Being Remembered

This last weekend, I had the opportunity to go down with my family and visit some dear friends of the family in Southern Arizona. I was so excited to get to see these two families and their children again. We arrived and I quickly learned that I didn't stand a chance in heck of spending too much time with the kids because they absolutely adored my younger brother and all of them spent so much time laughing and playing together and I loved watching it. At one point of the visit though, I snuck into the kids room to take a picture of them sitting on the bed together (imagine 1 teenager and 5 other little ones all on one bed). I took a picture of it and went to leave the room when one of the little girls came running after me. I figured she was going to get a drink or talk to her parents. So it took me by surprise when she tapped me from behind. I turned around and she asked me if I remembered going swimming with her last time and I said that I did. She asked me if I remembered giving her rides on my back as I swam around and I said that I did but I was surprised that she did. She asked me that when they went swimming with us this year if that could happen again. I told her that I would love to but I wasn't entirely sure if I would be there when they came. I told her if I wasn't there to do it that Mikkel would take my place and give the dolphin rides around the pool. She immediately lit up and ran back to go hear the end of the story in the other room. I can't tell you how much it meant to me that this little girl had remembered that from at least two years ago. It made me not want to come back to go to work so that I could be the one to swim her around. Sadly obligations called but I know that Mikkel will have done a fantastic job with them and I have nothing to worry about.

Lunch With Mom

Growing up my Mom worked from home but about ten years ago she returned to the work force as a school teacher. I was sad about the change and I didn't like that she had to drive places around the state. However, now that I am a newlywed I love this part of her job. Because she has had to travel for meetings and conferences I have had the opportunity to meet her and have lunch together on multiple occasions. It is such a nice way to see and visit with my Mom. I find it a great time to catch up and visit and enjoy each others company. The meetings that I once didn't like, I now find myself looking forward to because it means getting to see my Mom again, even if only for a short time.

So Mom, when is your next meeting down here?

What Do I Blog About?

As I read other people's blogs, sometimes I start to feel inadequate. You all have children saying funny things, going through new phases, or simply being cute. My blog can't be filled with those things since the only kids I claim are across the country from me. My life is filled with super adventures. In fact most of the time it is a simple case of wash, rinse, repeat. But my goal is to find more things to be able to blog about and really take advantage of the fact that I do have a blog and I have a wonderful opportunity to keep a journal this way. It will also serve as a great way to keep in touch with those who don't get to see me often. Now I am not going to make any drastic promises and say that I will write once a week or anything like that but my goal is to be able to write more. I need to find things that make my day they way that your children make yours. So my posts will probably be silly things like getting a new tv stand or Marc earning brownie points for taking the car to the shop early and letting me sleep in. But in my life those have become the things that are there and I am able to blog about. So I don't know whether to wish you good luck or condolences but whichever one is more appropriate I wish it to you!

Our First Piece of Furniture

Marc and I have finally bought our first piece of furniture. It isn't anything extravagant or fancy but I have completely fallen in love with our new tv stand. We had been looking for one we liked for a long time but finally found one on craigslist that I just couldn't pass up. It had all the features that we wanted, was in great shape, and was only going to cost us $15. I didn't think it would make a huge difference in our apartment but it has. This new change allowed me to have my piano bench back which has made practicing for Relief Society a lot easier. It also cleaned up the area around the tv because now all the electronics have a place and the cords aren't strewn about for everyone (okay so just Marc and I) to see. But it makes our room feel that much cleaner and I am so grateful that we made that choice. I love that I have gotten so excited about the simple things in life. But it was such a simple pleasure to be able to have our own piece of furniture. I look forward to being able to celebrate the simple things in life as we continue our marriage.

Road Trip..... Again

One would have thought that after I had loved being in a car across the country the first time that I would have been smart enough to not repeat the experience but when our trip to New Hampshire came up, I was the one who suggested we drive. It turned out to be a very good move for us financially and family wise. We planned to drive to Iowa and then drive with Marc's family the rest of the way. The trip went fairly well and was fairly uneventful except for the 3 hours we were lost in Colorado. I am not sure Marc will ever forgive Colorado and has already declared we are NEVER moving there. Colorado was beautiful but our directions were missing step, if you combine this with poor signage and the mileage also being off in our directions one could understand why we were lost the way we were. Luckily I was able to call my best friend and she was able to get me unlost and I was so grateful to have her only a phone call away. My favorite part about Colorado though was that we stopped in a town for directions and the road we wanted was a block away from the gas station we stopped at but they looked at us like we had three heads and couldn't tell us where it was.

