Attitude

There once were two men.  These two men happened to both relocating for their jobs in a new city.  One day the first man, now wandering about the new city, happened to come upon an old man sitting on a bench.  He went over the old man and sat down next to him.  He asked him, "My family and I are moving to this new city and wanted to know what it was like."  The old man thought for a moment, and replied with a question, "Well why don't you tell me about what your old city was like?"  The first man said, "Our old city was terrible.  We didn't really get out a lot and no body ever talked to us. We just felt unhappy the whole time we lived there.  We are more than happy to move."  The old man simply replied, "Well I am sorry to say, but this new city will be exactly what you described."

The following week the second man happened to stumble across the same old man.  He went over, sat down, and said, "My family and I are moving to this new city and wanted to know what it was like." The old man thought for a moment, and replied with a question, "Well why don't you tell me about what your old city was like?" The second man replied, "We are so sad to be leaving our old home.  The people were friendly with lots to do.  We made lots of friends and felt like we made a home there.  We are sad to say goodbye."  The old man simply smiled and replied, "Well I am happy to say this city will be exactly like that."

Attitude really is everything.  At times it is easy to look at our lives and feel we are accomplishing nothing.  When I first heard we were moving to North Dakota I was not excited at all. As bad as it is to say, I thought we were going to a barren wasteland far from family and friends.  But, after hearing this story I took a step back at my life.  North Dakota and our time here will be based on our own actions rather than the location.  Already I can see the blessing from moving here.  We have an AMAZING ward family.  People in general are very friendly.  I was able to get a scholarship for xc and track.  I may be starting the nursing program.  Andrew has a head start in his job in the Air Force because of this base and we have an amazing home.  I could go on and on but despite the negative aspects I could say about this place it is up to me to be positive about the things I can control.

Who know how long we will be here but I can't imagine living in a way where I leave with regrets.  Already this Winter is no where near as harsh as I heard.  The sun is shining with hardly any snow on the ground.  It only went int the -30's for a week!  Talk about a blessing.  Somebody is obviously smiling down on us knowing that I need to be worked in nice and easy to this kind of climate.  

But overall, I hope to continue to try to have a good attitude.  There are positive things no matter what circumstances you live in.  I can't fathom feeling down all the time because of my circumstances.  That is no way to live!  So I will continue to smile and make the most of my life right now!

Love,

The Anderson's

OPK.

Running, Running, Running...

If I got a dollar for every time someone said I was crazy for being a hard-core runner I would be making quite a bit.  I understand I am crazy but like with every addiction it consumes my life hehe.  Ok, I wouldn't say I am addicted to running but since I am on scholarship for it I kind of have to do it all the time.

However, looking back I am not sure I would have put myself through all this pain if I had known what I was getting myself into.  But lets me honest.  I probably still would have.  Let me recap a little about what running entails for me these days...

This past week was our first week back for the semester not to mention we had our first race on Saturday for indoor track.  But since we are in our "dead year" our coach doesn't understand the term of "cutting back".  Nope.  He just wants us to push on forward with our workouts and still race on Saturdays.

Monday- 8 mile run.  6 excels (basically build-ups where you do 100 meters building up to a full-out sprint). weights.

Tuesday-20 minute warm up.  8x800m 60sec rest between each on (these were around 3:00min pace).  15min cool down.

Wed.-6 mile run.  4 excels.  Funny feet (form drills basically).  Weights.

Thursday.- 3 mile morning run.  Then afternoon: 20 min warm up.  8x 200's @ ~42sec pace.  15minute cool down.

Friday (day before the meet)- 4miles. 4 excels.  weights (yep.  we did weights a day before ugh).

Saturday- 20 minute morning run. 20 minute warm up (well just the running portion, we warm up about 50minutes before we race).  Then my race was a 5k.  Then a 45 minute cool down (yes, I said a 45 minute cool down)

Sunday- rest, thankfully...

So that was just a run down of my typical training week.  I am sure most of you have no idea about half the things I am talking about unless you are a runner.  Andrew always says it is like I speak a second language.  But, needless to say it is easy to become sore and tired from this.  I miss the good old days before I had 2+hour workouts 6 days a week. 

