ILA (LUND) BUSCH

I cannot believe it has been 10 years since graduation. Where has the time gone?... A year out of high school I got married. 2 years later I got divorced. Shortly after my divorce was final I met my now husband. He was home on leave from the navy and a mutual friend invited me to a party at his parents house. About a month later I got a random text and it was Cameron. We started talking. When he was home for Christmas in 2008 we went on our first date. We spent basically all our time together that next week til he had to go back to work. He fell for me so much that the day he got back he bought me a plane ticket to go see him for my birthday less than 2 months later. We kept talking over the next month and he decided he couldn't wait any longer to see me and flew to Utah (i was living in Utah at the time). We spent the weekend before valentines day together. And celebrated our first valentines. A few weeks later I flew to Virginia for my birthday. By the end of my trip we decided long distance sucked and nothing was holding me to Utah. So I moved to Virginia a month later. We stayed there til end of July. Cameron decided to get out of the navy and we moved back to Idaho. We decided on Boise to go to school 2 weeks after we moved to Boise we eloped at the courthouse. We both started school about 2 weeks after that. Cameron at BSU and myself at Paul mitchell. In May 2010 we got a huge surprise. We found out we were pregnant with our first. We were not expecting that. August of the same year we had our big wedding. Then Christmas 2010 Desmund Paul Busch was born. He is our world. I've had the honor of staying home with him most of his life. I was Doing hair and waitressing for a while. I graduated from beauty school April 2011. Cameron graduated from school in June 2013 and was having a hard time finding work. So we decided to move back to eastern Idaho and start his own business. He owns and runs an electronic cigarette shop in Idaho falls. He is about to open his second location! Anyway. Life is good. We have definitely had our ups and downs. But things are going really well now!

KARA WARD

Wow! It has been amazing reading all the exciting adventures and wonderful stories from everyone! Look at us all being adults, and parents, and having careers! We are totally awesome! :D

Ok... So, I started off following the Rexburg way of doing things and also attended BYU-Idaho right after graduation.  And although I was technically studying several different things, I mostly just spent all my time dancing! (Big surprise I know)... However, I was very fortunate to get to travel all over the world to places like Russia, Istanbul, and London with my dancing and wouldn't trade that experience for anything! 

April of 2007 I got married to Rilie Fry (I know my name is still Ward, turns out it was not meant to be) but we had an amazingly wonderful and beautiful boy Michael!

 

See? Adorable! And so very smart!! (Bragging mom moment: he learned all his multiplication tables up to eleven this Christmas break, and he is not in first grade!!) anyways, Rilie decided to go to law school so we packed up our little family and moved to Iowa where we both continued schooling! I decided to pursue a degree in something I love and was able to get my bachelors in Performing Arts with an emphasis on acting and television productions/musical theatre! This choice has been so rewarding and opened so many oppurtunities! And most of my income has been through doing choreography for local (or not so local) theaters!! The most rewarding this for though was definitely moving to Manhattan to work for Broadway! ... Turns out the big city is a magical place that is always full of lights and never sleeps! (Seriously, there is always stuff going on and people out and about all the time) I loved my time there! But about the time I got used to the fact that no one sleeps,  Rilie received a job offer back closer to home and we moved back to Pocatello! Shortly after things ended up not working out between Rilie and I and we split ways, but both make our son the highest priority! ... I was lucky to stumble upon my newest passion - training with the International Karate League! I was honored last summer with the responsibility of representing my dojo at the IKL world tournament of champions! I compete in kata (forms- sort of like a choreographed dance of death) and Kumite (fighting- we mostly just beat each other up till the judge decides to give someone a point) it is a challenging and extremely rewarding!!  Karate also introduced me to the new man in my life Kevin Peterson

 

(And I realize now I am terrible at taking pictures of the two of us, but hopefully you can all meet him this summer!) ... Anyways, that is the chaotic life of my last 10 years! Many experiences, some regrets, mostly memories that I will cherish and hope for another ten years like this! I am excited to see you all this summer!

