Memorial Day Weekend in FL

Memorial Day weekend was such a blast. Shaun's aunt and uncle live in Florida, a quick 7 hours from us so we decided that it was the best chance to go. They were the last batch of family that I haven't met so I was excited!

They live in Indiatlantic, Florida which is it's own little island off of FL surrounded by water. Shaun's Uncle Kevin teaches Marine Biology at the college there and has a boat where we could go out on the water and see dolphins literally 6 feet from us. They were so close I was shocked..and nervous for a brief moment. While on the water, a sail boat near us tipped over (without life jackets) and Shaun was able to jump in and save the wife of this older couple who said she was drowning. It was a scary/exciting rescue moment! We definitely tightened up our life jackets after that ordeal. 

The boat/dolphin day was a huge highlight. After we rested up a bit, we went and boogie boarded. It was my first time and was super proud of myself thank-you-very-much. It wasn't until the next day where we saw sting rays at that same beach and Kevin said "oh yeah I forgot to tell you. You have to shuffle around so you don't step on the sting rays. There are a lot." Fortunately, we missed them.

A weekend full of games, pictures (of course), amazing food, and family was just what we needed. I left wanting to stay longer with this amazing family. Shaun would tell me stories about when his Aunt Colleen married into the family, she was all they wanted to hang out with. I definitely felt the same way! So grateful to be able to get to know that amazing woman in a few short days time. Not to mention her ADORABLE little girl Lilly. I had some serious competition when she was around :) 

Can't wait till we see them again in Yosemite this summer...

On the way home we stopped at St. Augustine which is a city that holds an old fort that was used when Spain still owned Florida...back in the 1500's. Shaun was eating it up right and left, who served in Spain and is a Spaniard at heart. He loved telling me all about the history, even if all I cared about was the picture opportunity (haha). What a successful weekend!

Well an update on our life.

Our time in Georgia has been extended a few months. The original plan was that we thought we would be out of here in June-ish but the new date probably will be in the fall. So just letting that sink in. I'm excited though, Georgia summers are fun.

I'm still with my beautiful sweet laurels. They'll have to yank me out of their kicking and screaming before I leave. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be with the youth these past couple of years. I don't know what I'm going to do when that doesn't continue to happen. Shaun hosted a big Werewolf night (kind of similar to the game mafia) for all the laurels and priests in our stake on Saturday. It was a blast.

Finals are done so back to crafts, reading, and the pool. I am actually hoping to get a job this summer since we aren't leaving in June.

I am about halfway done with The Help. I think because I sort of know the story from watching the movie, I am not dying to read it to see what happens next. It is a fun book to read. The other amazing book I am currently into {besides the book of mormon of course} is The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal. I love it. It's about how self-control works, why it matters, and what you can do to get more of it. I think it's an amazing read, even for those that already think they have all the self-control in the world :)

Shaun is loving his amazing job. Just had a fun BBQ last saturday for some of the people that are leaving for their 3 month work covers. It's so great that Shaun gets to work with people our age who are good people and respect our beliefs. I love the question & answer panel that ends up happening when we go to get-togethers. I am always so surprised how people really do not know about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.


I got this fortune last week:

and it's coming true! My brother Mark is officially coming in June and I am ecstatic!

All in all we are doing fantastic. Just enjoying our lives away from our bubble. I think we take pride in flying the coop to a far away place. What an adventure it continues to be. . .

'Motra Wait'

My best friend sister is off serving the Lord! I was so blessed to be able to have the opportunity to go spend her last week or two with her. I had been sick the previous day but was getting better I thought so I was for sure going to be able to travel the next day. I didn't pack the night before because I was so tired so I set my alarm early to pack. I woke up that morning still super sick and decided there was no way I was getting on a plane all day long! Shaun being the smart person that he is KNEW that in a couple hours I would be feeling better and regretting every minute of not going and seeing Kristine for A YEAR AND A HALF. So he threw my clothes in the bag and said "lets drive to the airport and see how you feel then." Well I didn't feel any better but I was so close to Utah! A security line was in my way at this point. So I decided to at least try to get there. Shaun waited until my plane took off JUST in case I changed my mind---which almost happened. In the end he was right, that night being with my family and feeling tons better I knew I would have totally regretted it.

Kristine's farewell talk was incredible and the day was perfect. The only time I would plan stuff with my friends was when Kristine was saying goodbye to hers. I felt like I needed to spend every second I could with her, which pretty much happened. 

We did all of her last minute shopping with dance parties intertwined. 

Like I said, I followed her around everywhere that week. I think this was the night before she went into the MTC. Her last tooth brushing at home. (seemed like a good idea at the time)

The setting apart was amazing. THAT was the night worth coming for. I'm so blessed with an incredible family and an amazing sister. I wish Steven could have been with us.

All my tears were the night before because I think the day of, I was probably in shock/denial and it was just such an EXCITING day. Kristine was just so excited to get out of here. I think since her call came back before christmas, she was getting a little antsy. We took pictures and then had a 3 second drop off. 

