Somewhat Vague

I’m happy to report that this year is getting progressively better!  Scott and I both have changes brewing; we are excited to see what’s in store for us.

Like I announced here, I’m looking for a new job.  The arts council has been gracious enough to let me keep working there until I find one.  I have been training my replacement Brianna for a few months now and she is awesome!  She is a perfect fit for the job, and it has been fun getting to know her. 

I have interviewed at three places for some amazing positions, all in the marketing/public relations/advertising field.  Although I already know I didn’t get one of them, I’m not stressing yet.  Yesterday I had a third interview with one place, it was an hour-long brainstorming session with their team and it was awesome to be a part of it!  It’s a waiting game now, I should know their decision next week. 

Scott has been unbelievably busy this month.  In addition to his full time job, he started working with his brother on a new business.  We are all really excited about it and I’m thrilled that it’s going so well.  Scott has an amazing work ethic and an entrepreneurial spirit, and he has always wanted to start working on a business from scratch.

I know this post is sketchy on details.  All in good time...if things pan out the way we’re hoping I’ll be happy to share more specifics later on!

For now, we are working hard (especially Scott) and cherishing every minute we have together.  That picture will probably catch Scott off guard when he sees it...he was napping when I took it (he's the hooded figure in gray, ha ha).  All of a sudden it sounds pretty creepy to take pics of someone when they're asleep...but I don't have 7 classes anymore!  I'm just finding ways to fill time!

Graduation

Well, I ranked it.  Friday was my third best day ever!  I'm so thrilled to be done with school.  My degree is in public relations and advertising, over the years I have found it really is a great fit for me.  I was excited to have Scott, my family, and my mother-in-law come support me at graduation!  They are wonderful.

My brother took this video of me walking, and I love it because it caught what Scott shouted to me from the stands (10 seconds in).  I heard him from on stage and it cracked me up. (Sorry it's so long, I don't know how to edit it).

Ha ha, yes...graduation is partly all about the shoes! Thank you Jessica Simpson for designing 5 inch heels that are actually possible to walk in!  

I love these...

 I love him...

 And them...

 

And her...

I met Scott my 5th day of college, so he has literally been along for the whole ride.  He wrote me a beautiful poem for graduation, all about the ups and downs and miracles I experienced along the way.  I'm especially grateful for him being supportive and patient this last crazy semester.  We have come out on the other side closer than ever, and I'm so happy!

April So far

My birthday came just in time, I was craving two things: spending time with Scott and having a day free from homework!

I'm a fire hazard!

We bought a car that day, so I guess that's probably one of the biggest  presents I'll ever get.  Unfortunately, the reason we had to buy a car was I totaled my beloved little red one in an accident a few weeks ago :(  It was scary, I'm thankful I wasn't hurt.  Scott picked us out a fantastic new ride and negotiated the price like a pro.

This week I have a few more projects to turn in, and then I graduate on Friday! I'm completely excited.  I don't recommend taking 7 classes at once if it can be avoided; I am running on empty, very drained.  At least I'll be done though!

We make sense

I love that Scott.  His last post speaks volumes of him; he is so good to me.

Humor me while I share two other pet stories?

When my rabbit died a few years ago (the one that was 11 years old), he painted me this picture of her. It looks just like her, I cherish it.

 For Christmas 2008, he made me a shadow box of all my bunny ribbons and his belt buckle from showing pigs.  I tell you, he never fails to amaze me with his creativity!

He is also very humble.  In his post he omitted any details about what has happened to him in the last six weeks.  He dealt with 4 pricey car repairs, he broke his foot, and had a painful tooth abscess that made his cheek swell to the size of a golf ball (which resulted in a 3-hour root canal that we were very thankful for).

We have definitely had opportunities to serve each other lately, and have had a lot of support and advice from our family too.  I sure love having a nurse for a mother :)

On Sunday we heard someone talk about the meanings of names.  We were curious exactly what ours meant.  We were tickled by what we found:

Scott means: From or pertaining to Scotland
Heather means: A flowering evergreen plant that thrives on peaty barren lands as in Scotland 

So there you have it: we make sense.  Scott and Heather are meant to be together.

Tender Moments

I had a special experience tonight with Heather.

First, a little background:

SCOTT:

When Heather and I met my view on animals was that they are a drain on your wallet as pets and useful for sport.  Heather often wondered if I would ever allow a pet into our family.  

Christmas of 2009 I surprised her with a Hamster.  We named her Belle.  I wanted Heather to know that I could love and own animals if it really was important to her.  

HEATHER:

Heather has always had a love for animals.  

She helped raise a goat, Tugs. The bell that hung around Tug's neck now hangs on a lattice archway in their yard.  Each time Heather passes underneath it she reaches up and rings the bell in remembrance of Tugs.

She helped raise Chewy the alpaca.  Chewy has special significance to our relationship.  In the infancy of our relationship I was at Heather’s on a weekend when her Father decided that the alpaca needed to be sheered.  I was there so I helped with the dangerous process.  We held, tackled, accidentally choked, and eventually sheered Chewy.  I like to think, and hope it’s true, that Kevin (her dad) decided that I was the real deal that day.  It was through Chewy that he realized that I had some work ethic and was maybe worthy of his daughter.  

Once Kevin approved enough I joined the family – one of the members of the family was Zeus, their dog.  He was a cute pup – that looked a lot like a border collie.  He had an immune deficiency for most of his life, but lived long.  One day he ran away and never returned.  It was a sad day for everyone.

Her claim to fame is her rabbits.  She used to enter them into the Davis County Fair and she won Best of Breed with her rabbit Scamper.  Her favorite Miss Dotty lived for 11 years.  Other notable rabbits included: Bopsy (first), Velvet, Hershey, Willow, and Lightning.   The average life expectancy of a rabbit is 6-8 years.  Heather is a great owner.

One of the harsh realities of owning pets it knowing that someday they will move on and not be with us.  Out of a family of  6, a general curse for Heather has been - she is the one to discover the deceased animal.  NOT something she enjoyed.

After that her dad would take the pet and bury it without her knowing the details and the plot. 

Present Day:

This weekend – while we were out of town our first pet, Belle, passed away.

When we arrived home at 1 am from Paragonah - Heather announced her arrival with the typical "Hey Belly! " she promptly went and changed out Belle's water and changed her food.  That night Heather didn't hear the squeak of the hamster wheel or the rustling of Belle in her food bowl.  

In the morning before leaving, Heather (suspecting the worst) made a trail of sunflower seeds to lure Belle out of her covered house.

That afternoon Heather sent me a text telling me of her suspicion and asked me to check on Belle.

I checked right away, so Heather wouldn't have to be the one to again discover the loss, and her suspicions were right.  So I ignored Heather for as long as I could (she thought I was sleeping all afternoon because I had plowed snow through the night).  Finally on her way home she asked me if I had checked.  I had to tell her the news.  

This brought a new duty to my role as a husband.  I was in charge of burying Belle.

We found a small box and placed her pink bowl in it (she loved to curl up in her bowl).  Inside the bowl we placed sunflower seeds (her favorite- taking after me).  And placed her deep in the flower bed in the front of our first home.

Last Photo of Belle, taken two weeks ago

Heathers love of animals has softened my heart.  It felt monumental for me to be the one that was able to take care of the pet that she cared so much for.  

In life Heather has had a way of softening my heart.  She has changed me - and made me better.  This is a small example of how she does that.

*Sorry for the length. It should make up for our month of bloglessness. And this is our Journal in a way.