Woo Woo!

 Kelly got all A's on his finals AND got accepted officially into the Medical Lab Science program!

It is getting harder and harder to remember that everyone my age is at different stages, some buy homes and have kids and others wait a bit longer for those things; I just keep telling myself to enjoy the here and now and all of that will be here before I know it.

I am still liking my job, Kelly found a summer job, and the only thing new with us really is we chose an adoption process. We can tell there are some people that are a little bit iffy with our choice to adopt, but we think the excitement that we feel will soon spread to our family and friends. We have thought about adopting for a few years now, and we are slowly starting the process, we wont be able to hit it head on for another year (after school), but its fun to do any part of the process just so it feels like something will eventually happen. So watch out for more news on that as I will be excited to share the whole story. For right now, I feel like we have made a fairly stable choice to adopt from Taiwan.

In just a month, my sister Jesica will be getting married! Also last week, my brother Jacob turned 18!!! I cannot believe he is that old and graduating from High School this month. My brother Hyrum just hit the 6 foot mark on his height...and he is only 12. And its good to have my brother Bud so close and I am glad things are going well for him here!

On Kelly's side of the family things are pretty exciting too: they sold all the cows, Megan is pregnant and I get to be a first time Aunt, and Kelly's parents are going to Hawaii in a few weeks!

I just want to say that I have the most perfect husband, he is so supportive of my needs, and I want to thanks him for being so great even when I am not deserving of it! Love you so much Kelly!

When each day is said and done, I go to bed quite content with life and where I am at. Counting your blessings really does work!

Weekend Getaway

For Kelly's birthday he wanted to do some hiking, so we got him some better hiking boots from Cabella's and decided to go to Moab the weekend after. Kelly had never been there, so we were excited!

Friday night we went and saw Hunger Games in theaters, it was really fun and we enjoyed the movie having read all the books.

We got up early on Saturday and headed out. We decided to drive through Ephraim and do a little "awwww"ing at the place we first met. I am glad we did because the canyon up that way to get to Moab was gorgeous!

We went to Goblin first, we had a blast, we were like two kids on a playground; climbing on rocks and then shouting "look at me!" We hiked up some places that were slightly difficult to get up and VERY difficult to get down, but it was so much fun there. And the weather was the perfect temperature. After a few hours of hiking we headed to Moab. In our minds, Moab was a great city we could not wait to see, so we giggled a bit as we drove through the hippy lil town. We got some food and checked into our hotel.

The next day we got up early again and went to Arches National Park. I had forgotten how big the park was. We were really humbled by the beauty we saw, so breathtaking! We some of the short trails and then of course the Delicate Arch. Its cool to meet people hiking there, from all parts of the world, which made us laugh that it was Kelly's first time there. The weather was beautiful and we stayed up there for quite a while.

We got in the car and decided to drive to Grand Junction, CO. Kelly will be looking for jobs in a year from now, and we are trying to get as many options in the four corners area as we can that we would like to live as jobs in Utah fill up quickly. We liked the city and the valley there, and we stopped and ate some lunch. We drove home Price way this time, I read "The Maze Runner" aloud to Kelly for entertainment (very good book by the way). As we approached the opening coming to the Provo area, I scream in horror, then we laughed when we saw what I was scared by. Those windmills! At first I could only see a part of them slicing around the mountain, and I had no idea they were there. haha. They looked pretty cool as we drove by them though. Kelly thought it funny to sing "I am Lord Don Quixote the man from La Mancha" and those of you who know the story can see the humor in this.

We got home happy to see our little Moose, and it was so good of Bud to take care of him for us!

VERY FUN WEEKEND! And we cannot wait to go back!

Good News!

I got a new job! The Rupp Family breathes a sigh of relief. I was somewhat quiet about it, but I put my two week notice in a couple weeks ago, things at work were getting bad and I hurt my back with all the lifting. It was kinda a scary chance to take, but I felt good about it. I spent one week with the flu and two weeks non stop job searching.

