my PEN PAL

A few years ago, I was processing orders that customer has mailed in.  At the time, I was working for my church.  We handled orders for people needing materials for weekly church services, but also sold other items like food storage and tools used for family history.

I came across an order from Sharon.  She requested that we send her a variety of family history supplies, like pedigree charts.  Included with her order was a small amount of money.  Once upon a time, these items were free a charge, so the fact that Sharon had not sent a lot of money with her order was no surprise.  I knew I wouldn't be able to complete her order, but decided to enter it into the computer so I had an idea of how much the order would cost.  Once all the items were entered, I learned that the total was over $100.

I decided to give Sharon a call so I could explain the situation.  She was very understanding and asked if I could send her a catalog that showed pricing information.  I explained that we no longer provided catalogs, but that all pricing could be found on our website.  I had worked with enough people from the pre-pre-pre-pre-Internet generation to know that a website would be useless to her.

So, I told her I would send her as much of her order as I could using the money she had sent.  I also told her I would send her a separate letter listing all the items she originally wanted along with the price and corresponding item number, hoping this would help her with any future orders.

As I was putting the letter together, a very distinct thought came to my mind that I should write using my very best handwriting.  I have what some might say unique handwriting, and sometimes it's not the easiest to read.  Depending on who I'm writing, I'll often modify the letters so they're more legible.  I affectionately refer to it as my Grandparent Handwriting.

Anyway, I sent the letter off to Sharon and hoped the information I gave her would be of some use.

A few weeks later, I came into work and found a letter addressed to me.  Actually, it was addressed to "Emily ?" because the person writing did not have my last name.  The letter was from Sharon.  And it was LONG.  She told me she had received my letter and absolutely loved my handwriting.  She wanted to know all about me, where I was from, whether I was right or left handed, and what type of pen I used.  She included a pre-addressed, pre-stamped envelope for me to send my reply, but also said that she would not be offended if I chose not to write her back.

I took her letter home and showed it to my husband.  I told him I wanted to write her back, but knew that would lead to another letter from her and so on.  I knew receiving personal mail at work was frowned upon, so my husband and I decided we felt comfortable giving Sharon our address so we could continue to send letters to each other.

Over the last two years, we have remained pen pals.  She is so thoughtful and puts so much detail into her letters to me.  I know a lot about her personal life, children, etc.  It really has been a pleasure getting to know her, and even though I don't provide quite as much detail about myself, she is always quick to tell me how much my letters mean to her.

I don't think it is a coincidence that Sharon and I crossed paths.  I also don't think the thought for me to use my best handwriting was a fleeting, random thought.  I think it was intentional, and I'm glad I listened to it.

Who knows?  Maybe we'll meet in person one day.  For now, though, I'm enjoying the letters.

my FRIDGE

In 2010, Dustin and I were living in Idaho Falls.  Isabelle had just turned one year old.  All of my family was in Utah, all of Dustin's in Wyoming.

We both had great jobs, lived in a nice house and had made a pretty nice life for ourselves.

We soon realized it was time for us to move so we could be closer to family.  As you may recall, in 2010, the housing market was at an all-time low and there really could not have been a worse time to sell a house.

Despite all of this, we put our house on the market and hoped for the best.  To help make our house more enticing, we decided to include our fridge as part of the sale.  While this may not seem like a big deal to some, it was for me.  That fridge was $3,000 and the only reason we bought it was because it was the only one that would fit properly in our kitchen.  I absolutely loved that fridge.

Five months later, our house sold.  And we lost a lot of money.  Like, a lot of money.  And I left my wonderful fridge behind.

Soon, we were in Utah and living in Ogden.  When we learned that Dustin's new job would not offer health benefits until after six months, we knew he had to find something different. 

After one month, we packed up all of our belongings again and moved to Bountiful.  Dustin found a new job.  The responsibilities, the pay and the hours were less than desirable, but we had awesome benefits from day one.  He dealt with working a job he hated for the benefit of our family, and I spent my time scouring the internet in search of something better for him.

During this time, I found a part-time job at a local reception center.  I washed dishes for next to nothing.  I would come home from work soaked to the bone with sore hands, feet and back.  As a dishwasher, I was considered the lowest of the low and had to deal with snotty high school girls (I was 30 years old at the time) who were servers (which was considered a big step up from being a dish washer) on a regular basis.  For whatever reason, they, along with the rest of the staff, decided they were better than me, and I spent a lot of time biting my tongue.  I was there for a paycheck.

