Life UpDate

     Well, I guess it's time to do a little family update.  For starters, Ryan only has 4 rotations left of this crazy 3rd year and then another big national exam, Step 2 at the end of June.  Crazy to think, but the time has come for Ryan to make the big life decision of what he wants to be when he grows up.....and an Orthopedic Surgeon has made the top of his list.  I couldn't be prouder to be able to see how much Ryan has grown over the past 2 1/2 years, has had many ideas float by of what he wanted to do, many restless days trying to figure things out, and he has finally decided.  It's going to be a very long, but very worth it next couple, couple, couple of years, but we can do it!  It is currently looking like Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in the next 16 months.  We are super excited about this upcoming journey, kind of crazy to think we are on the downslope of this 4 year journey in Arizona.

     Ryan and I were training for the Sedona Marathon in February and were all ready to go.....until some injuries occurred.  Ryan and I were running 21 miles in Idaho and going like champs.  Ryan previously had some knee problems when running before, but could usually run through whatever pain he was having until this run.  With lots of snow, icy roads, cold weather and hills, he couldn't even walk at 16 miles.  He ended up having IT Band Syndrome.  It is a common running injury so we figured if he stretched and took a week off he would be good, but that was never the case, he can hardly run 2 miles without it flaring.  I was still planning on running it by myself.  I was on my 23 mile run and at mile 12 I felt a pop in my foot and could hardly walk.  Unfortunately Ryan was out of town at a rotation, so I hobbled another mile to a place a friend could pick me up.  I iced and relaxed and iced and relaxed, but it was only 2 1/2 weeks away and my goal slipped by.  So we have not accomplished that goal yet, but plan on doing so in the next 6 months or so.  Kind of depressing, but we will get it accomplished.

     School is rounding out another quarter for myself, only 2 more didactic quarters left for me and then rotations.  Ryan has been enjoying all of his rotations and staying busy.  We keep making great friends and are just enjoying this journey as much as we can.  Ryan is still teaching Gospel Doctrine and I just received a new calling as the Cub Scouts Bear Den Mother....it will definitely be an interesting calling.

God Bless Texas

     Every once in awhile in our crazy life.....you just need a weekend to go PLAY, and that is what we did.  Ryan and I took a weekend to go and visit my Aunt Vicki and her family in Fort Worth, Texas.  It was a great cowboy weekend and an even better weekend in inching Ryan into being a cowboy.  We started off the first night by hitting up the Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo.  Rodeos are just bigger and better in Texas, it helps too when you have front row seats and are sitting right on top of the bucking chutes.

     The food was phenomenal throughout the whole trip, we should have taken pictures of every meal but we kind of ate it too fast.  We looked at all the livestock (beef, lambs, sheep, and pigs) that will be getting sold as well.  It brought back so many fun memories of raising beef and pigs for FFA and 4-H.  I think Ryan for the first time had a real glimpse into what I was really like growing up and would like for our future kids.  Needless to say by the end of the pictures, I think he can't wait either.

There are many things that go on during the month long Stock Show, and we were lucky to be able to see the end of the mustang competition.  These horse trainers pick a wild mustang off of BLM land and get 100 days to work with them.  It was phenomenal to see what they could do in 100 days.  Ryan was super impressed.  The best was a trainer dressed as Duck Dynasty during his performance.  We love Duck Dynasty.

If I had money, I would have bought this beauty....

     Anyways, after all of the Stock Show fun, we played out at my Aunt's Ranch and went on a great horse ride.

This was my buddy Winnemucca, he is a mustang my Aunt bought and is HUGE, loved him.

     It was such a fun and fast trip, but well worth it to see some great family.  The saying is true, Everything is bigger and better in Texas!