Merry Christmas

Willis Christmas Feast

Kyle's mom had everyone over on Saturday night for the dinner they usually hold on Christmas Eve. Not everyone will be able to get together on Christmas Eve this year so they picked another night. Except for Alex, who was with his Dad, the whole family was there. Kevin, Lynda and their kids were even here from Arizona for the weekend.

Hydee, Kyle's mom, went all out. The table was a masterpiece which would give Martha Stewart a run for her money. Dinner was incredibly delicious. She served prime rib, lobster and crab with many wonderful side dishes. It was as good as any 5-star restaurant would have
served. We sure appreciate all her hard work for us.

We spent the night and went to church with Kyle's parents before coming home to go to Gracie's 2nd birthday party. We got to spend time with all of our family this weekend. What more could we ask for?

A Busy Few Days

Thursday night we went to dinner with Jon & Jo's family and Grandma Pauline to celebrate her 81st birthday. I sure hope when I turn 81 I'm still going as strong as she is. While we were there Uncle Robert and Kim showed up and ended up joining us for dinner. They are in town for a few weeks for a visit. They have gone to Boise to see Tara's new baby but will be back for Christmas. After dinner Kyle and I finally got our Christmas tree in the house with a little help from Dad. As I got a strand of lights on the tree and half of them immediately went out I was reminded why I have had an artificial pre-lit Christmas tree up until now. Eventually we found enough working lights that we were able to get the tree decorated. Mom and Marlee pitched in and decorated the rest of the house for us. It's nice to have family around to help out.

Friday night we went to Willard with my family, Susan and Craig's family, and Karen Luthi to drive through the campground and see the Christmas lights display. It is quite the show and the kids loved it. They got to see Santa Claus again and Gracie didn't like him any better this time than she did before. After seeing the lights we ended the evening by going to the Center Street Grill for dinner.

On Saturday we drove to Salt Lake in the snow for the 3rd week in a row and went to the Forgotten Carols. It was as wonderful as it has been the other times I've attended the show and we really enjoyed it. We spent the night at Kyle's parents house and got up early Sunday morning and went to The Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert and The Spoken Word with his parents, Aunt Sally, Darren and Katrina. It was an amazing concert and we were so glad we were able to go.

A Very Busy Thanksgiving Weekend

Our Thanksgiving adventure started out with us going to Salt Lake on Tuesday night to stay at Kyle's parents. Kyle had a root canal at 7 am Wednesday morning down there and I didn't have to work on Wednesday so I went with him. He had an appointment with the foot doctor at 11:30 and his foot is healing up well. We then continued our round of doctors by going to his regular heart doctor at 2:30 for a check up there. All in all things looked good.

We spent the holiday on Thursday with Kyle's family at his parent's house. We had a fantastic meal and enjoyed a great time with the family. We missed Kory and Mandy and their boys but everyone else was there and it was fun. We left there Thursday night and came home.

Kyle really wants to have a real christmas tree. I'm quite happy with my fake prelit one but it obviously wasn't going to make him happy so we got up at 6:00 on Friday morning and went somewhere up West of Soda Springs in Idaho with Kyle's uncle Dick, his friend Gary and Gary's family in search of the perfect tree. I immediately found the perfect tree but was informed it was too skinny, wasn't bushy enough and had weak branches. At that point I realized my opinion was not really going to matter nor was it really wanted so I pretty much kept my mouth shut after that.

We did finally find a tree that I think might fit in the house and Kyle started to cut it down. I looked at him and realized that wasn't the best idea and so I took over and finished cutting it down. I should have know when he let me take the saw that he had overdone it. I finished that one and headed over to cut the tree he had picked out for his parents. I realized he hadn't followed me and saw him getting up off the ground a little ways away and asked him what he was doing and if he was okay. Of course he said he was. He walked over and layed down in the snow by me and I asked him what he was doing. His response was that he was checking to make sure his heart was still beating. While walking over to me his defibrilator had shocked his heart and the force of it had knocked him to the ground and he briefly lost consciousness. According to the paperwork given to us when we left the hospital this means his heart had stopped completely. Take a minute and imagine what would have happened had his heart stopped on that mountain and he hadn't had the defibrilator put in. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be with us today. We weren't within hearing distance of anyone else and I wouldn't have been able to get help in time to save him. I consider it a great blessing that he had the surgery when he did.