Dustin and I both acknowledge this was the lowest time in our marriage - both working pitiful jobs for pitiful pay.

But, we both had faith things would eventually get better.

And, they did!

Dustin found a new job with a local bank.  We moved out of our crappy apartment and purchased a new townhouse.  We made new friends.  We belonged to a wonderful church.  And I stopped washing dishes for a living. Things were definitely looking up.

But, we always seemed to have a mediocre fridge.

Over the next few years, Dustin did what he does best by being awesome.  He worked the hours no one wanted to work, and we saw very little of each other.  But by being flexible he proved his value and he worked his way up the corporate ladder.  I found better job opportunities as well.  Slowly but surely, our financial situation was getting better.

I often thought about our old house, that beautiful fridge, and wondered why we felt inclined to move when it meant losing so much money.  Even today, I don't regret a thing, but that doesn't mean the past doesn't sting a bit.

Now, nearly seven years since this story began, I feel as though I am closing that chapter of my life.  We are coming up on three years in our newest house.  We live in a great neighborhood and have made great friends.  Our daughter attends a phenomenal school and, thanks to another amazing career change for Dustin, I was able to quit my job to be home full-time with our youngest child.

And, just a few days ago, we purchased a new fridge.  It's not the same fridge we had before, but one that is very similar.  

As I stare at our new fridge, I'm almost brought to tears.  As silly as this sounds, this new fridge is a symbol of the satisfaction that can come from working hard, putting aside your pride and doing things that may seem beneath you for the benefit of others, sacrificing your wants for your needs and realizing that even though things may be less than perfect now, they will get better.

I consider myself very blessed.

INITIAL reactions

Several months ago, I read an article that had been shared by a friend on Facebook about what traits parents of successful kids all have in common.  According to the article, the traits ranged from having a college degree to learning math at an early age.

One trait in particular stood out to me:  a working mother.

After reading the article, I went back to Facebook and reviewed the comments.  Everyone loved all of the traits, and agreed with them, with the exception of the working mom.

I didn't know any of the women that made comments.  I barely knew the friend that posted the article to begin with.  But, because of their comments, I allowed myself to make all sorts of assumptions about them.  And what I assumed was not too great.

I consider myself a working mother.  While I am in no way the bread winner of our family, I work five days a week and contribute to our family's income.  I work to make money, of course, but also because I enjoy the satisfaction I get from completing a task that is separate from my motherhood responsibilities.

I took my anger and frustration to my blog and wrote a post criticizing these women for their comments about working moms.  But, before I published my thoughts, my mind was suddenly filled with doubt.  I started to wonder if the assumptions I had made about these women had any merit at all.

What I heard these women say was, "Successful children are not raised by working moms."  

But, maybe they meant, "Stay-at-home moms raise successful children, too."

I had a variety of different thoughts race through my mind.  I wish I could articulate how my perspective on this article, on the comments changed within a short period of time.  It really was a remarkable experience.  

And, basically, what I learned is this:

My reaction to something is not necessarily a reflection of intent.

I can think whatever I want, but that doesn't mean that I'm right.

Living in a world where it is so simple to respond to virtually anything within a matter of seconds, it's easy not to get caught up in our initial reaction.  

And sometimes our initial reactions are spot on.  

And sometimes they're not.

And so long as we're all aware of that, I think we'll all be okay.

you MATTER

Not long ago, I spoke to a woman over the phone at work.  She was placing an order for her grandson, who had made an unfortunate decision and was now serving time in prison.   Before I could complete her order, I had to put her on hold.  When I came back on the line, this sweet woman was crying.  She apologized for being so emotional and I did my best to comfort her.  As I listened to her cry, my heart ached for her and her family.  I wondered if this young man realized the pain he had caused.  I wondered why people have to suffer so due to no fault of their own.

Our phone call lasted only a few minutes, but it taught me a valuable lesson. For the first time, I think I grasped the reality of how much we matter.

What we do matters.  

The decisions we make matter.

Be it good or bad, we are not alone when dealing with the consequences of our actions.

source

What we do matters.

We matter.

And I can't help but imagine what this world would be like if we really understood this simple truth.

You matter.

Act like it.

THANKFUL thursday: my JOB

A few months ago, I started a new, part-time job, and I absolutely love it.  It is probably the best job I've ever had.  The work, the environment, the people are great.  I feel so incredibly lucky to have a job that I not only enjoy, but that works well around my busy schedule of being a mom.