I am working at Westside Medical as a receptionist in Clinton.

I appreciate my last job because the medical paperwork experience I got with it helped me get this job. But the change from that job to this is so nice. I went from wearing a manly outfit to scrubs, lifting heavy oxygen tanks to paperwork, from working outside to inside, grumpy co-workers to friendly, and delivering tasty food to doctors offices to receiving it! The job itself is nothing exciting, but I welcome that! I work 12-8pm, which I am looking forward to.

Bud got a job here in Ogden managing the Jamba Juice, and so he moved in with Kelly and I temporarily. For those of you who have been to my apartment would know we are very squished right now, but we have worked out a system and have had fun having him here!

I have two family members engaged and that means I get to make wedding plans and help out, I love it and am happy for the both of them!

Holidays and Celebrations

I am glad the holidays are here, it makes life a little more exciting.

Kelly did FANTASTIC on his finals, I mean, REALLY GOOD! He really loves what he is studying, which makes going for this second degree all the more worthwhile.

I go back and forth constantly from hating to not minding my job, I think I am coming back to not minding it, which is a nice place to be. I have become accustom to the physical work and I am just glad I have a job.

Moose fulfills his family duty by being a practice baby until we are able to adopt or able to have our own kids...which ever happens. Good job Moose!

Thanksgiving was a lot of fun. I got to spend a couple days with my family, playing games and watching movies, and this year kelly was with me and not milking cows! I love it! Saturday we went and spent the day with Kelly's parents and had another Thanksgiving, so no complaints on two great meals. We have happy tummy's and we better start running it off.

We saw the new Muppet Movie, I HIGHLY reccomend it, it was so cute and we laughed the whole time.

Kelly and I have now been married five years. I love Kelly, I am so blessed to be married to such a great man. We have a lot of fun together. For our anniversary we picked out a wedding band to go with my engagement ring, it looks complete! Also I am 25 now...that is all I have to say about that.

I am so thankful for a good marriage, a job that pays all the bills, a puppy who cuddles and warms my feet, a nice apartment, two working cars, a safe country, that kelly is working so hard in school...just very happy with my life. I wouldn't want anyone else's life!

Ogden

Since moving to Ogden we have discovered new fun things to do and also we have been working on little ways to save money. So, I thought I would share :)

Last night my cousin invited us to go with them to the Terrace Playhouse and see Wise Guys, WAY FUNNY, I was very impressed and we had a lot of laughs. It was something different for a date than the normal things we do and we will definately be going again.

New places to eat! We love Famous Dave's, Mimi's Cafe, GoodWood BBQ, and McGraths Seafood. MMMMM.

The current movie playing that both Kelly and I recommend is The Help. Great storyline, great acting. See it!

I have not only saved a ton of money by no longer dying my hair, I THINK it has made my hair healthier, and my actual natural hair color, isn't as bad as I remembered it being so long ago, haha.

I have found that Christmas shopping is really hard to do in one month, especially when you are just starting out. My solution: when I buy a friend or family members Birthday present, I also buy their Christmas present and wrap it up and put it away, it tends to scatter the buying throughout the year instead of one month. And it makes for a less stressful holiday!

I got this one from my parents, and I am not big on using coupons, but I like this one! When you go to Panda Express, save your receipt, then call the number on the back, so the next time you go, you get a free entree.

I LOVE shopping at WINCO, not only cheaper than walmart, you can get your own amount of certain products...such as rice or cereal, we like it for the cereal so we can eat it before it goes stale and only pay for what we actually will eat. I would say, Kelly and I had way too much fun shopping there. haha.

All Smiles in the Rupp Family!

HELLO!





School started for Kelly and that means GOODBYE COWS and farm work! WOO WOO!

Kelly is starting the Medical Lab Science program, and he seems to be excited about it. He is really enjoying a normal schedule and being home normal hours, and I don't have to tell any of you that I love seeing him 4x as much a week! I am one happy duck.

