What Just Happened?!?!?

I'm pretty sure I tell this story a least once a day but for those of you who don't know here is how our life has completely gone crazy in the matter of  2 weeks:

Monday 10/14: My mom mentions that a 5th grade teacher at her school retired and they have an opening. I don't think much of it.

Tuesday 10/15: Brian doesn't pass his weigh and tape for the 3rd time in a year. This is grounds for a "Chapter 18 Discharge". It's an honorable discharge that basically means for medical reasons you don't meet the Army's height, weight, or body fat standards. This is frustrating because we have spent the last year trying to figure out what is making it so difficult to maintain a steady weight. He can gain and lose 10 lbs in a week. Realizing that there is a good chance that in 3-6 months, Brian could be out of the Army, we start talking about what to do. There are bills that need to be paid and Brian needs to get school done. With the government shut down and other things, our plan for him to use the Army Tuition Assistance to finish school hasn't been going very well. AND Brian's knee that he injured is not really getting better. It hurts constantly and the more he runs and puts stress on it the more likely he is to completely blow it out. I apply for the 5th grade job at my Mom's school.

Wednesday 10/16: I do an over the phone interview for the 5th grade position.

Friday 10/18: I get offered the job, and am told I need to start Monday. Brian finds out that he can take the discharge and be done.

Sunday 10/20: I fly to Utah

Monday 10/21: I start teaching 5th grade again.

So now here I am at my parents' house. Brian and the dogs are in Georgia *sigh*. Hopefully, by January he will be here and going to school full time. He has about a year left, then who knows what is next.
It's amazing how quickly our life can change. It seems to be a pattern for us though. The Lord definitely had a hand in making all of the pieces fall into place. I've sort of been in a jet lagged/exhausted from frantically trying to put together a classroom haze for the last 2 weeks, that it hasn't sunk in how much everything is changing.

5 Years!

So I am about a week and half late with this post but the last weekend in September Brian and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary! I was trying to explain to Brian that a part of me feels like 5 years has flown by and it can not have been that long but the other part of me feels like he has always been in my life, and it has been decades since we met.
For our anniversary we went to Jacksonville Florida for 2 nights. We went to Joe's Crab Shack, and met up with Brian's cousin and uncle that live in Jacksonville. We also went to the Jacksonville Zoo, they have a sting ray encounter and Brian could spend all day petting and talking to the sting rays.

See look at how excited he is!

This poor baby elephant got his head stuck between the wires of the fence and decided to just chill and eat the leaves on the tree. I made Brian hurry and do the train ride around the Zoo so I could get this picture. Don't worry he figured out how to get out.









We also went to downtown Jacksonville and saw dolphins! Real, wild, not in an aquarium or Sea World dolphins. Swimming up the river/bay. We also got to eat Panda Express. There are no Panda's close to us and our hotel was right by one. So rather than going out for another "nice" dinner we ate Panda Express for the first time in over a year and it was delicious. It was a great weekend and fun to celebrate together.

The "Friendship Fountain" in downtown Jacksonville

My hair is a mess and I'm all squinty because the wind was blowing the fountain on me.


The bridge that connects the two sides of Jacksonville. Its a "drawbridge" but rather than opening up like doors how most bridges do, this one the middle lifts up as one piece. Its older now and never really opens but its a nice walk.



In 5 years of marriage Brian and I have....

• Lived in 2 different states (I'm not counting Brian in training in Missouri, and Oklahoma) 
• Had 5 different addresses 
• Owned 9 different cars and 2 motorcycles 
• Had 4 dogs, 1 hamster and a rabbit
• Combined worked 7 different jobs
• Had 3 beds, 2 sets of couches, 3 kitchen tables, and 4 TV

Most importantly we have had fun, made it through the tough times, and loved each other! 

Now What?