{source}

Even though I'm not actually alone, this job gives me what I consider alone time.  Or even me time.  I guess any time away from my children feels like alone time.  And because I get a few hours a week away from the craziness of motherhood, I feel like I am a better mother overall.

And anything that helps me be a better mom {which is, after all, my real job} is something I will always be grateful for.

What things are you grateful for?

{day NINE} my BREAD WINNER

It's been almost a month since I quit my job.  There have been plenty of days that have caused me to remember why I enjoy working so much.  Going to work added a bit of diversity to my life that I don't normally get otherwise.  I was able to socialize and rub shoulders with my co-workers, and I miss that.

Nowadays, I spend most of my time with Isabelle and her friends.  And, I'll admit, sometimes I just want a break from the usual that comes from being a stay-at-home-mom.

However, despite how mundane my days can seem, I am grateful that I'm able to stay at home.  And that is only possible because Dustin is such a hard worker and takes his responsibility as our primary bread winner very, very seriously.

I used to work part-time at an event's center, and too many of my co-workers were women who worked multiple jobs because their husbands couldn't find "the perfect job." Instead, these "men" opted to not work at all, not seeming to mind that their wives worked on their feet all day long.

Over the years, Dustin has taken jobs that he knew he wouldn't like, but he tolerated them while he looked for something better.  The idea of not working just because the greatest job wasn't falling into his lap was never an option.  And, eventually, his patience and endurance paid off because now he has a great job.

Yesterday, Dustin worked 14 hours.  The day before that he worked 12.  And the day before that he worked 9.  Who knows how long he'll work today.  He works so, so hard because that's the type of person he is.  He has a great work ethic, and even though I know the pressure of being our primary bread winner is great he never fails to go to work every day.

I often ask him how I can make his days easier, to lighten his load.  And his answer is always, "Having dinner ready for me when I come home means so much."

So, not only is he a hard worker, he's pretty easy to please.

almost UNEMPLOYED

When I began working again, I knew it'd only be for a short period of time.  I had very specific goals with my paychecks (goals that both Dustin and I agreed to), and planned from the beginning to quit once those goals were met.

Of course, things changed a bit once I found out I was pregnant.  

And today I find myself only obligated to go to work two more times.  I'm very happy to be winding down my employment for the time being, but I'm sad to leave the people I have come to know. Thanks to Facebook, I know we'll still keep in touch, and I can obviously visit them at work whenever I want.  But, it will still be sad not to see them on a regular basis, even if I am a good decade older than most of them and I'm in a completely different stage in life than most of them.

Despite all that, here are a few things I've learned about myself and others while having this job:

1.  Because of my degree, I know I could have moved up the ladder.  Even though working full-time was not on my agenda, it's nice knowing that I had that option.  I'll always be grateful for my education.

2.  I can get along with pretty much any type of person.  It helps if that person knows how to carry on a conversation, but it's not required for me to still tolerate their company.

3.  I tend to give unsolicited advice.  I need to work on that.

4.  Few feelings compare to that of coming home after a hard day at work.  Thanks, Dustin, for always being there to listen to me vent.

5.  Good, reliable co-workers are hard to come by.

6.  Retail is a very under appreciated career.  After all, without retail employees, there would be no Black Friday.

7.  Even though I was not hired to be a maid, I certainly felt like one.  There are garbage cans in the store for a reason.

8.  It's sad when people are shocked when they receive good customer service.  It shouldn't be that big of a surprise when people not only do their job, but do it well.

9.  Whether she takes my advice or not, Isabelle will learn the importance of hard work and keeping her word.

10.  I'm definitely going to miss my paychecks!

What sort of things have you learned about yourself and other people by working?

Thoughts?

DUSTIN and his GIRLS

There are a lot of things that I love about Dustin.  I could list all of his qualities and attributes that I love and admire, but instead I'd like to focus on one thing and that is his attitude towards women.

When Dustin's co-workers first learned that I was pregnant, a lot of people began asking him if he wanted a boy this time around.  I knew from the beginning that Dustin loved raising our little Isabelle and that he had no problems about having another girl.  He expressed his thoughts to those he worked with and a lot of people, specifically the men in the group, were astonished by his response.  How could it be possible that he didn't want a boy?  A boy to carry on the family name!  A boy to watch sports with.  A boy to hunt with.  People were really flabbergasted.  And that really bothered Dustin, and not because he's neither interested in sports or hunting, but because he felt people were suggesting there's something wrong with having a girl.  That a girl is somehow less than compared to boys.

