With my work schedule and Joel's schedule and the girl's schedule, getting to the gym for my relax and unwind time is limited and mostly non-existant. But I needed to find a way to release and relax. Since Grandpa Clarke restored the old Bernina 830 and I found that desk, I have started sewing more. Some of the projects have been diapers for the girls, mending for everyone, and quilts. I've even tinkered a little bit with crocheting--that's weird and complicated, more of an art and science vs just sewing. Some I've finished and some are still in the works but here are a few projects: tie dyed (botique) blanket, crocheted edge baby blanket stolen by Emi, Joel's baby blanket transformed.
This is just one square. 5 inch small squares, 15 in larger... wonder how many I'll need and how many I can get.
Joel has been working for Caesar's Entertainment at the Linq since November. He has enjoyed his job and the schedule, albeit nights, has worked out well. On Friday he got the call he has been waiting for, he was called out by the union and starts his apprenticeship hours towards a journeyman welder. He starts Monday. The down side is that he answered the call at 7:30 am right after getting off his night job, that meant a whole day of running around, getting drug tested, and filling out paperwork instead of sleeping. He's been tired a lot lately. Congrats Joel.
Emi has officially started walking. She's figured out that it's almost faster than crawling.
My birthday was last month but instead of celebrating it with the usual going out to eat or eating in, I asked that we go do something fun. Since my mom is a teacher for the school district she gets perks throughout the city. One of those perks is free admission for two the Mandalay Bay Shark Reef exhibit. We planned it so that we would be able to do this the first weekend of the upcoming month. Mom, Dad, Joel-who was half asleep and exhausted, myself and the girls all went down. They had a Bodies type exhibit but for sharks and other ocean dwellers. It was interesting to see the cross sections and internal ongoings of different species of shark and crustaceans.
I wrote this before I actually left to get a head start... this is how things would have gone if it weren't the year of Job. "A mission family's son from North Carolina is getting married this weekend. After work on Wednesday I packed the girls in the car and headed off on my Utah adventure. We stopped and stayed with Grandpa and Gma Margaret before heading up for the wedding. We tried something different this time that trying to crash with family and we didn't want to rent a hotel for an evening because it's expensive, so we tried AirBnb. I and the girls will be staying in a home near Logan. We rented out a room and living area for the evening. I'm curious and excited to see how it works."
It started off with me leaving Wednesday but that's about where it stays the same. Joel and the family went for a bike ride and events happened that lead to Joel's front tire skidding out from under him. He laid his bike down in just the right way that when he landed he tweaked his wrist. We would find out later that he had broken a tiny bone in his wrist. Who know such a tiny bone could cause such pain. The car was all packed but I didn't leave Wednesday night. We dropped the girls off with friends in the ward and headed up to the office where Dad ct scanned his hand. Last time he thought he broke something, it was only a sprain. That sprain though cost $1000 at the ER so we wanted to make sure this time. Yep, he had broken something all right. We debated on whether to go to the ER and decided against it. We would wait till tomorrow and go to the Dr. Thursday morning arrived and neither of us could sleep so we found out where we needed to go. There was an Urgent Care on Tenaya that was full functioning and could diagnose and cast his wrist. What I didn't know what that there are two urgent care facilities on Tenaya near Cheyenne. We just happened to pick the wrong one. We spent the next 2 hours going from place to place trying to find someone to look at, xray and cast his arm. We finally dropped the girls at another friend in the ward and went to the right place. They x-rayed his hand and gave him a referral to an orthopedic who could cast his wrist. When we called for an appointment, they said they couldn't get him in till January. #1 it had to be casted in the next couple days and #2, our insurance would change by January. Bah, we called Dad who called around and found someone on our health plan that would get him in asap. It really is all about who you know...
Joel told me that I should still go up to the wedding. The car was already packed but I wouldn't have time to stop at Grandpa and Gma Margaret's. So I drove up to Dawn and Brads and stayed the night there. The girls loved having someone to play with. They spent most of the evening jumping on the bed and playing with balls until it was time to wind down and go to sleep. Hailey wanted nothing to do with sleeping... All three of us in one room for most of the weekend was going to be fun. Hailey eventually went to sleep. We headed off Friday morning to Logan for the wedding. I thought the wedding was at 5 and with traffic I was going to be cutting it close. Luckily, Ma Moo told me it was at 5:30 when I called to let her know I was going to be a couple minutes late.
Alan had found someone to watch the girls for me. It was strange dropping my girls off with a total stranger, whose wife and 3 year old hadn't gotten home yet. But this was Alan's best friend and someone he trusted with my kids. They had a great time and didn't want to leave when it came time to pick them up. Abram had snakes... Hailey came home talking about the snakes... I hate snakes... lol.
Thoughts from the weekend.
