Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped - turned upside down

And I'd like to take a minute

Just sit right there

I'll tell you how I became .... well not the prince of Bel Air. 

{1}

Before we met, Stephen and I both desired to see the world.  Early in our dating relationship, we discussed "hypothetically" moving abroad together for school.  We investigated many graduate programs internationally, looking for the perfect "dream" school.  Quickly, we discovered the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), and were sucked in by it's magic.  I was drawn to one research group in particular, the IRIS Lab, who specialized in medical nano-robotics.   It was the perfect school for us, but then again - this was all a pipe dream.  We weren't even married. 

{2}

Stephen and I continued to work hard in school and research.  Stephen was working for a professor on dialectric spectroscopy of proteins (aka what do proteins do in an electric field).  I worked with a professor on Sodium MRI for breast cancer research. 

{3}

Fast forward a year, Stephen and I are newlyweds.  I am flipping through IEEE Spectrum (aka the electrical engineer's cool stuff magazine) when an article called "Magnetic Mircobots to Fight Cancer" piqued my interest.  Reading through this article, I learned that there were 6 groups in the world performing nano-robotic surgery.  One of the leading groups was using MRI to guide the nanobots through the body.  I then recognized that this group happened to be the IRIS Lab at ETH.  What the what??!!  I literally shouted for joy.  Not only was I in exactly the right research field for where I wanted to go with my career, but my dream path was being created at the school that I wanted to attend with the professor and research group that I was most interested in. 

{4}

At the end of that semester, a professor asked us to switch our senior project to the light dresses.  The Ballroom Dance Company was going to Europe in the spring and needed engineers to join them.  Unfortunately,  I was registered for a class in the spring that was a requirement for graduation, and there was no wiggle room.  I was incredibly bummed.  A few days later,  I was walking with another professor and he mentioned I could get credit during spring term for going on tour.  WHAT?!  You mean I can work on the light dresses over spring term (which I will have to do anyway) and go to Europe, AND get credit?  Done.  Decision made.  I could move my schedule around and still have the required credits to graduate. 

{5}

The following semester we worked insane hours on the light dresses preparing for tour.  And we kept up classwork, callings, club responsibilities, research, and ambassador presentations.  We'll just say it was a crazy busy semester. 

We learned that we would be touring in Switzerland, and that we would have a morning to explore Zurich.  Perfect, we can visit the University!  We had been communicating with an American graduate student in the IRIS Lab, and planned to meet him while in Zurich.

The light dresses almost didn't make it, but through a series of miracles they worked flawlessly!  Tour was a success, and we had a fun time.  Zurich was perfect.  ETH was perfect.  We tried not get our hopes up too much.

{6}

That fall we submitted our applications for graduate school, crossed our fingers, and prayed.   

{7}

In March, we received the news that we were accepted to ETH and I would be working in the IRIS Lab.  As it turns out, ETH was the only university (aside from BYU) to accept both Stephen and I.  Coincidence, I think not.

{8}

Our visa applications were supposed to take 8-10 weeks to get approved.  We were approved in 4. 

{9}

Zurich housing is a nightmare.  A zillion applicants, crazy amounts of documentation, last minute showings, and a requirement to meet in person.  It would be next to impossible to secure an apartment before arriving - even if we flew to Zurich beforehand.  We had tried.  Hundreds of emails sent and phone calls made.  We accepted the fact that we would likely be living in a hostel for a month while securing our own housing.   And then there is the whole CRAZY EXPENSIVE part. 

Well... this week we signed a contract for an apartment.  

We know the Lord is working in our lives.  

It is so obvious to us. 

We don't know what the future holds, 

but we are excited for the adventure

and can't wait to be the Lord's hands in Switzerland. 

As of late

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Stephen and I have been working away and enjoying our time between school.  

Stephen is building iOS and Android apps for his friends' startup company. 

I am designing fMRI software for a medical imaging company. 

Coming home to a homework-less evening has been fabulous. We actually have time to go to the rec. center, hang out with friends, study German, and participate in all our church activities!  Even though we are making money now, we are tightening our bootstraps because living in Switzerland is not going to be cheap. 

Oh, 

Did I forget to mention that?

We are moving to Zurich in August. 

Stephen and I were both accepted to graduate programs at 

ETH (The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology).

Several people have asked, "Why Zurich?" 

1.  ETH is one of the top universities in the world, particularly in Engineering and Technology.  It is an alma mater to 21 Nobel Laureates including Albert Einstein.  ETH is also home to the top medical nano-robotics research group in the world, which I have the opportunity to work with.  Crazy, right?

2.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has members in Switzerland, but the numbers are not as strong as in the states. There is a temple 40 minutes from the university, and we would have many opportunities to serve and help bring the church out of obscurity. 

3.  Switzerland is one of the safest places to move abroad.  It is the one of the most politically and economically stable countries in the world, and has the highest quality of living. 

4.  It's Switzerland.  A beautiful country with rolling green country side, beautiful clear lakes, and the Alps.  Switzerland is at the heart of Europe and a prime starting point for travel.  The city of Zurich is pristine, clean, quiet, peaceful, and absolutely breathtaking.   Pedestrians have right of way.  Health and physical fitness are a part of every person's life and the atmosphere is uplifting and invigorating. 

