Done with school

Today was a monumental day. It was the last time I will ever have to present in a class to a client that I am not getting paid for. It is the last time I will have to spend 5 hours studying for a test in the Brimhall building. It is the last time I will ever have to walk slowly up the stairs of the testing center with sweaty hands and a racing heart wondering if I studied long enough. It is the last time I will ever have to fill out 100 little bubbles on a scantron. It is the last time I will have to turn in my test and run down the stairs of the testing center to look on the computer screen and see what my score is. Ahh....it feels so good to be completely and finally DONE with school.

Walking out of the testing center for the last time today was a different experience than I thought it would be. I thought I would be running for my life with joy to never return again, but instead I stopped and looked around me at all the faces I would never see again. I noticed little things I had never noticed before, like high gloss paint on the walls. As I walked outside, I was happy and content with life at that very moment. The sun was warm on my face, and the sky was so blue. Everything seemed perfect. I wanted to fly around campus telling everyone the good news, "I am officially done with school forever!" It was the moment I had waited for my whole life. The moment I would no longer have to be a student. However, it did not quite feel like I always dreamed it would be. It was not a bad moment, just different than I had imagined. I think I might miss school. What will I do now? School has been my life up until this point. How could I survive without it? As I walked towards my car, content with life, I looked up at the deep blue sky one last time, and smiled. It was such a beautiful and monumental day. It is such a good feeling to know I am done.

I, Chelsea Marie Fullmer, am finally done with school. YES!

Taking it one day at a time

This is not something I have been looking forward to writing about, but I know doing it will help me find some closure in the situation we have been dealing with. I am not writing this for pity or for people to feel sorry for us, but rather as a way to help others going through similar situations and for personal reasons of wanting to record my feelings in my "blog journal" as I call it.

On Monday, Robie and I were so excited to go to our first doctor appointment. We were almost 11 weeks pregnant, and could not be happier to finally be starting the family we have dreamed of. The appointment was normal and every test showed me to be on track for a healthy pregnancy. However, when it was time to hear the baby's heartbeat, nothing was there. We were not too worried at the time since we were told it was probably because the baby was not big enough. We were sent over the the Utah Valley Hospital for an ultrasound as a back up to make sure everything was okay. The ultrasound technician was a fun and lively guy. He seemed to be in such a great mood. It was not until his mood turned quiet while he was looking at the computer screen that I realized something was wrong. My uterus was only measuring the size of 8 weeks along, and no embryo or fetus could be found. The only thing visible was a small yolk sac of where the baby should have been.

When the technician told us that he was sorry and we had experienced something called a blighted ovum. I was so confused. I was sure he just did not know what he was talking about, and if he looked a little harder he would find our baby in there somewhere. Everything happened so fast, and the next thing I knew a phone was being handed to me so I could talk to my doctor. She explained the situation of what happened, and told us we needed to make a decision fast on whether to have a D&C done. I could not really speak. The only thing I could think about was going home and waking up from this horrible nightmare. Things like this don't really happen, right? On the long drive home, I could not stop thinking about how the doctors were wrong. I knew I was pregnant with a real baby, and I knew it was there. They just needed to look a little deeper, and I was so sure they would find it.

When I walked in the door to our house, everything hit me at once and I lost it. I was mad that Heavenly Father would let me go through this, I was angry I had failed as a home for my baby, I was embarrassed that I would now have to call my family and friends and tell them it was all a lie. More than anything, I was in so much pain and I thought it was never going to end. Robie and I had a much needed cry that lasted all night and into the next morning. I felt so bad that I was causing him pain, and I was helpless since there was nothing I could do about it.

