Summer is here...

and I'm ready for it to end already. While hundreds of people would tell me all day long that they were so tired of the cool weather and rain, I just quietly shrugged and thought to myself about how much I loved it. Sure, it makes walking to work a pain but it also smells so darn good. Wait. Stop. Freeze. (That was for you, Daniel) I must correct myself. Post-rain NATURE smells great...post-rain homeless people, not so much.

I am not here to gripe about the heat and how much I hate it. Nor am I here to forewarn my poor, unsuspecting husband that he will not get near as many hugs or hold as many hands in these crispy months. So please allow me to move on.

We are slowly transitioning into our new ward. It has taken five months but we both have callings. Dan will be working with the Young Men as YM Secretary and Asst. Scout Master. He is pretty stoked about this. Man, oh, man you should have heard him talking about all the cool camping things we "needed" to buy because he "had" to have them for his new responsibilities. How on earth anyone ever survived without a pole-thinga-magig that hooks onto the propane tank and then the camp stove I'll never know! I love to watch his excitement though, it's much like a young child on christmas morning. :D

I will be working with primary, YAY! Starting next week I'll be teaching the 4-5 year old children in Jr. Primary. I am excited and scared all at the same time. This will not be my first experience teaching primary...however, last time was with 10-11 year old boys (all of which I babysat some years prior) and I was able to be a little more "casual" with them. Nevertheless, I know that my wonderful husband will support me in this new endeavor.

We are both still working like crazy. Dan is preparing his med school apps (frequent phone calls full of encouragement & love are requested and appreciated) and I am still working towards my teaching credential. In fact, I have a test on Monday that I should probably be studying for...

So there you are folks. Its not much but its something. More current events from this Athey household to come soon. Toodles!

blessed.

It is Wednesday, and it is my day off. This is my official "i am going to be focused and do TONS of homework" day but life never seems to work like that. Whether it is by choice, I cannot divulge.

Today I made lunch and took it to my wonderful husband at work. It was fun. On the menu: tuna salad (yum!) on lightly toasted rye bread (yuck!) with fresh cantaloupe, some scrumptious cheddar cheese, and a few cheetos. I realized after everything was pack that it was all orange with the exception of the sandwich itself. Quickly, I tried to come up with an orange alternative but happily settled with what was already made.

Our visit was nice. The picnic table was already occupied so we drove down the block and found a big shade tree to sit under. We talked and laughed through his much-too-short lunch break. All I could think about was how lucky I was to be sharing my life with this guy. Sure, he has his faults but I have mine to balance those out. Besides, I don't think I could handle being married to someone who didn't make me nuts every now and again. ;)

As I dropped him off, he told me to listen to a song because it was about me. All I could do was smile. Not because I didn't have anything to say. Rather, because I didn't know how to say everything I was feeling. Given the lyrics, this was just one more demonstration of how much he loves me.

On my way home I listened to the sweet words and fought back tears. In that moment (and this moment now), my heart was so full. So full of love and thanks. Thanks that I have the opportunity to live my life with this nutty, nutty goon. Thanks that we get to raise a family together. Thanks that he loves me and supports my dreams. Thanks that he encourages me to be the very best I can be every single day. Thanks that he tells me "how it is" despite the (not so scary) glares I may or may not offer.

I went on to think about how this summer will mark four years since I moved away from home and started this life in Sonoma County. I remembered thinking knowing that I would get married during this move. I also remembered a whole slough of feelings I experienced between now and then: fear, excitement, relief, frustration, even pure joy. Fear of the unknown. Excited of the possibilities. Frustration that things weren't happening the way I'd like or at the rate I'd prefer. Pure joy that my dreams were becoming reality.

I cannot promise to be perfect, to never upset him or to always keep the kitchen clean. However, I can promise that I will always love him, that I will always scratch his back, be his ally and friend, put band-aids on his boo-boo's and be the very best mother to his children that I can be.

all tuckered out.

it has been a long day, and even longer week. the unfortunate thing is that it's only tuesday. eek.

two peas in a pod.

it is official. dan and i are hooked...to each other! as a sign of our commitment we have taken the big leap and changed my personal blog (albeit, tiny personal blog) and made it our official "we are married and cool so we are gonna have a blog" blog. it is our goal (ok, my goal) to post something twice a month but we will definitely need encouragement. ha ha ha.

let us start by introducing our married selves.

dan: tall, dark, and handsome. rather, taller than me, darker than me, and definitely handsomer than me. he's an uber nerd and i love him for it. he loves animals and would have one of everything if i let him. smart and witty, he teaches me something new every day. he plays with his ears when he's thinking, tired, bored or just plum breathing. he has a beard that puts other beards to shame. kind and compassionate, he is possibly one of the most caring people i know. he's got a soft side that he hates to show and if it were up to him, the whole world would think he were invincible. he loves his nephews and talks about them constantly. he is a complex individual yet so simple at the same time. he makes me laugh harder than i've ever laughed before and smile bigger than i ever thought possible. he sees straight through me without effort and possibly knows me better than i know myself. he is my best friend and i love him. -jackie

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Jackie is, well, Jackie. If you know her you know that she is beyond adorable, and has a great sense of humor. I think her realism and lame jokes are what first drew me to her. She was a real person with me, never faking it, never pretending, never just telling me what I wanted to hear. If only that would've continued... ;) But really, I couldn't ask for someone that is more perfect for me. She doesn't always realize it, but she is AMAZING! She loves me just the way I am, but still manages to encourage me to be better. I find myself wanting to be better just so I can keep up with her.

