Miserable Blogging Failure

Man, I used to at least blog when I didn't journal. These days I don't even do that! There has been a lot going on, but that's no excuse.

I don't really even know where to start. Paul came out to visit again. Bless his heart, he drove the 11 hours all alone :/ Fortunately, he made it here and back safely, and so did the dogs (Jewel and Pluto). Although, we did have a mild scare when they were able to outsmart their leashes and ran off. They were found three houses down stuck in a bush. We had a great cookout with several of my friends and their significant others.

Now I'm just super busy at work. Kassie had the baby. He was born last Thursday (I think she said around seven pm). He was 20" long and weighed 8lbs 11oz. In case you are wondering, that is a *HUGE* baby for her, she's only about 5'2" but she's taking it like a champ. However, the day he was born we had a shipment of over 300 shrubs come in, and the next day we had a truck of over 200 trees come in. Guess who was responsible for them...your's truly. Saturday I didn't even get lunch because I was busy helping customers. Needless to say, I'll be grateful for a change of pace. Granted, that probably won't come until I move.

Which brings me to my next piece of news, I'm moving to California the first part of October (so if you know anyone I could rent a room from or who is hiring in the San Jose area hook a sister up!). I'm really excited, a little anxious, and just a wee bit trepidatious (yes, I know that's not a real word, but I like it. I believe it's going to catch on and people are going to start using it, then Merriam-Webster are just going to have to add it to the dictionary. You watch, I so called it.).

So that's the quick'n'dirty update. Sorry for the lack of info lately. I'll try to be better (no, I don't make any guarantees).

Back in the OCM

We arrived safely in Cincinnati this morning after flying a red eye out of Las Vegas last night. None of us slept well on the flights, and were propping our eyelids open during church. It was WONDERFUL to see everyone. I could hardly believe how much had changed, and was so very happy about the things that had not.

Sister Holbrook (my final companion in the field) is still here, and we had a happy, tearful reunion. She kept saying over and over, "I can't believe this is happening. It feels so strange!" Indeed. The best part was, in a branch that size I was put to work operating the self-playing piano, and even gave the "missionary moment" during Relief Society. Always glad to serve :)

Perhaps my favorite part was that Ilene, a woman whom I helped teach (along with a slew of missionaries before me, and a few since), was baptised last night and we were able to be there for her confirmation today in Sacrament meeting. It was like a surreal repeat of my final Sunday there because Lisa was confirmed my final Sunday, and Sister Holbrook and I sang (to my everlasting chagrin "Be Still My Soul" as a special musical number). Today the opening hymn was "Be Still My Soul" and Ilene was confirmed. A beautiful full circle to let you know life does go on, and so does missionary work.

The family is in awe of the greenery, and the difference in culture. Surprising how a few states will make such a difference in how things are done, and the tenets people cling to. Tomorrow we are off to Akron to stay at Quaker Square, then a little jaunt up to Kirtland to do some sight seeing.

So far things have been great, and we're hoping for more of the same as the trip continues!

The Trap is Set!

Ok, so it's not a trap really, but our plans for Cincinnati are firming up and I'm totally stoked! Rata sent out a letter to the Ashland Ward for a picnic, I made tentative plans to have lunch with President and Sister Robbins on Saturday, and we're going to the Smiths' for a cook out that night. Which, basically fills up all our "free" time other than Sunday night in Lawrenceburg, and the time we'll be spending in Akron/Kirtland.

My biggest concern is navigating. I know the areas where I spent time really well, but that's about it. Charles suggested I buy the Rand-McNally Truck Atlas. We will see if I can find one for a decent price and one that we'll actually have in time for the trip! Other than that my only other wish is that Paul could be there to meet all these amazing people, and that all these people could meet him. Oh well, we'll just have to plan another later trip.

Speaking of Paul, I'm also getting excited to see him. I'll be flying out the weekend I get back from Cinci to see him and the boys again, as well as meeting his parents. We're also hoping to make a foray up to Tahoe...we shall see. I'd really like to just because the last photo ever taken of my mom's dad was at Tahoe two weeks before he died. I've never been, and I think it would be cool to go.

Until then it's work, work, work! But I wouldn't have it any other way.

Picture Perfect

I am a worrier at heart. I always see the potential negatives so I can try to compensate for them. In lieu of planning for this weekend I was a bundle of nerves. It was a really big deal for Paul and I for me to meet his children. But, circumstances what they were, that's what was going to happen regardless of whether we were ready for that now or not.

And it was amazing.

I don't know that it could've gone better. They stayed with their grandparents Friday night so it was just the two of us when he picked me up from the airport. It was good to have some time together to reacquaint before taking the next big step. Saturday we picked up the boys and headed to Santa Cruz to the beach. Wouldn't you know it, I brought the Utah weather with me. Cloudy, windy, and only 64 degrees! Needless to say, we didn't spend much time basking in the sun. Instead, we went into Santa Cruz and wandered around looking for a place to eat. It was so fun because there were little bands and groups playing on the streets, and all the little shops around.