Alan's family is one that I met on my mission. They weren't investigators. They were members, but somehow they adopted me and I adopted them. They helped me in a time on my mission that was one of the hardest. They provided me with blessings, food, comfort and a safe place. Being allowed to be part of Alan's wedding, the only son, touched my heart. I once again felt the depth of love for people that I have only felt while serving a mission. I haven't felt the Spirit that strongly since returning home. Since returning home my faith has wavered, my feelers have wavered..even during experiences that are supposed to be the highlight of parenthood or marriage. Nothing can compare to the mission spirit.
Their joy and sealing and the guidance and instruction given at the wedding reminded me that I need to be a more grateful and appreciative wife and spouse. It reminded me that faith, prayer, repentance, and forgiveness are some of the main building blocks a marriage should rest upon. We need to pray as a family and as a couple. Pray with each other and when you're too upset to talk to you spouse, talk to God while you're spouse is listening and let that honesty touch their hearts. The sealer said that recipe wouldn't fail you if done sincerely. Spend time with your family. If you send a week with boy scouts, come home and spend a week with your family.
The weekend rekindled the tenderness that I had on my mission, also a degree of the love, the care, and the sensitivity. There is something special about a missionary to family bond that I don't quite understand and can't explain. I don't know Jaime, Alan's new wife, but I felt love for her. That love and appreciation also extended to many other family members. Alan was a special "brother" and I knew that he deserved the best. Jaime and him seem like they will fit well together. It made me ponder on how well Joel and I fit together.
There were many things that were special for me about being in Alan's wedding. At many weddings I've attended I've only been a spectator that wouldn't really have been missed if I hadn't been there but here I felt a part. I was given the responsibility of helping Chris's mom. She couldn't hear well so at times didn't know were to go. I was blessed to be her escort.
I watched Jaime and Alan in the endowment ceremony and although I won't describe it, it was special for them and I was grateful to witness it. She was nervous but he was right there holding her hand.
When I saw Peggy, Alan's grandma, also from my mission, it was first in the sealing room and I don't think she expected to see me there. There was pure joy in her face and in her embrace.
I enjoyed sitting with Ma Moo and Chris at the luncheon. Watching Ma Moo watch Hailey eat was priceless. Hailey is clean for a two year old but sometimes she has manners like those of the Beast on Beauty and the Beast.
Ma Moo shared her lemonade with Hailey. She even got to drink it out of a fancy glass.
There as a general conference talk that retold the story of a couple that was not getting along well in their marriage. The bishop or whomever told them to meet them at the temple for a sealing. They came to the temple and attended a sealing. They didn't know the people but they felt the spirit and hear the counsel given to that couple. I felt like that couple. My marriage isn't falling apart but there are strains, like all marriages. Being in the sealing and part of the wedding, I had a lot of time to ponder on my own marriage and sealing.
After the wedding, we packed into the car and left Logan for Farmington. We were staying at Georgie's place for the evening to rest and recover from the weekend activities and travels. There is a cubby/crawl space in Georgie's house where she keeps all of the toys for the grandkids. It is the perfect size and height for the girls. They played all night and Hailey fought going to bed that night. But, Hailey woke up super early in the morning and said, I want to play in the toy room. It was 5 am... Mardi Gras beads, tea sets, purses, little kitchens.
While on the road I had a lot of time to think. The sealer said that we need to learn to be unselfish in our relationships to find greater joy. I found that ironic. I was going to make bonus or commission this month at work and told Joel that since he was now working, I was going to keep the whole commission for myself and spend it on me. Selfish I know, but my bonuses have gone to the girls, the house, bills, Joel's work things, etc. I wanted something for me. Then Joel crashed the bike, broke his wrist and I said bu bye to my bonus. I guess that's what I get for being selfish. The more we try to hold on to something, the quicker it is to slip from our fingers.
It was a crazy trip, expensive and exhausting, but well worth it.
I had planned to stop at my grandparents on the way home to finish some projects but Emi caught a cold and Hailey was getting one as well so we headed home. 6 hours in one day... I didn't turn on a movie for Hailey once. We sang and she slept, they read books and played with toys. It was a good trip.
Back from the wedding and Joel is back to work doing "light duty" things as if he is capable of doing anything light duty. We started a project of laying new vinyl in the hallway and the bug has bit me. I can't stand that vinyl and it's in the master bathroom staring at me when I use the bathroom or shower or get ready... so since it's clearanced and we can get it super cheap we are going to redo the master bathroom as well! Joel can't just take over and do it because his wrist is broken and casted, so he has to teach me! Ha ha! Joel and I have started redoing the flooring in our place. It makes such a big difference!
It's been a crazy December. Some of the fun things have been mentioned but a couple from today. Emi tried to crawl under the bed to get to the shinny wrapping paper... she got stuck.
