"They Don't Sting I Promise!"

Well as Mari stated, it's been well over a month since I have updated this blog. Things just aren't as interesting as they used to be ;) so I'm updating! You're lucky my husband gave me something to blog about.

So as most of you know, I go to Panama City Beach, Fl once a month see my husband (I know it's such a chore!) We go out to eat, have married people time, sleep in late, stay out late, and have beach time!!

Well this last trip happened to be our anniversary weekend! Two years on the 18th. Can you believe I've been married for 2 years!!! In the two years we've been married, he made it through a deployment, and being a Colonel's driver. I made it through nursing school and moving away from everything I've known! We went through our first experience of buying a new car without the parentals (bad idea don't do it), receiving and gifting a puppy named Bella (who is SPOILED ROTTEN by our friends and they love her dearly), moving back in with the parentals (You'll NEVER get rid of me! hahaha!), a meltdown where I quit my full time job, many many nights of catching up on my tv shows and now I'm here... finishing up my BSN schooling online, living with the parentals, had to say goodbye to my middle sister who is now in college at BYU-H and once again live away from the husband.

But has it been a GREAT two years or what?! My best friends have gotten married, gone on missions, had babies, graduated nursing school, experienced the great world of Italy and its surrounding countries, divorces, broken bones, late nights, too early mornings, CRAZY jobs, dreams coming true of owning their own business, engagments, buying houses (jealous)... it's amazing! I'm so grateful for my life and everyone who is apart of it. I especially want to say how much I LOVE each and every one of you. I don't say it often enough but I am so grateful for my friends and how much support they've given me over these two years and stuck with my through good and bad. I'm grateful for catching up with old friends, who will always be your best friend, my sisters who support me through crazy crazy emotional rollercoasters, my parents who have supported me more than I deserve throughout my life, and especially my husband, who chose ME! I forget that sometimes... he chose ME and he LOVES ME! Thank you for putting up with my neurotic, emotional, over-bearing, uptight ways. You make me a better person and keep me young. I love you for eternity!

Special note to my sister Kayla: MY SISTER HOW I LOVE YOU!!! You are making a good decision going to college, moving away from your family and friends, and finding out who you are. You are truly inspiring. YOU CAN DO IT!! I miss you being here and keeping my life full of laughter, late nights, jokes, car rides, softball games, movie nights, Bella songs, funny faces, inspiring quotes, and just you. I hate walking past your room and not having you be there where I can annoy you and just stare at you until you give me awkward looks. I miss seeing you go on dates, dances, the field, practices, and family trips! Don't be sad, you are great! You will make the softball team, you will have a great experience, you will work your butt off, you will have your ugly softball tan lines, and you will fall in love with who you are as a person! Remember we are always here for you, only a phone call away, and God is only a prayer away. Keep your chin up and make it glitter, make it rain! xoxoxo

Okay... here's the story for the weekend... so I hate the ocean, LOVE the beach and sand, hate the water. The saltiness, red eyes from salt water burning them, contacts being angry at you, not being able to see what is going to eat me... just not a fun experience for me. So... I decided it's our anniversary, I'll do what he wants to do. I'll get in the water. Well.... purple flags were up that day. (that means dangerous animals) great! "Oh we'll be fine" he says, "Just come get in with me! I'll protect you".... then what do we see? A dead jellyfish on the sand. That's reassuring. So I give myself a minute to heat up in that bright, sunny Florida sun and get in the water. I go three feet and what do I see... a jellyfish! I FREAK out... he won't let me go or put me down. I start crying, literally I cried. I do NOT like the ocean. So Evan lets me go. I haul-butt out of that water and go sun bath. Well he says, okay it swam away come get it... so we start going out and I see a big, dark, blob in the water. He sticks his face in the water and comes out screaming. It was a crab and he tried to pick it up... and that crab was NOT having it. So out of the water I go AGAIN... so an hour goes by I'm sweating from the sun, so I said maybe third time's a charm. So we go back in the water, and yet again there are TWO jellyfish. He picks it up and says see they don't sting! (Remember this part)... so he throws it at me as I'm running away. I'm screaming, our friend is screaming and we hit the sand. Two seconds out of the water my leg is ON FIRE and I fall in the sand. Yup... STUNG BY A NON-STINGING JELLYFISH! Well, if he thought he had a hell of a time getting me in the ocean the first time... it's not going to happen now! I know what you're thinking... no he didn't pee on. He was laughing too much to decide if he had a full bladder to pee on his wife's jellyfish sting, from a "non-stinging" jellyfish. Needless to say... he took me to the Melting Pot that night :)

Hope you enjoy! I won't have anythign to post until November! I'm going to panama city beach for Halloween!!!



