Updates!

Me after completing my first organized bike ride..36 miles! Woohoo! Ben is on the phone congratulating me, what a sweetheart!
Justin and cute Avery in St George!
Ben and I at the Anniversary Inn
Ben's best bud, Jared.

So, I should probably take the time to tell everyone what we have been up to lately. It has been a VERY busy couple of months with a lot going on. I am not even sure where to start.

Medical: I am done with Lupron...hallelujah! Let's just say, there is a reason we only have to go through menopause once in our life. If you are ever curious about what it feels like to have a hot flash or what night sweats really feel like..ask me, the expert! Honestly, only 3 months of those shots and I was SO done. Good news was, no extra facial hair! Woohoo! I am just glad to be done. My blood test (CA-125) was normal(29), which was great after being in the thousands previous to surgery and the shots. I have since had both a regular ultrasound as well as a saline sonogram (WORST experience ever, I will spare you the details) and both confirmed that my ovarian cysts are back on both sides. We have started meeting with an infertility doctor and he insists that he will have to do another surgery before doing any kind of treatment. He also says his preference would be to do surgery and immediately start the IVF process. Since we don't have the money to do that, i think surgery will wait. Plus, who wants to have 3 of the same surgeries in less than 18 months? not me..
Ben is healthy as ever. Actually, he went in recently for a physical and his doctor could not stop raving about his healthy heart and how he could go out and run a marathon no problem!

KIDS: During the month of May we had the opportunity to start the training to be foster parents. I spent 36 hours in a classroom learning all about how to be a parent. i think everyone should have to take classes, they were so great! Ben only had to come to 12 hours, but I got all the good information. now we just have to finish our paperwork and a home study and we will be able to have kids in our home. We are taking our time. We want to do it, but we since it's summer we figure we have a few months. Since we both work, what would kids do during the day? Another thing we are doing to give us a taste of parenting..we got a job as weekend houseparents at the Family Support and Treatment Center in Orem. This is where Rachelle works and she referred us. We get to go once a month for a 24 hour shift and take care of kids. We did our first weekend this last week. It was great, but tiring. We had up to 11 kids at a time, all under the age of 11. We loved it though and it is great practice.

Fun: 2 weeks ago we had a great weekend! Ben and I went to a time share presentation (love em) and earned a free weekend at Anniversary Inn in Salt Lake. It was so much fun to just get away and enjoy time together. We got the Mountain Retreat room and although it was a bit dungeonish, it was just what we needed. The next day we met up with Ben's best friend, Jared, and his wife Amy and drove to St George to spend the weekend with some of my favorite people. My little sister, Jessica and her husband Justin and baby Avery are out there. we had a blast seeing their new house, swimming in the community pool, going on a bike ride and just being together. It was a great time and a much needed break. Then, this past weekend Jess and her family were in town, plus my very best friend and her husband were visiting. Kimmie was here, showing off her cute prego belly, and although I didn't get to see her much, I was so glad I got to see her at all. I wish all my friends were closer!


Oh ya....I also rode in the Little Red Riding Hood bike ride up in Logan last weekend. I only went 36 miles. My friends Tiffany and Jennica both rode 80...CRAZY! But, it was a big accomplishment for me. I might even try it again!

Sorry to share it all in one post, but life has been way too busy. Ben is in school full time and working full time. I am working full time. We both have pretty big callings and so on and so forth. I am sure you all know what I mean when I say that life has just gotten away from us lately. It seems like there is just no time to sit down and catch up.