Miles, Michelle and Link

We've moved!

2008-01-21T18:34:00.000-08:00

our new address is:

milesandmichelle.com

We'd love some visitors!

Quick update:

2008-01-18T08:23:00.000-08:00

We had our 20 week appointment yesterday, so here's a quick update on how our baby boy's doin'. Just to start, everything looks awesome—a perfectly normal pregnancy. My uterus is exactly where it's supposed to be, the total weight I've gained so far is right on, the results of my alpha fetoprotien (AFP) test were normal, my placenta is not covering my cervix, our due date is still right on, the baby is growing at the right rate, and no abnormalities were detected in my ultrasound. Also, about the little cyst I reported earlier, they think it just disappeared! All wonderful news!

Funny how my life is already completely wrapped up in our little guy! I hope I don't bore you all to tears posting about it so much!

2 halves=A whole

2008-01-13T20:48:00.000-08:00

Today marks the half-way point of the pregnancy, I'm 20 weeks today! Boy, it takes a long time to make a baby! But we're excited to be on the down-hill side.

Nesting

2008-01-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

I've been driving Miles CRAZY with my new nesting tendencies! I never knew how powerful these urges could be! Not only do I have the desire to make our apartment more homey, I now have the ENERGY! We've been in our new apartment in California for 6 months now, and I feel like we are just now getting moved in. I spend my evenings now thinking about what creative ways I can decorate. For Christmas, all I asked for was home decor, and got some really cool stuff from both my family and Miles' family. This last week, I've had a blast incorporating all my new gifts. I'm sure we've annoyed our neighbors plenty hammering away. My new thing now is making drapes for all the windows in the apartment, starting with the huge sliding glass doors in the family room. Yay for a new hobby! I've been sewing up a storm. I took lessons for a few years when I was younger, but never owned my own machine. I somewhat impulsively bought an inexpensive one a couple months ago (must have been one of those pregnancy cravings). I've had so much fun. I never realized how easy it would be to pick up again. So far, I've made Feets a quilt, Miles' PJs for Christmas, and am now working on the curtains. Miles has been such a good sport, and even accompanies me to the fabric store when I want to go! I'm pretty sure I'm going to be an absolute maniac my last trimester, trying to get everything ready for the baby!

So what's your guess?

2008-01-03T22:30:00.000-08:00

Yep, that's right, it's a boy! We had our ultrasound this evening at 6:15pm. My favorite part about the whole experience was watching Miles' face light up when the nurse gave us the good news! Miles and I are just delighted! It was so fun to watch the baby squirm around, and I can feel him now! I felt Feets for the first time last Sunday while visiting family for Christmas. This has been such an exciting time!

Belly Picture #1

2007-12-20T21:15:00.000-08:00

I think I started showing this week.

2007-12-18T09:50:00.000-08:00

You may have guessed, this is NOT my belly, but I've been busy and just haven't had a chance to photograph my own. But don't you think the picture is cool? There's a debate on the internet whether or not it's real, or if it was photoshopped. I'm guessing it's fake, but I still like the picture! I would say that I do have a belly now, but I don't think it's very cute yet! It's crazy how much my little tummy is already affecting my life! I'm still not quite big enough to fit into any maternity clothes, which is actually pretty frustrating. I'm also debating whether I should post a picture with skin showing (I'm not really accustomed to showing off my stomach region) or not. What do ya think? Anyone have a preference?

Anywho, I hope everyone enjoys this last week before Christmas. I'm sure it's busy for us all!

Entire Tree: At the Request of My Fans

2007-12-06T18:11:00.001-08:00

Here are a couple pics of the entire tree, almost complete. Sadly, right when we were completely done with the tree, the lens of our new camera started giving us problems. We sent the lens off to Canon for repair this morning. So, this was the best I could do!

Oh, Christmas Tree

2007-12-05T17:34:00.000-08:00

I've really been feeling the Christmas spirit this holiday season. You know how some years, you're really in the mood, and others you're just not feeling it? Well, I guess this is a On year for me. I keep telling Miles, "I want to do everything Christmas." We put up our Christmas tree last weekend, and it turned out to be quite an adventure.

We decided to buy an artificial tree from Target this year—the $40 one, which was an upgrade from the $20 tree last year. We got it home, and while setting it up, the plastic stand broke, after the lights were on. First we tried to fix the stand with packing tape, which, of course did not hold. Then, I laid on the floor and held the tree up while Miles ran to the store. He brought back Krazy glue, duct tape, and of course a box of powdered donuts. Neither the glue nor the tape held! (we didn't try using the donuts). We thought duct tape could fix anything! Apparently not Christmas tree stands. We gave up that night and started again the next day. We returned the tree to Target and took a trip to Lowe's where we upgraded again to a $60 tree—this one pre-lit with a metal stand! We also stopped by Micheals and picked up some crafty things to deck out the tree. Afterward, we went home and tried again. This time we were successful, with a couple minor, and very normal, lighting set-backs. In the end, we had a great time, and we love our tree this year! Hopefully with the upgrades, we'll be able to use the same artificial tree for the next 20 years!

Pregnancy Update

2007-11-27T09:09:00.001-08:00

Yesterday we had our second pregnancy exam with the OBGYN. We found out a couple new bits of information, so here's an update. First, I'm not as far along as we were initially told. I'm only 13 weeks instead of 14. I had gotten an ultrasound 3 weeks ago at the radiology unit because the baby was measuring smaller than the calculated due date. Miles thinks the baby is just short like its parents. I guess this means I get to be pregnant 41 weeks instead of 40 (at least that's how it feels). So now, we're due on June 1st not May 25th. Which is actually kinda fun. Miles birthday is June 2nd and HIS due date was June 1st! What a coincidence.

The second bit of information was also found on my ultrasound. The doctor told us I have an ovarian cyst. I got a little nervous when the he mentioned the 3cm cyst, but he said for now it's nothing to worry about. I guess they're pretty common during pregnancy, but it's hard to know if the cyst was there before we got pregnant or just since the pregnancy. They're going to keep an eye on it, and most likely won't do anything until the baby comes, if they need to do anything at all. But hopefully it will just shrivel away.

Thanks for all your love and support everyone. We've loved reading all your comments!

Journal Entry: Nov. 23, 2007

2007-11-25T20:41:00.000-08:00

It's the day after Thanksgiving. We're spending the holiday in Arizona with Miles' family. I've been meaning to sit down and write a few things about how excited we are that we're pregnant, expecting our first baby! The baby is due May 25th. We found out we were pregnant about the end of September after having tried for 8 months (which felt like an eternity). We started trying a couple semesters before graduating from BYU. After moving to California, and still not pregnant, I searched for a full-time job. I was so blessed to find a position on UCI campus with full medical benefits. A month after starting my new job, Miles and I got a positive pregnancy test. We were in shock, but didn't hesitate in sharing the exciting news with my family. Of course, my Mom was the first person I called. My family was so thrilled. My sister even cried when she exclaimed "I'm going to be an aunt!" The fact that we're having our own baby sinks in a bit more each day.

