The Decisions Has Been Made

Well, we have made our decision.

We are going South.

We shall spend a weekish in Peru exploring cool archaeological sites around Cuzco as we acclimate to hike the Inca Trail.  And the best part is...dad, mom, and maybe Lisa are going to come with us for this part!

After we're done in Peru we're off to Buenos Aires and from there shall travel up to Iguazu Falls and back.

After Iguazu we're off to the Patagonia...where we will experience the following + Derek's mission.  

Then it is back to Buenos Aires for futbol games, tango, and culture.  Then home.  We'll be gone for roughly 7 weeks.

So Derek has begun to instruct me in the ways of Espanol.  But not just anything Espanol.  Argentine Espanol.  Tis different the 'll' and 'y' are pronounced as a "sha" and they speak very bluntly and passionately, like an Italian.  We are excited.  Our only worry is this....I'm going to have to eat beef....

One Last Fling

So last week dad was supposed to get his boat winterized....apparently that did not happen considering we just got back from Lake Powell again.  Yup, we drove down Friday night, played all day Saturday, and came back Saturday night.  Totally worth it.  The water was AMAZING!  I know I said that about the water on our last Lake Powell trip, I didn't think it could get better, but oh, it can, and it did.  Wow.  Wow is all I can say.  It was really fun.  The water was pretty warm, air temp could've been a few degrees warmer, but what'll ya do?  Also, red letter day!  Dad let me A. drive him surfing and I made very surfable waves!  and B. DAD LET ME PUT THE BOAT ON THE TRAILER ALL BY MYSELF!!!!!!  (If you know bob and his boat, that is a SUPER BIG DEAL!)

One of the canyons we skied in

This is me

Dad in his dry suit....his legs are so skinny...

The Stuckis....ok actually the Harmisons, but we like Suckis better

Grrrrrrrr-EAT Advice

I stumbled upon this precious tid-bit of advice on my friend, Lindsey's, blog and she got it from her friend's blog.  But it is great!  I advise ALL to read it, married or not because if you aren't now, someday you will be...


12 Ways to Have a Happy, Healthy Marriage

Everyone in this life is affected by marriage, either that of their parents, their own, or their children's. Keeping a marriage strong while surviving life's trials can be a huge struggle, but learning from other's experiences can help us through these times. Here's a list of twelve ways a couple can develop a happy, healthy marriage.

1. Marriage Based on Faith in Jesus Christ
A happy marriage will be more easily developed and maintained upon a firm foundation of faith in Jesus Christ. Elder Marlin K. Jensen of the Seventy said:

"A final gospel truth that will contribute to our understanding of and hence the quality of our marriages relates to the degree in which we involve the Savior in our relationships as husbands and wives. As designed by our Heavenly Father, marriage consists of our first entering into a covenant relationship with Christ and then with each other. He and his teachings must be the focal point of our togetherness. As we become more like him and grow closer to him, we will naturally become more loving and grow closer to each other" ("A Union of Love and Understanding," Ensign, Oct 1994, 47).
2. Pray Together
One of the most common things mentioned in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when talking about having a happy, healthy marriage is to pray together. President James E. Faust said:

"Marriage relationships can be enriched by better communication. One important way is to pray together. This will resolve many of the differences, if there are any, between the couple before going to sleep....

"We communicate in a thousand ways, such as a smile, a brush of the hair, a gentle touch.... Some other important words for both husband and wife to say, when appropriate, are, 'I'm sorry.' Listening is also an excellent form of communication." ("Enriching Your Marriage,"Ensign, Apr 2007, 4–8).
3. Study the Scriptures Together

To really strengthen your marriage study the scriptures daily with your spouse! Here's some great counsel to help you start:

"As husband and wife, sit down together in a comfortable and quiet place in your home. Consult the Topical Guide found toward the back of the LDS edition of the King James Bible. Scan the scriptural topics for areas that you feel might help strengthen your relationship with the Lord, with each other, and with your children. Consult the scriptural references listed with each topic, and then discuss them. Jot down the insights you gain and the ways you will apply these scriptures in your own lives" (Spencer J. Condie, "And We Did Liken the Scriptures unto Our Marriage," Ensign, Apr 1984, 17).
4. Have Charity for Each Other

Selflessly giving of oneself is one of the hardest aspects of marriage. Our natural tendency is to be self-focused: that we make sure we're happy; that we get our way; that we're right. But happiness in marriage cannot be achieved when we put our selfish needs first. President Ezra Taft Benson said:

"Today's inordinate emphasis on individualism brings egotism and separation. Two individuals becoming 'one flesh' is still the Lord's standard. (See Gen. 2:24.)