Emi still likes wrapping paper and tried to unwrap the presents under the tree. Maybe she thinks it is more books. She'll have to wait and see.
We had a good Christmas day. I think it was the best one Joel and I have had since we have been married. Our first Christmas in Cody was rough needless to say. We didn't have a tree and drama abounded. The next Christmas in Boise was good. We had a small tree but were super poor and gifts were limited. Last Christmas we had just moved Dec 1 from Boise to Vegas. We didn't have a tree and again we were stone broke so very few gifts. We went around Vegas and saw the houses that were decorated and set to music. This year has been rough but we were slightly more financially stable and set a budget on what to spend for Christmas. We purchased a small tree and decorated it. Only the top half of the ornaments remained after the girls got ahold of things. We each a couple hundred dollars to spend. That was more than we've ever had! Joel at first had no idea what to get me. I'm practical and functional and that makes shopping ridiculously hard. Joel was easy because eh's been ooggling at his gift at Costco for months now.
Joel did wonderfully. I got a pair of 8 inch Ginger Shears, a large self healing cutting mat and a few kitchen items. Joel got his Invicta watch and even though it's not finish he got his upcycled baby blanket. He was excited for the watch, but he cried when he realized that I hadn't just taken his old baby blanket apart but was actually working on making a patchwork quilt with it so he can still hang on to his childhood.
The girls got a few gifts and they played with them, but with all the new things, Emi still likes banging on old pots and pans with wooden spoons and Hailey still loves her trampoline. They got magnetic gears that go on the fridge so they have something to play with while mommy is cooking.
This is what happens when I'm not watching them and they aren't playing with the magnetic fridge gears. :) Coconut all over the floor!
Although, Hailey did get a Minnie Mouse dress from Grandma Robin and Aunt Jaime and we're on day two of her wearing it.
Joel still needed to sleep since he had worked Christmas Eve. We opened gifts and then Joel eventually went to sleep. Usually he sleeps for 7-9 hours and the whole day disappears but on Christmas night he just happened to wake up for a couple hours. We quickly made dinner of Ham, Vegetables, Mashed Potatoes and rolls. He ate till he was in a food coma. He watch a little bit of a new Disney movie with the girls and then went back to bed. It was a good Christmas, the best we've had.
The day after Christmas, Kelly Strand came to visit. This couldn't have been more perfectly timed.
I woke up the day after Christmas and started to get the girls ready for the day. Joel had been at work during the night and I had a text on my phone that said to call him now. Not, asap, but now. I called and he said that he'd gotten in a car accident. Great! He had taken his eyes off the road and the light turned red and the guy in front of him hit his brakes. Joel hit his but didn't have enough stopping distance. He swerved but still clipped the back end of the other car. Lovely. First the bike and a broken wrist, then the car. Good thing I don't really have to go anywhere till the 4th of January when work starts back up. But that still only leaves us with a motorcycle while the car gets fixed and Joel can't drive a motorcycle with his broken wrist. Life is full of wonderful surprises and twists.
He was worried that when he called I was going to be super upset. That would mean more dipping into the financial bucket that is already depleted. I told him, money is money and at least you weren't hurt. We have insurance just for these type of situations. A few months ago, I may have flipped out over the finances and wrecked car, but when Brother Bennion came over at the beginning of the month to talk to me about my upcoming court situation and the pending judgement against me he stressed, money is just money. It comes and goes and ultimately doesn't matter at the end of life. We can't take it with us. Fortunately Joel is working and I have my part time job. The car will be fixed and we'll continue on with life. Nothing of major importance was lost.
So back to Kelly. Kelly sent me a text mid morning the day after Christmas confirming that we were ok with her stopping by to visit. I had totally forgotten! Can you blame me. I put it in my calender but that notification hadn't gone off yet. We could have easily said, it's not a good time, try again later, but I have found that Friends are worth more than money. It will be a nice break from the usual life to visit and laugh and catch up.
We'll get the car fixed. We'll get back to working. We reminisced on the year. We moved from Boise to Vegas. We have moved once again while in Vegas. Joel has been hired, fired, accepted into an apprenticeship program of his desired profession, hired again and almost fired, in two accidents, but it still alive and doing well. I have been put to work outside the home as a temporary dental assistant that turned permanent. I have been investigated and sued at my work. These are just a few of the things that we've had happen throughout the year but life I said, this has felt like the year of Job. No we haven't lost everything, friends, family, etc. But at times it has felt like it. THe plus side of Job's story is that in the end because he is faithful, he triumphs over all the woes and is rewarded.
Things that are important, but Friends and Family, laughter, hard times that have taught us valuable lessons and experiences that leave good memories mean so much more. Hopefully 2016 will be a great year as well with a few less trials, but if the trials come--and of course they will, let us remember that we made it through the year of Job for the better and we can and will make the best of whatever else comes.
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