Well, we knew someday it would happen, but it seemed like it never would. And here it is: we have a job! Well, Jordan has a job. He'll be working for Milliman in Scottsdale, AZ. We're SO excited, but we can hardly believe it's actually happening. And so quickly!
It's the perfect place for Jordan to begin his career. Small office (he'll be the 8th person) in a big company (you can find Milliman in every major city). It's a consulting company (rather than an insurance company like BlueCross BlueShield or Travelers) so he'll work with clients and get a really broad set of experiences.
I've been saying for months that we're willing to go where ever we're needed, and I can say we're definitely eating our words. :) I can't say Arizona was on our top picks of places we wanted to move. The summers are going to be HOT! But we are willing to go anywhere and be happy, and that includes Arizona. That being said, May-September, you can find me indoors right next to the air conditioning...
I just have to take a moment and talk about how grateful we are to our family and friends who have been fasting and praying for us. We had a family fast at the beginning of the year, where both my parents and siblings and Jordan's parents and siblings fasted that we would get a job. We did this knowing full well that we may NOT get a job, that it might not be what Heavenly Father has in mind for us. We are so grateful that things have worked out the way we hoped.
I kept hearing a quote this week at church, "Pray as if everything depended on the Lord, but work as if everything depended on you." I wish we could say that we totally lived up to this, but we're human and I can't say we did everything we could to find a job. So much credit goes to Heavenly Father for helping us find the right people at the right time. I know He has a plan for our lives, and I have seen His hand in all that we do. I hope that this can stand as a testament in our lives about the importance of prayer, obedience and faith.
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
In Alaska!
We have brought the Baby back to the homeland... I love it so much here, even when it's -40 and dark all the time. I wish I could stay here. Oh well...
The flight was great. Both planes were really empty, so we were able to bring the car seat on and let Clara sleep there, which was so nice! She's such a sweaty baby, we weren't looking forward to having her sleep on us for 5 hours. She slept most of the time, and even when she was awake, she hardly made a peep. Carrying the pack-n-play through the airport was a pain, but other than that our flights were pleasantly uneventful.
Since we've been home, we spend an evening with my family, which was the first time most of them had seen Clara. She, predictably, charmed them (although I think if she had screamed the whole time they still would have adored her). It was so fun to see how big Elyse and Liam are getting! I can't believe how much they look like Jensens. Liam is HUGE! I love his dark hair. I was making cookies, and I walked away from the batter for seriously 30 seconds and I turned around to see Liam up on a chair (which wasn't there before!) trying to steal my cookie dough! Sneaky little guy.
Anywho, I look forward to a relaxing few weeks of catching up with friends and family. And, seriously, enjoying the lovely Alaskan winter. Yay!
The flight was great. Both planes were really empty, so we were able to bring the car seat on and let Clara sleep there, which was so nice! She's such a sweaty baby, we weren't looking forward to having her sleep on us for 5 hours. She slept most of the time, and even when she was awake, she hardly made a peep. Carrying the pack-n-play through the airport was a pain, but other than that our flights were pleasantly uneventful.
Since we've been home, we spend an evening with my family, which was the first time most of them had seen Clara. She, predictably, charmed them (although I think if she had screamed the whole time they still would have adored her). It was so fun to see how big Elyse and Liam are getting! I can't believe how much they look like Jensens. Liam is HUGE! I love his dark hair. I was making cookies, and I walked away from the batter for seriously 30 seconds and I turned around to see Liam up on a chair (which wasn't there before!) trying to steal my cookie dough! Sneaky little guy.
Anywho, I look forward to a relaxing few weeks of catching up with friends and family. And, seriously, enjoying the lovely Alaskan winter. Yay!
Friday, December 3, 2010
Missouri for Thanksgiving... again!
Things we did in Missouri:
-watch probably around 20 hours of football. Cried a little when Boise State lost. Cried even more when BYU barely lost the Utah game.
