Flat Tire Friday

This past week has been one of the worst to date. I don't usually have weeks like this one has been. They are rare and I don't want to have another anytime soon. On Friday when we were driving to work we were about 5 miles or so from home when we got a flat tire. While we were sitting in the car figuring out what to do a stranger knocked on the window and asked if we needed help changing our tire. I said yes and so I opened the trunk and got the spare tire. We didn't have a tire iron so he got his and he began trying to get the lug nuts off. Since my lug nuts are 3 inches deep into the hubcap we have a special tool we have to use to get the lug nuts off. He got 2 off but when he was trying to get the third one off the special tool split an inch down the side and bent a little. At that point we knew we were going to have to call a tow truck. The nice stranger left and we waited about 20 minutes for the tow truck. We had Nala with us since we usually drop her off at daycare before we go to work. The tow truck arrived and because there was not room in the truck for all 4 of us she had to ride in the car while on the tow truck. She would not get in the car at first so Adam had to pick her up and put her in the car. After she knew she was safe she poked her head up and look around.

We got to Big O Tires and ended up having to get two new tires. This certainly was not in our Friday plans but seeing Nala sitting in the drivers seat with what looked like a big grin on her face and Adam and I were both OK it made it seem not as bad. It's not fun spending hundreds on tires but its better then something else that is worse. We hope we don't have to do that again for a long while.

Father's Day [2011]

Father's Day has always been a interesting holiday for me. Growing up and not having a father was hard. The only thing that made up for it was the amazing Grandpa I have. I felt like he was my Dad, I still feel that way. He was always there for me and helped raise me as if I was his own. He is a blessing in my life and I can't put into words how much he means to me. I am a grandpa's girl through and through. Over the years he has been my main male figure that I could look up to. We loved spending time together, watching wrestles and silly reality TV shows. He has been someone I turn too for advice and support in times of trouble. When I received Adam's news back in January he was the first person I wanted to turn to for comfort and for a shoulder to cry on. I know that he will always have my back and I love him for that. He has taught me so much and that you can't put a price on. He is one of my best friends!

On Father's Day in 2009 one of my dreams came true and I met the man that over the years I knew very little about my Dad. Although our relationship is not how I pictured it being, it works and although I would love to spend more time with him the distance in where we live does not allow it. We both have busy lives and we see each other as often as we can. I enjoy spending time with him and his family. We have 24 years to make up and although that seems impossible we are slowing getting there. I hope that our bond continues to grow and develop. We have so many things in common. We look a lot alike we have the same sense of humor and we are both stubborn people. We have similar passions and loves.
Just this year I was able to see my Dad on my actual birthday. That was a first for us and it was so fun. I am looking forward to many more firsts. 

(our first picture ever taken together)

Last but certainly not least my own Adam. He is the most amazing Dad to Nala. He loves her like no one else. Nala and I have our own bond and Nala and Adam have theirs. She loves Adam so much and I am always catching them cuddling together. She is the sweetest thing you will ever meet. He is so protective over her and makes sure she is always safe. He comforts her, plays with her, gives her a bath, feeds her and takes her for walks. He praises her, disciplines her, wrestles with her, and loves every ounce of her just like I do. Both of our lives changed the day we welcomed her into it. She brightens, warms and melts your heart all with one look. She is the apple of his eye and I know he would do anything he had to to protect her and he would never let anything happen to her. If he is this protective over her I can't imagine how he will be with when our own children come along. I am grateful for the closeness we both share with Nala. She is a piece of heaven and we look forward to giving her a little sister to play with once the fence is complete. Thanks honey for taking such good care of our baby!!!

Words Can Hurt.....

I wonder often why people say the things they say and last Friday was no exception. It happened at work and although I don't usually talk about what goes on at work this incident I just can't seem to shake so I thought what better way to get it off my chest was to write about it.

(I have left names out to protect privacy)

