Like a perfect scene from a movie screne, we're a dream come true.
mood: Loved. music: Justin Timberlake -- "Senorita"
music: Dixie Chicks -- "I Hope" music: Christmas music! music: Silence
Yesterday Brandon and I celebrated our one year anniversary. What an amazing thing! We have been married for an entire year, and we have had so many new and exciting (and sometimes scary and frutrating!) adventures together. I can't believe the ways we've grown up and grown together since the night we said our vows, but I am so thankful for all the incredible experiences we have shared together.
"Suited perfectly for eternity ... me and you."
Last year we exchanged our vows, and I promised to love him forever. I promised to give him my heart in its entirety, to cherish him, to honor him, and to always be true to him. I promised to stand by him come what may, and to support him and encourage him in all his endeavors. Last year I promised all those things ... and I still mean them. In fact, I find that I mean them more than I did that night; and that those promises mean more to me than I ever could have imagined.
We have seen so many new places together in the last year (Utah, Costa Rica, Yellowstone, etc) and done so many new things (zip lining, drive-through-the-night road trips, ATV riding, snow shoeing). We have moved into our first apartment and then our first home. We have both started new jobs. I graduated from Westminster. Brandon started taking classes at the University of Phoenix. We have been to a funeral of a beloved family member. We have seen friends get married and start new lives together. We have laughed more than I have ever laughed with one person before. We have cried and we have fought. While it has only been a year, it has been a year of growth and change -- a year of incredible gain. We have learned to trust each other more, to rely on each other more, and to become grown ups together. We have found things that we like to do together and things we like to do separately, and have found that we can enjoy them just the same. We have traveled together and spent nights at home together, just enjoying the company that only the other person can give.
The last year has been an incredible journey, and I am eternally grateful for the presence of such a wonderful man in my life. He supports me, he loves me, and he is the most compassionate and caring man I have ever met. I still have a hard time believing that God saw it fit for us to be together, and not a day goes by that I don't thank Him for the countless blessings brought into my life because of Brandon.
And, as a celebration of the love we have shared for the last 12 months of our marriage (and the last 5 1/2 years of our lives), I thought I would share a few of the reasons why I am so head over heels in love with my best friend and husband, Brandon. Those of you who hate my sappiness, you can probably stop reading now. 
This one's for you, Lovey.
1. I love that you never fail to make me laugh, even if I'm sick or unhappy. Your strange noises and voices always brighten my day, and there is nothing better than coming home every night knowing that I will be able to share some laughs with the most important person in the world.
2. I love that you love to work on cars, computers, etc. It is such a sense of security to know that if something breaks in the house, you will be able to fix it (or at least figure out what the problem is). You make me feel safe and secure every day.
3. I love that you are always willing to help me with the cooking and housework. You don't expect me to do it just because I am your wife.
4. I love that you encourage me and support me in all of my endeavors. I am a dreamer and an idealist, and you have never once told me that my dreams were inconceivable or stupid. Instead, you have pushed me to acheive them and then to dream bigger than before.
5. I love that you love to travel and to explore new places. It is beyond exciting to have someone to go on trips with, even if it's just up the street.
6. I love that you have such a big heart and a drive to help other people. The fact that you have such a passion for Search and Rescue says so much about you. I love knowing that I am married to a man who will sacrifice to help other people.
7. I love that you are always trying to protect me. I know that you will put your life on the line for me if necessary. (And I hope you know that I will do the same for you!) As I said before, I know that I am safe with you.
8. I love that you love my family. I love that you are such a good son to my parents and an amazing brother to my sisters. Sarah knows she can count on you, and that is so important to me. Moreover, my parents know they can trust you to take care of me and to love me; that means even more.
9. I love that you like to try new foods. It makes me more adventurous and encourages me to try new things too.
10. I love that you don't mind having quiet nights in, but that you also love to go out and hang out with our friends. The variety is a wonderful thing, and I love making new memories with you.
11. I love talking to you. You are such an intelligent and thoughtful man, and I love hearing your thoughts. I love learning new things about you almost every day.
12. I love that you are so good with kids; I know you will be an amazing father. I also love that you have such a deep love for dogs, and can't wait to become "mom and dad" to a beautiful chocolate lab puppy someday.
Sam on 08.18.08 @ 10:38 PM MST [Friday, May 16thIt's been a little while!
Yes, I'm still alive ... it's just been a long time since I've written. A lot has happened since January ... here are the highlights.
--Student teaching came and went. It was a great semester. Those kids hold such a special place in my heart, and I'm truly blessed to have been part of their lives for so long. I went and watched their plays today, which just reaffirmed their growth. They are such great kids and have made so much progress in the short amount of time that I have known them. They are a completely different group of kids than the ones I met in September! Watching the plays, I felt like the mother of 21 6-year-olds ... all proud and mushy at their growth. lol Go on, you can laugh at me now; but you all know how much of a sap I've always been and always will be! Afterwards, I went backstage and they all bombarded me with hugs and affection. It's nice to know that they are as excited about seeing me as I am them.