Saturday afternoon it was back to Salt Lake for the Willis family Pie night with the Willis side of Kyle's family. There was lots of delicious soup and yummy deserts. We got to see Kory and Mandy who we had missed on Thanksgiving so that was great. The Ute fans were in mourning and Linda was celebrating BYU's victory. The Ute fans were definitely the majority. It was a fun weekend, but my back has had enough and I've spent the last 2 days in bed on the heating pad and ice pack.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Surgery Update

Kyle's surgery was yesterday morning. We had to be at the hospital at 7:00 a.m. and he was in the operating room shortly after 8:00 a.m. The surgery lasted about 2 hours which is the minimum time they told us. Kyle was awake within 45 minutes and hasn't been back to sleep yet. They gave him cold medicine with codeine, a sleeping pill, several lortab, and 2 zanax over the course of the night and he never fell asleep. Needless to say he is looking pretty worn out. I'm hoping once I get him home and he can get in his own bed with the dogs he will be able to get some rest.

Dr. Weiss was just in and said he was able to place the leads in a perfect position. Basically everything went great and looks good. We should be heading home here soon. Luckily the forcasted storm hasn't hit yet so maybe we will beat the snow. Thanks for all your love and concern.

Yes or No???

Kyle has an awful cold and so there has been some debate this morning on whether the surgery was still going to happen as scheduled. After a trip to InstaCare, a chest x-ray to confirm that his lungs are clear, and a prescription for an antibiotic, I am happy to report the surgery is still on for tomorrow. Kyle on the other hand is not so happy about it. We won't know what time until later today. We appreciate all of your love and concern and ask you to continue to keep him in your prayers.

A Fun Weekend

Kyle and I started out our weekend on Friday night by tending Garrett. When we walked in the house he immediately headed for the closet and got out the vacuum. After convincing Uncle Kyle to plug it in for him he proceeded to vacuum the living room and kitchen for over an hour. If only he were about a foot taller so that the vacuum could actually reach the floor and do some good. The video is a little dark but you can see how thorough he is. He doesn't just do the same area over and over he got the whole floor and then moved onto the kitchen.



Saturday morning Kyle attempted to get me up at 8:00 am to go rake leaves. I wasn't about to get out of bed that early on my one day of the week to sleep in. Unfortunately, guilt finally drove me out of bed at 9:00 and I went out and helped him. Why do I have to have a conscience? Life would be so much more fun without it.

Robert is coming home in December for a visit so we then moved some furniture back into the basement apartment and put the bed back together for when he gets here. We moved out the non-working washer and dryer so we can clean up the laundry room before we install the washer and dryer Kyle's uncle Dick gave us. It will be nice to get that taken care of so I don't have to haul laundry back and forth to Mom and Dad's anymore.

We then headed to Salt Lake where we exchange some wedding gifts and used our gift cards to get a set of pans and some other things we needed. It's a lot of fun to shop when you aren't actually spending your own money. We ended the night by going to the Collin Raye concert at the Desert Star Theater with Kyle's Mom and Dad, and his sister Karianne and her fiance Jason. It was an amazing night and we had a great time. The theater only holds 200 people so we had a great view and he put on an awesome show.

Kyle's surgery is scheduled for Friday so let's all hope and pray that it happens without any more delays. Please keep him in your prayers. We sure appreciate everyone's love and concern. I will keep you updated on how it goes.

Halloween Parties

On Saturday night Kyle and I made chili and cinnamon twists for Halloween. We invited my family and friends who were in the area to stop in for some dinner. We ended up with a full house for most of the night. It was a lot of fun. Kyle's chili was a huge hit and we went through a huge pan of it before the night was over. Everyone all looked so great in their costumes. Sunday night we went down to Kyle's parents for dinner and to see our nephews in their costumes. Kyle's mom went all out on dinner. She made bread in the shape of a spider, a brain out of a watermelon, eyeballs out of mozerella, a cake with worms coming out of it, green breadsticks that looked like fingers, and much more. It was quite the presentation and a lot of fun.

