Fathers Day

Bridger told me he had a nice Fathers Day.  I am glad.  I am grateful he is the father of our children.  On Sunday, he had taken Daven out of sacrament meeting to go to the bathroom.  When they came in, we were ready for a prayer.  Daven ran in.  Bridger was waiting in the back until it was over.  Daven got up to the front and didn't know what to do.  He saw Bridger standing in the back and ran back to him.  He knew he would be okay if he was standing where his Dad was.  I hope he remembers that feeling and can always trust his Dad to lead him to safety.  We went to the Wildlife Safari Adventure on Saturday.  It is a place where you drive your car around to look at animals.  There were deer, elk, moose, cranes, wolves, eagles, bears, etc.  It was pretty cool.  That is what is in the Pocatello zoo so I wasn't too excited.  But I have never been in a car driving so close to them in their natural habitat.  We then took Bridger out to dinner. We can say it was for me but I feel just as blessed for not having to cook and do dishes.  Sunday we made him a special breakfast and dinner.The kids gave him gifts and cards.  He got a massage ( a tradition in our house on Fathers Day).  I think it gives the kids an opportunity to serve their Dad.  He also got a nap.  Any day with a nap is good with me! 

Progress

We got both cars in the garage this week!  That is not to say we are done, but still making progress!  I heard someone compare moving and trying to find the place for everything in a new house like Tetris.  I think it fits!  I am not very good at that game. Maybe that is why it is taking me so long.  I also did some yard saling last week and got some more items to make the house more the way I want it.  It is so funny how many little purchases you have to make to fit the new space you have.  They all add up!  I had a friend tell me how awesome the yard sales are here and she did not lie.  It was amazing.  In one neighborhood alone there were over 60 yard sales!  I hit my yard saling budget before I was ready to be done.  It was fun to get out and see some more of Omaha, too! 
I got my hair cut.  I am not sure that she is as good as my last hairdresser.  When I asked people here for referrals, their hairdressers were not taking new clients.  It will probably be fine, but I may try someone else out next time, too.  We also made our first trip to the pediatrician here.  I am sure we will make more.  Schools want all children to have their well child before school starts.  I think that is crazy to have all school age kids trying to get in for a well child in a 3 month period during the year.  We hit the pool this week.  The Gretna pool is small and lacks the bling of fancier pools but still has created a daily request to go to the pool.  We signed up for swim lessons, too.  That starts next week.  I took the kids to the zoo again.  Corban was less than thrilled.  We still haven't seen everything!  We will go back but I will be convincing him that we should go.  With five kids, it is hard to please everyone all of the time.

Fireflies

"You would not believe your eyes if ten million fireflies lit up the world as I fell asleep..."  When this song came out I thought it was catchy and had a dreamesk quality to it.  I feel like I am living in a dream.  Last week, my husband noticed little sparks of light in the sky.  Never having seen fireflies, it it quite a sight to sit and watch for the light and where it will show up next.  I was enchanted.  One night as I opened the window to let some air in, a bug that was caught between the screen and the window came in.  I quickly squashed it and threw it in the toilet.  I turned off the light to go to bed and saw a phosphorescent glow in my toilet.  It was a lightening bug!  They don't quite look so magical when we look at them up close!  I guess life can be like that, too.  Do we enjoy the glow or do we look up close and dissect the beauty and in the process ruin it. 
In other news, the daily battle of getting chores done to do fun stuff continues.  It is a natural wonder to me that my girls can find all sorts of things to do and play at our house when there is work to be done.  But should there be no work to do, they are bored to tears.  One would think I would want to constantly have work for them to do, but the constancy of never getting them to complete their chores is a drain on me as well.  Thus the war wages on, victories and defeats on both sides. 
Kjerstin had her 10th birthday and is now officially in double digits.  I think of Elizabeth Smart always on her birthday becuase she had just been abducted that day and was all over the news when I was in the hospital.  I thought, "What kind of a crazy world have I brought this sweet girl into?"  Elizabeth's strength through and beyond adversity is a testament to me that good will prevail if we let it.  I hope my daughter will follow such examples of strength to make it through each year of her life as her challenges become more complex and double digit. 
Kjerstin chose a friend to take out to lunch, to a bowling alley and play laser tag with.  She had a panda cake ( which I think was inspired by our recent trip to the zoo).  She had a good day. 
We also met Bridger's relatives who live in Iowa.  His grandfather was married previously and had a son  (Jack) who lived here in Iowa.  Jack has died but his wife Eileen lives here.  Eileen's daughter Pam and son in law Joel Bane came to meet us as well.  It was fun to see them and talk to them.  There is just something about knowing you have family nearby.  It may have to do with the fact that I had such a good family growing up, and knew that they would be there through thick and thin. 

To end on a high note, there are no more boxes in my basement!  That is not to say there are still boxes waiting in other areas of my house, but I feel a bit of a victory.  Last summer I had my kids set a project or goal they wanted to work on in the summer.  This summer I told them their and my goals were going to be finding our home in this house we are living in and finding our way in Omaha.  I am one step closer to my goal!  To celebrate, I am going to go dance with some fireflies!