The next day was a little better. I was over the anger and realized how stupid I was to reject my Heavenly Father during a time when I needed Him more than ever. He was the only one who could give me the strength and faith I so very needed at the time. I was given a blessing by Robie and his Dad, and I can honestly say having the Spirit with me has made such a positive difference. Although I am still grieving for our loss, I have come to accept that there was nothing we could have done to prevent it. The blessing helped me know everything is going to be alright. I know Heavenly Father wants us to have a family, and I know it is just a matter of time before we will be blessed with the beautiful baby we have yearn for. I am so thankful for my wonderful family and friends that have helped us get through this. I don't know what I would do without them. Thank you for the notes of encouragement, beautiful flowers, and prayers offered on our behalf. These things mean more than words can express.

This morning, I had my D&C surgery. I was so scared since I have never had surgery before, but Robie was by my side the whole time to help me through it. The second the doctors put me to sleep to the time I woke up felt like seconds. The procedure went well, and I am surprised at how little pain I am actually in. I still have to take it easy for a while. I will be in a cloudy haze of percoset for a little while, but I am so thankful everything went smoothly.

Through this experience I have learned a lot about life. I am so thankful for my wonderful husband. Going through this together has brought us so much closer...if that is even possible. I love him so much, and I am so happy to have him by my side now and for all eternity to come. I am so thankful for my family and the strength that they have given me when I thought I had none. My family is coming up from Texas on Saturday for my graduation, so it will be nice to have them here as an additional support. I can't wait to see my Mom. I have missed her so much. There is something about having your Mom with you that gives you a special comfort. I am also thankful to know that we CAN get pregnant. Even though it didn't work out this time, I know that things are functioning in the baby making department. It is a blessing to know that we will be able to try again for a little baby, and the doctors told us things will most likely turn out normal and healthy next time. Mostly, I am thankful for my Heavenly Father and Savior. I realize there is a power and peace the Spirit brings that can't be found anywhere else. I know with patience (which I very little of, but I am working on it) we can grow from this and be blessed in the future. Thank you again for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. We are taking things one day at a time knowing it will eventually get better.

Weekend Trip to Mesquite, NV

Robie and I bid for a weekend trip to Mesquite in a silent auction a few months ago and won! Our voucher was going to expire in a few weeks, so we decided to make it a mini-vacation with our friends Russ and Misty. The drive took forever, and by the time we got to Saint George we were STARVING, so we decided to stop at IN-N-OUT. I have never been there before, so I was so excited to try the burgers everyone in Utah raves about as being the best. All I can say is IN-N-OUT SUCKS! They don't have BBQ sauce, their fries are sick, and they put this "special sauce" on everything which tastes like crap. UGH! I hated that place. Now I know why they call it IN-N-OUT...because as soon as I walked in, I wanted to run out. I'll stick to Five Guys from now on for a good burger.
Once we got to Mesquite, I realized what hell must feel like. It was 118 degrees there. I thought my face was going to melt off anytime the wind blew. The best way to describe the heat would be if you were standing right next to a blazing fire while it was already over 100 degrees outside...and you were wearing sweats and a winter coat. No, that would still be cooler than the temperatures in Mesquite.

Our free hotel stay was at this place, the Virgin River. It was not the nicest hotel in the world, but it was free. Misty and I loved hanging out at the pool trying to get a nice tan, while the boys loved testing their luck at the casino.

The best best best part about our hotel was this guy: Scottie Alexander. He was the entertainment at night, and Misty and I could not get enough of his country twain music. We spent so much time just sitting and listening to him perform with his band, maybe a little too much time since he started calling us out from the audience and asking us a ton of questions. We got the nickname "The Pleasantville Girls" and Scottie would always call on us to request songs when he didn't know what to sing. I think we are his biggest fans.


The REAL reason for the whole trip was so Misty and I could go to the SPA....(*ahhh). The boys played a whole 18 holes of golf, while we pampered ourselves at the Casa Blanca Spa. I got my first facial, and it was a slice of heaven. I got the 90 minute oxygen facial, and it was pure bliss. My skin was smoother than a baby's butt when it was all over. I know what I am asking for from now on for Birthdays, Christmas, Anniversaries...
We had such a fun trip with Russ and Misty. Russ was one of Robie's roommates and friends before we met, and Misty lived with me Freshman year in the dorms, so when they got married we were so happy to have married friends that we were already friends with! Although we were sad to have to end our vacation and go back to the real world, we were SO happy to get out the blistering heat of Mesquite.

