laughter plus compatability.

"One of the keys to compatibility is laughter. Laughter tells you how much you will enjoy each other’s company over the long term. If your laughter together is good and healthy, and not at the expense of others, then you have a healthy relationship to the world. Laughter is the child of surprise. If you can make each other laugh, you can always surprise each other. And if you can always surprise each other, you can always keep the world around you new." -Kent Nerburn

Madagascar.

Is it too late to blog about my trip to Madagascar?? Left at the end of March. SLC>JFK>JNB>TNR

Went to volunteer for Operation Smile and primarily shadowed the Speech-Language Pathologist in Antananarivo.

As a team, screened 793 patients and operated on 151 of them over the course of 12 days.  Operation Smile is a non-profit organization that repairs cleft lip and cleft palate facial deformities for children from third world countries.

Hung out with this sweetheart of a guy during screening. Sweetest boy ever.

From a walk one day near the hospital.

Took a bus to the countryside for some home visits.

This beautiful family welcomed us into their home, although we couldn't fit.

Look at this beautiful baby. Before surgery.

Same baby. After surgery.

It is truly beautiful to see what we can do with our talents to bless the lives of others. 

Such a tender moment- mother and daughter in the post-op room.

More visits to the countryside. Heyyyyy boys.

Home visit two. House a little bigger this time.

School kids walking home in the little village of Ampangabe.

Watched my UCT pals give some health presentation. Kids are obviously engaged. Good work.

Dinner crew. Ku de ta? Sakamanga? Can't remember.

MANSON.

Took me a while. Getting my dance on.

Indian food night. Paneer. Yums.

Raw crocodile. Inevitable.

Final party. Me. The surgeons. Holla.

These boys are African.  Who would have thought.

Amazing week with an incredible team. It's always inspiring to get out and see the world from a different perspective. Thankful for the advancement of education and technology. "Only a life lived for others is worth living". -AE

Couple of pics from a couple of trips.

montana.

Man Of The Hour

A very long post about 2013.

January 31, 2014.  Is it still too late to write a post on 2013?? What a year 2013 was. 

So we moved.  And by we I mean my parents.  One of the first "big" things that happened last year.  We moved from our perfect home of 18 years on Sundance circle.  I cried. And cried. And cried. And cried.

Took these photos the day I "said goodbye" to the house.  The classic height wall.  I so remember dreading those random evenings when my dad decided to pull me out to the garage and measure my height (absolutely haaaated being tall til about high school).  Now I'd pay $100 bucks to saw this chunk of wall out and take it home with me.

Thee "Bountiful Kitchen".  Our lovely remodeled kitchen where so many good times were had.  Christmas Eve sushi nights, birthdays, family dinners, hundreds of batches of chocolate chip cookies, Thanksgivings.... I love this kitchen.

My room.  Painted it myself somewhere in the late 90's while listening to Harry Potter 4 via cassette tape.

Old kitchen cupboard (now relocated to the basement laundry room). Top right "weathering" courtesy of Jacob.  Didn't like a photo of a lady on a newpaper clip mum had taped up, so decided to burn it off.  While I was babysitting.  Real nice to turn around and see the cupboard in flames.  Good times.

The cat door.  Fun fact: the fosters hate cats (hate hate double hate).
Previous owners installed these suckers here and there.  Came into great use on a couple of occasions when we locked ourselves out of the house.

So.  After many tearful goodbyes and a long, drawn out moving process, we (yes. we as in mom, dad, and jake) moved into our new, beautiful home.  Isn't mum's new Bountiful Kitchen gorgeous?? 

Beautiful beautiful views of the GSL. Definitely helps with the transition.

Okay.  Next thing about 2013. 

I was able to visit Zions National Park a couple of times.  Both times with the SAB crew.

And both times with my girl, Carine.  We love each other.

Lotsss of time together vacationing in Cali (x's 2) and Southern Utah (x's 2).  Also, we WORK together now! Go Utes (always).

Had a couple of friends return home from missions (finalllllly).  Welcome home, Meliss.

Rode a couple of horses.

Watch my "little" bro play baseball.  Jake is catching.  Cousin Nick is at bat.

Ran the SLC half marathon with uncle B. 

Rainy, rainy race day.

And then I got into grad school. And GRADUATED. Literally the biggest accomplishment of my life.

These are my people.

Hung out with the YIPLET.  I. Wuv. Her.

Spent my fourth summer in Montana. My true love.

Madison River (YNP).

North loop of the park.

Small town living.

Went fishing.

And riding.

Made some new friends.

Explored the Tetons for my first time ever.

Chased the skies til the end of each day.

Spent some quality days out on Hebgen.

And fell head over heels in love with this place (again).

What a summer.

Face timed a litte here.

And a little there.

Ran a couple of races with Dad. Ogden Marathon.

Deseret News Classic Half Marathon.

 Went to Italy with Mum.  Best graduation gift ever!!! TY.

Sold a whole lotta pizza. Can you say Settebello?

Went to my best friend's wedding.

Reunited with some long-time friends.

Namely, my BROTHER.  Welcome home Elder Foster.  We love having you back.

Gave the Top of Utah Marathon a shot.

Finished. Need I say more? (Couldn't walk for a week.)

Took some family photos for the first time in years.

Went to a couple of WEDDINGS.  Congrats K&D.

Spent some quality time with Tupac's Girl. 

Got a scholarship.

Went snowmobiling for my first time ever with the sibs.

Interestingly, the MAJORITY of my time in 2013 was spent hitting the books.  Going to class, reading text books, writing SOAP notes, administering hearing screenings, slaving over a three part SALT analysis, you know. This was the ONLY photo I could find of school-associated activities.  Let it be known that I'm working hard, keeping my chin up, and very appreciative to be a part of the Master's of Speech-Language Pathology program. Career life is so close- I can taste it.  Cheers to 2014.