I'm Totally Sold on Acupuncture!

Okay, so I haven't actually tried acupunture, but it sounded more catchy than acupressure. So some of you may know, that although I love to travel, I really do not like flying because I get SO sick. I have just dealt with it over the years and have tried all different remedies, the best of which include me being completely knocked out. I decided that was not an option this time since I was traveling by myself and had several layovers in foreign countries. So I tried these bracelet things that look like those sweat bands from the 80's that have these little knobby things that push down on a certain point on the inside of your wrist. I didn't put them on til the middle of my first flight when I started feeling queasy and knew that the dramamine wasn't going to cut it. It helped ease it, but the next flight was the greatest miracle ever . . . I went an entire flight without nauseous feelings at all!! For the first time, I thought, "wow, this must be what it is like for normal people who have no idea how you could get sick from a tipping plane". You have no idea what a breakthrough this is for me! And it couldn't have happened at a better time - it was my flight from Houston to Dubai (15hrs) and I was by the window when we were landing and it was SO COOL! I have never been anywhere in the middle east, so obviously the idea that it is really just sand everywhere was enlightening. I could see all of Dubai, surrounded by sand, with little islands off the coast. If you don't know much about Dubai, it is famous for their man-made islands that are in the shape of things (one is like a palm tree where everyone has their own beach, another is a map of the world) Anyway, it was so cool to be able to look out and see everything and not feel the slightest bit of pukeyness as we tipped and turned to land. Now I can travel even more!!

My stopover in Dubai was totally awesome. I got to experience a little slice of the culture and the food and it was all included in the price of my flight! I didn't sleep much like I supposed to but I did get to relax a little.

P.S. Yes, I am in Africa. I made it here safely. The internet is super sketchy though, so I don't know how much I will be able to post (turns out I can't post anything so my sister did this for me.) But I will keep you posted! Just know I am loving it and and will have lots of stories and picture so to share when I get home!

ten years and counting

WOW that's a long time. May not seem like much for some of you old timers, but to even think that I am old enough to have been married for ten years seems crazy. For anyone who has been married more than three weeks, you know that it is full of ups and downs. I think the best premarital advice we ever got was when my dad told us, "when you are dating you may have good days and bad days, when you're married, there will be good years and bad years." After several of each of those over the last decade, I can honestly say that marriage may be alot of work, but in the end it is totally worth it.

Though ten years may seem like a spec on the timeline of our eternity together, here's a glimpse of what's occurred for us in the last decade:

• lived in 5 different homes
• owned a rental property and sold it because the landlord thing really wasn't for us
• flew or drove to Denver at least 25 times (and probably more for me)
• Honeymooned in Costa Rica
• Spent our first anniversary in San Francisco, where people kept asking if we were on our honeymoon and we emphatically answered that we were soo not newlyweds anymore
• Were sealed in the St. George Temple in the middle of August
• Served the poor in Guatemala
• Visited the ruins of Tikal
• Backpacked up the coast of Belize
• Stayed at a Bed and Breakfast one time and decided it was not for us - we need way more privacy than the old lady at breakfast asking us how our night was.
• enjoyed free flight benefits with trips to Houston, LA, Seattle, and Denver of course
• camped at Lake Powell, Bear Lake, Fish Lake, Strawberry Resevoir, Zion's National Park, Yuba Resevoir, Grand Mesa, Lake Tahoe, Goblin Valley, and the middle of nowhere many times
• Road tripped through Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas; and from Utah to the California coast
• hiked and explored in more places than I can remember
• met a mama bear and her cubs face to face at Lake Tahoe
• got nostalgic and wishful visiting the ranch Russ grew up on in Oregon
• spent a week and a half in Washington DC being spoiled by Russ's aunt and uncle
• flew with an 11month old to Hawaii for our 5th anniversary (and to see my brother and sister in law)
• Took our family on a trip to San Diego (won by Corbin)
• showed our kids wild animals up close at Yellowstone
• survived multiple family reunions - mostly with the Maxwell family
• graduated from BYU (Mindy)
• put Russ through Paramedic school by me working at a sporting goods store (and with a little help from his fire dept :)
• shot an almost world record elk (Mindy)
• hunted every year for an elk to compete with his wife's (Russ)
• learned the downsides of investing
• bought two cars, both of which we still have and probably will until the engine falls out
• celebrated numerous birthdays and other holidays, sometimes apart and sometimes together
• built a house in an awesome neighborhood
• brought three beautiful boys into the world (This is a big one!)
• ????

It's interesting that for our 10th anniversary, what I really wanted to do was go to Dubai. My plan worked out perfectly aside from one small detail - Russ wasn't there. (And I wasn't really celebrating, I was just passing through on my way to Africa). And it was just as cool as I thought it would be, but more expensive.  Maybe it's because we have had so many anniversaries, or because we are not super sentimental people, but it didn't really bother us that we were not together on our anniversary. Of course, I did think we would do something to comemmorate this occasion - but times gets away, and now we are going on our 11th year. Oh well. I don't really need to get away or do something fantastic to know that he loves me and that I am so happy to have spent all these days and months and years together.  Looking forward to many, many more.

Happy Anniversary, babe.

I must be doing something right

Cody brought me a "note" yesterday. I asked him what it said . . .

Cody pretending to read it - "Dear Mother, I love to kiss you. And I like to go to friends."

Then back in his regular voice he said, "So I have to kiss you and then go to friends' house."

Dear Mom

I love you so much. You are the one that mackes my cheks brit pink.

(This was my little love note from Corbin today. I hope I am always the one that "makes his cheeks bright pink"! I have no idea where he got that, by the way. But, oh, I just wanted to squeeze him!)

Wake me when its over

One week from today, I leave for Uganda. One week from Friday, I arrive in Uganda. Yes, it takes TWO days to get there. Here's my crazy itinerary in case your curiious how a normal American girl gets herself to a small country in East Africa.

Leave Salt Lake City 12:25pm

Arrive Houston 4:39pm

flight time: 3hrs 14 mins (lose 1hour)

Leave Houston 6:50pm Wed.

Arrive Dubai 6:45pm Thurs.

flight time: 14hrs 55min (lose 9 hours)

Spend the night in Dubai (shuttle and hotel are part of the flight cost)

Leave Dubai 8:25am

Arrive Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 11:30am

flight time 4hrs 5min (gain 1 hour)

Leave Ethiopia 12:25pm

Arrive in Entebbe, Uganda 2:45pm

flight time 2hrs

Today and last night I have had a bit of the flu, and it made me think of how motion sick I get on planes - I am so not looking forward to the flying part. Although it has been awhile since I've flown without kids, so I guess that is the one plus. My doctor said I should get up and move every two hours to avoid swelling, risk of blood clots, etc. But I really plan on just knocking my self out, at least for the long flight. :) I love traveling, but I don't particularly like flying.

Just in case you don't know where Uganda is: