drive to wyoming

We made it to Casper with no problems. The kids have traveled well so far. Google maps said it would take about an hour longer than it did. Our GPS was right on.

Erin was planning to get contacts before moving but with the appendicitis and all we didn't get around to it. So, she really wanted to get some sunglasses that would fit over her glasses for the drive. Here they are:


They are huge. She isn't a fan of big sunglasses but they work for now.

This is Ana pretending to be a bee.


Here are a couple pictures of us at Independence Rock. Ana and I climbed to the top. It was really windy up there.




We also saw my sister Terri. She came down from Sheridan and had dinner with us. It was nice to see them on our way out.

four

Ana turns 4 this week. We celebrated last Friday. I wrote this that night.

Dear Ana,

I'm so glad you are 4! And so are you. You have been "pretending" for weeks that you were 4 and I know you've been excited. When you were eating your cake tonight you said to me, "Mom, what happens when you are 4?"





You have had a hard time wrapping your head around moving to Vermont. We've tried to help you understand that it would be far away and you wouldn't get to see your friends and cousins for a long time. I think it finally sunk in this week. I hope that it will be okay and that you'll make new friends and that you'll grow to love it there.

You are an incredible little girl. You opened a present tonight and immediately made sure your cousins had a piece to play with. You want people around you to be happy, and this is such an incredible thing. I hope you continue to be as loving and generous as you are now.

I can't even tell you how many questions you come up with every day. Where is that train going? Where does water come from? How do trees grow? Are stars going to outer space? How do babies get in the Mommy's tummy? A lot of the time you want me to define words: What does 'early' mean? Or spell words: How do you spell 'clouds'? How do you say 'clouds' in Spanish? How do you spell 'nubes.' I think I answer questions all day long. I hope you keep asking. That is how you learn things.

You have been clinging to me a lot more than usual. Probably all the changes coming up. The other day in church Daddy caught you looking at me and then crossing your legs and folding your arms just like me. I hope that I am always a good example for you.

Your brother loves you so much. He learns almost everything he does from you. It is so precious to watch! Tonight you got to sleep out on an old mattress with Daddy under the stars. I love how full of life you are.



You are wonderful. I am so happy to be your mommy!

Love, me

moving day

Tomorrow is the big moving day. The day when the our car is loaded, we say our last goodbyes and head out. We'll stay at my parents until Monday morning and then we head east.

Last night we had a bbq with some of our friends from our ward.We ate, laughed, and then a few of us last to leave-ers played Bocce Ball. (I rocked it for a first timer.)

This is the first time I was sad to leave to many great friends. I love these girls:

Ana will miss her friends, too!


Tonight some of Dave's family stayed over til way late talking and chatting. Man, I love his sisters!

Its bittersweet. Its always sad to leave, but its good to move on and to know that good things are still to come.

writers block

I have been sitting in front of a blank page for 10 minutes trying to decide what to write.

I could say that we went to Zoo Boise and a splash park with my sister a few weeks ago. We've spent several weekends at their house the last few months and even though we are driving away sans canoe (its not quite done.), it was totally worth being able to spend time with my big sis. Also we got to see Dave's Aunt Sheila, which was great.

Dave modeling the wing span of a bald eagle.

My awesome sis. Can you believe she has 6 kids?

I also could write about what we've been doing between my on-the-couch episodes.

Like watching the fireworks at one of Ana's favorite friends' house.



Or doing sparklers and playing in the pool.

And spending time at Granny and Gramps' house

This is another awesome sister of mine and Jack loves her.

We did a photo shoot with Granny and Gramps. Aren't they cute?

I could also write about how I can't believe in less than a week we'll be moving across the country.

But my mind is too scattered to put two rational thoughts together tonight. So I think I'll just go to bed.

mr. mom

Dave is an amazing dad. I'm sure I've mentioned that before. Seeing him with my kids melts my heart.

This picture was taken last week at the Boise Zoo.
They were watching penguins swim by.

But its a different experience watching him do everything! I am just sitting on the couch as he does the dishes, changes diapers, cleans up, disciplines, feeds the kids, and still finds time to take them for bike rides and get them ready to play in the pool outside. Phew! Its exhausting just watching him do it all.

Just tonight, I watched him clean up when Ana had an accident in the kitchen, then put her in the bath, scrub the tub when she couldn't quite get out of the tub fast enough to make it on the potty, and put her back in the tub. Upon discovery that Jack had a nasty poopy diaper, he declared with desperation (and a little smile), "I am tired of poop!"

I am bordering somewhere between empathy and laughing at him. (So far the latter is winning, and it really hurts to laugh.) I'm trying -without much success- not to turn this into a "see-what-I-do-all-day" sort of experience, so I help where I can.

He is amazing. And though I know its incredibly cheesy to publicly thank him for all he's done and will still do over the next 10 days (and 10 years), I'm going to anyway.

Thanks, Dave. You Rock!

in which i blog from a hospital bed

Yesterday morning about 10:30 I started feeling some major pain in my abdomen. Dave came home from work, and at about 4:30 our doctor friend came over to check it out.

Appendicitis.

Last night I had surgery. Because I don't have anything else to do before we move in two weeks.

I'm feeling much better this morning, but I will say this much: I don't like surgery. I woke up out anesthesia shivering. I tossed and turned all night. Or at least I would have if my incisions didn't hurt when I moved. (But at least I'm not doubled over in pain when I walk.)

My one consolation: I won't ever have appendicitis again. I'm also very glad that I have so many wonderful friends and family members that are willing to help out. I'm also very glad it was appendicitis and not some other complication from my miscarriage. And I'm glad it happened this week and not two weeks from now.

I guess it could be worse.

my favorite holiday (part 1)

This weekend is my favorite time of the whole year. I love barbecues, fireworks, parades, family and spending time outside. But mostly I love what it stands for.

In my early years my Dad served in the military. We lived back east surrounded by American History, and I loved it. We visited Washington DC, the tomb of the unknown solider, gettysburg, and more. My favorite books from a young age dealt with the Revolutionary War. I soaked it in.

In my heart is a deep love and respect for this country and those who founded it. I believe they were inspired by God. I believe that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are akin to Revelation. I believe that miracles happened to bring this country into existence.

When I see our flag waving and listen to "God Bless the USA" or "America, the Beautiful," I get misty-eyed. I am proud to be an American.

I know we have our problems. My heart yearns for us a nation to rise to the greatness that is within us. I hope that good things are in the future.

God Bless America!

my favorite holiday (part 2)

Every year Dave's parents throw a big 4th of July BBQ in their backyard after the town parade.

It just wouldn't seem like summer without it, so this year with them out in the mission field, we decided to host the party.

It was just one long, all day party. The kids fell asleep within minutes of going to bed.

Ana at the parade:

The family hanging out:

My beautiful table decor:


It was so fun to have everyone over! I love Dave's family so much.

i have a list of lists

Dave says I have a "swirly brain."

He, on the other hand, has compartment brain. When he's at work, he is focused on working, and is there 100%. Everything he does has his full attention. I was always amazed at/driven crazy by this in school. When he was home playing with Ana, he was just playing with her - without thinking about homework or church callings or anything else.

By contrast, I have a constant stream of lists in my head. No matter what I am doing, I'm thinking of a million things that I need to do.

I'm sort of in a swirly brain daze today. I have a bbq to plan, a funeral to help with (for the 3rd weekend in a row) and we're moving in less than 3 weeks! My brain is swirling.

A lot of times it's a little paralyzing. Which is why it's after noon and I'm still in my pjs and breakfast is still on the table.

So I make lists. I have a grocery list, a shopping list, a list of things we want to take with us on our drive, a cleaning list, a phone call list, a list of things we need to get rid of, a list of things we want to do again before we leave. I also need a haircut - before I do something drastic.

Its the only way to get my swirly brain to get on track.

First on my list: take a shower.

in love

This little boy has me wrapped around his finger.

Tonight while I was laying next to him in bed, he reached out and held my hand. Then we laid facing each other. Every time I'd smile at him his eyes would light up and he'd get this big ol' grin on his face like he was the happiest boy in the world. And in the moment I was the happiest mommy in the world.



(his cousin Paisley loves him too.)


And today I realized that I really do love my husband more than the day we got married. I've wondered about sometimes when I was annoyed at some little thing or we were disagreeing about some big thing. But today I realized that our love is strong enough to withstand annoyances and disagreements. I still love being with him. I miss him when he's gone. I am so excited to start a new adventure in our lives together.


Today I also realized that Ana is a good friend. She is kind. She is willing to share. She is willing to give up what she wants (like a pink popsicle) so someone else can be happy. That is awesome!

I'm totally in love with my family.