Happy Birthday, Matt!

Matt turned 26 last Friday, but we were out of town, so this is a little late. I know Matt will be embarrassed by this (the humble guy) but birthdays only come around once a year. Below are some of Matt's endearing qualities that make me love him so much:

Understanding.
A Peacemaker. The guy won't argue.
Shivolrous. He's always opening doors for me and carrying bags.
Contagous Laughter. When he laughs I can't help but laugh too.
Happy. He's never down.
Unselfish. Even though he's crazy busy with school, he still does things all the time for me.
Leader. For as long as I've known him he's been in leadership positions at school and church.
Likeable. Matt's dad once said, "Matt's a very likeable person."
Smart. Look who he's married to… ;)
Hard Working. Often he spends 18-20 hours a day studying.
Loving. Before we dated I saw him with little kids—and I was sold!
Serving. This is one of the biggest reasons Matt wants to be doctor.
Spiritual. A week or so after I met him, I heard him teach a lesson at Church. He really impressed me.
Good Looking. Just look at the picture.
Entertaining. Acting like a gorilla or dog is not unusual for him.
Patient.
Hilarious. I love his sense of humor.
Caring.
A Friend. He's a really good friend.
Playful. He makes everything fun.
Steady. He's the rock in our marriage.
Easy Going. His laid back nature has calmed me down.
Cute.
Spoiling. My family says Matt spoils me terribly. I'm okay with that. :)

Memory Lane

I've been tagged three or four times, so here goes!

Twenty Years ago: (March 1988)
I was two years old, living in Billings, Montana. My parents, three teenage brothers, and older sister teased and spoiled me relentlessly.

Ten Years ago: (March 1998)

• I was 12 years old, in Mrs. Springer's 6th grade class and had an outragous obsession/crush on Mike Wren. My friends and I called him, went by his house, and passed notes about him like crazy. (Reading my journal about this time is hilarious!)
• One memory that sticks out in my mind is playing with my friend, Merryn. We took her dogs for a run through the country then attempted to created a stream in front of her house. We hauled buckets of water from a nearby canal and dumped them in a divet in front of her house. We worked all afternoon on our "stream" and felt certain it would work. Surprisingly (or not so surprisingly) our project failed.

Five Years ago: (March 2003)

• I was a junior (and later a senior) in high school involved in cross-country, track, choir, and student government. I loved my high school years. As the only girl in the Junior Class Presidency, I was in charge of our junior prom. We spent weeks decorating the gym, teaching the promonade, getting food ready, and preparing an assembly. I stressed way too much about it, but it was a blast.
• I secretly liked one of my best friends, Peter Rose, but tried never to show it. (I don't think it was much of a secret.)
• My girlfriends and I formed the AGA (Anti-Guy Association). Any time someone's boyfriend--or any guy--would do something stupid we'd call each other to relay that we were having an AGA day. We'd wear skirts to school, refuse to sit with our guy friends, and not talk to any guys all day! (We really did like guys most of the time, but we had our moments.)
• Ironically, my friends and I also formed the "Greatest Guy of the Week Committee." Each Sunday we'd get together, decide on a guy who'd been particularly great that week, and personally deliver a certificate, cookies, and coupon for a free date set up to him at his home. (Cheesy, but it was fun and the guys liked it.)
  

Three Years ago: (March 2005)

• As a 19 year old freshman at BYU-Idaho, I was dating Matt. Previously, I'd tried really, really hard not to like him because I just wanted to have fun and date around. But by March 2005 I'd accepted the fact that I was falling for him. He'd said, "I love you", but I'd said "I'm not ready for that." (I just needed a little more time.) He patiently put up with my uncertainty and yo-yoness.
• I was preparing for a fun summer: BYU-Hawaii for a term and serving a counselor at a youth camp in Chicago for a month
• I was still undecided on a major, but I was leaning toward communication.
• I loved my roommates!

One Year ago: (2007)

• Matt and I were living in his parents' basement in North Salt Lake.
• I worked as an intern for the Ensign and babysat in Park City a few evenings a week.
• I completed a few final classes online in order to get my BS in communication.
• Matt worked at the Utah State Veteran's Hospital and was everyone's favorite CNA (Certified Nurses Assistant).
• We still hadn't finalized where Matt would be attending medical school.
• Because our schedules weren't busy with school, Matt and I had lots of time to spend together, and we loved it! We hiked, played tennis, watched Everybody Loves Raymond, and lived it up.
  

So far this year: (January - March 2008)

• I stopped working my second job and am loving the extra 15 hours a week.
• We moved to a different apartment but are in the same complex.
• We're happily enduring a long winter and Matt's busier class schedule.
• We bought bikes and are ESTATIC to ride the trails.

Yesterday: (March 18)

• Ran with Matt on my favorite trail (Yeah, spring is finally here!)
• Worked
• Lifted at the gym with Matt
• Made Matt Café Rio Salad for his birthday (since we'll be in Chicago on the actual day)
• Watched "I Am Legend" with Matt

Today: (March 19)

• Ran with Matt
• Worked
• Need to run a couple errands for Matt's birthday
• Might make it to the gym
• Pack for our trip to Chicago
• Hang out with Matt

Tomorrow: (March 20)

• Go siteseeing in Chicago with our friends, Nate and Megan

This year: (2008)

• Bike in RAGRAI for a day or so
• Compete in a half-marathon and/or triathalon (I really need to decide soon.)
• Vacation in Cardston and Nauvoo at family reunions
• Study the scriptures more
• Create a photo book of the last two and a half years (since Matt and I married)
• Help Matt through the first year and a half of medical school and decide where we'll be for his third year

I tag Amber L., Megan R., and Robyn M.