-Play tons of rounds of this awesome game of Time's up. It's like taboo and charades wrapped into one. My favorite moment:
(trying to guess who's on the card)
Ben: Um... oh, I don't know who this is... is he in Pretty Woman? No, I don't think he's in Pretty Woman...
Dad: Alec Baldwin!
Ben: Yes!
-Enjoyed a delicious Thanksgiving feast! And Pie. Lots of pie.
-Showed off my beautiful baby girl.
-Talked and talked and talked. My sister-in-law Kelly, who has a baby girl three weeks younger than Clara, was in the basement with me, and even though we both knew we should sleep when our babies sleep, we couldn't help staying up way too late talking.
-Went Black Friday shopping with Jordan's mom! I wasn't going to go, but then as I was sitting around the house I realized I was a missing a great time, so I decided to go catch up with them!
-Played Dominion a ton.
-More talking.
-Eating DELICIOUS food.
But more important, we were able to spend quality time with our family. I enjoyed spending time with everyone, and I so hate it when I go. *sob*
-watch probably around 20 hours of football. Cried a little when Boise State lost. Cried even more when BYU barely lost the Utah game.
-Play tons of rounds of this awesome game of Time's up. It's like taboo and charades wrapped into one. My favorite moment:
(trying to guess who's on the card)
Ben: Um... oh, I don't know who this is... is he in Pretty Woman? No, I don't think he's in Pretty Woman...
Dad: Alec Baldwin!
Ben: Yes!
-Enjoyed a delicious Thanksgiving feast! And Pie. Lots of pie.
-Showed off my beautiful baby girl.
-Talked and talked and talked. My sister-in-law Kelly, who has a baby girl three weeks younger than Clara, was in the basement with me, and even though we both knew we should sleep when our babies sleep, we couldn't help staying up way too late talking.
-Went Black Friday shopping with Jordan's mom! I wasn't going to go, but then as I was sitting around the house I realized I was a missing a great time, so I decided to go catch up with them!
-Played Dominion a ton.
-More talking.
-Eating DELICIOUS food.
But more important, we were able to spend quality time with our family. I enjoyed spending time with everyone, and I so hate it when I go. *sob*
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Connecticut!
So, after Mandy and Casey left for Missouri, Jordan and I decided to take our oft rescheduled trip to Connecticut! What a great decision it was, too. The drive was INCREDIBLY long (3 days of driving at least 12 hours... ouch!), but it was fun to drive through states we'd never been in. Jordan and I tend to be pretty happy travelers and we enjoy our time together (although by that last day we were getting a bit short with one another...). The hardest part is my pregnancy, and drinking lots of water and needing to use the bathroom basically once ever 1-2 hours. We soon figured out the best method was to use rest stops instead of stopping at a gas station off the highway every time. On the East Coast, too, they have cool rest stops that have gas stations and McDonalds and stuff, so you don't have to really get off the highway. AWESOME!
My new favorite discovered pregnancy/travel meal? MacDonald's smoothie with a large fry... SO good!
So, we got a Connecticut and proceeded to thoroughly enjoy ourselves just spending time with the Jacobs! I think Kelly was concerned that we weren't out doing enough stuff, but really Jordan and I just enjoyed hanging out at her place, eating out at the GREAT restaurants they took us to, and napping on her couch. I really loved just being able to walk into her kitchen just to talk and such. One day we went swimming, which was super fun in the hot weather, and another day we went to a monster themed miniature golf course (where I beat Jordan!). Kelly is due with her baby in October just a few weeks after me, so we got to complain and talk about babies together, which was SUPER useful for me. If I had a weird symptom, I was just able to ask Kelly who would usually say, "Oh, yeah, that happens all the time!"
The other big thing that happened was Jordan got an interview with a company in Boston, about an hour away from Kelly and Braden. We drove up there and stayed the night for that. The interview went super well, although we still haven't heard back yet. Think good thoughts for us! Boston would be a great place to live.
