We're Bonding

I think I'm finally bonding with my house.  It's actually beginning to feel more like home instead of this place that I happen to live at.

How do you bond with a house?  Well for me it's fairly simple:

1.  Clean.  Every room I clean becomes my room.  The more thorough the cleaning the deeper the bond.

2.  Hang something.  No not the cat or the dog next door that keeps on doing it's business in your yard, we're talking wall decor here.  It's like I'm tagging it.

3.  Cook something.  The more I cook and get in and out of the drawers, the more comfortable I am.

4.  Sitting.  Sitting in silence is usually best.  Sit and ponder the potential of this project that is now mine.

5.  Mowing the lawn.  Every inch of the yard, whether good or bad, becomes yours when you mow the lawn.  Instantly claiming the vegetation as the friend you never knew you had or casting it aside as the will-be-removed-gimme-the-chainsaw-now vegetation.  (that sounds harsh doesn't it.  I'm sure it had it's day, it's just gone wild and like the wild olive branches they must be cast aside).

I know that this is kind of a lot about the house but it's all so new and exciting to me.  I have dreamed of home ownership for a significant portion of my life and it's just nice to have been able to take this step towards putting in our own roots.  David and I went on a walk around the neighborhood to get a better feel for everything and it was just so weird to think that we were a part of it.  Not just a temporary but a real part of it.  It isn't the area that would have been first on my list, but it will do the job.

What do you think is the most important thing about a neighborhood?

David's Family

Last weekend we attended George Clove's funeral in Hurricane, Utah.  He is David's last grandparent to pass away.  I may be a bit odd, but I really enjoy funerals sometimes.  At least I do if it's someone that I am familiar with but not all that well.  It's so interesting to me to hear about their lives.  To get to know something of them that is pre-sickness or pre-worn out. 

It was especially good to see all, or most of, David's extended family.  It was only a year ago that Grandma Clove passed away and we followed similar pattern.  As odd as it sounds, it was really good to see everyone that close in timing.  I actually remembered who a lot of the people are and how they fit.  And I was much more comfortable with them too.  (It takes me a bit to get to know people or to let them know me.  I have to warm up to the idea.)  I found the whole thing surprisingly enjoyable.  In fact, I absolutely loved seeing the family again!  So many good, fun, mischievious people.  Makes me feel priviledged to be a part of it.

The other extra special treat was getting to meet David's Great Aunt Marie.  She come from Portland to her brother's funeral.  Up to that point I had no knowledge at all of Grandpa Clove's siblings.  I found her enchanting.  Very well put together, very sharp, and a wealth of knowledge.  I loved hearing stories about her childhood, her father, her experiences.  I also enjoyed listening to my mother-in-law and her brothers and sisters talking and reminiscing. 

So I pay tribute to all you wonderful cousins, aunts, and uncles out there who are just so dang cool and so much fun!  Thanks for being you and thanks for making me feel such a part of everything.  I can truly say my heart is full.

Did I Say "Almost Done"?

As it turns out, I wasn't quite telling the truth.  In my defense, I didn't realize that I wasn't quite telling the truth.

Home ownership is truly a horse of a different color.  I have expressed to a few of you before that it's so different having your own place because you have ultimate control over how everything will look starting at the color of the walls to what kind of nasty shrubbery will not reside in your yard as long as you both shall live.  Yeah, don't really know what will yet, but definitely know what will not be part of the Sullivan landscaping.

We are however, done with the old place.  I can't tell you the feeling of joy it was to turn in the keys and walk away.  I can only imagine it's equal would be getting that hefty deposit check back.  It's kind of like Christmas.  And then to know that as long as we play our cards right we will never have a landlord again!!  Woo-hoo!

Back to ultimate control.  Turns out it's a lot of pressure to decorate a room that you have ultimate control over.  Suddenly the trusty pictures that have followed you around adorning the walls of landlord-owned walls aren't quite up to snuff for self-owned walls.  So far I have one room that I am almost completely satisfied with:

Need curtains, an oval floor rug, and something brilliant to house music in.  Oh and get rid of lots of little baskets and get large basket with lid providing atmosphere and functionality.  Oh and a side table by the sofa to put additional lamp on for reading.

And that's what I mean by "almost done".

In other realms, check out the pathetic bedroom!

Just so you know, I know this has no style.  As a matter of fact it completely reeks of no style.  I didn't have pictures up until yesterday not because I think they go with anything (cause they don't) but I was tired of the echo-y sound/feel of the room.

Almost done.

I do have ideas for it though.  Something sort of rustic.  Like the pictures in this shot or this shot.  I really like this shelf to go over the bed... maybe.  And before you all go crazy with??? I don't know what, I could never afford pottery barn pricing!  In fact, even if I could afford, I don't know if I could bring myself to pay over 100 smackers for a set of 200-thread count twin sheets!  However I love the ideas.  Helps me get of feel of what I could really make my home into.  You know, when we get all that extra time and money.  Yeah, it's gonna be awhile.

What kind of a day are you having?