Now what? Oh if only I knew.
Join the military -check.
Move to Georgia - check.
Substitute teach- check.
 Start adoption process- check.
 Brian does school- check
Get full time teaching job- NO check.
 Come to a screeching halt.
 So here we are feeling like we re in the right place at the right time. But what the heck are we supposed to be doing. Working right? But It seems as if constantly there is something trying to get Brian out of the military. Currently, his body has basically stopped making probiotics to break his food down which leads to weight gain. He has high blood sugar so his body may also have an insulin ( not diabetes) problem. Also leading to weight gain. Well not really weight gain but inches gained around the middle while losing lbs. Oh and his knee continues to get worse from hurting it in dive school, not better. So we pray that he doesn't get kicked out. Because he's doing school like he is supposed to. He just needs to get done, he just needs 15 months. Then by all means they can med board him out on account of his knee and we'll take the disability pay and be done. But not right now.
We are trying to get this homestudy done for the adoption process. Oh but wait the only way to have money for an adoption is if I make money. An adoption we want to happen so badly. I can't sub anymore. I can't start the job that technically I have because of paperwork issues. I can't get a full time teaching job. I can't even get a part time job. Even Wal Mart isn't hiring. So what the crap am I supposed to be doing? There was a plan and the plan isn't working. I find myself constantly asking Why? I'm trying so hard to not be grumpy or frustrated. In the most faithful, trying really hard to not be irritated or whiny way I pray to know what now, or why or something. I sigh and find it highly ironic that in January I decided this years scripture for the year was going to be Proverbs 3:5. Cause right now I really don't understand.
So everyday, I look for jobs. I remind myself that we moved from Cedar City to Salt Lake with no jobs. That I got hired 2 weeks before school started. That it has always worked out... That it will work out. We have a house. Brian has a job for now. We are doing what we are supposed to be doing...or at least we thought so.

Pinterest

My friend Megan, posted about her Pinterest challenge. The idea behind it is that we spend hours on Pinterest looking at so many awesome things, but never actually make these awesome things happen. So she suggested we pick 7 pins and try to use them/ do them in the next 2 weeks. I jumped on board with her challenge. You all should too! 

Today I am 25 years old...a quarter of a century. I've had some good milestones in 25 years and so has the world. 

In 25 years I've....

Lived in 6 states. 

Been to 9 different schools 

Had 9 cars

Been to 35 states and 5 countries

Had 5 jobs

Broken 2 bones 

I was alive for...

The fall of the USSR

The Gulf War

Dial up Internet 

Columbine 

Cell phones 

September 11th, War on Terrorism 

DC sniper 

Space shuttle Columbia

Y2k 

We will see what come up in the next 25 years. 

On being a Grown Up

You know how people always say "She's 6 going on 30"? I think I may be the other way around. I'm 24 going on six. I don't think I'm necessarily unique in this, I think most of spend our childhood wanting to be big and our adulthood clinging to youth.
Growing up my mom and dad used to do all this fun stuff for us/with us. Day trips, games, theme weeks. When I was little I sort of always felt bad, like poor Mom and Dad they have to go along with all this kid stuff. I was wrong! I realize now it was all an excuse. Water parks, Disney World, Art projects, hide and seek, they actually enjoyed it. I really thought growing up they put up with it for us. I know as an adult sure they wanted time away from the kids and wanted have adult fun but really isn't kid fun the best? As an elementary school teacher, I play tag and soccer, make slime, use glitter, play with math bears all in the name of my students. Now being the adult means I have to see the clean up after, safety,etc which takes away some of the fun but not all of it.
I don't have kids of my own, so there is no excuse for my kid fun. Not that it stops me. This weekend we will dye Easter eggs, and I will love it. Last year Brian was gone and I was at my parents house, my parents still hid the eggs and baskets and all 3 of us adult children went hunting with no complaints.
Kid fun is great, but it does get hard without kids. Today, while sitting at home all adult things done, I tried to take the dogs out to play, it didn't work. You can't put a mastiff on a trampoline. Neither dog wanted to play fetch, so I sit here all adult like, wishing I could make dinner in a pretend kitchen with plastic food, not real dinner with real dishes and real mess.
Don't get me wrong there are times and days as a teacher and as an adult that I want adult time, a break from kids but deep down I know I'm 6. I'd rather go to Harry Potter World than the Louvre. Clue and Sorry are my favorite board games. I read kid books, and have a deep love of Crayola.

Concert and a Bunny

I've got to work on better titles for my posts.
This weekend Brian and I headed to Atlanta for a Lindsey Stirling concert. It was worth every min of the 4.5 hour drive, and driving in Atlanta which Brian swore he'd never do again. If you don't know who Lindsey Stirling is...you should! She is a "hip- hop dancing violinist" She was on America's Got Talent and made it to the top 48. Also, she went to BYU, and served a mission in New York. But mostly her music rocks. The 1st video is a cover she did, and the 2nd is one of her originals. Watch them!