And then there's her patience. ...yeah. If you know our story you know, as the scriptures would put it, how long-suffering she is. Honestly, I don't know if there is a better term for it than that. The hell I put this girl through! My goodness. I am just glad that she waited and that she said yes when I finally put myself together. I can't wait for the next ETERNITY! YEAH!! Oh, and don't count on me posting on here all that often - most of the updates will be from her. I'll be busy playing Assassin's Creed ;) -Dan

the things i know.

so, current events in my life and the lives of those i love have put me in a rather reflective mood today. on my lunch hour i hopped in my car, cranked up the keith (urban, of course) and drove through the hills of sonoma county. i'm not sure if its the music, the speed, or the simplicity of nature around me that is so therapeutic...all i know is that it just is. here are some other things i know:

- i love my life and the people i share it with.

- this year has been a year of growth. we're only half way through yet i have experienced more than ever i thought possible in such a short amount of time and know there is more sitting just out of my reach patiently waiting for me.

- growth is hard. it sucks. its painful and never any fun. however, its during those times that you learn (and re-learn) that really, you DON'T know what the heck you're talking about and all those things you thought you knew were really just preparation for the actual lesson.

- i am stronger than i think i am. there was a source of determination and will power left untapped before this year. at 25 i have already had to make decisions that most people will never have to face in their life. when left in a most vulnerable state i kept my eyes on the prize and powered through the frustration, the pain, the emotional and physical paralysis...all of it. and much to my surprise.

- i am not as strong as i would like to think. what it really boils down to is i did what i had to do. i had no other options. the only way i really got through it was because of the amazing people i have in my life: my family, my friends who are really just extended family, the rest of my friends, an amazing team of doctors and of course a father in heaven who is a never ending source of support.

- when you align your will with the will of the lord, you will always be taken care of. the things that were once problems are mere speed bumps. goals that seem daunting quickly become attainable. he is always one step ahead of you preparing the way.

- my father in heaven knows who i am. he knows my name and he hears my prayers. he hears the prayers i say and the silent ones kept deep within my heart. he likes to wait until i ask specifically about something before he gives me some light, and thats ok...most of the time. furthermore, he has a plan for me and i am living it.

- i am exactly right where i need to be. moving has indeed been one of the hardest things i've ever done and it still isn't always easy. however, i know that this is where i belong for this chapter of my life. this has been one of the best decisions i've ever made. santa rosa is where i was introduced to life. where i learned what i love and what i hate, who i want to be and what i want to do. it is where i began to really live outside of my comfort zone and trust. santa rosa gave me the opportunity to heal from the inside out. it taught me to love and it taught me to serve. santa rosa is where i met me.

why i love santa rosa.

this summer will mark three years of living in santa rosa. i relocated to this small little town to finish my degree at Sonoma State University and quickly fell in love with this place. here are some reasons why i love it so...

- the beauty. this place is amazing. the first place i lived when i got out here had redwood trees (huge ones!) in the back yard. do you know how fantastic that was? in general, there is so much "foliage" that you are literally in a whole other world.

- the farmers market. there's one every day!

- downtown. its a total of like 10 blocks. so teeny tiny, its impossible not to adore.

- post office. i went on friday @ 6pm and walked right up to the counter. this would never happen in sacramento...especially considering that was the only post office open within 25 miles.

- the beach. its only 25 minutes from my house. i hardly ever go, but if i want to its just down the road.

- drivers. there are still crazy ones, but far less than sacramento.

- the weather. half the time it rains, half the time its sunny and beautiful. win-win situation.

- the temple. its just 45 minutes away and the drive is BEAUTIFUL.

- hills and windy roads. makes driving fun. sometimes i pretend i'm a race car driver...don't hate.

- my friends. they're the best.

- my abby, joey, and jack. they make me happy.

the only thing that would make life better was if all of my loves from sacramento were closer to me.

hello.

after spending way too much time perusing all sorts of different blogs this week, i decided i would join the fun and start my own. that was the easy part. i take that back, signing up was a breeze too. all the other stuff, mind baffling. what the heck do i write about? i guess i should just start by telling you who i am. let the randomness begin.

i'm a sister, a daughter, a tia and friend. i love to laugh and hate to let people see me cry. my favorite part of work is when i get to help people with special needs. for christmas i got a kitchenaid...it was love at first mix. i could bake and cook all day long but dishes tend to ruin the fun. i look white, i talk white, but deep down inside i'm brown. my idea of "comfort food" consists of tacos, puerco asado, and maduros.

i am happy. i am grateful. i am blessed.

travel is my heart. photography too. travel + photography = bliss. i still have a LOT to learn but am eager to do so.

i have a niece and nephew for whom i'd move heaven and earth. their smiles melt my heart and their laughs are the highlight of my day.

i love my life. i love my friends. i love the temple and gospel of jesus christ.