Lately...

Nothing too exciting has been going on here other then getting ready to head home! The team has been doing awesome lately and have secured a place in the playoffs! I am sad I won't be here for playoff games but I am getting really bad Spring Fever which makes me want to come home! The weather has been amazing here which is perfect but it's hard when you don't have a lot to go out and do IN the warm weather! Emily and I have been laying out at the gym everyday on the lounge chairs but the outdoor pool isn't open yet. The people here don't think that the 80's are warm enough to open the outdoor pool.

Here are some pictures of what's been going on with us...

Emily and I went and ate DELICIOUS waffles with the friends that we have made at the gym! Next to Emily it goes Hanife, Damla and Belize. They are all so sweet and have been taking such great care of us!

This is my GREAT friend Bengu. She is the team manager Selim's wife. She has become such a close friend while I have been here. She is so incredibly sweet and taught me how to belly dance! haha She is amazing!!! She came to the rescue when I was crying because the guy at the hair salon was ripping me off because I don't speak Turkish! I will miss her so much and wish I could bring her back with me! Thank you Bengu for becoming such a great friend! I will send you more Big Red gum from the States!

These cute little kids dressed up like ninjas wanted Ryan's autograph after the game. They were so funny! They were jumping up and down the whole time he was writing. They wanted their arms signed with permanent markers too.

Our TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY Dinner at HONG KONG! It was so delicious! We had sushi, Dumplings, Sweet and Sour chicken, Szechuan chicken, Chicken and noodles, Friend Ice Cream..EVERYTHING! We needed to be rolled out of the restaurant! Thank you Ryan for a perfect Anniversary Celebration!

Below is one of Ryan's sweet shots against Turk Telekom!

2 YEARS!

I can't believe it has been 2 years! I love Ryan SO much and he makes everyday perfect. I am so lucky that I am happily married to the man of my dreams!

Thank you Ryan for being such an amazing husband! I love you! I am grateful that I can be with you forever and ever!

Bittersweet

So this post may be more for me to keep memories. As our time winds down here in Turkey I am beginning to have mixed emotions. This has been an incredible experience- the time has flown by and I want to make sure to remember our time here forever. This is Ryan's first year playing overseas and we hope that there will be many more years to come which makes me think that the years may start to jumble together. I never want to forget about our first year here in Turkey. Although I am having mixed feelings about leaving, it doesn't mean that I am not SO excited to get back home. There comes a time when you can't stop thinking about how much you miss family and friends. I have made so many great friends here in Turkey that I know I most likely will never see again. The people have been so welcoming and kind. There are so many women that have taken on the role of being my "mother in Turkey" or sweet friends that I have made at the gym. I am going to list some random memories for myself so that I can look back at this and always remember.

Remember these RANDOM things...

-When mom and Danielle brought you here to Turkey you never thought 9 months would pass.

-The water was delivered to us in big bottles

-The Vanilla, Baking Soda and Baking Powder are in individual packets

-Danielle "found" you a yellow spatula! (inside joke)

-You had to hang dry your clothes- which you ended up loving better then a dryer.

-All the fun games and the amazing Karsiyaka fans!

-Teaching spinning classes at Sports International

-Your favorite wrap place "Saray Donerci Kebapci"

-When Mom, dad, Cody and Alycia came at Christmas! Ephesus, Antalya and Istanbul

-Doing Humanitarian work with the missionaries

-When you almost threw up eating really strong cheese and had to choke it down cause the lady was watching you eat her food

-When you were able to help give people new wheelchairs

-Remember your friends Emily, Deniz, Bengu, Beliz, Elif (both of them), Pinar, Jerina, Pinar, Hasan, Hanife, Damla and Gonga.

-When the Toolson's came! Pamukkale, rug shopping and wraps everyday!

-The sweet members of the Branch and how much they have influenced you. Don't forget how much they have helped you realize what is important in life and how much you can influence others if you're looking for opportunities to serve.

-The sweet flower lady on the way to the gym. We have never been able to even speak to each other because of the language barrier but she gives you a hug every single day!

-The funny guys that work at the Snack shop and always learn new English words to say to you

-All the American teammate parties. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Ryan's Birthday and Jerina made us all empanadas

-When Ryan had to run home and back to the grocery store in 5 seconds cause we didn't have enough cash!

-Buying Delhi! Our cute little silver dollar turtle

-Going to the bazarre every Wednesday!

-Taking the ferry across the water to Alsincak

These are just a few of the many memories or things I want to remember! I know that Ryan and I have learned so much living here in Turkey. I would not have traded these last 9 moths for anything. I know that Heavenly Father wanted us here and that we have definitely been in the right place. Both of our testimonies have been strengthened through the Missionary work we have been able to do and seeing the growth of so many sweet people. I am so proud of Ryan being a great example of Living the Gospel even in a tough industry of work. I will miss you Turkey! Thanks for being such a great 1st year overseas! You will always have a special little place in our hearts!

EaStEr

Easter was a fun filled day! We started off the day by decorating some sugar cookies to take to church. Ryan was so patient and articulate with decorating the butterflies. You will see below. Then we went to church and had some yummy treats to celebrate!

Doesn't he look so handsome?

The sugar cookies we decorated! Ryan did the butterflies. Awesome huh?

It was so cute and funny! It was a bunch of the new members first time celebrating Easter because they all were previously muslim. They looked up on the internet traditions of Easter. They saw tons of pictures of dyed eggs but they had no idea how it was done. They took eggs without boiling them and painted them with fingernail polish! I thought it was so creative and they turned out so cute!

The Branch members with a bunch of investigators! Growing quickly! The sweetest people you would ever meet.

After church Ryan and I took a fabulous afternoon nap then began more festivities! I made a yummy quiche and carrot cake so we ate and ate til our tummies hurt. Then we dyed eggs!

Ryan's egg on the far left began as me then he turned it into a kid that ate too many "peeps." In other words the egg wasn't turning out like he had planned. I had forgotten how much fun it is to dye eggs! I think we should do it year round.

I hope you all enjoyed your Easter and ate a bunch of American Candy for me!

Can we figure out a way?

So I am really wishing at the moment that we could figure out a way be two places at once. I am so happy here in Turkey and seriously there is nothing to complain about BUT I wish I could also be in St. George, UT with my family to celebrate Easter. I have decided Holidays aren't quite the same when the country you're in doesn't even celebrate the same Holidays you do! There are no Cadbury eggs, plastic eggs for Easter Egg Hunts, kits to dye eggs, Easter outfits to buy and the Easter bunny definitely doesn't come all the way to Turkey. More then anything I just miss hanging out with family on Holidays and missing out on random traditions like always making everyone wear random homemade hats or costumes with my sister Kim. I miss my sister Danielle always coming up with the most creative crafts or yummy festive treats or my mom and dad always surprising us with fun festive surprises like the BEST Easter Egg hunts! I will be home in about a month and off we go to HAWAII! Like I said before...there is nothing to complain about. Ryan said he will dye eggs with me and he will set up an easter egg hunt for me! I am just missing all the family that I am used to spending Holidays with.

Just a few pics of some of the people I will be missing on Easter! Love you family!