We stood outside for an hour and a half in the cold to get a good spot, we were about 5 
feet from the stage.
It was a great weekend trip! 
Also, I'd like you all to meet Gus, the rabbit, but the picture wont upload. We have talked 
about getting a rabbit a lot before and finally
We decided to do it. He is about 3 months old and very fun. Molly is way more interested in him
 than he is in her.
Also bonus points for anyone who can tell me why we named our rabbit Gus. (
Hint it relates to a TV  show)
If he had been a girl his name would have been Anya, also from a TV show. 
More bonus points if you know
that show. 
That's the latest and greatest from Georgia. One day I will actually get to start the new job
 I got oh 2
months ago with Child and Youth Services on base. 
Stupid background check paperwork is taking FOREVER
Hopefully, this week I can start. 
Well we are off to bed, Brian's day starts at 3 AM. So we are old and go to bed early. 

When 3 boys get together..

We have a big nice oak tree in our front yard. However, big nice oak tree had a big nice branch that hung over the driveway and dropped stuff onto cars. Well today Brian and his 2 buddies: Mount and Lefler. Decided the branch needed to go.
Stage 1: How do we get up there to cut down the branch? We don't have a ladder...
Solution: Hoist Lefler into the tree using a tow rope and his truck to pull him up.

Stage 2: Cutting the tree limb down...We don't have chain saw. So they used these 2 saws...

 Oh and its the tree branch behind his right knee. The left if you are looking at him.

This was the "power tool" That saved the day...sort of.
















Stage 3: Getting the branch down without hitting the house, and lets make a swing while we're at it!

Stage 4: How to get Lefler down from the tree.

 Brian and Mount on "belay"

He's hard to see, but Lefler is up there trying to figure out if he really wants to just slide down the rope. Don't worry Brian threw him up gloves so his hands didn't burn.






Stage 5: What do we do with the tree branch now in the front yard?

 You can see it isnt' a tiny branch. Remember our "power tool?" That's what they are using...

Molly's part in this:

After the branch came down. Mount announces, "Sergent Ricks has a chainsaw..."

However, no one ended up in the emergency room. Happpy Birthday to Brian...let's cut down a tree :-)

Healthy

I know it's cliche to write a post about getting healthy and in shape on January 3rd. However, in my defense this is something Brian and I have been working on since October.that being said here goes my great plan to get healthy.

I would like go start by saying I feel like I have an uphill battle facing me. There are a lot of factors that are encouraging me to stay out of shape and unhealthy. Besides being lazy which is the biggest one, I am on medication that has caused me to gain 20 lbs since Aug, increases appetite and makes me crave carbs. I love all things related to cake, and cookies. 60% of people with narcolepsy are obese and did I mention I'm lazy? Okay so all that being said I am determined to win this uphill battle. Thankfully Brian is on board with eating healthy mostly cause his job makes him stay in shape  or else they will kick him out.
Last week I started thinking about everything we needed to be doing differently to have a truly healthy lifestyle and it was overwhelming. I decided to come up with a 4 week plan to healthily eating and living. Each week I am implementing 1 new healthy habit. I am not giving anything up completely, I have tried that and failed too many times. I know I will drink diet coke, I'll eat ice cream and I'll order French fries. Plus giving things up makes me want them even more. Soinstead im adding good things in. Join us this month on adding 4 new healthy habits to your life. You can use mine or come up with your own. Here are my first four habits.

Week 1: Drink more water. Water increases metabolism and so good for you...but I'm not a big water drinker. For the most part unless its really cold I don't love plain water. Especially here in Hinesville we have to use a brita water pitcher cause the water tastes nasty. However I have discovered Mio. You add a couple of drops and poof flavored water. Zero calories. Wal mart makes a generic brand. For 3 bucks you get flavored water for a month. It's in a little container that fits in a purse or even a pocket. So now I have no excuse. I'm aiming for at least 72 oz of water a day.

Week 2: Eat veggies. I could go days and not a vegetable. This is a problem. So my goal is to eat 4 servings of veggies a day. I love smoothies so I'm going to add spinach to smoothies, make a veggie to go with dinner every night, and pre cut raw veggies to make them easily accessible.

Week 3: Measure food portions. This is something I have fought against for years. I didn't want to be "that girl" the high maintence one. Then I realized "that girl" looks and feels the way I want to. Also, I read that if you measure out food portions for even just 2 weeks you get a better idea of what you should actually be eating. It isn't something I have to do for every meal for the rest of my life but it will allow me to get in the habit of eating correct portions and not over eating. 

Week 4: Slow down. I eat way too fast. Brian and I can finish a meal in less than 15 min. There is something depressing about taking longer to cook dinner than eat it. Not to mention you eat more when you eat fast. 

There you have it. The 1st 4 weeks of healthy habits. I know a ton of people start each year wanting to lose weight, get healthy etc. Maybe if we all work together we can actually do it.