Blessings

After a week of extreme stress and anxiety, I am so relieved to finally feel some of that lifted. Last Saturday Kiel and I were on a date when we recieved a phone call from my parents. Somehow they broke the news to us that my mom's liver was completely engolfed in cancer. The news came as a total shock; she is only in her 40s and still has 6 little kids at home. None of us were expecting it. To tell the truth when they called and said they had something to tell us the first thing I thought was that they were going to have ANOTHER baby! I was so wrong. So after a couple of very difficult days and after talking with my sisters in NY, we decided that we were going to go ahead and go home to be together and deal with this together. So we got tickets and flew to Arizona yesterday morning. It has been such a blessing! It is so wonderful to see my mother so happy and healthy looking, you would never know anything was terribly wrong. She is the one holding our hands and telling us everything is great and exactly how it should be or this wouldn't be happening at all. It is such a blessing to be able to be here and feel her positive influence even in the midst of such a huge trial. She has been an amazing example and has tought me so many lessons through her example but I think that she is teaching me the most right now by placing all of her faith so happily in Heavenly Father at this time when I know I would be freaking out and without a doubt considering all of the negative possibilities of the future. But she doesn't dwell on the negative at all--she just keeps saying how happy she is that we are all here right now and her only concern is for how it is affecting us. She is just so unselfish!

When my parents told us about mom's cancer they also told us that they were planning a two week trip to Hawaii so we could go and spend time together enjoying eachother and making memories. We have always wanted to go to Hawaii as a family (my parents never invited me for some reason every other time they've gone...) and right now seemed like the perfect oppertunity. We are leaving for Hawaii on the 3rd and coming back exactly two weeks later...isn't that great?! We will be on Oahu and Maui and maybe visit a few other islands. However...as great as going to Hawaii would normally be it was overshadowed by the reality of the situation. But we were blessed again today! My mom had a biopsy yesterday and recieved the results today. She didn't have the form of cancer the Dr thought she had which would have given her a few weeks, or a few months at best. Rather she has a form of cancer which is a very slow-growing cancer. That presented the possibility of months or maybe even years rather than weeks...what a total relief!! However, we also found out that the cancer is in several other organs and areas so a liver transplant is no longer an option. So we will wait for a few more tests and see just how quickly the tumors are growing. And although we might only have a few weeks to enjoy together, we might even have a few years!! I will enjoy Hawaii so much more knowing that! What a blessing!!!!! What a blessing to be surrounded with family that makes this so much easier! Aunt Christine is taking care of the whole Hawaii trip for us and aunt Jenise flew in to spend the weekend here and she always makes everything more fun...Its just so great!

I really want to thank everyone for their prayers in our behalf, especially my mother's. I know it makes such a difference and I have already seen the power prayer has whether its an answer as we would most like it or whether its an answer of comfort...I am so blessed to have the assurance that comes from knowing there is someone who loves us so much and is acutely aware of our every need and desire and wants so bad to give us what we want but knows what we need and always guides us in the way that is ultimately best. Thank you so much for your prayers and support!

Caleb and his daddy wrestling

I tried to email this video to some family members but I guess the file is too big so it wouldn't send...anywho, I'm just posting it on here. Lucky the rest of you. It is kinda a long video but Caleb laughs so cute in the end I couldn't cut any off!! Caleb is so lucky to have such a great daddy and Kiel is lucky to have such a cute, fun baby...and I'm so lucky to have them both! Isn't life great that way??

The Igarashi's

We would like to introduce you all to the beautiful family that has so graciously invited us to stay in their home for the entire 3 months we are in Japan: The Igarashi's! They have one son, Midori, that lives at home and is going to highschool and one daughter, Juri, who is attending BYU-Hawaii...Lucky huh?!? They also have a big black dog, Jack. Caleb will love that!! No fear! We are so excited and honored to go to Japan this summer and stay with the Igarashi's!! Thank you!!!

a WeEk Of LoVe

Our valentines celebration started Monday night when we went to Costco to have a cheap dinner...or so we thought dun dun dun. As we were sitting there eating, in a half hour time span 5 people walked out with this same 42" TV. We were thinking...what the heck? Must be a good deal! So just for fun we went to see what the good deal was and yes it was good! Vizio just came out with a new version of their 42" TV so Costco was trying to get rid of the rest of the older version by dropping the price a couple hundred bucks. There were 3 TVs left when we got there and as we were contemplating what a good deal it was ppl came and took two of the TVs.So we loaded the last one onto a cart while we kept thinking about it and called several ppl to verify we wouldn't get a better deal in the next couple years. In the end we chose to buy it. I can't believe we did that! Although we got it on a killer deal it is still the biggest purchase we've ever made! We decided to get it partially because we recieved an email earlier that day telling us that Kiel got the Orca grant ($1,500!) so we used a little of that to get the TV. We sure have been enjoying it and can't wait till the switch to HD! We decided to make the TV our valentines present (and birthday present and every other holiday present for the next 5 years) to eachother.However, we continued to enjoy the theme of love throughout the rest of the week by doing avacado and yogurt facials...the avacadoes were super cheap too! I don't think I mashed them up enough though because our facials were slightly chunky. And we didn't know how long to leave them on so we ended up wearing them for like 45 minutes. I'm pretty sure that was long enough because our faces were smooth and silky! Valentines day we just chillaxed and watched a movie after Caleb went to bed. It was a great week and what topped it all off was that Kiel didn't have school on Monday! It is so great having him home.

