birthday post!!

So there are 3 people that I love dearly who all had birthdays this week!!!

1.) Brad.

I love Brad so much! People say that we are really twins.. just a few years apart!! He is such a great brother and also a great dad!! He lets me come and visit him in South Dakota and let me stay with him and even bring a friend!!! I love you Brad!! Sorry, not a great picture but the only one I have on my laptop...

2.) Dallin.

Dallin is my favorite brother-in-law ever!! I can say this and truly mean it. Not only is he the only one I have, but he is so nice. I love him especially because he treats my sister like a princess. He also is like all my brothers, he teases me ALL the time! But it's okay, I'm used to it! He is also so so funny!! Happy Birthday Dallin!

3.) Sarah.

Sarah is one of my bestest friends ever!! She is so sweet and I can tell her anything. She also got to come with me to South Dakota. (We are going to be related someday!) She is so crazy but I love it because we are just crazy together! We have been friends since 7th grade. I love you Sarah and hope you had a great birthday!! Did I mention she also has crazy ninja skills?!!

happiness..

Today me and my best friend, Sarah, bought our tickets.. to go visit my brother, Brad, his wife Heather, and all 5 of their kids, Kiana, Jazmine, Kishawn, Jada, and Kenzie! They live in South Dakota. I am beyond excited!! I haven't seen the kids since October of last year. I get to say goodbye to this nasty heat and Hello to the nice cool air in the SD... This is what I get to go back to..

I can't wait to see all these wonderful people!!! I love them so so much!

{love}

melissa

Happy Father's Day!!

First, I want to wish all the Fathers out there Happy Father's day!! You guys are all amazing! And now let me share with you a little about my dad..

I absolutely adore him. He is so great and loving. I never take a moment with him for granted. You see, he has had diabetes since he was 30. In 2001, his kidneys were failing and he needed a kidney transplant ASAP or there was a possibility he wouldn't make it. So he was put on a transplant list at the hospital, but this would be a long wait. like 3 years. so we spread the word and family and friends were being tested to see if we could find a match. Well one of his good friends was tested and was a match and wanted to be the donor. The doctors did the transplant and all went well. I will always be grateful for him and his willingness to help out. If it weren't for him, my dad probably wouldn't be here. Since then he has had many hospital visits and infections and all that jazz. But he is very tough and is fighting for as long as he can!!

Because there are only 2 girls in my family, we were always the princesses. still are. And now that my sister is now married, I am the only girl at home. and I am always treated like a princess from my dad. This kind of explains our relationship. Dad is a softie and usually always says "yes" to me. I am not spoiled by any means, but I am just loved! And yes I am and always will be a DADDY'S GIRL! :)

Ever since I got my permit and my license and because he can't drive, I am always his driver. We spend a lot of time together and just talk. When my mom is gone, I give him his insulin shots and so I am his nurse. But no matter what I am always his little girl!!

I love my dad so so much and couldn't have asked for a better one!!

{love}

melissa

so here's the deal...

So if you remember back in December 2009 I had my appendix taken out. Well while I was in the ER, they did a CT of my abdomen. They found a cyst on my right side but didn't take it out during the appendectomy because they couldn't really tell if it was attached to my ovaries or not. So after many tests and ultra sounds they determined it was a cyst that wasn't going to go away on it's own. So yesterday June 14, 2010 I went and had outpatient surgery at the Banner Desert Surgery Center. The nurses were so great and the surgery went as planned. Sorry if this is too much information.. but the cyst was as big as a baseball. I didn't even have any pain and wouldn't have known about it if it weren't for the CT scan in December. Anyway because it was outpatient they woke me up right after and sent me home.. well the anesthesia obviously hadn't worn off yet so I was very nauseous. I was throwing up everything and nothing would stay down. I was so weak because all day on Sunday I could only eat liquids and nothing after midnight. So along with the soreness from the surgery I was throwing up which didn't feel very good.. So I had a miserable day yesterday. But this morning I woke up and was just fine. Everything I ate stayed down and it was fabulous!! I am still very sore from surgery but I also have pain medication to help with that!!! So I hope all of you have a fabulous week!!

{love}

melissa

Okay first let me tell you something.. Growing up with 8 brothers and only one sister has taught us girls to be tough. Okay first let me tell you something.. Growing up with 8 brothers and only one sister has taught us girls to be tough. so in order to be tough, we learned to fight back. and whenever the boys would pick on us, we would fight back. Well the youngest, Sam, he is a little punk and is always teasing me. So in order to get back, I fight him back.. This is what happens. I take him to the ground and show him who is BOSS!! That's right. and yet they still haven't learned that I can beat them up!!! haha.

Okay so on a serious note today is Memorial day. To start off the day, my grandma came and got us and we went and visited my Grandpa Porters grave. He is a veteran and has been gone for 18 years. I didn't know him here on this Earth, but we all believe that the 4 of us at the bottom knew him in the Pre Existence. Here is my grandma Porter and the 3 kids that were there. And Grandpa Porter's plaque. While we were there, they were still doing the little program they do every year. We got to hear the 21- gun salute and the taps they play. It was a really cool experience to hear that!!

So I want to thank all the service men and woman who are serving now and who have served in the past. Especially I want to thank my brother Matt. He is currently serving in Afghanistan.

I love you Matt!! Be safe and our prayers are with you!! I hope you are grateful for those fighting for out freedom as much as i am!

{until next time}

melissa

bittersweet..

So school is finally over.. I am officially a SENIOR!! class of 2011! Next year is going to be so so fun.. but being a senior means having to grow up, be mature and go into the BIG world. There are just too many choices! Where to go, what to major in, what i want to do, who my friends are, and last but not least who I marry.. Don't worry, I told my mom I wouldn't get married for like 3 years.. but we will just see what happens!! My last day as a junior!! AHHHH!!

Another thing that is bittersweet is this. My stake young womans president got released. She is moving. To TEXAS!

This is Sis. Amundsen. She is one of the sweetest, kindest, most caring person you will ever meet. She is like one of my mothers. She is always worried about what I am doing and anything that happens in my life. She was always worried about her young woman. So because she is moving, to try and pay her back for everything she has done for us, I had all of the young woman in my ward write her a little thank you note. then I put them all together and made a little scrapbook for her. She came to mutual one night and all of us Laurels sang "As Sisters In Zion". It was very sweet and tender. She will always be remembered by us. But don't worry. She knows how to email and she has a facebook so we can all keep in touch with her! I love you so much Sis. Amundsen!! :) <3 style="text-align: center;">

My sister.

So my sister has been dating Dallin Pear for about 4 months. Well last Monday he decided to make it official... Yes this means Kristen is ENGAGED!! Aren't they so so cute?!?! This is a bittersweet moment. I am so so happy for them, but my only sister is leaving me!! Yes i get my own room, but I would rather have my sister than my own room!! Kristen and I are really really close. We share everything with eachother. secrets, clothes, small talk, used to share a phone and everything. She is my best friend. We joke all the time. We are crazy all the time. We go shopping with each other spontaneously. We are just so so random and do the craziest things. I do certain things in front of her i would never do in front of anyone else! Like dance. we have crazy dance parties. Now she is getting married. June 10. I really am excited for her and Dallin!! He fits in with all the other brothers. He teases me all the time, which might bother other girls... but having 8 brothers I have gotten used to it! Anyway that is all i have to share right now. We are busy busy making wedding plans! 6 weeks to plan.. but no worries, we can do it!!! I love you Kristen!!

{much love}