Two Years of Deepening Love

Two years ago I married the cute boy next door.

Now we're a little bit older,
a little bit wiser,
and much more in love.

Three Month Hiatus

I am emerging from a bittersweet 3-month hiatus from normal daily life.

Here's what my hiatus consisted of:

• Taking lots of unplanned "short naps" and waking up three hours later.

• Trying to comfort my nauseous patients...and then asking them to share their barf bag with me.

• Going to great lengths, when not too nauseous, to get my hands on anything meaty, cheesy, or salty...yum!
  

• Surprised at how revolting my once-loved cooking shows are.

• Expanding my waist size. Rapidly.
  

• Realizing even more how patient and loving my husband is.

• In shock that my husband didn't turn his tired and sick, yet ravenous wife in to the psych unit.

• Staring in disbelief at an ultrasound picture with my name on it...not my patient's.
  

Thank goodness for modern medicine, a wonderful husband, and the second trimester!

I'm 14 1/2 weeks and due January 8th.
We're so grateful and happy!

So far this summer...

Ben and I are trying to relish every moment we have left in Utah. Who knows if we'll ever come back?

We started off our summer saying farewell to my older brother, Josef, who, I can't remember the last time he spent the summer in the states. This year he's in Russia for study abroad through BYU. We doubled with him and Christina on a bowling date before he left!

I can't even count how many strikes and spares Christina got.

I think Josef scored the highest.

Ben had some pretty fancy moves.

And I...well, we won't talk about my score. My game face didn't even help.

We played in teams...and the losers had to buy ice cream.

They won, of course.

But we still had fun. :) And Josef even let us use his gift card at Maggie Moo's. How nice.

I can't wait to see him again in August (a couple days before we leave for MN)!

My little brother, Jake, turned 17. He requested my "Dangerously Decadent Chocolate Cheesecake," as Ben calls it.

We had a fun BBQ with games at Ben's family's house.

Ben has been Mr. Busy this summer. He officially finished classes at BYU in April, successfully passed his Honor's Thesis Defense(!) (see picture below), and is now working full-time finishing up his internship hours.

"Assessing Russia's Perception of Graphic Tobacco Warning Labels" was his Honor's thesis.
PLUS, he has been working on a journal article with two of his professors, which is going to be published!

In his spare time, he plays on a rec. softball team and has 3 on 3 basketball tournaments with his friends from High School (he's in the red)...in church gyms with really bad lighting.

And one of my biggest highlights recently was a delicious brunch with Mary and Anne, two of my very favorite college roommates. I love these girls!