Daisy Dukes?

Alright... if muscle legs, short shorts, tan skin catch your eye... prepare to be AMAZED!!

Yes ladies and gentleman... my husband is SEXY with daisy dukes :) That is his uniform... cute huh? He's part of the last of the dive crew! He is scheduled to be graduating in December! These guys are the only ones left! They've worked very hard and from what people have told me who know military... Dive School is the toughest program the military has (sorry SF and Rangers!) So pray for him that he finishes and all the guys will stay safe! He's loving it and I can tell he's found the perfect MOS!

Wow.. three months sure does fly by

Alright everyone, it was by the encouragement of my fellow blogger Brit Clark that said she misses my blog updates. As you know (or maybe you don't), a lot has happened since I last blogged.

I am now currently in the great state of Utah, where everything is as I remember. Minus the fact my best friend got married, my best friend has a baby, and my sister is leaving for college... in Hawaii. Sometimes coming home is harder than leaving, there are too many changes.

Evan is now currently in dive school at Panama City Beach, Fl. The only thing I can tell you about what he's doing is... watch Surviving the Cut: Special Forces Dive Program. That is the program he is in right now. They show you everything you can see from the training :) It's on the discovery channel... maybe hulu?
Oh look... found the link... http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/special-forces-combat-diver/

He also was volunteered by his superiors to haul fish from yacht's to the chopping board up the dock for a Marlin competition (the winner got $1,000,000... yes I did get the right amount of zero's). Here are some pics! They were in the newspaper :)

 Evan and his friend across from him basically carried it themselves. Oh yeah... and this marlin squirted fish guts into his eyes at this moment and his eye was swollen shut the next day. Poor thing... and he still had two days left of this thing.



I'm currently in school still for my BSN, and my class now is on Statistics. Honestly I think people just make this stuff up, put it in pretty looking books, make it really expensive so people think it's legit and then make us nursing students take it. It is a PAIN and I hate it!! Anybody else with me?

So that has been what is up lately! Sorry it's been so long since I've blogged. I'll try to find something interesting to blog about again.

Love you all. Thanks for those of you who have really supported me these last couple of months. I've really needed it. xoxoxo

Change... For Better or For Worse

I haven't updated for almost 3 weeks, I figured it was about time. I have been crazy busy doing mundane things, who knew they could be so taxing?! If you haven't already stalked my facebook and already know, we just got back from Disneyland!!!! It was SO much fun! Evan was so funny there :) We had a LOT of good memories. Here are a couple pictures and videos (the rest you can find on facebook).



A lot is going to be changing within the next couple of months. We are leaving the happy, grey and raining state of Washington to go to the poor state of Florida filled with nonstop sunshine and white sand beaches :) I could not be more excited and more nervous. Will I find a new job? Will Evan pass Phase II? Will we make good friends and be split up again?

Military life is not for the faint of heart, and I forgot how much of that type of person I am. I miss my family and friends on a daily and frequent basis. I LOVE my husband more than life itself, but it's hard being away. Moving to all these new places and not having a support system. I'm not good at being alone and by myself. We fly home almost every other month and it's extremely hard not going home more... now we're moving to Florida with higher plane ticket costs and many more miles inbetween. But thankfully we will be coming home a couple times before then! Once for Evan's birthday weekend (he'll be 24!!!) and one last stop before heading to Florida :) Anyone want to drive with me to Florida? We possibly might have to move ourselves so we can drop off some winter and extra stuff before heading out because we're going to be having roomates! Since we're only there for 6 months, and the fact we have enough "stuff" to fill a small house, we are hopefully borrowing some space from my parents storage unit :) That means... we have to drive our cars to Florida. Evan with the Sorento in tow behind the moving van, and me driving the scion solo. Can you say road trip? Blasting music and driving to Florida?! Who's with me?!