--I aced my thesis papers, did well on my thesis presentation, and am graduating with a 4.0. My parents are coming out for graduation weekend, and I am so excited to see them! According to Kristi, it is definitely harder to be the parents with the kids away ... so it will be amazing to see them again! Not to mention the fact that it will be a very sweet end to all of the things I've accomplished over the last year. It's been such a whirlwind, and it's bittersweet to let it all go. It's been a challenge, and there have been times when I wished I could just drop out ... but it's done, it's over, and it's time to move on into the real world officially. Honestly, it's hard to believe that's it's only been a year! It seems like such a HUGE amount of time has passed ... but it all happened in less than a year.
--Brandon and I went to Costa Rica (finally!) on our honeymoon May 2-11. It was, without a doubt, the best vacation I have ever taken! Photos are up on facebook, and will soon be up on my website and myspace. There's a lot of them, so be forewarned! We did three different zip lining tours ... as well as kayaking, ATV riding, hiking through the rain forest, watching Arenal Volcano explode, paddle boating, relaxing in natural hot springs, swimming in a gorgeous pool, enjoying the beach, etc. We took an amazing trip, and our future vacations will definitely have a lot to live up to!
--I got a job at Rose Park Elementary School in Salt Lake City! I am their newest 4th grade teacher and am very excited about it! This job will help me grow in so many ways, and I am excited to be working with the kids! Not to mention the fact that I will have my own (PAYING!) job! Holy smokes! It's like I'm actually an adult or something! lol
--Speaking of teaching ... in June, I will be teaching a 3/4 split. We get to study anything we want ... and I have two boys who apparently are only enrolled for one week. I've taken this as a personal challenge and am determined to get these boys to want to stay for the entire month. 
--For those who don't know, Brandon and I moved into a house in February. I guess I should mention that since it's been THAT long since I've posted anything. We're only a couple miles from our apartment, and love being in a house. The privacy, the space, the neighborhood ... it's all great! Makes paying rent a little nicer ... knowing that we're living somewhere we actually like and all.
--I went to Mexico for a week in March with the MATers. It was a fantastic learning experience and a great way to end our time together! We ate a lot of good food, got a little sick from the food, and met a lot of wonderful people. Quite the experience if you ask me!
I think that is all for now ... perhaps there will be another post later.
Sam on 05.16.08 @ 03:29 PM MST [Saturday, January 19thI make no excuses for who I am or who I will become.
What Teachers Make, or
Objection Overruled, or
If things don't work out, you can always go to law school
By Taylor Mali
www.taylormali.com
He says the problem with teachers is, "What's a kid going to learn
from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"
He reminds the other dinner guests that it's true what they say about
teachers:
Those who can, do; those who can't, teach.
I decide to bite my tongue instead of his
and resist the temptation to remind the other dinner guests
that it's also true what they say about lawyers.
Because we're eating, after all, and this is polite company.
"I mean, youčre a teacher, Taylor," he says.
"Be honest. What do you make?"
And I wish he hadn't done that
(asked me to be honest)
because, you see, I have a policy
about honesty and ass-kicking:
if you ask for it, I have to let you have it.
You want to know what I make?
I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional medal of honor
and an A- feel like a slap in the face.
How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best.
I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall
in absolute silence. No, you may not work in groups.
No, you may not ask a question.
Why won't I let you get a drink of water?
Because you're not thirsty, you're bored, that's why.
I make parents tremble in fear when I call home:
I hope I haven't called at a bad time,
I just wanted to talk to you about something Billy said today.
Billy said, "Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don't you?"
And it was the noblest act of courage I have ever seen.
I make parents see their children for who they are
and what they can be.
You want to know what I make?
I make kids wonder,
I make them question.
I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them write, write, write.
And then I make them read.
I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, definitely
beautiful
over and over and over again until they will never misspell
either one of those words again.
I make them show all their work in math.
And hide it on their final drafts in English.
I make them understand that if you got this (brains)
then you follow this (heart) and if someone ever tries to judge you
by what you make, you give them this (the finger).
Let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true:
I make a goddamn difference! What about you?
Sam on 01.19.08 @ 12:23 PM MST [Wednesday, January 2ndPer Westminster's webpage
Honors are awarded to undergraduate students upon graduation and are determined as follows:
Summa Cum Laude
3.85 cumulative grade point average or higher
Magna Cum Laude
3.75 cumulative grade point average (up to but not including 3.85)
Cum Laude
3.50 cumulative grade point average (up to but not including 3.75)
Bummer dude.
