Vaccines for the Philippines 2011 Humanitarian trip

Wow, I am only three months late in posting this-I am slightly behind and be prepared there are LOTS of pictures. This was my 5th time going to the Philippines and yet somehow each trip is different than the last-this year seemed to be our most adventurous and definitely one of the most memorable. It started out that way when my nephew and I got flagged at immigration in Manilla because he was a minor traveling without his parents. We were pulled into a back room and asked to pay a bunch of money and to provide documentation from his mother stating he was allowed to go on the trip (luckily for us we had the documents). After waiting for what seemed like forever they let us thru-it took so long I thought they were going to send us back home. This year all of our service had a educational theme: we donated school kits, playground equipment, and built a school on a VERY remote island called Pamilacan or "Pelican" as many called it since they couldn't remember the right name. The island was incredibly beautiful, but very hot and very humid. Nothing dried out and by the end my hair smelled like mildew;)





One reason this trip was more adventurous was because we camped right by the beach in individual mosquito-net tents. I was very grateful for my tent because they kept the large spiders out (they were HUGE), but unfortunately they didn't protect us from the rain. It was also too bad they weren't sound proof because the roosters on the island started crowing at 3:30 a.m. every morning and it was loud!







We didn't finish the school while we were there, but we did work really hard carrying supplies, mixing cement for the foundation and we started to build the frame of the school. I always looked like I had just taken a shower because I was so sweaty;)





















We always have so much fun hanging out with the darling kids over there and it kind of made me homesick for my own 4-year old. One night we invited all the kids on the island and their families to come and watch a movie on the side of the town church. It was the first time a lot of them had ever seen a movie and we loved being able to walk them all home at the end of the night.






Every time we go over the filipinos love to arrange a basketball game against us-well the boys that come with us-and this year they decided to have our own jerseys made for the event.






After some really hard work, we headed over to the island that we normally stay on, Bohol, and had some serious fun. Nothing beats the beaches in the Philippines.




My little sis and nephew Scott.











On one of our last days we went to an outdoor Eco-Adventure center and did the longest zip-line in Asia and did something called the plunge-literally the most terrifying thing I have ever done in my life. It was all a little sketchy because the equipment was really old and they don't really have safety checks over there.

This is the Canyon that the events took place over.


This is me almost blacking out before I did the plunge because I was SO scared. My arms and hands kept going numb and my face went white-I was that stressed, but I knew I would regret it if I didn't do it. You were lowered off of a platform that was attached precariously to the side of a cliff. They counted to three and then pulled a rip-cord and you dropped about 250 feet and then swung out over the canyon. It was a giant bungee pendulum swing. I was really glad I did it in the end, but I still can't believe I actually went thru with it-I am really afraid of heights.


It was such a great trip and we had an amazing group of people that came over with us. It was great to see all of Pete's hard work pay off-I was so proud of him;)

wishin' and hopin' and thinkin' and prayin'

I know this song is about finding a husband, but I feel like the opening line describes so well the way I feel about wanting another baby.

I fall into what they call "unexplained" infertility. And while I am pleased to be so healthy, I sometimes find myself wishing something was wrong so that there could be something to fix-some answer to explain what is going on-but they have nothing.

We have started down the path of more intense fertility treatments and because our mental and physical investment has increased the emotional cost has become so much higher. There are times where my heart feels like it is going to burst from the pain that I feel and I start to wonder if I am strong enough to handle this...

They say not to stress, not to worry, not to get frustrated because it only makes the problem worse, but how can you not do all of those things when something you want more than anything in this world is not working out.

...But, I am trying so hard to focus on the love that I feel from those around me and the prayers that I know are being said in our behalf. I think about the hugs I got from my dad on his way to work on a hard day, and the closeness I feel to God as I have had to rely so completely on him. I remind myself that I am SO lucky to already have a child, especially one as incredible as Ryan, when so many don't even have one. I really am trying to be positive, I just have days where my heart is heavy and today was one of those days...