5.  It felt right.  Before Stephen and I knew each other, we had desires to move abroad.  As we dated we "hypothetically" talked about our studies in Europe together.  When we visited the university last summer it seem like time stopped, and that perfect city felt strangely like home.  Now, after so many incredible bits and pieces have come together in ways that only divine intervention could design, we have been given the opportunity to seize the day and make our dreams come true.  

It is humbling to think that Heavenly Father believes in us enough to present us with this opportunity.  We want more than anything to show him that he is right, we can do this, we can make a difference. I hope to make him proud.  

If all goes as planned, we will have our visa's and move to Zurich mid-August (leaving Utah mid-July). Our doors are always open, if you need a place to stay while traveling abroad. Though we can't guarantee there will be a luxurious amount of room ;)  

2013 Goals

Yes. 

This post is over a month late. 

Better late than never, right?

ALI'S GOALS:

# Journal once/week

# 100% Visiting Teaching

# Work on posture

# Read entire Old Testament

# Improve personal prayer

# Publish a paper

FAMILY GOALS:

# Attend the temple 52 times

# Visit 10 temples in Utah

#Start to finish ordinances (baptism - sealings) for a couple 

in SLC temple in a single day

# Family prayer morning and evening

# FHE, 7:00 every Monday

# Apply to graduate school

# Graduate

# Home by 10:00 pm, bed by 11:00 

*extreme cases warrant an exception

# Write Lexi once/week

# Finish special projects 

snow shoe soles, iPhone apps, Stephen's books

Admittedly, we have already broken the bedtime rule several times due to senior project deadlines. 

Other than that we are doing good so far.

Here's to a new year!

What are your goals?

I checked my phone for pictures to see if it was real.

Marathon dream. But it's pretty dang ridiculous. So you should read the whole thing. You will be glad you did.


I was in a big city, it was summer.
My mom, sisters and I were walking through the streets shopping
when I saw Kim Kardashian and her little boy Liam walking next to us.
Kim was wearing trouser dark denim jeans, heels, fitted tee, flowy sweater jacket, and sunglasses.
My mom started talking to the other Kim,
and they "bonded".
As we kept walking,
we came to our resort.
Turns out,
Kim and Liam were staying at the same resort.
Before we went inside,
my mom gave Kim a big hug and said,
"I'm so glad there are modest people like you in the world to be a role model"
I nearly busted up laughing.
The look on Kim's face was one of embarrassment for my mom.
My mom clearly did not know who Kim Kardashian was,
and I don't know if she even knew this Kim was famous.....

So we go inside, change, and head to the pool.
We see Kim and Liam playing at one end.
My mom waves.
Then we decide we are hungry,
so we go to the FOOD COURT
at our resort.
It's a giant 3-story building filled with every single fast food and Chinese restaurant in existence.
after a very long time trying to decide what to eat,
we order and they deliver it to our lounge chairs.
I don't even remember what I decided on....

As we are eating,
the huge waterfall at one end of the pool lights up and starts moving forward.
The lower tier of the waterfall turns into a water covered stage,
and from under the upper tier out walks Dolly Parton.
She starts performing this huge concert.
EVERYONE is dancing.
Including Dolly, who is up on the side of the pool kind of being naughty.
When Dolly finishes,
The lights change.
Next to the waterfall there appears an indoor surfing machine.
Out pops Justin Bieber.
Surfing.
On the side of the pool.
As he's performing,
(while surfing)
He keeps looking at me and winking.
The whole time I have to take pictures because I cannot get over what is happening around me.
But the whole Justin thing is creeping me out a bit.

The performance ends.
We head inside
AFTER saying goodbye to Kim and Liam.
Then head out.

We're now driving through a beautiful countryside.
We stop at an old ranch that has been transformed into a gorgeous, chic boutique, restaurant, and hangout.  After walking around, buying a few things,
eating a few things,
I notice one of the super awesome girls I went to BYU-Hawaii with.
Turns out she owns the place.
She designed all the clothing and trinkets in the boutique,
and is SUPER successful.
She was married and had a little blonde boy.
But the father is always away - either for business or military, I didn't ask -
so we didn't get to meet him.
My mom makes one of her classic moves,
and spills on her shirt.
So what does she do?
Walks into Catherine's closet and starts trying on shirts.
Not the boutique,
Catherine's CLOSET.
My jaw is hanging wide open, I'm in utter shock of what is going on.
After trying on nearly 2 dozen tops,
my mom decides on a Louis Vuitton cardigan and sweater tank number.
Her shoes somehow were ruined too,
so she grabs a pair of hunter green Prada flats from Catherine's closet.
As we head out to leave,
My mom says bye and thanks to Catherine.
I'm still without words.

Then we drive to our next resort.
In the hotel room -
solid white and crystal -
I decide to unpack and lay down.
I go to bring my toiletries into the bathroom,
and it looks like a temple baptismal font.
No joke.
It's exquisite and vaguely familiar.
Come to find out,
They are about to begin construction on a new LDS temple next door,
and are trying out a few new design ideas here in this resort
so they can be perfected before being implemented in the temple.

Then some other things happened,
I think I may have gotten on a Deer Valley ski lift at some point...
And there may have been a little Michael Buble too..
I just can't remember all of it.


It was crazy I tell you,
CRAZY.
Not going to lie - I almost checked my phone when I woke up this morning to see if those pictures of Kim Kardashian, Dolly Parton, and Justin Bieber were actually there.