Life is to short..

The last few days have left me for a loop. My amazing Aunt Lillian passed away while I was home over the weekend. She has battled liver disease and cancer. She fought a good fight, she finished things on her bucket list. Wain and I went in saw her in Lehi where she was currently living back in October and I am so thankful I did. She told us that she was going to make it to sisters weekend that my mom and her sisters had been planning, and she did. I'm thankful my mom and aunts had that one last weekend together.

1949 - 2016

Our beloved Lillian Sorensen Andrew passed away peacefully at her home on January 24, 2016, after a courageous battle with liver disease and cancer. Lillian was born on December 10, 1949, to Burke and Beth Sorensen of Orderville, Utah. She was the fourth of nine children. As a child she learned the value of hard work and the importance of family. She was an avid reader and loved to learn. This love for learning would blossom into a career in education.

She attended Dixie College and graduated from Utah State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. She taught school in Marysville, Hurricane, Ogden, and finally Kimberly, Idaho. She was a dedicated educator for more than 30 years.

While attending Utah State University, she met her future husband and the love of her life, Johnny Andrew. They were married on May 31, 1974, in the Logan Temple. They had five amazing children, Brian, Krista, Bradley, Kallee and Ashley. Lillian and Johnny raised their family in Kimberly, Idaho. She will be remembered by her children with fond memories of family trips in the station wagon and minivan (with accompanying road-side repairs), the wooden spoon (“discipline”), lawn mowing and other “volun-told” services (as she would say “you’re doing this for free!”). She was a devoted Kimberly Bulldog! She also loved being a grandmother to her 12 grandchildren.

For over 30 years they were active members in the community. She led a life filled with selfless service for others. She was honored during the Kimberly Good Neighbor Days in 2011 for her years of service. This legacy of service for others will be carried on by those she influenced.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Burke and Beth Sorensen. She is survived by her loving husband, Johnny Andrew; her five children, Brian (Molly) Andrew, Krista (Shawn) O’Dell, Bradley (Amy) Andrew, Kallee Andrew, and Ashley Andrew; 12 grandchildren; brothers: Lee (Joyce) Sorensen, Dellas (Coleen) Sorensen, Mack (Tami) Sorensen; sisters: Jacque (Jim) Glover, Claudia (Dave) Walker, Harriett(Dilworth) Perkins, Mavis Hughes, and Liz (Bret) Chidester.

Funeral Services will be held on January 30, 2016 at 11:00 AM at the LDS chapel in Orderville, Utah, with viewing an hour before services. The burial will be in the Orderville Cemetery. Funeral arrangements were made with Mosdell Mortuary of Kanab, Utah.

A Memorial Service will be held in Kimberly, Idaho on February 6, 2016 at 11:00 AM at the Kimberly LDS Church on Birch Street.

The last few days, I've thought a lot about how precious life truly is. There are times and moments in my life that I wish away. I wish for the next time I can go on vacation, when the next time I won't have to work again, next time I can just relax, next time I won't have any responsibilities...etc To be honest there are times i just wish my life away. I hate that I do this, I want/need to enjoy life more. Every day is a blessing and I take it for granted. 

Star Wars

A few weeks ago, I thought I had an earache so Wain took the day off to come with me to the doctor to figure out why my ear hurt and why the left side of my face hurt so bad. I felt fine I was just in a lot of pain. It was time to figure out what was going on. Long story short I had lock Jaw and my glands were all swollen. It was painful and there was NOTHING they could do for me. I just had to keep ibuprofen.

We didn't want to waste the day away at home. Wain talked me into going and seeing star wars, he has been begging me to go (even though he has already seen it) I went, it was alright NOT something I will go see again. But I enjoyed the time with Wain and that's what was most important to me. 

The cruise

I NEVER want to forget the memories I made with my parents and my older brother Thomas and his family. 

Back in Feb of 2015, my parents were planning on going to serve a 2 week mission that they had done while I was on my mission. Due to some changes the church was making they canceled my parents time in New York. Because of this my parents had plane tickets that they needed to use. They were going to go to Alaska (which they had already been to) so instead my brother talked them into going on a cruise with them. I just happen to be there when this was being discussed so my parents said they would pay for me to go as well :) talk about being in the right place at the right time. 

10 months of waiting seemed like along time but it really didn't. It was here before we knew it.

We started in Miami and cruised to Jamaica, Cozumel mexico, Cayman Islands, and Nassau Bahamas

 We went to Atlantis which I was excited to say I've been there. But all it is a big casino, and lots of very expensive shops in it. They have big water park but there was no way I was going to spend that kind of money to go down some slides. We opted to just go to the beach and play in the water.