That means I'll just be plain ole graduating. But at least I'll still know I deserve the honors.
Sam on 01.02.08 @ 02:44 PM MST [Monday, December 24thI hope for more love, more joy, and laughter.
mood: Extremely happy
Well, it is Christmas eve ... and I am so excited for tonight and tomorrow! It will be my first Christmas with Brandon as husband and wife, and it is such a special thing. We have our tree up and decorated, lights up and gifts wrapped. I bought a tablecloth and some fancy napkins today, and they look absolutely lovely on our table with our candle centerpiece from the wedding. We are our own family now, and we are starting our own traditions that will carry with us throughout the years as our family grows. Many of the traditions we've decided to take part in are ones that our separate families have had, and let me tell you ... it such an exciting thing to be able to combine our traditions together to begin creating special memories as a new family. He is the most important person in the world to me, and his love means more than anything. I don't know if it's because it's Christmastime or what ... but I am so aware of how much of an influence he has had on my life ... how intertwined we are. I'm head over heels in love and sometimes I still can't believe my luck.
I just got out of the shower about 10 minutes ago ... and I looked out the window and there is snow coming down! It looks like I will have a white Christmas for the first time in my entire life. And even though it looks like a nasty storm right now, it doesn't matter to me because there is something incredible about the snow -- something that touches a different part of my soul. I'm sure that most people in Utah are already tired of the snow, but I hope it keeps coming down through the night and all of tomorrow. Nothing would make me happier, in fact.
Christmas is such a magical time, and even though I'm 21 years old ... I can't help but believe in the magic of Christmas. Call me childlike if you must, but I believe it's my optimism that helps keep that magic alive; and there is nothing wrong with that. I don't believe that Santa lives on the north pole and that his elves are busy throughout the year, but I do believe that Santa is the embodiment of the love people have for each other as they give that extra special gift to those they care about. In talking to my mom the other night, she reminded me to save a gift for Santa Claus -- and although I had forgotten, I do have a special gift for the love of my life that I know he will enjoy. Needless to say, I am SO excited to give it to him! I jokingly told Brandon that I wanted a Santa present this year, but ... all my gifts are already wrapped, so this will be a skipped year and that is okay. I know that all of the gifts he bought for me are filled with love and that there are plenty of years to come in which he can write "From Santa" on one of the tags. However, I love my mom for reminding me of that particular tradition in my family -- because even though her children are well beyond the years of believing in the big man in a red suit ... she still saves one special gift each year.
Anyway, I should get going. Before my shower I realized that we don't have any usable brown sugar and in order to finish my baking and to hopefully make the perfect Christmas ham tomorrow, I am going to need some. I want to get my driving done before the snow starts sticking.
Merry Christmas, everyone. I hope it is a wonderful day filled with laughter and tremendous outpourings of love that will continue to be felt throughout the coming year.
<3
Sam on 12.24.07 @ 03:38 PM MST [Tuesday, December 18thBelief that anything is possible -- that's what gets me through the day.
mood: Relaxed
Well, we are back from our trip to Visalia, which, despite the circumstances, was a very nice trip that we are glad to have taken. The memorial service was wonderful, and it was really great to see all the family again!
Fall semester grades have been posted, and I am officially sitting on a 4.0. It's a fantastic feeling!!
Yesterday was Brandon and my four month anniversary. Sometimes I can't believe it's already been 4 months, but at the same time, it feels like it has been forever! Although it took some ups and downs, some fights and some making up ... we are so happy together. Regardless of all those things, we always had a lot of love to pull us through -- and I firmly believe that love is the deciding factor in determining whether or not people will stay together. Although it's been said thousands of times in thousands of ways, love is what keeps people together when there is nothing else left. There have been times when we haven't really liked each other -- when our actions and our words clearly illustrated that fact. However, underneath it all ... when everything else was gone ... there was love.
This was the first death of a family member that we have experienced together. My grandma passed away a couple years ago, but we were not an item at the time. In fact, at that time I was dating someone else and Brandon and I were hardly speaking. So this one was the first one ... and it was a very emotional thing for everyone involved. But something happened this weekend, as we laid in bed and talked each night before falling asleep ... and I can't explain it, but I felt it. I believe that through hardships, we find our inner light and that in overcoming those hardships, we gain the courage to share that light with those around us. That certainly happened this weekend, but at the same time ... it was something more. There is something there that wasn't there before -- a connection of sorts that couldn't exist until these experiences were had. That probably doesn't make any sense, but oh well.
