One last snowboarding trip!

First of all, Happy Birthday Russell! If you even read this!

So we made a trip up to Red Lodge on Saturday with some friends from the program. We figured this would be the last chance to get some snowboarding in this season. There was fresh snow from this past week so it turned out to be a good day. I have gotten so much better at snowboarding this year. It helps when you get to go more than once every two years. I can actually keep up with Jeff, well not like exactly with him but close behind and definitely not through the park or the jumps! A funny story: I was walking back up from lunch and I saw Jeff talking to a couple of people, didn't think much of it, I thought maybe it was someone he just struck up a conversation with. Well come to find out, it was Rob Carlmark, the weather guy from KSBY. We knew that he had moved here and Jeff had actually seen him on the news one morning. So he was there snowboarding with his girlfriend who is a local news girl. Jeff saw him and was like, "hey Carlmark," and he didn't really know what to say! So Jeff introduced himself and told him where we were from and they talked for a bit about how they miss surfing and so on. It was just really funny to run in to him and in MT of all places. He actually got Jeff's number to hang out sometime. Hahahahaha!
Anyways...thought I would share some of the beautiful scenery from the mountains. The pictures don't really do it justice but you get the idea.

So...not much else happening. Another snow storm has blown in. The ten day forecast shows snow and rain for 7 of the 10 days! Yahoo! We're getting really excited for Mom and Dad to come out Easter weekend. Maybe it will snow for you guys!

Oh, I guess this is pretty cool, Rocky Mountain College boy's basketball team won the NAIA championship. Go Battlin' Bears!

Well hope everyone is well. Take care.

Love, Jennifer

Hello everyone. Just wanted to give a quick little update on what we've been up to in Montana.

This past week was a very stressful one but I guess exciting at the same time. Stressful because we had two tests, one on Monday and one on Friday. We just finished up Nephrology, the kidneys, and believe it or not it was very interesting. I never thought it could be, but it was. Exciting because we learned that our program is OFF probation and has received their full accreditation. Some of you may be asking, you moved all the way to MT to go to a school that was on probation? And yes, I did! It would not have affected me either way, I still would have been eligible to get certified, but now it's just even better. As Jeff said, "Now you can hang your degree in your office!" Our program has gone through a lot of changes in the last year. A new director and quite a few new staff members, who are dedicated to making this the best program it can be. I am very confident that I am getting a great education and am very happy that we have accreditation. When I got accepted to this program it was a struggle for me to decide whether or not to come here. I put my faith in God to lead us to where it was we were supposed to be and I think MT is the right place. Our experience has been a very fulfilling one and has helped Jeff and I to grow as individuals and as a couple. The other day I went for a run up on the Rims, and I stopped and was staring down at the city and the Mountains in the background, and it hit me that I was in Billings, MT running with my dogs and how beautiful it was. I never would have thought that is where I would be today. It was a surreal moment and it really helped me to appreciate how amazing life can be.

Anyways...sorry I got a little emotional there! So Friday after class a group of us went for a bike ride to decompress from the crazy week.

This weekend we fixed up our backyard. It has been a muddy mess all winter because there is one area that never gets any sun. Well as you can imagine with two dogs what a mess that creates. So Jeff and I took the dump truck to the rock quarry and got 7 1/2 tons of washed river rock. We spent all Saturday moving rock. It was actually really fun to be outside working. A nice study break. And as always Jeff did a very nice job on the project! We're hoping the rest of the grass fills back in in late spring. Landscaping is a little different here :-)

So today we went to church, grocery shopping, and now it's back to studying for me. Jeff is about to take the dogs and go for a bike ride.

We hope all is well with everyone. Enjoy your Sunday afternoon.

Love and miss everyone, Jennifer

Spring break? More like winter break!

I enjoyed my spring break and a few days of weather above 30 degrees. I actually sat out on our front steps the other day with my shoes and socks off and soaked up the sun. It was lovely.

Then today it started snowing at about 10:00 and has not stopped all day. It's getting a little old now. Just when you think it's over it hits again and again and again. Oh well I guess it will make us appreciate good weather more than ever.

The snow doesn't seem to bother the dogs. They still want to be out fetching their ball. Roy is bigger than Miley now and can bully her around. They are so fun to watch when they play. And he finally understands the concept of playing fetch. Although sometimes he chooses not to bring the ball back!

Well that's all for now. I need to get back to studying. We start a new module tomorrow and I have a lot of reading to do. Oh but stay tuned because we find out probably in the next month of where our rotations will be. So...I might be coming to a town near you!

Love, Jennifer

85 Days...

until we're home on the central coast! I can't wait :-)

This week is my spring break. It's been nice to get caught up on stuff around the house, but I really don't know where the time goes. My week is already half way over. I have been working on getting my office in order. I am not kidding there were piles of paper all over the office, you couldn't even see the top of my desk. Now you can see one side of it!

My neighbor and I went to a scrap booking store today. Oh my, the cutest stuff I've ever seen. Some days I wish I could just stay home and scrapbook! Someday maybe. Julie, next time you are here we'll have to go to it, it's even called "Sisters."

Yesterday I got to observe an open heart surgery. Wow! That was a really awesome experience, a little tough at times, but very intriguing. Maybe a little too much detail for some of you, but I actually got to see a heart beating inside the patient's chest. It was amazing. I wanted someone to take a picture of me in my scrubs and cap, but I thought the doctors might laugh at me if I asked, so just picture me in all the surgery get up!

So...for those of you who don't know, Jeff is going to be joining the Catholic Church this Easter. He will be baptized the Saturday before Easter. He has been going to classes every Sunday after mass, and has really been enlightened by it, so he decided to get baptized. This past Sunday was his Rite of Election. He went before the Bishop and wrote his name in the "book of elect." He can now finish his preparations to be baptized. We went to the St. Patrick's co-cathedral in downtown Billings for the Rite of Election. It is a beautiful church. We are both very excited for this special day coming up.

Well I hope all is well for everyone. I am going to get going to my spin class, so take care.

Love, Jennifer