Changes

Listing them is the easiest way

1. We moved, almost a year ago now, but I'm surprised when people I was sure knew where I lived, don't. We now live in the smallest town I've ever lived (or have memory of) just about 1000 people, though there are 3 other towns in very close proximity of near the same size that makes it a "little" bigger, but still the smallest place for me.

2. No more homeschooling :( Yes this makes me very very sad. I have loved having the years to teach and learn with my children. Mostly I have loved being able to learn about my children and be with them all day long. But it was a necessary change all because of #3.

3. I am not home any longer, I am working full time with my dear sweet husband. A long time ago when I was young I went to college and got a Paralegal degree. We always talked about the "future" when the kids were grown and gone and how we could work together. I would listen and nod but always I thought "no, I just want to be home". Little did I know that the Lord had other plans for me. We prayed about it a lot, I balked at the answer. So I prayed some more, somehow the same answer kept on coming. So here I am, at work with my husband. I love the work, I hate leaving my kids and home. It is fun to be learning again and taking classes and exercising that part of my head that hasn't been worked out in quite a while.

4. The big kid is gone on his mission for our church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). Yes he will be one of those young men that you see in white shirts and name tags for the next 2 years. He is still in training right now and eventually will be in Sao Paulo Brazil for two years. He's been gone for 3 weeks now and it feels so much longer but maybe it's just that so much has happened in that time?

5. In moving both J and I have new callings at church. I am serving in the Relief Society (women's organization) and J is the executive secretary for the Bishopric (the leadership for the congregation). Between our new business, working full time (and then some), kids in school, sending the kid off, and the responsibilities at church I regularly feel like I'm not just treading water but I'm just a little bit under and only occasionally coming up for air.

I'm sure there are more changes but I may have let them slip my mind in the panic of the moments. There have been car repairs, illnesses, homework mishaps, and the usual headaches of the actual move. But I'm happy, this is the important part right?

a hurried morning

I hate waking up late. It wasn't really really late, just 7:30, but J and the middle boy had to be at a hike by 8:30, they still needed breakfast, to get gas, and pack snacks, which I had of course forgotten to plan for earlier. We jumped up and started running, but it never fails when you're hurried the rest of the day just seems to be off kilter.

Boo, the baby and I got some breakfast, at 10am. Now it's 11am and I'm still full as can be, but the little one thinks it's lunch time soon since he didn't eat much.

We did find time to have family prayers though. That has been something in our marriage that has been very important, to pray together as a couple and as a family, no matter what. I remember when J was traveling all the time out of state, we'd all get on the phone and kneel by the side of the bed together and have our prayers day and night.

I really do notice the difference when this is delayed or people are still sleeping so the whole family is not there. We're all just a little crankier when we don't get the chance to come together before our Lord.

*******

Today I'm cooking, again. Not just making meals cooking but doing a whole lot of it just for the pure enjoyment. Yesterday I made 9 dishes and was quite wiped out, I think I will skip something on that scale today. I'm going to make a beef stew (which is on the stove cooking right now) and I really need to make some bread if I get around to it.

I like to make my stew by boiling either steaks or a roast with bone in - in a stock pot, I do this all morning before adding barley, vegetables and seasonings. I remove the meat and bones and let cool. Afterwards I pull the meat off the bones and remove the excess fat and put the meat back in to heat before serving.

I really need to make bread but haven't felt that great today, so I'm not sure if I'll get around to it.

All about me

I've been thinking about writing a blog for a long time. But as with most things in my life it gets procrastinated and nearly forgotten about until I read someone's and think about it again.

I am wife to J, Mom of 6, but 2 are gone but not forgotten. The oldest, I like to call him Fred, is off to college far far away. How did I get old enough to have a grown up? The next one is 12 going on 60, she is an amazing one. We like to call her Boo. JJ (J Jr as he calls himself) is 10 and the baby is 5 1/2.

We're currently "in transition" as I kindly refer to it. When living in Southern California J was laid off from his job and we moved north to be near family again. However we don't know where we will land so we're living out of boxes and just grateful to be in an actual home in the meantime.

I homeschool the 3 youngest nutcases which I just love! It is such a joy to watch them learn but as with all things in our life right now this is mostly in flux as well since it's just so hard to find focus in the moving and chaos we're going through.

We had one cat and one dog, perfect huh? Then this summer every stray dog seemed to move on in. We finally got rid of most of them, but we have one left, Muffin. Of course as luck would have it she is now expecting puppies any day.

My hope is to chronicle our quest to find a job, a new home, our learning, a little bit of travels, and all the fun of a family that makes me just a little nutty but overall I sure do love them :)