How a lifelong BYU fan now loves the University of Utah.

I grew up as a Brigham Young University fan.  I avidly watched BYU sports. I owned BYU hats, and shirts.  My favorite color has always been blue; I've owned few red shirts. Three of my immediate family members, and many extended relatives, graduated from BYU.  In short, through childhood experiences, and family association I clearly should prefer BYU over it's "rival" the University of Utah.  Up to this month, that has always been the case.

On March 05, 2014 that preference changed; dramatically and permanently. That was the day that I received a notice from the University of Utah Nurse Practitioner Program.

"Congratulations! You have been admitted for graduate study at the University of Utah for Fall 2014 in the program of Nursing Practice DNP."

Those who are close to me recognize how long I've been working towards becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner.  I've had several detours along the way, including two bouts with cancer and two separate bachelors degrees.  It was relieving to hear the news that I am going to enter into the final portion of my education. I'm not sure who was more relieved. Myself that I got into my primary choice; or my wife who was relieved that she didn't have to deal with a husband stressing over more applications.

After the euphoria of receiving news of my admittance it wasn't long until I realized that I could no longer dislike the Utes. In fact, I should probably start actively cheering for them. This was no small paradigm switch. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that my father also underwent a paradigm switch of his own. 

My father unveiling a brand new Utah shirt

This seems slightly unfamiliar

His paradigm switch could only go so far.  He thought about but just could not convince himself to buy a shirt with the full Utah red.  A black shirt with "Utah" and the Ute logo was as far as he could go. His personal qualms did not stop at buying matching shirts for my wife and baby.

 It still feels slightly weird to say this, but it has to be said..

GO UTES!

Puddle Jumping

I've been looking forward to this day for several weeks. Today it rained. It did not turn into snow, and it wasn't cold.  Andrew was finally going to do something that every child should experience.

Jump into puddles.

 I had to demonstrate how to do it at first, but he caught on pretty quickly.



He jumped into puddles a bit deeper than I was expecting.