White Coat Ceremony

I've wanted to post these pictures for a while, but I keep forgetting. We posted a blog about this back in August when we didn't know how to blog. Now that we know what we're doing, I'm posting the pictures in the right place, only six months later :). (sheepish little laugh)

This is Ryan's White Coat Ceremony that took place back in August when he first started school.
He's becoming "Student Dr. Ryan Jones".I tried to take a picture of him walking down the aisle, but the bald man you see at the bottom stood up right when I took the picture. I wanted to smack that shiney scalp.
This is the class getting ready to take class pictures. Ry is second from the right. The guy on the far right is Ryan's really good friend Kevin. The guy standing right next to Ryan is another of his good friends, Jim. Right next to Jim on the left is another good friend, Brett. Of course, they weren't good friends at the time this was taken, but it didn't take long. This is the class of 2012 (Man that seems like forever away). I'm not sure exactly where, but another of Ryan's good friends, Nathan, is over there somewhere on the left. There was a reception held afterward with really good food. Ryan could hardly contain himself. This is pretty much how he eats normally :). This was such a fun day. I was just brimming with pride for my hubby. It was neat to see him in that white coat. He's never going to wear it again though :). He's gonna be a scrubs dentist.Here we have Student Dr. and Mrs. Jones. Wait... what is that I see behind us? Is that lush green plant life? Are those beautiful green leaves on that tree? I've almost forgotten what that looks like. I miss summer!!! And look how dang hot my Ryan looks!!! yowza!!!

The Fab Five

A friend of ours, Kellie Buckner, posted a blog that I thought was creative. We decided to take the plunge and respond to her blog, and here are the rules :

The first 5 people to respond to this post will receive something made by me for you.

I get to pick what I make for you, but it will be especially for you.

But here's the deal:

~1 I make no guarantees that you will like what I make! (But I'll try to make something cool:)

~2 What I create will be just for you.

~3 It will be done sometime this year.

~4 You have no clue what it will be.

~5 I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch?

The catch is that you must repost this on your own blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on their blog.The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did will win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me!!So come and play along!

...and so it begins...

This, folks, is my cute chubby nephew and his wonderful mother:) And I would have to say that this picture is my favorite picture...EVER...of anything. First of all, my sister Shawna is amazingly beautiful, and second, Kallen is the cutest baby I've ever seen. The look on Shawna's face says it all. I don't have to tell you how happy she is; you can see it. And who wouldn't be. I think motherhood brings out even more beauty in her. I can't tell you how happy I am for them, mostly because it's kinda hard to type when your eyes are swimming in tears, and partly because, and I know it's quite cliche, but there are no words to describe it. All I can say is I'm grateful for adoption :). It's taken them years to get to this point. I already love that kid, even though I've only seen pictures of him. I can't wait to meet him. This picture just makes me want to snuggle with him and feel his soft skin. His skin looks so soft. I LOVE BABIES!! Yes, I'm a little crazy :).

Anywho, not much else is going on. Just work and school. But we do have something very fun to look foward to. We're going to visit my l'il sis Kelly and her husband Andrew in Alabama in March. Kelly, Andrew & Ryan all have the same week off for spring break, wahoo!!!! I've never gone anywhere for spring break and I haven't had a spring break for many years. :) I couldn't believe my work let me go since it's a pretty busy time. But I'm not going to say anything! I'm so excited. Hopefully we'll have our camera by then so I can take pictures. I've missed my camera. I need new pictures to look at.

I hope you all enjoy looking at this amazing picture. Because I sure do.

By the way, Scott, if you're reading this, when we get there in July, I want to take some family pictures. And I want some of Ryan and I that aren't of our wedding and that are professional. A'ight? Love you:)

Two Peas in a Pod

At this moment, I feel joy. Nothing in particular has happened. It's still cold and I know that when I look outside my window I will still see 50 feet of white snow (ok, that was an exaggeration, but there is a lot of snow out there). I still wish summer would get here much sooner than it's going to. And I still miss my family so much, I wish I could travel in seconds like they do in those fantasy books I like to read. I feel joy because I'm sitting here in our bed eating a crunchy apple and reading a delicious book. Best of all, I'm all snuggled next to the person I love the most in this entire world. He is playing games on his computer and intermitently tickeling my side. I tell him to stop tickeling me, but I really don't want him to. I love seeing the gorgeous smile that spreads across his face when I laugh. It's worth it. I'm just so blessed to have him in my life. Not only have him in my life but to have him be my life. We are like two peas in a pod. That's why, no matter how much of a mundane day at work I've had, I can go home and be as happy as can be; I get to go home to Ryan. Now he's reaching over and playing with my hair. That's one of my favorite things he does. He plays with my hair when he's tired or concentrating or anxious, or when he's sitting in sacrament meeting, or pretty much anytime. I worry that I'm going to go bald because of it. But that is an irrational fear, I think. :). He's so cute. I just love the cute things he does. I just love being by his side. I'm lucky I get to call him "my baby".

