Another Birthday, Another Decade

To my sweet husband on his birthday....that was last Friday....

Thanks for being the coolest. And for marrying me.

30 looks real good on you.

We spent the day playing all over the place, including: The Hogle Zoo, the ropes course up at the Olympic Park in Park City (pictured above), the Snowbird tram, and Thanksgiving Point Museum of Ancient Life. Oh and getting another foster child. But that's a different story for a different day.

Traditions

From the moment you get married and create yourself that little, newlywed family, you suddenly have all desire to make your family your own. You incorporate all the little quirks that you've learned growing up, while your spouse does the same, and eventually you figure out your own little place. This place where your family fits together like the pieces of freshly cut puzzle. I'm still not quite sure what picture our puzzle pieces have created, but I do know that in one little corner, we have ourselves a couple of pieces dedicated to traditions.

See, we're a little different when it comes to traditions. We've got those that we always do, but more so because of holiday extended family celebrations and though they are great, they were traditions that were inherited, instead of created by us. But then we've got the traditions that are us, through and through. Thought of and carried out by our little family. A tradition around these parts is something that we enjoy doing together, that we have done more than once, and that we plan to continue. There really is no timetable or obligation. We have traditions because they are enjoyable. Not because they are required.

One of our traditions is going to Yellowstone. The lengthy explanation was needed because this tradition has only been carried out three times over the course of an eight year marriage. As we all know, life gets in the way, and I could list a bunch of excuses why we have missed five of the eight summers, but I don't need to. See explanation of our traditions above.

And guys, Yellowstone has the greatest camping in all the land. Groomed campsites, flush toilets, showers, gas stations, convenience stores. That's my style of camping. Minus the grizzly that wanders through the campgrounds every couple of weeks. I could do without that.

Now, pictures!

My camping crack aka Muddy Buddies

We were hiking and had to jump off the trail to let this guy pass. 

Fairy Falls

Took 300 steps down to see the Lower Falls up close and personal. And then we had to hike back up....

Dinner over the fire.

My favorite man in one of my favorite places, the Grand Tetons!

The Chickens and the Eggs

In an effort to become a healthier person (let's not talk about the fact that for dinner tonight I made jumbo chocolate chip cookies) about a year and a half ago, I totally revamped my diet and exercise routine. I was tired of the non-stop cardio and 1200 calorie diet. So I started doing some research. I started weight lifting as my primary source of exercise and I started eating much differently. One of those differences was a huge upswing in my protein intake. One of my favorite sources of protein quickly became eggs. Which I guess is lucky because I guess people really get burnt out on eggs as a main source of protein? I don't know, I don't get it. Anyway, I started eating about 12-14 eggs a day, mostly in egg white form. As you can imagine, the amount of eggs I had to buy each week was huge.

Then one day, Mike had a conversation with his cousin. His chicken-owning cousin. And a week later we were building a chicken coop. In February, we purchased 10 baby chicks. We kept them in a small pen in our basement for a few months until they were big enough to be moved outside. Unfortunately, the move outside resulted in one casualty when a dog got a hold of one of our pretty white ones. (Don't even ask, I'm still traumatized.) So now we sit at 9 chickens. We finally started getting eggs in July, and we currently get about 8 eggs a day. My habit of eating eggs has dropped, so I don't eat quite has many as I used to, but I still manage to keep up with the daily layings of my chickens.

I am not really much of an animal person at all. Pets are pretty much disgusting and I like the zoo because animals are in cages. (Oh, I can hear the uproar of my opinions already...) But I can tell you, I freaking love my chickens. And not just because they give me yummy treats each day in the form of eggs. It's like having 9 little babies that I get to keep out in a cage in the backyard, and not even my backyard, my in-laws backyard (city code and all that....) and I get to go feed them and hold them when I please but other than that, very few demands! Aw, the best kind of pet!

And here are some pictures of my 9 feathered babies.

 

And for those wondering, we did name a few of them. We've got Sharon (the white one), Fiero (the orange one, also the one in the picture Mike is holding above....she's the friendliest of the 9), we have Ariel (a black chicken with red feathers on her head). The black and white chickens are our racists. They kinda stick to themselves and their kind and are the least friendly of the bunch. The rest look too much alike so they don't get names. 

