I'm So Glad When Daddy Comes Home...

...Glad as I can be!

Our daddy has returned home at last!  Hooray.  He has been in Utah training for his new business for the past month and got home this past Saturday night.  Which means I have been a "single" parent.  Wow! It was harder than I thought. I sure salute all those single parents out there.  And I don't even have a job.

One of the hardest things about him being gone was timing--
A:  Dustin left for his mission during the month Scott was gone.  I was on an emotional roller coaster for the few days before and after D left, and had to remember I still had other kids to take care of.
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B:   it was soccer season.  Brennen started a job at Costa Vida, and also was busy with music practice (choir & orchestra) & concerts, and Dustin left on his mission, so all of the sudden I AM THE ONLY DRIVER around.  Soccer, piano lessons, soccer, scouts, soccer, achievement days, soccer, after school choir, soccer...  Three kids playing soccer = 6 practices per week and 3 games per week.  I have to admit we didn't make it to all the soccer practices. The last few years I have taken advantage of my teenage drivers and realized how much I appreciate them.

And of course there are the things that I never really do because my hubby takes care of them so I don't even think about them much til he is gone--like putting the garbage can to the curb on Wednesday mornings.  I only forgot once.  And I didn't forget it was garbage day, I was just going to do it later.  oops.  And taking care of the cars and making sure the gas tanks are full; and always locking up at night.  I even mowed the lawn once.  But the mower ran out of gas so I had to go fill up the little red gas tank.  I don't know if I have ever done that since I have been married.

Harder than the day to day tangible "stuff" to take care of is everything else--giving everyone enough attention, refereeing the arguments and bickering, the discipline, the homework, the emotions, getting everyone where they need to go (church is the hardest and I don't even have preschoolers anymore) and, well, just everything that goes with families.  It wore me out!  I am tired--more than usual.  (I think I need a 2 week nap).  There were some tears and calls to my sister and friends asking for help.  But I got through it.  We all got through it.

The mood in our house is happier now that Dad is home.  But I think it was a little rough on him coming home from work today to a houseful of happy noise instead the quiet of his parents' house.  We all might need a few days of adjustment, but it's good to be back together again.

New Adventures

Scott had his last day working as controller at the college on Sept 13.  He is now training and learning how to be a freight broker, as he bought a freight business to run with his brother.  Somebody very creative who he worked with at the college made the following going away gift.  

 notes on mailing labels on a freight box --very fun. 

And since his last day we have been a little busy getting our MISSIONARY ready to leave to Sendai Japan, with 2 months in Provo at the MTC first of course.  He enters next Wed Oct 9th.  I have felt exicted about it all and not sad but now the mom emotions are starting to hit me.

D worked in Utah this summer and came home almost 2 weeks ago.  We had some family come for his "farewell" talk.  Some stayed with us, some with my Mom and some in a hotel (I guess Scott's parents prefer the quiet of the hotel compared with 10 enthusiastic kids, 8 of them under 12, at our house).  Then we sent them all away and headed to Utah to take Dustin to the temple for his endowments, plus 2 more temples after that, and shopping shopping shopping.  And we spent so much at one store we got FREE LUGGAGE. Actually the shopping was pretty simple because we went to the Missionary Mall and they have, as Scott put it, "Everything you need and nothing you don't need." (and free luggage) And right across the way was Deseret Book which also has a Beehive clothing so we got more stuff he needed there. I let Scott and D do that and I happily shopped in the book store for an hour (all alone! no "Mom. look look")

The last thing on the list is family pictures!!! I really did NOT wait until the last minute. I had it on my to do list this summer then one weekend D up and left!  He got a job and said goodbye to us.  And we meant to do it the weekend he came home but that was the same weekend we had family and it rained too (no outdoor pictures) so we will get it done this weekend.  And it is so hard for me to think that this might be our last picture as a 7 person family (no, I am not pregnant!) because if B goes on his mission when he is 18 then D could be married by the time he gets back (because they will only overlap a few months).  Wow. hard thought. I would be a mother-in-law.

But, back to the present.  One more week with my BOY because everyone says he will come back as a MAN.  Yet I am so happy that my boy has choosen to and is going to serve the Lord.  and proud and stuff and yeah...

Love and Marriage

Scott and I celebrated 18 years of marriage this past weekend.  

Our life together has included . . .

2 Bachelor's degrees (his: accounting,  mine: business education) 

5 children 

4 apartments

4 houses

5 cities (Logan, Salt Lake, West Valley, Brigham City UT, and Farmington NM)

Lots of memories and adventures, up and downs, trials and triumphs, love for the gospel and each other.   

We found out quickly enough that we got married the wrong time of year--the winding down of volleyball season. because I am such a volleyball nut.  Whether I was coaching and it was state tournament (way back in my 'other' life), or whether I was/am playing for city leagues or church, or we were both playing church co-ed, there always seems to be some type of volleyball during the first weekend of November!  So appropriately, we watched the high school district title volleyball game together Saturday night as part of our long date that involved the whole afternoon and evening.  I guess he knew marrying me included volleyball...