Bye Bye, Birdie...

I house sit for a family on a fairly regular basis. All I really have to do is take care of their animals and then sit around at their house all day. In their front room, they have two large windows that stretch from the ceiling to the floor. The dogs were asleep on the ground, the bird they had was playing around in it's cage, and I was cuddle up with the cat on the couch while Jayson spent Saturday morning running finance checks and creating budgets and meal plans for the next couple of weeks. I remember being almost asleep when I hear this loud crash against the window....

This poor birdie flew right into the window and fell on the ground. The poor guy had some obvious neck and head damage... He was flapping only one of his wings while laying on his right side on the ground, his head was tilted all the way back so he was touching his back, and his left eye was closed. While flapping his wings, he was doing back flips. Poor guy! :(

Jayson picked him up and tried to straighten out his left wing and checked out his neck to see if it was broken. None of the damage seemed to be too extreme because the bird was really calm and let Jayson hold him and move his wing and neck around to a more comfortable position. The only 'main damage' he had was that his left eye never opened back up again and he was missing a few feathers on his head...

Jayson and I had no clue what to do with this bird, but I didn't want to just leave him in the yard because I didn't want their cat, Buzz, to come eat him. I suggested that we call Wild Animal Services, or the zoo at Moorpark College to see if they would take him in. Jayson grabbed a towel and I put the dogs, Kody and Jin, in the back yard so they wouldn't trample us when we walked into the house with a bird. I called my friend Heather, who is studying the EATM (Exotic Animal Training and Management) program up at Moorpark College to see if she knew anything we could do. She said that if we brought him to the zoo at school all they would do is probably kill him and feed him to the animals, or let one of the students kill them cause they have to learn how to 'prepare the food' that the other animals eat. Jayson's heart broke at the thought of that so that idea got thrown out of the window immediately. We tried calling animal control and other wild animal offices here in the county but no one would return our calls.

After several failed attempts to find any sort of animal hospital that would help us come up with a solution, I suggested to Jayson that we should probably just put him back outside and let him die naturally.. He was probably going to die even if we took him to a vet/hospital anyway. Jayson looked at me in utter disgust at the fact that I had suggested that to him. I didn't understand why he was so upset at my suggestion. I found it to be rather silly because all I could think about was how many diseases this bird may have and I was worried about our health. Jayson was almost in tears just thinking about the thought of this bird dying in his hands, which was very likely to happen. I asked him why he was so worked up about this bird and he looked at me and said, "This bird is one of God's creations...just like you. Why should he be treated any differently than if it were you who was injured and needed help."

I was shocked. Completely at a loss for words. He is right. And I felt so selfish at the fact that all I wanted to do with this thing was leave him in the streets (essentially) to die... but Jayson wanted to love him and nurture him, and treated him like the creation of God that he was.. It just brought me to such a realization that everything in this world was created by God and nothing was created any differently or with any less love than a human. Jayson probably didn't realize it at the time, but he taught me a lesson that I needed to learn with just that one sentence...... After about 9:00pm last night, we hadn't heard from any animal hospital. We said a prayer for this bird and felt like we should put him in a safe place outside for the night to see if being in his natural habitat would help him.

Before we got in the car to head out to church this morning, Jayson walked over to the bird to check on him. He was still alive and his wing was back into its normal position. He actually had been walking around in the dirt next to a few bushes. Jayson picked him up and gently pushed him off of his hand to see if he could fly and he sort of flew from his hand back into the bushes. He picked him up again and tried to get him to fly one last time. The bird flew out of Jayson's hand and flew into the middle of the street. Jayson turned to look at me and we both cheered and were so glad to see the bird fly. The moment that Jayson turned to look at me, a GIANT, and I mean GIANT hawk flew down, grabbed the bird by his feet, and took off into a tree. Jayson and I stood there in shock and almost started crying. It was the saddest thing that has ever happened!!!!

Poor birdie....

I Won't Give Up

sdalfksdlkfa
Ever go to write a blog post and endup erasing the first sentence 100 times
because you are afraid of what your readers will say?
afraid of being judged?
It souldn't matter... its my blog...right?
Well..........
It still bugs me..