Snow Day!

So it snowed today...I should say it's still snowing today. I should also clarify that Ryan is writing this post. This started as our blog then I got lazy (very unlike me eh?) and Kristy kept it up for us both. So back to the snow. They canceled elementary schools today because we got 4-8 inches. Dunno exactly how much cause I haven't been outside yet... it's 1pm :) So despite my maturity level I probably need to explain how that translates to a grad school program. We are doing sealants for elementary school kids again this week. And since they all got it off, so did we:) I love it when I get to sleep in while Kristy gets up and goes to work. That leaves me a day at home and what to do? Study?...Should. Talk to my sister for an hour and fifteen minutes?...Did it. Sleep in way too late?...Obviously. Clean up a bit?...I'll get to it, eventually. Write a blog post letting every know how I'm doing?...Why not? :)

School has started out alright in my second semester. We have an immunology course which is tough, but I've been trying to stay on top of it. Thanks to a good friend who majored in immunology and has answered all my questions; I feel like I have a good hold on the material. My other classes are tough, but manageable so far. It was a hard transition for me coming back to school this semester for some reason, but after a week I got into it. I've been very tired lately though and am glad that it snowed last night. I feel refreshed today.

Wow I thought that I would have something more to say, and am remembering why I don't blog much, and why I was so bad at writing while on my mission... I'm boring. Guess I'll go study... or play Mario Kart, we'll see which.

P.S. We will buy a new camara one of these days so we can start posting pictures again.

Would you like some bubble gum?

Something funny happened today, well two things really. If you don't think they're funny, that's ok, they were funny to me. :) It really doesn't take much for me to laugh. Anywho, I was on my way to the post office today to drop off some letters for work. There was a young man running on the sidewalk. He was all decked out with hat, scarf, running shoes and of course iPod. I was thinking this man is very dedicated to be running in such conditions. There was about four feet of snow piled on either side of the sidewalk and it was snowing just a little bit. I passed him up and about a minute later, stopped at a stop light. Now, if you have ever stopped at stop light in Cleveland before, you know how unbearably long they are. So I was sitting there listening to my Harry Potter on tape, watching the snowflakes lightly falling on my windshield, when I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye. I looked over and saw the same young man that I had noticed running just a moment ago. Only he was no longer running. He was gliding. And that's just a fancy way of saying he was slipping...for a really long time. His arms resembled windmills and his face was that of pure terror...and he just kept sliding, sliding, sliding past my window. I thought for sure he was going to face plant it right there on the sidewalk, which obviously was his thought by the look on his face. Suddenly he turned slightly and fell right into a pile of nice fluffy snow. He quickly jumped to his feet and with a look of sheer relief,brushed himself off and started running again. I know this was situational, but the funny thing about this story was the look on his face. Going from pure terror to relaxed relief in one second was priceless. I really wish I had a camera. And I'm glad he was able to continue his run...unless he found another long patch of ice.

I get to the post office, after waiting at another long light, and then I wait in a long line. It's finally my turn. The cashier was a very pleasant, older gentleman. He was funny and helpful. I noticed some weird things about him though. He had long fingernails. They weren't painted or anything, just long and yellowing a little. That kind of grossed me out. But I looked past that; he was nice. *You can stop reading here if you are weak stomached* This nice man turned his head to talk to his co-worker and I noticed something that was behind his earlobe. I looked again and realized...he had stuck his bubble gum behind his ear! I've only ever read about things like that. I chuckled to myself a bit and quickly got out of there completely grossed out. I guess we all have our weird things, eh?

Musings of an introspective girl

I was reading the news today before work and, as always when I read the news, I got a little scared about the economy, the future of this great country, and about our future after school and such. I felt quite debilitated. As I was feeling these feelings, I remembered something I read in a blog. This blog is one that I stumbled across from another friends blog. The woman who keeps up this blog doesn't know me. Her blog is probably the best one I've ever read. I love it, it's like reading an on-going book. And the photography is amazing:). In one of her entries, she talks about not making her blog private (and I'm so glad she doesn't. I think I would be very sad if she did!) because she doesn't want to live in fear. For some reason, that simple statement about a blog really gave me some perspective. Yes, I could worry until my stomach burned to cinders and yes, I could hide under some foolish words saying that I might as well be afraid since this is the way the world is going;but I won't. There are so many good things in this world. It's not a perfect world and unfortunately, we have to take the bad with the good. The secret is to not let the bad take you. I can read about millions of people losing their jobs and worry about mine. I won't. I'll be grateful that I can get up every morning, get ready and head off to my job. I'll even be grateful that I have to drive through blizzards, like I did this morning. I can read about people losing loved ones and worry about mine. I won't. I'll look at my wonderful husband and be grateful for his eternal companionship and the fact that he is my best friend. I'll be grateful when I call my sisters and parents that I can talk to them and feel their amazing spirit and know that we are bound eternally.