We drove down to DC to spend some time with Kelly, her girls, Kaitlyn and Jordan's mom. The drive was way interesting, driving through NYC and Baltimore and such. I was utterly TERRIFIED! It was so scary to drive through NYC! Jordan laughed at me the whole time because I found myself clutching my seat belt in anxiety.
The two days in DC were fun, although I was limited in stuff to do because of the pregnancy. The second day we went to the Smithsonian, and on the way we saw the capitol and the Washington Monument from a far, so I feel that I got my "DC sightseeing" in. The Smithsonian was SUPER cool, although by the end I'm pretty sure I was having some contractions and I was totally exhausted. We ate at some really excellent restaurants in DC as well, and overall we had a great time.
Traveling back to Utah, we stopped in Bloomington to visit Mike and Anna for a couple of days. I really enjoyed seeing the Bloomington Library and going to their ward with them (also, Anna makes AMAZING cookies!). We played some games and got lots of chances to talk. We stayed an extra day hoping to hear from some companies about an interview in Michigan, possibly, but no luck. We drove the last two days back to Provo!
Our trip lasted about 3 1/2 weeks! Really, I am so grateful we went, because I would have been so bored just sitting in Provo. Instead, I got out and saw family, Jordan and I were able to feel like we made progress in the job search, and now we're just weeks away from the baby being born! We had so much fun seeing everyone. It was a great way to use our last big of freedom after school, but before work and a baby keep us tied down again.
My new favorite discovered pregnancy/travel meal? MacDonald's smoothie with a large fry... SO good!
So, we got a Connecticut and proceeded to thoroughly enjoy ourselves just spending time with the Jacobs! I think Kelly was concerned that we weren't out doing enough stuff, but really Jordan and I just enjoyed hanging out at her place, eating out at the GREAT restaurants they took us to, and napping on her couch. I really loved just being able to walk into her kitchen just to talk and such. One day we went swimming, which was super fun in the hot weather, and another day we went to a monster themed miniature golf course (where I beat Jordan!). Kelly is due with her baby in October just a few weeks after me, so we got to complain and talk about babies together, which was SUPER useful for me. If I had a weird symptom, I was just able to ask Kelly who would usually say, "Oh, yeah, that happens all the time!"
The other big thing that happened was Jordan got an interview with a company in Boston, about an hour away from Kelly and Braden. We drove up there and stayed the night for that. The interview went super well, although we still haven't heard back yet. Think good thoughts for us! Boston would be a great place to live.
We drove down to DC to spend some time with Kelly, her girls, Kaitlyn and Jordan's mom. The drive was way interesting, driving through NYC and Baltimore and such. I was utterly TERRIFIED! It was so scary to drive through NYC! Jordan laughed at me the whole time because I found myself clutching my seat belt in anxiety.
The two days in DC were fun, although I was limited in stuff to do because of the pregnancy. The second day we went to the Smithsonian, and on the way we saw the capitol and the Washington Monument from a far, so I feel that I got my "DC sightseeing" in. The Smithsonian was SUPER cool, although by the end I'm pretty sure I was having some contractions and I was totally exhausted. We ate at some really excellent restaurants in DC as well, and overall we had a great time.
Traveling back to Utah, we stopped in Bloomington to visit Mike and Anna for a couple of days. I really enjoyed seeing the Bloomington Library and going to their ward with them (also, Anna makes AMAZING cookies!). We played some games and got lots of chances to talk. We stayed an extra day hoping to hear from some companies about an interview in Michigan, possibly, but no luck. We drove the last two days back to Provo!
Our trip lasted about 3 1/2 weeks! Really, I am so grateful we went, because I would have been so bored just sitting in Provo. Instead, I got out and saw family, Jordan and I were able to feel like we made progress in the job search, and now we're just weeks away from the baby being born! We had so much fun seeing everyone. It was a great way to use our last big of freedom after school, but before work and a baby keep us tied down again.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
We love you, Grandpa Hull!