One night after work, Dustin told me what had been said to him at work.  When it came to carrying on the family name, my immediate response was, "People know that women don't have to change their last name when they get married, right?"  Dustin laughed because he said that was his first thought too.

We talked about everything for awhile, and things settled down at the office.  In fact, most people predicted we would have another girl.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think any of his co-workers meant to offend.  And they didn't really offend Dustin by what they said.  I think it was more shocking than anything.

I'm so thankful for Dustin because of his attitude towards women.  He has always treated me like his equal.  He has never done or said anything that suggests he is somehow superior to me simply because of his gender.  We also recognize that while we're equal, we're different in that we have different strengths and weaknesses and personalities.

I think Isabelle is the luckiest girl in the world to have Dustin as her dad.  I know he's going to be so supportive of her throughout her life.  He will expect certain things from her and hope certain things for her, but overall will encourage her to do whatever she wants in life.  He won't put any limitations on her because she is a girl.

And I know he's so excited to welcome our new baby girl into the family. 

After all, nothing can compare to the father-daughter relationship.

to you, the CONSUMER, from me, the EMPLOYEE

The next time you find yourself at a large retail store {not Walmart}, please consider my wish list.

If you are looking at something {like a shirt} and it falls on the floor, please pick it up.

If you decide not to buy something you've been carrying around, please return it to it's original location, or at least in the general location of where it belongs. {I want to pull my hair out when I find sliced cheese in the shoe section.}

If you decide to eat/drink while browsing the store, please throw your garbage away.  There are garbage cans located all over the store. {A spilled slurpee is never fun to clean up}

Please don't allow your children to wear a pair of shoes you have no intention of buying while you shop.  And if you do, please put them back near the shoe section so when we go to defect them out {throw away} they are easy to find.

If your child has an accident in the toy section, please don't tell an employee about it after you've already left the scene.  Stay near the accident and have someone else {the other people you're shopping with} find an employee so it can be cleaned up asap.  Would you, as an unsuspecting shopper, like to trip and fall in someone else's pee?

It's not my problem you have to rush around the store to get what you need when you only arrived at the store 10 minutes before closing time. {We're open for 14 hours everyday.}

If you really need a certain product, please come to the store and look for it yourself.  Please don't just call.  I am not your personal shopper, nor do I have time to run around the store looking for what I hope you're talking about while you sit in the comfort of your home.  {Have you heard of online shopping?}

What?  We're out of Easter dresses?  Guess what?  Easter is tomorrow.  {Last minute shopping does have its consequences.}

Contrary to popular belief, you're not the only person alive and not the only customer in the store, so please be aware that you may have to wait a millisecond before you can check out. {Patience is a virtue.}

When the store is closed, the store is closed.  In other words, it's time for you to exit the building and be on your merry way. {When the lights dim, that's your cue.}

...

Too harsh?  Probably.  But, I wish I could convey to you how much of my time is not spent doing my actual job, but on cleaning up after people's carelessness/laziness and it's exhausting.  I'm convinced if people took 2 minutes to throw their garbage away or put things they don't want back where they belong, I'd easily have 2 more hours to actually get my job done.

the SO-CALLED MOTHERHOOD bond

I think when a woman becomes a mother, she automatically becomes a member of a club.  A motherhood club, so to speak.  As technology has expanded and become more sophisticated, it's easier now more than ever to connect with other mothers and to share experiences with one another.

Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc., are all avenues in which mothers can interact with one another, lift each other up, give advice, extend sympathy and overall be there for one another.

But it seems as though our bond with other mothers seems to disappear as soon as we walk outside our homes.  When we face life in the flesh, and not behind our computer screens, it's everyone for herself.

Minutes after my daughter was born, my doctor commented on her screaming.  He said he had never heard a newborn make such noise.  I had no idea how my daughter's lungs would be such a source of stress, anger, humiliation and bitterness for me as time passed.

I've seen mother's glare at me.  I've seen them stare at me.  I've watched them put their hands over their ears.  I've seen them shake their heads.  I've heard them make comments under their breath.

All the while, I am thinking to myself, "Haven't you been in my shoes?  Don't you know exactly what I am going through as I struggle to keep my child well-behaved in public?  Your reaction to me is one that implies I enjoy dealing with a loud child in public."