Missing Steven.

Like I said, she was just so happy. Adriatic South Mission here she comes! (Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro) I'm so incredibly proud of my girl, Motra Wait. She's loving the MTC and her emails are so inspiring. I'm so grateful that she chose to serve and will bless so many people's lives with her happiness for the gospel!

oh them thoughts.

I just had an avocado sandwich. It was delicious. I always thought avocados were called "guacamole" up until about 3 years ago. Awkward.

Being laundry lady I have found out that I am washing pretty much the same outfits every time so I am seriously concerned why my closet is jammed pack full of clothes that I don't wear. So I decided to go through them to clear out a lot of clothes. And I found myself saying "no I would wear that for this occasion" or "I could probably wear that around the house." The sad thing is, if Shaun would just go and chuck everything, I probably wouldn't realize it was missing. So why can't I throw it away?

Why is everybody cutting their hair so short? (sorry Brit, I know you love it). I guess it's the new thing these days. I just don't like it. Rihanna, Kellie Pickler, Alicia Keys...You have your agency. People will still worship you if you buzz your head. I guess it looks like some people agree with me :

Mom's are probably so strong. I babysat my friends cute twins a few days ago while she was out of town. They are 2 years old. One was sick so I was basically holding him the whole day. One time I even had one in each arm. The next morning I woke up and I could not believe how much my arms and back was burning. Even just standing killed my back. Yes, this may be because my usual exercise consists of only taking the laundry up and down the stairs but it was brutal. And I still think Mothers are strong. 

A month or two ago I found a stink bug in a pile of my shirts and freaked out. So it was my motivation to keep stuff off my bedroom floor. I think that lasted about 2 weeks. I'll let you know how many stink bugs I find today (hey, at least they aren't roaches). 

I am thinking that my church leaders probably loved me because I loved going and partcipating in every activity. What happened? Why is it looked at as a chore or something that the parents make the youth go to? I guess all I can do is make it enjoyable so the youth leave saying "okay, that wasn't a complete waste of time.."

I had a thought yesterday how great it is that men just get up early for work and work everyday (some women too). But I was just thinking as I was watching Shaun get up for work and I just rolled over back to bed--how thankful I am! Working husbands could easily boycott. I love that they don't.

Shaun sang in church on Sunday. I basically cried the whole time. My husband is so talented, I'm so grateful that he sacrificed a lot of his venues where he shares those talents to move to GA so that we could have better opportunities and a better life. He has tried hard to make it happen out here and do what he loves but it's just not the same outside of Utah. There is just something about the people there that are so talented, meaning that they work for their laughs. They don't resort to crude nasty humor to get some laugh like they do out here. I hope he can find a way to do what he loves wherever we end up. I love seeing how happy that part of his life makes him. And I'm grateful to be his #1 fan!

Birthday was PERFECT

Shaun took the day off so we slept in...well Shaun slept in because I was too excited I guess. I woke up at 6:30 and just laid there. It was like the feeling Kristine and I got the night before we were waking up to drive to California when we were little.

Drove to my favorite doughnut place and had some fat for breakfast. Then drove to the DMV for Shaun to get his license renewed. We waited THREE hours and we were 3 numbers away from ours being called but we had to leave to get to our couples massage. It was so frustrating so of course the massage was what we needed. It was amazing.

IMPORTANT side note. So you have all read my amazing story with my maintenance man, Wally. The timing with these run ins with him has been so unbelievable. I have ran into him a few times since our big talk on the way to the mail, and going to get laundry. He just happens to be doing work where I am walking. So this didn't surprise me...But I left the DMV to go get my documents because we figured since we were there forever, I might as well get my name changed on my license. As I am walking up the stairs, I see Wally walking down and his face gets super happy. "I just knocked on your door. Do you have a blue book for me?" I WAS THRILLED. I hadn't seen him in a while so I wasn't able to get the spanish book of mormon to him. I invited him in and gave him the book and talked to him for a little bit. BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER. (considering that I have been surrounded by mormons in Utah all my life, I am basically a first timer on this and was so thrilled)

Then we got home from the massage and grabbed our stuff to head to the temple. We have been trying to go to the temple for a while now but it never works out so this was the PERFECT way to spend the birthday. We rushed to get to the temple clothes shop so SJ could buy a white tie. We buy it and then go back to the car because he forgot his recommend in there. He pops open the trunk to put his tie in the temple bag and then closes the trunk and walks to the front to open the car door. WHOOPS locked his keys in the trunk. I was so bummed because we wanted to get into the 6:00 session and it was currently 5:30! I HATE SATAN. Long story short, I went in to wait for him and I am waiting by the door to go into the room @ 5:59 and I hear the best noise I could hear: Shaun clearing his throat loudly like he usually does. HE MADE IT! WE MADE IT! It was a beautiful small session. And a great birthday event.

We ended the night with dinner and then came home to a surprise. My husband coordinated all of our friends and family in Utah to make me little birthday videos for me to watch. I loved it so much. It was such a great day. So spoiled by my wonderful husband.