Back in July we spent a couple of days up in Roy when Grandpa Hull died. He was 94 years old, and Jordan and I had been visiting him on a pretty regular basis, about once a semester. Every time we would go, he would make some funny joke about this being the last time we saw him. For instance, "I don't buy green bananas anymore..." One of our personal favorite conversations goes like this:
Jordan's Dad: "So! You turned 94! How doe it feel?"
Grandpa Hull: "Well, I wouldn't want to do it again..."
Ultimately, this was a great man of faith who loved his family and longed to be with his deceased wife. It's hard to be super sad at a funeral under these conditions. It was so lovely to reminisce on his life, and to know it was truly a good one.
Jordan had a ton of family come in for the funeral: Dad and Courtney from AK, Megan and her two oldest girls from Missouri, and Mandy and Casey and their family drove from Missouri. We all stayed with Aunt Kay in Roy for the couple of days leading up to the funeral. We had a great time! We got to go through Dad's memory lane and see all the places he went to school and played football, etc. The Sunday afterward, we enjoyed a fantastic dinner at Aunt Kit's where I got to meet more of Jordan's Thompson side of the family. Mandy and Casey stayed until the next Friday, so just played and played and played.
For me, this has been a great summer filled with lots of family, which I am grateful for. Heavenly Father is really looking out for me. If no one was coming to visit and such, I would just be a fat pregnant lady stuck in my apartment watching House... but instead, I've had the great opprotunity to spend a lot of time with the people I love!
Jordan's Dad: "So! You turned 94! How doe it feel?"
Grandpa Hull: "Well, I wouldn't want to do it again..."
Ultimately, this was a great man of faith who loved his family and longed to be with his deceased wife. It's hard to be super sad at a funeral under these conditions. It was so lovely to reminisce on his life, and to know it was truly a good one.
Jordan had a ton of family come in for the funeral: Dad and Courtney from AK, Megan and her two oldest girls from Missouri, and Mandy and Casey and their family drove from Missouri. We all stayed with Aunt Kay in Roy for the couple of days leading up to the funeral. We had a great time! We got to go through Dad's memory lane and see all the places he went to school and played football, etc. The Sunday afterward, we enjoyed a fantastic dinner at Aunt Kit's where I got to meet more of Jordan's Thompson side of the family. Mandy and Casey stayed until the next Friday, so just played and played and played.
For me, this has been a great summer filled with lots of family, which I am grateful for. Heavenly Father is really looking out for me. If no one was coming to visit and such, I would just be a fat pregnant lady stuck in my apartment watching House... but instead, I've had the great opprotunity to spend a lot of time with the people I love!
Friday, June 4, 2010
Family Reunion in Missouri
What kept me going through all my classes, exams, and recitals was knowing that soon I would be lounging around lazily with family in wonderful Missouri. So... Missouri is kinda hot, which isn't my thing, but what IS my thing is tons of people to talk to, games to play, dinners to make and a good book to read. I enjoyed all of this and more for two weeks at Megan and Ben's!
We took our third drive there in our less than two years of marriage (what can I say, we love these people!). It's a good 18 hour drive, so we broke it up into two days. The worst part of the drive was the fact that I had horrible pain in my lower ribs/side area. I had exercised a few days before, and I think I did something to my back when I tried to do a really slow job... (I have this bad habit of forgetting there are things I PROBABLY shouldn't do pregnant...). So whenever I would breath deeply/yawn, it was pretty painful. By the time we got to the hotel the first night, I was in pretty major pain where I couldn't get comfortable and it was painful to just turn around in my bed. The pain went away by itself after a few days, so no worries, the baby and I are just fine!
Road trips with Jordan are the best. They really are just never boring. We can talk, and listen to music and overall just have a grand time.