Orlando Conference

I had a good time at the conference I went to in Orlando. The conference was at the Gaylord Palms hotel where we stayed and it was beautiful. They have a huge atrium filled with beautiful gardens and ponds filled with alligators, koi, and other cool fish whose names I can't remember. On Monday night we went to Epcot which was a lot of fun. Tuesday night they took us to Universal Studios as part of the conference. They had rented the park and we were able to pretty much walk right onto the rides, which was great. They have a great roller coaster which we went on 3 times. It was a fun trip and I had a good time.

Kyle's Deer Camp Inititation

Kyle spent the week at deer camp with Dad, Uncle Craig and several other members of the family. It's quite the set up and I think he had a really good time. I don't think he was all that excited to come home today.

His surgery was delayed again. It is now scheduled for November 13th. This wasn't my choice and I'm not all that happy about it.

I went up to camp on Tuesday night after work because I was really missing Kyle and hadn't seen him since Friday night. They treated me to a dinner of salmon, steak, and shrimp scampi. It was quite the feast. They do eat well at camp. The best part of deer camp is that the men do all the cooking.

They needed supplies so I planned to go up again on Thursday night. I was able to convince Janalee, Tyler, Natalie and Garrett to go with me. We all packed into Tyler's truck and headed up the canyon. Garrett was in a great mood and laughed and giggled all the way there. When we got there Garrett and I went over to look at the horses and found Craig, Dad, and Kyle who had just came back from a horse ride. Brett came back not long after that and so he took Garrett for a ride.

Except for a brief trip when she was a little girl to see a deer Dad had shot, she hasn't ever had the deer camp experience. She has also never rode a horse. So Brett got her on the horse and gave her a little instruction.

Before long she was riding around camp on her own. I think she enjoyed herself and was glad she finally came. We once again enjoyed a delicious dinner. Turkey steaks and potatoes were on the menu for the night. Garrett loved the fire and spent a lot of time walking around finding little sticks, throwing them in, and watching them burn.

I leave in the morning for Orlando for a conference for work. I didn't know I was going until a few days ago. I'm filling in for a lady who wasn't able to go at the last minute. I'm sure I'll have fun once I get there but right now I'm not wanting to go pack or get up at the crack of dawn to go to the airport.

The Sisters In Our Life

A good friend passed this along to me this week and told me to always remember it. I consider myself lucky that in marrying Kyle I increased my circle of "sisters". I already love and appreciate each of them. It is such great advice, and so very true:

A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day, drinking iced tea and visiting with her Mother. As they talked about life, about marriage, about the responsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter.

'Don't forget your Sisters,' she advised, swirling the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. 'They'll be more important as you get older. No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how much you love the children you may have, you are still going to need Sisters. Remember to go places with them now and then; do things with them.'

Remember that 'Sisters' means ALL the women... your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other women relatives too. You'll need other women. Woman always do.

"What a funny piece of advice," the young woman thought. 'Haven't I just gotten married? Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely my husband and the family we may start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!'

But she listened to her Mother. She kept contact with her Sisters and made more women friends each year. As the years tumbled by, one after another, she gradually came to understand that her Mom really knew what she was talking about. As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman, Sisters are the mainstays of her life.

THIS SAYS IT ALL:

Time passes..
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
Jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Men don't do what they're supposed to do.
Hearts break.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Careers end.

BUT...........

Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you. A girl friend is never farther away than needing her can reach.

When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end.

Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you...or come in and carry you out.

Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers, Grandmothers, aunts, nieces, cousins, and extended family, all bless our life!

The world wouldn't be the same without women, and neither would I. When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other.

Every day, we need each other still...

So thank you for all the "sisters" in my life who keep me going and carry me when I don't have the strength to do so myself. I love you all more than words can say.

The Honeymoon

Kyle and I spent two nights after the wedding in the Romeo's Retreat room at the Anniversary Inn on 5th South in Salt Lake courtesy of my amazing sister Janalee. The room was amazing and we had a great time. On Monday we headed to St. Mary, Montana to visit Glacier National Park. We had a good time and the weather cooperated with us, so aside from being cold we didn't have any major bad weather to deal with.

