A new Passion

This semester, I am taking a beginning ballet class. I never thought that I would enjoy it as much as I do. It really is becoming a new passion in my life. I have been a "dancer" before, in that I was on my middle school dance team, and took dance instead of P.E. in high school. I really enjoyed it then but definitely not as much as I appreciate it now. Ballet is such a beautiful form of movement that allows you to as cliche is this is going to sound, but be "in touch with your body." I love the flexibility and grace that I am gaining because of this class. Who wouldn't want to look so poised as the women in the picture?


Yesterday, after my ballet class, I approached my teacher about taking more classes. She invited me to take the intermediate class that the school offers, and I also taking her adult class at her studio on Friday evenings. I am super excited about taking more classes and learn more! I hope that I will be able to keep in everything that they are doing.

As far as everything is going, life is good. I've got a concerts this weekend and I am really excited about the music that we are playing. It is going to be a concert that is combined choir and orchestra and I pray that it will be beautiful. We are playing about half of the Mozart Requiem. This piece was Mozart's last piece that he wrote before he died. He was literally writing it on his death bed. We are also playing some Patriotic pieces, The Battle Hymn of the Republic, and some pieces from The Prelude to Glory oratorio. We are also playing a piece that the text was written by President James E. Faust. We are playing this concert in memory of one of the beloved professors that passed away in October. He was an amazing man and these pieces exemplify the life that he lived and the things that he loved. He wrote the series of books called, The Prelude to Glory, that tells about the lives of those who lived during the Revolutionary War. Someone read this series and felt inspired to write an oratorio for choir and orchestra based upon the books. It is a really amazing piece and I wished that it was more well known.

Morgan has been applying to jobs. The latest jobs have been at colleges in both Tampa Bay and Orlando, Florida. He also has been fine tuning his thesis paper and will be turning it in Sunday! I can't wait until he has his degree in hand and can finally get a real job. The poor kid is working at crappy jobs and he has a BACHELOR'S degree. It is amazing to me that he can't get a better job, but with the field that he wants to be in, he needed to have a Master's degree. He has also been amazing with Lorraine. Since I am in class most of the day on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, he has been at home taking care of Lorraine. He is becoming the regular Mr. Mom! He takes such good care of her and loves playing with her.

Lorraine has had a tough time this week. She has been cutting teeth this week and has had a small cold. She is congested and has a bit of a cough. She also was running a super high fever on Saturday night that I could not get down. I finally just decided to take her to the ER because I felt it was better to be safe then sorry. They thought that she might have a urinary tract infection so they had to take a urine sample by a catheter. It was not fun seeing my daughter scream in pain. The also took some blood samples to make sure nothing was wrong there. It took them two sticks to get a good blood sample, the first sample immediately clotted and was unusable so they had to stick her again. It was terrible! Thankfully, it turned out that she was ok. They gave her a Tylenol suppository that took her fever down all the way to a regular temperature and since then she has been fine. She is just the happiest little girl. She is walking without any trouble now and I'm sure it is not long before she is running.

I hope this week finds you well!

My Baby and Her Blankie

Lorraine has a blankie that she just cannot live without. Lately she will go in her room and grab it out of her crib. It is really funny to watch her with it.

This last week

Well this week was not as productive as I would like it to be. I woke up Monday morning with gunk sealing my eye shut. I had pink eye! I had an exam that morning that I couldn't get out of so I went to that class only, knowing that I might get someone else sick. Tuesday I woke up with the worst sore throat and congestion that I have ever had. I went to the campus nurse because I knew that I could free sudafed there. I stayed on the couch with this sickness for the entire week. I had chills and sweats depended upon whether I had a fever or not. I had a migraine. My muscles felt like they wouldn't work. Oh and by the end of the week I had nasty diarrhea too. It was rather miserable. I went to the doctor Friday afternoon, was diagnosed with a sinus infection and sent home with a prescription for some antibiotics. I am finally better today, Monday.

I couldn't have done it without Morgan. Morgan took care of me, Lorraine, and himself. He would go to the store to get anything that we needed. He took Lorraine to her doctor's appointment. He would cook me anything that I would ask for.

Journaling

At a recent Enrichment activity, we were asked to resolve and commit to a thing that has been hard for us. One thing that is hard for me is consistently journal. This week started out a bit hard but ended well. I got overwhelmed at the prospect of having three tests within only a couple of days of each other. But I managed to make it through the week and even though I still have a test tomorrow, I feel very confident in my knowledge and that I will be able to get a good grade. I am really enjoying my classes, especially ballet. I really needed to get my butt in gear again because I was lazy this last year after having Lorraine and ballet is a really good workout. Last night I had three girls come to my house for a study group. I was so happy to have them in my home. I realized how much I needed to socialize with someone my own age. We only ended up sitting around talking and did very little studying but it was still just wonderful to have some good people in my home.