Afternoon Jog

One of the bad things about living across the street from this:


Is this:

Okay, so maybe this one is dead, but there is no way I would get remotely close to a snake that was alive. Even dead snakes are scary because you never know if they are just "playing dead", and I am always positive at any second they could come back alive and strike me. I was okay to get close to this one only after I realized someone had completely cut its head off. There was no chance of it coming back to life now. It does not look too big in the picture, but I assure you this thing was over 2 feet long...and that is without a head which was no where to be found. Who knows, maybe the head had another foot of body attached to it. That means there could potentially be 3 foot snakes living as my neighbors across the street! (Creepy cold chills)

The worst part is how I found this thing. I was trying to get some quality exercise in (I guess it is good for the baby or something), and as I was jogging up the road with the dogs, Gizmo would not stop sniffing something. When I went to investigate what he was sniffing, I saw this giant snake, FREAKED OUT, and started running for my life. I assure you marathon runners in the Olympics could not have outrun me at that moment. I did not notice at that time the head was gone. Who in their right mind would see a snake that size right next to them and stop to think if it had a head. No way...I was out of there. On my run back home, I saw that it had not moved, so I pulled up my panties and decided to take a closer look. Of course as I was taking a picture of it, a grasshopper jumped on my leg and made me run like a little girl all the way home. I don't think I will be taking too many more jogs down the wilderness side of our street in the future. I have a new found love for my gym pass at 24-Hour Fitness.

Bridal Shower in Wyoming

I went to Wyoming for the first time last week for my friend Summer's bridal shower. It was quite a drive, but being with my friend, Misty, the whole time made it so much fun. Misty did a great job planning the shower, and I am so happy for Summer to be getting married soon in August.

Congrats Summer! You are going to be such a beautiful bride!

My second home for Summer:

Warm Summer sun, relaxing with a good book, tan bodies, and cool water...I love it all.

1984 but better

Why are Robie and I SO addicted to this show? I have no answer, but we are. I always wondered how this show seemed to stay on television after so many seasons, and now I know it is because people like Robie and me get addicted and can't stop watching the hilarious evictions and competitions they have. Think of it like an extreme Real World, but they can't leave the house at all, and people get voted off. What is not to love? Plus, it comes on 3x...yes, THREE TIMES a week, so you are always getting your BB fix! LOVE IT!

It's Independence Day!

I know it is a little past due, but we had a blast during the 4th. We started the extra long weekend by going golfing. Actually, Robie golfed, and I just drove the kart around. Golfing is Robie's new found love...he goes at least once a week. I tell him if he goes golfing once a week, then I get to go shopping once a week. I think now he is going to be cutting down on his golfing intake.

At the Freedom Festival in Provo, Robie and I were lucky enough to ride the Segway scooters! They were SO cool, and we had a blast driving around on them.

We got to go to the STADIUM OF FIRE! Robie has lived in Utah his WHOLE life, and he has never gone to it. We went with his parents, and it was a lot of fun. I don't know why we chose to go the year the Jonas Brothers performed, but we did. I kept hoping Ashton Kutcher was going to Punk the audience and say David Archuleta was performing instead of the Jonas Brothers, but it never happened.

(I love the kid in the background who looks like he is smoking a derm.)

The jets and helicopters that flew RIGHT over our head!

The BEST part of the whole thing...THE FIREWORKS! It was so awesome because we were at the top of the stadium, so the fireworks were right over our head. There was a point where I feared for my life because they were so close, but everything turned out okay...phew!

HAPPY (belated) 4th of July!

What's up with the Fullmers?