I just don't get it.  Where's the love?  Is it something that only exists when commenting on a blog post?

I have a part-time job at a retail store.  I see mother's shop with their children on a daily basis.  I hear them plead with their children to sit still.  I see them struggle as they try to get their shopping done.  I hear them apologize to me or fellow shoppers for how much noise they are making.  It is abundantly clear that these mothers are mortified and want nothing more to get what they came to buy and leave.

So, what do I do?

I approach the mother's and ask them if they need help.  More often than not, if children see me they either calm down and get shy or they want to talk to me.  Either way, it's easier on the mother and allows her to get done what she needs to.

Many times, I let the mother know I completely understand how she is feeling.  I tell her I have been in her shoes more times than I'd like to admit.

My goal as an employee and as a mother is to let these women know that I get it.  I completely, 100% get it.  And that I am not there to judge them.  I'm there to help them.  I'm there to let them know that they are not alone.

So, the next time  you find yourself in a store and  you hear a child throwing a tantrum, maybe just offer the struggling mother a smile.  

After all, you know exactly how she feels, right?

everyday HUMOR

I've come to realize that some of the funniest things that are ever said really come out of nowhere, and if you're really paying attention you can have a ball no matter where you are.  Here are a few fun conversations I've had lately.

...

Co-Worker:  "Hot Rod is the best movie ever made!"

Me {jokingly, of course}:  "Really?  Even better than Schindler's List?"

Co-Worker:  "I've never seen Schindler's List.  What's it about?"

Me {in shock}:  "What's it about?!  Wait, when were you born?"

Co-Worker:  "1991."

Me:  "Okay, ya, you were probably 4 when that movie came out, so I guess I can understand why you haven't seen it."

{I then explain what Schindler's List is all about.}

Co-Worker:  "Ya, I think I'll just stick to Hot Rod."

...

Isabelle's 4 year old friend:  "When I was a kid, I used to play matching games all the time."

Me:  "You're still a kid."

Friend:  Blank stare

...

{A different} Co-Worker:  "She did a total 360!"

Me:  "You mean 180."

Co-Worker:  "What?!"

{I then explain the difference between a 180 and a 360}

"Co-Worker:  "Okay, so anyway...."

...

Manager:  "Is everything okay with you and Katie {not the person's real name, fyi}

Me:  "Yeah, why?"

Manager:  "Well, you were talking to her in your mom voice, so I just wanted to make sure."

Me:  "I guess the mom in me is bound to come out at work every once in awhile."

...

{A different} Manager:  "Hey, are you okay?"

Me:  "No, I'm not.  I don't really want to be at work today."

Manager:  "It'll be okay.  We have pickles today in the break room for everyone."

...

These gems that I totally want to do in my own neighborhood

...

There you have it.  A small glimpse into my life and the things I find quite funny.

mom GUILT

I've read a lot about working mothers feeling "mom guilt."  I guess I can consider myself apart of that crowd because these last two weeks have definitely made me second guess having a job.

It all boils down to the fact that Isabelle is horrible at night.  Horrible.  The days of putting her in bed at 8:00 without any problems are long gone.  Now, Isabelle is usually wide awake when I get home from work, which is usually close to 11:00 at night.  And, Dustin is at his wits end as he's been trying for the last three hours to calm her down.

I'm trying to convince myself that this is just a phase, because certainly Isabelle has gone through her fair share of weirdness at bedtime over the years.  But, it doesn't help that this phase coincides perfectly with when I started working again.  Well, I guess I can't say that for sure, but it really seems like things weren't this bad before.  They may have been rocky, but not this bad.

It also doesn't help that the last time I remember Isabelle going to sleep at a decent hour was when I had the day off and we didn't do anything.  We didn't go anywhere.  We stayed at home and had a relaxing day.  And that night, just like the good ol' days, she's was in bed at 8:00.

I thought Dustin and I had made a pretty good schedule for ourselves.  The overlap between when he gets home from work and when I go to work is slim.  She plays hard while at my parents' house, which would normally equate to one tired little girl at the end of the night.

Bottom line, the biggest difference between now and then is that I'm not home.  What once felt like such a mundane process {wake up, get ready, spend the day with Isabelle, make dinner, eat dinner as a family, put Isabelle to bed, go to bed} all of the sudden seems a little bit more important in terms of my daughter's stability.

I guess, for now, I'll just wait things out.  Perhaps Isabelle is just adjusting to a new normal.  Maybe she just needs more time getting used to me not being there as often.  And, if that's the case and this really is just a phase, I hope it ends soon because I don't think I can take the guilt much longer.

K is for KNIGHT

It's almost 6:00 PM and I'm just barely posting about the letter K.  I'm a little behind and lacking a little bit of inspiration.  But, then I remembered a funny story about my friend Karen {whose name just happens to start with K and even though she lacked inspiration on E day and didn't write about me, I'm not bitter and still writing about her on K day}.

And, I swear I'm not bitter.

Anyway, Karen and I initially met through mutual friends at church.  We later became roommates.  And then she encouraged me to apply for a job at her work.  The job was taking incoming phone calls from all sorts of people involved in the trucking industry.  It was a glam job, let me tell you, but it was perfect for college students so it all worked out.

Anyway, part of our job was to authorize checks.  In order to authorize the checks, we had to get what was called a money code.  Money codes were ridiculously long alpha-numeric codes that were often very confusing to understand when you found yourself talking to someone whose first language was not English and had a very strong accent.  It was our job to always verify the money code after it was given to us, and part of that process was to be very clear about the letters.  So, we'd say "A as in apple, F as in Frank, etc." 

Source

Well, one day Karen was talking to a lady that gave her the letters phoentically, and she chose to say "K as in Knight."  Karen, being the smarty pants that she is, thought it was funny that someone chose to use Knight to represent K when clearly the K is silent and completely voids why you say things phonetically.  So, anyway, when Karen went to verify the money code, she said K as in Knight so this lady hopefully picked up on the fact that it was a horrible word to use.  Why not K is for Kite?

Apparently this lady, after hearing Karen repeat the money code, said, "I guess Knight is kind of confusing, huh?"

We had a good laugh after that one.  Clearly, our job was lacking in the entertaining department.

P.S. Do you remember that phone call, K-Lo?

F is for FLEXIBILITY

My high school gym teacher always had her students stretch at the beginning of class.  I remember her explaining to the class that stretching and being flexible is so important because as we grow and age our bodies change.  But, she told us, if we did stretching exercises each day, we would have less problems later in life.

Source

I don't know why I've always remembered that, and I think I'm going to have to start doing my stretching exercises every day because I think bending over to pick something off the floor will prove useful throughout my entire life.

But, this post isn't just about the importance of physical flexibility.  It's more about being flexible in life.  I have learned that life tends to throw a lot of curve balls.  I have also come to believe that all things happen for a reason.  Because of this, when life takes me in a different direction that I want or have even planned, I try to look at the situation with a greater perspective.  I often ask what I'm suppose to be learning from my new path, or what I'm suppose to be doing instead of what I was wanting to do.

For example, this time last year I had told my husband I felt very strongly about having another baby.  As a family, we were in transition mode.  We were living in a small apartment while we looked for a new house and my husband had just started a new job.  Adding another bundle of joy to the mix was probably the last thing he wanted to do, but we came up with a plan that worked.  Because it took practically no time at all for me to get pregnant the first time, we prepared for me to get pregnant right away.

Well, after a year of trying I'm still not pregnant.  And in some ways I'm surprised and wonder if there is something wrong with me.  But, in other ways, I feel a sense of peace when I think about the fact that maybe it's just not the right time.  I'm not sure why I thought it was the right time a year ago, but life works in mysterious ways sometimes.

Instead of being mad or angry, I'm choosing to be thankful for the daughter I already have.  I'm also choosing to be flexible with my life in terms of where I go from now.  Not too long ago I had this strong impression to apply for a job and am already seeing the benefits the extra income has had on my family.  The time away from my daughter has also proved worthwhile in that I cherish my time with her so much more.  And, my husband and I are making the most of the time we have together, even if it's just cuddling and watching videos on YouTube for a few minutes before we go to bed.

I'm grateful for whatever it is inside me that enables me to be flexible with life.  I'm grateful that when things don't go the way I expect, I'm able move forward and continue to be happy and find joy on the road I've been led to.

why we SKIPPED CHURCH {and loved it}

The last two weeks have been pretty busy for Dustin at work.  Even though both were only 4-day weeks, we're pretty sure he worked 50+ hours each week.  He also worked when he got home and received quite a few late night phone calls from employees that needed help.

That didn't leave much time for us as a family to be together. 

On Saturday, I had the weird thought that we shouldn't go to church on Sunday.  Instead, we should just spend the day together.  I thought it was kind of weird to feel so good about skipping church, but I really did.

