Springtime!!!

Hey everyone, its Ashley!

So I am here to update you on spring term :)

I have been able to get a solid start to my internship at DCFS. Its been pretty interesting. Most of what I do is documentation and going on visits with the foster kids. I've read through quite a few case histories and they are pretty intense. Its amazing what most of these kids have gone through. My supervisor is nice and somewhat eccentric haha. But she is very good at what she does and has been a social worker for about 13 years. I hope that I'll be able to do more than observe and document in this internship but I have plenty of time left to see. I am also taking the class that is required for the internship. This class gives me the school credit for the hours I am doing but I honestly hate the class xP. There are assignments required for it that are really pointless and don't really help anything. I did the midterm last week and it was really ambiguous and just kind of worthless. Also we are required to read this book called Made to Stick which I am sure would be great if we were business majors or going into advertising but as a psychology major I don't get much out of it. On the bright side, the class only lasts until mid-June! Other than the internship, I've mainly been working in my job as a secretary.

Adam and I decided after a couple weeks that spring term would not be the best time for him to do his Spanish class so he dropped it. He is continuing his class on Jane Austen and film and really likes it. He is learning a ton and he gets to tell me everything he learns which I love :) Before the class, he had watched all of the latest BBC versions of all of the Austen novels and now we've been watching some of the other versions and comparing them. It is quite enjoyable! He is also continuing working as a TA. Although his class isn't in session, he is working with the professor to revamp the course for the fall so he has plenty to do. He enjoys being around his co-workers there and tells me of all the fun things they get distracted with haha

Other than all that work, we've actually had time to have some fun! We are both on the Orem city league for Ultimate frisbee which has been fun. Our team is really awesome and we have lots of fun together. Most of the team was on their team last year but we've got to meet some great new people. This is Adam's third year doing it and my first. Last year, I played in the tournament because there wasn't enough girls but this year I am a full-fledged team member (jersey and all!). We've also been able to hang out with quite a few of our friends for game and movie nights which is always fun. And of course we have had lots of time spent with my sister and her family :) My sister Stephanie moved out when I was in middle school and moved up to Seattle when I started high school. It has been so great to have her nearby so we can spend lots of time with each other. Adam and I have also helped them a few times with babysitting Anders which is tons of fun :) He has gotten so big and now he is walking!!

As you can see, Adam is quite enjoying being an uncle with Anders. We both have quite a few nieces and nephews from Adam's side but we rarely see them since they live in Texas :( but this is the first time we can be a real aunt and uncle (and have the kids remember us from more than a once a year visit).

Last weekend, we had the opportunity to attend a funeral for one of my grandfather's brothers. My mom's father was killed when she was 5 while painting a bridge (he was doing this to pay for dental school) and left my grandma with four little girls, the youngest was just a baby. My grandma later remarried a wonderful man and we lost contact with the Packard side of the family. When I was 13, we reconnected with my great-uncle Bob and went to a gigantic family reunion. My grandpa was one of 17 kids! And no that is not a typo haha. The family reunion was awesome but since then we have only seen Bob once and hadn't seen the rest of them. Last Saturday, we were able to see them all again at the funeral and it was amazing. The service was wonderful and much more of a celebration of my great-uncle Von's life rather than a sad occasion. Afterwards, we had a very big luncheon (and by big I mean more people than a Ward Christmas party). We were able to hear lots of family stories and hug lots and lots of people (they are a very huggy lovey family). 

This is my great-aunt Talmadge on the left and my uncle Bob on the right, Bob is the president of the Dallas Temple

My aunt Linsy (my mom's sister) and her husband came down from Idaho Falls for the occasion and we got to spend quite a bit of time with them which was great fun :) We have another busy week ahead of us because both my parents are coming to visit. I am super excited and can't wait for the fun we'll have.

Well until next time folks!

Ashley <3

Happy Mother's Day--Adam's Edition

Hello all!  In honor of Mother's Day, I wanted to make a blog honoring my Mother:

My mother is a very wonderful person and I love her very much.  Ever since I have left the house, she has always been very good about keeping in contact.  I have always felt like she was genuinely interested in what was going on in my life.  I have always felt comfortable with talking to her about anything in my life.  My mom has always been very lighthearted as well.  She, like everyone, enjoys her free time, but I have always noticed how much she enjoys being with her family the most, even when the rest of us were watching sports (not her greatest interest).  She loves to laugh and I always feel good when I am able to make her laugh about things I say.  I am so proud to call her my mom.  I love you Mom!

Happy Mother's Day!

Endings and Beginnings

Greetings loyal viewers!  It is about time we get back to blogging.  I must admit that this is my fault since Ashley and I usually take turns blogging and she did the last one.  So here I am, blogging.

For most non-school people, the title of this post would be more representative of New Years and not early May, however, Ashley and I are in school and that means April-May becomes the transition time.

Endings

Ashley and I have now finished our Winter Semester classes and it turned out well for both of us, though we did deal with a lot of stressful times.  My grades this semester tied my for my best semester in college (I have done better during terms, but they are not very comparable) and Ashley's grades this semester was the second best semester she has had and both of our GPAs got bumped up a little bit as a result.

We also ended our assignment at the Provo Temple at the end of March, just as school was getting way too busy to deal with.  It was very bittersweet because we knew that we had made the right decision and could not continue with our shift but we had learned so much and enjoyed the Spirit and the people we worked with.  However, we will always remember the wonderful opportunity to learn more about God, His work, and the promises that are made in the temple.  I have a firm testimony that this opportunity will help our family develop for years to come.

We have also started to experience the changes that come with the end of another year of schooling.  One of our closest friends, Andre, graduated from BYU in April and will be moving with his wife to Colorado later in the Summer.  To celebrate, we were able to attend a barbeque where we were able to take this picture:

This picture has our close friends (from left to right): Steven, Kayla, Michelle, Andre, me, and Ashley.  It was especially memorable since this was the same group that got together for our first date.  In fact, our first date started with a picnic that we held at this exact same park!  Now, here we are almost two years later!

While we still will enjoy the summer together, one couple will move out in July and the rest of us will continue along and start to go our separate ways.

 Beginnings

This time also leads to many new beginnings as well.  Ashley and I are both taking some classes during the Spring.  Ashley is only taking one class and that is related to her internship.  She is doing an internship with DCFS and is working in the Transition to Adult Living section.  She has done a little already and she is really excited about the opportunity even though it will be quite a challenge as well.

I am taking two classes this Spring.  One is my final Spanish class required for my major, which I am excited about, but it is very challenging and I hope I will be able to do well in the course.  The other class is a Senior seminar class in the Humanities Department entitled: Filming Jane Austen.  In this class, I will be reading the Austen novels (minus Northanger Abbey since we just do not have enough time) and we will then watch different film adaptations and analyze them.  We have already started and I am really enjoying the class.

On top of the new classes, we are also delighted to have Ashley's sister, Stephanie, her husband, Matt and their 10 month old child, Anders come here to Provo.  This past weekend, we have been busy helping them move in to their new apartment.  We are delighted to have family living so close and Ashley is especially delighted to have her young nephew near enough to play with.

Proud Uncle with his youngest nephew

Pensive Anders

Happy Baby!

My favorite! :-)

Now that we have a little more time, you can expect more blogs from us.  We are excited to enjoy the new beginnings and remembering the fun times of the past!