I realize it has been over a week since I updated my blog. Shame shame on me. Well, I assure things are going REALLY REALLY well in our life right now. Here is a Fullmer family update:

Chelsea:

Life is really good right now. I am digging deep to find the strength to finish my last two classes EVER at BYU. My August 14th graduation could not come soon enough. I am done with my KUTV internship, which means I am back at the Buckle. Gotta love all those cute clothes!

Robie:

Robie is taking a break from school for a term, but he will start back up in the Fall working towards his business/entrepreneurship degree. He is super busy at his job right now at a company in Salt Lake City called Basic Research. He manages the outbound sales team with his brother Jon David, and I am so grateful for all the hard work he does to support our growing family.

Gizmo & Cooper:

These two trouble makers are up to no good. As I currently speak, they are wrestling with eachother right in front of me. The other day, I came home to Gizmo passed out, because he got into a pill bottle in my purse and ate a Tylenol PM. I freaked out and called the vet, and ended up having to pour hydrogen peroxide down his throat to induce vomiting. Not his best day, but we are just glad he is okay. I swear, no matter how high or how good we hide things in our house, these dogs always find a way to get to them. No matter what, we love these little devils with all of our heart.

My favorite recipe...TURKEY ROLLS!

Want to know the BEST recipe EVER!!!??? Oh yes you do or you would not be reading this. The recipe is called Turkey Rolls. (Mmmm, just saying the name makes me drool like Homer Simpson at a hot dog eating contest.) They are easy to make, they are fun, they taste delic, and they are so dang good!

You will need: (This is for about 4 people)

3 cups chopped turkey or chicken
2 8oz. packages cream cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c. chopped onion
2 packages canned refrigerated biscuits
1 can cream of chicken soup

Since I never actually measure things when I cook, this is what I usually do. Boil in water about 8 boneless skinless chicken tenders until they are pretty much falling apart. Put chicken in mixer with a brick of cream cheese, chopped onion, and salt/pepper (or whatever other seasonings). Mix! The chicken should pretty much shred itself if it is cooked well enough. Then, get your biscuits, and spread out the dough until it is about the size of a baseball. Spoon a good size scoop of the chicken filling into the biscuit. Fold the biscuit over the filling so there are no holes for the filling to seep out. Cook according to what the biscuit can says. Serve with the cream of chicken soup as a sauce for dipping. Mmm! SO GOOD!


Eat them up. Yum Yum Yum!


This recipe is great for after Thanksgiving when there is SO much left over turkey. Instead of boiling the turkey, just chop it up pretty fine. ENJOY!

Oh yeah! Work that Stache!

While killing time before seeing the midnight showing of TRANSFORMERS 2 ("Robots in disguise...More than meets the eye!), we hung out at the Nicklecade. At the end of the night, we won enough tickets to buy these amazingly awesome mustaches! The real question is, who wouldn't want to wear a burly thick black stache? I know I do. And just in case you did not already know, Transformers 2 was DA BOMB! Best line ever, "GIVE ME YOUR FACE!" -Optimus Prime

Last First Day

Today was my last ever first day of school!!! Yeah! I remember how the first days of school used to go. I was so excited to go that my eyes naturally popped open before the alarm clock went off. I had that beam of energy as I rushed to my closet to wear that outfit that my Mom said I could not touch until school starts. I got myself ready for the day, grabbed my brand new notebooks, pens, and backpack, and rushed out the door to make it earlier than on time. It was so fun to see all my friends back from the summer. Everyone had new haircuts and fun stories to tell. Classes on the first day are all about "getting to know you" games, and you never have homework.


I always loved the first day of school...until I came to college. In college, the first day of school is all about sleeping in until the last possible moment that you absolutely have to wake up to make it to class on time. In college, I will gladly take an extra 10 minutes of sleep if it means having to sacrifice putting on some makeup for the day. When you get to class on the first day of school in college, there is no "get to know you" games. You simply get a syllabus thrown at your face, and jump right in to the semester with a stack of books and pages of homework.

For this reason, I am celebrating today as being the LAST first day of school ever! Hooray!