When I read those stories, my heart will ache for those who have suffered a loss of some kind, because we all have had to deal with losses at some point in our lives. But I will also have the hope that those people will move on and be stronger. It's rare that you hear of anyone just giving in to despair (although, it happens). I will have hope and joy in my life despite the angry and terrible things that are going on around me.

There is a reason for all of this hope. It is because I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that He has overcome this world. He is the Life and the Light. It is my goal and my choice to become as He is. I will strive for that every day of my life.

It's funny how a simple thing like that woman's blog has provoked so much feeling from me. I'm grateful for that though. There is great power in simplicity.

What Luggage?

We're back in Cleveland. Good Ol' Cleveland. I would really like to say that I am so grateful for my job and the fact that Ryan is in Dental School and that we have great friends here. Having said that, I would also like to say that there is no where in the world like Utah. I just LOVE the beautiful and (I never realized this before) huge mountains, the wide roads that are so organized and the wonderful left turning lanes. I love being with my parents and sisters and brothers and amazing in laws and friends. I feel like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz when she clicks her heels and says "There's no place like home", only when she clicks her heels she goes home. I know I sound whiney and I apologize for that. The last two weeks we were in Salt Lake with our families for Christmas. It was awesome. It felt like we were there for a lot longer than two weeks...in a good way. Christmas was awesome. Shawna and Scott, my older sis and her hubby, were able to share Christmas day with us before they went to Illinois to GET THEIR BABY!!!! Yes, yes they finally adopted:). Their baby boy was born on December 27. He is so precious. We were able to web cam with them a couple times. They have to stay in Illinois for about a week more to take care of the legal aspects. We were able to watch Scott change a poopy diaper:). They are cute parents and I'm so happy for them. And they look so happily exhausted:).

We were also able to spend time with Kelly and Andrew, my l'il sis and her husband. They flew in on New Year's day. It was great to see them and I wish we could have had more time. Man! Time, Time that's all I want out of life is more time!!!!! Seriously, I was thinking of mailing my christmas list to Santa this year, and Time would be the only thing on it!

Anywho, we also were able to see our niece Cassie get baptized on saturday. We have the cutest and most lovable nieces in the world. She was so excited to get baptized. She looked radiant and I'm so proud of her. We got to see Carston, our nephew, for the first time. I just held him and held him and didn't want to let go. He's only three months and is already laughing and interacting and I just love it. It was so hard to leave them. Jen, my sister-in-law and mother of Cassie, Jessie, and Carston is so wonderful. I'm lucky to have her as a sister-in-law. And they are lucky to have her as a mother:).

We spent New year's Eve with our friends. We had a party and it was awesome! I just love all of them. They all said they would try and come visit us. I want all of you to know that I'm counting on that. So if you don't want to make me sad, You'll visit, and soon!!! and yes I'm a big guilt tripper and I don't feel bad about it.

Now we are at home, waiting for our luggage to be delivered to our home since it was lost in transit. Delta will be getting an earfull from me. I've never had my luggage not be there when I got off the plane. We were standing there at the baggage claim watching the carousel go around and around and the number of bags slowly decreasing and not seeing ours anywhere. If this has ever happened to you, you know that feeling of panic. It's funny how losing your luggage makes you feel like a little child who has lost their parents in a big crowd. Suddenly the world seems so much bigger and that panic takes over. My bags aren't here!! I would hate to work at the lost baggage office; people generally aren't happy when they go in there. We were informed that our bags would be delivered tonight at aroung ten. It is now eleven. Ryan just called and found out that the plane they are so innocently flying on isn't going to be here untill 11:30 and they will deliver them tomorrow sometime...oh and they were only able to track two. We have three. The panicy feeling is getting worse!! Yeah, so I'm a drama queen:). I know it will all work out. I'll just say a prayer and have faith that it will be ok. There really is nothing we can do right now. Seriously all of our stuff is in our luggage, so going to work tommorow is going to be tricky. I hope they don't mind a greasy, unmakeup-ed girl in jeans and a t-shirt in the office:). Maybe I'll just call in...after two and half weeks of vacation. Welcome home Kristy and Ryan! I know I've sounded pretty negative, I'm really not, this is just making me laugh. It really has been a good trip. The icing on the cake, our Utes WON BABY!!! perfect season. I'm so happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ryan is starting his second semester of school tomorrow. This one should be a little tougher than the last, but I think he is up for the challenge. He has a test to start off the semester, so wish him luck.:) As always, thank you for reading this novel, those of you who have endured:) We love you and miss you already!!! We hope you had a great Christmas and wish you a happy New Year.:)

P.S. I would have posted some pictures, but our camera broke two days into our vacation:).