                                                                                       

 Thomas, Britney and I went Snorkeling, It was AMAZING. The water was crystal clear, saw so many different types of fish. There was a  guy taking pictures of us with the fish but it was to expensive to buy the desk of pictures. s

                                                                                     

                                                                                         

We did A LOT of shopping, which I loved cause things are CHEAP. Wain and I collect key chains everyone where we go to remember the places we have been. 

                                                       

Suja was our waiter for the entire week we were on the ship. Him and my nephew Tyse were the best of friends. 

It was an amazing 12 days, the only thing missing was Wain. He was unable to go due to work. Next time I will NOT go that long without him (ok maybe it depends on where, whom and what I am doing) It was hard being gone that long without him. But I will always cherish the memories I made with my parents, my brother, SIL, and niece and nephew. 

A New Year

Is it really 2016, where did the last 2 years go? As I have read back on my blog posts, I'm sad that I didn't continue to blog. The passed two years have been wonderful, hard, challenging, and full of adventure. I don't have the time or memory to go back on the last 2 years but I will high light some of the things we have done, gone through, travels and just about our lives. 

Wain: Is still and hopefully makes it his life long job working for what use to be Us Airways and is now American Airlines. He loves it, I love listening to his stories :) He is know a lead which gives him a lot more responsibilities. I'm super proud and happy that he has such an amazing job that he loves. He is still the scout master, which he truly enjoys, he loves the youth, the scouting program and an excuse to go camping. He took the scouts to Utah for a week camp out last year and has taken them camping many times throughout the last year. I love watching him with the youth, it has field a gap in his life and gives him the opportunity to do a lot of manly stuff.
He is STILL into video games, he just got the xbox one which he plays frequently with his buddies and brothers that he does not get to see that often. I don't love the xbox or video games but I try and am trying to be more understanding of this so called outlet/hobby that he needs. He is also working hard in school he is doing the pathway program through BYUIdaho. He changed his major when we moved to Arizona and hardly any of his credits from UVU transferred so its like he is starting over. He has maybe 3 years left. I'm just proud that he is not giving up and going into something that he enjoys (internet security) and that he'll one day be able to support a family. That is Wain in a nut shell.

Alisha: I am STILL at discover card, I started working@home in April and it has truly been a blessing. Especially now that we are back to a one car family. On November 4th I was driving to Kanab to visit my dad who has just wrecked on a 4 wheeler and broke his back. I was about 30 miles south of Flagstaff when I hit black ice and went head on into the mountain. It was the scariest experience and one I hope NEVER happens again. My car was a total loss, I was ok but they still look me away in the ambulance just to make sure I was really OK. I was in such shock that I didn't really know if I was ok or not but they did some X-rays just to double check. It could have been a lot worse and I was/am so thankful for my life. By the looks of the car, I should have been hurt. Angels were watching out for me for sure. We thought about buying another car but it's nice only having one car payment and when I have to go into work it's not a big deal to take Wain to work first.
I am still in the young women presidency, which I LOVE. It's been almost 2 years sense I was called and I could stay FOREVER. The young women program has changed so much sense I've been in there and it's very different how things are done living in a big city then when I was a youth in a small town. I am truly grateful for the young women, a hole in my heart has been filled and that alone has made this calling that much easier. Besides work, young women's I always try to find time to read. I read or try to read a book a month (sometimes more) I started going to the gym with a friend back in July and she recently had to move and it's been hard to go back by myself. I will get back I'm sure.

We've been blessed to do travel quit a bit. me more than Wain :( we made several trips to Saint Louis to visit family, play with nieces and nephews, a family reunion and attend the funeral of Wain's amazing grandpa fuller who passed away of cancer. I married into a wonderful family and for that I truly grateful for. We've also been to Salt Lake number of times (me most of the time) Its nice having my brother Thomas right by the airport that will let me come hangout and be a part of their kids lives. I also went to San Diego for my 30th birthday with one of my girlfriends Myranda Sampson. It was a blast. We went to SeaWorld, the beach, different restaurants, etc. I'm ready to go again :) I also last month on a week cruise to Jamaica, Bahamas, Cayman islands, and Mexico. I went with my older brother Thomas his wife and 2 kids and my parents. We had been planning this trip for almost a year and December 12th it finally came. We had so much fun, the beaches were amazing, the cruise was OK (will go on a different ship next time) ate amazing food, shopped, met a lot of people from all over the world, spoke a lot of Portuguese :) Visited with the locals in the areas we went to. It was an amazing trip and memories that will last a life time. It's not very often that I get to spend one on one with my parents so that one was worth the trip. Next time Wain will come, I missed him and a cruise is just not the same without the person you love.