Up to this point, I can honestly say I've had a miracle pregnancy. I'll be 14 weeks on Sunday (which is today) and will have finished my first trimester. I have been extremely blessed to not have suffered from morning sickness. I was so surprised, as I thought for sure the toilet would be my best friend though out my first trimester. I guess you never know! However, I have had many other discomforts that come with pregnancy: needing to pee all the time, I've been so dog-tired, and I cannot even stand the thought of cooking. I hate food; the thought and the smell. As of right now, I just feel fat. I'm in that awkward stage where I don't look pregnant yet, just that I've put on a few pounds.

We shared our news with Miles' family onThanksgiving. We thought it would be great to tell them in person. They didn't agree. They were upset we didn't tell them earlier. I guess we messed up on that one! Sorry Pomeroys!

So the two big things we're looking forward to now are feeling the baby move, (hopefully in the next 2-4 weeks) and finding out if it's a boy or girl (4-6 weeks). We're kinda hoping for a boy, but would gladly take a girl!

I cannot tell you how happy we are, and how blessed we feel! In all of this, we have definitely felt the hand of the Lord.

Fetus at 10 weeks, which we affectionately call "Feets."

A New Seasonal Favorite

2007-11-20T13:03:00.001-08:00

Move over Girl Scout Thin Mints and Oreos, for the best mint cookie ever! Sold seasonally only at Trader Joes!

One Good Meal

2007-11-13T20:30:00.000-08:00

Miles and I had a very delicious dinner tonight. The best part was that it was so easy! We had baked chicken, a sweet potato, spinach salad, and corn. Don't you just love it when you're able to pull something together without any planning, and it actually tastes good? We were very excited. I thought I'd mention just a few of the tidbits I learned to make this meal such a breeze.

Tonight's chicken recipe, which I got from allrecipes.com—my all-time favorite recipe site, only called for 3 ingredients (including the chicken). I'm usually terrible at baking chicken—it always comes out dry and bland. I'm learning that chicken needs to be baked at a high temperature (400-425 degrees) for only 20-25 minutes, and most recipes call for more like 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Did you know you can microwave sweet potatoes? Yeah, all you need to do is scrub the tater, pierce it about 10 times with a fork and put in on a paper towel in the microwave. Cook for 3 minutes, turn, and cook for 3 more. I ate half of mine with just butter and salt, and the other half with butter and brown sugar. Both ways were delicious!

My secret to tonight's spinach salad was the scoop of cottage cheese. Miles thought it was a little weird, but ended up liking it. Really, it's just a cheap and handy substitute for something like feta.

You can never go wrong with frozen corn. We buy a huge bag at Costco (organic, because that's all they have here in California) and we eat it with just about every meal.

Yay for yummy, easy cooking!

The Getty

2007-11-11T18:58:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Miles and I spent the entire day at The Getty Museum in LA. We loved it. The best part was that it was free! All we had to pay for was parking (which is typical of course). We were only able to see a couple of the exhibits because there was so much to see, which means we'll get to go back time and time again. There are a few exhibits that stay the same, but a couple that are constantly changing, which means there should always be something new each time we go. Miles and I were impressed with the beautiful architecture and landscaping. We took advantage of the beautiful, crisp fall day and ate a homemade lunch in the garden area. It was a perfect opportunity to practice a bit more with our camera, and we weren't the only ones. It seemed like everyone was taking pictures. We were also amazed with how kid-friendly the museum was. Listening to a story-teller was one of our favorite activities. Overall, we just had a great time. The older I get, the more I realize that things don't have to be thrilling and exciting to be enjoyable. The whole day was, as Miles put it, "chill." I hope we can find more places like The Getty to enjoy!

AmateurHalloWeddingPhotographer: Three Posts in One

2007-11-02T17:26:00.000-07:00

So I haven't posted anything for awhile, long enough that I have to cram three posts into one.

1. Amateur Photographer
We got our new camera in the mail and I've been meaning to post a few of our very first pictures. The best part about these pictures is that I took them all at dusk/night without any flash! I didn't even know that was possible until I recently read about it in the user manual and elsewhere. Some of the new terms I've learned recently are: white balance, aperture, shutter speed, and iso. It's almost like learning a new language, though the trickiest part is learning how to use all these elements together to get a great photograph. Here are a couple of my first attempts:

2. Halloween
Miles and I celebrated Halloween for what seemed like 5 days straight. It started when we were in St. George the weekend before Halloween. My family held our traditional party on that Friday night. It really was a lot of fun, like usual. Everyone dressed up, we ate pizza, played donut-on-a-string-game, and just hung out. Miles had the best costume. He dressed as a "rebellious missionary," which was just hilarious because of how straight-laced he is. Truthfully though, he looked pretty good that way!

3. Wedding
On Saturday, October 27, my brother got married! Yeah! Rick and Danelle were married in the Pine Valley Chapel that Saturday evening. It was a beautiful and simple event. There were only a few guests including immediate family and grandparents. I had a lot of fun taking pictures at their wedding. I also helped my sister, Andrea, make the wedding cake. The whole family (both sides) worked really hard to make Rick and Danelle's wedding day really special!

Presenting the Best Wedding Present

2007-10-24T21:38:00.000-07:00

First of all, for all of you wondering about how we're doing with all the wildfires burning here in California—we are fine. Luckily, we don't have any fires burning really close to us, so all we are dealing with is the poor air quality. What's happening all around us is very tragic and are keeping those who are suffering in our thoughts and prayers.

Now, on a much lighter note, I'm going to a wedding this weekend. It's always hard to come up with good gifts so I decided to try and mimic the best gift Miles and I received for our wedding. My Aunt Holly gave us a gift basket full of cleaning supplies. I swear, that gift just keeps giving and giving. We still use some of the original supplies after 2 1/2 years (but I don't know if that's good, maybe we just don't clean enough). So, what were the best gifts you all received for your weddings?

Quiz F-U-N!

2007-10-20T13:29:00.000-07:00

Which Harry Potter Character Are You?

Miles, you are Harry. You're a loyal and courageous friend. You'd do anything to protect the people you love, especially if it'll get you a break from class for a little while.

Michelle, you are Hagrid. You're an outcast with a heart of gold. Despite your own problems, you always find time to help those in need.

Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

TAG--I'm It

2007-10-18T12:17:00.000-07:00

I've been Tagged by Laura to disclose 8 things you might not know about me. This is going to be tough!

1. I was born in a tiny hospital in Richfield Utah, and you are likely to have no idea where that is. Also, I was the only child my mother had naturally.

2. I've never been to the Eastern United States, but am planning a trip with Miles at the end of March!

3. I was in student government from the time I was in 2nd grade until I graduated High School.

4. I did not receive my Young Woman Recognition Award, but WAS Valedictorian. I guess you could see where my priorities were during adolescence.

5. I've been engaged twice.

6. There was a point when I wanted to go to Culinary Arts School. That phase lasted about 2 weeks, but I still get phone calls and emails from a small, local institute here in California--kinda obnoxious actually!

7. My family built 2 homes completely on our own. The first house took 10 months, which seemed like an eternitiy. The second took more than twice as long, and we lived in a tiny trailer on the lot for the entire 2 years! Needless to say, we did grow closer as a family during that time--quite literally actually.

8. One of my very favorite things to do in the world is pop Miles' zits! He pretends to hate it, but he'll never admit that sometimes he ASKS me to "help him!" But don't tell him I told you!

I TAG Paige, Abbi, and Michelle Shade.

Happy, Happy Birthday, from all of you to Me!

2007-10-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful birthday yesterday thanks to many of you! Really, I was so spoiled and I have to admit, I loved it! Thanks for all your phone calls, emails, and attention. My manager treated me to lunch yesterday which was yummy. Then for dinner, Miles took me to California Pizza Kitchen and then The Cheesecake Factory for dessert. When we got home, Miles had to study for his first graduate school exam, so I was fortunate enough to turn in a bit earlier than normal--it was awesome!

However, the most exciting part of my birthday is coming in the mail. We got a new camera! Yay, now we'll have good pictures to post for ya'll! I don't know nearly as much about the specs of the camera as Miles does, so if you have questions, you'll have to ask him. But, I'm really excited to learn how to use it. In fact, for family home evening, Miles and I had a lesson all about proper lighting for photography. What a fun birthday eh?

Conference Favorites

2007-10-08T11:27:00.000-07:00

Miles and I spent the weekend enjoying General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. What an uplifting and inspiring conference it was!

My favorite talk was probably given by Elder M. Russel Ballard, who spoke about how to share the practical facts about the Church. Though it is important to share one's testimony (in word and deed), quite often it is appropriate to just introduce the Church by giving the facts.

I was also touched by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin's address. Midway through his address, Elder Wirthlin started shaking and breathing heavily to the point that it looked like he might not finish his talk. Elder Nelson walked up up behind Elder Wirthlin and gave him a steadying hand. Elder Wirthlin, barely able to stand, finished his message, and his remarks meant that much more. I was impressed with the love and concern Elder Nelson showed as he remained at Elder Wirthlin's side, stablizing him.

I'm curious--What did you enjoy about conference, and why?

Michelle Got Her Hairs Cut

2007-10-04T19:47:00.000-07:00

She went for the new "bangs" look

Isn't she beautiful!

Shhhh

2007-10-03T15:15:00.001-07:00

Miles and I attended an ASL (American Sign Language) class last night. The class is taught by a deaf sister from our ward, and is being held in our church building for the next 6 weeks. Last night was our first class, and we had a blast. It felt more like an acting class than a language class, as we were learning how to use facial expressions and body language to communicate. I was also surprised how easy it was to pick up, not previously knowing any sign language (except for the alphabet). And we weren't even allowed to use our speaking voices during class!

Leave a Note!

2007-10-01T17:59:00.000-07:00

Friday night, Miles and I went to Red Robin in the Fashion Island mall for dinner. We had a good time. We ordered a full course complete with the new blackened bayou burger, a chicken strip basket for me, a strawberry lemonade, and even a large chocolate shake. Needless to say, we were overly satisfied when we left. We moseyed around the mall a bit, of course taking a peek in the Apple store (Miles' happiest place on earth), then returned to our car which was parked on the top level of the parking structure. And to our surprise, we saw this...My first instinct was to look for a note perhaps left on the windshield, but there was nothing! Someone rammed into the back of our car and ran. There wasn't much that we could do, so we contacted mall security who gave us the information for the Newport Beach Police. We had an officer come out and take a report just in case we wanted to make an insurance claim. However, we don't know what we're going to do--the deductible costs just about the same as it will to get it fixed. And then we ask our selves if it's worth it--probably not. The injury is only cosmetic. So, we'll probably leave it alone, forget about it, and it will still be there in 10 yrs when we are still driving this baby around. All I have to say is, if this ever happens to you--listen to your conscience and leave a note!

Office Party

2007-09-25T18:09:00.000-07:00

"Wikipedia is the best thing ever. Anyone in the world can write anything they want about any subject, so you know you are getting the best possible information"--Micheal Scott

Yeehaw! The Office, one of the funniest shows ever, according to me, is returning this Thursday at 8:00pm on NBC for a special 1 hour premier! Miles and I are putting on an Office party (inspired by our friends in Provo--The Shades) complete with a jello-mold center piece, hilarilous quotes posted around the apartment, some good laughs, and bbq meatballs (which have nothing to do with The Office, we just have a HUGE bag of them from Costco). If ya'll have any creative ideas to add to our party, we'd love to hear about them!

Cozy New Bedroom

2007-09-24T17:08:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Miles and I spent the whole day painting our bedroom. It was a tiring but very fun project. We actually picked out the paint last weekend. We went to Home Depot to look at the "mistake" paint (gallons that are discounted because customers weren't satisfied with the color). We found a gallon of neutral grayish/brown for only $5. We used that color to select the grayish periwinkle-blue we used for the accent wall. It ended up being fairly inexpensive for such a big change. We are very happy with the result, but wonder what the managers will think when we move out in 5 years--but obviously we aren't too concerned. We love spending time in our new room. It's so much cozier than the rest of the house. We're looking forward to further decorating our little hideout. I think orange curtains and throw pillows would be fun.

Sick Day Dilemma

2007-09-18T13:02:00.002-07:00

Today I was sent home sick from work--not because I felt horrible, but because my boss didn't want me to spread my germs. So now what do I do? There are a million things I could get done at home, but then I think if I don't rest and try to get better today, how bad will I be tomorrow? I'm tempted to paint our bedroom. Miles and I bought paint over the weekend, so I'm slightly enticed to get involved in that project. But then I'm back to wondering what will happen if I over-do it today.

On the other hand, I feel guilty just reading, sleeping, and watching TV all day. Besides, daytime TV is terrible! It's rare that I'm actually home during the middle of the day when soap operas and court TV shows dominate all channels! I ended up watching a bit of Young Frankenstein on AMC. You usually can't go wrong watching the classics.

