Sunday, November 30, 2008

Back in the Burg

Brad and I made our long trek home and we are now back in Rexburg until the wedding.
I was a really great holiday! I was so happy my Dad flew Brad and I out and it was wonderful to be able to see family, both his and mine.
The week went well and Brad fell into the family like he had been there forever which made me really happy. I was also able to take it easy and continue to heal. I feel so grateful to feel so much better. I am even going back to school tommorow thank goodness!
I have been doing homework all day, and I am sure that's how it will be for the next couple weeks until school is over. Crazy, only two weeks! WOHOOOOOO
Brad and I are both getting so excited for the wedding. I can't believe it's almost here. 27 days left :)

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving!

So today is Thanksgiving of course and I am very grateful for the things in my life today.
This year has been exceptionally good. I was blessed enough to meet Brad, I am doing really well in school, I got my scholarship renewed for another year. My family is amazing and well and everyone has a job. Brad gets along really well with my family and I love his!
Right now I am especially grateful for health. After being so sick for the last couple weeks, regaining my strength and feeling a little better every day is one of the biggest blessing ever.
I am so grateful for Brad and how wonderful he is to me. I am so excited to get married next month :)
I am also grateful that both of my families in Washington and Michigan as well as Brad's family are all blessed to have jobs right now in these scary times.
I am grateful to live in this country with the freedoms I enjoy and to have had the opportunity to vote earlier this month.
Overall i am just so grateful for my life and all that I am have been given and I feel extremly blessed.
Happy Turkey Day everyone!

Brad and I are off to enjoy good food and great company :)

Friday, November 21, 2008

Off to Washington

So tommorow morning Brad and I begin our journey to Washington. We have to first drive to Boise and then we will fly out to Seattle from there.
I feel so blessed that I have gotten better fast enough that this little trip isn't going to kill me. I was really worried that I wouldn't be able to go because the doctors were a little weary about me traveling, but I got the all clear to go yesterday.
I have to take it really easy but I don't think that will be too hard...
I don't think Brad understands how much this trip means to me. This is the final tie that needs to be made before the wedding. I need him to meet the rest of my family and I am praying it will go well. I know it will I just really really want this to be prefect because this is my family and Brad is going to be my family and I want these important people in my life to love eachother when we get married!
I am really excited :) I just know they are going to love Brad and with an open mind Brad will love them too!!!
Again, I am so grateful my body decided to get enough strength that this trip is even possible. I can't wait.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Grateful for my Angels

I just wanted to take this opportunity to express how entirely grateful I am for the wonderful angels I have been blessed with in my life.
My roomate Ashleigh, and my sweetheart Brad.
These two have been my everything for the past week. If one has to leave my side they make sure the other is there to be with me. They both stayed at the hospital all night next to me combatting uncomfortable chairs to make sure I was okay.
I couldn't appreciate them more!!!
Brad is there for emotional support and comfort. He keeps me entertained and makes sure I am okay at all hours of the day, even texting Ashliegh all night to make sure that I am telling the truth and I am really okay. He also has been in charge of calling my family and bishopric to keep everyone updated and assured that I am alright.
Ashleigh has been my little nurse. She cleans and sterilizes everything I am in contact with and makes sure no germs come near me. She feeds me and makes me take my medicine as well as helps me to the bathroom and the shower when I need to be there. She makes sure that every little detail is paid attention to that I am 100% comfortable all the time, even waking up every few hours to check on me.
I don't know what I would have done without either of them! I feel so so blessed to have them both in my life they are absolutly amazing!!! Like I have said, they are my angeles :)

Monday, November 17, 2008

hospital visit OVER

So I am home from my 2nd stay in the hospital this week. This was the last I am sure because I can feel the strength returning and the pain leaving. I am hooked up to a catheter right now which is quite disgusting but maked things so much easier and less painful for me!
I will be so happy when this is all over. I have now had about 16 different blood tests, another 6 culture tests and lots of IV's and pain meds.
They tell me that we should be over the hump and moving toward recovery. I think that it is true because I can physically feel the strength returning and I am handeling the pain much easier now.
I think I will be making it to Washington this weeked after all! YAY :)
This has been a terrible time, but I am sure a wounderful learning experience and I am greatful for whatever it is teaching me...

Thanks for all of those that I know have been praying for me, visiting me, calling me, and keeping me your thoughts. This is almost over.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Bittersweet

SO the wedding is just about planned and ready to roll. I have my final dress fitting today and Brad and I bought his suit last night. He looked really sharp! I am so excited it's only 6 weeks away, but it seems the closer to the wedding I get, the sicker I get. This week I have developed just about every minor sickness known to man. This morning I had a migrane, I am running a temperature, I have a rash, I am sore in all of my joints...just plain SICK.
I know I will get better soon it's just frustrating. nothing will keep me down from the excitement of this wedding though!!1

Thursday, November 6, 2008

City Council Denies Prayer

In the past month or so, I have been attending the Rexburg City Council. I had never been to a city council before so this is kind of a fun opportunity to see the inner working of government in a small town.
To start off, after the Pledge of Allegiance and a roll call of Council Members, the person conducting the council for that night will invite any public attendee to present an issue that was not scheduled on the agenda for the night.
On this particular night a man, most likely in his 40’s and still dressed in workers clothes, confidently stood up to present his issue. The man, whose name I did not catch, began to speak.
“Council members, I have noticed that we do not start out city council with a prayer. It is my understanding that it is up to each individual council to determine whether we are to pray or not.”
The council members nodded that he was correct and the man proceeded.
“I looked into this and found that other city councils in the state begin their meetings with a prayer, and I thought because we claim to be “America’s Family Community” it would only be fitting,” the man looked to the council for approval and took their silence as invitation to continue.
“Often times things are discussed here that get heated, and I think that it would make things a little more comfortable and calm if we could start with a prayer.”
The council took this information in for a moment and then the conducting Council Member told the man that this issue was debated some time ago and they came to the agreement not to begin the meeting with a prayer. The man then asked if it was possible to reconsider and the council politely told him no. The man sat down looking disappointed and defeated.
He brings up a couple good points. Rexburg is known as “America’s Family Community” and a prayer might make things less contentious, but the council made their decision without second thought.
According to http://www.acluutah.org/publicprayer.htm prayer was establish as constitutional in 1983.
“In Marsh v. Chambers, 463 U.S. 783 (1983), the Court held that a state legislature’s practice of opening each legislative day with a prayer performed by a state-selected and paid chaplain did not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Rather than examining the case under the usual Establishment Clause framework, the Court looked to the history of the use of prayer before legislative sessions, in both the state and federal systems, and relied on this history when finding these prayers to be constitutional.”
In research I found that the man’s claim that prayers are offered before City Council meetings in many other city councils was true. Nationwide City Councils begin their meeting with a prayer. No one is forced to participate, but it is said for anyone who would like to take part.
I wonder why the City Council didn’t even give the man’s request second thought. It seemed like a like a legitimate request to me, but that’s just my opinion.