On Friday we were winding down from the busy day at work and over the weekend they were going to be having all the floors re-surfaced and so everything had to be moved off of the tile so the workers could do there job. Most everyone started hauling things out onto the carpeted area. Me, H and P had begun to unplug all the x-ray equipment we use during our injections. We were having fun chatting and talking about our up-coming weekends. I went to unplug one of the main power switches to the x-ray C-arm and I noticed it said the word danger on it so I asked the radiologist tech if I could unplug it even though it said danger on it. H said he shouldn't do it since he has 5 mouths to feed and he then chimed in and said "ya I can't afford to have anything happen to me."  he then said what shocked me. He said " you should do it since your going to die soon anyway, your expendable." Both him and H started laughing and I was in so much shock my first reaction was to chuckle with them since that's usually what I do when someone teases me or makes fun of me somehow. I said while chuckling "I can't believe you just said that." I did not tell anyone what had just happened since I was still processing the conversation. H and I had a double date planned with our spouses and we continued on with our plan. We talked about it at dinner and even then it didn't seem real. I like my co-worker P and for him to say what he did shocked me. I thought that I could trust him and I felt as though everything that I had told him about my health I could tell him without him throwing it back in my face. It didn't really hit me until the next day when I was driving alone in the car on my way home and thinking about his comments and listening to the radio when the song came on If I Die Young by the band Perry and I got teary eyed just listening to the words. It's hard living day to day with death in the back of your mind. I don't not think about it a lot but it's there for sure. I think when you live with health problems it unfortunitly becomes your whole life, it becomes apart who you are. Everyday I am alive I consider myself a survivor. Nobody understands what I have been through other than me. My family has lived it, breathed it, and it also has become apart of them. It is becoming apart of Adam with each passing day. I am grateful he was willing to marry me despite all the challenges I brought with me. 

If you don't know who Paul Cardall is you should because he is one of my hero's. He has a congenital heart defect not quite like me but close. On one of his blog post he said this "I have been blessed my whole life to have severe congenital heart disease. I am far from perfect and needed this in my life to teach me things I could have never learned without it. As a result, I am a witness of God's hand in our lives. I've observed many miracles in my own life." I have never really looked at my health as a blessing but it has definitely taught me to not take things for granted and to try and live in the moment. To live life to the fullest. I know that it is a miracle that I am alive and doing well today and that I have been given each precious day to become better. It its is very hard to see the good in sometimes a very heavy hand your dealt. I am still getting to that point where I look at it as a blessing. It's been 26 years and it doesn't get easier. I know I may sound as if I am complaining but sometimes that's the only way I know how to express my feelings. Tomorrow will be a better day and I an grateful for a fresh new day.   

News...News...News...

I finally have a minute that I can blog. I have been so busy and trying to catch up on all the laundry, cleaning and sleep. As soon as we returned home from vacation it was straight back to work. A lot has happened in the Collet family since you heard from me last. I will try and keep this short since it's late and I'm getting tired lol.

1. We celebrated our 3 year wedding anniversary on 05/31. I can't believe it's been 3 years since my life changed forever and my has it changed more than I ever imagined. It has been a roller coaster and I have learned more about myself and about Adam. We are at a place in life where I never imagined we would be. I am grateful to have him by my side. 

2. I turned another year older (26) now. We went to Nephi to visit my Dad, Step mom, and Half Bro and to eat breakfast! I am so blessed to have him in my life, something I never would have thought possible. It has been weird saying the word Dad over the past almost 2 years. For so long that word never was in my vocabulary since I didn't have a face to put the name too. I'm grateful for the relationship we do have and hope it keeps growing. We then went to the Olive Garden with my family later that day to celebrate. We finished off the night seeing X-Men First Class with friends. It was a great b-day!

3. We found out Adam's oldest Brother Chad and his wife Kellie

are expecting a new little one on Dec 28, 2011

I can't wait until he/she (I think it's a boy) joins our family!

4. On Saturday we found out that Adam's sister got engaged to Clark Pixton. It came as a shock to us since we have even met him yet. She is getting married August 6th and I have been asked to take her bridals pictures. I know they will be amazing! We are excited for them. 

So much news so little time...write more later!!

Day 4...Lion Country Safari

We spent most of our day 4 at this amazing park called Lion Country Safari. Its a 4 mile drive through safari park. When you enter the park they give you CD that informs you about the animals along the way. It was very informative. As you drive though there are wildlife just roaming around and sometimes right in front of your car. We wished all zoos were like this, it really gave the animals a lot of room to roam. We were not aloud to roll down our windows but I could have at times rolled them down and touched a rhino or a zebra! It was amazing. They also have a walk through park as well where you can ride a camel, feed the baby goats. You can go on a nature walk! In the middle of our walk through it started pouring and since its so humid in FL we did not mind at all. We were dripping wet when it quit raining and were dry pretty quick. After we were finished we went to Checker's a burger and fry place I had never heard of but it was very good. When then got changed at the hotel and headed to the beach. The ocean we rough and at times were creating 6 foot waves. It was so fun getting tossed around by them. It wears you out after awhile. Since we were leaving the next day on our anniversary we decided to celebrate it the day before. We got cleaned up and went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. We sat outside and had a yummy dinner and enjoyed a heavenly piece of White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle cheesecake. We wanted to see a movie and choose Bridesmaids. It definitely was a funny movie. We had a great day!!