Seriously So Blessed

Does anyone remember that satire mommy blog "Seriously so blessed" by "TAMN"?  It was a funny Mormon stereotype blog about how she was seriously so blessed.  That's what I think of every time I say or hear "seriously so blessed" but for reals-- I feel seriously so blessed.

Isn't Heber gorgeous?!

We have made it to Utah and it was hard to say goodbye to Portland (breaking up is hard to do), but we are really excited about this next chapter.  Right now it still feels like we are on vacation.  We've been here just a little over a week and all last week was filled with getting Spencer off on his mission and then getting Nicole married.
Dustin has been in to the office a few days this week but we are waiting on the state to get his license finalized so he can start working.  The update today was that they have everything so it will just be another 7-10 days.  We just wanna be working already!  We really are super blessed to have this job.  I know that it's been a lot of fasting and prayer for us (since March really), with combined efforts of our family and friends we asked to fast with us in August, and it's the perfect job for Dustin.  He will be working with Dr. Jared Nielsen at the Nielsen Clinic in Heber City Utah and is so excited to start working.  Dr. Nielsen is pretty incredible and Dustin knows he will learn a lot.  We have a three year contract and it feels great to have our next three years outlined with a salary coming in.  No more school!! Heber City is beautiful and though I'm nervous about snow (I hate it.), I'm really happy Dustin got the job that he really wanted.  Seriously so blessed.
We found a cute little basement apartment in Heber City and we can move in October 13th so in the mean time we are chillin in my parent's basement.  I really really really wanted a townhouse with a garage (because SNOW), but this basement apartment will be good for the next 6 months to a year.  All the townhouses had no availability and were at the high end of our budget.  This basement apartment is below our budgeted amount so we will be able to SAVE and hopefully get into our own house in the next year.  Which would be AWESOME.  It will be a good space for us, has 2 bedrooms, includes a washer/dryer, and the rent price includes utilities.  So, um, like I said, awesome. I think it's the right place for us for now.  Seriously so blessed.
Being under budget also means that there is no rush for me to get a job. I can get one when the right one comes, but don't have to stress about rushing to find a job so we have enough income to pay our bills.  I don't know if I'm ready to start working again and part time sounds much better than full time, but wouldn't include benefits, so there's a lot to consider.  We also want to start on fertility meds (clomid) again soon.  Like real soon.  I may or may not have a 6 month stash to get started on so might as well take it easy, rest up, Whole30 up, and fertility drug it up,  right? At least for a little while.  We'll see....
I feel like we're really lucky and that everything is coming together. Just 2 months ago I was wondering how the heck we would survive after graduation, especially if we were opening up our own practice.  I was stressing about what we would do for an income and where we would live and how we'd be able to start on fertility meds if we were so broke and poor.  It is all working out and the pieces are coming together.  I'm excited to see what the next few months bring with all these changes.  We really are seriously so blessed.

The future has arrived

I've always tended to be one that lives in the future.  My thinking and planning has been, "When I go to college, when I get married, when we have a baby, when we finish school, etc."
The future has arrived. Not on the baby part (don't get excited), but we are done with school.  That has been the biggest "living in the future" for me.  When we're done with school and have a job then we can do this or that or life will be wonderful.
Dustin had his final check out of clinic and school today. He is officially DONE.  Monday he will take Utah State boards and Tuesday he will start a new job.  We are so blessed and so grateful that he got this job.  He really really really wanted it and we are really really really excited about it.
So now we're here in the future- done with school and landed a dream job.  And I don't know what to think.  I don't want to live in the future anymore, I am enjoying the present and soaking up these last few moments in Oregon.  I cried today as we were driving and talking about all the good memories we've made.  Life has been wonderful in the present.  This has been such a big part of our lives and it's emotional to close this chapter.
The next chapter is a new and exciting adventure and I am looking forward to what the future holds.  But I'm so ready to live in the present and enjoy each and every day.
I don't know what I'll be doing once we're settled- if I'll be getting a job or enjoying some time at home. 
I guess we'll see what the next few days bring.
For now, we are enjoying the moment. 

DC Graduation and Creer visit

Hello there. It's been a while.  But you  know the drill by now, where I take long hiatuses of blogging.  I took a month off for daily blog posts during our Whole30 experience and now I'm back.  Kinda.  We'll see how long it lasts.

Dustin's graduation from the University of Western States receiving his doctorate of chiropractic and masters of sports and exercise science was June 20th.  It was exciting to celebrate graduation and we enjoyed having some family visit for the special occasion.  My grandparents and Dustin's family both came to help party. 

Graduation was at 11:00, then we took a whole lot of pictures and had lunch at Jake's Famous Crawfish with the whole gang (Creers, Gailey grandparents, and Art and Sheri and Jake Gailey).

 

 

 

 After lunch we went to the Portland temple to show the Creers around.  There were a ton of weddings that day and we tried to get Jared to sneak into a red headed family's group picture (he would have fit in perfectly!) but he didn't want to photo bomb them.  It would have made for some hilarious conversation for them.  The rest of the evening we just relaxed playing Mario Kart and taking a nap.

Saturday we went out to Seaside and Cannon Beach.  It was a perfect beach day! Apparently everyone else thought so too because it was sooo busy.  And Cannon Beach had a sandcastle event going on so what should have taken 10 minutes to get from Seaside to Cannon Beach took 2 HOURS.  It was insane. 