Our new schedule allows for lots of new things to do together. We have been running (well, slow jogging) about 3 miles a day, we are playing tennis, walking moose, and trying to conquer reading the book "Atlas Shrugged". We think we will try a camping trip while the weather is still good!


Having Kelly home so much more makes my job so worth it, so I think I can handle it a couple more years :) I am adjusting to all the physical work and I like driving around in my super cool van...



Jesi will be home in one month! I am counting the days now! I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that my sister is living in the Philippines.

I am the happiest girl in the world. I feel very spoiled and I am very satisfied with where my life is at right now :)

New place :)

As requested, I have put some pictures of my new apartment. Its small for sure, but it is our favorite, and we just love it! Plus Moose has been doing so good in the new place, that he is like a whole new dog!

The bedroom, I love it because the carpet was put in just before we moved in, and my last carpet was so yucky.
My kitchen, small, but it does the job :) My cute little chandelier that my Aunt Tracy gave me!
My present to Kelly, he has been wanting one for forever, and I have been saving for it since we got married, it was so nice to be able to give him such a big gift! (I enjoy it too, its like a movie theater in my house).

My new couches from my parents, I get home from work and sit on the floor and just look at them I am so in love with them...I also do sit ON the couches at times, haha. Kelly laughs at me because I got the apartment because I liked the floor, what a reason right?

Moving

Our official new plan: Kelly is going back to school to get his second bachelors degree in (drum roll) Medical Lab Science.

He will start at Weber in the fall, so we decided to move to the Ogden area as soon as I got a job, because I am hoping to work and have Kelly just do school this time so I might be able to see him more!

Last Friday I applied for my first couple of jobs, Monday I got a call back, Tuesday interview, Wednesday found an apartment, Thursday got job, and Saturday I moved! SO CRAZY!

My new job is working for Lincare as a service rep (driver/deliverer), I will deliver oxygen to those with different breathing problems. Plus it pays more than I get now.

I am still studying for my Sign Language test.

I was so spoiled this weekend in every way. I had friends help me find the job, cover shifts at my bus driving job so I could get things done, pack, clean, move, etc! My family was such a huge help and support for me.

On top of all that help, Khin Mar Cho's family gave me the cutest dish set. My parents got me new couches, I have been dreaming about new couches for 4 years, and now I have such a nice set, I can't believe they did that! My grandparents were generous to us as well, helping us with school money (since kelly already has a bachelors he does not qualify for FAFSA). And I suprised kelly with a new tv I had been saving for...so indeed, we are spoiled.

The next couple of years will bring more hard work, but Kelly and I are feeling so confident and positive, we both feel that this is the right thing for us and that things will work out! We are so blessed!

Plan on Change

It is that time again...change. Love it or hate it, but it will happen again and again.

Kelly and I are discussing career changes once again, just trying to find him his little nook he will do the rest of his life. You have to try things to see if they work for you I suppose. He will be graduating in a couple of weeks, but is thinking of going back to school in something totally different and getting his second bachelors.

And we have no idea what I will be doing, probably working to help get him through school, but the adoption papers might get done sooner than we had planned with the change, and that is exciting to me! I still plan on getting my ASL certificate, but probably just the State and not nationals.

So the update is, we have no idea what we are doing...again! hahaha. But oddly enough we both feel calm about it and are expecting to move somewhere at the end of the summer!

VACATION

In December Kelly and I took a MUCH needed vacation for our Fourth Anniversary. I think the best part of the vacation was getting to see Kelly all day every day for a week. We spent the first night in St George in an awesome condo.

The whole trip we were looking forward to Cali weather and sunshine, but we ended up being there during the biggest rain storm they have had in 10 years. We got up the next morning and drove to Anaheim and checked into the condo there and once again, just relaxed. The next morning we geared up in rain boots and poncho's and headed out to Disneyland!

We were very happy to see that the rain had scared most people away, we literally had no lines and just got on ride after ride.