The reunion itself was so great. There were a ton of kids (22, I think?), a bunch of adults, and lots of space. It was so nice getting to talk to all my in-laws, I really just lucked out in the family part when I married Jordan. We spent a fair amount of time talking about babies and different views and thoughts on childbirth and having an infant, which was so helpful. I have a great support system when I have this baby. We also guessed at what gender our baby will be... I was really tempted to take the ultrasound video with me to see if Ben could tell us what we were having (Ben's a doctor), but I was strong and just left it in Provo so I wouldn't be tempted.
When we weren't playing games or talking, I was usually reading a new book called the Hunger Games. AWESOME. I really liked reading it and then going and discussing my thoughts with Kelly. I can't wait for the next book (due in August). I highly recommend it.
The trip home was fun with no problems. We went through Colorado, which is so beautiful! It was really hard to leave Missouri, though. I kept telling people I was too pregnant to say goodbye, because I would just cry at night missing everyone. The good news is that I have high hopes that we'll see everyone before the reunion next year, and we hope move close to SOME family somewhere (I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for Connecticut, Kelly!). I like them all too much just see them once a year!
We took our third drive there in our less than two years of marriage (what can I say, we love these people!). It's a good 18 hour drive, so we broke it up into two days. The worst part of the drive was the fact that I had horrible pain in my lower ribs/side area. I had exercised a few days before, and I think I did something to my back when I tried to do a really slow job... (I have this bad habit of forgetting there are things I PROBABLY shouldn't do pregnant...). So whenever I would breath deeply/yawn, it was pretty painful. By the time we got to the hotel the first night, I was in pretty major pain where I couldn't get comfortable and it was painful to just turn around in my bed. The pain went away by itself after a few days, so no worries, the baby and I are just fine!
Road trips with Jordan are the best. They really are just never boring. We can talk, and listen to music and overall just have a grand time.
The reunion itself was so great. There were a ton of kids (22, I think?), a bunch of adults, and lots of space. It was so nice getting to talk to all my in-laws, I really just lucked out in the family part when I married Jordan. We spent a fair amount of time talking about babies and different views and thoughts on childbirth and having an infant, which was so helpful. I have a great support system when I have this baby. We also guessed at what gender our baby will be... I was really tempted to take the ultrasound video with me to see if Ben could tell us what we were having (Ben's a doctor), but I was strong and just left it in Provo so I wouldn't be tempted.
When we weren't playing games or talking, I was usually reading a new book called the Hunger Games. AWESOME. I really liked reading it and then going and discussing my thoughts with Kelly. I can't wait for the next book (due in August). I highly recommend it.
The trip home was fun with no problems. We went through Colorado, which is so beautiful! It was really hard to leave Missouri, though. I kept telling people I was too pregnant to say goodbye, because I would just cry at night missing everyone. The good news is that I have high hopes that we'll see everyone before the reunion next year, and we hope move close to SOME family somewhere (I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for Connecticut, Kelly!). I like them all too much just see them once a year!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Big Accomplishments!
Jordan's graduated! I'm almost graduated! Jordan took the third actuarial exam today! I didn't cry through my last oral exam!
Yes, we've been quite busy trying to tie up loose ends with school. First up was my graduate recital, which I am very happy to announce is OVER! And I passed! I had a lot of really difficult, high powered music. I was happy with the first half of my performance, but I was quite fatigued by the 2nd half, so it didn't go as well as I hoped. There's always those things that you wish you could back and do differently... but it's finished and I can move on! I'm looking forward to singing with the Fairbanks Opera this summer. I think it'll be a great way to get out and try out my professional chops, and I certainly it leads to more opportunities in the future.
This last Tuesday was my last oral exam, which I manged not to cry through! It went... ok. Well, I made the mistake and totally forgot that I was allowed to ask my committee members what to study ahead of time, so there were some tense moments trying to define "Behaviorism" and "Constructivism" and remember what the bell curve for my supervised teaching meant. My committee was very understanding, and pleased with my responses that I eventually squeezed out of my memory. I walked away with a pass... as long as I corrected a couple of issues in my paper. I should be totally done by Friday!
