2,150 Miles: Moving Day

We said goodbye to our home in Malad.

Moving day started early at seven with breakfast in our empty kitchen.

With help from the Jenkins', some church friends, and my extraordinary family we loaded up, lunched, and left town by 2:00 pm.

After a very long drive and an hour with a screaming Ollie, we rolled into Laramie, WY just after 11:00 pm and fell into bed. We were so very tired, and so very, very happy to be done for the day.

Is She Cute?

A kid from the ward came over the other day to introduce us to a new online shopping experience that would change our lives...

After the pitch, he asked if we had any siblings...we assumed that he was trying to get to know us.

No. He was fishing.

"So how old is your sister?"

He asked.

"Can I have her number?"

He pushed.

"Is she cute?"

He continued.

"She looks just like me."

I said.

We all know it's true.

In fact, remember the picture I posted awhile ago with my favorite head scarf? Yeah...even my Mom admitted to almost asking me why I had a picture of Heather on my blog for a post about my Monday. She wasn't in Malad that day, was she?

So this kid says.

"Yeah, but is she cute...what would you say Jesse?"

This young man was not deterred by the six hour drive from Malad to Cedar City. He was not concerned when I told him that Heather would, very possibly, be spending the summer in China.

"So, can you give me her number?"

He pressed.

I took his number and facebook page name instead.

"Do you think she would like Horses?"

He asked on his way out the door.

After he left, Jesse and I laughed about it ALL. NIGHT. LONG.

Kickin' It with Oliver

The Story of Jesse's Life: Silver Dollar Pancakes

I made pancakes for breakfast this morning.

Cute little silver dollar pancakes...if pancakes are allowed to be cute.

I served up a stack to Jesse, who's first reaction was as follows:

"YUM! You made silver dollar pancakes! I wonder if I can fit them all in my mouth at once!"

Today I was noticing all of the ways in which Oliver J. is a grown up:

He wields a spoon with skill.

He pulls his firetruck galoshes on all by himself.

He sits in a green big boy chair at the table to eat,

And is currently spending his first night in his big boy bed...

ToDo

Here is my ToDo list for the day.

It is as nasty as it is long...with chores like:

"Wash and Put Away Dishes"
"Fold All Laundry"
"Work on Homework"
"Clean the Bathroom"

 

But don't pity me too much...

 Because I did just cross "Eat Pie" and "Read a Chapter of Heaven is Here" (Thanks KD) off the list, so it's not all bad.

Mostly, I'm just looking forward to "Reply to Grandma Childs' Letter" and "Blow bubbles with Oliver"

I am ALL about loading my lists up with fun stuff to balance out the boring...

A Hunting We Will Go

Oliver J. enjoyed his first East Egg Hunt yesterday. He loved finding all of the "bubbles." He loved it even more when he found the jelly beans inside.

(That's our cute friend, Kiana.)

Happy Easter

Mrs. Alger

From my journal, December 20th 2011:

"Ann is fifty-something, but talks with me like we are the same age. She wears purple mascara on weekdays and has FUN...Ann likes to be called Mrs. Alger rather than Ann. She believes it is best to call everyone by their highest title...she calls me Mrs. Moses. She once had a set of 15 garden flamingoes and makes the best soup I have ever tasted. The Very Best. I think she is my favorite part about Malad."

When Jesse and I first moved here, Ann and I were assigned as Visiting Teaching partners. She took Ollie and me on a tour of the town and bought me lunch at the drive in. She wanted me to feel welcome...

She always had a sincere compliment and a bright smile.

She proved that a sophisticated woman could also be a whimsical one.

I treasured our conversations about motherhood and the mysteries of the gospel.

I loved hearing her firm testimony, which she shared willingly and often.

She was a superb example of a righteous woman.

I truly considered her to be one of my dearest friends, though I only knew her short time.

Today I learned that my sweet friend, Mrs. Alger, passed away suddenly last week from very serious medical complications.

I am a little bit heartbroken...

640 Million

There were 640 million reasons for friends from Utah to stop into Malad today.

This is one of the 5 ridiculously long lines that formed for lottery tickets around town.

According to Jesse, it was a whole lot worse than this earlier in the afternoon when they were stretched around buildings.

This is just Oliver J. while we were sitting in the car waiting for Jesse to come back with the french bread.