 

NICOLE (TAYLOR) NIELSON

2005 was full of great people.  I have been so impressed as I have read all the fun updates.

I attended BYU-I after high school and received my bachelor's degree in photography.  I met my husband, Scott Nielson, during that time.  Scott is Jamie (Nielson) Larsen's older brother by the way!  We were married in 2006.  We have lived in lots of different places as we finished school, completed internships, went to more school, then finally got a job.  About a year and a half ago my husband was offered a great new job in Idaho Falls and we were thrilled to have the opportunity of living back in Southeast Idaho.  

I have two kiddos.  Addalyn is almost 5.  I'm not sure there is a word that describes her.  She keeps me on my toes and I love her!  Brinley is 2 1/2 and is a smart, sassy, and sweet little girl.  She isn't too excited though that I will be having another child.  I am due not too long after the reunion.  So, if I go into labor at the reunion maybe we can take a vote on the name!!!

You would think that being a photographer I would have an updated family photo, but my husband's rule is we can't take new photos until there is another kid.  He loves family photos...not!  So here is the last one I took.  

I stay at home with my girls and enjoy taking their photos every chance I get.  I am excited to see everyone that can make it in July!

JAREN DICKEY

Oh man, I have truly loved reading everyone’s updates!  It is so fun to hear about everything that is going on in your lives.  I wonder how many kids total our class has spawned so far… J. 

            I have had a wonderful past 10 years.  About a year after we graduated I left on a mission to Peru and loved it!  The people I met there are awesome.  Like about half of the people that have updated so far, I also studied at BYU-Idaho.  Shortly after starting there, I married my senior-year high school crush, Sarah Elizabeth Winn, who also went to Madison.  She graduated 2 years after us (robbing the cradle, I know…).  After marrying in 2009, we both went on to graduate from BYU-Idaho.  Sarah graduated one and a half years before me, and by the time I finally graduated she got her Master’s Degree in Social Work.  Even so, I still had more total credits than her!  Haha! She is so much more efficient than me it is not even funny!

            Shortly after graduating college we had our first child, Hannah.  She has the biggest heart and loves to read books.  Of course, she is too young to actually read, so she just talks a lot while turning the pages.  It is so cute.  More recently, in July of 2014 we moved to St. Louis, MO where I go to medical school at Saint Louis University School of Medicine.  Go Billikens!  Weird mascot, look it up.  By the time the reunion rolls around I will be finished with my first year.  Since arriving in St. Louis we have had our son Caleb, who is now 3 weeks old.  He brings such a calm to our family and enjoys long nursing sessions in the middle of the night.  We love our life here in St. Louis!

             Of course, life isn’t as easy as an update to your high school friends on Facebook comes across (Duh).  However, the ups have been well worth the downs.  I can’t wait to hear what everyone else has been up to.  I plan on being in Rexburg this summer, and I look forward to seeing everyone who can make it there also. 

JOEL DAVENPORT

Oh, okay. So we’re telling people what happened after high school, right? Assuming a lot has changed, and that these changes would be interesting to hear about… I see.

Is this… do we just get one shot at this? I mean, I’m not a surgeon or a dental hygienist… but that doesn’t mean I’ll never become one. What if my job changes later this year and my new job is so much cooler than my old one?

My gut instinct here is to just talk about the cool stuff. I don’t want anyone thinking I’ve gotten fatter or balder or anything like that. You’d judge me so hard!

Where am I living?
Long story short, I live in Korea some of the time and America the other part of the time. While in Korea, I drank a lot of tea and went to Buddhist temples by the ocean. I got acupunctured by authentic Korean acupuncturists. I chilled at Korean saunas and ate lots ofKorean food. I went to coffee shops and watched cherry blossoms fall.

Exhibit A: 

I didn’t do that all of the time, of course. Most days I just stayed in and watched TV. But somehow it sounds more glamorous if I focus on the exotic bits.