Morgan and I have been doing really well and I am really grateful that he is so supportive of me on my bad days. Unfortunately, we really didn't get to spend much time together this week but hopefully next week will be less busy and we will maybe even get a date.

Lorraine has been great this week. She has nine teeth through the gums now! I think she even has a couple more trying to cut. She is also getting better and better at walking which makes me nervous because I know that it will only be a matter of time before she is running! I am really lucky that she is happy and healthy. Below are couple pictures I took tonight in the dress she got from Grandma this Christmas.




This week has started better than last, I went to church this morning (finally). I was having a really hard time with the time change of church and the last couple of weeks I couldn't get my butt out of bed for the most important meeting of the week. Even though Lorraine kept me busy running around I was still able to receive the sacrament and go to Relief Society. I am really grateful for the Relief Society. My RS president is one of the sweetest women I have ever met. She gave the lesson today and it was focused on uniting our RS by doing visiting teaching. I know that most of the visiting teaching lessons I've received in the past have left me feeling more guilty than uplifted but the one today gave me the encouragement I needed. I really do love the women that I visit teach. I just have allowed myself to get lax and lazy about making sure I see them each month. I am grateful for the women who visit teach me, who have never missed a month. It really is a blessed calling to be a visiting teacher. Let us all be better at it.

I hope that all y'all are doing well! I wish the best for all who read my posts! And if you ever need anything please let me know. I may not be able to actually be there to help, but I can definitely talk and listen!

Mary Kay Consultant

I am a new Mary Kay Consultant and I am trying to get my business going. I have a website where all can come to purchase and shop!

www.marykay.com/shannondeane

I really need your help to start my business, if you are here in Buena Vista, I would love to hold a skin care class for you! If your not, then at least take a look around my website.

I love Mary Kay because their products WORK! They are not the type of product that you would get at Wal-Mart that is watered down and doesn't work or last as long and it's NOT nearly as expensive as the products that you would get at the cosmetic counter in a department store. The skin care products are simply amazing. They have helped clear some of my acne scars that I got after I had Lorraine. They make my skin feel sooo soft. I wouldn't be trying to sell these products unless I believed in them.

January Fun

It has been a really long while since I last posted. This year will be the year when everything gets better, I pray. It was a rather eventful start of the year. Morgan and I spent New Year's going to Denny's for dinner and then went to bed early. Morgan was recovering from a cold and I was getting it. We were in St. George, Utah for the first day of the year and then we went back to Las Vegas to visit with my family before we came back to BV. We really enjoyed spending the holidays with all of our families but we were definitely glad to get back home to our life.

I have gone back to school this semester. I am taking 13 credits and enjoying all of the classes that I am taking. School is a lot easier this semester because I only have classes Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I am taking three history classes, orchestra, lessons, and ballet. I think ballet is my favorite because it gets me to be more in tune with my body.

Morgan has finished his rough draft of his Master's thesis! I am glad that his program is almost over and he can graduate. He is working on getting a "real job," as a professor at colleges around the country. He has already applied to eight or nine colleges already. They are in Texas, Pennslyvania, and Florida. But we are open to living just about anywhere so long as it pays more than what we are making right now. We are definitely excited about being able to live somewhere new.



Lorraine turned one on the 18th. We celebrated by having cake and ice cream with a couple of close friends come over with their kids. She had fun with the cake! She is also walking around now! She also says yes and no, momma, daddy, hi, and even please sometimes. She waves hello and goodbye. She is just the happiest little girl I've ever seen! It's been to see her grow over the last year and I can't wait to see what she has in store for this year.

1-Year Old Pictures

Looking All Cute

"Scrunchy Face"

Model over the shoulder

Doll Face

Smiling a bit

Excited about the sled

Clap your hands

Beautiful Little Girl

Seeing Santa for the First Time

Today was the Army Christmas Party and Santa came to pay a visit. I am so glad that I brought my camera. It was so fun to see her on Santa's lap even if she didn't really know what was going on. She scored a cute cozy bear and a great little book!

Lorraine looking at Daddy trying to figure out if it was ok to be sitting on somebody else's lap.
Lorraine thinking about getting off Santa's lap.

Finally she looked at Mom, though she doesn't look too happy here. But she was a trooper and didn't even cry!

Helping Mom in the Kitchen

So Lorraine decided to pull stuff out of the cupboard and climb on in.

"Oh hey Mom, how are ya?"

I guess it's time to come out.
Hehe!

Table Food

These pictures are of Lorraine after eating pasta and marinara! Oh my was she messy, I threw her in the tub after this meal.

Smiling at Daddy.