Just a Few Things on My Mind

For those who don't know, T got 4 very excellent job offers and after much contemplation, we have made our decision! Yeah! This particular job will give T a substantial addition to our down payment for a home, only one year to partner, great people to work with, and T will get every 3rd week off. That's right, he works 2 pretty normal work-weeks and then gets the 3rd completely off. I guess all this post-grad training has paid off! The town we're going to is a little smaller than I expected. The pros include seeing lots of stars (including a shooting star the night I was there), being 15 min from a gorgeous national park, and Cafe Rio. The cons include no Target Store. I know, pretty unfathomable.

I have so much on my mind that I feel like I need to unload or explode. I'm sorry I've been so preoccupied with myself lately. My brain is just whirling from the humongus "To Do" list that sits between me and June 30th.

1. My oldest daughter is getting baptized! Tons of family are coming into town next weekend! Lots of fun, lots of preparations, trying to minimize the stress.

2. Learn how to buy a house, get all the financing in order, etc. (totally new territory for me and scares me to death). (jan/feb)

3. Filing taxes with the hope of a big, fat return. (feb)

4. Pick a name for this baby (sounds so easy, doesn't it? But it's not. It actually has to go with the last name, fit in with the sibling's names, and I want it to have a cool meaning. Oh, yeah, and T and I have to agree.) Buy a new travel system to replace our 8-year old falling apart thing. Anyone have an opinion on the Eddie Bauer Adventurer set? (jan/feb)

5. Have a baby and recover from the C-Section (march).

6. Fly to our new job location, check out the top elementary schools, choose and sign a contract on a new home before the tax credit expires. (april)

7. Minor surgery on my 3-year old's umbilical hernia. (?)

8. Help my sister with her new baby, bless our baby, have lots more fun family in town (may)

9. Move across the country. (june)

And of course, through it all, I still will need to do my regular job as wife, mother, homework nazi, chauffer, and fulfill my RS calling as well. That's all. Whew!

A real, concrete job offer!

I am just so happy! Tonight T received his first job offer! I am so stunned, and relieved, and grateful. He has a few weeks to look over the contract and finish looking at his other options before he has to give them an answer. This offer is in a very liveable town, with excellent schools and gorgeous mountains. It's just so nice to have a concrete, workable option! I appreciate all of you who have been praying for us. I have felt your faith buoy me up and help give me peace. All of our prayers have truly been answered.

And to think, even me nearly puking in the backseat of the boss' Lexus wasn't enough to turn them off. T must have REALLY impressed them! Way to go, babe! I am so proud of you!

We are expecting a....

bouncing-off-the-uterine-walls, healthy, very immodest baby BOY!?!? I'm in complete shock. I've been calling him a "her" all this time! So much for maternal instincts, aye? But, as T says, at the least the Force will be in balance in our family now. Is that a StarWars reference?

Our Family Vacation Part One: Toronto & Niagara Falls

Well, we did it! The trip that we have been planning for the last 3 years finally happened last week! We covered 8 states, 2 countries, and 3 hotel swimming pools in 6 days. Pretty impressive, is it not? Last Monday we got in the car before the crack of dawn and drove all day until we made it to Toronto. The most memorable part of that day was, as Avandra put it, "That was the first time we ever got to watch 5 movies in one day." Desperate times call for desperate measures. But those kids were amazing! I was really proud of them.














The next day we went to Casa Loma, a big modern castle that gives a good moral against greed and living beyond one's means, since the rich owner went broke and the castle was never finished. although he and his wife did get to live in a portion of it for 9 years before having to move out and die in poverty and obscurity. It was beautiful though, and I definitely got my exercise climbing the stairs to the top tower.















We were hoping to go to Yo Yo Ma's Music Garden, but mapquest failed us miserably and by the time we figured it out, we were halfway to Niagara Falls, so we just bagged it. Our first real view of the Falls was from the hotel restaurant, where we got to enjoy the view while eating. It was a beautiful evening and mighty breath-taking. It was just a pleasant evening together.

It was a good thing we enjoyed such a lovely view that night, because the next day dawned rainy and windy and a little bit miserable. It's a shame I didn't have my camera at dinner. I'm sure those pictures would have been so much better.















We used Hotwire to reserve our hotels for the trip, and found that in general, we were put in 1-star rooms, even in 3- or 4-star hotels. I was highly disappointed. Yes, we are cheapskates but we like a good deal, so does anyone have a better way to do this?

Crazy? Yep, Crazy in Love

Photos Courtesy of AMB. http://ambphotocompany.com/

Joyful

The kids are back in school... *sigh*. Isn't it wonderful? This last month has been one of the best months of my life--so renewing for me. I love all of my children so much. I really do. But I am not a multi-tasker and that includes parenting. I am a much better mother with one child at a time. I get too overstimulated and overwhelmed when they are all with me. But when we're one-on-one I can slow down enough to look them in their eyes and see their precious spirit shining through. This month has been so beautiful for me and my 2 1/2 year old Little Guy. I am so lucky to have him in my family!

Last Friday we went on a walk and it felt so rejuvenating to crunch leaves together, to stop and inspect berries, or see if there were walnuts on the neighbors tree. (There weren't. Our squirrels are efficient and quite fat.) We lolly-gagged a the library, and then I took him to lunch, where we practiced winking at each other across the table as we ate our yummy burritos. It's nice to ENJOY my kids, instead of just HERD my kids.

My girls are loving school though. We have full-day kindergarten here. I am not a fan, in principle. I had spoken with the teacher and the school principal ahead of time, and we had worked out for me to pick Couscous up after lunch if she seemed to be having a hard time transitioning. (Big sister Avandra took 4 months to adjust.) Well, Couscous just made me look like an overreacting mother, because she comes home each day with joy and energy and a desire to keep hanging out with her friends all evening long too.

I'm grateful that we are able to have some fun family times all together too, though. Last night all 5 of us sat on our sofa with bowls of munchies and the lights off, and just watched the lightning storm move in. It felt so cozy and safe. I am so grateful for my family. They are so precious.

I am looking forward to this week, too. Life has gotten slower with my girls in school, and I'm glad for the relaxing times. But I'm also grateful that my schedule allows me to be where I'm needed. There are people in the hospital to visit, a lady from church who needs help packing to move. Avandra helped me take flowers to a home-bound woman on her birthday on Saturday. It's such a priviledge to feel like I'm able to use the gifts of time and body God has given me, to be able to be an instrument of of sharing His Love with others. I also love including my children in those opportunites. Pres. Eyring's talk at the Saturday's Relief Society Women's Conference just intensified those feelings. It was a wonderfully inspiring evening, wasn't it? Life is joyful.

Phantom of the Opera at 10 Bucks a Pop!

I was so excited to hear that with the donation to the local food bank, we could get tickets to the traveling Broadway production of Phantom for 10 bucks! With a few hours to plan, a babysitter to book, and some other commitments to fulfill (or bail on), we made it by the skin of our teeth! The last time I saw Phantom it was in London about 15 years ago. Can I really compare this production to that? Well, as far as special effects, the London production took the cake, but this one was really quite good. I understood it much better this time too. We did take Avandra, and I kind of hope I did the right thing. I had forgotten about the gruesome parts and mild profanity. Oops! I was weeping during the final scene; T was trying not to fall asleep. As he later said, "Wicked's plot sure is more interesting." Anyway, for $10, I thought it couldn't be beat! (Although you add 3 tickets, parking, and babysitting, and we actually spent $70 for this spontaneous evening! Still fun. Still glad I went!)