 

 

 

 

We met the Brent and Holly Creer gang at Mo's in Cannon Beach and then walked the long stretch of beach to see what all this sandcastle fuss was about.  And it was kind of lame.  But we got some great exercise walking that beach! 

 

 

 

Sunday we got to enjoy Dustin in the special musical number during sacrament meeting before heading up to Roy Washington for a BBQ and softball game.  And by BBQ I mean Brent grilled some amazing steak and halibut.  It was so good! 

 

 

 Monday was a day in Seattle taking a ferry from Bremerton to downtown and exploring the waterfront and Pike's Place.  And then AMAZING seats at the Mariner's vs Red Sox game. 

 

 

Tuesday we drove back down to Portland, dropped Nicole off at the airport, and then fell alseep.  Because we partied so hard.

Wednesday I had to go back to work but Dustin and his dad went on a guided fishing tour on the Willamette.  It was kind of a bummer because only ONE fish was caught by anybody on the boat. Dustin was the one to reel it in, but it was on the guide's fishing line so he got to keep it (lame). We enjoyed a delicious dinner at Claim Jumpers that night with "Thor" as our waiter. 

Thursday we had to say goodbye to the Creers as they headed down the coast and through scenic California on their way home. 

It was so much fun to have them here to visit!
And wahoo for graduation! One last quarter (that we now are 4 weeks through, only 6 weeks to go!)
So proud of my doctor and the all the work he's done to get through school!

For the love

This year's Valentine's Day was the best one. EVER.  Usually Valentine's isn't a big deal for us and our first Valentine's when we were dating was a disaster.  So glad that good memories are replacing bad ones! :)

Dustin spoiled me with the trifecta of Valentine's gifts:
Jewelry (ShaneCo pearl necklace and bracelet), chocolate (See's Truffles), and flowers (long stem red roses and lilies- my favorite!)

Valentines Day new jewelry selfie? you betcha!

I gave Dustin a nice new watch that I had him pick out, and then I decorated his car with a basket of goodies while he was in clinic.  They had cutesy sayings.  Thanks Pinterest :)

 

Once upon a time we decided that we would have candle lit pizza dinners for Valentine's Day and then go out on the weekend, but that was when we thought we'd have kids some time soon and would want to spend the night with all our loves.  Seeing as we still don't have kids and VDay was on a Friday, we figured we might as well go out.

We enjoyed dinner at Panera, which was perfect because there was no line, no waiter to tip, and the food was delish.  Then we watched The Lego Movie at the Clackamas Town Center.  It was so funny!

We had lunch together on Valentine's Day and Dustin told me some shocking facts.  Of all the married couples who started this Chiropractic program with Dustin, 50% of them are now divorced.  Of the married couples that are doing the Sports and Exercise Science Master's Program as well, 2/3 of them are now divorced. Grad school is HARD.  We hardly see each other, especially true the further he gets into the program, and it's hard not being able to spend much time together.
A few people have asked how we're able to do all our fun dates or outings.  I'm not sure if they meant financially, or how we find such cool stuff to do or whatever, but I honestly don't know how we'd survive these couple years WITHOUT the quality time together.  I literally get so cranky when I can't see Dustin for more than a few minutes a day. We need time together. And some days we see each other when we wake up, and then for maybe an hour before we go to bed.  I know we should get more sleep, but I like those few hours that we have to spend together.
Financially we are fortunate to be able to easily prioritize fun dates.  My job has been excellent and I have increased my hourly pay rate by almost $3 more an hour since I started 2 years ago.  We're also still taking out max student loans.  Starting grad school I was FREAKED OUT by the financial side, but we have been very blessed.  We use Groupon often and usually spend at least one weekend night (Friday or Saturday) at home.  We use our credit cards to our advantage to receive rewards like cash back or Thank You points that get us gift cards.  We pay them off in full each month and never pay interest.  Sure, we could have a lot more in savings or could take out less student loans, but we are making memories and taking time to be together. I'm happy to be in that 1/3 that are still married and even happier that our love for each other has grown during the past 2 1/2 years in grad school. We're in this together FOREVER and I'm so glad I have Dustin with me to go through this hard time in our lives.

 

Pinning Ceremony

Dustin has now entered the clinic phase of Chiropractic School. Imagine a residency portion for doctors- this is the residency portion for chiropractors.  They work in the on campus clinic at first treating other students, getting real practice in.  Then they start working on non students.  Like me.  Or other family members.  And then they can go off site and treat even MORE patients.  Then they graduate and make money (if only it was that easy).

So to celebrate becoming chiropractic "residents" they have a pinning ceremony - officially putting on their white coat and receiving a school pin followed by light refreshments.

Not a lot of family/friend support came to the ceremony, so I was glad I could be there to be a part of this transition.  I expected those who were in attendance to clap/cheer/hoot&holler when their loved ones had their names read, much like a graduation ceremony.  Nope.  These people were stone cold silent.  It was sad. So when Dustin's name was called (note, C's aren't that far in so I was able to set a good example for those coming after) I gave a "whoo!" and people laughed.
I'm awesome.  See?

Congrats babe!  One more year til graduation! Whoo!