south dakota. finally.

Okay. So I decided that I am going to finally blog about my big trip to the SD with Sarah. OKay. so first of all, we got to the airport like an hour and a half early. well as we were checking in we found out that there was going to be a THREE hour delay. GAY! so we ended up being at the airport for a total of FIVE whole hours. talk about boring. not only were we stuck in an airport, but it was a small airport with 2 shops that were closed half the time!! But we made it fun. we played cards, colored, read, and took lots of pictures!!!

Some of the fun things we did:

1.) We went to this place called Chapel in the Hills. Pretty self explanatory. Beautiful place. We went on a trolley ride from there all around town.

2.) We went to the Dinosaur Park which was pretty cool.

3.) We then got off at Storybook Island. Can I just say me and Sarah are such little kids?! This place has characters from all different fairytales, nursery rhymes, and disney. We had a so much fun here we actually went there TWICE!!!

4.) At Storybook Island, there is a play everyday. There are teenagers that do these. The first time it was the Emperors New Clothes. The second time it was Alice in Wonderland. They were both really good. They try and interact with the audience (who is usually little kids) but I was crazy!! And at the end they have all the kids come up and Dance. Don't worry, I went up there.

5.) We went to Mount Rushmore!!

6.) We also went swimming quite a bit. At the outside pool and the inside pool where Brad works. So much fun!

7.) We went to the lake. This was the first time I had been on a boat and the lake since my accident. It was a little sketchy but it was so much fun and we all survived!!

8.) I just loved being with Brad and Heather and their kids!! It was so much fun!!

The pictures get their own post.. so I will post them later!

-peace and blessings-

melissa

summer recap!!

Okay. So I have been really bad at blogging this summer. Don't ask me why.. I sit around all day and do nothing! Anyway. Here is a recap of summer.

1. First off, Kristen's wedding!! I still can't believe she is MARRIED!! So I did really good at not being emotional the whole time.. Until the daddy&daughter dance. I started BAWLING. I don't know what happened. I think it was just the realization that she is really married. My only sister!! Isn't she so beautiful!?!

2. My surgery. Since you already know about that I won't go into details again. But I recovered from that just fine. I just have some scars. It was nice to just sit around though! yeah. no picture.

3. My brothers and my sister-in-law work up at Camp Gero

nimo all summer. I got to go up

there for a week to play with my nieces and nephew!! It was alot of fun. I didn't take pictures,

but we did go crawdad fishing. We actually caught 4 pretty big ones!!

4. South Dakota. I got to go visit my brother, Brad and his wife Heather and the kids!! It was so fun, especially because my friend got to come with me! This is a whole post by itself, so I will tell you about it later!! Just a preview of my trip...

5. GIRLS CAMP!! I love going to girl's camp. It is just an amazing experience.The theme this year was "We can do it, He can help". It was very eye-opening and such a great experience for me!! I was a ycl this year. I loved my girls! They were so fun and entertaining!! We got to hike the East Rim. It was a very difficult hike, but the view from the top is so so worth it!! Then we got to go rappelling!! So fun!!

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