My wife and her family are originally from Korea. 인희 and I dated for about 4 years, and then got married for about 4 years. We had two weddings – one in Korea and one in America.

Exhibit B: 

Part of the courtship ritual.

Exhibit C:

So much swag happening here.

What am I doing?
Where we spend a lot of time Country hopping, I’ve generally chosen jobs that are a little more flexible. I’ve worked as a professional English tutor and Freelance designer. Right now I do in-house graphic design for a nonprofit organization.

Exhibit D:This is how I do.

Where are your kidlings?
If you’re looking for cute babies, we don’t have any. Let me clarify: we don’t have any ugly babies either. We are plum out of babies over here.

I don’t know whether I should be smug about that or not. On one hand, our baby would probably be the cutest/smartest baby ever and that would be cool to brag about. On the other hand, I get a lot of sleep right now, and that’s really nice. Babies are so weird.

Exhibit C:

Isn’t she adorable?

Why are you so successful?
I could probably talk more about my education and career, how I bury piles of cash in the mountains, and how my infinity pool keeps filling up with Ferraris. But this isn’t a competition – and I wouldn’t want to embarrass anybody. Also, I don’t want to get robbed. Finally, it’s probably pretty clear that I haven’t consulted my wife about writing any of this. This is our secret, kapeesh?

What else is new?
Lest you remember me otherwise, after graduating high school I started wearing clothing that fits. I traded in my super baggy pants for some respectable hipster jeans. Tailored suits and all that. (Apparently JNCO’s are coming back... how can we stop this from happening? Should we start a petition?)

I don’t know how you remember me, but I have fond memories of ya’ll. Hope things have been good for you the last 10 years. Word on the street is you’re getting close to thirty. Goodluck with that, ha ha.

Exhibit E:

Maybe you remember me like this?

Now it’s my turn to judge!
Finally, those of you who don’t have facebook… are you like an astronaut or something? You should probably get on facebook… because we all left MySpace a long time ago.

Anyways, I hope this isn’t the last time I’m allowed to do this. I know that our faculty fought hard to prevent a future where I have free reign to address the student body at will. But I guess I’ll just add this to my list of accomplishments and hope for another chance 10 years from now.

Have a good summer.

CHANS HUSKINSON

After graduation, right on to mission in New Hampshire area, then came back and went right into school at BYU-Idaho. Graduated in construction management (2011). Job fell through in Arizona so had to deliver Little Debbie snacks around Rexburg until I found a job building cabins in Island Park. Did that for a year and half and found a job in Driggs, ID building million dollar homes and also a wide range of things from restaurants, yurts, and things at Targhee. Found my dream job. I am still single but dating a girl in Utah so spend weekends together either in Rexburg or in Utah. Been dating for 10 months so far and having a lot of fun! Great to read everyone's updates and can't wait to see everyone at the reunion!

SARA (JENSEN) SHIRLEY

Aubrey has threatened to make up an update if I don’t get on it so I thought I better get going!   After graduation I went to BYU-I (surprise, surprise).   I also went to The Make-up Designory in Los Angeles for make-up and air brushing.  So I do make-up on the side for weddings, photo shoots, and ‘how to’ lessons or seminars.   Although lately it is VERY much on the side since I am chasing three kids all over the place.  
     My husband Jason graduated a year before us in school.  We started dating when he got back from his mission in 2007.   January 2008 we got married.  Jason also attended and graduated from BYUI in business/ supply chain.  Since then he has been licensed as a Hearing Instrument Specialist.  So he does Hearing exams/ counseling and prescribes different hearing aids.    
      A year after we got married we had a beautiful little girl named Adalyn (Addie) Estelle.   She is now 6, wants to be a rock star princess (“just like Taylor Swift”), and can talk for hours to anyone who will listen.  She must have gotten that from Jason because it wasn’t from me.   We have a 4 year old Beckham who is spunky, crazy, and keeps me on my toes and running most of the day.  Every time I am getting ready to sell him he pulls out a line like, “Mama I love you more than all the racecars, fire trucks, and motorcycles in the whole world!” and melts my heart so I decide I can keep him after all.   Luca Cruiz is our baby he will be 2 in June.  He is a climber and I spend most of the day taking him down off heights I have no idea how he achieved, funny/ absolutely terrifying.   
       Jason had done summer sales for most of our marriage which has taken us all over the country.  Since we were married we have lived in Rexburg, Idaho Falls, Sugar City and Boise Idaho; Lehi and Spanish Fork, Utah; Fairfax, Virginia; Portland, Oregon; El Paso and Midland Texas; Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado; Chicago, Illinois; Northridge and Aliso Viejo, California; and finally St George, Utah where we live right now.  That is 16 cities in 7 years!  We have loved the adventure but are very excited to settle down.  He is no longer doing sales so we are hoping to be here for quite a while enjoying this amazing weather!  (Although I might change my mind once summer hits).  I can’t wait to see you all in July!!