We went on a horse ride one of the days and it was a lot of fun. After the stress of the last couple of months it was great for me to be able to just destress for an hour or so. I forget how much I love it until I get to do it again. I probably won't be able to make it up to deer camp for a ride this year after already taking so much time off of work so I'm glad I got to go for a ride, even if it was a short one.

We came home on Sunday ready to deal with Kyle having the pacemaker surgery on Thursday, only to receive word on Monday that the doctor has had to postpone it. It has been rescheduled for next Friday the 16th. Our house is currently a complete disaster so maybe we can get it cleaned up and Kyle unpacked and moved in by then so he won't have to come home from the hospital to a complete mess. He is quite upset about having to miss the chance to attend the opening night dinner at deer camp on Friday night. I've tried to reassure him there will be other years, but I'm not sure he's buying it.

A Special Night

Kyle and I had our wedding reception last night. It turned out really nice and I thought everything was very nice. Kyle's mom Hydee made the cake and it was beautiful. The backdrop and decorations were everything I had hoped for. We even made it through the night with only one kid ending up in the swimming pool. Kyle's nephew Alex waited until his Mom's back was turned and then did a canon ball in his church clothes and everything.

I appreciate all of you who came and offered us your love and support. I appreciate those of you who helped me set up, take stuff down, and helped with the refreshments. I was surprised by some people who came and also by those who didn't. I'm so grateful to all my family and friends who always support me. I especially want to thank those who traveled to be here for everything. I'm very grateful and want you to know how much I appreciate it. Last night was a lot of fun and I am so excited for tomorrow or I guess since it's past midnight it is actually today. In 11 hours and 35 minutes to be exact. I think it's going to be a great day. I should mention that Kyle sliced his head open this morning on the car door and had to get 6 stitches. You didn't really think the day before our wedding could be uneventful did you???

We rented a house in Riverton for tonight and tomorrow night. We have our family, Grandma Pauline, Susan, Craig, Karen, Leah, Porter, MaryAnn and Ted staying with us tonight. Brian and Sher came by earlier for pizza. It is Porter's 7th birthday so we had a little party for him and had cake and ice cream. It's been a nice night. I am so blessed to have such a great family.

Reception Corrections

For those of you who don't already know, an error was discovered on our invitations. Unfortunately it wasn't found until the invitations were sealed in the envelopes with the postage already on them. After much debate we attached a note on the outside of the envelope informing people of the mistake and went ahead and sent them. For those of you who may have missed it the correct address for the reception is 2230 North 300 East in North Logan. Also a couple of different times have ended up being given. The reception was originally scheduled to be from 6 to 8, but another error shows it going from 7 to 9. So we will be there until 6 and will hang out until 9. Hope to see you there!

To get there you follow Main Street to 2200 North, you then turn east onto 2200 North and follow it to 300 East. You will turn north onto 300 East into the Towne Place Villas and the clubhouse is at the end of that little street. If for some reason we screwed up and you didn't get an invitation and would like to come you are more than welcome.

A Wonderful Moment

Kyle went through the temple for the first time on Saturday morning and took out his endowments. He was able to share the experience with his older sister Kari. They are very close and it was very neat for them to take out their endowments at the same time. After the session when we were in the celestial room Kari's fiancee Jason proposed to her and gave her a ring. It was a very special experience.

It's hard to describe how I felt when Kyle came into the celestial room after going through the veil. I don't think I have the words. It was just a very special experience see him all dressed in white and know that in 2 weeks we will be sealed together forever.

Of course the big black cast on his foot did deter a little from the all white vision a little bit. Kyle has had a large open sore on the bottom of his foot that he got when we were in Bear Lake over the 4th of July and it hasn't healed up. On Friday his doctor put him in this big cast contraption to take the pressure off of the bottom of his foot in hopes that it will heal up. I'm really thinking an investment in a bubble might not be a bad idea.

