The Hurrier I Go...

"The hurrier I go, the behinder I get" ~The White Rabbit

If this statement is true, and I submit that it is, then wouldn't it stand to reason that I can get ahead of the game by taking a nap? Just sayin'.

Remember that sour-faced little guy in the back to school post? Things aren't getting much better. It's been a rough transition back to school this year. Ugh! Who knew I would need a degree in Elementary Education just to help with 4th grade math homework? Oh the crying, the throwing of pencils, the crumpling of paper…(and that's just me!) Math is Not. My. Thing. Needless to say, tensions have been running high around here. Bleh! (Please let things calm down soon…please let things calm down soon…)

I have to admit, I'm not my best self right now, either.

I am currently in a "sick and tired" phase…I think it's been going on for a while!

If you are one of those people who has never had a psychotic break with reality one of those "days" (and "days" so does not cover it...) Well, good. You have my deepest respect and admiration.
But if you, like me, are more inclined to wonder on a daily basis:
why boys have to spray the entire bathroom every time they pee and
why can't the dishes/laundry/cleaning/ stay done for more than 5 minutes and
can't someone else figure out what's for dinner and yes you have to do homework and chores and can someone please just once load the dishwasher and take out the garbage without acting like I've asked you to sever a body part and

does no one else in this family know how to hang up a towel or put a roll of toilet paper on that little silver holder thingy and how are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet anyway?

Well then, you'll know what I mean…I need a vacation! Calgon…take me away!!!

Clearly, I am not one of those women who have it all together.

Clearly.

I will just keep chanting to myself; "Keep Calm and Carry On". (Emphasis on the Keep Calm part!)

In other news:

Shane picked me this sunflower the other day on the way home from school. It came with a big hug and a kiss. (Dear Neighbor, sorry about my son picking your flowers…yes, we've had a little chat about it). I look at it every day to remind me that calmness and order will be restored, and that despite the rockiness of the after school routine, he does still love me. Even if he says angry words to the contrary.

And…my vacuum is on life support.

 I don't think it will be with us much longer. Poor thing has been accidentally pulled down the stairs one too many times. I guess my family is really hard on stuff. Dear vacuum, sorry for your early demise. I loved you, you have been a great, albeit expensive, vacuum…you will be missed.

(Duct tape is an upgrade and does not come standard)

I think that pretty much sums things up for now.

When We Meet Again

Rewind! Mid-July, 2005…

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon...just a few days earlier, Rick had received an offer for a promotion at work, which involved a transfer to Arizona. We had accepted. Now, I found myself sitting in Relief Society next to Connie. It would be (unbeknownst to any of us) my last time attending church in that ward. Ever. I was serving in the RS at the time. The YW were conducting Opening Exercises, which was good for me because no way was I gonna be able to sit up in front of that room full of women and not bawl my eyes out! The word that we were moving had not gotten around quite yet…Opening Exercises went well, until the girls practiced a song they would be singing at upcoming Girl’s Camp. My daughter was a soloist. Despite the personal turmoil that she was going through, she sang beautifully. But, the words to the song pierced my heart and the tears flowed.

When We Meet Again

Jenny Phillips/Tyler Castleton

My feet are tired and worn

My spirit fades

Many fall by the way

Keep my feet this day

Walk one more mile or so

Stay close to me

My faith will be my fate

My destiny

I will rise and prove my faith

May my heart be one with Yours

So You will one day

Call me friend

When we meet again

Though trials may mark my path

And storms prevail

I know Your guiding love

Will never fail

If I endure it well

If I remain

True to the promises

And faithful to His name

Afterward, the Relief Society Presidency gathered for a few pictures.

Here we are!

Connie, Darla, Valerie, Emma

Fast Forward! October, 2009...

I once again find myself living in Utah…an unexpected, but welcome change of events! (Another transfer for Rick, back to the SLC office).

A lot has happened to all of us over the past 4 years. Some joys, some sorrows…Life is like that. I feel so blessed and fortunate to have good friends who have loved, supported, encouraged, laughed and cried with me. And I hope that in some measure, I have returned in kind to them…

There was an email, then a phone call, an invitation to join. Thanks to thoughtful, wonderful friends who gave me a little nudge!