Not only that, but my sister is moving even farther away to attend college at BYU-Hawaii! (Here are her Senior Pictures done by Selena Sorensen!! Kayla Senior Pictures)

Kayla, I just want to tell you how PROUD I am of you! You are an amazing woman and have grown so much in the last year. You may not know this, but I've always been jealous of your courage, determination, fortitude, wittiness, strength, and hysterical wordplay. I'm so amazed at the choices you've made in high school and how I wish you were MY older sister. You have been such an example to me Kayla and I love you dearly. I'm extremely sad you are moving in the opposite direction of me and Evan, but I'm trying not to entertain the excitement of possibly meeting up with you come next year at our great State :) Stay confident and sure of yourself as a daughter of God, and a daughter/sister of the Atkin clan. Show them how Hawaiian's really are! Swing away Big Butt, keep up your ninja skills, and stay in touch often. I LOVE YOU!!

Swim Suits? Sun?

Swim suits? Sun? A warm beach? What are these miraculous things I've read in stories? Oh yes... what the rest of the country (besides Alaska for half a year) gets to see almost every day! Not for rare glimpses twice a year. FLORIDA HERE WE COME!!! YAY!! He's in dive school! He is officially a Phase I Dive School graduate :) Ever seen "Surviving the Cut?" Google it :) Well that is all I have to say because if I go into my soapbox rant about the fact my husband isn't getting paid anymore I think I might lose some friends :) LOVE YOU ALL!! Be blessed for paychecks, a roof over your head, clothes on your back, shoes on your feet, warmth, food in your stomachs, and a bed to lay your head on. Love eternally, apologize often, and hug your loved ones. xoxoxo

Water and Night

Yes Evan has made it through ALL the physical tests of dive school. Now just today and tomorrow will be all written material. Dive physics, dive diagnoses, and math.. yay!! ALMOST DONE!! He gets home either Friday if he passes everything and can get discharged, or Saturday morning if it takes too long to catch the late-night Friday plane. HERE WE COME FLORIDA!!! PLEASE pray for him, because if he doesn't pass the written portion, he has to re-take it, and if he doesn't pass the re-take (which is highly unlikely), he will have to sit there for 5 weeks until the next class starts!!!! I CANNOT STAY HERE ALONE FOR 5 MORE WEEKS... so extra prayers would be greatly appreciated :)

Ever slept alone at night? Ever slept in paper-thin walled apartments in the middle of the ghetto alone at night? Ever have the loudest upstairs neighbors that bang and crash and stomp around like they're breaking through your apartment door alone at night? Ever have a dog that was a wimpy dog that perks his ears and growls at any sound alone at night? Well... yes I have, thank you for asking. IT SUCKS... never in my life have I appreciated having an enormous, muscular, strong, military-trained husband laying next to me every night (EVEN THOUGH HE RUNS 102 DEGREES AS NORMAL TEMPERATURE!!). Thank heavens for shooting days in Utah, because yes now I sleep with a loaded gun next to my bed (so no one try to sneak in please, I don't want to have to use it.) I hate all the sounds an empty dark apartment makes when you're home alone, at night. You never notice them during the day when there's sunshine and it's quiet, but the dark is an evil time and Satan has gotten the best of me. I've had many nights where I can't fall asleep or I have to leave the light and TV on just in case, or I've woken up at 3 am scared because Buddah thought he heard something. I CANNOT WAIT FOR SATURDAY!! I'm hoping he comes home Friday though so it's one less night I have to be alone. So be grateful for husbands that sleep next to you all night, regardless if they smack you while rolling over, steal all your covers, put a divot in your bed so you roll into their ditch half the night, the husbands that snore, talk in their sleep, or want to cuddle all night until you sweat like you ran a marathon... because he's next to you. And you never know how much that actually means until you sleep alone at night.

On the bright side... I lost 5 lbs!!! WOOT!!! (Sorry Kayla there is just NO other phrase that can possibly describe my excitement!) This love/hate relationship with the gym is paying off. Oh yes and the fact that I have to give up sweets and carbs... BOO. But that's what the weekend is for :)

I LOVE YOU all and I miss you all terribly. I hope everyone has a FABULOUS week and has trials that make them stronger, people that test their patience, and children who remind you what you used to be like with your parents. xoxoxoxo

So instead of re-writing my blog and deleting everything... HE PASSED HIS FIRST WRITTEN EXAM!!! He got 97%!!! YAY!!!

Blood, Sweat, Potassium, and Tears

Alright ladies and gents, for those of you with a weak stomach please do not read further as you will be reading the description of the life of an Army Diver in training :) They will try to break you...

