Remember that time I started a blog a promised myself that I would keep it up? Yea, me either! I am curious to see who still blogs, or really, who might come across this blog. I don't even know where to begin, so much has changed. So much is different now. For example, Mylee just turned 2, yes TWO! What? And Tayden is rounding on 4! They are growing up too fast. We celebrated our Miss Mylee turning two on Wednesday. I took her and Tayden to Disnleyland. I really don't think I will ever get sick of that place. Mylee got to wear a pink princess dress that she said was Cinderella's (in the cutest little voice) but she did finally agree that it was a Sleeping Beauty dress. She even got to meet Sleeping Beauty! She is so fun, and spicy, and becoming more independent...when she wants to be, when I am not busy doing a million things! She loves make-up and all things PINK! She walks around the house saying, "I need my pink!", She can melt my heart and test my patience all in the same second. She LOVES the men in her life, and has her daddy wrapped tightly around her finger, her big brother too! Tayden is a character. He is tall, smart, funny, and definitely boy! He is all about farts and poop, star wars (legos and movies), sword fighting, being "nakie". He is in a program called Sportball right now, and he loves it. Right now they are focused on soccer, and he's pretty good! He is fast, without trying to be. It's pretty funny to watch him beat the crowd of kids, but he looks like he's just wondering around. We think it's his long legs (you're welcome Tayden). Jerry's program just officially switched from a 2 1/2 general surgery 3 1/2 Plastic & Reconstruction, to a 2/4 program, so six months less gen surg and six months more plastics. Wahoo! He is on plastics this month (it's only been a couple days) and has one month of transplant, then plastics forever! I know he loves it! He started this months rotation after a very busy rotation/call schedule. And he's been very busy the first couple days of plastics, but he still comes home happy. That doesn't mean he stays awake long, but he's happy. I am glad he loves what he does and I am excited that he gets more training and to be into it all a little quicker. I am getting better at seeing some of the operative photos (he was on hand call this week). I saw an arm amputated in a car accident, I saw an almost amputated finger, and I saw a wide open wrist (fixing an old injury). I just can't be eating when I see them. Blech! I like hearing the stories and I feel proud of him and his hard work. And I have been so blessed to get to stay home with my amazing kids, but also being able to help with the bills through doing hair! I have been so busy the last few months. I keep telling Jerry, that was my best month since we have been here, over and over. I truly am blessed and I have gotten to know so many amazing people because of this! Also, I just have to say how proud I am of myself. I never knew I would be so OK living this far away from family! I have been blessed with amazing friends here. I am grateful everyday for this experience. No, it's hasn't been all sunshine and roses (it rains every once in a while...j/k). But I am stronger than I ever knew, or imagined I could be. I do miss my family everyday, but when I do get to see or talk to them, it makes me appreciate them and love them even more. I look forward to my next post, (lets be honest, it will be a year or 2) to see where we are on this crazy journey we have embarked on. Until then...

Time Flies...when you are a little busy!

Wow...it has been over a year since I last blogged! And A LOT has changed in that year. Here is a QUICK update...
We had another baby. Miss Mylee was born May 1st, 2011. We LOVE her so much. Jerry graduated medical school and we matched into a plastic and reconstruction residency in Loma Linda, California and we have lived here now for 10 days...we are adjusting, unpacking, and getting us, and our kids, back to somewhat of a schedule.



Jerry has had a couple days of orientation, and is really liking it. He officially starts next Thursday (june 30th), so he's off again the first few days of this new week so we will hopefully get all the little things done/decorated.



Tayden turns 2 in two weeks and is in a big boy bed already. This is the 3rd night. The first night was great. The first nap, he played in his room for an hour instead of sleeping. So we went on a walk and he fell asleep in the stroller and stayed asleep when I carried him in. Last night the neighbors had a big LOUD party. I could hear a guy that kept shouting, then others would follow. I think they woke Tayden up, because he ended up in our bed at about 12:30 am. He wiggled SO much that Mylee and I ended up in his bed. She kept waking up, and I didn't want her to wake Tayden up, and Tayden kept somehow kicking my head...yeah...he moved that much!




Mylee is growing before our eyes. She is getting so smiley, especially to her daddy. She is starting to eat more, and stay awake longer. She loves making eye contact and when you do, thats when the BIG smiles happen. She makes us all so happy...and still a little tired too!



I am excited to meet more people in the ward. We already have a couple ties to "home" through the church. It's truly amazing. We definitely miss everyone but are so excited for the things we will learn here and the people and family we will become by being here.

The word that comes to mind....GRATITUDE!

I can't even begin to express the feelings of gratitude I have been feeling lately! That isn't the only thing I have felt, but I would say my feelings are the strongest there!

As I look back over this past year, SO much has happened! We have gone through some MAJOR changes. One year ago, Jerry was so busy spending all his time, energy, and thoughts on taking his STEP 1 boards. He wanted so badly to get a score that could open up possibilities to his career in medicine. He hoped it would give him the option of choosing a career that would let him have a family life too.

As Jerry was focused on that...along with many other things...I was focused on my ever GROWING belly! I also had decisions to make about our future.

And now..We have an amazing, healthy, handsome 10 month old little boy. Jerry scored above his expectations on the boards, and life is GREAT! Don't get me wrong, our life isn't perfect, but we know we have been so blessed!

Now the BIG question is...where will we be next year? What will happen between now and then? I think if we continue to think positively, and continue to grow together as a family, I know we will be ok!

