MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE PICS!!!

I wanted to add more pictures of the wedding & realized I hadn't yet looked at Shawn & Ashley's wedding photographer's photos. Well, let me just say that she did an AMAZING job!!! I LOVE Julie Parker's work! I'm hoping I'm allowed to post these, since they have her name on them. Here's her website...check her out!

Aren't they a gorgeous couple?!

Love this one of all the boys! The guy on the right is Ashley's sister's husband...

3am

I walked into our room at 3:00 this morning (my insomnia made a comeback last night) and Linc decided to strike up a conversation with me...
Lincoln: "Were the dogs witnesses?"
Me: "What?"
Lincoln: "Are the dogs awake?"
Me: "Um, no." (Daisy was laying right beside him wide awake...)
Lincoln: (In a really frustrated voice) "Are the dogs awake?"
Me: "Yeah."
(Lincoln gives me a look like I am the most annoying, frustrating person EVER.)
Me: "I'm not sure what you are wanting me to say."
Lincoln: "ARE THE DOGS AWAKE?"
Me: "Yes."
(Lincoln rolls over...REALLY mad at me.)

Sometimes I just can't win. :) Yes...he was asleep!

Don't Worry...I'm Alive!

I realize I haven't been blogging multiple times a week like I usually do. Well, our laptop crashed & our naughty doggies chewed our USB cable to our other computer awhile back, so I have no way of uploading my pics until we get the laptop back. I had this pic on my phone though. Daisy & Duke turned a year old a few weeks ago... these three just make me happy!

(Picture taken in 2007) It has been amazing these last few weeks to feel like I have a husband! We've really enjoyed spending time together. It's been so nice not to feel lonely and to have Lincoln here at home. I'm sad that school starts tomorrow!

Overall, things have been going really well for us. I'm on a great sleep schedule and I'm able to keep my stomach problems to a minimum because of what I am eating. My endometriosis hasn't gotten any worse these past few months which is an absolute MIRACLE! I'm convinced that asking people to pray for me was definitely the right thing...thank you, thank you, thank you! We're still worried about me getting pregnant, but we are keeping our fingers crossed. This is honestly one of the EASIEST times we've ever had in our marriage...we almost don't know what to do with ourselves! I'm able to clean & cook & don't usually have to worry about hurting too much when I'm out in public. It is incredible. LIFE IS SO GOOD!

They're Coming Back To Win!!!

Remember my Family Feud post from earlier this year? In it I explained that my dad, 3 of his brothers, & his mom were on Family Feud back in 1983. Well, guess what? They are ON IT AGAIN!!! In two weeks I will be driving to Cali to watch the taping of the show. I'm not sure when their episode will air yet (or hopefully multiple episodes if they win!) but I will post the date when I find out! I love that my 76-year-old grandma is willing to be on a game show. I can't wait to see how they do. I know for sure that they will be HILARIOUS!!! Good luck guys!!!(They taped a promo where they say "We were on in '83 and we're coming back to win!" If it airs & someone sees it, tell me!)

Charity

I've been trying harder on Sunday mornings to better prepare myself to feel the Spirit at church. This morning I read today's Relief Society lesson, which is about charity. As I was reading, my thoughts turned to all of the heartfelt acts that were performed for us when we found out that Jackson had died. I have never felt so much love and support as I did during that time. I have a shoe box full of letters & cards that people sent us...I pulled the box out and read through them all this morning & am completely overcome with emotion. There are so many genuine, honest, caring, charitable people out there in the world, and Lincoln and I are blessed to be acquainted with many of them. My heart is full today as I prepare to go to church. I know that so many people want what is best for us and that they rejoice when we rejoice and mourn when we mourn. I'm so thankful.
Update: If anyone in my ward reads this & thinks I'm clueless...I was out of town last Sunday & the Elders Quorum's lesson schedule is a week behind. :)

Shawn & Ashley's Wedding

Well, Shawn & Ashley are officially husband & wife & I couldn't be more excited about it! They got married in the Salt Lake temple. It was my first time being inside of that temple...it is beautiful! Linc & I spent a whole week in Utah & Snowflake...so more pics of the trip will be coming soon! Here are Shawn & Ashley walking out of the temple...how cute are they?!

Melissa, Brad, Lincoln & I...

Close-up in front of the temple...you can totally tell I'd been crying. :)

The boys chatting between pictures. I love that they all get along so well.

Shawn with the bridesmaids...I loved the colors!

Ashley's mom put on a nice dinner at the Lion House after the wedding. The rolls were delish! Here I am with my new sister! I try not to be jealous of how incredibly gorgeous she is!

My mom & I with my grandma's sister & her husband...