So Evan made it past the first week!! Yay!! Out of 16 guys, there are 5 left. Yes one quit the first day, and 4 quit the second (it wasn't their fault the instructors drowned them and made them throw up right?) Two more went to sick hall, for being sick, guess that's not allowed so they got kicked out. One just can't make it click so he'll get let go. Who can concentrate on line pulls and gas laws after 6 pages of writing them over and over and over and over for 5 days straight as homework? Oh yes I forgot to mention after they have to get up at 3:30 am every day, run and lift and swim until they vomit almost every day. And then one sad diver popped his ear drum, but he's just getting recycled (pushed back to the next class in Army terms).

Yes Evan has made it! But now (don't read if you have a sick stomach) there's blood in the toilet, vomit in the garbages, cramps in his legs, and drool on the pillow from a very hard days work sleep-time. BUT HE'S ALMOST DONE!! So keep praying the blood stops, the military won't run out of bananas (for the cramps), they don't cut sleep hours down, and he can keep himself fed and hydrated without vomiting! :)

Now... as far as I go, I'm having a lot less dramatic 3 weeks. Went shopping for work-out clothes (it makes you want to work out alright!), had a great night with mama Shannon, changed my friends' sons dressing for his knee (he fell playing jump rope... yes he's 18), and a LOT of homework. But... the house is staying clean! However I am now convinced it is MY laundry that makes it so impossible to catch up. Yes I have done laundry 4 times since he's been gone! But good side is, I'm working out almost every day! I haven't had a soda since Saturday night either! I drink more water, less soda, and eat so much healthier. Dang carbs that I love so much give women poochies (that's a little bump of fattiness underneath the belly-button in case you were curious). My legs feel like spaghetti I'll have you know though. I waddle down the hall now. But it's all worth it so I can be sexy like my hubband :)

Anyways... yes this was a very random post and I am sorry. But welcome to the world of a nurse and a soldier! Random does seem to happen a lot with us :) Hope everyone else is doing good and loving life!! Conference this weekend!! Woot! xoxo (Sorry kayla). Oh speaking of... PLEASE vot for my sister for best softball player in the utah valley!!

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fdailyherald.upickem.net%2Fupickem%2Fcontest%2Fquestions.asp%3Fcontestid%3D29286&h=287c3

Please vote! You can use your facebook login. You do unfortunately have to choose someone in each category, if you don't know who to vote for... pick randomly unless it says Timpanogos High! (And yes I did just sing my cheer from highschool to remember how to spell the ridiculous name). xoxo

Dive School

Sometimes... the U.S. Army ruins my life. Why you ask? Because they decide to move people from their homes away from family and friends, station them in the rainiest, sunless, coldest area possible and then make all their schools they need to go to be not in that same state... he's going to dive school (which means he has to be in water), and then what? They send him to MISSOURI!! What the heck is in missouri?! A pool?! We have the Puget sound and many lakes AND pools.

Anyways... that's my rant. Sorry I haven't been posting much, haven't really had anything to blog about. Dive school is 18 days, he starts Monday. And if he passes Phase I we get to go to Florida!!! Here comes the sunshine and the beach! :) I'm SO excited! So... while he's gone it's all homework, old videos and boredom. So if anyone wants to come visit me feel free :) Or at least just text me to make sure I'm not entering depression hiding myself away in my super comfy bed with the lights off and the heater on.

The good part is I deep cleaned the house yesterday... and today it's still clean!! :) Hope everyone had a fabulous St. Patty's day! Good news... my sister and her team rocked in St. George, my sis-in-law turned 21 and bought a house! YAY!

Hopefully interesting stuff happens so I can blog about it. Until Florida I'm afraid my daily routine does not alter. xoxoxo

HUGE FAVOR!!

Whoever is reading this... please take 2 minutes and fill this out! No this is not spam, it's a sincere request from friends and family!

The website is www.heraldextra.com/app/bestof/. It will take you no time at all. On Page 4 please write R&M Woods for the best Cabinet Company and on Page 9 please write Studio 1 Dance Center for best place to dance! It would really mean a lot to me! It will be on Best of Utah Valley Page! My dad works so hard and his business is absolutely amazing. This would be great business for him and great recognition for all the amazing houses and cabinet's he's done! Also Studio 1 Dance Center is a fabulous dance studio. They are such great dancers and have come along way since starting out. I know it would mean a lot to the girls and one of my best friends. THANK YOU for your support :) Love you all!!