I am thankful for all of my blessings. I appreciate the love and support I receive daily from the people in my life. I would be lost without it. I am so grateful for Jerry, and the daily sacrifices he makes so that one day we can live our dream! I am so grateful for Tayden and the things I have learned being a mom. And the list goes on and on! All I can say is I am so grateful!


GRATITUDE: a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation

Where do I even begin....

Wow how time flies! Why do I suck at this blogging thing SO bad? I think about blogging, I want to blog...so why don;t I just do it? Who knows!?!

Well Tayden is now 7 months old, and he is HUGE! At his 6 month appointment he was 95% in height and 60% in weigh, compared to other babies his age! He got his 2 bottom teeth and I LOVE them! They are so cute! He is such a blabber mouth! He talks, and talks, and talks! He actually gave me a very special Valentine...he said "mama" on sunday morning! I loved it!

Bentley (the dog) loves being a brother. Yet I think sometimes he wishes that little guy would go back where he came from! Bents doesn't get near the same amount if attention that he used to! I try, but it's hard to take him on a walk, while holding a baby! (especially since bents is a puller...yea my neighbors see me getting yanked around). But he is a good dog! and we love him!

Jerry has 3 rotations left! We are pretty sure he has chosen a specialty...PLASTICS! I know you automatically think of boobs. But in his rotation he only saw one cosmetic case, the rest was reconstructive! He LOVED being able to work on little kids cleft pallets. He LOVES surgery, and he is a perfectionist with fine detail! I think it fits his personality! I am proud of him, and excited he loves something so much!

I am just busy! Busy being a mom, busy working 2 jobs, and busy planning sharing times! But I LOVE it! The best part is the busy mom part! IT is the most challenging, yet rewarding thing I have ever done! The only part I would change....is the working SO much part. The saddest/coolest part, is that Tayden has/gets to come to work with me! It is SO SO SO hard working w hile your child needs your attention, or is being, cute, or fussy! BUT I get to take him! And when I don't have him, I have the BEST support system! He gets to play with my parents on Thursday's, and my Grandparent's on Friday's. It means so much to have poeple that you know love your kid as much as you do!

Well...now that I have FINALLY blogged...a kind of boring blog...I know...Maybe I can try to sleep! I am listening to Jerry snore, and then talk in his sleep from the office! Haha! He will love that I put that on here! Sweet dreams!

Baby Blessings!

We got to finally bless Tayden and Cole Sunday! It was a great day! We want to thank all our family and friends who came to support us! We are so blessed that we have so many people around that love us! I hope everyone got to come taste all the desserts we had! It was a lot of work, but it was SOOO yummy and worth it! Thanks to everyone that brought something too...it helped a ton!

It was fun because we blessed Tayden and Cole! So we had so many people there. We were lucky enough to be able to do this at my parents house so we could do them both without people having to come twice...or miss one! I thought it was great to have all the Hammons there too! They are some of the greatest people I know, they have just welcomed my family into theirs...like we ALL married Chad!

Jerry did a great job...he never fails to impress me! What impressed me the most was how prepared and ready he was. He was calm and collected! He does so well speaking in front of groups of people! I love him SO much! I am SO lucky to have him as my husband!

I cant' believe how BIG Tayden has already gotten! I miss his teeny-tininess...but I am LOVING him growing! He is getting SO much personality! He smiles so big all the time...I'm not going to lie...he LOVES me! I still LOVE being a mom! I am so blessed and So lucky! He sleeps really well...so does his dad! If I didn't tell Jerry, he'd think Tayden slept ALL night...he usually has NO idea I get up with him (which is usually only once).

I hope you are all loving life as much as I do! Just remember to stay positive and not let the little things eat at you! It's really not worth it!

Our first family photos!

Today was a GREAT day! I guess this whole weekend has been great! We rented a lens that Jerry is trying to convince me to buy...and after this weekend I am ALMOST convinced....ALMOST, Jer, not 100%! If it cost 1/4th of what it does I would be SOLD! Haha!

Well, we did get some amazing pictures! And the lens was definitely a huge part in the look of the pictures!

Not only did we take our first family photos this week, Jerry started his rotations for his 3rd year in med school! He is doing internal medicine and loving it! He is on call every 4 days, meaning he works for 30 hours straight! THe worst part about it...Jerry is used to getting 8 hours of sleep a night, and this is not happening! If he gets a little grumpy or short with you...I apologize on his behalf! :)

I also went back to work this week! It has been very emotional for me to leave my little guy! So if I am grumpy or short with you, I apologize! Haha! We are just a bundle of joy at our house...the only thing keeping us sane is our BUNDLE of JOY!!

We are loving life and all it's craziness!

To view the rest of our family photos, click here.

I love my little son!

This is the first post I've ever put up on here and I'm so excited! Tayden will be 1 month old next Tuesday, can you believe it? Feels like only yesterday that we were in the hospital waiting for him to arrive into this world. He is such a joy, I look forward to going home everyday so that I can be with him and Mindee (and Bentley, of course!). My favorite thing about him are his amazing facial expressions, from the Zoolander "Blue Steel" to Grumpy old men crusty faces, they are all incredible. Yesterday, I was giving him kisses and he BURPED in my mouth! Sounds gross, but I kinda thought it was hilarious. So weird what you're willing to put up with when its your own child. Mindee and I are having so much fun with him, and we look forward to raising him up in our family. Now, back to research...