Saturday afternoon Kyle's family had a shower for me. It was a lot of fun getting to meet some of Kyle's family I hadn't met before. As is usual for any event Kyle's family has there was a ton of delicious food. I bet I hate over a dozen of the butter cookies Kari made. They are my favorite. It was a lot of fun and I'm so grateful they went to the effort to have it for us.

I woke up sick on Sunday morning with a sinus infection. I was so cold and I couldn't get warm. I took a blanket and went out and sat in the car with the heater running on high. I think Kyle thought I had lost my mind when he pulled up. I'm really hoping that I make it through this wedding in one piece and am still sane when it's over.

Pre Wedding Pictures

Darn That Bug!!

Kyle told me his hand was sore on Monday and we talked about how he must have hit it on a door or counter or something as he was walking by. But it wasn't bruised or anything. Tuesday morning we noticed it was a little red. By Wednesday night when I looked at it again his whole hand was red, swollen, and was hurting him a lot.

Last night after we went to dinner with everyone at Fredrico's for Emily's birthday we decided to go into InstaCare and have it checked out. Turns out he has been bitten by something. Probably a bug or spider. This would explain the throwing up and the doctor said could even have contributed to the fast heart rate and high blood pressure. Kyle is now on a high dose of antibiotics and we should notice an improvement in the look of his hand by tomorrow.

I'm thinking of investing in a bubble for Kyle to live in. He thinks I'm kidding about it, but I'm beginning to think it might be a good idea.

First Bridal Shower & an Eventful Few Days

My first bridal shower was on Saturday. Peggy Durrant and Sarah Lindley had it for me. The people invited all pitched in on the materials for a quilt and then we (or should I say everyone else) tied it for us. My 2 best friends who I hung around with all through high school, Cristy and Krista, came and we basically talked the whole time and left the quilt tying to everyone else. It was so much fun to visit and reminisce with them. I can't believe Krista has 4 kids and Cristy has 5!! I don't think I will even attempt to catch up with them. I really appreciate Peggy and Sarah going to all that work for me. It was a lot of fun.

Kyle and I continued our saga that is otherwise known as our engagement on Sunday night by spending the evening together in the emergency room. I've been aware that Kyle has heart problems since our 2nd date and it hasn't been a problem for me. On Sunday afternoon he started feeling like he was short of breath. He said he was okay and we went out to Newton for Brian and Emily's joint birthday party. When we got in the car to leave and we driving out of town he said he was surprised I didn't have Sher check him out. I said I didn't think he would want me to and asked if he thought she needed to. I was stunned when he said yes. I immediately knew something was really off with him. I turned around and went back and Sher listened to his lungs and heart. His lungs sounded okay but his heart was beating really, really fast. Sher said she thought we should go straight to the ER. We had Dad, Craig and Brian administer to him and then we went over. It's amazing how fast you can get attention at the hospital when you go in with a heart problem. His heart was beating at 136 beats per minute and his blood pressure was 169/133. They ran lots of tests and ruled out a blood clot in his lungs and basically told us they didn't know what to think. They sent us home and said to see his cardiologist as soon as possible.

We were able to get in to the doctor in Salt Lake yesterday morning. It was more than a 4 hour visit. They did an EKG and echo cardiogram. This morning they put a catheter down into his heart to measure the pressure in it. Anyway what it comes down to is all the medication he is on isn't making the heart any better and they want to put in a pacemaker and a defibrillator. We meet with another doctor next Wednesday and at that point we will know for sure if that is what we are going to do. The doctors think that will make a big difference. Kyle on the other hand is not happy about the idea at all. If they do that and it doesn't help we may be looking at a heart transplant sometime down the road. Life just keeps getting more and more interesting.

Engagement Photos

A Perfect Day

After much drama I now have a gorgeous ring on my finger. I was getting ready to leave work yesterday afternoon to go get ready to get our formal pictures taken in Salt Lake when Kyle walked into my office. He got down on one knee in front of me, held out the ring, and asked me if I would marry him. He took me off guard and I answered, "well yeah". If I had picked out the ring myself it couldn't be any more perfect for me. I told him I wanted white gold and a square diamond and he took it from there. He did such an awesome job. He had it made so that if you look at the ring from the side it forms a "W" for Willis which will be my married name. It forms one big "W' and it also forms 2 smaller ones on each side that join together.

