This about sums it up.....

I know that God wouldn't give me anything I can't handle. I just wish He didn't trust me so much.
I'm glad someone has faith in me (gulp)

Happy Fall Ya'll

My favorite season is here and I am so surprised at how fast the leaves have changed this year. I am really bummed however that it is still dark out when I get up, it makes it really hard to get motivated!

Happy 40th ALI !!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Alison Saltzmann! We celebrated Ali's birthday by surprising her at Red Robin. It was a great time to just sit back and chat, we all needed some girl time. Jenny I'll spare you the funny pic of you.... just this time though :)

Top pic: The Group, Kimber always brings out the kid in me, that was a 40 on Kimber's forehead. Bottom pic: Ali indulging in the box of Junior Mints and pamper package we got her.

It's finished!!!!!!!!

I finished Joey's quilt yesturday. I know I have lots of other projects to post but Ihad to get this up to show my sister because I suck and I couldn't wait until we went down there for her to see it. I promise I will put up pics of the curtains, pillows and other quilts I have done when I get a free moment.

Baby blues

Everyone's heard of a loveless marriage. Well, what about a childless marriage. The hardest part about this whole no child thing is that Dennis and I have so much love for each other and for a child and there is nothing we can do to fill the void we are feeling right now. I really do feel like someone is missing and I don't know what more to do. Sometimes I think, if I only had more faith or if I prayed really hard, God would give me my baby. I hear about these children being abandoned and killed everyday on the news and it breaks my heart to know that someone else was given a chance to have joy and they took advantage of their precious gift. I was over at Nicole and Josh's last night and I was watching Josh with Tyler and how he was just going on giggling and laughing and then I started thinking about how much a great father Dennis would be and that he may never get the chance to do so. Why does this have to happen to us. High school sweethearts who really looked forward to getting married and having a family. I know God laughs at our plans but I planned on getting the opportunity to make up for my childhood and be a great parent to my child and enjoying that blessing with my eternal companion. It scares me to death to try to do this whole adoption thing. I feel like we are never going to get a baby, like it is going to take forever. I know I just need to be patient but it's hard to do when you want something so bad. There is great joy in looking into the eyes of a child and seeing their innocence. And I want the joy of looking into the eyes of a precious child that God has made just for us.


God plans adoptions from Heaven
And he searches the world...you see
for people who long to be parents
People like Daddy & Me

Then, in his own time, he answers
Th prayer they've been praying so long
And he finds a child who is waiting to fill their lives with a song

You are the child who we prayed for
So special, so precious, so sweet
The one who we'll cherish forever
The one who makes our life complete.

What a stud

Joey is so stinking cute, I really can't wait to go see him.
I am counting down the days, only 15 to go!

RAINBOWS

Yesturday, I was given the opportunity to attend a Rainbows training in Romeoville. I volunteered to be a part of the group at our school. The group helps children dealing with the grief from a loss of a parent, divorce, parental addiction or other situtations that cause children to hold their feelings inside. We learned how to be active listeners rather than wanting to offer a way to fix it. We did a lot of situational group work and some people talked about some issues they never dealt with from their childhood as we were working through the last activity as adults rather than role playing as children. It was a very empowering day. I left feeling like I could save the world.

Before we left we were given a Rainbows pin to wear on our lanyard as well as a commitment to compassion. This is what it reads

Today, I welcome children, adolescents and adults who are grieving into my heart.

I commit to support them through their journey from hurt to healing.

I promise to listen with my heart without making judgements.

I will refrain from giving advice or platitudes, for there are no answers to loss.

I wish to instill in them the seeds of healing and acceptance for these gifts bring hope to the bereaved.

I want to be a guide to the discovery of how truly special and lovable each person is.

I will wipe away the tears of those who mourn so that they may be able to see the bright

RAINBOW

after their family's storm.

The Best Night of my LIFE!!!!!

September for me went out with a bang. I spent the last night of the month is Chicago at Joes Bar with LeAnn Rimes!!! I have been a fan since she started out like 13 years ago. We were so close to the stage, 4 people away to be exact, heard some great music, and GOT HER AUTOGRAPH!!!! I really enjoyed myself. She is a very sweet person and so cute. Her voice is amazing. Her song What I Cannot Change is amazing. It's a theme song to some of the issues of my life, I will learn to let go of what I cannot change I will learn to forgive what I cannot change, I will learn to forget what I cannot change. I will learn to love what I cannot change. My family life, our conceiving issues and my forgiveness problems are totally defined by this song!

Joseph Wayne Cullison

I would like to introduce you to my first nephew, Joseph Wayne Cullison. He was born at 3p.m this afternoon, weighing in at 7lbs. 6oz and 21 inches long. My sister's water broke around noon today and because the baby was breach she had a c-section. Baby and mom are doing just fine. I can't wait to go see my little bug at the end of October.

Congrats Tiffany & Tony.

Continuing Education

Ladies and Gents, I have decided to go back to school and get my Masters Degree in January. I am going to get my Reading Specialist Certification. So wish me luck, I should be done in Feb. '10 after lots of hard time consuming work!

3 years = 3 dozen

HAPPY THIRD ANNIVERSARY

I was doing my normal rounds of working with my groups of kids today and came back to my office when I was done and this is what I found.........

Dennis sent me 3 dozen roses for our Third Anniversary. We were going to have a picnic tonight where he proposed to me but the riverwalk is flooded and he is sick with either strep throat or tonsilitis, how much does that really suck. He was up all night last night with a sore throat and I made him go sleep on the couch! So our anniversary is on hold until Saturday.