I thought I was doing pretty good today until Marketing Meeting.  It's at 11:00 am and I have been here walking around and talking to people since 8:30.

Marketing meeting.

Lindsey:  Did you mean to wear two different earrings?

Me:  No, these are the same. (I clearly remember picking up the gold dangly ones I love that would go perfectly with my hairdo that is cutely fashioned away from my face so as to accentuate the earrings and their cuteness)

Lindsey:  No they aren't.

Me: (feeling them as proof).... crap!  ( 1 gold dangly, 1 beaded nowhere close to the same color other) Tells you what kind of a day I'm having!

How's yours?

Almost done

K, so sorry about the long absence on the blog thing.  For those who don't know, we've been in the process of moving and my oh my what a process it has been.  We have yet to spend a weekend at the new place and it looks like we may  not be doing that for awhile.

How about a recap:

May 7:  We get the keys and actually bring one carload of stuff over because we can.

May 8:  Official move day, spend entire day lifting and loaded and unloading and sweating. (thanks TONS to those who helped with manual labor as well as dinner!)  Stay up till 1 trying to get things in some kind of order.

May 9: Head to Grace for Mother's Day,  Alex's farewell, and family pictures.

May 10:   I can't even remember what this day was...unpacking of some sort and cleaning I'm sure.

May 11:  Head to Salt Lake with family to go to temple, do Ruby River dinner and hit the 10 pm movie (we left the hotel at 9:57 and still made it! Nothing like running around the Gateway after steak! ugh.)

May 12:  See Alex off, go to Ikea for ideas, come home, David goes to work, I hit the cleaning of the old place hard.

May 13:  Thoughts of going to the other house make me want to cry.  Instead I put more things away in new house.

May 14: Renewed effort at going to old place still make me want to cry so we call it a day and vow to do better Saturday.

May 15:  Saturday.  We hit the 14th ward swap with all our old DIable stuff.  Get breakfast.  Clean out other place with a vengance, still don't get done.  Buy a lawnmower.  Take our old table for a ride around town before putting it back in the kitchen where we found it.  Make two trips to the DI.  Pick up new chairs (new to us) and table from Tawnya and Isaac.  Mow lawn, buy groceries, think about dying with sheer tiredness.

May 16:  Studiously avoiding our own messy house, we head to Grace for church and dinner with the parents who have found themselves incredibly bored without Alex around to shake things up.

May 17:  Finish cleaning old house, get almost everything out of garage, wonder if it is even worth it.

That brings us to today.  Looking forward to a nice weekend of not running around... but alas, tis not so.  David's last Grandfather has passed away and his funeral is in Hurricane UT on Saturday.  We will leave on Friday and come back on Monday.  (This was a blessing and not entirely a surprise by the way.)

Week after that we are headed to Grace for Memorial day because that's what we do.

Week after that it's back to Hurricane and a lovely cabin on Mt. Kolob.

We may need to take a loan for gas money.  sigh.

How have you been?

Torture

As some of you know, one of my favorite things to do is torture my husband. Not in mean ways, but more in the lines of annoyance.

So last night we were getting ready for bed and I noticed a feather sticking out of my pillow. It was just a tiny little thing. So I said “Hold still.” He saw the feather and my hand readied for attack and he said “No!” I said please with my best Puss in Boots (Shrek) face and he didn’t go for it. So I put the feather down and went to bed.
K, fast forward to this morning. We sat down on the bed to say morning prayers and I once again spied the feather that I had set aside last night. So as David finished up the prayer, upon “Amen” I grabbed the little feather and started running it up and down his face and he involuntarily shuddered because it tickled. Rather than batting it away, he just sat there with shock and unbelief on his face and said “You kept that feather!!! I can’t believe you kept that feather!!”

I gave him my best “yeah I did and wasn’t that so funny of me and aren’t I great” look. Then I collapsed with laughter. He didn’t share my humor. It was a good way to start the day.

The Stones That Brought us Together... or not

Did I ever tell you I had kidney stones?  Well, I did.  It was a long time ago and I never care to re-live it.  When I was going through it I honestly thought I was going to die!  My wonderful roommate at the time was kind enough to drive me to the emergency room in the middle of the night to get things taken care of.  I ended up staying in the hospital overnight, leaving for a day or two and then re-checking myself in because of the pain.  Fun experience.  There's much more to be said, but that's really not what this post is about.

This post is about communication.  You see, David and I were dating at the time.  We had had the define the relationship talk and decided that we were exclusive.  Yep, just the two of us together.  Bliss I tell you, bliss!  Then I got kidney stones.  When I was released from the hospital he was so very caring.  So helpful in every way.  I think he even got my pain meds for me.  What a guy huh!  Then I got put back into the hospital.

It was a Sunday and it was miserable.  The doctor had originally thought the stone had passed but the pain was back.  It was agreed that if it didn't pass naturally by the next morning then I would go into surgery.  It was not a fun time.  Here I was alone in a hospital room with no company, no distractions, just me, the iv and my anxiety.  So I did what any woman would do and called my boyfriend!  Yeah, that's it!  What good is a boyfriend if you can't call him in your time of need?  We talked, I told David I was back in the hospital.  He asked if I needed anything.  I said no, and then he had the nerve to believe me!