We returned to Disneyland the next day, our favorite rides are Indiana Jones, Pirates, and Space Mountain, and we enjoyed several shows including the new World Of Color which was, in a word, amazing!

The next day we drove to Las Vegas, did some major shopping at the outlets, and then checked into the MGM grand. We took a nap, and then got dressed up all nice for a Circe' Soleil show "KA". It was the coolest thing either of us had been too and well worth the money, we LOVED it.

On the way home we stopped and bought "The Hunger Games" on audio CD and listened to the whole book, it made the drive home go quickly. Anyway, great vacation!

So it begins

So I have been accepted into the American Sign Language Interpreting Program!

Check out my signing under the tab "My Dream"
as I will begin posting my projects and assignments there :)

It is going to be a lot of hard work, but it's very fun and exciting! I really love my classes and my friends in the class, couldn't ask for a more supportive class!


I am still working for CVTD until I finish school and it is going very well, and driving a bus is now just as easy as driving my car.

My Burmese family has become my second family. They keep me VERY busy, there is always something to do or fix. There are lots of babies in their family now, which has been fun and sad for me, but mostly fun! Cute babies! Jan Bi had her baby and I was once again there for everything, held my sisters hand as she gave birth to beautiful baby boy Ray Ba.

Now about my most important favorite person and best friend Kelly!

If I ever think my schedule is too much all I have to do is look at Kelly to keep going. He has 18 credits of upper division classes, and works full time, and hardly ever has a break, and that does not include homework. He is doing so great! I am so glad this is his final semester at USU!


Moose has turned out to be such a good puppy, and we have managed a schedule so he is not alone in his kennel very much, he is pretty good at cuddling with my feet while I do homework.


Overall, our life is good because we have each other! We are sure our hard work will pay off. I have the best and most supportive husband ever! I love you Kelly!

my latest job

That is right, I now drive the bus for Cache Valley, I have conquered the 30 foot beast!

Being a bus driver is not something I ever planned on doing that is for sure! After my first day driving the bus on the road I was so stressed about it. But I feel so proud of myself for doing it and sticking with it, there have been several days I just wanted to quit.

When I look back on my calendar I am kinda impressed by myself and what I have done this summer/fall.

I think my volunteer hours with the Burmese people are eating me alive, no matter how much I do, there is always so much more.

There were 3 of them pregnant at once, and Seedarbe had her baby a couple of weeks ago, and the other yesterday, and the last is due in January. CRAZY. But luckily a new couple just moved here, and she has been a wonderful interpreter for me and a lot of fun to meet. She and her husband are Buddhist and its been fascinating learning about that religion and sharing mine with her. I am so lucky to have these opportunities!

Also I have been doing school, and I am so far staying afloat.

Kelly is crazy and taking 18 credits on top of working, but Sundays are like Xmas for us, as it is our only day together :) we are looking forward to our vacation this winter for sure!

Bud is in China now and sounds like he is having the experience of a lifetime, and Jesica is doing so good in the Philippines, she is busy busy. I miss them a ton though! I have cried for every letter and phone call, I am such a baby these days.

I had a busy summer but a lot of fun squeezed in between the work! I am enjoying the fall weather and the beautiful leaves turning!

I have the best husband that I could ever ask for and really love my life!

God Bless America!

I had a very good Fourth of July, I spent it taking 5 carloads of Burmese families to the fireworks at the stadium, and let me tell you there could have been no better way to spend the day than with people who had never seen fireworks :) ....well it may have been cool if Kelly could have gotten work off, but what can you do? The next day I went to my cousin Sydney's baptism, which was great, and she looked cute! Then I went with my Dad, Hyrum, Sha, and YaSin to the Cache Valley Cruise In, and we had a ton of fun looking at the cars. But I was so very tired when all was said and done!

I have just been busy working and working. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my job and my sign language class is going really well, I feel like I am slowly improving!