We are still dealing and coming to accept our lives without children. It will always be hard, I still cry in church when talks are about families and children. I don't think my heart will ever not stop wanting children or will I EVER give up hope that we will have children of our own someday. Adoption is something we are hopefully about it. We have been prompted and felt that adoption is the way we will become parents, and I am OK with that. There are millions of children that need a good loving home and we hope to bring children into our home through the adoption process. It's just so expensive and we know miracles happen all the time. So we will keep you up to date on that one.

This is our journey, and I hope I will keep blogging because I love looking back on the memories of the good the bad and the ugly times we have had.


If you would like to follow me on instagram you are more than welcome to.. Come find me alishaswapp. Lots of pictures to see where we have gone, what we are doing, and our not so boring lives.  I am not currently on facebook taking a break.

Until next time. I will try to post pictures next time.

Remember when...

Remember when I use to blog... Well it's NOT all my fault. Wain finally got our desk top set up (only took him 4 months) But I'm here and I'm ready (I think) to start blogging again. This is my journal, I don't really care if anybody reads it, for me its away to put my feelings out there and to help me remember all the things we have done and accomplished. 

 Where to even begin, I know I can't go back and remember everything so I will just update some of the fun things and NOT so fun things that have been going on in our lives. 

      We've been able to travel, that is one of the great things about Wain's job is that it allows us to travel. His job doesn't pay that great but the FREE flights make up for it. Because without his job we would not be able to see family. I've flown to Salt Lake so many times I can't even count. My brother (Thomas) lives right by the airport so it's super easy to fly to see him and his family. I was just there last weekend. His wife (Britney) and I went and saw the New Hunger games and it was AMAZING. I've never read the books but after watching the second movie it motivates me to want to read the books. I saw the first movie and didn't really get into it. Loved the second one.. It's a must see..
      .I've also been able to travel to Oregon/Washington to visit my old roommate (from snow college days) Eben and her adorable family. It was just a weekend trip but It was much needed and I had a great time.
      We went to Kanab a few weeks ago to what was suppose to be a surprise party for my parents "40th" wedding anniversary. It didn't end up being a surprise. I let my dad know that Wain and I would be coming but didn't tell him that all of his 6 kids were going to be there. The night before we were to come my mom was not feeling well and he ended up telling her because he didn't want us to come if she was sick. I guess that worked cause she was feeling much better. She even called me crying because she couldn't believe we would planned to surprise them. It ended up being a GREAT weekend. We were all there except my brothers Andrew's kids (they live in Texas) I love my parents am so GRATEFUL for all they do for us. My parents are AMAZING and I LOVE them so much. (They are on their way to TX right know and I wish I was going)
        I know we have traveled more than this but I can't think of any other places at the moment. We have tons of plans for next year and I'm so looking forward to traveling more with Wain.

   We also bought another car, it was a MUST, NEED. Driving in Phoenix is CRAZY and driving over a hundred miles a day was just getting really old and lots of $$$. Wain's cousin Andrew works for a car dealership and got us a really good deal on a 2011 nesson rogue. Wain loves it, I've only driven it a few times and I love it, and I love that we don't spend all day in the car :)

 
   To the NOT soo good news, after I had surgery I went back to my fertility doctor and he wanted to check me for diabetes before we start the next step in our infertility journey. I was REALLY nervous about being checked, and I had every right to be. I know I am NOT the healthiest person and I had prepared for the worst news. Two days later, the results came back that I have stage 2 diabetes it's NOT something I am proud of, but I know It's something I control. A week or so later I went to an endocrinologist to have more tests done and to get my health and diabetes under control. I was put on a shot that is to help with weight loss and also metformin (which I've been on before to help with my PCOS) I started eating SUPPER healthy. I have been doing the PALEO diet (google it if you don't know what it is) and exercising. It's been over 2 months and I am done 20 lbs. I  have a lot more to go but I am on the right track. (if only the holiday's was not a time for yummy sweets) I have gone back to the endocrinologist and I have been given the OK to start my infertility treatments again. It takes MONTHS to get into the doctor. Plus I have to be on my period to be able to even go. Which I have to take medicine to even have a period (TMI)  So we are just waiting around and wondering if we are doing the right thing or if we should start looking into other options of having children. I don't want to lose hope that my body will be able to carry a child/children. But there are times that go by that I just want to give up and do what the world would want us to do. Get a dog, travel, not have children at all, and just totally give up on the idea. I'm NOT a person to give up. But my heart, my soul, my drive, my will power, etc is wanting to give up because every MONTH it hurts knowing that we are NOT pregnant again. My entire life I have DREAMED of being a mother, I long for it. I know Wain wants to be a DAD so bad and it huts me to see him hurt.... I hear all the time IT Will happen and to be HONEST I'm tired of hearing that. Because WHAT IF it doesn't???  Anyway I can go on and on how my hurtful comments I get and sometimes the person that is saying the hurtful comments doesn't even know it. Dealing with infertility is painful and again and I BE CAREFUL of the things you say to people dealing with infertility.



