It's A Wonderfully Busy Life

This is going to be the longest post ever. A. because I take way too many pictures of my life and 2. because I don't blog often enough. But a goal of mine for next year is to be better at journaling  and blogging, so to do that I have to be caught up!

We truly are so blessed. We live very busy, but oh so wonderful, lives. We have hard times, bad days, but we are so grateful for all that we have.
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So, ever since my second knee surgery, I have still had the same tendon pain in my knee. I finally got in to see my surgeon to see what was going on. Him and his PA, and two other doctors at the office, were stumped! No one knew why my tendon was hurting so bad. They finally decided to do a quick ultrasound to see if the tendon showed increased blood flow, meaning there was something wrong with the tendon. Guess what? The ultrasound lit up all red! "That's a very impressive amount of blood flow..." Impressive in this case is not a good thing. They also re-looked at my MRI from before the surgery and found a lit up part on the tendon. How was that missed by like four doctors before?! Blah, that's another story. So, Dr. Jackson decided he wanted to do a PRP - plasma rich protein injection. This would help the healing process speed up by injecting plasma directly into the tendon. This would be under conscious sedation at the hospital. We got it all scheduled, I traded shifts at work, and I was hopeful. But nope. The insurance called and said it was a "experimental procedure" and they would not cover it. So, back to the doc I went. We are now doing an olympic teams patellar tendonitis cure! This includes icing, stretching, and exercises. Things I have been doing, obviously, to help the pain. But, I am trying to be hopeful. I am trying to stick to the regimen. I am ready to be able to do bend my knee and put weight on it without any pain. This is one of those "bad days" I was talking about. Nonetheless, I am trying to be optimistic and grateful for all my body can do. 

I have had a lot of job interviews with IHC. I have been hopeful for each one, but it just hasn't been the right time for me, I guess. I am sad about this, but happy that I already have a wonderful (higher paying :) ) job. I am getting experience and learning so much. I hope that when I move to Texas this will help me get into labor and delivery or something I reeeeallly want.  This picture doesn't do my "embarrassed splotches" justice. Red ears and splotchy cheeks and neck, it's my thing. I actually got an offer for a full time job in the OR at Utah Valley. I sadly turned it down because it was just bad timing and didn't feel right. It would take months to finish training and they were looking for a long time employee, but since we're leaving, it just didn't feel right. 

When your husband wakes you up by calling from a strangers number to ask you to bring him his phone he left at home to school, you do it! Because he just might skip his study group and reward you with breakfast! I love random moments together like this. He truly is my everything. 

 Until he wants you to go buy him a sling shot and fanny pack for a ROTC paintball activity but is extremely picky about what he wants.... hahaha. Luckily CC came with me on this endeavor. 

 

Cade and Bridget came down for a weekend finally! We missed them. We worked out, went to dinner, got treats, and watched a billion Shark Tanks. It was wonderful. 

 For real though... Look at him. I'm obsessed. 

 Hooligans. 

 Cycling with Ceec. Oh how I've missed that! 

 Seeing Interstellar with these peeeeeps. Love them all. The movie was awesome, inspiring, weird, and confusing all at once. 

 Shark Tank and Rice Wok with J.... nothing better. 

 Three fatties got caught after church sitting on the counter chowing down on left over movie popcorn... hahaha. Teaching them young. 

 Sunday walk with the Winwards. It was beautiful. 

 Talented boys serenading us for sunday family dinner 

Brady's 23rd birthday dinner! 

 I don't know. 

 Grey grey turned 3!! 

 Just two beautiful pregos! 

 Gymmmmm 

This year's presidential review special guest was Nell Bright, a 84 year old WWII vet who was one of the first female military pilots. We went to dinner at La Jolla Groves with her and the colonel and some other cadets the night before. It was fun to hear all her amazing stories! Jesse had the opportunity to walk her into the review. 

Me no likey winter 

 I met Jesse at the mall after work because there was a sale at Eddie Bower and he really wanted a new coat. He got an awesome one! We saw each other for the twenty minutes while we were shopping and then had to go back to our busy lives. We both just looked at each other and were like... I miss you! I don't want to leave. Haha. Busy busy lives. Grateful for little moments together. 

 18 hour shifts are rough ones 

 After my 18 hours that day, I went to bed but had a stomach ache so I was sitting up with my heating pad and apparently I fell asleep like this. Jesse took a sneaky mom picture. But this truly shows how exhausted I was! 

 That Sunday was the primary program! The kids worked hard and did great. It was fun to sit next to Mckinley and Kylie. Plus, Mir and Ry came and we were matching! 

Just finishing up my shift at work when Nikki and her FHE group shows up! Cuuuute

Kickboxing whenever I can! 

New camo shirt :) 

Shopping and lunch with my mom, Karrissa, and Mir! My favorite kind of day. Plus, I went and did more shopping by myself. I just needed some new clothes..I work too much, I had to reward myself ;) 

Back to work to pay for the clothes I bought... 

Snuggles with my favorite boy 

Burned myself with the stupid curling iron.. worst ever. 

Jesse's last stadium clean up ever! It was short one but soooo dang cold. I seriously was freezing. I watched a little boy the whole time thought, so that was fun. They gave out AWESOME prizes for the cadets who came to the most stadium clean ups. iPods and an Xbox. So cool. We are both happy to be done with these though! 

Working on Sunday's is my least favorite thing about the profession I chose. But, it has to be done. And getting a sweet note from Jesse in the lunch he made me makes it even better. 

See that nice burn? Not a hickey, I promise.