I'm making it up to you Brittney:)

I was tagged and didn't even know it! I did read Brittney's blog, I guess I just didn't pay attention at the end. Sorry dude! Well, Here it is in all of it's glory...my house. I really wish I could have cleaned it before hand:) Oh well. The rules are that you have to take pictures of these Seven things, no cleaning or straightening, just take the pictures right away. And tag five others.

1. My Favorite Room:

My Living Room:) I just love it. It's such an old fashioned house so the moldings and architecture are so original and give the room a very homey feel. I just need to put pretty curtains on the windows:) and we can't use our fireplace, which is pretty lame, but it looks good, eh? (and, yes these pictures are of the same room, just different lighting for some reason)

2. My Bedroom

Don't judge me, I'm only human.

3. My Bathroom Sink (tiny as it is. If you look really hard you can see it. I swear it's there).

4. My Favorite Pair of Shoes.

Cute and comfy, what more could you ask for in a pair of shoes:)

5. My side of the closet... or in my case, my own closet. The people who built these houses here in Cleveland, didn't believe in closet space, so the one in our room is little. So I have the one in the second bedroom, since it's the larger of the two. Whew, that was a long explaination...

6. My Child and what He/She is doing right now...
He/She is waving at me and waiting to come to earth and join our family.

7. A picture of me... Singing into my iPod:)
And now I tag, Shawna, Laura, Kellie, Diane, and Ryan Pace:) And to be clear, you don't have to be singing into your iPod when you take a picture of yourself.:)

The 8 List

So my good friend Kellie posted a blog of "8 things..." and I decided to do it too because it looks fun(and because I'm a little bored at work. I have stuff to do, but this sounds like more fun to me:)). So here goes...

8 TV Shows I Love to Watch

1. Scrubs!(have every episode memorized)

2. Friends:)(Have every episode memorized)

3. The Office (I've only seen one season, but I LOVE it!)

4. I Love Lucy ( I think it's because Lucy and I are quite a lot a like)

5. 6. 7. 8 ... I can't think of any more that I like to watch. TV just isn't that great anymore.

8 Places I Love to Eat

1. Papa John's (I Love Pizza:))

2. Valentino's in Little Italy. They have the BEST meatball subs:)

3. Del Taco. I'm very sad there are no Del Taco's in Cleveland. That's the first thing Ryan and I are going to do when we go home for Christmas...score some Del Taco.

4. Olive Garden, love the breadsticks and salad:)

5. Stir Crazy...who doesn't like stir fry?

6. Bahama Breeze...a feel of the Bahama's right here in Cleveland(only it makes me wish I was actually in the Bahamas, especially when there's a blizzard outside)

7. P.F Chang's...Love it!! Even at 3 am in Vegas:)

8. Last but most definatly not least, My mother's house!!! She is the best cook ever. She should open her own bakery:)

8 Things that Happened Yesterday

1. I got sick

2. I blew my nose(x500)

3. I slept a lot

4. I made spaghetti for dinner(Sorry Ryan:/)

5. I talked to my parents :)

6. Ryan and I watched Prince of Egypt

7. Sluffed Church because I was sick and didn't want to get all the nursery kids sick too.

8. Maddie told Ryan that he has a Prophet beard:) (we love that girl, and her sister Bella. They are the cutest girls in the world! Excepting our neices of course:) and in her defense, his beard is getting pretty thick and prophet-ish)

8 Things I Love About Fall

1. The Fashions. I love sweaters and pants and mittens and boots and scarves and Jackets...

2. The coziness

3. Apple cider and Caramel Apples

4. The Colors of the Changing Leaves

5. The Crisp Autumn Air

6. Hunting:)

7. Football

8. Going to the Canyon and taking pictures of the Leaves

8 Things on my Wish List

1. To have a baby soon

2. My whole family and I living right next door to each other

3. To be an Author

4. To be in a professional Dance Company

5. Obama didn't win the election

6. The economy no longer struggling

7. That Terriorists would stop terrorizing

8. That everyone had the Gospel in their lives

And that's that. If anyone wants to do this, feel free. It's a good way to get to know people. Have a good day and I love y'all. :)