Kyle is such a thoughtful guy. He is always worried about my feelings and making me happy. He drove all the way up from Salt Lake because he didn't want to just hand me the ring when we met for the pictures. He wanted it to be special for me even though he then had to turn right around and head back to Salt Lake to get his tux on for the pictures. I know a lot of men who wouldn't have done that. It made it even more special for me. He brought Mom, Marlee and Marijka along so there is a video posted over on the Anderson Family blog: http://whatsnewwiththeandersonfamily.blogspot.com/

We then rushed home where my amazing friend Leah was waiting to do my hair while Marlee did my makeup. They did an awesome job and I loved how it all turned out. I have an amazing support system and I couldn't accomplish a fraction of what I do in life without them. Thank you everyone!

The pictures went great. We were all a little late, but we all showed up around the same time so it turned out fine. We took a bunch at Wheeler Farm and then went up to the temple. Kyle's great grandparents owned Wheeler Farm and his mom lived there when she was a little girl so we thought it would be neat to have some pictures taken there. We had some taken on the porch of the old home she lived in. I think they are going to turn out great. We took Brooklyn with us and she followed along right next to the photographer and took pictures with Mom's camera. She takes amazingly good pictures for a 5 year old. She has loved being a part of planning this wedding with me and it's been fun to see how excited she is about everything. She told me I was beautiful and looked just like a princess.

The guy at the temple told us we are the first couple to have our wedding pictures taken at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple, so that is kind of cool. There was a big group of girls there who were probably around 12 years old getting their picture taken in front of the temple. You can kind of see them in the background of the picture. They kind of followed us around at a distance and watched us and you could hear them saying how pretty I looked and it was fun to see their reaction to seeing us. I remember going to the temple as a little girl and seeing the brides and thinking how someday that would be me. Now my dream is really coming true. I was so glad that I could be that bride for those girls and I hope that they remember that goal throughout their lives. It's not everyday you run into a bride and groom at on a Tuesday night at a temple that's not even open. Kyle looked so handsome in his tux. I am marrying such a good looking man. I am hoping things are turning around for us as we didn't run into any major problems. Yesterday was a perfect day. I couldn't have asked for more.

And It Just Keeps Coming

Things have not calmed down or gotten any better since my last post. Here is the latest in my drama I am calling wedding planning: I was to go pick up my dress last Wednesday. When I got there the 2 ladies looked a little startled. It soon came to light that they had written down that the dress was to be done on the 15th instead of the 5th. When I looked at the original order sure enough it says the 5th. They asked if today was soon enough. With the way my luck is going I wasn't about to wait until the day before my bridal pictures to pick up the dress. Friday night I met with the lady we are renting the backdrop from and I was to be in Salt Lake all day Saturday with Kyle so those days were out as well. They said to come back tomorrow right before closing and the alterations would be done. At that point all I could do was laugh about it. We had Brooklyn with us and she was so mad!! All the way out of the store she was saying things like, "Can you believe they don't have Kami's dress done? I am so mad right now! Don't they know we wanted to see it?" Marlee and I were trying to get her to quit talking so loud, but she was ticked off. I was sceptical that the dress could be done, but when I went back it was ready and looks great.

Some of you probably don't know that I don't have an engagement ring yet. It has been one problem after another. First the guy who took the order left the country and didn't tell anyone where the order was so that delayed things a couple of weeks. We were to have it for sure 2 weeks ago. Then when they were sizing it down they broke the band and had to order in a new one. Thursday night Kyle got to break the news to me that there is a chance we aren't going to have the ring (the one I have yet to see) for the pictures tomorrow. The jeweler called him Thursday morning and told him it would be ready next Thursday. We had been told it would be done last week. There was a whole string of reasons. The main one being that with the band being custom it took longer to get the second one in and get things set, etc. The jeweler said he will "do his best" to have it done by tomorrow. I told Kyle to tell him if he didn't have it done he could keep it and we would get one somewhere else. Kyle freaked a little at that. I guess he designed this ring and is a little attached to it. I didn't realize that Kyle had designed the ring. So I've come to accept that I will not have a ring for tomorrow. If it does come in won't it be so romantic that Kyle gets to hand it to me when we meet to get the pictures done? I'm really ticked off about the whole ring situation, but I've tried to hold it together for Kyle's sake, because it really isn't his fault.