"The secret of a happy marriage is to serve God and each other. The goal of marriage is unity and oneness, as well as self-development. Paradoxically, the more we serve one another, the greater is our spiritual and emotional growth" ("Salvation—A Family Affair," Ensign, Jul 1992, 2).
5. Only Use Kind Words
It's easy to be kind and say loving words when you're happy with your spouse, but what about when you're upset, frustrated, annoyed or angry? It's better to walk away and say nothing then to say something hurtful and mean. Wait until you're calm so you can discuss the situation without negative emotions tempting you to say something that would be hurtful and damaging.

Saying unkind words in the form of a joke or with sarcasm is an abusive technique that people use to avoid being responsible for their words/actions by forcing the blame on the other person, making it their fault that their feelings were hurt because they "just couldn't take a joke."

6. Show Gratitude
Showing genuine gratitude, to both God and a spouse, shows love and strengthens marriage. Giving thanks is easy and should be done for both the little and the big things, especially those things a spouse does on a daily basis.

"In the enriching of marriage, the big things are the little things. There must be constant appreciation for each other and thoughtful demonstration of gratitude. A couple must encourage and help each other grow. Marriage is a joint quest for the good, the beautiful, and the divine" (James E. Faust, "Enriching Your Marriage, Ensign, Apr 2007, 4–8).
7. Give Thoughtful Gifts
An important way to maintain a happy, healthy marriage is to give your spouse a gift now and then. It doesn't need to cost a lot of money, if any, but it does need to be thoughtful. The thought put into a special gift will tell your spouse how much you love them- much more than a gift of monetary value ever can. Unless your spouse's "Love Language" is gifts, then you don't need to give them often, but it would be highly advisable to still give an occasional gift.

One of the twenty suggestions by Brother Linford is to give "occasional gifts... such as a note, a needed item- but mostly gifts of time and self" (Richard W. Linford, "Twenty Ways to Make a Good Marriage Great," Ensign, Dec 1983, 64).

8. Choose to Be Happy
Just like being happy in life, being happy in marriage is a choice. We can choose to say unkind words or we can choose to hold our tongue. We can choose to be angry or we can choose to forgive. We can choose to work for a happy, healthy marriage or we can choose not to.

I really like this quote by Sister Gibbons, "Marriage demands work. A happy marriage exacts the very best of us. Yet above all, maintaining a successful marriage is a choice" (Janette K. Gibbons, "Seven Steps to Strengthen a Marriage," Ensign, Mar 2002, 24). The attitude we have about our marriage is a choice: we can be positive or we can be negative.

9. Keep Stress Levels Low
It's so much harder to react rationally and kindly when we are stressed. Learning how to lower our level of stress, especially in regard to finances, is a great way to have a happy, healthier marriage.

"What do airplanes and marriages have in common? Relatively little, except stress points. In airplanes, stress points are the parts that are vulnerable to a lot of wear and tear....

"Like airplanes, marriages have stress points.... As engineers of our own marriages, therefore, we need to be aware of the specific stress points in our marriages so that we can strengthen our vulnerabilities" (Richard Tice, "Making Airplanes and Marriages Fly," Ensign, Feb 1989, 66).
10. Continue to Date
Continuing to date each other will help keep the spark in your marriage. It takes a little planning and prioritizing but the results are worth it. You don't have to spend much money to have a fun date, but can easily find something enjoyable to do together, such as going to the temple together or doing one of these dating ideas.

"Time spent together sharing interests helps a couple grow closer and gives them a chance to relax and take a break from daily stresses. Perhaps most important, dates help a couple build a reserve of love. Filled with memories of good times and strong positive feelings, this reserve can help them through difficult times of stress, disagreement, and trial" (Emily C. Orgill, "Date Night—at Home," Ensign, Apr 1991, 57).

11. It Takes Time
Building a happy, health marriage takes a lot of hard work, time, and patience- but it is possible!

"Marriage, like any other worthwhile activity, requires time and energy. It takes at least as much time to keep a marriage in shape as it does for a weight lifter to keep his body in shape. No one would try to run a business, build a house, or rear children on two to three hours a week. In fact, the more two people who love each other interact, the stronger their bond becomes" (Dee W. Hadley, "It Takes Time,"Ensign, Dec 1987, 29).

12. Complete Fidelity
To keep their covenants of marriage a husband and wife must always been completely faithful to each other. Trust and respect are built upon this faithfulness, while breaking the law of chastity, even with something as seemingly harmless as flirting, can destroy the sacred bond of matrimony.

I strongly believe that love and respect go hand in hand. Without love you can't respect your spouse and without respect how can you love your spouse? You can't. So build your love for each other by respecting one another and always being true and faithful to your spouse.

Please Remember To Vote

No worries.  This is not a political post.  I hate politics.  Why can't we all just get along??

Anyway, what I'd like you to remember to vote about is where on earth Derek and I should go this April.  Now that his PT School Applications are in and my NCTRC Exam is over, we can dedicate our time spent doing those things to planning our adventure.  The only problem is, where should we go???

