Thinking over the past 20 years

Disclaimer:
This is a bit long, and not really updates on my family or kids, but a history of the past 20 years of my life. Have a fantastic day :). 

This year is my 20 year class reunion of Olympus High School class of 1996. I will not be making it to the reunion in Salt Lake due to the production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" that is being put on in our community and I am in the pit. The 2nd night of the production is the same night as the reunion. Also, four of my kids are in the cast so I will be there to support them.

So, in honor of my 20 year year reunion, I wanted to think back as to what I have done these past 20 years.

1996 - year of high school graduation - I worked for the summer at Los Hermanos and C. Kay Cummings Chocolates in Salt Lake and then headed to Snow College in Ehpraim, UT for two years. During the summer of 1997 I worked in Jackson Hole, Wyoming as a housekeeper at the Antler Inn and as a server/ hostess at the Westerner Family Restaurant.

Heading back to Snow College in the fall of 1997, I participated in the dedication of the the new Student Building on campus.

1998- I graduated with an Associates Degree from Snow College (I walked for graduation, but because of the switch from semesters to trimesters I was one credit short to get my degree and ended up playing in "The Messiah" one more time in December to get my degree in December). I worked in Jackson Hole again until October when I went back to Salt Lake to await my mission call for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I worked at Deseret Book and Los Hermanos for four months. I received my mission call in December of 1998 to the Philippines Baguio Mission. It was really quite a surprise.

1999- In February of 1999 I left to serve my mission for 18 months. I was able to teach many people and was honored to serve a mission to such humble people. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but truly rewarding.

2000- Four days after returning from my mission I went to USU to continue with my education. It was a very fast transition. I had tried out to be in the orchestra, but with a somewhat hiatus from playing the violin for 18 months, I didn't get in. I registered for Institute Choir instead and that is where I met my future husband, Robert.  Robert and I had a short dating and courtship- meeting in October, first date in December, engaged in April and married in July of 2001 in the Logan Temple.

2001- For our honeymoon, we returned to the Philippines in August to visit our missions (he served in the Philippines Ilagan Mission) and to introduce people to my parents who came with us. We spent two weeks there and got back about two weeks before 9/11 happened. I worked as an assistant to an administrative assistant on campus. It was nice to have a job as a college student.

2002 - Our first child, a daughter, was born eight weeks early in August of 2002. She spent four weeks in the NICU, but is a happy and healthy almost 14 year old now.

2003- I graduated from USU while pregnant with our second child. My degree was in Marketing with a minor in International Business.

In 2005, two weeks after our third child was born, and Robert had graduated concurrently with a Bachelor's and Master's in Engineering, we moved to Idaho Falls where we still live today. By October 2008, we had five children six years old and younger. Four years later we added another son and 14 1/2 months after that, our seventh and final child was born. Our youngest was also early (6 weeks) so he spent some time in the NICU as well, but is doing great as a rambunctious two year old.

In 2010, Robert and I took a quick trip to Italy for business. 2012-2014 I was PTO president at my kids' elementary school. Christmas break of 2014 I took my three oldest kids on a humanitarian trip to Guatemala.

Since 2010 up to the present time, I have been keeping busy with my violin, currently teaching 12 students. I have played in over 15 productions such as plays, musicals, and operas. I will be entering my 4th season with the Idaho Falls Symphony in the Fall.

So that sums up what I have been doing since High School. If anyone will be visiting Yellowstone or heading to BYU-Idaho for any reason, feel free to stop in and say "Hi." We love visitors and I would love to chat for a bit.