An Update... If You Will...

Hello friends! How the blast are you all doing? I am amazing as is Leo and we are very happy right now. We are working hard. SUPER hard! I work full time at a daycare and am starting more and more to look at schools and careers for while Leo is in Med School. Leo works about 12 hours a week at one company, works about 20 hours as an RA for our complex, and does school full time, and also volunteers at the hospital. He is very busy, but loving the chaos. We both have callings in our ward and are excited to be a part of the church growing in MO. Everyday is like a mini mission, except we can watch TV and listen to the radio, and we share a bed with our companion...dun dun dun!

I was going to

I was going to write a post, but I changed me mind. This is what ye get ye landlubber, and that how it be. MWA-HA!

Oh What a Wonderful Morning

OK, so it isn't really morning, it is 9:31 at night and like a goon I am playing on the computer waiting for my dear sweet husband to come along home after his seriously crazy long day of work. I have decided that I am truly thankful for all that I have. Here is a list in no particular order. I am thankful for a husband who loves me and makes sure our needs are met. For a mother who raised me and taught me what is important in life and how to be the best me. For siblings that are my best friends and I know they are always there for me. For our home and our jobs and that we can be self sufficient. For good friends who have helped me to stay on the straight and narrow. For in-laws that took me in and accepted and loved me with no questions asked. For our working vehicle. To live so close to the temple. To live close enough to my brother and his family that a day trip is not out of the question. For a lovely little woman named Aldana who has lightened my load and has become a sister to me. For the computer, telephones, television and electric appliances. For indoor plumbing. For all my neices and nephews that are so sweet and teach me in their sweet innocence what life should be about. For the pain and struggles that have helped me develop empathy. For the joy and light that allow me to have peace. For warm cozy blankets. For sisters who encourage me and that I can tell anything too. For brothers who protect me and push me to be better. For my job and the people I work with. For knowing that the Lord loves us and will never abandon us. For knowing that we have the restored gospel on the earth. For opportunities to talk about my faith. For others who are open to the spirit and can guide me. For a husband that holds his role as the head of our family proudly. For knowing that no matter how homesick and distant I feel, a good friend is just on the other end of the phone. For our callings in church. For this beautiful world that the Lord provided for us. For Amber and Craig that bring happiness and reason (and let's not forget desert) to us. For a Savior who died for us. For our ancestors who came before and started the road which we are on. For chocolate. For popcicles. We are truly blessed and thank you to all of you that have played a role in getting us to where we are. You are all so important to us. You inspire us and encourage us, uplift and test us, but most importantly you have loved us. We love you dearly and hope that every once in a while you can catch a glimpse of the good you do for those around you.

So Long, Farewell.

So long, farewell to my days of sitting around the house and watching Grey's Anatomy. Adieu to those days of calling Labor Ready at 6 am to see if they had work. Sianara to feeling listless and useless after a day of solitary confinement. I have a job! I start on monday and I am so excited! I can't hardly stand it!! Bring on the employment! oh baby oh baby. This is a short post, but a post none the less in honor of my new career.

At ze-how you say- Zoo

Yesterday I was DYING to get out of the house, I have been pretty much a sitting duck for a little bit as we only have one car running properly and guess which one that is? The GAS GUZZLER (dun dun dun!) sounds like a mighty tough wrestler huh? Anyway, Leo is so stinkin' busy and now his assignments are beginning to be due and he didn't have time to take me on Saturday. What is a newly married young adult to do? The only possible solution...Call her best gal pal in St. Louis! Amber and I walked from her house to the zoo at Forest Park. This was a delight and it gave us a chance to catch up and talk about the men we love so much. It gave us a chance to talk about Amber's job and my lack of employment. ( I do have a job interview in the morning though, so cross your fingers!) it gave us a chance to break in Jamie's flip flops and give her 5-count them- 5! Blisters. (one popped on the walk home thankyou very much) Anyway, we went to the butterfly house which was truly triumphant and most tranquil. We saw some very cute pygmy monkeys and a burrowing owl, now that is adorable! All in all it was a great day, not too hot, hangin woth my bud Amber, seeing some wild animals, yes my friends, a much needed break from my laziness.

The Convention of the Ugly Truth

While marriage is a beautiful order sanctioned by God, it does come with its trials. One of these include sharing the bed with another person when you are both use to having your own queen bed! Another is realizing that, well, thats pretty much it. Being married is so lovely and Leo definitely is a joy to be with. The Lord truly blessed me. Insert Janine's *GAG* here. She says I only have 11 more months and then I am expected to be back to normal. Leo works like crazy and does school full time and still somehow figures out a way for us to spend a little bit of time with eachother everyday. I believe that he is buttering me up for the next 8 years that I will never see him, and then the rest of his working life in which I will only see the money he brings home. The children will all have engraved lockets which read "My Dad" with a picture of Leo so they remember what he looks like. Maybe he will just start doing what Janine's husband does. When she says he isn't as romantic he tells her that he used to woo her with chocolates and ballets, now he woos her with financial security.
Ladies....so, your man works ALOT, and he needs time to veg out at the end of the day, and every once in a while he goes to bed without cuddling you, SHUT UP! Would you rather he is always around, telling you what to buy for dinner, how you prepared it wrong, asking why his socks are still on the floor, while he sits on the bed reading a WWII novel? Be grateful that your husband believes in his role of a provider and a MAN and takes care of those financial needs. I know that I am!

Our Honeymoon

Leo did an AMAZING job planning a wonderful honeymoon! We had a week to drive from UT to MO for him to start work and school on the next Monday. Our wedding night was spent in a gorgeous condo in Park City, UT. Our travels then took us to his family's ranch in soutern UT, Bryce canyon, Sedona, AZ, Santa Fe, NM, Amarillo, TX, and Tulsa, OK. Leo didn't let me know where we were going, each stop was a complete surprise! It was definitely the trip of a lifetime! Until he plans another one. (He is REALLY good at surprises!)

Our Wedding

We were married on 08/08/08, that was not planned, but there ya go, busiest day of the year! There were over 100 weddings in the Salt Lake Temple that day! Leo's brother Joe and his wife Janette let us share the day with them as August 8th is their anniversary as well. We had a beautiful ceremony and then had some beautiful pictures with our beautiful families and then had a beautiful dinner at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, and then went on our beautiful honeymoon.

Our Beginning

Leo and I met a few years ago, I was going on a trip to Kanab and he was coming back from a trip to Las Vegas. Our common friend Adrien introduced us. We had a quick bite to eat and went our separate ways. On 12/31/07-01/02/08 Leo was visiting Adrien on his Christmas break from UMSL. Adrien was working so Leo and I had a lot of time to get to know each other. He texted me the next week and my phone did not display his name, (even though I had his number in my phone) so I called him back to tell him that I did, in fact, have his number, we ended up talking and the rest as they say is history.