Life as a civilian

is taking some getting used to.

No more showing my ID to get home. No more music going off a 7:30 am to wake you, or at 5 pm when the anthem starts playing and everybody stops driving or walking during the whole song, or at 10:00 pm when apparently we are supposed to be in bed. The clothes people wear have some variety in their colors, and there are shaggy haircuts all over.

There is also a lot of uncertainty over where we'll be living, what sort of job Mark will find and when, what to do if someone gets sick. A lot of things are still scaring me. But I'm trying to find the peace in our situation that I know is there.

Oren is homeschooling this year, which is an adventure. We're still stumbling around, getting used to the new relationship of teacher and student. I can't just sit there all day being depressed though, which is good. I have to get up and teach, be positive, be organized.

And Nathan is going to school here. He rides a bus there and back everyday! My little guy! They sort of lost him the first day though. The school wasn't told which route he was supposed to be on, and then when they got him on the right bus, the bus driver didn't drop him off at his stop. We don't really know why, maybe he was being small and quiet at the back, or what. So we chased the bus to the next stop but didn't make it there fast enough. In the end I called the busing company and said "I'm trying to locate my 6 year old, in first grade, who didn't get off the bus like he was supposed to!" The lady was super nice and radioed the driver, who swung back and dropped him off. Nathan was a little scared, but seems just fine now. The other kids at his stop are really nice and helped him find his classroom the first time he rode to school and helped him the next couple days remember which stop to get off at. So many nice people over here!

We've been busy rearranging our allotted bedrooms to fit all of us, and make it our own space so we feel more at home. Okay, by we I mean me. Cleaning off dressers with conference talk notes from 2004 - that sort of thing. Expired cough syrups in the bathroom.... popsicle sticks on the bookshelf... Mom W is busy working full time and doesn't have energy for de-junking, so she doesn't mind me tossing things like that. (I love his mother!) And even though we're hoping to only be here a short while, it does make me feel more at home, and like we're contributing something to the household. I cook meals too, and help with laundry. Are they going to let us move out? Ooops..... :-)

I guess the bottom line is that even though this is a huge shift in how we thought our lives were going to go, we're doing okay. I don't think life is ever going to be easy, but I am definitely appreciating the blessings of family and church.

Catch-Up Pioneer Day

More playing catch-up. We went down to see Mark's family for pioneer day, and joined in their big stake celebration. Nice and early pancake breakfast, some fun runs that we were too tired for, and a bunch of kids activities that included .......



BUBBLES!


Daniel spent his time crawling over Daddy's legs.



William thought he'd blow bubbles to any monsters living in the drain grate.



Oren spun in dizzy circles, thoroughly enjoying the large rings and equally big bubbles.



And Nathan was fascinated by the possibilities all these holes presented.


I just love my boys and bubbles!

Catch - Up, Nathan's Birthday

These posted backwards for some weird reason.


Nathan turned 6 last month. 6! Has it really been 6 years since he was born? 6 years since his little chubby-cheekedness?



Poor thing. He was out playing in Grandma's back yard, and got about 1/2 dozen wasp stings. Right before his cake and ice cream too. From his toe to his head! The white gunk is baking soda with a little water to make a paste. Draws out the poison, eases swelling, and takes away the red. Helps with the burn too. He was quite a trouper though, just sort of cried a bit while I put the paste on. Nothing like you'd expect from a little guy getting stung so many times.





Of course, the cake sort of took his mind off the ouch. Apperantly I am a professional whose own children get the saddest cakes possible. This car was supposed to be legos. Don't ask.

The important part is that when he saw his "race car cake!" his eyes lit up and his jaw dropped. We just had to eat it really fast before the back end slid off any farther and the frosting dripped completely down the side. He he.


Reminder, never use a clearance boxed carrot cake for anything other than a stay-in-the-pan treat. And don't use real butter in the cream cheese frosting in August.