After getting back to Morgan Hill and changing we went to "Up" (in 3D of course!). We all loved it :) And we even hit up Mickey D's for Jonah on the way home for dinner.

This morning I made pancakes for Fathers' Day breakfast. The boys gave Paul a toolset, and I gave him some yummy smell goods (not because he stinks! I just like it...). We went to a nondenominational Christian Fellowship called WestGate. Very different from services I have been to, before. Not bad, just different. By the time we arrived home and had eaten lunch it was time for me to change and have them drive me to the airport.

In all it was a wonderful weekend. I'm thoroughly exhausted, but it was a great time to be sure. And there will be more to come :)

Most Bizarre Thing EVER!

I have these moments every once in a while when my life feels like a movie. One of these occurred just the other day while eating a late lunch at Red Robin with my mom and younger sister in St. George.

This diet from Hades had me in a bad mood--a lovely Caesar Salad turned into lettuce with dressing--so as I was mindlessly stabbing at the lifeless leaves the waitress came over, squatted down and began by saying, "I don't mean to be weird, but..." At this point I quit paying attention because I figured it had something to do with the ticket. I was wrong. Very wrong. She continued by saying, "...one of the guys who works here thinks you are cute and wondered if you were single." Still not paying attention, I glanced up to see how Jamie responded to the slightly odd request.

Imagine my surprise when I looked up and found her watching for MY response! I was so completely flabergasted that I blurted out, "Are you kidding me?!" She glanced down, obviously embarrassed, and replied, "No, no I'm not actually. He's really shy, and he wanted to know if you were single."

I could hardly splutter out that I wasn't for sheer shock. What further highlights this particular tale is the fact that she then took a turn looking taken-aback. "You aren't?" At which point I took the opportunity to more firmly reiterate my non-single status.

Once she walked away my mom nearly shouted out, "Well that was a missed opportunity!" I could hardly believe my ears. It made a bad situation even worse. So I asked, "What should I have said?" Please, please let me know if her reasoning makes sense to you. "You should have said, 'I'm single but I'm seeing someone.' Because your choices are single, married, divorced, or widowed.'"

I was well beyond beside myself at this point, so I again let my tongue just walk away with itself without letting me think, "Life is not a survey, those are not the only options. I am in a relationship with someone, which, by definition, means I am not single."

Yes, my life is a movie.

What a Weekend!

So Paul came to see me this weekend, and we had a lot of fun, and some not so fun :) He was a super helper, volunteering to help me plant the garden, and even gave himself MASSIVE blisters breaking up the left-over concrete for Daddy. I felt awful, but it was nice to see how willing he was to just jump in and help. We had fun with my friends going to Ninja, and playing Party Jenga. They are great, and we all had a good time.

Jamie and I woke up at 3:30 this morning to drive him back to Vegas to catch his flight home, and then we came home to prepare the annual Mothers' Day BBQ under the very close scrutiny of Daddy. All in all, I think it went really well. Now we just have to clean up...

When it Rains it Pours

Blessings, blessings, everywhere blessings! This week has been a series of miracles. I was able to get work off for Saturday to help Natasha move. I was also able to leave work early on Thursday due to poor weather which meant I was FINALLY able to return to the temple--something I thought I was forfeiting because I chose to help Natasha, but the Lord will provide a way for His work to move forward.

Speaking of which, I am going to two back-to-back appointments with the Sister Missionaries in Parowan tomorrow night. They're teaching the law of chastity (my last few companions and I would call it the Wahlin Special because an Elder we knew would talk about how much he loved to teach that lesson...in sarcasm of course).

Jamie and I camped out in the trailer last night and watched Leatherheads while eating Costa Vida and frozen hot chocolate from Dairy Queen. Did I mention that the trailer was parked in the backyard? It sure was a lot of fun! We slept there last night and just had a fun time. It is so incredibly wonderful to have a sister who is also my friend.

Whirlwind Week

It's strange how each day seems to be moving so slowly, but by the same token it is bizarre how quickly the weeks fly by. Daddy is doing alright, he's becoming more ambulatory so that's good. Work is going well--it was nice when Kassie called and told me to take today off because of the snow. I was able to run a lot of errands that needed doing, so it was good :)

I went to a great concert Saturday night featuring the Nashville Tribute Band and they were incredible. Their CD, Joseph: A Nashville Tribute to the Prophet, helped me through some of the hardest parts of the mission. They also came out with a CD called Trek about the pioneers, and next (can you tell I'm excited about this?) they are doing one on missionaries! They sang one of the songs and I almost cried--he totally nailed what a mission is like! It was fun because I was sitting by a few friends who served missions and we all thought it was pretty great.