We were able to drive to Iowa and spend a few wonderful days with Marc's family and I personally got to experience a lot of firsts. I went boating for the first time in probably 10 years. I went tubing on a lay-down tube, went water skiing, and drove a boat. I also made Pavlova for my in-laws and I loved being able to cook that for them. It also made for a good story on how I break hand mixers. When I lived with Melissa, a hand-mixer was broken when I was using it. I think I broke it and Melissa claims it was on it's last leg anyway and I just happened to be the one holding it. But then she bought a replacement and I only used that one once before it also started making noises. At this point I decided not to use a hand mixer until I actually own it so that I avoid breaking more. So when I went to make Pavlova, I enlisted the help of my Mother-in-law and asked her to use the hand mixer and I would add ingredients. She told me that she wasn't scared of me using the hand mixer and if I broke it that would be fine because it was over 20 years old and could always be replaced. I considered using it but decided it would be better if I didn't touch it. Within 3 minutes of the conversation the mixer was dead and in need of replacement. So my warning to you is.... don't ever let me near your hand mixers. Otherwise you will definitely be in need of a new one.

After a few days in Iowa we left for the East Coast. It was wonderful to go back and see friends, coworkers, and family again. I will be eternally grateful that I had that opportunity to go back. It was such a blessing to be able to mingle and catch up and spend time with loved ones back there. There are still so dear to me and I miss the East Coast. It wouldn't be the same to go back there now and if I went then I would always miss it here but part of me still loves the East Coast and always will.

The baptism and open house went really well and it was a wonderful to feel the love and support that still exists back there. It was fun to get to play with my Dad's camera and take pictures that captured the moments that were important on that trip. These pictures range from baptism pictures to a quiet walk with my Dad. Moments and memories that will forever be caught on film and I am so grateful for that.

We quickly hurried back to Iowa and more than a few tears were shed on the way back. I realized that I had seen Melissa's kids for the last time before their big trip to Jerusalem. I don't have the typical Aunt/Niece/Nephew relationship and so this separation will be really hard on me. I am already saving my pennies to make it so that I can come and visit. We also now have a webcam and I can't wait to be able to use it!

We spent a day in Iowa and then drove back to Arizona. The trip was uneventful minus the insanity that was starting to brew from being stuck in a car for WAY too long. Part of me is glad that those moments weren't caught on film. We were very blessed on our trip back. About Nebraska my car decided to sound like a race car. We found out it was a problem with my exhaust pipe/muffler and were able to continue home. We parked the car and the next day I went to leave for work and was prompted to drive Marc's car instead. I did this and then found out later that my muffler and my exhaust pipe were no longer connected. Luckily it had waited until we were home and safe to disconnect. The car is now fixed again and we were incredibly blessed with safety on our trip.

Our trip went really well. We were able to strengthen bonds, see two more states (at least for me) and see our loved ones again. It was a good, exhausting trip.

School is Out of Session

Thankfully we are doing with school for another semester. I have enjoyed going to school again but going in person wore me out faster than online classes did. I think I missed not being able to finish two weeks early or going to school whenever I felt like it rather than the designated time. But it was definitely a learning semester and I really enjoyed being where the Lord intended me to be. The plan was for me to continue schooling over the summer but after thinking some more about it I have decided to take the summer off and it has been a wonderful opportunity to spend time with my husband and actually get to see him every once in a blue moon. This is a change that I definitely enjoy. I used to scoff at people who say they saw their spouse more before they were married but with Marc and I that has proven true. During the semester I would be at school during the day and Marc would be at work at night. Now it seems that our work schedules are just off of each other. Last night Marc was getting off work when I started working. But we are grateful for our jobs and the opportunity we have to support ourselves financially.

We have several things to look forward to this summer. We had our trip back east recently, but I will save that for another post. We are looking forward to family reunions, weddings, and our camping trip to the most exotic place in the world.... our living room. It has been a joke for the last while that we are going to camp in our living room and since I love being a kid I am so excited for it. All the snack food and planning has been done and now it is just a matter of finding the perfect date. We also look forward to visiting family and swimming and finding ways to enjoy our new surroundings and get to know a little bit more about the area we live in. Overall we are very blessed and very happy and I couldn't ask for any more.