This is my good friend Linda. She'll probably kill me for putting her picture on the Internet, but I couldn't resist! I used to work with her...we have so many fun memories together!

Catching up with my mom's cousin & her husband, my Uncle Bob & Bill (my grandpa's brothers) and Bill's wife Barbara...

Great weather, food, family & friends made for a special day!

Happy Bday Sis!!!

Happy 24th birthday to my little sister Melissa!!! I love Melissa SO much...we have always been really close. She is seriously the nicest person ever and is such a good example and friend. She is so talented and is always thinking about others. I hope that you have a GREAT day today Meliss! I love you! I am so lucky to have a sister like you!

CORN MAZE!!!

Here is the 2009 Willis Farm Corn Maze in Snowflake, located directly behind Linc's parents' house! Linc's aunt & uncle run it and they have pumpkin picking for the kids and other fun things. I personally like the haunted maze best! Check out their farm blog for this year's schedule & info. If any of you are going, let me know...it would be fun to see you there!

Results...

Well, the poll results were quite interesting. :) I'm flattered that so many people voted. The final results are that 52 people (94%) like my hair better short! The sad news is that Lincoln wanted me to keep it long. I told him that when the universe speaks to me like this, I have to listen. :) Ha ha. I am secretly thankful because I've been wanting to chop my hair off for awhile, and I finally had a good excuse!I told him that his vote DOES carry more weight...but not 95% worth. :)

Making Progress

I had my final appointment with my GI Specialist last week. He is amazing. I almost started crying while I was talking to him about how much my health is improving. He is surprised that I've been doing so much better since I started making changes in my diet. I will forever be grateful to him for being so intelligent & intuitive & for thinking outside of the box and coming up with a plan that is working for me. I'm glad he didn't give up on me like most of my other doctors have.

Yesterday I saw my endodontist and he was "almost giddy" (those were his words) with my progress. My mouth is almost completely healed! He is planning on finishing my treatment next month. I've been going to see him for 14 months now. I won't miss the needles & numbing and everything else that these appointments entail! I appreciate that he was patient enough to try something besides surgery & that his plan worked!

Overall, I am doing MUCH better than I was a few months ago. I still have days when I can't do much of anything, which frustrates me & isn't fun. I feel like I'm slowly getting back on my feet. Acupuncture is still really helping me. My endometriosis only really acts up about one week out of the month. I just love that I'm progressing & not regressing now...it's such a wonderful feeling!

Lincoln's Bday Dinner

This is the third post I'm doing about Linc's birthday...but he deserves three posts. :) On Sunday we had Lincoln's birthday dinner at my parents' house. He chose grilled chicken, baked potatoes, asparagus, crescent rolls and this yummy pudding dessert. I can't believe he is the big 2-7! (Sorry these pics are so blurry....but Linc looks too cute in them for me not to post them!)

For his bday, he got a watch from Melissa & Brad (an accidental gift...ha ha)& movie tickets & money from my parents. Thanks guys! Here he is blowing out the candles...

Love you Linc!

Grandma's Funeral

Grandma's funeral was this past Saturday. It was beautiful. I loved hearing stories from her childhood and stories about her & my grandpa. My grandma was an identical twin, so it was funny hearing about the jokes she & her twin sister would play on people.

During the funeral, my mom shared some of our memories of Grandma. I told my mom to tell one of my favorite stories about Grandma...it is hilarious. Awhile ago my grandma fell on the ground by her bed and couldn't get back up. While she was waiting for someone to come help her, she spotted a box of chocolates under the bed and started eating them. When one of her kids found her on the floor, she was just laying there eating chocolates. Isn't that hilarious? My mom also talked about how understanding Grandma was about Jackson's death and told about she promised to take care of Jackson for me when she died.

For the closing song at the funeral, all of the grandkids sang "Families Can Be Together Forever". I sang about two words and just stood there bawling the rest of the time. I was kind of embarassed. I knew that was going to happen...that song is so hard for me to sing.

Anyway, seeing my grandma's body and being part of the funeral & burial helped me so much. I know that is so strange, but that brought so much closure and just made me feel better about things. I found these pictures today and thought I'd include them in this post. This first one is obviously of my grandma with Lincoln & I when we got married. Lincoln & I look bad in it (it was SO windy & stormy that day & we're not even looking at the camera) but I love that Grandma is smiling. She hated getting her picture taken so I'm glad I have this picture of her. :)

How sweet is this next picture?! My grandma LOVED Lincoln. Lincoln always treated her so kindly and was so good to her. I loved seeing them interact. Everytime I saw them together I'd tell Lincoln that he just made me fall in love with him more. I appreciated that he knew how important my grandma was to me, and that he was willing to get to know her and love her. This picture sums it all up. Two of my favorite people...

We'll miss you Grandma. We love you!