It's Official...

So...

For those of you who don't know  -  we have officially decided  on Western Michigan University for grad school starting this fall.  It took some serious pondering to decide where we should be, not only for Brandon for school, but for the kids and the family as a whole.  We had several schools that we were laboring over so it was with difficulty, but surety, that we accepted an offer from WMU.  Brandon is super excited about the program, he was also offered a service assistantship in the publications dept, so that will be good experience for him.

 They only offer a Masters, so his PhD will be done elsewhere, but that is a couple/few years away still - we are in it for the long haul!  But we are excited to finally know our next step in life! 

We are currently looking for places to live in Kalamazoo - that's right, Kalamazoo - Dr Seuss wasn't kidding. 

 It is somewhat cheaper than here, which is nice - but what isn't, really?  We are about 1/2 hour from the beaches, an hour from Chicago (that's our temple), and not far from awesome camping and dunes - lots of trails and lakes in the area for camping.  It was dismal and brown when we went there, but we could tell it will be beautiful when it greens up.  We also met some awesome people while we were there, so we feel like we already have friends - which is a big deal in a new and scary place!  :)

We will be moving the end of June, as of right now.  It could change. 

We have been in Colorado for more than 12 years so it has really become home.  We will miss our friends and family here terribly, but at the same time, we are excited for this adventure -  and I am excited for a change - I have been chomping at the bit for quite some time.  I like change.  I actually have a few high school and mission buddies out that way, that I haven't seen in years - so that will be fun to reconnect with them too. The kids are also excited - they are sad to be leaving family and friends as well, but look forward to the adventure of a new place.

So I am officially in packing mode - it may be early, but with my "issues" - the more I can get done in small increments, the better.

Big Pearce News!!

No, we are not pregnant! hehe I know you were thinking it!!

For the last four (long) years Brandon has worked really hard and is finally graduating with his BA!!! He has done very well and impressed more than a few people on a professional level.

So, I know I am lame but time slipped away from me and I did not get graduation announcements out - also, Brandon felt funny about sending them - doesn't want to be braggy and all, but I say he has worked hard for this and he has earned the right to brag!!!

So here is it is...

So, as many of you know, our plan was to apply for grad school this fall and then go, wherever we are going, next fall...but plans have changed a bit and we are taking a year off. So we will apply next fall and go the following year. (2011 - Ahh! Seems so far away!!) We have made it a matter of prayer, and for reasons as of yet unknown to us, we feel we need to wait.

Brandon has actually had some great opportunities for this upcoming semester, he has a Professor that has asked him to be her assistant on a project where he will be transcribing some old texts - his name will be in the book as Assistant Editor, another couple Professors have asked him to help edit and index the book they have been writing. So these are awesome opportunities that will not only give him great experience but also look good on his vitae - not to mention that he will love it!

He is a smarty pants and I love him to death!! Through it all he has made sure to keep our family first even if it meant making sacrifices elsewhere. Our kids are happy and secure in the knowledge that they have an awesome family and the best Daddy in the whole world!! And I am very certain that I have one of the best husbands in the entire universe!! I don't know why I was blessed with such a great man, despite all the odds, but I am eternally grateful and happy for the blessing he is to me... He adores me even when I don't deserve to be adored, he makes me feel like a queen, even when I am really a wicked witch, and he loves me unconditionally even when he should run screaming!

I am so proud of him for how hard he has worked for so long, and though I know we still have a long road to haul - I can't imagine doing it with anyone better and am happy to be by his side!!!

Good job Baby!!

Halloween 2009

After a rip-roarin' good time with the Pearce's for our annual Harvest Party (which I hope to get

pictures for...) the kids got dressed up and went trick-or-treating...

Adorable Witch #1

Ninja-meister

Adorable witch #2

Back to school...

So it's better late than never but I thought I should post some pictures of the kids on the first day if school.

You can tell by the looks on their faces their true feelings about the event...