I thought, if we didn't go to church we would miss so many things... 

We would miss the usual tantrum of getting our daughter out of her PJs and into a dress. 

 We would miss the short, but always frustrating, walk to the church because the little one refuses to hold our hands.  

We would miss not sitting in the chapel during sacrament meeting and finding our usual spot in the foyer. 

We would miss trying to keep our full of energy sweet pea quiet and from running around the building during what always promises to be the longest 70 minutes of my week.  

We would miss the usual fight going to nursery, and (because if there is an opportunity to be difficult, why not be?) the usual fight leaving nursery.  

And, last, but not least, we'd miss the fun walk home because, again, our lovely bundle of joy won't hold our hands and insists on walking every and anywhere but the sidewalk.

After weighing my options and thinking about all the things we'd miss by not going to church, what to do ended up being a pretty painless dilemma.

We totally and utterly and shamelessly skipped church.

And it was probably the best Sabbath day I've had in a long time.

a NEW DECADE

Jack:  "Lemon, I want to thank you for showing me that I could have a pleasant 

evening with a woman my own age.

Liz:  "I'm twelve years younger than you."

Jack:  "A woman your age then."

-30 Rock

I turned 30 years old in December.  It's hard to believe that my years as a twenty-something are over.  So many things happened during those 10 years:

Moved out of my parents house

Graduated from college, earning a Bachelor's degree

Met and dated a lot (well, not a ton) of really great guys

Fell in love for the first time

Lost loved ones

Lived by myself

Got married

Sold a house

Moved out of state

Bought a house

Had a baby

Quit jobs

Started new jobs

Lived as a stay-at-home mom

Sold a house

Moved again

While my birthday itself was not one big party, I did spend a lot of time reflecting upon the last 10  years of my life.  I felt very glad for all the experiences I had.  Some were great.  Some were heartbreaking.  Some were surreal.  Some sucked big time.  But, when I look at my list I realize I have done a lot of things some people in their 20s may not have.  And, as a result, I feel very empowered as I venture into the next decade of my life.  I am taking so much knowledge and experience with me that I know will help me as a thirty-something person.

Sometimes it is difficult for me to comprehend that I am no longer this care-free high schooler or a sleep deprived college student or a single girl looking for the perfect guy.  Those were the days...in my 20s.

On the other hand, I still have plenty of time to experience things that will eventually be "those were the days" experiences.  And for that, I am excited.

Thoughts?

So, ANYWAY....

My life has changed somewhat drastically since my last post.  At that time, we were living in Idaho Falls, ID and our house was on the market and had been since February.  Our plan was to move to Utah so we could be closer to our families.

Here are a few more details:

• 7/22:  Realtor called to schedule a showing
• 7/23:  Same realtor called to schedule another showing with same clients
• 7/24:  Two realtors called to schedule two separate showings
• 7/27:  Received offer on house and immediately countered
• 7/28:  Received a counter to my counter.  Didn't budge on our counter knowing full well the buyers could walk, but took the change anyway
• A few hours later on 7/28:  Buyers agreed to my original counter.
• 7/29:  Buyers asked if we could be out of the house in two weeks.  We said yes.
• 8/16:  The official date to close on the house.

In those two weeks, my husband and I managed to move the majority of our belongings to Utah and he found a new place to work; however, he still had a lot of things to do at his current job before he could quit, so he stayed in Idaho Falls until August 27 while my daughter and I went to Wyoming to stay with my in-laws.

On August 16, we closed on the house.  We immediately booked it to Utah to find a new place to live.  Our plan was to find a temporary rental until we figured out where we wanted to buy a house.

After three weeks of being apart, my little family was altogether again under the same roof on August 28.  Dustin started his new job the Tuesday after Labor Day and we all started to settle.

Fast forward one week.....

Dustin got a new job opportunity 70 minutes away from our house.  The job was too good to pass up:  amazing benefits, great opportunity to advance or "move up the ladder," overall, a tons better job than his current.

Fast forward two weeks....

We found a NEW place to live just one month after moving to Utah.  By moving, it cut Dustin's commute over in-half AND we were much closer to my family.  A better job, a better location, better everything.

In other words:  August = Idaho and Wyoming, September = Utah #1, October = Utah #2, November = Utah #2.

I think we'll stay put for awhile....

Assuming I still have any readers, what have you all been up to??