We went to pick up Kyle's tux on Saturday and the pants were too short, the jacket too small and the shirt was the wrong style. I'm sure glad we left enough time for them to get all that fixed. It should be fixed and ready by this afternoon. Keep your fingers crossed.

On a positive note. Things did go well with getting the backdrop and other decorations ordered. The place we are dealing with is called Embellish the Moments. She has just finished making a brand new backdrop that I fell in love with as soon as I saw the pictures. It is going to be so much fun and I am really excited about it.

You know a couple of months ago I wondered it the problems meant maybe we weren't to be getting married. But I do know without a doubt after a couple of fathers blessings that we are meant to be together. So I have now decided that Satan has just decided to throw as much opposition at us as he can. So I guess it's up to us to weather the storm.

I'm Engaged!!

Yes, the rumors are true Kyle and I are getting married!! We are set to be married on September 26th in the Oquirrh Mountain LDS Temple. We decided this a month or so ago but due to one small catastrophe after another we weren't 100% positive that we would be able to pull that date off until yesterday. Things are now set and we are excited to get moving with getting everything planned. We get our engagement pictures taken tonight so I will hopefully have some of them posted before too long. The jeweler broke the band of my ring when they were sizing it, but hopefully I will be able to post a picture of it within the next week or so (I lost count of where that fell in the list of problems.) The good news is we have made it through this very challenging month and feel we are stronger for having dealt with it all. We are very excited and I wanted to share this news with all of you who didn't already know.

Pneumonia in July?

I think it must take a special talent to come down with pneumonia in the middle of the summer, but somehow I accomplished it. I started with a cold on the Monday we were in Yellowstone. It got progressively worse as the week went on and by the time we got home on Sunday I was feeling pretty lousy. Luckily I went in to InstaCare yesterday and I have pneumonia. They gave me some good cough medicine so I'm getting some sleep now. Let's hope this passes quickly.

We had a great time in Yellowstone last week and had a wonderful vacation despite being sick. Dad, Kyle and I saw a grizzly bear right off of the side of the road. It was really neat. It's not often you get to see a bear that close. I will post a picture as soon as I find the memory card they are on. We saw lots of beautiful sights and amazing scenery. It was an awesome trip and all 7 of us spent a week in the trailer and all came home in one piece.

Twenty Wishes

Debbie Macomber writes a series of books centered around a knitting shop located on Blossom Street. I highly recommend them and all the books she has written. Last year she came out with one by the name of "Twenty Wishes." The title came from the fact that the ladies in the book decided to make a list of twenty things they would like to do or accomplish in their life. Some were as simple as going on a vacation to a certain place, others as complex as meeting a father they had never known. Some people also call this kind of thing a Bucket List. The name of which came from a movie where two terminally ill men made a list of things they wanted to do before they "kicked the bucket." I will admit I had to go to http://www.askjeeves.com/ to find out why it was called a bucket list.

I really liked the idea of the Twenty Wishes and have made my own list. It is harder than you might think it would be. I actually only have 11 things on my list so far. The best part about the list is you can change it as your life changes and as you see your wishes come true then you can add new ones.

I am actually working on being able to cross a wish off of my list that has been there for many years and it is a great feeling. I encourage all of you to take some time and make a list of things you want to do in your lifetime. It is amazing how fast your life can change. Something that may have seemed completely unattainable just a short time ago may soon become within your reach. My life has changed so much in just a few months. It's hard to believe that I've known Kyle for such a short time and yet he is already such an important part of my life. You just never know what God has in store for you.

Remembering The Reason For Our Freedom

I wanted to take a minute before I head off to play for the weekend to remember the reason I can do so. I don't know who wrote the following statements, but they stuck with me so I decided to share them with you. Please stop, take a minute and say a prayer for all the men and women who are serving our country and protecting our freedom. Have a great 4th of July!!!