Tomorrow being thanksgiving I have so much to GRATEFUL for.. Sometimes I don't realize all that I have but I do have A LOT to be GRATEFUL for.. To name a few things

-My wonderful, caring, loving, funny, sexy, handsome husband
-The gospel
-The Savior
-Our home
-Family
-Temples
-Cars
-Jobs
-Technology
-Freedom
-Health insurance
-Modern Medicine
-Friends
-The beauty of the earth
-Airplanes :)
-Agency
-Food
-Doctors
and the list could go on and ON...

HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO THOSE THAT ACTUALLY READ THIS

Surgery

I have been debating on whether I want to blog about our steps towards having children. We don't want to get our hopes up. But I'm not sure if anybody really reads this so for me it is our journal, if someone does read it I hope that it can help them or somebody they know. 

As most of you know we have struggled with infertility sense the day we got married. I knew when I was about 16 that it would not be easy for me to get pregnant naturally. We have been trying for almost 4 years to do it the natural way, NO LUCK.  We went to an infertility doctor in Utah but we didn't have insurance and it is VERY expensive so we had to stop going. Finally when we moved to Arizona I got a really good job and the insurance covers 85% of our infertility visits. It truly has been a blessing and one I do not take for granted. So this year we finally felt like it was the right time to start the journey once again. I have had so many tests done that I have lost count. One of the tests detected that I had a mass/growth  in my ovaries. My Dr, Dr Larsen (whom is awesome and amazing and what he does) said that It would be the best thing for me to get it removed because it is blocking anything from going into/out of my ovaries and if we wanted to do any infertility treatments it would stop those treatments from working. So Friday (08/02/13) I had it removed. Wain was not able to be there with me. So his Aunt Julie was in town from North Carolina so she volunteered to take me. I thought I would be ok going in by myself but at the last minute I asked if she would stay with me and thank goodness she did. Nurse Holly tried to get an IV in and I passed out. I remember telling them I was going to do but when I came too I had NO idea where I was and I peed my pants YES, I had no control of what is going on. She tried my other hand but she just couldn't get in. So another nurse (can't remember her name) had to be called in. She found a good vain and put it in right away I didn't even feel it. The surgery was really quick and I was home by 1pm. I am super soar, and tired but other than that I am doing well. 

I know that this is the first step to our long journey to parenthood. Whatever the out come may be. I know that the Lord is in control whatever may happen. I am ready to be a mom, I am ready for Wain to be a dad. This has been the hardest thing we have EVER had to go through. I have said it once and I will say it again. I do NOT wish this trail on my worst nightmare, nobody deserves to go through this. I don't know why we have to but I hope I can learn to why I was meant to go through this. I know that I am not alone, there are many women and men going through it. But it doesn't make it any easier. I wish for those of you that can have children easily be careful of the things you say, be mindful of things you put on facebook about being a mother or father. I wish more than anything to be up all night with a crying child, or changing diapers, a stay at home mom, etc. I know my dreams of being a mother will come true, no matter the way our children come we will truly be grateful for the precious gifts that Heavenly Father has given to us.

I plan on updating as our journey continues..... so stay tuned.

We moved!!

We FINALLY did it, WE MOVED. I have NO pictures YET, because it's still in a mess and needs some TLC before I put any pictures up. We moved to the West side of Phoenix, it's still the same distance to work for Wain but has cut my travel time to about 20 minutes which I love. We moved into a house but are still renting, I love it. It feels like home and I love all the space, it's three bedrooms two bathroom, 2 car garage, nice back yard, etc ( I will get pictures up someday) Wain's cousin is also living with us, which has not been to bad (yet) we also live closer to his family.  Anybody who wants to come and visit we have more than enough room for you. We love to have visitors :)

Other news: I went home (kanab) for a week to celebrate the 4th of July and also we had a big Sorensen reunion to celebrate my grandpas birthday. He would have been a 100 years old. I never met him, but I know from the stories I have heard that he was a good man. There was over a 100 of us there. We also stayed in houses up in Zions at a resort. It was tons of fun and it was GREAT to see family I have not seen in years.

I have my surgery scheduled for the 2nd of August (if everything goes as planned) The surgery is to remove a large mass that I have growing in one of my ovaries. I'm nervous but I just know its one step closer to being able to have children. Keep us in your prayers.

Well that's all..tchau