Today I Just Don't Want To Do.

Today I have to say goodbye.
Because tomorrow is the day that my family has dreaded for the past 4 months. But truly, probably for the past 18 years.
For the next 2 years, my family is becoming a little incomplete, in hopes that my brother has an experience that will help him feel a little bit more complete.
Tomorrow he leaves to serve a church mission in Armenia.
For 2 very long years. Skyping only on Mother's Day and Christmas Day.
I'm so proud of him. So glad he has made this choice to serve.
Baby of the family. First and last missionary of the family. We've never done this before.
I'm not one to wish the days away, but in this instance, if I could completely skip the next two years, I would.
If it meant that he would be home.
And who knew how absolutely difficult this experience would be.
However, after all the tears are shed and the swollen eyes are covered in layers of makeup, how exciting for him to be able to spend the next 2 years having an experience that will help shape the rest of his life.
I can't wait to hear about the people and food and sights of Armenia.
I can't wait to hear about his first baptism or about the incredible members.
But mostly, I just can't wait for July 2017, when he comes home.
Love you and miss you, Bridge.

Friends Come and Go.

And I'm so grateful when they come.
And to be honest, there have been times in my life when I've been glad to see them go.
But these two.
We were so lucky to have met them pretty quickly after moving to Oklahoma.
He was preparing to attend dental school at OU and Mike had just started law school at OU.
He is from Oklahoma, and it just so happens that she was originally from California but her parents had just moved to Utah.
Years later, we've settled in Utah, minutes from where her parents live.
He's just graduated from dental school and they are moving their way across the country to settle in Nevada.
Lucky for us, they are spending a few weeks here in Utah.
We love when they come to visit and can't wait to be able to come visit them in Nevada.
Todd and Karen, we just love you guys.
So proud of all you have accomplished.
Thanks for partying with us around the fire in the snow-capped mountains last night.
Lets do it again soon, eh?

8

It's incredible, this thing called marriage.
Day in, day out with you, best friend.
The thick. The thin.
The downright dirty.
All while containing the greatest of life's beauty.
I can truly say that in these incredible 8 years together, I have never been happier.
And much of that joy is thanks to you.
Heaven sent me one of the great ones.
There has never been a luckier girl.
Happy anniversary. I love you.

The Best Way to Travel

In March, Mike had to go on a business trip and he invited me to tag along.
What a nice guy, am I right?
We spent 2 days in Napa Valley and then made our way down to San Francisco and spent a few days. It was my first time to both Napa and San Fran,
so we made sure to be the ultimate tourists and see the sites.
What we learned quickly is that Napa, in March, doesn't have any sites.
The vineyards are in their early spring phase, which means ugly, and we don't drink wine, which is really the only reason people travel to Napa Valley.
Lucky for me, the resort was spectacular with an adults only pool (puuuurrrreee heaven) and the nicest hotel gym I've ever seen.
I spent my days exercising, laying by the pool and shopping while Mike spent his time in a conference.
And that was the moment that I learned that traveling alone, or via my spouse's work trip is the very best way to travel.
Especially when it's a sunny 70 degrees with not a single breeze.

 

 

San Francisco was a really quick two days, but we were able to cram everything in that we wanted to do.

One of the days, we rented bikes and biked across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito.

Mike hates all things bikes and bikers, so he pretty much spent the day as Debbie Downer, while listening to me say, "Isn't this so fun?" every few minutes.

Oh the things you do for love.

Of course we made sure to hit up Ghirardelli Square, the Painted Ladies, Pier 39, and Lombard Street.

Our second day we spent wandering around Alcatraz, which besides laying by the pool in Napa, was the highlight of our trip.

 

Super good job at focusing the camera, Mike. But I guess Lombard Street is the point.....



Even though it was a quick trip, we were glad to come home.
The more we visit big cities, the more realize we don't much like big cities.
Particularly San Francisco.
Glad we went.
Glad to have done all the tourist-y things so that we don't ever have to go back.

And glad that his firm paid for most of it.