Reading seems like a good option, but I just finished a book, so now I don't know what to read--I always have a hard time starting new books. Any suggestions? Miles is trying to get me to read a couple books by his favorite author (Orson Scott Card). I'll probably give those a shot. The book I just finished was Twilight. Yeah, it was pretty good. I must not be big into romance novels or something because everyone I knew who read it LOVED it. I do think I'll read New Moon and Eclipse, but will wait until they come out in paperback.

So if I don't feel like reading, sleeping, or watching TV, I could always spend some time posting to my blog...

Jiminy Cricket!

2007-09-11T14:48:00.000-07:00

Does anyone know how long crickets live? Miles and I have a cricket living in our oven somewhere. It's been there now for over a week! Every night, when it gets dark, our obnoxious friend starts chirping away. At first it was kind of charming, feeling like we were constantly outside enjoying a summer evening, but it got old really fast. I've used the oven up to 400 degrees cooking dinner, and the little guy still survives. Miles and I went away for the weekend, crossing our fingers our apartment would be silent when we returned. To our dismay the stridulation didn't cease. Once in awhile we'll make a racket by slamming the oven door to get a minute or so of silence. We just don't know what to do! But I guess we should count our blessings. In many areas of the world, people keep crickets for pets and are considered good luck in Asia. But I think I'd prefer a quiet goldfish!

Jumpin' on the Bandwagon

2007-09-05T09:40:00.000-07:00

I've been struggling trying to think of a new fun post, so I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and tell you a bit about us. This questionnaire has been floating around many of my highschool-friends' blogs.

1. Who is your man? Miles
2. How long have you been together? Married 2 ½ years
3. How long did you date? 10 months
4. How old is your man? 25 now?
5. Who eats more? I’ve figured out I eat about ½ - 2/3 what he eats, and he’s usually done in about ½ the time as well.
6. Who said "I love you" first? I did.
7. Who is taller? He is, though we are both pretty short. We always tease each other that we don’t realize how short the other is until we see them with a group of other people.
8. Who sings better? I think I have the pitch and Miles has the volume! Sometimes I have to shhh him while singing hymns in sacrament meeting at church.
9. Who is smarter? Definitely him—he’s the one getting his PhD!
10. Who's temper is worse? Temper? Neither one of us really has a temper, but I’m the one who gets irritated first.
11. Who does the laundry? Usually a combined effort. I need his muscles to carry the very full hamper to the coin-op.
12. Who does the dishes? Miles, but he REALLY likes it when I help.
13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Me, there is no way we could ever switch. We’ve tried a couple times, and neither of us could sleep a wink!
14. Who pays the bills? He pays the “bills,” but I do the shopping.
15. Who is better with the computer? Yeah, that would be Miles—he is currently designing and building a website from scratch for us. Keep an eye out, we will be posting to that site soon!
16. Who mows the lawn? No one. The grass at our apartment complex is like 12” high right now!
17. Who cooks dinner? Me. Miles claims it’s because I’m good at it.
18. Who drives when you are together? He does. We’re a relatively traditional couple when it comes to that. He’s also very good at always opening my car door.
19. Who pays when you go out? Whoever gets the debit/credit card out first.
20. Who is most stubborn? Usually me, but Miles has “opinions” about certain things and will not budge!
21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? I want to say me, but it’s probably him.
22. Whose parents do you see the most? Mine, even though we live equidistant to both now—6 hours to St. George, and 6 hours to Mesa.
23. Who kissed who first? Miles kissed me first, though we have different ideas of how the details played out.
24. Who asked who out? He asked me out, because I had a car.
25. Who proposed? He did, kneeling in the snow. It was a total surprise! How romantic ☺
26. Who is more sensitive? If you mean more emotional—then it’s me. Miles is way more sensitive to my needs than I am to his.
27. Who has more friends? Probably me, but he's better at making friends
28. Who has more siblings? He does.
29. Who wears the pants in the family? Well my nickname for Miles is "Pants" (shortened from his full nickname of Turkeypants) but that doesn't mean he WEARS the pants in the family. Like most of ya’ll we feel pretty equally yoked.

Michelle Day

2007-08-27T09:37:00.001-07:00

Saturday was deemed "Michelle Day." We spent the day doing things I've really been wanting to do. We slept in Saturday morning, but not too late. We quickly got ready and went to the local Farmers' Market where we spent a few dollars on a bottle of fresh squeezed orange juice, some super sweet strawberries, and a couple summer vegetables. Next we went home and scrubbed everything from top to bottom. We scoured the bathroom, mopped and vacuumed the floors, and finished the laundry. Oh boy, I love a clean home! Then, after spending the afternoon cleaning away, we went on a bedroom-set shopping trip. Miles and I have been seriously contemplating purchasing a bedroom set. Whoa, this was a big deal for us. We don't do big purchases very well, we're almost too careful. For example, I think we went to about nine different jewelers before we bought my wedding ring. We tend to think about it, talk about it, budget it, go shopping, talk about it some more, then go back, see how we feel, talk about it, etc. It's a very long process. So, we went shopping a couple weeks ago to get an idea of what we were getting into, but we really didn't find a bedroom set that we liked. Then on Saturday, we ventured out again. This time, we found a set we both loved. Not too traditional, not too modern--perfect for us. After finding the set we wanted, we just sat in a couple la-z-boy chairs and crunched some numbers. After all, this is a BIG investment for us. We deliberated for quite awhile, reasoning that we'd have this furniture in our home for likely the rest of our lives. We've been told that couples usually only have two bedrooms sets throughout their marriage. Also, right now we probably have the most money we'll have in the next ten years! Because I'm working full time we are just a bit more comfortable than we will be when we have a family and when I'm not working. So this was our decision: A queen bed, one nightstand, and a chest of drawers. We put half the money down, and thankfully didn't need to finance anything. The other half will be paid upon delivery in about 4-5 weeks! Waiting 4-5 weeks seems like forever, so for now, we just sit in our empty room and imagine what it will look like. We are very excited!

Home

2007-08-23T16:01:00.001-07:00

What is it about routine that makes life so much more comfortable? Our life is finally settling down. Irvine is starting to feel like home. The last couple weeks have been really good just because I've found my pace. Call me boring but I love the fact that I know everyday I will wake up at the same time, go to work, meet Miles for lunch, walk home, go to the gym, shower, make dinner and enjoy the rest evening with my husband. Ah, it's just peaceful you know? It doesn't give me much to blog about, but I feel very content.