We have narrowed it to 5 trips.

1. New Zealand - Perks.  I lived here for 4 months.  I know what to do/where to go.  It is an outdoor and green person's paradise.  I have a place we could stay for free.   Problem we'd basically empty our bank account to get there and the rest of the adventuring will NOT be cheap.  But it is worth it.

2. Argentina - We would be spending our time in the Patagonia (which happens to be Derek's Mission.  Convenient?  Yes.)  Perks.  Derek's Mission, he speaks the language, we'd be high adventuring it in the mountains lakes and rivers the whole time learning to tango and going to a true futbol game and i could see penguins.  Problems - expensive to get there....and difficult to travel because it's HUGE!  it's longer than the U.S.

3. India - We'd be volunteering in orphanages and leprosy camps.  This would be 100% culture emersion  and have everlasting impact and changes on us forever.  Super cool experience.  However, SUPER expensive.

4. Spain - We'd spend a month in Spain doing who knows what backpack/hostle style.  Flights are cheapest for this however the Euro dominates the dollar.

5. Switzerland and Greece - We'd do about 2 weeks in each.  My parents have been to both so they know what to do.  We'd do this backpack style.  Since it's April, it'd be COLD in Switzerland, but i have 2 puffy coats.  And....we will hunt down Matt Fuller.  Drawback is the euro killing the dollar.

SO cast your votes.  because they are ALL wonderful experiences and if we had the time and the money we'd do them all plus more.  But we don't.  We have a month to a month and a half depending on if we get into the U for PT School.

What A Relief

Few....I'm glad that's over.

That's all I can say.

Ok, I'll elaborate.  I have been studying my brains out for the past month for the NCTRC Exam (National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification) aka my boards.  I'll I can say is all that studying and hauling around a 30 lb. backpack has paid off.  because......

I PASSED!!!!!!!!

Now I am official....I just can't use the alphabet soup behind my name until my certificate comes in the mail....that's all.

My Heroes

I would like to take a moment to acknowledge my heroes.

My Dad and Derek.  Let me tell you a story.

This past weekend Dad, Derek, and I ran the St. George Marathon.  (My dad's 21st marathon, my 2nd marathon, and Derek's first).  A few weeks prior to the marathon I hurt my right knee on a long training run.  But due to my stubborness and pride (a Paxton thing) I ran anyway.

First of all, they decided to run with me, slow, to save my knee as much as possible.  (And Derek looked funny runnign that slow.  He could've sped walked the entire time).  I'd tell him to run ahead, but he would not leave me.  I started to feel dull pain at mile 4, pretty good pain by mile 7, and it was stabbing by mile 10 or 11.  At mile 13.1 (half way) we had my knee wrapped.  Bad Idea.  Because it was wrapped I couldn't move it as much, so my left knee started to compensate, so now they were both hurting....wonderful....soon my old hip injury started to bug as well.  The last half of the marathon is downhill.  Death on the knees.  So what does dad do?  He takes my hand in his and wraps his arm under mine so I can lean my weight on him as we ran in perfect strides together.  At mile 15.5 I could no longer hide the pain I was in and he and Derek called me out on it.  When it hit me that I was not going to finish the race I broke down and cried.  Yes, I Kathryn Paxton Storrs cried.  Not because of pain, but because I had to swallow my pride and humiliation and give up.  Something Paxtons don't do.  To my good fortune (divine intervention) a race shuttle for the gimps drove by at that moment, so we flagged it down and they took me to the finish.

As if that isn't enough.  I made them both cry.  (I didn't know this or else I wouldn't have been able to cover my tears before the shuttle left).  But they cried because I cried.  Because there was nothing they could do for me.  They couldn't make it better.  They felt helpless.  And they love me.  Once I left they both ran as hard as they could (and it was a record hot year) to get to the finish to make sure I was ok.

We were running about a 4:20 pace by the time I left (because of the stops).  Derek made up 20 minutes in 10 miles.  He was running fast.  And it was hot.  I was proud.  (I guess he was mad at the marathon for hurting me and he felt helpless.  So all he could do was show the marathon who was boss.)  Dad didn't run quite as hard as derek, but he gave it his all.  When he got to mile 24ish he came across a girl completely sprawled out in the gutter.  So he stopped and started giving her the medical attention she needed until they could get her to the medical tent at the finish line.  He didn't know her.  He had a race to finish.  But he didn't care.  This girl needed help and he was willing to give it.  Just like the Good Samaritan.  Who knows how many runners ran right past her.  How many thought Oh how terrible?  How many didn't even notice?

He was a lot more tired at the end of this marathon that usual.  It was hot.  And he gave it his all.  He gave it everything.  He was my rock the entire time, he kept me going, helped me save myself, and helped save a stranger.  If that isn't hero quality, I don't know what is.