The average age of those men serving in the military is 19. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's but he has never collected unemployment either.

He is a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away. He listens to rock or hip-hop or rap or jazz or country and a 155 mm howitzer.

He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk. He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either on effectively if he must.

He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional. He can march until he is told to stop, or stop until he is told to march. He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient. He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry. He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothers, and fix his own hurts.

If you're thirsty he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low. He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands. He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job.

He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay, and still find ironic humor in it all. He has seen more suffering and death than he should have in his short lifetime. He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed.

He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to "square-away" those around him who haven't bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking. In and odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful.

Just as his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the American Fighting Man that has kept his country free for over 200 years. He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding. Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and and admiration with his blood.

And now we have women over there in danger, doing their part in this tradition of going to war when our nation calls us to do so.

Of all the gift you could give a US Soldier, Sailor, Coastguardsman, Marine, or Airman prayer is the very best one.

The Scoop on Kyle & Kami

I thought I would post an update on my life for those of you who aren't plugged into the family rumor mill. I seem to be giving them plenty to talk about lately. This is a picture of me and Kyle at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House a couple of weeks ago. A little while ago I met Kyle on LDSPlanet, which is on online LDS dating site. We messaged each other back and forth for a couple of days and then moved onto texting and a week after running into each other online he came up and took me out to dinner.

When we got back to my house we sat in the truck and talked for over an hour. Things clicked for us immediately and after that first date we were together whenever it was possible. There have been many 3 hour phone conversations and thousands of text messages exchanged since we met. Thank goodness we have the same cell phone carrier or we would be paying a fortune in cell phone bills on top of the fortune we are paying for gasoline. I think it would be safe to say things are getting pretty serious with us.

Kyle lives in Salt Lake so we are doing the distance dating thing. We are just glad we don't live further apart than we do. Neither of us has been married before or has kids so it is nice not to have that to deal with. I think it is hard enough to take two people who have been independent for as long as we have (Kyle is 36 and I'm 33) and put them together without adding that into the mix. I know some of my family think things are moving a little fast, but I think you know when it's right. I've waited a long time to find someone like Kyle so I'm not too concerned about the whole time thing.

This past weekend we went to Lake Powell and spent the weekend with Kyle's parents, his sister Karianne and her son Alex on their house boat. We had a great time and I love Kyle's family. They couldn't be nicer to me and I think they are great. I took some pictures to post but I can't find my camera at the moment.

We had a lot of fun playing on the Sea-Doos and just hanging out together. We watched a cool lightening storm come through on the other side of the lake on Saturday night. It is so beautiful and peaceful down there. I can see why his family loves it so much.

After we got back to Salt Lake last night and I had left to come home Kyle and his dad were unhitching the boat from the Suburban and the jack on the boat trailer broke. The trailer bounced up and hit Kyle knocking him down. He couldn't get out the way fast enough and it came down on his legs pinning him to the driveway. Luckily the chains were still hooked to the Suburban and the jack was in the way and so he didn't get the full weight of the trailer on him. His Dad had to run and find a jack to get him out from under the trailer. Of course being the guy he is he wouldn't let his Dad take him to the hospital. The fact that his Dad thought he should go to the hospital tells me a lot. I watched his Dad try to cut his finger off Thursday night with a saw and he wouldn't let me look at it, said it was nothing, put a band-aid on it and continued on his way. The amount of blood all over the driveway told me a different story. But you can't tell these men anything.

From talking with Kyle I don't think he is fine but I won't know the full extent of the cuts and bruises until I can see him. I think we are just blessed that he doesn't have two crushed and broken legs. When I think of how bad the whole thing could have turned out it makes me sick. He has had a lot of health issues this past year and lately it's just been one thing after another with him. I am thinking of putting him in a bubble.

Kyle is an amazing guy and I feel so blessed that God brought him into my life. He is everything I could want in a man. He treats me like a princess and I love him very much. He has the cutest smile and the prettiest brown eyes. I'll keep you updated on how things are going. For right now I am just enjoying being in love and having someone love me too.