I've been obsessed with this song lately....
Jason Mraz wrote it because he was waiting for someone
(so Wikipedia tells me but we know how trustworthy that is....)

But this song has been meaning a lot more to me lately
and meaning something different than 'waiting for someone'
..but I felt like sharing because

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm givin' you all of my love

God knows we're worth it

I'm still looking up

I won't give up on us
God knows I'm tough enough
We've got a lot to learn

God knows we're worth it

Surprise Party: 20th Birthday

Jayson and I moved home about a week and a half ago. Since we had moved home, we saw my family, moved into Jayson's parents house, looked for jobs, looked for a new apartment, went to the DMV, etc. We hadn't had a chance at all to meet up with any of our friends since we had been home. We kept making plans, but things would fall though mostly because a lot of our friends were either getting married, apart of other weddings that have been happening, coming home from school/missions, or leaving for school/missions. Lets just say, it's been crazy for everyone.

This morning, I was just mad at everything. I blame it on stress and PMS, but I literally was being a crazyhead. I think it started at the DMV.. I went to get a new California Drivers License and the lady wouldn't change my name to Anderson because I have to change it at the Social Security office...yada yada yada... and I was just super ticked because a) Utah had no problems changing my name and I didnt have to go to the SSO to do it , b) I've been married for almost a year, and c) She tried to tell me my marriage license was invalid! -_- umm, LADY, I GOT MARRIED IN VENTURA COUNTY! aksdhfkjashfdak!!!! Ugh, that just messed up my day.. and I felt super bad cause I was taking all my anger and frustration from all of that out on Jayson and the fact that all of our friends were 'busy' but we hadn't seen them since October.

By the time we got home, I was just done for the day. I didn't want to see anyone or do anything. I just wanted to unpack our stuff at Jayson's parents and sleep. But Jayson tried to convince me to go to the mall before we met up with his brother, Cody, and Chili's. I really didn't want to go, but Cody had a coupon for free queso dip. I got in the shower, threw my hair back in a bun, put on an old Disney t-shirt and a pair of jeans and walked out the door. Jayson got all dressed up in a collared shirt and tie and I was kind of confused as to why he chose to wear that... But it made sense, cause we went to his new job to drop off some paperwork. So we made it over to the mall and I kept trying to get him to stop being a girl about shopping and deciding between which shade of orange looked better on one of the clearance ties he was looking at because we were supposed to be meeting Cody in less than fifteen minutes. For those of you that don't know me, if we're late to anything, even by a minute, it puts me on edge. I'm never late to anything, ever.

So he calls Cody when we're pulling into the parking lot at Chili's to ask him where he's sitting and says that he's sitting in the back by the bathrooms. Okay quick side story for a minute. When Jayson and I go somewhere and I don't know exactly where we are going, Jayson always walks in front of me. This time, he didn't...and he made me walk in front. I was kind of annoyed that he wouldn't walk in front of me so finally I just gave up on trying to get him to go in front and kept walking.. I kept looking up and down every aisle in the restraunt looking for Cody and didn't see him anywhere. Then all of a sudden, I see my best friend Karla, sitting at a huge table full of people and was like 'what in the world is she doing here?' and then I hear this roaring thunder of voices yell 'SURPRISE' and just kind of stood there staring at all the people completely lost and confused...and then realized.. "...oh... I know these people..."

I was shocked. Completely. I had no idea. NO IDEA. I was just so touched that Jayson (and Cody too) took the time to plan this. I had told Jayson once, four years ago, that I had never had a surprise party of any sort and always thought it would be a fun memory to have. I cannot believe that he remembered that and threw all of this together for me. Now I know why when I walked out of the bedroom in a t-shirt, jeans, and a messy bun he had said something to me about trying to dress up a little and I got kind of frustrated cause he tells me all the time that he loves the way my hair is naturally and wished that I wouldn't straighten it as often, but then the ONE TIME I don't do anything to it, he tells me to straighten it. I am just in total awe of the whole night. I truly have been blessed with the greatest friends and the sweetest most thoughtful husband in the world. This birthday has been one of the best birthday I have ever had <3

Not to mention he made me the best cake I have ever had. I think I have a new favorite flavor...