Today Jordan took the MLC Actuarial Exam! On all sides, we've heard this is the toughest actuarial exam there is. He had some very tense moments yesterday when he was feeling a lot of anxiety and frustration, but we were able to call the home-teachers for a priesthood blessing. We both felt much better after that, and Jordan feels calm about the exam. The bad news is that we probably won't hear the results for another 8-10 weeks. LAME.
So the next few days are all about preparing to leave for Missouri! I'm SO excited to get out of Provo for a bit! I love spending time with the family, and I plan on spending the whole time sleeping, reading and talking to my sisters-in-law. Who can ask for a better vacation? Plus, road-trips with Jordan are ALWAYS tons of fun. They really do go by so quickly, it's kinda weird how easily we pass the time together.
Still no job news, but we remain vigilant and hopeful. For sure getting out of Provo a bit I think will renew our spirits. We're in a really awkward phrase where Jordan doesn't have quite enough work, but has got some, and we've very hesitant to leave Provo and the help of Dr. Tolley. It's a strange balancing act in trying to figure out when we cut our loses and run back to Alaska, and when to just stick it out and stay here for another month. Basically, any month from now we could scamper back to Alaska. I know for myself, it's really frustrating not knowing what's going to happen next month! But it's a great faith-building experience at the same time. We really have to rely on the spirit to figure out our best choices.
Anywho, we're ready to get out of Provo for a bit! Missouri, ho!
Yes, we've been quite busy trying to tie up loose ends with school. First up was my graduate recital, which I am very happy to announce is OVER! And I passed! I had a lot of really difficult, high powered music. I was happy with the first half of my performance, but I was quite fatigued by the 2nd half, so it didn't go as well as I hoped. There's always those things that you wish you could back and do differently... but it's finished and I can move on! I'm looking forward to singing with the Fairbanks Opera this summer. I think it'll be a great way to get out and try out my professional chops, and I certainly it leads to more opportunities in the future.
This last Tuesday was my last oral exam, which I manged not to cry through! It went... ok. Well, I made the mistake and totally forgot that I was allowed to ask my committee members what to study ahead of time, so there were some tense moments trying to define "Behaviorism" and "Constructivism" and remember what the bell curve for my supervised teaching meant. My committee was very understanding, and pleased with my responses that I eventually squeezed out of my memory. I walked away with a pass... as long as I corrected a couple of issues in my paper. I should be totally done by Friday!
Today Jordan took the MLC Actuarial Exam! On all sides, we've heard this is the toughest actuarial exam there is. He had some very tense moments yesterday when he was feeling a lot of anxiety and frustration, but we were able to call the home-teachers for a priesthood blessing. We both felt much better after that, and Jordan feels calm about the exam. The bad news is that we probably won't hear the results for another 8-10 weeks. LAME.
So the next few days are all about preparing to leave for Missouri! I'm SO excited to get out of Provo for a bit! I love spending time with the family, and I plan on spending the whole time sleeping, reading and talking to my sisters-in-law. Who can ask for a better vacation? Plus, road-trips with Jordan are ALWAYS tons of fun. They really do go by so quickly, it's kinda weird how easily we pass the time together.
Still no job news, but we remain vigilant and hopeful. For sure getting out of Provo a bit I think will renew our spirits. We're in a really awkward phrase where Jordan doesn't have quite enough work, but has got some, and we've very hesitant to leave Provo and the help of Dr. Tolley. It's a strange balancing act in trying to figure out when we cut our loses and run back to Alaska, and when to just stick it out and stay here for another month. Basically, any month from now we could scamper back to Alaska. I know for myself, it's really frustrating not knowing what's going to happen next month! But it's a great faith-building experience at the same time. We really have to rely on the spirit to figure out our best choices.
Anywho, we're ready to get out of Provo for a bit! Missouri, ho!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Family Comes to Visit
Last week my family (except Rulon *sad*) all came down to visit family and to send Robin off into the MTC. She's headed to Fresno, California for the next year and half, and we were all super excited!
