Life Changes Fast

Well once again, it’s been a long time since I lasted posted on the blog… So much has happened, I’ll never be able to write it all here. Honestly, when I forget to write in journal, or blog, for a really long time, it’s 10 times harder to start again because I never know where to start or what to include.  My last entry was in October of 2015. It’s now August of 2017, nearly two years have gone by and some absolutely amazing things have happened over those past two years.

For starters, Benjamin has gone from one of the cutest little babies in the worlds to one of the smartest, most active, fishing loving toddlers ever.  His mom is his best friend, and he has the best smile in the whole world. It blows my mind how much I love that little guy. He asks me if we can go fishing about three times a week, and it’s nearly impossible for me to say, “no”. He’s the best fishing buddy anyone could ask for!!!

As for Amelia and Me, a lot has changed.  Since I last posted, I continued working my internship at LEI, worked my parks job at the county on weekends, and I also worked as TA for Dr. Guthrie’s concrete and asphalt class.  Three jobs plus full time school just about killed me. In the meantime, we moved from the house in Provo into my Aunt Shannon and Uncle Stefan’s basement apartment in Orem. It was so awesome living with the Arnoldsens!!! It was way cool getting to see them almost every day, going to the same ward, and just being so close to family. We also loved the fact that we got to use the hot tub whenever wanted!!!! Benjamin’s bed time was 7:00 PM and we’d hit the hot tub for a good hour probably 5 times a week to just decompress a little!!! It was awesome!!

Finally in December of 2016 I graduated from BYU with my degree in Civil Engineering!!! It took way longer and was so much harder than I could’ve ever imagined, but it was worth it!!!

I walked in August because the don't do graduation ceremonies in December

The day after I took my last final, we moved to Monroe, UT. I was offered a job as a structural engineering EIT with Jones and DeMille Engineering in Richfield.  Jones and DeMille has been an amazing company to work for, and I have loved every second working for them!!! Monroe is small town of about 2,000 people 10 minutes south of Richfield. We loved living in Monroe.  We lived in the Monroe 4^th ward and we couldn’t have asked for a better ward. We got to know so many people and had such a great time!!! Amelia ended up being called to the activities committee and was involved in weekly pickup volleyball games, monthly sewing nights, the community orchestra, and all kinds of awesome stuff. I ended up being called as the Young Men’s President, which was crazy, but I absolutely loved it!!! We even did a priest/teacher combined super activity to Lake Powell and it was spectacular.

Unfortunately and fortunately our time in Monroe was short lived. It’s unfortunate because we moved away from such an awesome ward, but extremely fortunate because….. WE BOUGHT A HOUSE!!!!  If you would have told me that I’d own my own house within 8 months of graduating from school I’d call you nuts, but here we are.

And since we are crazy, within a week of buying our new house, we went on a week and half cross country road trip to Wisconsin for the Kolts Family reunion!! It was awesome, and we loved every second of it!! We even got to come home through North Dakota and Montana and swing by my parent’s cabin, in Ashton, Idaho, for the McGuire Family reunion. Such a blast!!!

And on top of all of that…… WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BABY GIRL.  Amelia is pregnant and due on Dec. 17^th, and we are so excited!!!

I had no idea that in a 365 day period I would graduate from BYU, we would move to a place neither of us had ever been before, I would begin my career, we would buy a house, Benjamin would turn 2, and we would have our 2^nd child…. Needless to say it’s been one heck of a year!!! And it’s only August!!! J