Exhaustion Sets In

What a week!! I started school last week and I'm feeling it right now....6 weeks off was far too long to forget what it feels like to get up early and have commitments and deadlines. Not to mention for the first 3 weeks I will be going Monday-Saturday. I may be exhausted but it sure feels good to be back! Maybe that's why they give you 6 weeks off, so you actually want to go back.

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I'm really excited for this semester because I'm taking some great classes. Last semester focused on learning theory and this semester will be more learning about interventions and practice. I'm taking a class on death, dying, trauma and grief and let me just tell you, it is INTENSE. I'm not one to enjoy discussing death and this class forces me out of my comfort zone. The class is only 3 weeks long but we meet a total of 5 times, 9 hours each time. On Saturday our teacher invited parents who have lost their child to come and share their story. It was so sad, there were no dry eyes in the room. The one thing that struck me most was that each person said after the death of their child friends became strangers and strangers became friends. People just don't like dealing with death and they don't know what to say to someone who has lost their loved one. I guess that's why I'm taking this class because I want to feel comfortable sitting with someone while their grieve and grieve with them. It's one of my weaknesses so hopefully it will become my strength!

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I'm also taking Substance Abuse, Capstone, and Advanced Child, Youth, and Family Practice. I feel optimistic about this semester. I'm still doing my internship at LDSFS and I'm going to start the clinical side coming up. I'm nervous but excited because I really want to feel comfortable doing counseling by the time I graduate.

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We had visitors this weekend! My cousin Aubrey and her hubs, Hunter came by last night. They are in town for business so they crashed at our house. It was fun to spend a few hours catching up. Gussie and Poohie put on a show for them and they loved them! Of course the Peterson side of my family is obsessed with animals, especially cats!

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Now the countdown for May begins, not only because I graduate but because my Mom, Dad, and sister Crystal have purchased tickets to come out for a week! Also because I am tentatively planning my graduation/anniversary/long overdue trip to Hawaii. I'm crossing my fingers it actually happens!! Only time will tell.

Post Christmas Festivities

Matt had to work New Years Eve so we picked up and drove to Ridgecrest New Years Day. Four out of six of Matt's siblings were still in town so we got to hang out with them for a few hours.

We had to take a family picture while everyone was there.

Sunday night it snowed in the desert! It was crazy.

We had to go hiking for Matt:) We went to to fossil falls and another small canyon hike. Can you tell by Matt's face how freezing cold it was? I was off sulking somewhere at this point...well after I took this picture of course!

Can you see Matt sitting in that tiny cave? He wanted to explore it but I was too scared. I thought a coyote lived in it!

I had a good visit with Rosie, Natalee's cat.

Ridgecrest Desert Landscape

We spent a couple of days with Matt's brother and family in Valencia. While there we took a trip to the Long Beach Aquarium. It was a really nice aquarium!

Wasn't sure if this turtle was alive but then it swam away!

Matt with baby Jakey. Cutest little thing.

Outside the aquarium. The kids were pretending to make the water rise.

Seals and Sea Lions! I love.

Audrey and Josh petting a sting ray.

Ally and Matt

Matt and sister Lisa with baby Nathan.

One last look at the view from Matt's backyard!

Besides the aquarium, hanging with family, and sleeping in we also went to the Lodge for a delicious steak dinner, ate Thrifty's ice cream, went to lunch with Danny & Yari, and ate tons of scones! I guess we love food!

Hyatt Tree

Regency Hyatt Phoenix 2010 Christmas Tree. Designed and set up by the engineering department.

HEYYY

I have to give a shout out to myself. If you've followed this blog or even better, if you've heard about my dental issues then you will understand why I am so happy. The start of a new year means new dental insurance benefits which means an appointment with the dentist. First off I am happy to report that after this year I will be DONE with my dental work. Hallelujah. This will be four years in the making and about $10,000 (maybe more, I stopped counting) out of my pocket.

Second, while the hygienist was doing my cleaning she commented that my teeth were so clean and asked if I flossed. I responded YES because I floss every day and I'm the first to admit that I only started doing this after I was told four years ago of my horrible teeth. She told me she didn't even know what to say! She kept going on and on about how clean my teeth were and how this was the fastest cleaning she had done all day. I was so happy! To some this is what they may hear every year but this is the first time I have heard it. Today is a day I will always remember haha.

Christmas

Matt and I spent Christmas in Phoenix this year. Luckily his sister Lisa and her family were in town for a wedding so they spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with us. We had fun eating Matt's famous (?) ribs and watching the girls swim in our pool! Christmas morning it was fun to open presents and to eat a wonderful breakfast made by Lisa. We spent all morning just hanging out and they left around noon to be with their other AZ family. After they left Matt played video games all day long while I watched Netflix. So much fun. For dinner we drove around looking for open restaurants and we found that our Indian restaurant was open! However, there was no one there and I didn't want to be the only customers so we went to TGIFridays....mistake. The food was OK but the service wasn't that great and Matt and I decided not to eat there ever again.

Some great presents were given this year. Matt got this book he has been asking for almost every day...something political. He also asked for a sniper rifle but I decided not to get that for him! I got a lot of great gifts such as movies, a dress from myself, and Dewey, The Tale of a Library Cat. OK seriously that book made me cry almost every chapter. I bawled like a baby at the end and I keep thinking about it and it makes me tear up. Dewey......

Haylee got her pink guitar! She thought it was really funny when Matt played it. (notice Poohie sitting in the case. She finally warmed up to them and their bags!!)

Kelsey by the tree

Matt and his book

Natalee used her new camera to capture me opening my Coach purse!

Daren, Kelsey, Lisa, Haylee, Mackenzie, and Nathan.

That picture is missing Natalee so here she is!!

*It has been 2 weeks since Christmas and I have yet to take down my tree and decorations. I honestly don't know when I will get to it. I just don't care haha. YES GO ME.