Our life isn't without it's thrills though. Miles and I were just given a new calling in our ward--we're now Nursery Leaders in one of the FOUR nurseries. This calling is going to be a real stretch for both of us. Neither one of us has served in this capacity before, we're a bit nervous. Our last married ward didn't even have a Nursery. But I know we'll learn so much by interacting with these children together, and hopefully learn to be less judgmental and better parents. Last week was our first week with the little ones, and we had a blast! You can't beat eating goldfish and blowing bubbles during church! In the lesson we learned all about the importance of the home. We discovered that birds live in trees, turtles live in the water, and giraffes live on land. It's amazing how much you can learn from such a simple lesson. Being comfortable in my own home is more essential to me now more than ever. Our apartment is nothing fancy, but it is our sanctuary. The picture included in this post is one of my favorites entitled "Walking with God" by Morgan Weistling. A print of it hangs in our home. It shows Joseph teaching his young son, our Savior, to walk. I love how it illustrates the importance of rearing children.

Bakersfield

2007-08-14T20:56:00.000-07:00

Michelle came up with the fun idea to take a quick trip to Bakersfield this last weekend. Now I know what some of you must be thinking, "Why in the world would they want to leave the beautiful weather and coast of Irvine to visit the hot, barrenness of Bakersfield?" Well for those who don't know, and are probably the ones asking the question, my family and I lived there for six years (while I was in junior high and high school). Since my family now lives in Arizona, I haven't had any reason to visit Bakersfield since I left for BYU seven years ago.

It was Michelle's first visit and she wasn't too impressed. Sure she thought it was fun to put places to all the stories that I have told her about, but she thought overall the city was pretty ugly. Now, it doesn't fair too well with air quality but that's not its fault (Bakersfield lies at the bottom of the San Joaquin valley and accumulates all the smog from Sacramento and San Francisco), but all the oil rigs don't help either.

We visited my old house. While there we caught up with the Hemingway's, a neighbor family in our ward.

Next, we went to my high school. West High Viking pride, yeah!

CSUB swimming pool. This is where I swam throughout high school. All of our swim practices and almost all of our swim meets took place in this pool.

The LDS ward building we attended. It doubled as the Stake Center. Here we had church, seminary, dances, even performances.

Western Warehouse. This is were my dad worked and was the reason we moved to Bakersfield.

Those were the major attractions. Besides that, pretty much all we did was eat.

Dewar's is a well known ice cream and candy shop in Bakersfield. We had a black and white, bought some chews, and even a t-shirt for me.

Michelle has a bad habit lately of leaving her door open when we walk away from the car. I was able to catch it on film.

On the way home we made a stop at the Los Angeles Temple, another first for Michelle. By the way, this is Michelle's accidental "artistic" shot.

A Tribute to President James E. Faust

2007-08-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

I'm sure most of you have heard by now that President James E. Faust, 2nd counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, passed away last night of "causes incident to age".

The news had a bigger impact on me than I expected. Though I have never met President Faust in person he has always touched my heart through his many addresses and by his great example. He was such a sweet man of God. I'd like to share a couple of my personal favorite stories about President Faust.

While attending the Seminar for New Mission Presidents held annually at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, President Faust was being wheeled down a hallway being cleared by security. President Faust told the young man pushing him to stop so he could "say hello to his fellow servants." He was such a humble servant of the Lord.

Another story about Pres. Faust was shared by Elder Eyring, again at the New Mission President Seminar. Elder Eyring told of the time when he and his wife found out that his mother-in-law had passed away. Before mentioning it to anyone, Elder and Sister Eyring received a phone call from President Faust offering his condolences. He had been prompted to call and offer his support. What a remarkable example of spiritual sensitivity!

* Pomeroy Hotel

2007-08-08T16:25:00.001-07:00

Since moving to California, we've become a 1 star hotel for our family--not the most luxurious but it's cheap and in a great location. Of the 5 weeks we've been living here, we've had company staying with us for a total 2 1/2- 3 weeks, including my sister's family when we moved in, my Uncle Bill and his crew (7 people) and then some more family this past week. Don't get me wrong, we've enjoyed having them. It gives Miles and I an excuse to vacation ourselves. Last week, my mom, sister, and 3 nieces took a spontaneous trip to visit us. They all had a blast. My mom fell in love with it here. She kept saying things like "I love the air here" and "Why do people live in the desert again?" She didn't want to go home to the 110 degree weather waiting for them in St. George. While they were here my family did a ton of fun activities including: had a BBQ, roasted marshmallows at a bonfire on the beach (a new experience for everyone), visited an aquarium, went whale watching, and spent the day at Knotts Berry Farm. When Miles and I weren't working, we got to go along with them.

Stand as a Witness

2007-07-27T09:17:00.001-07:00

For the first time in my life I am feeling "different" than everyone else. I now see that growing up in Utah and attending BYU was like living in somewhat of a "cookie cutter world." Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of amazing people who I admire and look up to in these Latter-Day Saint dense communities. I knew that moving to California would be a major culture shock and thought I was pretty prepared for the utterly different world I was about to enter. It's a bit harder to adjust than I expected. You might call it a minor identity crisis--the vastly different environment has forced me to think about who I really am and rethink my priorities. Most importantly I've been able to analyze my faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have realized that I do have my own testimony of the Plan of Salvation and that every aspect of my life reflects my devotion to Christ--the importance I place on my husband and family, how I spend my free time, how I dress, my language, how I carry myself, and how I treat other people. I look around and see so many people who do not have the gift of the gospel in their lives. I often wonder why I have been so blessed. I'm beginning to understand both the difficulty and importance of missionary work. Now more than ever I feel I need to stand as a witness of God (Mosiah 18:9).

My SUPERMAN

2007-07-23T18:01:00.000-07:00

Well, after reading over many of my friend's blogs, I thought it was now my turn to spotlight my husband. He really is my Superman! Moving away from friends and family has reminded me how awesome my husband is. He is the most caring, spiritual, loving, handsome, intelligent, and loyal man out there. And I know he will make the best father to our children! He is my closest friend and my silliest playmate. I am the most comfortable and my best self when I am with him. I love my Mr. Handsome Turkeypants.

I got the job!

2007-07-18T16:53:00.000-07:00

So I had my 2nd interview with the Department of Philosophy today, and they offered me the Administrative Assistant position! Wahoo! I'm excited, nervous, surprised, thankful, and relieved all at the same time! There are so many awesome things about this job. Good salary, full benefits (medical, dental, and vision) that start right away, a 15 minute walk/ 5 minute bike-ride commute, and a positive environment. Also, I found out I can take university courses for free! Finding a good job has been a roller coaster, but I think I have finally found the one for me!

I like to ride my bicycle.