However, despite all this I have to say I am crazy.  I still LOVE running.  It is one of my passions and it is putting me through school.  Playing sports and college level is like having 2 jobs because you have to work your entire day around it.  This includes sleep, eating schedules, and the workouts.  A full-time job.  Definitely not for the faint hearted :)  But all in all, I a girls got to do what a girls got to do.  

Andrew wishes this didn't consume my life.  For now it is helping me get through school and when this is all done we can finally start planning for the future!  But for now we just got to take this journey one step (or in my case a run) at a time...

Love,

The Andersons

A Year in Retrospect...

It is always hard to believe when one year ends and another begins.  You finally realize "Hey, I am never getting this year back!".  It is really gone for good.  Did I accomplish all that I wanted?  Do I have any regrets?  Did I really try to make each day count?

The wonderful thing about not being perfect is there is always room for improvement:) But as for the year of 2011 it was pretty great.  Full of change and a start of something new.  Here is a quick year in review:

-I lived with my grandparents in Mtn. Home, AR while Andrew was in Ft. Leonardwood, MO

-We bought our 1st puppy whom we named Athena

-I flew with Athena to stay the rest of the time with my parents in March

-Andrew graduated from Tech School for the Air Force

-We got our orders and moved to Minot, ND

-We lived in an RV waiting for a house

-There was a record breaking flood in Minot

-Luckily, we got our first real place together, a beautiful 2 bedroom, 1 study, and 2 bath split level home on the Air Base, all in July

-I visited my Aunts in Iowa while Andrew had training in Florida for 2 weeks.

-We had our 1st Halloween together, and dressed up as nothing:)

-I had my 21st birthday (up at Spirit Lake Resort & Casino)

-Andrew turned 25

-We adopted our second dog, a calm beagle we named Maia ( My-uh)

-We got to spend Thanksgiving in Iowa

-We did Black Friday for the 1st time (on the bucket list) and got myself a netbook

-We got our own phone plan (I got an iphone)

-I started school at Minot State University and started running again

-We got a 42" TV for $100.

-We realized that the Lord truly sends us where we are meant to be

-I became a Nursery leader and Personal Progress Adviser

-Andrew teaches CTR 4 and is a cub scouts den Leader

-We had the blessing of visiting family from Dec. 17-Dec. 30 in Utah

-We started making a bucket list

-We started planning a graduation cruise

-Andrew and I had our 2 yr Anniversary

-My Uncle John passed away

-I grew to love my family even more

-I realized further the importance of family for Andrew and I

-We made it through 2011 together!

You always think nothing really exciting happens during certain years.  Looking back that certainly isn't true.  We had a great year and hope that this next year will be even better!

 Us in 2011

Love,

The Andersons

Home For the Holidays

Just a quick update for all of you reading (which I realize is very few and therefore know that this blog is really for my own benefit), we are heading down to Utah in exactly 3 days! Wahoo.

We are Stoked. Excited. Jubilant.  Joyful.  Ecstatic.  Pumped. Giddy.

Ok you get the idea.  We thought for a while that we wouldn't be able to travel down to Utah to see family.  Due to the fact of snow and expensive plane tickets. But my loving parents came through and bought one of our tickets!  So it will cost us only $400 dollars to fly for Christmas. Yay us.

But something else exciting is we may have found out a way to see more of my family.  A beautiful thing called group skype.  

So pretty much we can see everybody for Christmas.  We can't wait to spend such a major holiday with family.  In 3 days we are leaving...on a jet plane.  Don't know when we'll be back again.  Kidding, we get to stay until the 30th when Andrew has to be back for work.  But, either way we have lots of fun things planned.

I will keep you posted,

The Andersons

Gobble Til You Wobble

Thanksgiving weekend was awesome!  We were so blessed to actually be together this Thanksgiving and even better to be able to spend this time with family.  Last year was the year I was in Romania while Andrew was in basic training.  Sometimes I feel like the years just jumble together...

So this was our second Thanksgiving ever.  Wednesday, we spent the night in Wahepton, ND about 5 hours from where we live.  We then got up early on Thursday and drove the last 7 hours to my aunts' house in Shenandoah, IA. So us and the two dogs had quite a trip!  It worked out great since Cris worked on Thursday and we ended up having our actual meal on Saturday.  What did that mean?