I was really excited because Mindy Gledhill (whom I love!) sings one of the songs on the Joseph CD and they said that we were going to have a special surprise. Well, it wasn't Mindy Gledhill, but it WAS a great surprise. Instead it was Katherine Nelson (don't scratch your head in wonder--I'll explain), the woman who portrays Emma in the Church produced film about Joseph Smith currently playing at Temple Visitors' Centers, and in the film called Emma. It was incredible to see the woman whose face is now associated with the magnificent Emma Smith sing the song about her.

I am super stoked about getting to work with the sister missionaries. They called me about taking them to the temple today, but I thought I had to work. Unfortunately I didn't, but we had missed the session. Hopefully I'll be able to help out another time, and now that they have my number things could be looking up in that department.

Week in a Blur

Time sure flies when you don't have anything to do. Only two more days and I become the "responsible adult" with employment and all that jazz, but this last week was a pretty good final week of freedom.

Thursday Jamie and I drove to the Draper Temple open house, and it was really pretty. This rude family in front of us talked the whole time, and kept opening random doors they had no business opening. Uncool. But, on the super-duper plus side we went to dinner with our favorite Auntie, and Mel--one of my favorite mission companions--came, too! It was great to see her. Not only that, but J and I had a really good conversation on the way home.

In celebration of Friday the 13 I went to dinner with some friends at the Lucky Buffet (where I tried octopus; Paul aptly described the sensation like chewing up a bouncy ball, but the flavor was actually very good), then we watched Quarantine (LAME!) and Dark Knight (EXCELLENT!).

Sunday morning Jamie woke up early and drove with me to Vegas for Zanie's homecoming (MTC companion). It was fun to see her and meet some of her family. It was only mildly awkward that my face was plastered all over their gargantuan refrigerator...Then last night I hung out with some RM/Pre-Mi friends and we watched Nicholas Nickleby and I fell in love. It makes me want to read Dickens' book to get the rest of the story they couldn't put in the movie.

And now, now I get to help in my mom's kindergarten classroom while she does registration for the new little chitlins. it's all very exciting indeed.

Among the Class of the Employed

So I received an angelic phonecall today. I answered the ringing of my cell phone (sidebar: I don't recognise the ring of my phone because it's new to me, and in that same vein, I have been giving people the wrong number because I memorized it wrong...part of the adjustment I guess) to hear a voice telling me that they were offering me a position at the Big Trees Nursery in Kanarraville. I start next Wednesday and I'm really excited to learn the ropes of botany in a trial-by-fire experience (my favorite kind).

Now I just have to figure out how I'm supposed to make the weddings and vacations and everything else I've been committed to before now. I'm sure it'll all work out in the end, right?

The End of the Beginning Beginning at the End

There is really no such thing as a "break" in life. One thing ends and another thing starts, and more often than not, several things will overlap making life feel like some kind of ridiculous time warp that is not really a journey, but a series of destinations with varying degrees of difficulties, advantages, and obstacles to overcome.

My last speaking opportunity (which, ironically, will serve as the first of many, many talks to come)--aka, homecoming--was today. It was great to have all the family there. A former employer came, and relatives I barely know showed up. It's always good to feel supported. My more caustic side asks, "Where were all those letters for the last 18 months?" But in reality I am just grateful for all that I did have, and knowing those people were praying makes a big difference.

I snuck off to my singles' ward following the meeting at the home ward. It was bizarre. Most of the people I knew/my age are gone now. The only people who recognized me for the most part were the bishopric and other people assigned to the ward. It was really trippy. I think mostly it's hard to grasp the fact that I am actually single and eligible (whereas I've been off the market for the last 18 months), not that I feel very datable, but that's a different story altogether, now isn't it?

Tomorrow I begin the job hunt with Jamie. We both need work and both have bills to pay, so hopefully we will come out on top. We're not expecting success in a single day, but we are hoping for good leads and decent possibilities.

Coming In Too Late

So I found out after some simple research that I missed all of the deadlines for grad school, and I don't meet anybody's requirements for acceptance. Lovely. So I intend to spend the next nine months learning two languages and finding gainful employ. It's marvelous to be single, carefree, and oh, yeah, in debt up to my eyeballs. The life of a post-bachelor, post-mission girl in Utah. You know you want to be me ;)

It's Been a Minute

Back into the real world and it's a little hectic. Trying to get everything done that I need to do without all the necessary tools is somewhat challenging, but I've always loved a challenge ;) I was bummed to miss church today, people are going to the think I didn't learn anything while I was away! Oh well, let them think what they wish. Now I just need to get a job, get a school, get an emphasis, get a home, and get a life. Any takers?