Last Semester... and trying to survive

I realized today that I haven’t posted anything on my blog for a month or more. So here’s an update.
First of all, I wanted to tell you all about how we got to hear from Elder Quentin L. Cook at our Stake conference last Sunday. It was very very neat to say the least. We’ve also had 2 other apostles come to Campus this semester already. I have to say that sometimes I forget how truly amazing and blessed we are to literally sit at the feet of apostles of the Lord and listen as they teach us.
Jordon and I are crazy busy in our LAST semester here at BYU-I. YAHOO!!! Of course we both have terrible senioritis and probably would not be passing our classes if it were not for help from family. Thanks Mom F and Mom M! Mom M has been here for about the last few weeks (month maybe?) helping care for Ethan, cooking, keeping the house clean so Jordon and I can focus on our classes. Before help arrived, we were swapping Ethan at least 1-2 times a day at school with about 10 minutes in between classes… running from one place to another, etc. You get the picture. Add homework and exams on top of that and we were in trouble. So thankfully things are going better and we have absolutely loved having family here helping out so we can graduate! I’m really so excited to be done with school. I’ve only been going to college for 8 years! So April 10, Jordon and I will be walking together and graduating (Jordon in Mechanical Engineering and I in Health Science-Public Health). All we have to do is survive mid terms (this week) and this next month of school. I can’t wait for April to come and I can just imagine it being a GREAT day.
Jordon has been finishing up his applications to Idaho State University and University of Idaho to their Nuclear Engineering graduate programs. U of I’s program is located in Idaho Falls and then ISU is in Pocatello and parts of the classes will be in IF as well. So it looks as if we’ll be staying here a while longer. I’m actually happy about that. Can you believe it? Idaho has felt more and more like home as we’ve lived here (though Jordon wouldn’t agree with me, he still somewhat hates it here and can’t wait to be done and outta Idaho!). I’m comfortable with the area, our little town, the Fire Department I work at, our ward, etc. I have been trying to put in a little more time at the department as a paramedic when I can and have loved every minute of it. Long story short, much of the confidence I’d lost while dealing with a horrible experience on my internship, I have now FINALLY (after almost 4 years) gained back and I am once again feeling proud and excited about being a Paramedic/firefighter (yes fire fighting too! I cut up a few cars the other day during training with hydraulic tools (jaws of life, etc), it was a total BLAST!) But we also look forward to future adventures of wherever the wind blows us! Until then, we sure hope we can make the best of where we are and what we have.
Ethan is still growing like a weed. He’s as active as ever and keeps mommy and daddy very busy and very tired! Recently he’s figured out that he can climb on chairs, climb onto the kitchen table, climb out of his crib (more like fall out), etc. We’ll see how all that goes. We’ve had to rearrange things with our kitchen table and his bedroom to make it “Ethan” proof (if there’s any such thing as being Ethan proof, the kid gets into EVERYTHING!). He loves to talk (though we still don’t really know what he’s saying) and he’ll very confidently sit down and have a conversation with you when he feels like it. He will say “dada” especially when Jordon is egging him on and bugging him. He’ll give Jordon this exasperated “DA!” Jordon has heard him say mama, but I have really yet to hear it. And he has other words in his vocabulary, but I just can’t think of them off the top of my head. I have gotten some kisses from him! He was giving Grammy M lots of kisses and not giving me any, but he finally gave in and gave me some too. YAY! It’s truly wonderful how a simple kiss from my little boy just makes my whole day (or week!) He’s still an incredibly picky eater, but we keep trying to get him to eat new things. He’s also being a big boy now and we’ll try to let him walk most places when he’s good about holding our hand. So we’ll walk across the parking lot into the grocery store, or walk from the car into the Library or Fire Department, etc. Which by the way, I took him to the station yesterday to look at the big “trucks” (fire engines) and what does he go for? The mops… how weird is that! I’m just glad my fellow firefighters weren’t in the bay to see that, I’d get made fun of for that one. He still lots gadgets and would much rather play with real tools and electronics than any toy on the market. He loves Blues Clues, Elmo, and any animated movies like Cars, Monsters vs. Aliens (which is HILARIOUS if you haven’t seen it), Polar Express, etc.
Ethan went to Nursery today for the full 2 hours and as far as we know, he did great. Jordon went and got him before sacrament and apparently he just flew right out the door into the hallway and Jordon had to chase after him, so we didn’t get an update on how he did. But we always hope he behaves himself and has lots of fun there. We sure are grateful for the much needed break and ability to sit and listen to lessons. Sacrament is a bear though since it’s now the last meeting and of course Ethan is beyond ready to go home and having a meltdown. The last hour seems to go forever at the moment as we have a very squirmy whiney child sitting (or trying to escape) our laps. But we love our little busy toddler and look forward to all the adventures to come! Sorry there’s no pictures… I’m horrible about remembering to take pictures. But I can say that Ethan had a hair cut this weekend (his second?) and he is a very tall and lean little boy with his Daddy’s texture of hair and mommy’s hair color (or at least my hair color when I was his age). Everyone still says he looks just like his Daddy and I absolutely love that. It’s so fun to see them together… you could never tell they were related… HAHA! Ya right (I was being sarcastic) They might as well be twins in how they look, act and do things.