-Angie

Pray You Through

This is one of my new favorite songs. And for a lot of hard and sad circumstances, will ring true for some of my dearest friends.

The walls are closing in
You feel alone, you feel afraid
Your heart begins to bend
You take a breath and then
It starts to break

I'm all out of words
There's nothing I could say to you
To take away the hurt
So let me pray you through
Let me pray you through

So lift your shaking hands
Don't say a word
I'll stay with you
The tears will heal the pain
You shouldn't be ashamed
To come undone

And fall down

And let me carry you

I'll carry you

I'm all out of words
There's nothing I could say to you
To take away the hurt
So let me pray you through

I'm all out of words
There's nothing I could say to you
To take away the hurt
So let me pray you through
Let me pray you through
Let me pray you through
(Pray you through- Sixteen cities)

Recently I've noticed all the darkness and evil around me. I don't know why it's been standing out to me. But it breaks my heart. The government siding with the protestors at soldier's funeral (I understand freedom of speech... please don't lecture), then The Pianist came on the tv before work, then the commercials about all the abandoned animals, a 12 year old killing his parents, parents burying their children, racism, hatred, death, murder, judgement... it breaks my heart. Maybe it's because I'm getting older, and I just REALIZE more and I'm more aware of the world, and not just my own person. I don't remember the world being this evil. I was having a talk with my brother, and he said we are some of the holiest and strongest of the generations, we have the potential to be the most sacred and most honerable. But I don't see it! The generations younger than me are exposed to certain things I didn't know about it, and are entertaining ideas and actions that I'm sure our forgotten generations are rolling in their graves about. I'm trying to see the light and stay positive, and maybe it's because I've left my bubble... and oh how I miss my Utah bubble. It's taught me to appreciate more the good things in life, and the sacred things. I hope everyone remembers their purpose and tries to be kinder and better examples. I know I'm working on being a better person. And if everyone tried to be a little less hard-hearted, it would brighten up alot of areas of this dark world.

Hope, on the other hand, is like the beam of sunlight rising up and above the horizon of our present circumstances. It pierces the darkness with a brilliant dawn. It encourages and inspires us to place our trust in the loving care of an eternal Heavenly Father, who has prepared a way for those who seek for eternal truth in a world of relativism, confusion, and of fear.

The things we hope in sustain us during our daily walk. They uphold us through trials, temptations, and sorrow. Everyone has experienced discouragement and difficulty. Indeed, there are times when the darkness may seem unbearable. It is in these times that the divine principles of the restored gospel we hope in can uphold us and carry us until, once again, we walk in the light.

We hope in Jesus the Christ, in the goodness of God, in the manifestations of the Holy Spirit, in the knowledge that prayers are heard and answered. Because God has been faithful and kept His promises in the past, we can hope with confidence that God will keep His promises to us in the present and in the future. In times of distress, we can hold tightly to the hope that things will “work together for [our] good” as we follow the counsel of God’s prophets. This type of hope in God, His goodness, and His power refreshes us with courage during difficult challenges and gives strength to those who feel threatened by enclosing walls of fear, doubt, and despair.

I love you my family and friends!! xoxo

Our Washington Apartment

What you are about to see is the apartment of a full-time working Nurse, and a full-time working Soldier. Viewer discretion is advised.

Front door

Our fireplace and living room (if anyone can tell me what movie I'm watching you are my new best friend!)

Our fireplace and the star Mari made and the star I made, and two picture frames I made.

All many many DVD's :)

Evan decorated the wall

Our amazing couch Evan gets to vacuum every day from Bella's hair

Our kitchen

Dining area

Evan's dishes

Cabinets not as good as Dad's but they're efficient :)

Hallway. W/D on left, closet on right

Our AMAZING pictures we love so much

Guest bathroom

I LOVE pictures!

Please tell me we're not the only one with a "messy" room :s

Picture Ky drew for us, and my piano!!

Purses once again

All my nursing books, church books, Evan's helicopter :)

Bella's cage she sleeps in at night

Master bedroom

Ha ha yes I take up the WHOLE walk-in closet and that 6-drawer vanity you saw. I love shoes!

Scrubs... lots.

Master bathroom

That's all folks! :) Sorry it's so messy and I am NOT an interior designer like some of my friends. I hope to become more crafty when I get to Florida while I'm looking for a job!