Black Friday!!! Yep, we were some of those hard core people that sit outside in the cold for hours just waiting to be pushed or trampled to death hehe.  But seriously it was our first time and what an experience!  My Aunt Karen, cousin Aspen, me and Andrew all drove to Omaha and waited outside of Target for four hours till midnight.  It was cold but definitely worth the wait.

Between the four of us we got 3 out of the 16 Acer Aspire Netbook laptops available for black Friday.  At a total price of $167.00 each it was worth it! Our other big item prize was the Harry Potter movie set at Best Buy for $39.99.  Aww...victory is sweet.  And no there was not any trampling.

The next pictures are just some of the fun from Thanksgiving weekend:

Those ahead of us at Target (we were in the 3rd "wave" of people allowed to go in!)

The girls waiting in the cold

Andrew couldn't believe we actually waited for four hours hehe

Getting stuff ready for the Thanksgiving meal!!

Aunt Cris cutting the turkey

The table

The guys watching the game while we cooked.  Typical:)

Overall it was a great weekend.  Did I mention there were a total of 5 dogs and 4 cats in the house?  And yes (sadly) two of the dogs finally caught a squirrel while going Ya-ya at the park.  Anyways it was a weekend filled with fun, food, and most importantly family. And of course lots of games!!  Booyah! :D

Love,

The Andersons

Until We Meet Again

Yesterday was an incredibly hard day for my family.  After a long battle, my uncle John passed away.  The initial shock was something unfathomable.  My mom was on a flight over there when the battle ended.  She didn't make it in time.  What hurts me the most is I wasn't able to say goodbye either.  What an amazing uncle he was.  I just hoped he knew how much I loved him.  I was so blessed that Andrew went into the Air Force and his graduation allowed me to visit my family in San Antonio.  At least I will have those memories always.  I just wanted to dedicate this particular post to my uncle john who passed away November 8, 2011.

One memory I will always have of my uncle john is one I will always treasure.  Just under 4 years ago all of my mom's side of the family was able to go on a cruise together! Amazing I know.  What a special time it was for my family.  But the memory I have to share is of the arcade on the cruise ship.  It took many quarters and time but my uncle john and I beat the Jurassic Park game together.  Like, we actually beat the whole game in the arcade!  

It was also because of my Uncle John that I was able to participate in the stingray excursion.  What a special experience I will never forget.

My uncle john will be very missed.  Something I felt we connected on was our love of travel and culture.  Something I always loved about my Uncle John and Aunt Jenny is that I was able to talk to them about this.  I love art, travel, and experiencing life.  Going to Romania even furthered that.

His passing is one still very hard for me.  He left many people behind who loved him.  His parents, 2 sisters and a brother.  His wife, my aunt jenny, who is one of the strongest people I know!  And his young son Rhys.  All of his family and friends knew what a special person he was.  

As hard as it is to say goodbye to someone very much loved, he has someone just as special as he was waiting for him.  My cousin Brittney.  I know at this moment my uncle John and cousin Brittney are in eachothers' arms, finally reunited. 

How grateful I am to know how merciful our father in heaven is.  He sent His son, my lord and savior Jesus Christ to sacrifice himself that we might all return to Him.  It is through Him that we have the opportunity to have eternal families and the opportunity for repentance.  Knowing this truth has gotten me through the hard times.  It is this truth, that will strengthen our family.  We will see my uncle again today.  I feel so sad knowing he his gone so prematurely but I know everything will be alright.

I love this song, it is one of farewell and hope we sang often as a goodbye in Hawaii. I wanted to share it for my Uncle John, until we meet again...

Aloha Oe

Ha`aheo ka ua i nâ pali
Ke nihi a`ela i ka nahele
E hahai (uhai) ana paha i ka liko
Pua `âhihi lehua o uka

Hui:
Aloha `oe, aloha `oe
E ke onaona noho i ka lipo
One fond embrace,
A ho`i a`e au
Until we meet again

`O ka hali`a aloha i hiki mai
Ke hone a`e nei i
Ku`u manawa
`O `oe nô ka`u ipo aloha
A loko e hana nei

Maopopo ku`u `ike i ka nani
Nâ pua rose o Maunawili
I laila hia`ia nâ manu
Miki`ala i ka nani o ka lipo