the Graham Cracker House

or should it be Moabitis?   Whichever one more accurately describes the grand adventures Bjorn and I had in SE Utah April 14-16.  I'll let pictures do most of the talking on this one.

Our campfire..... Have I mentioned how grateful I am for an eagle scout husband who taught merit badges at scout camp multiple summers?  Yep.  One less thing I have to worry about. Our little campsite was on a bend of the green river (that was as much water as we could find here)

Arches National Park (and some classic poses):

We hiked a ton! Saw almost every arch, went through a few water bottles and gatorades, took the Xterra on a CRAZY 4-wheel drive trails (Bjorn loved it, and I got a bit unnerved), and even tried our feet at mountain biking.

the view from Suzy's side window as we faced yet another rock climbing challenge.....

a wee bit worn out

That tiny speck in the middle is Bjorn AKA the climber

delicate arch, from a distance ( this is one on half of the utah license plates- for the people who don't ski)

Another Coleen Classic pose

Mountain bike adventure on one of the easier Moab trails.  The view of the canyons at the end was spectacular!  Though riding back to the car was not.  The sun started to beat down us.... we ran out of water.... it was bad news.  Luckily that was with 1 mile left.  Bjorn hurried to the car, and drove it up the trail to meet me.  SAVED!   I'm not sure why we are smiling in these pictures.

Our ward Relief Society meeting this month was full of purses,  (for decorations, invites, and games) and an emphasis on the individual worth of each of us, no matter which purse we are carrying.  The woman in charge wanted to take a look a at all different purses we carry at different times in our lives ( make-up bag, briefcase, diaper bag, granny handbag, etc.).

She asked me to speak on the "newlywed/working" stage of life and discuss my delight on the positive aspects of this stage of life.  "Of course there are up and downs to every stage, but we're going to focus on the positives" she said in her request.  This sent me on a week-long thought process on what really are the good spots to my current stage.  I found this exercise extremely bneneficial for me, because I don't always live IN the moment.  At least I am not doing a "Lot's Wife" anymore, but I do still like to look AHEAD and wish I was there. Wishing we were all done with school, wishing we had kids, wishing we could have a real house- with a garden, etc.  
Taking a minute to contemplate how GOOD life really is brought much gratitude to my life.  I'm in the BEST stage right now. I'm graduated, I have a job, I have a husband, and I have TIME to spend with him.  I also have time to volunteer, to help others, to spend time with friends, to give service.  I can learn so much from the ladies ahead of me at other stages, and also be an example to the ones in school, preparing (or on) missions, and preparing for marriage.  I have done a lot!  And there is a lot more ahead of me, but no need to rush.
Heavenly Father needs where I am right now, and I know he has a marvelous plan for the B. Grahams future.

Since the last week of February, either Bjorn or I have been sick. Violently ill, recovering, recuperating, almost sick, coughing, hacking, not sleeping well, sneezing, almost better, or something of the sort- every day.  I think it started with some bug I brought home from the hospital- MPV maybe? Bjorn had a real bad bout last week and even went to the doctors office voluntarily.  He was given antibiotics and is improving. Yesterday I started to come down with something AGAIN, after feeling fully healthy for almost a month.  The sinus pressure built up overnight, yet I still went to work.  After coughing and sneezing into every mask I wore and destroying four jolly ranchers because I had no medicine nor cough drops with me, miraculously I was able to go home early.  The unit was slow and they needed to send a nurse home.  Luckily, my day was up, so the charge just asked if I wanted to go. She didn't even know I was sick.  I considered it a great tender mercy and eagerly said yes.  I came home eager to dose up on drugs and pass out.... once again.   My sweet husband of course took great care of my ornery, exhausted self.  We haven't done dishes together in long while..... the unspoken rules is whoever is NOT sick at the moment gets to rid the kitchen of dirtiness.

Enough complaining.  I realize there are a couple ups to being sick.  And by couple I mean 2.    First, you are allowed to eat whatever you want (whatever sounds good.... whatever you can keep down) and along with that get to drink lots of juice (Bjorn and I love all fruit juices).  Second, being sick gives me an opportunity to stop.  I like to go-go-go-go ALL the time. I love being productive.  I find when I am sick the house doesn't get picked up, the bed isn't always made, and the dishes pile up. Yet long past due e-mails to friends are sent, books I've been meaning to finish suddenly become more interesting, and Bjorn and I have time to sit and talk.  I lay on the germ infested couch pondering life, marriage, the terrifying thought of having children running around the house while being this sick, the people I wanted to see and help this week, my plans for the future, and humbly realizing God's plan for the future, and how much more I need to trust in Him.  Though I have great plans for myself and my family (including not ever being sick ever again), I know God's plans for us are even greater, teaching invaluable lessons and brining us closer together as well as closer to Him.