ami, amigo, mik, freund, friend

After Shaun's job training in Georgia, before you go into a permanent territory, you get a trial-run for three months. We ended up in downtown Michigan in the winter season (WOOF!). The company put us up in an extended stay hotel right in the heart of the city. We had a great time and enjoyed Michigan and the neighboring cities, but we felt like something was a little off that we could never figure out. At the time, I thought it was the awful weather that put us in a slump. We never wanted to drive anywhere which left us no choice but to stay in our small hotel room {which reeked of delicious Indian food from next door}.  It wasn't until we returned back to our home in Georgia that we figured out what was missing...

F R I E N D S

In Michigan SJ was alwaaays working, I was trying to keep busy with school and we barely talked to anyone at church. You hear someone say they are there temporarily, so why would you invest time in them? I don't blame them. I'm sure we have all done it once... I know I have.

Side note: I actually would not have changed those three months at all. Such a fun lonely adventure that of course needed to happen to move forward with his job.

Recently I got together with some great friends. I mean really great-not embarrassed to say stupid things-laugh until my face hurts-friends. It was a much needed night out. A while back Shaun and I came to the conclusion that we always need some sort of friendship in our lives wherever we are living. People could say "well yeah, everyone needs friends.." but I know some people that would be perfectly content without them and that's great. However, I am not one of those people. Whether it is to keep us up on our social game (seriously, by the time we came home from those 3 Michigan months, we didn't know how to properly socialize!) or if it's just to let another person into your heart and life that isn't your family. We need friends.   

The other day I thought back to all the different places SJ & I have lived. The places we have loved the most, have such dear friends attached to them. Florida included. Good friends & family make life more fun and trials seem lighter. Words are heard, doubts are overcome, heartaches are healed, and everything in between.

So here's to friends. To having one and more importantly, being one.

Tibble Fork

Whew. The summer is finally coming to an end! Before it officially does, I guess I'll make note of my trip to Utah in July (is that what my blog is becoming? Trips I take? Laaaame). One of the main highlights was camping. Real life camping! And real life camping involves wearing a hoodie around the fire and being refreshingly chilly but also super cosy in your tent all night. GET IT RIGHT FLORIDA! Just kidding, kind of. Our BFF couple -how high school does that sound- invited us to go camping up American Fork canyon. We decided we would just go up for some dinner and fire action and not sleepover. However, once we got there, it was just too dang beautiful to NOT camp so the boys went back down the canyon to get our camping gear. Utah is so pretty it makes you change your mind sometimes... 

Tibble Fork Reservoir, American Fork Canyon

Other highlights in the movie collage:

-roadtripping to Cali with the sis to see the grandparents

-Shaun performing at Comedysportz

-hiking to waterfalls

-car breaking down on the freeway so a cop pushed us to safety

(this is where I also learned that I am not good in a crisis surrounded by cars going 80MPH)

-family band opening for Taylor Hicks

-taking one year old pictures of my most beautiful niece 

I mean seriously! She's a beaut. 

Jack's Day

Steven and I rarely get our trips to overlap in Utah so I was excited to hear that he was flying out to bless his new little one during my trip. It's the first little grandchild for our family which is so much fun. I absolutely love seeing Mom & Dad in the grandparents role.  

Wearing his Daddy's blessing outfit 

Here's a short video I made on his special day..

(please note the adorable father/son bow tie combo, my favorite)

My Path(way)

Well bless UVU's heart but they don't have many online degrees for a little old housewife that lives on the other side of the country. I have been dragging out my school career with them for a few years now. Living in Georgia and now Florida, I knew this day would come (woah that sounds dramatic). The day where the only classes left to finish my degree are all ones taught at the actual university in person. 

After months of weighing the options, FGCU (a university close to me) or more online work through BYU-I, I decided on BYU-I. This way, amid any interruptions that may come, I am able to completely finish my degree online wherever I may be. 

Downside: since I am not transferring from a church university, I have to do two semesters of a program called "Pathway." It's where you take a few classes along with a religion course (Supposedly for those cute mama's that have been away from school for years and they are easing their way back into things--hopefully that means I can just easy-breezy-beautiful my way right through this and start finishing my degree in no time). 

One more downside: you have a required class every Thursday with the other Pathway students. 

"Downside? That's sweet! You get to meet other people that are doing the same thing as you!" 

That's what I usually hear, until I tell them where the meeting is. 

...in Tampa..

..that's 2 hrs north of me for those who don't know..

"Woof!" 

..is usually the line of dialogue I hear after I tell them. 

But like I said, I weighed the options for quite some time and it's the best fit for me right now. I'll push through this pathway in no time! I'm excited to get started in a few weeks and be productive again. Although lets get real, working on your tan everyday is a pretty productive summer in Florida :)