Happy Valentines Day Love!! I am so grateful for the wonderful husband you are--I LOVE YOU!

For Grandma P, With Love <3

Deer Grandma Petramalo,
I mis You so much. I am sAd thet yoU dont git to sea All the New thiNgs I learn to dO each Day. so I had Mommy take loTs off pituRes so I Cood show you wUt a big boy i am! I cant' wate to sea You in a munth! i hope you injoy thEse pitures i Took 'specialy four you. show them tO Grampa and aunt Mary and Aunt Alli and Uncle StepHen and Uncle uncle Uncle Tommy two.

i Grewed teetH all by mySelf

i can pLay in thu Top of my exersaucer and in the bOttom uf It!
I can hold One toy in my moUth While i hold another toy in My hAnd

I caN wake uP with cool haredoos

i Am a BuddiNg GymNast
I helP mommy in the kichin...wut wood She do Without mE??
im jUst perty dang CUTE!
Luv yoU Grandma! MuaH!
Luv, Yur favorIte Grandson :)

HAPPY 24TH BIRTHDAY LOVE!

Last Wednesday was my favorite person in the whole world's 24th birthday! But he was gone cross country skiiiiing all day so we just did something small and celebrated big on Saturday! Special thanks to all those who came and made it fun! It was a lot of fun and it was great seeing Kiel's friends again. We played Mario Party, Killer bunnies, ate pizza, and my favorite- talked a lot! Yay for another year of studying, babies, I mean Caleb, stressing, homework, resume builders, traveling, and L-O-V-E! Yes, it will be great.

HaPpY bIrThDaY sWeEtHeArT!

Japan- Here we come!

After several months of nerve-racking anticipation, we finally received THE email. WE ARE GOING TO JAPAN!!! Can I just say we are so excited?!?! Kiel was accepted to an internship to Matsumoto, Japan where he will be writing for a newspaper for 3 months this summer. He will be writing one article a week on pretty much any topic. We will also have a VIP pass to all the cultural events so that he can write on those.
It is quite an accomplishment that he got the internship; he is the first full American to be accepted for the internship. All the others have been at least part Japanese. He is also the first married applicant to be accepted. But what can I say? They'd be crazy not to take such a smart, talented, Japanese-speaking writer! And Kiel has really wanted to go back to Japan since he finished serving his mission there 3 years ago. I'm so excited to go and experience it with him! Too bad I don't like seafood or asian food.
Matsumoto is kinda in the middle of Japan and, like the rest of Japan, is very green and pretty! We have spent the past few weeks googling every picture available on Matsumoto. Here is a picture of a famous castle in Matsumoto:
So the next few months are going to be very busy for us! However, I think the most difficult thing for me will be to decide what few things I can't live without for 3 months....I only get to take 2 bags!! I take 2 bags when I'm going to AZ for a week!
But I'm so excited for this adventure that we get to take this summer and I am so so grateful for a husband who works so hard to excel in everything he does so we get to have these opportunities. He is truly my hero!

25 Random Things About Gretchen Petramalo Willmore

I have been tagged for this thing at least 23 times so on this day of boredom I am going to fill it out. I guess I tag all of you so if you were just dying to fill it out here's your opportunity to jump on the bandwagon with the millions of others who have already done so. I look forward to reading yours!~*~

1. When I was little I wanted to have 12 children. Now that I have one I want even more than that!
2. I sold my first art piece when I was 10 to my uncle for $100. It was a charcoal drawing of Goofy.
3. I love to sing more than anything in the world but you can not pay me enough to sing a solo. However, if there was a second person singing with me I would happily sing at the next presidential inauguration.
4. I have already designed my future house and it includes an indoor basketball court because I like watching basketball...but Kiel vetoed that idea when I told him about it last week...
5. I got my Associates degree when I was 18.
6. I love the sun and hate the snow. My ideal afternoon includes soaking up sun and sipping lemonade.
7. I was officially (on a knee with a ring) proposed to twice before I said YES!!! to Kiel.
8. When I was younger my family would spend 3 or 4 months during the summer traveling and I can't wait till Kiel and I can to do that with our family!
9. I have moved 7 times during my life.
10. I dropped out of highschool my junior year.
11. I have never cussed in my life.
12. I am deathly afraid of the ocean. I will only go waist deep and that's still freaky.
13. When I chose my major my only demand was that I didn't have to take math for it. So I ended up doing linguistics.
14. I used to be a ballerina. For a year.
15. I have started writing two books and one day at least one will be published.
16. The thing I hate doing most is cleaning the kitchen. I'd rather clean the bathroom.
17. I am OCD about making the bed in the morning.
18. If I could go back and change my major I would major in interior design.
19. My favorite TV show is American Idol and my favorite TV show to watch with Caleb is Arthur.
20. I am a huge PHX Suns fan...but I'm trying to switch over to the Jazz...Its a hard transition.
21. I want a great pyranees when I grow up and Kiel wants a min schnauzer. My dog will eat his dog for a snack.
22. I have never watched an R-rated movie in my life.
23. I have found out I'm not very republican but I'm DEFINITELY not democrat and will never be...so I guess I'm part of the opinionated political group of 1.
24. I switch between ultra health food conscious and a junk-food junkie about every 3 weeks.
25. We have saved approximately $140 since we got married by me cutting Kiel's hair.