bEsT fRiEnDs

Well, today I had the pleasure of traveling to South Jordan with my best friend to take pictures of a girl who got married today. I didn't realize just how much I loved her until I had the chance to really hang out with her, and just chat. She is the sweetest chica in the world. I got to spend the morning with her and I loved being with her. I loved spending time with her and I really treasure her friendship. It is amazing how regardless of how much time goes by when I don't get a chance to see her, it doesn't matter it just picks up right where it left. The thing I love the most is that we are so close it is like being sisters, we often pass as sisters and tell people that we are. I sure love you and I am so glad that we are sisters!

~Many people walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart. - Anon~

hApPy vAlEnTiNeS

Well, I thought about it and I decided that I needed to post at least on the holidays.. So here I am on the first. Today was a very interesting day, after talking between the two of us, Cody and I decided that we would wait and celebrate Valentines on the weekend when the restaurants weren't packed with people trying to celebrate as well. So as far as gifts, we are exchanging those later tonight.. I can't say what I got cody just in case he reads this before I give it to him! Today I have had a lot of mixed emotions. I know it is supposed to be a day of love and I was thinking about all the things that I really had love for. Things like my artistic abilities, and the chance I have to have a family and be sealed to my eternal mate. I felt so blessed.


However, despite the wonder that I felt for the blessings that never cease to flow for me, I had to stop and think about people who are struggling and those who can't see the blessings in front of them. I thought mostly about my little brother. Recently, while serving a mission in Ohio, he has had some struggles. He was made a trainer and was so excited to see what would happen and watch a new missionary learn from himself. He got a new companion and went to work. He was in a new area, which is tough due to the fact that you don't know much about the people and the work in the area, but he was determined to make things work. He pushed the elder to exhaustion and really shared his whole soul with this elder to make things work. About 2 weeks into being with him, he got a call from the president. His companion had been writing home to his family asking them to come and get him that he didn't want to serve any longer. Matson was crushed. I have never heard him so upset and distraught. He followed the instructions that the Mission president gave him and continued onward. About a week later, the companion approached him and told him that he was having thoughts of suicide and that he didn't know if he could stop them. After much thought and prayer with the other elders in the home (another companionship) they chose to take turns watching him at night to make sure nothing was followed through with. They did this for a few days, on a Sunday upon returning home from church and visiting contacts, his companion had a 'moment' and went nuts. He punched a hole in the wall and collapsed on the floor. Matson held him down and told him that he had two options, the first was to pull himself together and start to give his whole heart and soul to the work or second get sent home. He calmed down, but they decided to call the mission president any ways. After discussing with the mission president they decided that he would be sent home and the next day he was sent home. Since then Matson joined the other two elders he lives with in a trio. The last few weeks I haven't heard from him, but from what my mom has said he sounds so depressed and disheartened. I know that there is a reason for him to have that elder, whether he will find the reason now or later, but I couldn't help but think how he must be feeling on this day of love.

Needless to say, this has been a day of love and grateful feelings in my heart followed with compassion for those who are suffering or don't feel the love that is always with them. If nothing, I hope that people take a moment and really think about what they love on this Valentines day. There are plenty of things to love and be grateful for.

hApPy vAlEnTiNeS!

tHe tOwNhOmE

Well today, we made the adventure out to take a peek at the progress on the house. I took my camera, and the big flash... good thing I did cause it was pitch black out there and there are no lights in the house yet... so here are the pictures.. Enjoy!



This is the house from the outside. Only the brick is finished. It goes up halfway and the top half will be all stuccoed. We being the end unit are lucky, we get to have brick all on the side. So that is a nice added bonus and it will look nice. We also, get windows on that side of the house..



This is the living room when you first open the front door. There is a set of two arches to the left. Through the bigger one you reach the kitchen / dining area. The arch in front (which you can see) leads to the mudroom, half bathroom and the garage.




This is the view of the kitchen looking from the wall with the front door on it. This is in the dining area. You can kind of see the pantry, a walk in one... and then the cut out is where the fridge and a small counter is located.



This is from standing in the kitchen near the pantry and looking into the living room. You can kind of see cody standing with Tyke in the corner. You can also see the two arches.



This is the look into the mudroom. The open door way is the 1/2 bath that is found downstairs, and then the closed door (which is slightly in the picture) leads to the garage-the garage is the room that cody wants to finish first, cause he wants the garage to look cool. What a guy!