I took him to the take care clinic at Walgreens to get checked and he has viral pharengitis. His throat was so dry while he was there that he tried to sell the DR. a bottle of bbq sauce. He asked the DR. for a cup for some water and she said I don't have any but I have a sterile specimen cup. Sure enough she goes and pulls it out and hands it to Dennis. Of course he drank some water and sold the Doc some sauce. This was by far the most entertaining anniversary we have had. We did go to Panera afterwards for dinner.

The name game.

Only 72 people on the U.S have the name TARA LARSON. There are 163,264 people with my first name and Tara is the 372nd most popular name.

From www.howmanyofme.com

Midnight Sun?

Urgh! Some people. I read today that Stephanie Meyer was working on book #5 of the Twilight Saga, Midnight Sun but some idiot leaked her draft online so she has indefinetly put the publishing of the book on hold. Of course the book was Edwards version Twilight but still, it just ticks me off! Anything to keep the love saga of Bella and Edward going... anything!!!

Hmmm, I learned something today

So back in May I hurt my foot running in a 5k and have had some trouble with it ever since. About 3 weeks ago, I hurt it again but it has taken longer to recover from it and is quiet painful. I saw a specialist today and while he was bending my foot in several directions while I was making all sorts of faces (yes, it HURTS!!!) I learned about a condition known as Peroneal tendonitis. It could take months to heal so I guess it would be a good idea to go buy stock in Advil!


Peroneal tendonitis is the condition that develops as a result of the overloading and stress on the peroneal tendons. Peroneal tendonitis may develop from either acute or chronic overloading of the tendon. Acute meaning the tendon becomes inflamed immediately following stress and chronic meaning the condition develops over a period of time.

Below is a diagram of the foot. The peronial tendon is circled in red.







Common Causes
Peroneal tendonitis is caused by excess stress being placed on the peroneal tendon. As mentioned above, this stress can either be acute or chronic. Common activites that cause peroneal tendonitis are running on unvene surfaces, racket sports, manual work, basketball, hiking and skiing. In general, older people are at a higher risk of developing the condition. This is because as we age our tendons lose their elasticity and become brittle. A brittle tendon is much more likely to develop tendonitis.

Peroneal Tendonitis Symptoms
Here is a list of common symptoms associated with peroneal tendonitis:
*Pain and tenderness along the tendon, especially withing close proximity to the ankle and foot. This pain may be during or after exercise, or in severe cases at all times throughout the day.
*Stiffness of the foot and inability to stretch without pain.
*Swelling around the tendon.
*A burning or hot feeling around the tendon.
*Pain at night and first thing in the morning.

Treatment Options
Tendons are very slow healers and it could be weeks or even months until all the inflammation symptoms have gone. First, you should cease any activity that is likely to hinder the rehabilitation process. To help with the swelling you may want to apply ice to the affected area. You can do this on and off for 20 minutes at a time. Don't apply the ice directly to the skin, always wrap it in a towel. In needed, you may use over the counter anti-inflammatory medication to help with the swelling and pain.
Ideally, you should avoid walking in shoes that do not have adequate heel support and do not walk around too much with bare feet. Rest is the key to healing peroneal tendonitis. Once the symptoms allow, you may return to exercise or activity but you must ease back into it slowly. When you first return to exercise your peroneal tendon is very vulnerable to inflammation.
In most cases peroneal tendonitis can be treated without the need to see a doctor, but in a few cases further treatment may be required. Your doctor may recommend cortisone injections or surgery if no other treatment methods work.



Prevention
Prevention is always better than treatment, and there are a few simple steps you can take to minimize your chances of developing this condition. First, always warm up and stretch before you begin any exercise. Second, always wear the correct footwear to suit the activity. And finally, if you have been away from exercise for an extended period of time you should ease back in - your tendons won't be used to the stress!

Labor Day Weekend

Normally we spend Labor Day with my family but this year we stayed home. We decided to celebrate my endowment anniversary by going to a session at the temple with the in-laws. Our 3 year anniversary is in 16 days so we decided to recreate a wedding picture at the fountain. Every time we have gone since we got married, it has been turned off so I was excited to see that it was on when we were getting ready to leave.

Moving backwards, we had a fairly busy weekend. On Sunday, we went to a bbq at Nicole and Josh's and then went home to watch What Happens in Vegas, very good movie by the way.

We both worked on Saturday and then headed to the play Cindy that some of my YW were in. All 25 of us decided to go to Red Robin after the play. We had a great time. I really love hanging out with the YW, they are so much fun.

Two weeks later......

and I have finished New Moon and am embarking on Eclipse. I am going to be really sad when I finish the books because I have been living and breathing these books for over a month now. I took it to work last night and got a lot of it read because we were so dead at the store. Here's to 2 more weeks till book #3 is finished.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have ourselves a business owner!!!!

Today marked a great day in the Larson household. Dennis went up and witnessed the making of his first order of That's Barbeque. Junior's Gourmet Sauces is up and running and accepting orders.!! Yeah, way to go babe I am so proud of you for starting your own business!

Check out http://www.thatsbarbeque.com/ for ordering details.

This is the life!

Today was my first day @ Lakewood Creek Elementary. I left my house @ 7:45 to start the day @ 8. In case you didn't catch that, I left myself less than 15 minutes to get to work this morning. I absolutley LOVE the fact that I have 2 jobs so close to home. I filled up my gas tank more than a week ago and it just dipped a little below full.

I worked at the teacher store tonight too, got off @8 and was in my drive way by 8:02. I LOVE IT!!!!!!

This really doea make up for all those years of having to drive 30+ minutes to work all the time!

Girls Camp pics are here!

Bee-Hives

Wacky Wednesday, the girls attacked us with make-up

The Presidency

Reading Twilight

Bishops night, what a night!

Visit from the nieces

Shanna, Deanna & Sariah came out to visit this past weekend. By the way, I got a perm almost a month ago, here is a pic of what it looks like.