2007-07-15T16:40:00.000-07:00

About a week before we moved, our bike we bought the summer before was stolen! It was a total bummer because I was so excited to use my bike here in California. So, we started searching around on craigslist to replace it and found this baby. It was funny because we were looking for a bike for sale that was close enough to ride home (because we don't have a rack on our car to transport it) and we found this one someone was selling in our complex. It was a fair purchase and it came with all sorts of fun accessories including a basket, helmet, and lights.

One of the main reasons I bought this bike was in hopes that I could ride it to work. Now, you might be thinking, isn't that a little too far to ride a bike? For those of you who read my blog often, you'll remember that I got a new job last week that was about a 15-20 minute drive away and I'm not that ambitious to ride a bike like 5 miles to work and back everyday. Well, I already quit that job! It didn't pan out to be what I had hoped for. I quit after the first day but they asked me to stay until the end of the week. It just ended up being a bad environment and somewhere I didn't feel very comfortable. The manager took it really well when I told her.

So, now I am hoping more seriously for an on-campus job. I have a 2nd interview for an Administrative Assistant position in the Department of Philosophy at UCI. Now that job would really be a bike-ride away. I keep hearing that on-campus jobs are really difficult to get (this was my first interview after applying to more than 15 positions) but a 2nd interview seems promising! Keep your fingers crossed!

WICKED!

2007-07-11T09:37:00.000-07:00

Miles and I attended the musical "Wicked" last night. We drove 2 1/2 hours through heavy traffic to get to the Pantages theatre on Hollywood Blvd in L.A., but it was worth every minute of travel. It was an awesome production. We were on the second to the last row at the very top, but we still enjoyed it. We got these "nose-bleed" tickets to save money, and I'm glad we did. We paid half the price of the people seated in the row right in front of us.

What I thought was "wicked" cool about the production (not in any order, because I can't decide):

THE MUSIC

Miles and I bought the CD months ago and we loved it even without seeing the production. The lyrics are whitty and the music is so fun.

THE STORY

I tried to read the book the play is based off of, but I don't recommend it--it's pretty crude. But in the musical production they clean it up really well. The morals of the story are inspriational. They cleaverly help you see the other side of the story.

THE SET

Grabs your attention and keeps you enthralled. The costumes were creative and eye-catching. The technology and lighting were, for lack of a better word, cool.

THE CHARACTERS

You get too feel what it's like to be in each character's shoes (no pun intended).

Well, as you can tell, I pretty much loved EVERYTHING about Wicked. If you get a chance, go see it!

Wink Blink

2007-07-08T21:54:00.000-07:00

Miles and I are always teasing each other because neither of us can keep our eyes open when we take pictures. So here's the test...who is the worst at keeping their eyes open? I think from my calculations (from perusing through our computer images) Miles is the winner!

Independence Day/ New Job!

2007-07-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a great 4th! It was strange to not be at home for the holiday. But, one perk was that Miles and I got to watch fireworks on the beach! It was awesome. Actually, from our location, we could look to our left and right and could see four displays along the coast at once. Just the two of us drove down to Laguna Beach at about 8:00 that night. We were a little worried that it would be way too crowded. Finding a parking spot was difficult, but it wasn't hard at all to find a place to sit. The fireworks themselves weren't the greatest I've seen, but the scenery was beautiful of course. I can already tell that living here in California (away from family and good friends) is going to help Miles and I grow together as our own family.

I spent this entire week looking for a new job. Initially I REALLY wanted to get a job on UCI campus, just because it would be so convenient. I applied for position after position on campus. It turns out that UCI is just like every other university, and their processing is very S...L...O...W. So, with no luck on campus, I searched craigslist.org for some openings. I submitted my application and was called the same day to schedule an interview with Barkley Court Reporting. The ad caught my eye because, for those of you who don't know, my mom is a court reporter. My first interview with the branch manager went great and I had a second interview with the corporate manager today over video conference. They offered me the Administrative Assistant position with good pay and full benefits 20 minutes after I left the office. So, I start at 8:30 on Monday. The office is about a 15-20 min drive away--I don't even have to take the freeway. Now I just have to get used to the idea of being strapped to a 8 to 5 job (as Miles put it "a big girl job"). It's just strange. I feel like a small town girl in a big corporate world. I'm not grown up enough for all this!

Farewell to Graduate Studies

2007-07-05T22:28:00.000-07:00

Well now that we made it to California and have our computer set up I can finally post about a memoir that I wrote up about working at BYU's Graduate Studies office. I started there in December 2004 as a Special Projects intern (pretty much a glorified front desk back-up). When we got married, April 2005, they promoted me to Data Analyst. As Data Analyst I grabbed statistics from the University database and made up reports for BYU's administration. It was a great job and really pushed my limits. I loved working at Graduate Studies.

When I was getting ready to leave, Bonnie asked if I would be willing to write up something on my experience working as a student at Graduate Studies. It turned into a memoir…of sorts.

Working @ GS
A tongue-in-cheek memoir by Miles Pomeroy
My experience working with Graduate Studies has turned me into a nerd. At least this is the way that my wife likes to phrase it. I see it more as enriching my understanding of various algorithmic protocols designed to cultivate the extensibility of aggregate collaboration orchestration; with a few parties to spice it up.

If I were to ask myself, “Self, what is the best thing about working at Graduate Studies?” I would most enthusiastically respond, “The parties, most definitely.” The parties have brought us together as an office. They have introduced the lowly intern in the backroom to the perky secretary at the front desk. In a phrase, forgive me if I am being too cliché, we work hard but we also play hard.

The atmosphere of the office has greatly benefited from an abundant diversity. We have straight arrow, spartan types like Janice, Sarah, Meg, and Cathi; who are balanced out by easy-going, loquacious types like James, JeNeal, Jared, and Terilee. We also have quiet, benevolent types like Claire, Breann, Derence, and Christijan; who are balanced out by loud, vivacious types like Amy, Kevin, Bonnie, and Jolene.

Seriously though, I have been very impressed by the amount of trust I have been given as a student employee. Both James and Bonnie have let me take the reins on all of my projects. They have not micromanaged, but have given me a vision and then allowed me the opportunity to create the reality as I see it.

I have had the opportunity in this position to learn many skills that I previously did not have. My supervisors gave me time to increase my depth in Access, but also to explore mysql, html, php, and css. I believe that I have been able to use these new skills to improve my value to this office.

I have felt an equal with the full-time staff. I have been treated as such and believe that I have tried to perform as such.