The stairs are in the living room, if you look in the first inside picture you can see them. They go up about 4 stairs and then it switches and goes to the left leading to the upstairs. When you reach the top if you turn to the left it goes to the two spare bedrooms, and a linen closet. This is the bigger bedroom of the two.



This is the smaller bedroom upstairs, when you turn to the left it is the bedroom located straight off the hallway. I am planning on making this the office, just cause the closet sucks.. there isn't one really so this way no one will have to try and squeeze clothes in there.



This is the shared bathroom upstairs. You can see the tub already in place in the back. There is a room located directly to the left of this bathroom, which is our laundry room, I didn't put a picture of the laundry room on here because it is just a small room right now.




This is the master bedroom. This is located, when you reach the top of the stairs on the right hand side.




This is from the top of the master bedroom looking towards the bathroom. It is through the arch that cody is standing next to.



This is the Master bath from standing in the closet. The jetted tub is on the left and the shower is on the right. Next to where I was standing in the closet is the separate toilet room... which will be nice, I won't have to smell or see cody.




This is standing at the top of the stairs looking down. Cody is making his way to the living room. It is a very tall wall.





This is the back of the house, our garage door is already in. Yay!!



And of course, Tyke being the way he is.... had to mark his territory. He peed just about everywhere outside, just to assure everyone that he had been there. What a goof!!

Well we are sure excited and thought that we would share the pictures will all of you. Hope that you enjoy them. As soon as we make another journey out there we will post some more pictures!

bUeNo fEbRuArY

Well I thought I was such a slacker because I was planning on writing so often on our blog, yeah its been a while. So after a few weeks here I am writing. I thought I would write because we have some great news to share. This morning we had an appointment for Tyke to see the Orthopedic Surgeon. We hurried to the vet, I have to admit I was so worried and scared I didn't know what to do. I sat in the corner with my eyes covered and cringing every time poor tyke cried due to the pain of his exam. I am not very good with my own pain let alone someone I love. After much crying and wailing, and numerous attempts to bite the assistant and doctors hands the exam ended. I was almost in tears. But tyke being the gentle sweetie that he is got up and wanted to kiss the doctor and the assistant. What a sweetheart!!

Well after finishing and making his notes, he explained to us the outcome of what he saw. According to what he told us there is a surgery out there in which they cut the pelvis in three places on each side, when doing this it completely dislocates the hip joint from the pelvis. The hip joint is then rotated so that the joint fits snuggly like it should and reattached to pelvis with 8 screws and a metal plate. It is apparently very painful and takes a bit to recover from. Not to mention it is about $2000 a hip. Not including the meds and tests needed to put him out, monitor him and wake him up. So to do both hips just for the doctor to do it we were looking at $4000 for him to have this done. Killer!! Well he then told us that not every dog who has hip dysplacia needs this surgery, some this doesn't work for and the dog doesn't benefit from this. Well, Tyke is one such dog where no benefit from the surgery would happen. Well, at my relief I began to worry how to make him feel okay with this pain and discomfort. Apparently over the next 8 months or so Tyke's cartilage will grow and fill the joint completely. In so doing his hips will no longer pop and be painful, instead he will be just fine with the feelings of arthritis. We are starting to give him glucosimine which helps in the building of the cartilage and the movement of joints. So with the supplement and the pain pills he already takes, he will be one healthy and happy dog in about 8 months!

I was very thrilled with this information. Cody however took it harder than I expected, he is very angry that there isn't a quicker fix for him and not to mention his feelings toward the breeder. It is apparent to us that there are plenty of dishonest individuals out there, we are very saddened that someone would lie about something that could cause such pain and problems. Unfortunately there isn't anything legally we can do to change things, so we will just continue to love Tyke with all our hearts and enjoy our time with him.

Well in addition to this news, we also had a fun event following Tykes appointment. Cody and I have been looking to buy a town home in the Springville area in Utah. We have been thinking a lot about this decision and we have decided to proceed forward and buy our first home. We went today and placed a deposit and picked colors and flooring for the house. We are very excited, it should be finished around March 18th. We will show the progress as we can on here and keep you posted on the workings and updates!!

So with all this being said, I think we are starting February off on a good foot!