They flew into Boise, ID, and Jordan and I headed up there to meet them and to see Dennis, Beth and their four girls sealed in the temple. It was a really awesome experience for us! For one, Jordan hasn't met much of my dad's side of the family. Also, I had never seen a sealing between two parents and so many children, and it was a really special experience for everyone who attended.
That night we headed back to Provo. To get Robin ready for her mission, my mom, sisters and brother all came to stay with us in Provo on Monday. It was SOOOO nice to see them! Since I got married, Jordan and I haven't stayed the night with my family at my house because Jordan's so allergic to our cats, so it was actually really awesome that I was able to spend fairy uninterrupted time with my mom and the babies! The first night was rough, both the kids were sick with ear infections and my mom didn't get any sleep. But we got the hang of things the next two nights.
My mom was so great to have around! She helped with the laundry, groceries and making dinner! I haven't been feeling well, so she was super helpful in making sure I ate enough and got enough rest. Liam was taking his first steps here in Utah, and it was fun to see him try and try again to get walking. We don't have a lot of toys around our apartment, so I cleaned out the bottom shelf of my hallway cupboard and the two kids could crawl in there and play and stack cans (that's all we had...).
Robin entered the MTC on Wednesday, and poor girl was so nervous that she couldn't eat her pizza at the brick over. For our part, Jordan and I kept getting flashbacks to HIM going into the MTC, so we felt a little on edge too! (Me: I had a nightmare that Jordan was going to go on ANOTHER mission after he graduated... while we were married. I'm pretty sure I protested that idea, Jordan: "Ok, ok, I don't have to go into the MTC. I'm not going back to the MTC. Robin's going into the MTC, not me!").
After staying Wednesday night, my family left me Thursday and I cried and cried and cried! I was so sad to see them go! But I really did have a great time. As Jordan and I are planning for our next stage of life, we won't be coming home for three months at a time anymore! We're really starting to separate ourselves and become our own family! It's difficult and scary, but exciting at the same time. I hope our children grow up wanting to come back and spend time with us as much as Jordan and I love to go home and spend time with our parents.
They flew into Boise, ID, and Jordan and I headed up there to meet them and to see Dennis, Beth and their four girls sealed in the temple. It was a really awesome experience for us! For one, Jordan hasn't met much of my dad's side of the family. Also, I had never seen a sealing between two parents and so many children, and it was a really special experience for everyone who attended.
That night we headed back to Provo. To get Robin ready for her mission, my mom, sisters and brother all came to stay with us in Provo on Monday. It was SOOOO nice to see them! Since I got married, Jordan and I haven't stayed the night with my family at my house because Jordan's so allergic to our cats, so it was actually really awesome that I was able to spend fairy uninterrupted time with my mom and the babies! The first night was rough, both the kids were sick with ear infections and my mom didn't get any sleep. But we got the hang of things the next two nights.
My mom was so great to have around! She helped with the laundry, groceries and making dinner! I haven't been feeling well, so she was super helpful in making sure I ate enough and got enough rest. Liam was taking his first steps here in Utah, and it was fun to see him try and try again to get walking. We don't have a lot of toys around our apartment, so I cleaned out the bottom shelf of my hallway cupboard and the two kids could crawl in there and play and stack cans (that's all we had...).
Robin entered the MTC on Wednesday, and poor girl was so nervous that she couldn't eat her pizza at the brick over. For our part, Jordan and I kept getting flashbacks to HIM going into the MTC, so we felt a little on edge too! (Me: I had a nightmare that Jordan was going to go on ANOTHER mission after he graduated... while we were married. I'm pretty sure I protested that idea, Jordan: "Ok, ok, I don't have to go into the MTC. I'm not going back to the MTC. Robin's going into the MTC, not me!").