Some people were unsure of our decision to get married so young, and sometimes I wonder the same thing. But it is at moments like this that those doubts vanish into thin air because I know that these experiences that we are having right now ... the things that are happening while we are still young ... they are the strings and the ties that aid in binding us together forever. Because we are blessed with the opportunity to share so much of ourselves and our lives with one another at 20 and 21, we are going to be stronger in the future. So many of my memories involve him, and so much of who I am is because of who he has been to me. Our lives are inexplicably intertwined. Period, the end.
His heart is pure, and it is good. He has a love for me that is pure and that exceeds selfishness, personality flaws, and struggles of all kinds. He is the kindest, most gentle, and most generous man I have ever met, and it blows me away that he is mine. He makes me feel like I can conquer the world, and I know that with him there ... I can. There is nothing he wouldn't do for me, and he knows that there is nothing I wouldn't do for him.
Yes, we have our issues, but as I said before ... we love each other with a zest that is greater than those struggles. It's an amazing feeling, but one that I am so glad to have.
And with that, I will stop my ramblings and my mushiness and get back to work. lol Adios
Sam on 12.18.07 @ 12:16 PM MST [Wednesday, December 12thLive life in the fast lane, but don't forget to slow down every now and again.
mood: Content
Well, the semester is over -- again. My last final is tonight, though I have been done with all of my work since last week, so I have just been showing up to my finals this week. I don't even have to bring my backpack anymore. And somehow I managed to earn a 4.0 again this semester. No, scratch that. I take it back. It's not "somehow". It's "I worked my tail off all semester and earned the grades I deserve!" And those grades happen to be all As. That means that, come May, I will be graduating with my Master's degree ... summa cum laude. Now, I don't know if those honors are actually applied to Masters students, but in my mind ... I will know that that's what it means. It's an amazing feeling to have earned a 4.0 for the first time in my life -- if for no other reason than to prove that I can. That I am capable.
But I'll tell you what.
From a teacher's point of view -- it's amazing what happens to a student's grades when they are fully immersed in a curriculum that they enjoy. It's a true testament to the importance of aligning the curriculum with student interest as much as possible. Enjoyment is one of the purest forms of motivation there is.
Stepping down from my soapbox, however, I have to say that I can't believe I'm 2/3 of the way through my master's degree and that in just a few weeks, I will be student teaching. And in a few months, I will be graduating again. Life moves faster and faster with each passing moment.
To update everyone on what's been going on in our lives would take forever, but it's okay. I've got time.
School is really the only thing going on with me. I'm quitting my job in a few weeks, but might need to pick up an evening job somewhere while I'm student teaching. We will see how things pan out financially. Umm, I've discovered that I am an artist ... that I love to paint and create and draw and all of those things that everyone always told me I wasn't any good at. I've created three or four pieces that are proudly displayed in different rooms of our house. I love it. Art is real ... and it's relaxing. When I'm painting, there is nothing else in the world that matters more, and there is nothing that could possibly disrupt the euphoria I feel. It's incredible.
We went home for Thanksgiving and surprised our families, which was incredible! It was a last minute decision, but it was so worth it! We drove through the night and arrived at my parents' house at 9:00 on Thanksgiving morning. I finally changed my name while we were home, so I am officially Mrs. Trask!! My new driver's license came in the mail yesterday!
Brandon and I bought snowshoes last weekend and went out and hiked up to Donut Falls with them. Let me just say that I am pretty sure snow shoeing is the coolest thing I have ever done in my entire life!! We are going to try to do it at least every other weekend, but hopefully more. There are so many places to hike that I definitely want to see ... and it's awesome that we don't have to wait until spring/summer to go see them anymore! Snow shoeing = ridiculously cool. PLUS I get to dress up in snow clothes and go tromp through the wilderness with my hubby ... it doesn't get much better than that.
What else?
On the not-so-good news front ... Brandon's great grandfather Eddie passed away on Sunday, so we are flying to Vaisalia tomorrow morning to be there for the memorial service. It will be nice to see that whole side of the family again, but it is too bad that it will be for such a grim reason. Brandon and I are both at peace with it though -- me more than him, I'm sure ... but that's to be expected. Eddie lived a very long, very good and very honest life. He is a true testament to how much joy and fulfillment comes from living honestly, regardless of the circumstances. He was a good man, and I know he will be missed -- and I know it isn't the easiest thing for Brandon, but we are working through it. Hard times are part of life, and I'm just glad that we have each other to lean on when they happen.
Also, Brandon is thinking about starting online classes through the University of Phoenix and getting a degree in IT/Networking. Headwaters will pay for part of it, which is certainly nice. I'm glad he's thinking about it though -- I think it will really benefit him in the long run.
I think that is about it. We are preparing for and looking forward to Christmas and being together. The snow makes everything so white and bright, and I can't help but think that this is how winter is supposed to be. I am glad that we're here to enjoy it!
That's all for now.
<3
Sam on 12.12.07 @ 12:58 PM MST [