Their first day

Pete's and Ryan's first days of school happened to be on the same day and ry thought that was really cool;) Pete kind of wanted to kill me when I made him take this picture today. I felt so bad for him; he was using 2 bags and still had to carry some of his books in his hands because he had so many things to take to school. Ryan insisted that he got to wear his favorite shirt and jeans even though it was 90 something degrees outside. Pete said he survived and Ryan said he had a great day because his girlfriend Kate is in his class again this year! I have to admit, I felt a little left out to be the only one in the family not going back to school-I honestly still miss school (I am a nerd at heart). Maybe someday...

change

Pete started his law school orientation last wednesday and ever since I have had a pit in my stomach and I couldn't figure out exactly why I was feeling this way...and then it hit me-change. So much changes with him starting this program. It is an ending and a beginning all at the same time. An ending of our school era and a beginning of new adventures just waiting to be discovered. But those times are hard and they require adjusting and growing and stretching and sometimes I just want to stay where things are comfortable. I have absolutely NO idea where we will be at the end of this because life has taken us down some VERY different paths than we ever had planned. But I do know there is a plan for us and while I don't know the end result I know it will be great. I just need to trust in the plan, but right now my heart is resisting a little as it adjusts to this new direction...

the fastest year of my life

somehow I blinked and a year passed. Pete starts law school orientation next Wednesday. It seems like yesterday that we thought we were moving and then BYU called at literally the very last min and gave us 24 hours to decide if we wanted to wait to start law school until the following year. Everyone told us we needed to take advantage of the time we had before it started, and we definitely did! We traveled to California three times, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Arizona, and the Philippines (Pete actually went twice)! We had some great times, but now I am dreading the huge adjustments that will have to be made when law school starts-we got SO spoiled having Pete around all the time. I just keep telling myself that we felt very strongly this was what we were supposed to do and three years really isn't that long-right???

I don't even know where to begin....

Things have been crazy lately...

Between the Philippines, work, Pete's surgery and ongoing recovery, Ry's soccer camp, going to Disneyland/Newport Beach/seeing old friends, almost drowning by giant waves/being bashed into large rocks (really I thought I was going to die in the ocean and was thankfully rescued by a lifeguard), having family in town, having family members move away, getting released from my calling, receiving a new calling, delving more into the world of infertility treatments and trying to maximize every last min before pete starts law school in 3 weeks summer is somehow almost over...

It makes me sad...

One of these days I will actually update my blog and post pictures but it has been kind of low on the priority list lately

Pete has the worst luck...

For his eagle project, my nephew brought over playground equipment to donate to a school in the Philippines. After the equipment was given we showed them different games and activities they could do with it. Pete was showing them how to use the jump ropes and his knee hyperextended. He has had some trouble with that knee before, but it hadn't been a big deal so we weren't too worried-well we apparently should have been. Pete's MRI results came back today and he has a COMPLETE ACL tear-that will require major surgery with an extremely long recovery. A.W.E.S.O.M.E.

My pre-trip anxiety has officially set in...

I leave for the philippines tomorrow morning and I am officially panicking! I have so many things running thru my head right now I am becoming extremely inefficient about getting anything done. I am really excited to go since it has been a couple of years and I miss that place, but I am not looking forward to the 30+ hours it will take to get there or having to leave Ry. The main group left Monday and so it is just me, my little sis, and my nephew leaving tomorrow-another reason I am slightly stressed-I am the one in charge of getting us there safely. Wish me luck...

All his stubborness paid off

A couple of weeks ago, Pete took the training wheels off of Ryan's bike and boy was he ticked. He refused to touch his bike and did not want us to teach him to ride it without training wheels. Then one night Ryan took it out of the garage and started teaching himself to balance on it, but once again he didn't want help. The next day I got a call at work saying he was officially riding his bike around the block! Ryan was determined to figure it out on his own and lucky for him he actually did;)