LYNDIE (LAYTON) KELLY

So fun to read all these updates! It has been a fun ten years that is for sure! I became a dental hygienist in 2009 after attending BYU-Idaho and the Utah College of Dental Hygiene. I married Doug Kelly in September 2009 after he got home from his mission.

We have been in Arizona ever since...I had to get out of the COLD! We have been so blessed and have been able to do a lot of traveling. Two of my favorites have been Thailand and Rome.

This last August we were privileged to become parents to a beautiful little girl that we named Finley.

I work two days a week and Doug works three so one of us is always lucky enough to stay home with Finley. AND we just found out Doug got accepted to CRNA school in California so will be moving there at the end of the summer. Oh ya and we do have a dog named Skippy that we got a few months after we were married and clearly don't give him the attention we used to but we still love him.

It's nice to hear from everyone!

CORTNEY (SIMMONS) GARCIA

I really can't believe 10 years has gone by! After graduation I attended BYU-I. In June 2006 Gary and I were married. 

 I graduated with my bachelors in Nursing and worked on the medical/surgical floor at Madison Memorial Hospital while Gary finished his bachelors in Business/Finance. After his graduation and 2 long years of testing and waiting, Gary was accepted to the Combat Systems Officer program in the Air Force. He went through 3 months of Officer training in Alabama at the end of 2011, and in January 2012 we moved to Pensacola, Florida for his Combat Systems Officer training. 

He graduated from that in March 2013 and we were assigned to Hurlburt Field, just 40 miles east of Pensacola, where Gary trained as a sensor operator on the U-28 reconnaissance airplane. When we moved to Florida I got a job at the hospital working on the Cardiac floor. In March of 2014 Gary left on his first deployment (he deploys for 3 months, the he's home for 6 months. Repeat). 

In August 2014 we added our beautiful baby boy, Benson, to our family. 

I have since quit working and enjoy staying at home with Benson. Gary is currently on his second deployment and is scheduled to return at the beginning of April. We absolutely love where we live and definitely take advantage of living just 2 miles from the beach. I hope to be able to make the reunion, but we will see! Keep the updates coming. They are so fun to read!

KAYLEE (AHRENDSEN) WEBER

Hello everyone! After graduation, I attended BYU-Idaho and then took a break in 2008 to serve a mission in Nauvoo, Illinois. When I returned, I went back to BYU-Idaho and received my bachelor’s degree in Social Work. I guess I felt like I hadn’t gone to school long enough because I then decided to continue my education at ISU.

In December of 2011, I married a local Rexburgite, JC Weber. I then graduated with my Master’s in school counseling in 2013. Two months later, in August of 2013, our son Payson was born. JC graduated from BYU-Idaho a year later in financial economics and now works as a financial analyst at a company here in Rexburg.

I am lucky to be able to spend my time at home with Payson who definitely keeps me plenty busy! Last fall I had the opportunity to teach an online class for BYU-Idaho. It was a great opportunity that I hope to continue in the future. We are expecting our first little girl this upcoming June and are in the process of building our first home. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion this summer!