Duke started into 5th grade (which here in Colorado means Middle School next year! Yikes) Bekah started 3rd and our baby Addie started Kindergarten.

Make a Smilebox greeting

Family pictures and updates

So, I realize that I may be the world’s worst blogger, but here I go again.

My sister took some pictures of the family, and a few turned out pretty good. I am so picky about pictures of me, so when I actually get one that I like it’s a miracle. Well done Lori!


Brandon and Duke



Rebekah, Denise, and Addie


Brandon is doing a big semester this fall, only 3-ish semesters to go, so he will be a busy boy. We are preparing for graduate school so we are downsizing and simplifying life. We have sold our house and are moving into an apt. Sounds drastic, I know,
but we are really excited about it – it will be better in so many ways.
We switched the kids to the school they will go to there, Canyon Creek – so far so good. Duke is in 4th grade, Bekah is in 2nd grade, and Addie just started pre-school. That means that 2 days a week I have 3 hours with no kids!! What ever shall I do with myself!!!



Bekah (7), Addie (4), and Duke (9)


I have recently been privileged to record some songs with Sally DeFord on her website. That was one of the reasons I needed to take some pictures of myself. Ugh. Other than that I am busy with Brandon and the kids school and other minor events, and trying to get enough hours in with my own Medical Transcription schooling. School is basically our life at this point in time. This too shall pass!



BF’sF - hehe



The Fam!


I have always wanted a cute kissy picture and I love this one (although Brandon wishes he had shaved - oh well.)




And I think this is the one I am going to use for my feature on the DeFord site.

10th Anniversary

Been awhile, I know!

So it had been about 7 years in February since Brandon and I had been away together on a trip - we went to Ouray, CO to a B & B for our anniversary in 2000 - other than that if we were alone together it was for a funeral or a wedding or a workshop of some sort - needless to say, it was way overdue for us to go away. So we thought for our 10th anniversary we just had to go somewhere, so we got Nana to watch the kids for us and we were on our way.

I served my mission in Washington State and loved it there and have always wanted to go back with Brandon. We talk about moving there one day but he had never actually been there. So we got fantastic airfare and left the day of our anniversary.

We spent the first night in Seattle. We went to the Space Needle for dinner at sunset - it was a fantastic view and awesome food!

Then the next day we drove up to Port Townsend, which was my last area in the missionfield, and piddled around a bit.

(Beach in Pt Townsend)

(Lighthouse in Pt Townsend)

(An old military fort by the lighthouse)


Then we drove over to Forks (the rainiest town in the nation) and stayed a night there. We went 15 minutes down to the Quillayute Indian reservation in LaPush. It has four of the most amazing scenic beaches. They call them First beach, Second beach, Third beach, and Rialto beach (they decided to get original on the last. hehe) Some are easily accessible and others you have to hike for a mile or so to get to, the hike was incredible, so beautiful.

(Third Beach)

(First beach)


There is tons of driftwood on these beaches, some new, some really old and weathered. And some HUGE!

(Rialto beach)

The next day we went to Hoh National Rainforest, which again, is so beautiful. We went on a hike called the Hall of Mosses - for obvious reasons. Our camera was being silly and we couldn't quite get the shots the way we saw them - pictures definitely don't do it justice - but you'll get the idea.

(Hall of Mosses)

Then we drove back over across from Seattle and stayed in my first area, (I served 1/3 of the mission there) Bainbridge Island. We stayed in a place called Abode by the Sea - had stairs down to the beach and we could watch the ferries come in and out to and from Seattle. We went to church and visited with some of my favorite people there.

(Bainbridge Island - view from Abode by the Sea)

The day we went home we hung out in Seattle some more and wandered around Pike's Market.

It only rained twice while we were there and both times were at night while we slept - the days were gloriously sunny and mild. It was by far the most refreshing, relaxing, rejuvenating trip I have been on. We planned hardly anything on purpose so we could do anything we wanted to, or nothing at all.