Guests

Well, our guests survived and so did we!  It is a win win situation!  We had a wonderful time!  I think everyone stayed up late every night just trying to enjoy as much of the time together that we had.  We went swimming, did water balloons in the yard, board games, went to the zoo, went to an indoor trampoline facility called Defy Gravity, watched movies, did a puzzle, and ate and ate and ate.  My kids will tell you it is the best part of their whole summer.  As I came in my basement this morning, I was in the habit of not turning the lights on so as not to disturb all the little bodies lying all over the floor.  I was sad to see the floor empty and kept the light off anyway just because.  I am trying to catch up on cleaning and laundry and exercising but am oh, so tired.  I told Bridger someone needs to come up with a sleep-cation which is required after any vacation or holiday.  It was sad seeing everyone leave.  Little Gideon collapsed on the ground and just started crying when his Grandpa Critchfield pulled out of the driveway.  He walked around the house the next day, saying, "Gamma Becky?"  I am still eating leftovers. At least it will help me cope with how empty the house feels :)

We have furniture!

Our new furniture was delivered this week!  It is starting to feel like this house is coming together.  It is like a puzzle that the picture is slowly coming to life.  I found this article about puzzles and faith.  http://segullah.org/daily-special/faith-reason-creativity-and-missing-pieces/%22   
It is a great read if you have time.  It reminds me the scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants,
"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;"
It makes me feel not so guilty about taking so long to get this house in order.  I am doing this for a greater reason than appearances which I hope family who is about to descend on us will understand.
Isn't it interesting that we grow up with these people and can go months without talking to them but they are the people who we always come back to.  Family is always there.  We originally had my parents and Bridger's parents coming. Then one by one, the rest of his family decided to come (omiting one cousin and brother in law).  It will be a houseful.  I wanted to get this post up before I get swept away.
Corban had his official birthday yesterday but we'll celebrate all over again this weekend.  It's time to put this furniture to use!

4th of Wow!

Holy cow! There is nothing like celebrating the 4th of July in America's heartland! On the 3rd we had a branch activity and I watched fireworks going off over a giant field of corn. On Wednedsday the fun really began. The illegal fireworks in Idaho are legal here so everyone gets them. We sat in our front yard and had fireworks 360 degrees around us. It was awesome! My kids commented, "People here really take the 4th of July seriously!" It was a fun day and we spent the next few days trying to catch up on sleep.

Being Brave

I had a good birthday. It didn't start out that way with lots of whining and fits from kids. Out of the blue, I had a sister in the ward text me and ask if I wanted to go to lunch with her. It made me cry because I think it was a tender mercy from the Lord inspiring her to invite me to lunch. It reminded me the Lord is watching out for me and loves me. There is a friend I usually had birthday lunches with. I think the Lord knew and cared about something so silly as that. Bridger sent me flowers and got oodles of bonus points by doing so. It made my day when they arrived and I saw he had done something he normally doesn't do just because he cares. I got phone calls from relatives throughout the day. It was nice.


Swimming is over for us now. Daven did so good! He proudly can do a bob easily now and even jumped off the diving board. I was so proud of him! He still doesn't like to go to swimming and complains when I say it is time to go swimming but he is doing better. He says the sweetest things to me like, "Mom, you look pretty today" or tells me randomly that he loves me. He sure knows his Mom's soft spot! I think Gideon is getting close to potty training. I am not sure I am ready for the patience and mess associated with the whole potty training process. Thus we haven't started yet. I need to get brave.

I went furniture shopping last night and came home empty handed. I was sad about that because I don't think I will get Bridger to go with me again, so I am making the decision solo. He says he trusts my judgement. I just like another opinion. His work is going to get pretty busy this month and he will be working a lot for an upcoming change that is happening at the end of July. I hung up some pictures this week. I am proud that I got it done. I am not sure I am sure I am happy with it all. I need to go to Hobby Lobby and have time to spend just browsing and thinking and playing with ideas and spaces in my head. It is not as much fun by myself. Once again, I just need to get brave and do it even though it is not as fun!

Our branch president has a huge house with a pool. He invites the whole branch to his house for the 4th of July for a BBQ, pool party and fireworks. He spends quite a bit of money on it. People have told us it is really fun. I think we will go to that. My parents and Bridger's parents are coming out for Corban's ordination to the priesthood. His birthday is the 18th and he will be ordained the 22nd. It will be good to see family. I am a little worried about keeping everyone happy and entertained. I am going to try to get the house as ready as I can before they get here.
It has been really hot. Bridger would correct me and say humid. I was at swimming on Thursday and sweat was just pouring off of me. My face, my arms, legs--I came home as sweaty as I do when I am done exercising. It was in the 100's and high 90's several days this weekwith humidity that made it feel like it was 120 degrees. I think this is just the start of what July and August will be like. I have seen lots on Facebook and email about the fire in Pocatello. It is a claims nightmare and I am glad Bridger isn't there now.

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!