Happy Anniversary!

Today is our 4th anniversary. I thought that today would be a good time for me to write how Clay and I met. I haven't written this on paper. I know I am horrible! This should be in a journal somewhere. Oh well! I am mainly writing this for myself because then I can say that it is written down.
First I have to write a little about the previous years before we met because it connects to the story in a small way. When I was a junior in high school I was living in Idaho. My dad got a job in Dallas, Texas and so as a family we decided that we needed to move. We picked up and moved pretty fast. Actually it was a matter of a few weeks. Anyway, the whole time I was here I wanted to go back. I liked it, but felt that I didn't have very many friends. I was one of the few members of the church which had never happened to me up until this point. So I decided that I was going to go back to Rexburg to BYU-Idaho for college. I went for a year (actually a summer semester and a fall semester.) When I came home i was planning to back to school in Idaho. I had really been praying about what I should do and I felt that it was not right for me to return to school in Idaho. So I stayed here. It was hard finding friends again because most of the LDS friends that I had made were away to school at BYU or BYU-I. My mom suggested that I try going to institute. This was the BEST advice any mom can give to their young adult child. I really loved institute. It is a great program that the church has put in place! Clay and I met at institute. Clay is a convert and I met him at the first institute that he went to after he was baptized. I remember that our institute teacher had asked Clay to stand up and bear his testimony. Imagine a man who has just recently joined the church bearing his testimony. It was so strong. I remember being very touched by the testimony that he had gained. Although I was touched by his testimony I was also dating somebody else at the time so I didn't really think anything of it. A few weeks later he introduced himself to me. I was having a bad night (going through a breakup) and he came and said "Hi, my name is Clay." He intrigued me. I guess I still remembered the testimony that he gave and began talking to him. (Just an FYI our dance at our wedding was You Had Me From Hello by Kenny Chesney.) It seemed perfect for how we really met. We dated and soon became engaged. These past four years have had there ups and downs. While I love being married it was a hard adjustment for both of us. I would never tell anyone that marriage is just bliss. It has its blissful moments, but it also has its other not so blissful moments.
We have been through a lot. But I have gained a deeper meaning of love and appreciation through these 4 years. I look forward to many more years and know that it will only get better!!!

Trips and Doctor

The past few weeks have been crazy. I took the girls out of town to El Paso to see Clay's family. I was really excited because I got to go to my sister in laws Baby Shower. I flew with the girls and that was just as crazy as driving 10 hours. Halfway into the flight Elyse said that she needed to go the bathroom. I looked at her and said that she needed to hold it. What a bad mom I am. I felt bad. I saw that the flight attendant was coming towards us and I asked him how I could take both of the girls to the bathroom. He said that he would hold the baby for me! What a relief! She is afraid of any stranger and she actually sat with him for the few minutes that I was helping Elyse! Clay met us about a week later and we went up to Ruidoso, New Mexico for his brother's senior graduation. We than drove home on this past Monday. The usual ten hour trip took us almost 13 hours with all the stops that we had to make. Torture! Looking back flying is definately something I am going to push a little more often!!!
Today I had to take Elyse to the Ear Nose and Throat Specialist. She has been getting ear infections like crazy! (About once a month since December.) We went to Presby Allen and as we were driving up to park this is the conversation that we had.

Me: Elyse, this is the hospital that you and Madyson were born. Do you remember last year when Mommy had Madyson and you came to see us?

Elyse: (nod of the head and silence)

I proceed to take her out of the car.

Elyse: But Mommy... I don't have a baby in my tummy why are we coming here?

I started laughing it was the cutest thing she has said in a while that I can actually remember.

Needless to say...she is getting tubes in her ears on June 11th. She also had ANOTHER ear infection. I am ready for the tubes. I missed a lot of school and work this sememster. I want her to feel better as well. Speaking of feeling better I had better get off and go pick up her medicine!

Kenny Chesney Here We Come!

Clay and I went to the Kenny Chesney concert in Frisco on Saturday for my early Birthday present! What a great present! I love watching Kenny. He is way cute! I will post some pictures as soon as I take Elyse to preschool. The songs were great! Clay even asked me to dance so we went up top and danced! How romantic!! It was outside at Pizza Hut Park! It was a great night! A little chilly as the night progressed. We also heard Leann Rimes and Brooks & Dunn. Kenny Chesney was definately the best! We have been wanting to go to his concert since Clay and I were dating. Speaking of dating... I can't believe how fast these past 5 years have gone since we started dating! We have almost been married for 4 years!

I suppose it is time for an update on school! I have been crazy busy. My first semester of student teaching is FINALLY finished!!! It is official...I am graduating in December! And I have the whole summer off! Which I have not had since I began this long long journey 6 years ago. I didn't realize how difficult going to school is with kids. I had my only final yesterday. We drove all the way to Fort Worth to go to the Science Museum for my science final. The museum was cool, but the final took all the fun away from the museum.