A New Chapter Has Begun

2007-07-01T23:36:00.000-07:00

We made it to our new home in California. The last couple weeks have been EXHAUSTING! California is beautiful, but there it much to get used to (including the crazy traffic!). We packed up the truck on Tuesday night, slept on a borrowed air mattress and had our last day of work on Wednesday. We left Provo at about 3:30 in the afternoon that same day. Miles drove the loaded truck and I followed in our car. Our plan was to stay in St. George Wednesday night to break up the long drive to California. We had to make a couple stops along the way to check and adjust the load. There were a couple scary moments on the freeway between Provo and Nephi like the time when the mattress on top literally folded in half! But after we put another tie on the mattress and took off the tarp, it was smooth sailing.

We left St. George at 5:00am Thursday morning in hope of dodging the traffic in Vegas and LA. I don't know if we hit "real" traffic or not, but I tell you there were times when my adrenaline was really pumping! It was intense trying to follow Miles through the maze of winding, merging, and speeding freeways! So, it was such a relief to finally make it to our new apartment with no accidents.

Now to tell you a little about our new apartment. My first impression was like "oh no," but little by little I am finding the perks--like, it's HUGE, much bigger than I expected. Andrea, Nate, Kia, Mikelle, Avery, and Danny all stayed with us for a few days to help us move in, and there was elbow room for everyone. Also, we have our own balcony, and we found out today that there are quite a few LDS couples living in our same complex. The ocean and the weather are probably the biggest perks living here. I'm really loving it more and more.

While Andrea's family and Danny were here, we went to Disneyland and Newport Beach (both are only 10-15 minutes away from our apartment). We still had a blast even though both locations were busy. Miles was like a little kid playing with the girls and in the ocean--he loves the water!

So, Miles starts his new PhD program tomorrow. He's a little nervous--not really knowing what to expect. I just keep telling him he'll do great! He's such a smart and likable person. As for me, I am still looking for a job. But in the meantime I have plenty of shopping and unpacking to do to get us settled in. A new chapter in our life has begun!

MTC Farewell

2007-06-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been feeling really nostalgic and reflective about the 4 years I've spent working at the Missionary Training Center. I was hired as a secretary in the Media (Audio/Visual) department before I had taken one college class. Honestly I have no idea why they hired a young 18 year old girl with absolutely no secretary experience, but it's a good thing they took a chance on me. Working at the MTC, both as a secretary and office manager, gave me ample opportunities to learn, grow, and gain more self-confidence. I know the Lord's hand was involved. I even met Miles indirectly by working at the MTC (which has been the greatest blessing of them all). While working at the MTC, I have felt the fire of missionary work. I look forward to serving a mission with Miles some day.

Just a little explanation for the picture above. This huge map of the world is a very common backdrop for missionary pictures. Most missionaries will get a picture taken of them pointing to where they will be serving. So as you can see, I'm pointing to Provo, UT. I guess you might say I served a 4 year mission at the MTC (however, I was paid).

The collage of pictures probably won't mean too much to you, but they are images I encountered EVERYDAY at work. Some of the pictures include: the skirt I wore just about everyday for 4 yrs, the chair I was often glued to, the name tag I wore, the decorating kits I checked out to teachers, and the missionaries I interacted with. It's strange to think Wednesday is my last day. I will miss it.

M&M (Miles and Michelle)

2007-06-22T21:29:00.001-07:00

http://www.becomeanmm.com/

Flower Power/Packing Up

2007-06-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

Just a quick little update on how my flower pot is doing! I'm sorry, but as you can probably tell, I'm really excited about my little flowers. The pot has literally EXPLODED! The growing conditions must be perfect for this plant, because all I do is water about every-other-day and take pictures of it!. The way it's hung, it gets sunlight in the morning when it's still a little cool outside, and is shaded during the hot hours of the day.

So the dreaded time of packing up has come. Miles and I will be living in Irvine CA 10 days from now. I cannot believe how much stuff we have accumulated in the short 2 years we've been married. I love the feeling of purging all our junk, but Miles has really disliked me making him choose between keeping this old T-shirt or those broken stereo speakers. We are not renting a moving truck of any kind, instead we are planning on packing up my dad's old diesel Ford pick-up. Yep, we will definitely look like the Beverly Hillbillies moving to California with our stuff piled high on this old truck (don't worry I'll definitely take pictures!), but have found we'll save close to $500 doing so. And hopefully we'll be able to use some of the money we saved to buy some new furniture (like a new dining table, and futon for our 2nd bedroom). California HERE WE COME!

Family Pictures

2007-06-12T08:51:00.000-07:00

Well, I did not intend to post two entries in one day--but I forgot about these family pictures. Miles and I decided to get some fun "family pictures" taken now that we've been married for more than a couple years. We're just getting a little tired of the wedding pictures hanging on our wall. So, we had a friend (an armature photographer) take a few. We hope they captured a little of our personalities. Have a look!

Green Thumb

2007-06-12T08:17:00.001-07:00

Well, I know this is a silly post, but I had to show off my beautiful flower pot! Never in my life have I been able to cultivate and care for a plant of any kind, and this one is flourishing! My brother, Rick, gave the plant to Miles and I for our graduation present (notice BYU blue and white flowers). Rick is now working in a greenhouse in St. George and is planning to be married in September to beautiful Danelle. We were able to hang our flower pot right outside our front door, thanks to our manager jerry-rigging a wire hanger for us.

At our new place in California, there is a community garden. Miles and I have been craving the opportunity to work outside and get our hands dirty in our own little garden. But, because neither of us have had much success in gardening, we think we'll start easy and plant things like tomatoes and peppers--we could at least make homemade salsa!

Miles' Birthday Weekend that We Spent at Laura's Wedding

2007-06-05T19:34:00.000-07:00

We have now spent 5 days celebrating Miles' Birthday. Starting on Thursday, we had a little party at our friends' house, the Shades. Another couple, the Turners, were there as well. Miles hates cake, so we improvised and put all 25 candles into a stack of Krispy Kreme donuts.

At this party, I also gave Miles his present from me--a brand new suit, shirt, tie, and belt. I know it doesn't sound exciting, but he really loved it. And he looks good!

On Saturday, his REAL birthday, we actually went to St. George to attend a wedding of a high school friend. But even during that busy day, we were able to squish a little birthday time in for Miles. My sister and I went to the store and surprised Miles with a very chocolaty chocolate cake (which he doesn't like at all--my sister was just craving chocolate).

While in St. George we had a lot of fun with the family. My little nieces are adorable! They are my favorite people to visit! Look at little Avery!

My younger brother Danny and my nieces love playing in the water. You'll notice they didn't have their swimming suits with them, but that didn't stop them. Instead they just borrowed a couple T-shirts from their uncle Danny.

