Christmas Letter

For those of whom didn't receive our 2008 Christmas letter. Enjoy!I really wanted to be grown up this year and write a Christmas letter to all my family and friends. It just seems like the adult thing to do when you graduate from college, move away, or start a new phase in life. We did all three! Plus, I love receiving Christmas letters from others! (Hint, hint)
Bryan and I graduated from Brigham Young University with our Bachelors of Science in Biology and Nursing December 21, 2007. We also commissioned into the United States Army, which also happened to be our 2nd Anniversary. For our graduation present we spent a magical week at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida with Bryan’s parents. We enjoyed some time at Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Daytona Beach. The weather was absolutely perfect; so, we spent quite a bit of time at the resort’s pool, which had one of the longest lazy rivers I’ve ever been in.
I passed my Nursing Boards on March 7th and received a phone call 2 days later from the Army giving me orders to be in San Antonio, Texas in two weeks! Yikes! Our families were a wonderful help in packing our household goods on a trailer Bryan randomly purchased. The 3 day drive to San Antonio made me physically sick as I watched Bryan’s small truck pull a trailer twice its size and rock back and forth down hills or with the wind. Thank goodness we made it there safely! While I completed my 2 month Officer’s Basic Leadership Course (OBLC) training in San Antonio, Bryan worked for his parents in Oklahoma. He enjoyed time with his parents and was fed all the time. Thanks Debbie and Robert for taking care of my husband!
In June, Bryan and I reunited in Fort Hood, Texas. I was assigned to work on the Mother/Baby Unit at C.R. Darnell Army Medical Center. Unbeknownst to me, the Labor and Delivery Unit and Mother/Baby Unit are the busiest units in the entire hospital. There are about 200-300 births a month, which is pure craziness! To pass the time and make some extra money, Bryan found some local tiling jobs before fall semester started at the University of Houston.
The month of July brought us many blessings. Bryan and I were able to purchase a townhome in Houston close to a couple friends from church and his school, and I was invited to room-in with a friend from church in Fort Hood while her husband’s deployed. We prayed long and hard for direction from the Lord about our situation, and although it is not the solution Bryan or I would prefer, we feel our prayers have been answered. We know Heavenly Father is watching over and protecting us.
Bryan is glad to be in school again. Although school is tougher than he assumed, he is doing well. He enjoys learning because the information given in lectures applies to his field of study- no general education classes that are not useful, yet required. About every week, Bryan or I make the 3 hour trek to Houston or Fort Hood to spend time together. With my work schedule, I can take 4 and 5 days off at a time and Bryan gets all the holidays! We have become pros at multi-tasking and balancing our time wisely. Much of our/his time spent in Houston consists of fixing up our townhome. Bryan is doing an amazing job and hopefully the downstairs will be done by Christmas...right honey? My parents even came out to help fix up the front patio, not intentionally, but after Hurricane Ike hit! Thanks Mom and Dad!
We are grateful for this holiday season to reflect on the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. May the Christmas Spirit be with you and your family during this jolly time. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!