Summer Fun

I have been so busy and I feel like I am never home, but life is SO good

The first picture is my friend JanBi I brought her to a bonfire with some of my friends, we had a GREAT time. It is fun to show her American culture and she shares with me Burmese and Thai culture. I love my new friend and all the new experiences I've had with this job.

The next picture is JanBi's neice Thuza, she is always wanting to come over and help me clean, watch a disney movie, or watch the puppy for me. She is adorable and I love having her over :)

The 3rd picture is HaSan my proud graduate! He is the first in his family to get his High School diploma, it was a big day for us and very very exciting! WOO!

Also I have been doing the prekinder program, I just started this assignment and LOVING it! I am taking my Burmese student HtooPoeSar there and she is doing so great and being so brave!

I just started my next Signing class and am so excited, I've been going out with my new friends from class and practicing voice off, and we've had some fun and funny experiences with that, I cannot wait to interpret!

And since summer is here, that means no fun for farmers, and that means no fun for Kelly, and THAT means no Kelly for me :(

But really, if we work hard and get through the summer it will really pay off for us, I am proud to have such a hard worker and glad he is almost done with school! Kelly is amazing. Overall, no complaints, I have a dream job at the moment, the greatest husband, a nice home, wonderful family and friends, and I can't forget my cute puppy Moose (even if he uses me as a chew toy).

Goodbyes.

Today I said goodbye to my sweet friend Joan. The family is gathered around her as they say their own goodbyes now. I've never learned so much from a person before as I have serving Joan. She is a spiritual giant, it doesn't take her words to feel that. Everyone who has ever come into her life has left it a better person and was blessed by her. Although working for her really challenged me some days; it was the best job I have ever had, it was an honor to be with her the last two years and I will miss her friendship. I will never forget how she held my hand when I was having a bad day. We got to laugh and cry a lot together. I love you Joan and I hope your pain will be over soon. I am so very comforted that you may sing, eat, breathe, and walk again... Thank you for everything. I love you.

MOOSE

We've missed having a puppy, so here is our new boy Moose!
We picked him up yesterday, he is 6 weeks old and somewhat potty trained, but he did not sleep last night. whine whine whine. But we are still excited to have him and all three of us will be having some naps today!

New Job

I love love love my new job! I work with people from Burma (myanmar) helping them with their English, reading, and all sorts of other things. I recently helped plan a baby shower and now have a wedding on my hands. My favorite part of the day is Library day, I get to take kids to the library who actually are so excited for books. I spend pretty much any extra time I have helping out or playing games with them. It is so funny, they think that EVERYTHING they get in the mail is important. For example, one day one of the guys comes up to me and says, "Lizzy, we got dis home depot, we do not want to go there, please, cancel dis". I look at it and its just an advertisement for home depot, haha! Every day its like I leave home and enter a new country, EVERY DAY is an adventure!

Change

So we had another little speed-bump; Kelly could not receive the age waiver for the Air Force, so we are on to plan B :) . We are not too worried about it, he will finish up school and we are thinking he will pursue Police Academy. So big breathe and here we go!

I am planning on finishing my Sign Language certificate and am still working for Joan, I am so lucky to take care of her in this last stage of her life; I am learning a lot! I love her so much.

In Loving Memory

I miss you already Grandpa!

The Best Husband

If you keep your husband up all night just because you had a bad day, and he has to get up at five in the morning, he should probably kill you. But no, the poor sweet thing gets me roses, chocolate, and a disney movie. I am thankful to have a patient husband whom I have no complaints about! I love him so very much!

I want to be forever young!

Eww, I HATE growing up!

"When did we become adults and how do we make it stop?"

:) Here is a picture of the hardest worker ever,

we were burning ditches last week,

I even got to run the torch!

Kelly wakes up way way early and gets home in time to go to bed,

at least it will only last just this summer...

So I am picking up a second job now,

working at A&W with Jes and Bud.

It will get kelly through school and give me something to do;

at least that is what I keep telling myself haha.

Doll House

The Doll House Jes and I made for our cousin

Sydney for her birthday.