For the wedding, my sister wanted to do my hair in these steam rollers she had. They were pretty cool. You just set the curlers on the steamer for 5 seconds, roll your hair, and take them out 30 min later. I looked pretty silly for awhile, but got many compliments later. It was definitely a fun-filled birthday weekend!

Deana's Card

2007-06-01T15:25:00.000-07:00

I've now worked at the Missionary Training Center in Provo for 4 years! Two years ago, Deana, a new sister missionary, was assigned to work as a secretary in my office. Her story is truly heartbreaking. Her tale includes living through breast cancer, struggling through chemotherapy, while at the same time divorcing her husband who left her for a younger woman. Through all this, Deana has been a shining example of endurance and strength. Over the past couple years, Deana and I have become really close. Today was her farewell party. To tell her thank you, the people in my office and I made her a card. The design was inspired by the Brady Bunch. I took pictures of everyone in the office looking toward the center of the card at Deana's picture. All the employees in my office signed the inside of the giant card. She loved it to say the least!

Our New Apartment

2007-05-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

We finally heard from the housing office at UCI. We got the exact apartment that we want. It is a 900 square foot 2 bedroom/1 bath flat. The community is called Verano Place. All utilities (electricity, gas, cable, internet, etc.) are included except for telephone. The rent is a lot less expense than living off campus, but it is still twice as much as we are paying right now in Provo. We can move in as soon as Tuesday, June 26.

So that means we have about a month left in Provo. I will then start my first rotation of my PhD program with Grant MacGregor on July 2. We're both excited for all the changes to come.

Carol's Wedding Cake

2007-05-19T10:08:00.000-07:00

Carol, a good friend from work asked me to make her wedding cake! Wow, what a challenge. The only experience I had had was helping my sister make my own wedding cake a couple years ago. This is a picture of what she wanted. I included pics of the whole process (which took nearly 20 hours to do!).

Carol didn't want to serve her actual cake, so the bottom 2 layers were styrofoam and the top was real chocolate cake. So the first step was to make the cake from scratch and give it a good thick layer of frosting.

Next came the huge task of rolling out the fondant. It was a serious workout (my whole body is sore from this!) I actually had to get on top of the counter to get my whole weight into it!

Putting the fondant over the cake layers was probably the most difficult part of the whole process. All those pointy edges were a pain!

But luckily I had another set of hands (Michelle Shade - friend/neighbor) to help me!

We then stacked and put the red ribbon on.

I trimmed the cakes in icing, which I had never done before!

Putting the tiny red dots all over was nerve racking!

Miles and I then carefully transported the two pieces (real top layer, and bottom fake layers) to the location in Salt Lake. When we got there, we started assembling all the pieces.

This is Miles helping me!

Then came my favorite part, placing the flowers. That floral design class I took really came it handy!

And this is the final product! Wow what a project!

Nickel Creek Concert

2007-05-13T21:02:00.000-07:00

This is Miles and I at the Nickel Creek concert last night. It was at Abravanel Hall in SLC. They are a bluegrass group. Supposedly this was the last concert of their tour. In fact, we heard it rumored that they are breaking up to do solo work for awhile. It was a good concert, long (4 hours), but good. Everyone in the group is really talented. They sound just as good live as they do on CD. We had fun just feeling like we were dating again.

And, this is just a random picture. The other day we cracked open an egg with Siamese twin yolks! Never seen that before!

Mom's Funny Dream

2007-05-09T10:32:00.002-07:00

My Mom sent me this email about a dream she had the other night. I found it HILARIOUS. Just thought I'd share. And if anyone else has a funny dream to tell, I'd love to hear it!

Here's a cast of the characters:

Mom (narrator), Mikelle (little fish w/freckles), Kiarah (little fish), and Andrea

After I sent my last e-mail, I remembered this one dream I had a couple nights ago that was so bizarre and funny. I just gotta tell ya about it.

Well, we were swimming around in a pool (I don't know who "we" is except that I know Andrea was there and some other people around.) For some reason, Kiarah & Mikelle were little fish swimming around, tiny little fish. There was a whale swimming around. We were concerned about the whale getting Kiarah & Mikelle but not too worried. Mikelle swam too close to the whale while the whale had its mouth open and went right in. The whale swallowed Mikelle! I panicked. Andrea was worried but not as worried as I. I told Andrea that we needed to use force on the whale. So Andrea swam to the bottom of the pool and punched the whale. The whale surfaced. I swam over to the whale to try to get Mikelle. The whale's face turned into a pretty woman's face. I tried to talk the whale into giving her up, but it wouldn't. We were very worried that Mikelle was just gone forever. But then we noticed little fish Mikelle on the side of the pool on the cement. I went over to her. She wasn't breathing, so I did a little CPR with my finger. She started coming to life and began turning back into a human being. As she was developing, I looked at her face and noticed she didn't have freckles. Then as she continued developing, I looked again, noticed that she now did have freckles and knew that now Mikelle was completely back to normal because now she had her freckles.

Oh, my gosh, what a dream!

Love, Mom

Our Niece Kia's Baptism and More

2007-05-06T20:57:00.000-07:00

Miles and I just got home from visiting my family is St. George. Our niece, Kia got baptized on Saturday. It was a really neat experience. She is such a sweet girl! My dad, her grandpa, baptized and confirmed her. Afterward, everyone got together for rootbeer floats. Here are some cute pictures of Kia. My mom loves taking her picture because Kia is such a good model!

Here are some more pics from when our families were in town for our graduation. We had a blast!

The whole fam together!

All of us strutting our stuff while playing bocce ball.

My family made Miles and I a quilt for graduation! Wow, a ton of hard work went into this project. My mom and sister were up til 2:00 in the morning for a week to get it finished in time. Thanks again family!

Graduated and Movin' On!

2007-05-04T11:42:00.000-07:00

Alright, after we sent out our graduation announcements, we had a ton of people reply and ask what our plans were from here. So, here's the update for anyone who wanted one...

Both graduation commencement and convocation went VERY well. Vice President Dick Cheney gave a great speech. Also, President Gordon B. Hinckley, Elder Bednar, and Elder Scott were all there in attendance. President Hinckley didn't speak, which I was actually happy about. I think if he had, it would have overshadowed the presence of Dick Cheney. Miles' entire family came down for commencement and convocation. We had a BBQ/picnic for both of our families after convocation of Friday. Everyone got along surprisingly well. We ate fat hamburgers and played some mean bocce ball.

So, now that we've graduated from BYU, here's the plan. Miles got accepted to UCI for a PhD program working with embryonic stem cells. So, we will be moving to California in mid to late June. He will be starting a rotation summer quarter. We will be close to the beach and Disneyland for at least 5 years. Wahoo!