Thursday, January 5, 2012

A goal not written down is only a wish!

I don't normally make new years resolutions, but over the last 9 months I've made a lot of changes in my life & I'm determined to keep those up making 2012 the best year yet! I'll make a list of those things on here then through out the year update on here how I'm doing! Someone once said, "A goal not written down is only a wish." So this is me writing them down.

1. Continue reading the scriptures every day.
2. Finish the Book of Mormon again.
3. Continue going to church every week & all ward activities.
4. Get started in pulmonary rehab!
5. Do 3-4 treatments every day.
6. Get a 3.3 or higher next two semesters!
7. Go to the temple at least every other month.
8. Hit an FEV1 (lung function) of 52%
9. Make more friends in Las Vegas!
10. Continue praying morning & night.

I'm so excited about 2012 & am excited to see where life takes me! A new year, new start & a new motivated me.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Goodbye 2011, it's been a wild ride!

Well it's been one heck of a year. There's been a lot of change that was never part of my plan. heaven took some people from me, I'm best friends with someone I hated through high school & I'm now attending my rival college & actually enjoying it. Looking back now, I'd say I'm pretty content with the person 2011 has made me.

Lets take a quick look (at what I can actually remember) of 2011:

January: I started my 4th semester at University of Nevada!!

March: Admitted to the hospital on 24/7 oxygen & PFT's were lower then they'd ever been before. I turned 20 the day after being discharged. Had to withdraw from school. Made the decision to move back home so my Mom can help out with me being so sick.

April: Said goodbye to my best friends & our apartment, moved back in with my parents. Went to Arizona for my cousin Mitchell's farewell before he left on an LDS mission to Oklahoma! The start of a friendship with a fellow cyster who would later become one of my best friends!

May: Got myself going back to church. My Great Aunt Venna passed away. An apology to a girl I hated in high school lead to a beautiful friendship. It only took a couple week till we felt like we'd been friends forever.

July: We spent a week in Pocatello, Idaho with my Grandparents, Aunt spring & Uncle Shan! The final Harry Potter came out!! My cousins had beautiful baby twins, Emi & Eli. Uncle Kib moved into the apartment attached to the house. My best friend lost her baby girl.

August: My best friend from Reno came down to visit & while on campus looking for my classes we beat up the stupid mustache guy mascot at UNLV(Go WolfPack!) I started school up again at a new campus. On the first day I was lost in 114 degree weather for 20 mins looking for class.

September: Spent almost every weekend cheering my sister on while she cheered for her high school football team, yes we were cheering cheer leaders (:

October: My little sister turned 18!! Was finally approved for SSI.

November: My baby brother turned 16! Made it 2 months without IV's, which is the longest I'd gone all year! Grandpa came to visit. My aunt was diagnosed with mouth & throat cancer. We spent Thanksgiving in Arizona.

December: Our first Christmas w/out Grandma & Grandpa in Las Vegas. 3 months w/out IV's & had the highest PFT's in over a year. Got a 3.5 GPA & enjoyed every minute of my classes! Heaven got a new beautiful angel. Hannah, a fellow cyster & friend passed away at the young age of 20. CF can be really cruel some days. Baby Axtyn was born into our amazing family. Bought my first car a '99 Ford Escort named Kim Possible!


& I rang in the new year the only way I know how, with my cousins!! There is never a quiet moment when you're with our family. I wouldn't trade them for anything.



This was just a small list of this crazy wonderful year I've had. I hope 2012 is a little bit nicer to me, especially health wise. I'm so excited to see where life takes me. One thing I learned in 2011 is you have to just roll with the punches & make the best of every situation you're handed. I hope everyone out there takes what they learned in 2011 & makes this next year the best it can be! It's a fresh shiny new start!! Goodbye 2011 & hello 2012, it's nice to meet you.

Monday, January 2, 2012

'Tis the season... My favorite season!

I feel like November came & went awfully fast & before I knew it Christmas decorations were up and finals were over! I never really got the chance to sit down & think about how blessed I've been.

I'm so grateful to have the parents I have & for the family I was born into. I'd be lost without them. We spent Thanksgiving in Arizona this year & it was one of the best Thanksgiving's I've ever had. This was the first Christmas we had with my Grandparents in Idaho & not in vegas. It was so weird not having them around, but it made me realize how lucky I am to have such a large family & really made me appreciate those we still had in vegas. We've been very blessed that my Dad has been able to keep his job. I'm also so grateful for my health. Some of you might think I'm crazy for saying that, but there are others who are so much worse off them I am. I have a friend who just passed away from CF at the young age of 20 & a aunt diagnoised with mouth and throat cancer. Sure I have CF, but it could be so much worse. I've made it almost 3 months without IV's & I'm so excited about that! I'm so grateful for my doctors & CF team. They put so much time & effort into my health. I have a wonderful life & honestly I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Some Arizona Thanksgiving Fun:

Claire enjoying her Thanksgiving dinner!

Only at a Houston thanksgiving do we have wrestling mats
& wrestling matches between cousins. I love it!

Nap time & football after eating Thanksgiving dinner

Roasting mallo's with the cousins

Christmas with the Marlers:

Christmas Eve pajamas!

Christmas Eve we all "sleep" in the same room.
It's always alot of fun!

The best family out there!! We even got Grandma
on skype in the picture. We're missing about 20 ppl.

Little kids playing there white elephant game

Grace & her Daddy singing Christmas Carols while Uncle
Danny plays his guitar. (btw best tradition ever)

& we can't forget baby Axtyn who was
born just in time for Christmas!!