Here we are!

Emma, Connie, Valerie, Darla, Lynette

We met for breakfast on Halloween. We dressed up in costume (in case it wasn't obvious...and please ignore my hair! Despite what my stylist says, side-swept bangs do not work for me!)

It was fun and wonderful and all good things rolled in to one! And it felt like I’d never been gone! And how wonderful it feels to be back home!

I will rise and prove my faith

May my heart be one with Yours

So You will one day

Call me friend

When we meet again

Love you guys!

Fascination

Shane was only 4 when we moved to Arizona. As a result, he really doesn't remember much about Utah.
These are just a few of the things that are fascinating to him right now...

This is a "park" in the middle of our neighborhood. In AZ, we would call this a greenbelt. When we say that here, we get confused, blank stares! Most the kids call it "the field". Fascinating also, is the fact that he can just run outside and there are tons of neighbor kids to play with...and more fascinating still? That he can play outside! (AZ = either too hot...or not safe!)




Heater. Vents. Hours of fascinated play for an 8 year old boy! Yes, yes, we had these in AZ too, but they were in the ceiling, not the floor. I've already had to fish several toys out of the vent in his room. Awesome hiding place for action figures.

Grass. Green. Soft. No further explanation needed.

Our (ugly) mailbox. We had a community mail box in AZ. (The ones with all the little individual boxes). He loves to get the mail. Thankfully, this fascination has died down somewhat as he usually just brought the mail up to the front porch and left it there!

Mountains, mountains and more mountains! And if you look closely, you will see there is snow on the top of this beauty! He can't wait until it snows in the valley! He does think it's cold here though! (He ain't seen nothin' yet!) :) Awww, he's such an Arizona boy!

We Have Arrived!

We are finally "moved in" to the new house, as of last night. Right now, it looks like a moving truck (2 actually) threw up in my house! Boxes everywhere! Despite the fact that I very carefully labeled every single box...I have no clue where anything is! Things got broken, things got lost...but we are "in" and that's all that matters right now!

I won't have computer hook-up for a while, yet...but I will be back and can't wait to catch up with all my blog reading!

Are You Who I Think You Are?

I went grocery shopping last weekend. Oh, the excitement! As I was leaving the first store (yes, there was more than one store involved) I thought I saw someone I knew. I was starting to move towards her, ready to make eye contact and offer a friendly “how are you?” When she turned and I realized she wasn’t who I thought she was at all! Yet, the resemblance was uncanny…which got me pondering about this phenomenon of seeing-people-who-resemble-people I know. I do this a lot! When we first moved to Arizona, I kept seeing people who strongly resembled friends from Utah…then a few months later as we were visiting Utah, I thought I saw people from AZ…I would start to say, “Oh, there are the Awerkamps”, then I would realize WRONG STATE! Is this strange? Do other people do this? Why are there so many people that look alike?
On a different note, I also saw a lot of strange people. I was beginning to think it was “Meth Addict” shopping day. I wonder if all the stores were sold out of Triaminic?

So, while I am in a quandary over all these strange sights…who do I see walking out of Wal-Mart? Marg Helgenberger! I swear it was her, just a little blonder and a little um...trashier? Let’s say if it was her, she was definitely “slumming”, shopping at the local Wal-Mart and all. We both ended up returning our carts to the little cart return thingy at the same time…she smiled and said to me, “Oh, we are such good girls, aren’t we?” I laughed, but the whole time the dialogue in my head was something like this: “Is that her? What if it really is her? Should I say something? Should I ask her if she knows she strongly resembles Marg Hergenbelger, uh…Hershenburger….uh Hersheybar… that lady from CSI…whatever?”
Thank goodness I didn’t say anything, just laughed and smiled politely. I like to play it cool! :)

A few weeks ago, at the same Wal-Mart, I am pretty sure I saw Mike Tyson…

Pretty. Sure.