OK, I guess I better update things

So, the hard work paid off last semester on my nursing class. This is for the BS I am pursuing through BYU-Idaho. I already work as an RN but it's with an associates degree. Some nursing programs stop at the associates, others at the BS. Either way, I have been an RN for over a year now.

We have been loving our nurse schedule, 3 days a week. This summer we took a few trips to CA and OR to see family. We like to take a few side trips on the way if we are going all that way to see family. The exception was the trip to CA, which was two days of driving with only one day of visiting. I totally miss my family from CA, and some of the fun things to do there. I don't miss the mid-summer heat, the traffic and the Lefty politics.

The mountain biking is light-years better in UT. CA trails are so spread apart, it's hard to justify the drive for a trail that's five miles long and takes one hour to ride. There are some "meccas" of riding but again, driving distance to trails makes it hard to do it more than a couple times a month. If you want to stay in shape with cycling, you have to also be riding a road bike. Road biking in Sacramento is phenomenal. The bike trail system is one of the best in the country. I left CA right when the big push to build more paved trails started so I feel left out. Utah is just barely getting the idea that bikes are useful and cars and bikes don't mix well.

I am tired of hearing radio pundits talking about how congress is wasting money on bicycle trails. Just this morning Rush Limbaugh said in a sarcastic voice that money for businessess to encourage bicycle commuting was just another "pork project" added to the behemoth economic bailout plan. If Rush is so in favor of a multi-pronged approach to renewable energy, why does he hate bicycles? For those of you who know me, have been a fan of Rush since 1990 but we disagree on this subject.

How did I get off on that tangent, oh well.

These last few months have been interesting as the reality of our childlessness comes home to roost with a big thud. As I mentioned before, we were pregnant last Feb but had to have it terminated due to the location of the embryo. In my interactions with people at work, people have to ask me the usual questions like, how long have you been a nurse, how old are you, are you married, have any kids, etc. The conversation invariable leads back to the subject of kids and these people always have an opinion, like, have you tried adoption, blah, blah. I understand now how people can have hard time with this subject and hope that some people can learn to butt out of the subject of childbearing. Not all of us have the "Disneyland" experience of childbirth. In fact, those who don't have SERIOUS problems would be the exception, rather than the rule. Mothers come so close to death when bearing children, the door is wide open for complications. This is why childbirth is a miracle, period. God erases the painful memories of birthing enough to make us want to have more kids. My hat goes off to all mothers, Amen!

So, a little note on Kari. About a month ago, she ventured out on a new workout program. I saw her beaming with enthusiasm and she was hoping to get me on board too. I have a healthy disdain for they gym but she almost had me convinced, esp. with winter coming on. Anyway, about two weeks after she started, she fell and broke her coccyx, just like Nepoleon Dynamite's grandma. To this day, it still hurts like heck with no end in sight. I really feel sorry for her. It's hard to work out, it's hard to sleep and it's hard to work. We havn't even tried to ride bikes yet. I hope she would be ok but part of me is affraid that she may never ride again...Anyway, we are hoping she will get better so she can reach her weight loss goals...

My last little topic to mention. We are working hard to get out of debt. I admit, I am not the greatest financial manger. If it were up to me, I would have a warehouse full of every outdoor recreation implement conceivable: biking, hiking, skiing, snowboard, snowshoe, bike touring, rock climbing...on and on. The rest of our money would be for getting us to the places to use this stuff. Alas, we have other more noble priorities in this life. So I turned the finances over to Kari. She has taken off with unforeseen deftness in this department. We paid off our truck this week and I'm thinking our biggest christmas present will be to put our last credit card into the MRI machine to have it erased. It's nice to see the extra money snowball into a debt eating monster, a la Dave Ramsey, thanks to Kari's determination. Hopefully, we will make it across the finishline before "the crap hits the fan".