No. He did not get dressed all day.

Lazy bum.

And yes, we had to tag-team to Thomas Market because there was a legitimate concern that parking within 500 feet would be unavailable.

All I wanted was some french bread to go with my pizza soup.

There are Malad Friends coming to our house for dinner tonight!

You weren't sure we even had any of those, were you?

Haha. Neither were we.

That's a lie, actually, because we are lucky enough to have a fun few...

We are going to stuff Heather and Russell with sweet pork burritos, maybe play some games, and watch our kids play together.

I kind of can't wait!

He might be a goon...

...but at least he's my goon.

Tuesday's Mantra

Today I will do my homework. Today I will do my homework. Today I will do my homework.

Today I WILL do my homework.

Give  me some advice. How do you get yourself motivated?

Currently I have reward system, a progress chart, and even a sticky note on my keyboard depicting Kristen and me as stick figures in trendy chevron striped dresses meant to remind me that when I finish my assignments I can play with her...

But none of those things seem to be helping me today.

Does that mean I'm hopeless?

Monday Looked Like:

Bold

According to my fan club, I owned the bold lips today...and thank goodness for them (the fan club I mean)...otherwise I almost wouldn't have been brave enough to walk out the door.

(Don't judge me because I can't take a one handed phone picture...)

Also, I LOVE my new haircut. Colleen works magic!

Disquiet

I'm a worrier.

It's just something I do.

Dad says I come by it honestly.

I worried so much in first grade that I had a constant stomachache.

One night when I was in fourth grade I laid in my bed worrying late into the night about nothing at all...I was distraught. Finally my mom came down and rubbed my tummy until I fell asleep. She must have been so annoyed.

When I was in eighth grade I decided to quit worrying...about math in particular. I was so bad at it. It never made sense. It was easier just to ignore it...until Mr. Shiner emailed my dad and he showed up at school and had me called to the office...from then on I faked it until my freshmen year at college when it made sense for half a second.

Lately there's one specific thing on my mind.

You guessed it.

It gives me heartburn. Sends me crazy dreams. Keeps me sleepy.Treated me to my first panic attack.

I worry about where we will live, how we'll make ends meet, what will happen at home while I'm gone...

At least I have memories of those peaceful moments from this journey's quiet beginning when my heart was calm and my head was resoundingly clear...

They remind me that somehow, through some miracle, all this worry will have been worth it.

24 feet.

Recently, Jesse and I reserved our moving truck...it's gonna be big.

Last night, I woke up over and over again from nightmares having to do with said moving truck and our upcoming cross country trip...

We were running into people, knocking over the biggest ball of stamps and the worlds largest ketchup bottle, High centering the truck on top of that random pyramid in Nebraska, Getting stuck in the parking lots of various other roadside attractions along I-80, driving on the wrong side of the road, and being swept away by a tornado somewhere between Iowa to Ohio...

I guess this thing is really happening...you know...moving away and all...

Tickling the Ivory

Two awesome things about this photo:

1. Ollivander is adorable

2. Ollie has yet to figure out how to get down from the stool...

23

Jesse was mindful of all the things that a woman shouldn't have to do on her birthday...

He fed the child, changed the diapers, washed the dishes rotated the laundry, and every other mundane chore that plagues my everyday existence.

He asked me what I wanted to eat, where I wanted to go, if I needed anything at all.

He even sent Oliver in my direction any time there was a cuddle or kiss to be had.

On this day, he would have given me the moon if I'd asked for it, and still acted as though it wasn't grand enough.

I am the luckiest.

P.S. Thanks to everyone else who helped make my birthday spectacular as well! I really do have the best family and friends.

To My Friend Jesse,

I asked you to sum up our Valentine's Day with one word. You chose "nontraditional." You were right.

We drove to Logan, returned library books, used coupons for lunch, and then got groceries and an oil change...Your tooth hurt and I complained a little bit about the lack of romance in it all. I also taught our son to say "What the Heck" by accident. Hopefully it doesn't stick.

Really, though. When you think about it, we spent the day together, did very little worth reporting, and still thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I sincerely loved every second of it. I'd like to think that says more about our romance than a fancy dinner and a dozen roses. Wouldn't you agree?

Not that there is anything wrong with roses and fancy dinners...in fact, those are good ideas. Write those down...