After staying Wednesday night, my family left me Thursday and I cried and cried and cried! I was so sad to see them go! But I really did have a great time. As Jordan and I are planning for our next stage of life, we won't be coming home for three months at a time anymore! We're really starting to separate ourselves and become our own family! It's difficult and scary, but exciting at the same time. I hope our children grow up wanting to come back and spend time with us as much as Jordan and I love to go home and spend time with our parents.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Busy Busy Busy
Well, our semester is over a quarter finished, and we're just plugging away at our last semester of school. I'm getting a serious case of "Senioritis," even though I don't think you technically call me a "Senior..." I just can't wait to be done! Frankly, if I can help it, I am never going back to school and I'm officially done with this madness.
Ok, that's a lie. I suppose someday (not soon) I will return to school once more for my doctorate... IF it's financially feasible and I can do it very slowly. But for the next five years, I'm definitely oh-so-done with school.
On the other hand, I'm not sure if Jordan's fully realized this is his last semester. He is quite happy and content in his classes; the truth is I'm not sure if he's ready to part with BYU quite yet. He loves this school so much. I've appreciated feeding off his enthusiasm for the last few years. Who knew school spirit could be so much fun?
Next weekend we're headed to Boise where my uncle Dennis and his wife Beth and their four girls (Anna, Megan, Emma and Evelyn) will be sealed in the Boise temple! I'm so happy for them, and I'm excited that I can witness something so special. The same day, my mom, Robin, Melanie, Elyse and baby Liam are flying down to take Robin into the MTC! So that weekend we'll hang out with them, and then they're headed to Provo with us before Robin goes in on Wednesday. So excited! I love it when my family visits. Seeing Elyse and Liam is such a treat for me, they're always so different after just 4 months apart. I can't believe how fast they're growing up!
Other than that, the job search continues. No interviews yet. Maybe soon? I hope so. That being said, I don't feel any major anxiety yet. I hope Jordan gets a job, but if the job market is just too tough, we'll manage. In a situation like this, where we've done everything we can and explored all of our options (and we're continuing to explore them all), we just need to put our faith in the Lord. This doesn't mean that a job will magically fall into our laps, or that we should relax our efforts, or that we will for sure get a job. It does mean that we have faith that whether or not Jordan finds one, Heavenly Father has our best interest at heart. He knows what lies ahead of us, even if we don't.
Ok, that's a lie. I suppose someday (not soon) I will return to school once more for my doctorate... IF it's financially feasible and I can do it very slowly. But for the next five years, I'm definitely oh-so-done with school.
On the other hand, I'm not sure if Jordan's fully realized this is his last semester. He is quite happy and content in his classes; the truth is I'm not sure if he's ready to part with BYU quite yet. He loves this school so much. I've appreciated feeding off his enthusiasm for the last few years. Who knew school spirit could be so much fun?
Next weekend we're headed to Boise where my uncle Dennis and his wife Beth and their four girls (Anna, Megan, Emma and Evelyn) will be sealed in the Boise temple! I'm so happy for them, and I'm excited that I can witness something so special. The same day, my mom, Robin, Melanie, Elyse and baby Liam are flying down to take Robin into the MTC! So that weekend we'll hang out with them, and then they're headed to Provo with us before Robin goes in on Wednesday. So excited! I love it when my family visits. Seeing Elyse and Liam is such a treat for me, they're always so different after just 4 months apart. I can't believe how fast they're growing up!
Other than that, the job search continues. No interviews yet. Maybe soon? I hope so. That being said, I don't feel any major anxiety yet. I hope Jordan gets a job, but if the job market is just too tough, we'll manage. In a situation like this, where we've done everything we can and explored all of our options (and we're continuing to explore them all), we just need to put our faith in the Lord. This doesn't mean that a job will magically fall into our laps, or that we should relax our efforts, or that we will for sure get a job. It does mean that we have faith that whether or not Jordan finds one, Heavenly Father has our best interest at heart. He knows what lies ahead of us, even if we don't.
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