Moving & Christmas 2009

Here is a picture log of moving 1800 miles in a 16 foot moving truck pulling a trailer with a car on it and also of our first Texas Christmas. It was by far the best Christmas I have ever had. To have all my family there, my grandparents and my sweet Aunt Denise-- it was so fun. Chritmas Eve we all slept under one roof and the boys all stayed up late playing some computer game. i am so excited for many more texas christmas' to come!!

We met up with my best friend Sheree and her family in the middle of New Mexico on our way down. She was moving to Utah from Texas as we moving from Utah to Texas. I am a little mad about that but super excited he is going to be getting a great education up there. Love these two!

My Mom and Dad's new house is beaaaautiful!!

Abbi and her favorite Uncle Geoff

Abbi never takes normal pictures!

We went Ice-skating down-town at the Galleria on Christmas Eve and also out to lunch with all my siblings. So much fun!!

Making my Mom's famous sugar cookies!

Santa came a little early...

Apparently I have been very good this year cause Santa brought me an early present this year and i am in LOVE! With not being able to use the campus gym anymore I was worried about working out because it rains a lot in Houston so I can't always run outside. So Santa brought me this a little early this year. I LOVE IT!!

My goal is to have a home gym someday (hopefully sooner than later) and this is just the beginning. We got an amazing deal and also received a $100 gift card to sports authority as well. We are going to purchase some more weights with it I think.

If you couldn't tell, we made it to Texas safely and are having lots of fun catching up with my side of the family and doing all the holiday things. It hasn't really hit me that we LIVE here now. It feels like a vacation almost because we have been having fun non-stop.

Expect a post in the near future about our huge 1800 mile move across the country along with all the Christmas festivities we are enjoying. I hope everyone has a great Christmas and celebrate the birth of our Savior. I am so grateful for all of my friends and family and feel seriously so blessed for each of you in my life. Merry Christmas!!!

100 lbs mark

Just a week ago, I hit the 100 lb weight loss mark from my heaviest weight 5 years ago. I tipped the scales at just over 250 lbs. Took me about a year to get about 75 lbs off and then my body just stopped losing weight no matter how healthy I ate and how hard I worked out. Just about six months ago or so I cut almost all starches and sugar from my diet and continued to eat a low calorie, low fat diet, increased my running to about 6-7 miles a day, weight train 3 times a week and I have finally lost the last 25 lbs and hit my 100 lb weight loss mark. Man, does it feel great to know that I lost a whole PERSON of fat from my body! Needless to say, for Christmas I am getting lots of new clothes (: Here's to a happy and healthier new year!

<--- before (5 years ago) .............................. And After (me today)

Going to miss these smiles the most!

"We all take different paths in life, but no matter where we go, we take a little of each other everywhere."

Had my last outing with 2 of my favorite people in Logan. These 2 have changed me so much for the better and i will always always remember you and love you Jimmy & Blu.

Couldn't ask for more.

I know I keep talking about our move to Texas but I guess I am just overwhelmed with all the changes right now. I am so excited to be near my family and for this new chapter of our lives to begin but today was really hard for me.

Every Friday at work we have a team meeting where my boss and I instruct our staff on issues and concerns we have with clients and I always do some sort of training as well. I think today it really hit me I will no longer be apart of this. I will no longer lead such an amazing group of people who have forever changed me. My clients, all 29 of these adults with disabilities, are some of the greatest examples I have ever encountered of Christ-like love. Just today here are 2 short experiences I had with two individuals that touched my heart and let me know all will be well.

First, one client of mine who is what you would call "high-functioning" talked to me after he heard that next Friday will be my last day. He asked me what was going to happen at our building when I was gone. I told him things would be fine and everything would be normal and the girl who is taking my place is going to do an excellent job. Then he got really quiet and said that I made an impact in his life, especially in the recent passing of his brother and wanted to thank me for that. The spirit overwhelmed me at that moment. I think I needed to hear that right then because I was having a selfish moment of feeling replaceable and forgetable even after having been here for 4 years. (dumb, I know). I told this client how much that meant to me and I said a silent prayer of gratitude for this particular young man.

Second, one of my non-verbal clients who I am extremely close with and would adopt in a heart beat if the state of Utah would let me, came up to me and signed he wanted to talk to me. I followed him to our usual spot where we have our daily "talks" where he will sign to me (in his own way) of whatever is on his mind. Usually I really don't know exactly what he is talking about, but he is so enthusiastic you can't help but love these moments with him, even if they make no sense. But today it was different. It made perfect sense to me. He simply signed he loved me. Immediately my eyes welled up with tears thinking about how perfect this young man is and wondered if he really knew how much I love him back. So I broke a rule at work (terrible I know) and signed I loved him back. I had to take a quick walk outside to regain my composure and say yet another silent prayer thanking Heavenly Father for this wonderful experience I have had. It hasn't ever felt like a "job". It has been a privilege and an honor to be apart of their lives. I just hope they know how much I love them.

I will miss these little moments in my daily life. I want to get a 27 foot truck, kidnap them all, and take them with me to Texas. I will be forever grateful for these experiences where I feel the Savior's love through these special individuals.

Saying Goodbye to Aggie Basketball

Tonight we went to our last USU games at students.

It was against BYU. Could you ask for a better opponent?

Well, we won.

It was INTENSE. AMAZING. AND WONDERFUL TO BEAT THEM!!!

It was a sold out crowd. We had to stand on boxes because there was no seats left... it was interesting to watch the game that way. But man, it was so worth it. I will have no voice tomorrow!! I will forever love Aggie Basketball!