What did Brydon do for 2 years?

Well you may be wondering what Brydon did to receive a Master's in Public Health. For the past year, he has been working with an amazing professor, Dr. Jennifer Taylor, on a project for the International Association of Fire Chiefs. He has been evaluating their Near-Miss Reporting System to see how they can improve the system and what the current data in the system is telling them. This system is for any Firefighter that has a close call at work. So maybe someone almost fell threw the floor or there was a gas leak that could have exploded but didn't. When these occur, any firefighter in the nation can enter a report in the NMRS. The hope is that if enough data is collected then this system can help predict future problems before they happen. Brydon was able to give the IAFC many recommendations about how to fix the system and also found a few predictors for future hazards. It was a really big and complicated project that is now a 102 page book. He "rocked" his thesis defense(as quoted by his mentoring professor). I had the great opportunity to go watch him and it was so neat to watch him share everything he has accomplished in the past year. Below is a picture of Brydon with his poster presentation of his results.

Brydon's Graduation

Well he did! On June 11th Brydon graduated from Drexel University with a Master's in Public Health. It was a great day! We were fortunate enough to have Brydon's parents and his little sister and her husband come to the cermony and spend time with us. We are so proud of Brydon!

Finding Joy in Life

So the past few months have just not worked out like we had hoped. We did graduate but other than that we have no job, no way to even think about having more kids, student loans are running out, and there has been emotional stuff like family drama and dear friends moving away. Plus Brydon was just recently called as the 2nd Counselor in the Bishopric and it has us rethinking some of our future plans. Some days I do great and have lots of hope and faith, other days not so great and it is hard to remember that the Lord can see the big picture. But I have found some great things that have helped.

First is reading my scriptures every day. Even if it is a couple verses. Just the act of picking them up and reading a little everyday makes life a little easier to handle. I am more patient and less quick to anger.


A dear, amazing friend recommended this book to me and it really couldn't have been more perfect. Sis. Okazaki is an amazing woman who has weathered some very tough trials. Her attitude, stories, and quotes were very inspirational and a big help to me as I have come to accept the life I currently live.


Exercise is like taking my "happy pills" everyday. It helps me stay sane and I like myself better. I feel happier, more confident, and more productive when I have exercised. I miss running but the elliptical has become my new best friend. I can still get a great workout but my heel doesn't hurt as much after. It is amazing what just a little exercise can do for the brain.


Spending time with these wonderful people reminds me that there is very little in life you truly need to be happy. Their humble prays and powerful faith remind me of the power of the "refiner's fire". They have suffered so much and yet have an unwavering faith in Christ. They lead simple, poor lives and yet find so much joy. I am so grateful I get to have them in my home on a regular basis.


And of course, I saved the best for last. Everyday I get to spend time with my beautiful little family is a blessing. I am so grateful for the times we get to play and work together. It has not been easy to weather these storms together or to always understand each other, but I am grateful for family time and what it does for the soul.