Finding Purpose in Limbo...

 Wow, to be honest I forgot I had a blog...Is blogging even a thing anymore?  I feel like now if people blog they actually have a theme or a purpose to their blog.  Their blogs tend to look amazing and the minute you go to start one of your own you cut it short because yours will never amount to theirs.  Maybe that's just me though haha.

I'm not going to even try to play catch up because lets be honest that would be a blog post that would be extremely long and no one would really read it haha.

Anyways, life has been busy but not exactly expected.  I have mentioned before on Instagram that growing up I always had  a set of goals in life that I wanted to achieve.  They went a lot like this:
1. Go to College (check)
2. Get married to a super hott guy in the temple (check)
3. Buy a house (check)
4. Have kids (blank)

I don't know about you but I always saw myself as a stay at home mom while my husband worked and we would live happily ever after.  About 2 years ago our lives were going pretty great.  Chris graduated, he quickly got a job, we bought a house and things were going good.  Me being the pessimistic person that I am I remember telling Chris that I was waiting for the other shoe to fall. Well after about a year of trying to get pregnant that other shoe fell.  We found out that it was going to be difficult to have kids.  I wont go into more detail because that aspect is a little too private but it was hard.  I went through these back and forth emotions of.... I should feel bad for myself to...I shouldn't feel bad for myself because others have tried for more years and we are still young.  I try to be optimistic most days but some days are rough.  Last night Chris and I were talking and I finally figured out how this trial has affected me (for now anyways).  For the last 4-5 months I have felt stagnant.  I feel stagnant at church, I can't seem to accomplish goals and I just don't have much drive to do anything.  I mean I have drive in the beginning but the longer it goes the less drive I have and I don't finish things.  In a way I feel like I have lost my purpose.  My purpose for so long has been to get pregnant.  Now
I don't know what to do because that has been put on hold and I don't know for how long.  So for now i'm trying to find my purpose and make new short term goals.

This morning Chris and I had a meeting with the bishop for fast offerings and while we were there he gave us this handout that said:

When the focus of our lives is on Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening or not happening in our lives.  Joy comes from and because of him.  He is the source of all joy.
 -Joy and Spiritual Survival President Russell M. Nelson

So.....the point I am trying to make is that I need to focus more on Christ and through that I will have joy and purpose.

Night,
Kaylie

I could not love a human more than I love this guy right here.  I wouldn't pick anyone else to go through life with.  

Christmas Part 1

Christmas 2014
Our Christmas was spent in Washington D.C in a little town called Haymarket.  We flew out on Friday around 3:00 in the afternoon.  I was extremely worried that the airport was going to be overflowing with people so we got their really early.  Luckily I was very wrong and we made it to the terminal with plenty of time to spare.  Our flight was nice and uneventful and we landed at Reagan Airport around ten in the evening. 

On the plane to D.C

We had a very fun trip spent with Chris' family.  It was the first time in about four years that we were all together due to missions.  

We visited the D.C temple which is beautiful by the way.  Chris' parents work at the temple on Saturdays so we were able to see them in action.  

During our visits to Virginia one of the many highlights is eating lots of yummy food that we don't normally get in Arizona.   Every year we eat at a yummy Indian restaurant called Indian Ocean.  It didn't disappoint.   They have the best butter chicken. 

Another yummy restaurant that we love to eat at on Christmas Eve is an italian restaurant in Georgetown called Filomena's.  

Chris and Justin got a HUGE seafood platter.  Chris said it was delicious!

All back together again!

Another yummy stop in Georgetown was Georgetown Cupcakes!  Usually the line goes around the building but we got lucky and the line only went to the door!  I got a peanut butter chocolate lava cupcake and chris got a strawberry cupcake.  Nate devoured his before we got home haha

.

On one day we all ventured out to Pennsylvania.  Ever since I went back east my junior year of high school and got an Amish pretzel I have craved for another one.  Well, I finally got one!  Yummy!  We also went into a cute little grocery store and found a few fun things!  Chris found a whole box full of just the marshmellows from Lucky Charms and I found a whole box full of Peanut Chews!  Chris also found a fun hat that he really wanted to get but didn't.  He claimed he could use it in Kanab to keep his ears warm.  

Christmas was so much fun!  Justin gave us all ugly sweaters for his christmas present.  It was the best mostly because Chris wouldn't have ever worn something like that if I had given it to him :)  He looked fantastic haha.  He was not so thrilled.

The sister missionaries came over for Christmas dinner  and we played the game.  If you know our family then you know how fun the "game" is haha.  It was Justin's and Nate's first time playing it and I'm pretty sure they enjoyed it.  

I also made my traditional apple pie for desert.  I got lucky this year with the crust.  Usually it doesn't work so well for me.

On the day after Christmas we drove to Hershey Pennsilvania.  It was a lot of fun!  Before we got to Hershey we took a little side trip and saw three mile island.  Chris was really excited to see it.  

In Hershey there was so much chocolate everywhere!  It''s also really cool because all the streets have hershey kisses for lights.   

We had such a fun trip with everyone.  This week we are in Kanab for our 2nd Christmas.  

Sorry if there are spelling errors.....I figured I should just post it since i've been working on it for the last two weeks haha.

Best wishes,

The Gardners

Easter & Other Things

Hi everyone!

We have had a couple of fun filled weeks haha.  Chris is in his last 2 week of school!!!  It's hard to believe that he is almost done.  Our whole marriage he has been in school.  We are both so excited for a new chapter of life!

For Easter weekend we headed up to Kanab.
While we were there we did.....

Shooting

 

(Apparently I shoot with my eyes shut...every picture my mom took I have my eyes shut!....OOPS!)

Eating....Lots of Eating!

Decorated Easter Eggs

Of course Chris had the most detailed egg!

 

Out of everyone though Papa Dave spent the most time on his.  He is the artist in the family.

 Josh bet my dad that he couldn't crack an egg....well he lost the bet a couple of times.

More Eating

Celebrated Chris' birthday.

The big 25

Moegly always likes to sing along

The week before Neil took us out to dinner to celebrate Chris' birthday.  He chose Firebirds.

Neil also took everyone to a baseball game while he was in town.  

Well that's all for now.  Have a great weekend!
Kaylie