Up, Up, and Away!

My life is a whirlwind. Hmmm... too mild. A hurricane? (Song juts into your brain "Here I am.... Rock you like a Hurricane!")

Either way... hold on tight... because this blog will be representative of just a portion of the craziness that has ensued.

It all began with an "over-the top" Christmas. Jaren and I were spoiled rotten by the family... and I walked away with much more than just the Christmas Spirit.

For those who haven't met my nephew Kayden. You should be warned. He is a rock star, and will be famous someday... very soon. He got a fake violin for Christmas... which was immediately turned into a guitar (like every spoon, chopstick, and fly swatter in the house). Oh does he have the moves!

Jaren got his remote control helicopter - which was quickly followed by his phone call of "Actually your not leaving on Monday evening - your leaving on Sunday evening" - Important to note that HE called the Army just to check on.... Saturday. Left him with a little under 20 hours to prepare to leave (of course he left everything to do on Monday day)... don't you know my husband?

Back up... wait... this was earlier that day... on Saturday the 28th. Yup. Got a new Subaru Outback. Dream come true - Check!

Jaren left the next day - and I didn't cry. Weird. I know. But I was driving my fancy new car... and maybe fiddling with the heated seats and the XM radio had something to do with it.

Monday, went to work. Had to tell the team that lots of things would be different... and not just me leaving. Long story - just basically adds up to a feeling of uncertainty for them... which I hate - because I LOVE my employees, and hate for them to feel like everything is changing and there's no way to slow it down.

Tuesday, Andrea's wedding. Wake up at 4:00 am... get myself ready. This picture is at 5:30 am when I get to help Andrea get ready. That's right - she's nuts and asked me to do her hair.

Confession: I was totally freaked out. I don't know if you know Andrea, but she's gorgeous - always looks amazing, and a bit of a perfectionist. I might as well have been doing hair for the Queen... I would have been less nervous. This is after she finally let me finish the front of her hair. The eye makeup got a bit in the way of me finishing my project. Not .... to... shabby... If I do say so myself. Of course I forgot the key factor. Andrea is gorgeous - she could wear a swamp for her hair and look amazing.

This is also when I got to meet Andrea's long time friend Jodi. Jodi is a convert (like me) and absolutely fabulous. I was so thankful that she has taken care of Andrea - and flown her out to us so many times. Andrea was right to think that we would be great friends - I can already feel it. We three girls had a fantastic time getting ready for the wedding. MAC makeup, cheesy eggs, and a handsome man named Mark. What could be better?

Here we are at the Salt Lake Temple taking pictures. Very fun to see some of my old roommates - and dearest friends. And Andrea looked amazing. I honestly couldn't be happier than to see such a dear friend find her soulmate and her companion. Any remnant of fear washed away from Andrea's face, and was replaced with the eternal love that she now shares with Mark. Yeah! Here's the video of them coming out of the temple.

Wedding Luncheon = Vegetarian Bliss, Lasagna, Lion House rolls, good friends, toasts to the Bride and Groom, and lots of happy tears!

Wednesday - New Years Eve. Jenny, Summer, and I (along with a few others) get together for an unconventional new years party... dying eyelashes? More like - torture! This stuff burns. Don't get it in your eyes.

Next day - Ski 7 miles into a Tj and Jill's Cabin (happens to be the site of my meeting Jenny and Jill - oh how many stories would be untold if I never went to Tj's cabin so many years ago?)

The cabin is gorgeous - snowy, and COLD. Takes a while to heat up. Pellet stoves only warm so much space at a time.... Although it looked warmer and sunnier for the ski back - it was much colder without cloud cover. This was the beginning of our trip home.

Needless to say - there is so much more that happened. I am now left with some sort of stomach flu, chapped lips, and a year's worth of memories.

Being sick has made me slow down - and for that I should probably be grateful. However, with slowing down comes the realization that my own soulmate is out of reach for a least a month... and I can not wait to see him again.

I am one lucky girl.