but seriously, it was darling.

we also went shopping,

and i have now learned that janessa has a weakness for H&M.

and leslie has a weakness for nordstrom rack.

but don't we all?

we played BANG today,

a game that i still believe is way over my head.

but extremely entertaining nonetheless.

{good thing i had a husband to back me up for the last two games}

ah i just love my in-laws.  i couldn't have asked for a better family to marry into.

they are so accommodating and will just do things for each other.  

no self-serving motives necessary.

i'd like to be more like that.  

sitting in the shower letting the rain pour over my face.

this morning, i sat in the shower for about an hour.  i literally sat down on the cold tile floor and let the water fall on me.  believe it or not, it feels really good.  especially when things aren't 100% great and you need to chill out.  sometimes, nothing can make you feel better, but a hot shower and butterscotch cookies can certainly help.  finally, the water heater's stores were spent, and i was forced to get out on account of freezing.

i watched little women, pride and prejudice, and also watched my brothers make a snow cave. {which, sam and his friends seem to want to sleep in tonight. crazy boys.}  i cleaned my parent's kitchen, played incessantly with andy jack, and ate nothing but chex mix.  i also tried to mimic a whippycake flower, unsuccessfully.

then my mom drove me, john, and jesse {john and ryan's good friend} to the airport.  with much trepidation i approached the new t.s.a. body scan.  what luck!  i didn't have to go through it.  we went to the airport thinking that it would take an hour to get through security, when really it only took like ten minutes.  almost a new record for me!  then john and i got pizza for dinner {disappointment}, and then watched prison break, {an old series that we have become re-addicted to}, whilst waiting for our flight.  in the end, we landed in the airport safely.  i think i'm a little tired though, because i keep forgetting that i am typing and just start staring off into space.  {a couple of times, people have actually caught me blankly staring at them - how embarrassing!}.

george treated us to in-and-out, which is growing on me, [despite the {seemingly} exaggerated hype about it from anyone who has ever lived west of slc.]  okay, who am i kidding..... in-and-out is delicious, and i am now fully prepared to put my tail between my legs and admit it.

i would just like to let everyone know what a wonderful husband i have.  i am quite certain that he is the kindest person in the world {certainly more kind to me than i am to him}.  and although i have endless weaknesses, he still manages to see something in me.  i love him with all my heart.  i also love his family.  and i am so ecstatic that we get to spend this weekend with them.  thanks to ashley and seth for having us in their home this thanksgiving.  i am certain we will have a great time together.

10 things that make me {inexplicably} happy.

1.  making paper snowflakes.
2.  when class gets canceled.
3.  listening to my husband play the guitar.
4.  fresh fruit.
5.  stealing a kiss.
6.  reading other people's blogs.
7.  stretching out on the floor.
8.  saying 'thank you'.
9.  my camera - photo ops - editing.
10.  discovering something else that i love.

it's the freakin weekend baby!

friday night:
john and i went to HP.
it was awesome.
unfortunately, john also had to study for the GMAT,
since he was taking it the next day.
every time I glanced at him, this is what I saw...

and then forced him to interact with me....

isn't he so handsome???
but seriously, HP and the Deathly Hallows is a must-see.
it was absolutely fabulous!
also, something that is noteworthy:
my patronus is a wolf.
a quiz on facebook said so.

john still studying:

saturday:
also included studying.
we went running to blow off some steam.
then poor john had to take the 4 hour test,
and miss the BYU v. New Mexico game.
which was a blast.
that's what he gets for being responsible!


sunday:
what else is there to do on sunday than go to church...
eat food....
take naps....
???
cause that's what we did.


also,
here are some pictures from the BYU basketball game last tuesday.

mady, kristen, and maddy are seriously my favorite girls ever!
they are so fun and cute.
even though 90% of my free-time is spent with my hubby,
they are always willing to play with me when we can actually get together!
i love them.

and i love this handsome guy too! {naturally}

the big picture.

^^^this really isn't that great^^^

^^^until you see the big picture.^^^

{in the absence of clearly-defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily trivia until ultimately we become enslaved by it}

*Robert Heinlein*

while i've been complaining about school incessantly for the past couple of weeks, i haven't sat back to think about the big picture.  i decided that it's about time that i realize that each day i am one day closer to being a real nurse.  each day i am becoming more comfortable with the care i will be giving.  each day i grow in appreciation for the Savior, Jesus Christ.

and that is the big picture.

summer memories

{lake powell}

thanks to uncle gary, who took most of these photos!

sam, who can be a total stinker sometimes, 

has a way of making our family feel so happy.

i couldn't resist.

ah!  so much fun.  i could live there.

{island park}

my first trip to island park! with john, lizzy, pordie, ryan, and janessa.

one of the many floats down the snake river.

i now love island park {almost} just as much as john does.

{and my girls}

janessa's eye peeking through:  priceless.

trek was fun, but i ate peanut butter.  THAT won't ever happen again.  

this summer was fun because john and i got to share our favorite places in the whole world with each-other.

mine: lake powell.

his:  island park.

thinking back on it, i don't think i have ever had a more fun and exciting summer.  

we spent 6 days in lake powell,

we spent at least 5 weekends in island park.

we got engaged.

i went to havasupai and on pioneer trek {john wasn't happy to have me gone}

all in all, i am currently in the happiest time imaginable - hands down.  

don't you just love life?