Couldn't he hear the pleading in my voice even as I told him I was fine?!?  Seriously people.  I was in the hospital!  Is anyone ever fine in the hospital?!  The whole thing screamed NOT fine but he just didn't get it!  I was the strong woman suffering in the hospital too proud to admit the pain and duress I was under.  He was supposed to be the strong man that gallantly comes to my side because he knows that even though I say I'm fine, I'm really not.  He needs to be there to steady me, to give me a shoulder to cry on that I'll never ask for by myself.  He was supposed to sense these things.  Did he just up and miss all those romance movies?

He never did come to visit me in the hospital that Sunday.  I spent a great deal of time trying to deal with the sense of abandonment I felt.  I didn't mention it to him because if there was one thing I would not let myself become it was a whinny woman.  It wasn't until after we were married that we revisited that conversation.  Sure enough he had no idea how I felt that day.  He really did think I was fine.

Isn't it funny how people, especially women expect others to read their minds and then get mad when the expected party wasn't blessed with that super-power.  David and I have learned a great deal about communication.  We still have a ways go to, but we are getting pretty darn good at clarification and explanation after the fact.  That Sunday in the hospital taught me that David does not have mind reading super-powers.  Time has taught me that neither do I.  Now we're smart enough to talk about everything.  We set clear expectations for ourselves and each other.  We talk things out and find our common ground.  Turns out it's a lot easier than trying to read minds.  Who knew! 

ps. Fortunately the stone passed the next morning as the crew was waiting outside my door to take me down and prep me for surgery... whew!

Will I Wear Make-up?

For some time now I've been pondering how my life will be different when we do get our child.  I have this vision of baby stuff everywhere, late nights, early mornings... but it's really quite vague.

I've spent a lot of time in the work force now and the change will surely throw me into a tailspin.  Will I keep up some of the good habits I've developed or will I be too exhausted to even try?  Will I shower every day?  Will my living room ever be presentable for company again?  Will I wear make-up anymore?  Or will I buy a pair of purple rimmed glasses to throw on when unexpected company stops by so they'll be so distracted by the vibrant purple color that they'll never notice that I either haven't put any make-up on or that I've been too tired to wash the old layer off and it's now 3:30 in the afternoon of the third day... sigh.

So many unanswered questions.  Fortunately none of that scares me.  I very much want to give the role Stay At Home Mom a try.  Along with questions of personal hygiene I wonder how adventurous we will be with our new addition.  Since babies come with a lot of stuff will it cut down on our desires to travel or will it just be a matter of strapping the extra stuff to the top of the car? 

We currently have a vacation/anniversary trip planned for the first week of September.  We are driving to New Mexico and staying at a condo there.  (I know, who vacations to New Mexico??  Apparenlty we do.)  We plan to stay at a ski resort (minus the winter weather) and hike a few trails, try new foods and just enjoy each other's company.  So what happens if we are chosen as parents before then?  I like to think that we'll still go.  That we'll be brave enough (or is that stupid enough?) to go ahead as planned with little one in tow.  But honestly I have no idea.  And I suppose that I won't have any idea until faced with the situation. 

So, just throwin' this out to you dear readers.  What changes did your first child bring into your life besides the obvious no sleep?  Anything from left field?  Trials?  Joys?  Feel free to leave a comment.  Even if you haven't commented before, I'd love to hear.

The Last Sunday

Today was my last Sunday in the 14th ward.  Though I wasn't officially released from my calling, it was still the last time for me there.  I confess I fully expected the announcement in sacrament meeting but apparently there were issues with getting the soon to be called in to meet with the Bishop for the official visit.

My husband had gone to PEC this morning and was able to pass on the torch (binder) of his calling to the new Ward Mission Leader.  He practically floated through the door when he came home to pick me up.  I confess to being a bit jealous.  I wanted to experience, if briefly, that same feeling of weightlessness.

Despite that minor set back though, it was a good day.  Naturally there were missing teachers and my wonderful husband graciously stepped in.  Seems like a regular occurance, especially the last two months.  I was able to do sharing time and it actually went really well.  Especially considering I put it together this morning.  But the kids did well.  They seemed to have a good time even learn something.

And of course there's always something to make you smile.  This was from the closing prayer.  (Always nice to end on a good note)

Child:  ".... and please bless us to stop making duck noises in class."

Could life be summed up any better?... I will miss that.

Bring me your tired, your cold, your weary...

... and your favorite blogs!

I'm always up for looking at new blogs but have not had the time to search for them lately.  Something about getting ready for a move???  Crazy, I know.  But I love good blogs and who better to share them than the wonderful people that grace my blog with their presence!

I would love for all ya'll out there to share some of the ones you follow.  Doesn't matter if they are funny, crafty, cooking, artsy, churchy... just share!