Happy Birthday, Amber!

(Are you happy birthday-ed out, yet?)
Today my sister celebrates her 24th birthday (and 22-1/2 years of being my sister)! Happy birthday, Amber! She just had her first child a couple months ago and she's a great mom. My sister has many, many more talents than me. She sings, plays the piano, acts, sews, cooks, decorates, etc. etc. Not only that, she's thoughtful, caring, smart, humble, and spiritual. And, needless to say because of the picture, she's gorgeous. Growing up people always said, "Erin's cute (like little, chubby, nerd girl cute), but Amber's absolutely BEAUTIFUL!"

Happy Birthday, Erica!

My cute niece, Erica, celebrates her birthday today, St. Patrick's Day! Happy birthday, Erica! She's a doll and I love her lots! She's fun, kind, easygoing, and has a hilarious sense of humor. Not to mention, that all the guys are chasing her. I just wish I got to see her more often.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Sunday my dad turns the big 70! Happy birthday, Dad! We love you! My dad is the nicest guy I know—Matt's almost tied. He's extremely humble, has a great sense of humor, and treats my mom and my sister and me like queens. He's notorious for worrying about his girls. I can't count how many cans of pepper spray he's given me (to tote along as I run, of course). Growing up he'd always give us kisses before going to bed and he opens the doors for my mom without fail.

One of the things I admire most about my dad is that he's a convert. Before he met my mom he was living in Montana and knew his neighbors were LDS. So he sought out the church through them. He's told me that he knew within the first five minutes of his first sacrament meeting that this was the church for him.

Last week I listened to Elder Richard Hinckley's conference address , and even though my dad isn't the prophet, I feel this way about my dad too:

"I do not know what to say of my father that would not embarrass him, except that I love him.... My mind goes back to days when we were little children, when he would lie on the floor and wrestle and play with us and lift us in his arms and hug us and tickle us, or pull us up into bed with Mother and him when we were sick or frightened in the night. My memories of him will ever be of laughter and love, of steadiness, of testimony, of relentless hard work, of faith and fidelity. He is kind and wise, and I am blessed beyond measure that I ... claim him as my father now and throughout all eternity."

Lumpy Bumpkins

Matt's started calling me that. It sounds so repulsive, doesn't it? Go figure. :)

The last couple weeks Matt and I have partied it up. (Kinda.)

MATT'S BEEN:
BECOMING president of SOMA, the largest club at DMU. (Way to be, Matt!)
STUDYING like crazy. Two weeks ago he had three big tests, and this week he's got three more.
PLANNING with a professor about doing research this summer.
SLEEPING, a little bit.
LETTING Erin embarrass herself. (See below.)

This is why I don't write too much about Matt's life. It's kinda boring.

ERIN'S BEEN:
PLAYING with friends at a girl's night.
WRITING an article for her church calling.
EDITING some stories for a friend.
BURNING it up at the the gym. (Or trying to, at least.)
SHOWERING mommies-to-be at Cassie's and Megan's showers.
CREATING her best Web site yet at work.
SCRAPBOOKING frantically.
And,
EMBARRASSING herself by volunteering to host a Pure Romance Party while at a fundraiser with tons of people in my ward! (I didn't know what I was doing, though! And I am NOT hosting it, just in case you were dying to come.)

Mmm, maybe my life isn't that exciting either. I probably shouldn't recap our weeks. It'll start sounding like: "…and then I brushed my teeth, and then I went to the bathroom, and then I umm...drove to work…"

Humbled

Matt and I are reading Russell M. Nelson: Father, Surgeon, Apostle. (Matt's the one really reading it. I just browse the parts he says I'd like.) It's cool—and very humbling—to learn how they handled nearly two decades of schooling for Elder Nelson to become a full-fledged heart surgeon.

A couple stories have had me thinking all week.

First story:
Sister Nelson never complained about having no new furniture in their apartment, or about the fact that they had to live in apartments—even after they'd had several children. Only once did Sister Nelson express any longing for nicer things. Elder Nelson explains it best: "I pay tribute to Sister Nelson, who never murmured because she had to make do with very little. I recall an experience one night in downtown Boston. We were walking along Boylston Street. There we passed a furniture store. Sister Nelson pressed her nose against the windowpane and asked, 'Do you think we will ever be able to afford a lamp?'"
See also Russell M. Nelson, "Faith and Families," Ensign, Mar 2007, 36–41.

Second story:
Sister Nelson also never got upset when Elder Nelson had to miss a child's recital or performance for a medical emergency. She'd simply tell their kids, "Dad had something very important come up, so he won't be able to join us. But we're going to have fun anyway." For a while during Elder Nelson's residency he'd only be home for seven hours every two days (all of which were while their kids slept). And still, Sister Nelson never complained.

She's pretty amazing, huh. And I definitely have a long way to go!

President Matt

Monday Matt's class elected him to be president of SOMA (Student Osteopathic Medical Associaton). I heard he gave this GREAT speech and received 100% of the votes! Way to be, Matt!

SOMA's the largest club at DMU, and with Matt's new position he'll get to travel to different conventions in places like Washington D.C. It'll also help him when he's applying to residencies.

Matt'll be upset if I don't clarify his getting 100% of the votes. He was—techniquely—the only person running for that office. But I'm sure lots of people felt totally inadaquate to compete with Matt's hottness, so they backed out. I don't blame 'em. :)