Cherry Chip cake with Cream Cheese frosting and sugar pearls

Thanks babe, you truly are something special
:)

AND BEFORE I FINISH...

Have you ever heard this quote before?

"One day you get all dressed up to go out and see no one, but then another day you walk out of the house wearing sweat pants and an over sized shirt, with no make up, and suddenly it's a reunion"

....story of my life tonight. no joke.

By the way, if you want to see the video that my friend Erik took,

it's on my Facebook :)

Distance means so little

Most people seem to think that distance means a little.

Others think it means a lot.

In this case, it means both.

Nina Bany (Anderson)

;)

Nina and I met in 2011 at an MG 4th of July party that another wonderful MG had back in Utah. Well, now that I think about it, I think she ended up picking me up from the Gateway Mall and then driving me to the party? ANYWAY, back to the story. SO ever since that party, we determined ourselves to be long lost sister-in-laws. Her missionary's last name is Anderson and well....so was mine ;) She lives in St. George, and I live a whopping 427 miles away. We were so bummed that we probably wouldn't see each other again until we were both married and moved out of our parents houses. Well, then I moved to Salt Lake City. We tried a few times to meet up but with the way our lives were going at the time, we never had a moment to get together. The week before Jayson and I moved home, I threw a going away party and invited the MG's from Taelor's 4th of July party that I met last year. I sent Nina a request knowing that she probably wouldn't be able to come but I wanted her to know that I wanted her to be there if she had lived closer. Never once did I think that she would actually make the drive up here. But she did. She drove 302 miles...by herself...to Salt Lake. She's insane. Literally. I can't drive for more than an hour and a half by myself. She drove for almost 5 hours...alone! On a Friday night!

There are those people who say they'll make the drive, and then there are those who actually so make that drive. Actions speak louder than words. I'm certain I wasn't the only reason she drove up to Salt Lake that weekend, but the fact that she did, just to say bye to me, just to hang out for a few hours, on a weekend where it was raining cats and dogs, meant the world to me. It was such a small thing, but it meant so much to me. She really truly is one of those friends who I can count on no matter what. I can honestly say that I have 2 friends who would probably go to the ends of the earth for me and back (besides my husband) and she is definitely one of them. I'm just so blessed to have a friend like her. A friend that literally will drop everything just to make some simple 5 hour gathering of eating junk food, talking about life, and laughing hysterically. I cannot even find the words to express how grateful I am not only for her, but for my Father in Heaven who blessed me with such a wonderful friend like Nina. We only ever talk online, we've seen each other twice in the past two years, but she understands so much about me and she really has been there whenever I needed someone.

Nina.....Sister Anderson ;) I just love you to pieces!

To all those who come to this happy place...Welcome

August 1st, 1994 and still going strong :)

if you don't know this, then I don't think you know me...at all.

literally

Ever since my second birthday, I have gone to the Disneyland Resort for my birthday. Every. Single. Year. The one time I didn't go on my birthday, was my 18th birthday. Seriously? Yes. Seriously. I know, how on earth could my 18th birthday be the one birthday I miss? Well.. It was a Sunday, and I chose to be baptized and become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. At first, it was way hard to accept the fact that in 2010 I was breaking my 18 year tradition and it was kind of weird to wake up the morning of my birthday and be at my house getting ready for the day instead of racing to the front gates of the Disneyland park, but it will never regret it :)

Anyway, so I've gone every year with my family. The tradition of going with my family broke on my account because my parents got divorced in January of 2009. At that point I assumed that we would still keep the tradition going, but as it grew closer to my birthday and my parents could not be in the same room together without verbally ripping each other apart, I decided that spending three days at the Happiest Place on Earth....would not be so happy.. A few weeks before my birthday, I decided to change the tradition and go with Jayson instead. So every year for the past 19 years, I have been at Disneyland every year on August 1st :) I uploaded all of the pictures that me and Jayson have taken at Disneyland over the past four years onto Facebook and its crazy to see how young we look back in 2009....

(just for clarification... I was born in 1992. 1994 is the first year this tradition started)