A Baby Brother and a Mission Call

On March 12th, my baby brother, the only brother I have, the youngest of six children, the only one of us to choose to go on a mission.....received his mission call.
Because these days, boys are now receiving their mission calls while still in high school, the opening of mission calls has turned into quite the party.
Amongst all the family members, my brother invited 30 or so of his closest friends and neighbors.
An hour before, my mom and I raided the shelves at Costco and returned with all kinds of treats for everyone to snack on while they socialized.
My sister took the party to the next level by bringing her large maps of the United States and the World and had everyone put a post-it on the location they think he would be serving.
The winner would receive a gift card!

I guessed he would go to Holland. Mike guessed Ghana.

In fact, out of the many people that were there, not a single person guessed correctly.

Bridger was called to the Armenia Yerevan Mission. Armenian speaking.

I was assigned the task of skyping with my younger sister who lives in Arizona.
The beauty of technology so we can all feel together without actually all being together.
And of course, a picture of the baby, because babies are the cutest.


We are so excited that Bridger has made the decision to serve a mission.
I start tearing up every time I talk about it out loud.
I am so excited for him to go.
But I am way more excited for him to come home.
Two years can't go by quick enough.

What's a Foster Family?

Even though I don't have children of my own,
many people who choose to do foster care, do have children and face the dynamic of bringing another child into the home.
While the parents may feel that this is necessary for their family for whatever reason,
some children may not understand what foster care even is.

Anne Garboczi Evans is the author of the children's book, What's a Foster Family?
When Anne and her husband decided to become licensed as foster parents,
they worried how they would teach their then 2 year old son about it.
She looked for books that would assist her but she found that there were no picture books about foster families.
So why not just write one herself?
The book, What's a Foster Family? takes you through the story of a family that decides to do foster care.
It shows the emotions behind the coming and going of children in their home.
It also gives explanations as to why there are children that come to live with us for only a short time.

I really like this book!
Even though I don't have kids myself, I know that explaining the concept of foster care to young children can be difficult.
This book is great for young children giving them just the information that they need to understand what foster care is.
And it's not just for families that are bringing foster children into their homes, but for everyone.
This book will help nieces, nephews, and any child that may be friends with a foster child, like their classmates or those who live in your neighborhood.
I know that when my kids left a few weeks ago,
the friends that they had made, particularly the 5 year olds friends, struggled with the concept of why they had to leave.
To a 5 year old on the outside, I was the mom, and it didn't make sense to them as to why they would need to leave and go be with a different mom.

With the colorful illustrations and the concepts easily explained, this book is a must have for foster families everywhere.
This book can be purchased on Amazon which I will link right here.

And a big thank you to Anne Garboczi Evans for creating this beautiful story.

It's Now Been A Week...

...since the kids have been gone.
At this point it almost feels like they were never here. I knew that would happen.

Saturday was weird.
The new foster family did not come pick them up until 3:00 that afternoon.
The night before, the boys slept over at a friends.
We spent the morning packing up.
And then some lunch at McDonald's.
And some goodbye's to some of our family members.

3:00 came and the new foster family pulled up.
We loaded up the cars with all their stuff.
It was so surreal.
The kids hopped in the cars before we got the chance to say a proper goodbye.

So here's the thing.
I may sound insensitive when I talk about not being attached to the kids.
But those kids, they were not at all attached to us either.
I had to get them out of the cars to even give them a hug.
I did notice perhaps that the 5 year old got a bit emotional once she realized what was actually happening.
But she's not a crier.
And there wasn't a tear shed. By any of us.
When they pulled away, and Mike and I walked into our empty house, my first words were,
"I'm so confused."

You see, even though I knew and expected everything that happened, I didn't know how to feel.
I did feel like I was holding back some tears.
Yet, I felt completely relieved.

Every day, at the end of the day, I do a self-evaluation.
I guess you could call it getting in touch with my feelings.
Do I miss kids?
Not just those kids, but do I miss having kids?
So far, I'm 7 out of 7 days of no.
I don't miss kids.

So our foster care license is active.
But we are on hold.
We have no idea how long we'll keep ourselves on hold. Or if we'll ever go off.
But for now, we are happy. And we are free.