Some pictures from the trip home.

Griff turned one, so of course we went home for his birthday. I was in auntie heaven with ALL of my nieces and nephews at the party. Griff gets cuter each time I see him, and they are all growing up so fast. Jasper knows exactly who uncle Kyle is, and it is so fun to see Kyle taking on the role of being an uncle with so much enthusiasm. My brothers may pick on Kyle relentlessly, granted 99% of the time Kyle is asking for it, or just trying to fit in, but he fits. He has become family, and that makes me happy beyond words. The sister-in-laws really only have me to make it past, but Kyle has all of them to win over. I think Griff's party was the first time in a long time that I felt like there was a spark of hope for healing and that feeling was overwhelmingly good. Some things may never change, some people may never change, some prayers never really get answered, but every once in a while life throws us a curve ball and people start showing up. I am just happy some day Griff can look back at pictures and see how incredibly loved by his family he is.
 “Other things may change us, but we start and end with family”

Round Two

      Kyle and I have lived in Pullman for one year now. I am ecstatic to say that Kyle got more then one scholarship, and we both got more then enough grants. Government, thank you for the wedding gift. It is strange how fast the last year went, and even stranger to think in May Kyle and I will be wearing black moo-moo's (some people call them graduation gowns) and receiving our diplomas. (Kyle will still have one semester left, but we are walking together since the winter ceremony is just not the same.) We finally gave our apartment some finishing touches in decor. Like a beautiful canvas print from our wedding that now hangs in the spot I left bare for a year. We brought the hope chest my Grandpa left me over here, along with a jewelry box from my Grandmother Rose. It still smells like him, and I love that about people. They sort of linger on in unexpected ways, as if to remind us they were here, and they loved us. He left me his family Bible. I assume other families have these things, each side of our family has one? My mom's has been carried down a few generations, and is the biggest Bible I have ever seen in my life! Flipping through them makes me feel connected to something bigger. Everyone who ever placed a note, or a flower in between the pages. Lastly, and not on such a meaningful level (well, Kyle may feel a deep connection with it) is a new flat screen TV. Trust me when I say, it was MUCH needed. We had a big honkin one from who knows when. Kyle also added two little wall decorations I had spotted at Palouse Treasures. He didn't let me get them, and about a week later I was having a long day at work, and I came home to them hanging on the wall in a perfect spot. He loves me.   
      School is in full swing, and already we are loaded down with papers and homework. Kyle has been in the library more then one late night. I think we are both just doing our best to stay ahead, or at least on top of everything while we still can. I am taking ballet, maybe if I feel brave I will post a video of my oh so flattering leotard. It is actually a lot of fun to attempt to be poised and graceful. I think after giving me seven older brothers, God is having a little chuckle to himself each time I put my ballet flats on. That is life for us right now. Nothing fancy, but still fun. 


Love, us 

a little older

 Don't mind me as I go into full blown panic about getting older. I'm well aware that simply put, my thought process of aging is absurd. I just don't see it any other way then this: twenty-three is almost twenty-five. Twenty-five is practically thirty. Thirty might as well be fifty, and then all that's left is the rapid decay of the rest of my youth. Bummer. On the bright side despite my pessimistic tenancies I am just enjoying this crazy wonderful life. People tell me I am negative, but the thing is, I would much rather have an unexpected happy ending, then be expecting something amazing and watch as only the mediocre happens. On my 23rd birthday I suppose I saw myself finished with school...if I ever got through it, single, and who knows where. I am here. I am married to a man that loves me despite my monthly snuggle sessions with a heat pack, obsession with cute old people, book hording, and refusal to take Taylor out most nights. I am here in a town I never thought I would even visit, with my husband, and I am happy. Life has its moments of chaos and stress, but I am grateful to be truly happy. Some days I feel like the last year was the best of my life, but really I have a feeling the best years are still to come. 

Kyle and I camping on my birthday.

P.S. today marks four and a half years of us(: