the time we got a sailboat.

I know, right? It's crazy (and awesome)! Here's the story: A few weeks ago Taylor had a conversation with this couple at our church. He told them how we are trying to get involved in the "MS community" etc. We have done research and found "The MS Cup," a sailing race in Minnesota to raise money for MS research. It was just conversation. Well, turns out this couple had an old sailboat that had been gifted to them years ago. The woman had every intention of learning to sail but never did and decided she needed to get rid of the beauty. So, she called me up and asked if Taylor and I wanted her SAILBOAT! Um, of course! Taylor has been dreaming of building his own boat for years now and even researched it. He decided at this point in his life he doesn't have the time to give to the lofty project. Well, thanks to these fabulous friends, we have a boat!

We took it out on Saturday morning for a little test run. We didn't want to start putting work into it until we were positive it was functioning. It's very small, only 8 feet long and nearly fits in the back of Taylor's car. There were too many spiders and too much dirt for this lady so I hung out on the dock. Plus, Taylor is concerned about my swimming abilities and thought the likelihood of us tipping the darling boat on it's first run with the new owners seemed high. I read a book and watched the ecstatic Taylor Zmoos sail his little boat. What a dream!

great news.

I got a job! I am freaking out. If you only knew what the last 7 weeks have been like for me since this process started. It was a HUGE relief to get a phone call this morning, informing me that I am now a KINDERGARTEN teacher.

The school is called Prairie Crest Elementary. It is in the College Community School District and it's about 15 minutes North of where we live. 15 minutes! I commuted about 40 each way last year so 15 is sounding AMAZING. Anyway, I couldn't be happier, or more grateful for the opportunity to teach again. Who knows where my health might take me in the future... I just feel so blessed to get to teach right now! I am dreaming up my classroom and ya'll may be sick of hearing about teaching by the end of the year....My apologies in advance. Anyway, it's been a great day, just wanted to share my exciting news. 

Dental Prom.

Here's how Taylor and I spent our Saturday night. We have been looking forward to this date for quite some time. It was so much fun.

Abbey. Kayla. Allison. Liz.

Justin & Liz. Brad & Abby. Taylor & Abbey. Evan & Kayla.

This is how we drink. 

 I made Taylor pose for these pictures with me like we were in high school. You can see he looks thrilled...

 We ate a delicious steak (Taylor) and chicken (me) dinner, hung out with friends, and tore it up on the dance floor. It was a perfect date!

refocused.

I FINALLY got a gym pass! I am overly excited about it. I have been waiting to spend the money until I could make it worth it. Since I finished my long term substitute job and am back to bouncing around to schools, I decided to bite the bullet. I am a huge fan of classes, it's the only way I am guaranteed to work out for a full hour. Plus, I love the variety and the music and the people. I'll be honest, I miss my people. I miss Anj and my sisters. But I am totally refocused on being healthy. I guess a disease that's progressing before your eyes will do that to you (oh, and a drug that makes you... larger...). I have been to the gym at least once a day since I bought my pass... last Monday... but I'll keep it up, promise! I just want to feel healthy. That is my focus. What's yours? 

me+yeast.

Ok it's really more like....

me+yeast+30 calls to my mom+6 hours+tears+Taylor= delicious orange rolls! 

I saw this recipe while browsing around this week and really wanted to try it. I asked Taylor if he would do his monthly visits to a few families on Sunday, just so I would have an excuse to make them (And also because the rule about me baking is we have to give away a minimum of 1/2 the goods). He arranged it and I shopped for the ingredients.

I am not a good cook. I am getting better all the time. I mostly struggle to be confident in the kitchen, I tend to panic if something starts to go a little bit wrong. Then we're in trouble cause I'm in freak out mode so it really goes South from there. That's when it's good for Taylor to be home, he calms me down and usually solves the problem. This recipe was no different, let me paint you a picture of how it went...

First of all, I told Taylor before he went golfing on Saturday, "Hey, I don't eat oranges, but I bought them to use in the recipe. I have to zest them... will you eat them after I zest them? Crap Tay, we don't own a zester...." That's when I went to the store and my kitchen has a new tool. Yay! So I start the recipe, seems to be going well. Turns out I'm a pretty good zester :). The part I was dreading was the yeast, never used it before... This is where the 30 phone calls to my mom come in. Poor lady is in Florida trying to enjoy herself and her phone was ringing every five minutes with a panicked me on the other end. She helped me through it, thought my explanation seemed correct so I threw it in. Let me just say by the end of it my dough didn't have nearly enough flour in it, but I stuck it in the bowl with the towel over it to rise.

I check back an hour later, absolutely no progress. Here's where I get on facebook, say how much I hate yeast, call my sister pissed off about my rolls I had been excited about making all week, tell Taylor he needs to come home from golfing to help me start over because I'm sure HE can figure out how to use yeast, and tell my mom I actually failed. So sad. But I watched DWTS online and distracted myself a bit, then checked again. I did a double take because what, MY DOUGH WAS RISING! Here's where I return to my phone and tell my mom, sisters, and Taylor, just kidding! It's also where I realize how impatient I really am....

I'm so proud when my dough has "doubled in size" like the recipe says. I did have to add a bunch more flour, my dough was way stickier than smooth. I kneaded it all pretty, cut it into my four parts, and start rolling them out. This part I wasn't afraid of, I have watched my mother the champ do it a million times. So I roll away, and here's when Taylor comes home (and comments that it looks like a flour bomb went off in our house). Now I'm in the BEST mood, showing him how great my crescent shape is and how good they smell. And that's when Taylor says, "They look awesome! So when do you put in the filling?" I FORGOT to put in the filling. Here's where the tears part happens.... So I sit down and eat pizza and Taylor proceeds to crush my pretty crescent rolls, roll them out again, and PUT ON THE FILLING (that I had made long ago and was sitting right next to me). He is so nice... and so calm in the kitchen.

We tag team the re-do and then they have to rise AGAIN. I hate waiting for things to rise. Now I know to look for recipes that only have to rise once. We stick them in the oven and are so excited. They come out of the oven, and they are perfect! Best orange rolls I have ever had! I only slaved over them for 6 hours, turned on my AC for the first time this season cause I was a sweaty-nervous mess, and I only cried once. I marking this one as successful.

and here's the photo's my phone could capture...

call it perfect.

Can we say beautiful? I'm obsessed with tulips, and Easter, and spring. It's all perfect. So are adorable kids in their Easter outfits. And Easter table settings. And musical numbers that take your breath away. And sweet friends. And skyping with my nieces and nephews. And getting my hair colored blonde. And a clean house. And running in 60 degree weather. And Friday night dates with my husband that involve receiving 2 dozen spring tulips, the driving range, Chinese food, a movie, AND vanilla bean popcorn. Life is perfection.

Happy Easter! What a perfect time of year. I think my most meaningful experiences with my Savior, His atonement, and the resurrection of his perfect body, have happened in the last year. What a blessing it is to have a personal Savior, who lived and died for each of us. How grateful I am to know He has risen and I get to be with Him some day. Cheers to that!

Let me tell you.

About some incredible women. First of all, I finished my long-term sub job at Hoover Elementary. It was very bitter sweet (once again) to leave my Kindergartners. I had the opportunity to teach them for 4 months and absolutely felt like they were my own. I will miss that school SO much. But this lady,

she is amazing, and she saved my life. She works as an aid in this Kroom and those kids adore her. She is the kindest person I have ever met. She has been so patient with my learning the ropes and incredibly helpful. I would have died without her.

Let me just mention a bit about the last week or so. Last Sunday I began having vision problems in my left eye, which is usually my good eye... It was worse than my optic neuritis in my right has ever been and I was basically completely blind. It was very scary. I ended up back at the doctor where there ran a million painful tests and did a new MRI. I have new lesions on my brain, big surprise.

Through all of this Taylor was of course skipping class, driving me around, studying in waiting rooms, and still acing tests. That boy is amazing. Anyway, when the awful decision to start steroid treatments came again, my mom was on a plane before we knew it. I went to work, left early for a job interview (2nd of the week... awesome timing) then headed straight for the airport. We had a fun 4 days or so as she drove me around everywhere, visited my school, and of course sat through IV treatments with me. It was incredible to have her there and for Taylor to be able to focus during a difficult week without leaving me alone. We feel so blessed to have such wonderful people around us to help when things are.... less than ideal.