Fiesta and Spiderman

This weekend was one for the books!

Friday night John and I went on a little date. We’re still new to Medford, and for dinner, we felt like something predictable. However, after finding out it was an hour wait for Olive Garden we said, “Aw heck with it, let’s try something new.” So we drove around Medford, and landed on Fiesta Mexico. We let the waiter choose for us, and it was seriously delicious. I crave Friday night dates all week, and by Friday afternoon, you can’t wipe the smile off my face.  As always, it was just nice to reconnect and laugh, and dissect topics together. It’s cheesy, it’s cliché- but seriously, John is my very best friend. I really enjoy his company.  We got home and put kids to bed and ate Johnny’s leftover birthday cake. Just a great Friday night.

Saturday John took the reigns and we headed to Emigrant Lake to go rock climbing! I don’t think we have gone since we left Rexburg, Idaho. We were all a little rusty. The views were beautiful. The kids explored and conquered a new-to-them world. On the other side of the cliff were rolling hills of pasture fields with cows grazing. The air, the moo’s in the background, the light breeze, the sun reflecting on the water? Just what the doctor ordered.

William went first, and then my phone died, so he is the only one we have pictures of. :) 

 It was pretty tricky teaching them to trust John, who was belaying, and to lean completely back to repel back down the boulder. They were terrified. We kept saying, "Be like spider-man!" At one point William said, "I don't even like Spiderman!" We would promise them they wouldn’t get hurt, and then somehow every single one of them did, haha! Not terrible, just enough that I may win the “We should have them wear helmets” argument next time, haha. We made a lot of progress and it was a great family outing. I got to lay up top and the kids would make eye contact with me while they repelled down the rock. It was really sweet looking at their faces as they overcame their fears.

You can't tell that he's standing on a ledge, it was actually quite a ways up for his little five year old body!

Now- in true transparency I was tiiiired on this trip. I don’t know what was up, but as soon as I got to the place we were climbing, I laid down and totally fell asleep. Ha! But so you all don’t think I’m too pathetic here, John taught be how to belay myself, which I did somewhat decently, may I add. We got to the car just in time to head home before dark. Everyone was starving and suddenly the bananas everyone thought was disgusting on our way out, looked mighty appetizing after hours of play. We stopped by Costco on the way home for a pizza, and called it a night.

Sunday was church with all its goodness (including a double meltdown on the way to primary class, whoohoo!) Then it was spending the day together. Just an overall, grateful to be alive kind of weekend.

Back to Blogging

This blog has always been a bit of a safe place for me. With minimal readers, I have the opportunity to share my thoughts and insignificant life moments without worrying if I’m wasting someone’s time. At the same time, there are just enough of you that I don’t feel like a crazy person talking to myself.

I've been trying to post more on instagram since I have more family on that site. As a result, I have kind of neglected updating my blog. (Perhaps I will screenshot my Instagram posts just to connect everything that has happened in the last four-five months?) It's been good, however; I've missed this blog. When I hop on here to write, I see the most genuine side of myself. Consequently, the people who stumble upon the website and follow along, know me in a very authentic way. Although there is fewer traffic, aan therefore fewer connections with individuals, they go a lot deeper. (So thank you, friends!)
Yesterday, I was feeling particularly lost with living in a new place. I randomly opened my blog and read some posts that just made me smile- typos, bad pictures, dorky jokes and all. Despite their shortcomings, the posts transported me to a place in time that meant something to me. While reading, I remembered although not everything was perfect in my life while I was recording the memories; I was so grateful I took time to write about the things that brought my joy and hope at the time. Even months later, they still bring me joy! As I read, I recognized parts of me that I have neglected, and I felt brought back to a place of purpose. I felt at home again reading a piece I wrote months ago. This mini-Sunday afternoon read session helped me dive back into my present life with a new resolve. I recognized someday, I would reflect back on this time, and I'll genuinely miss the good things that are currently happening around me. I realized how worth it is to write the small insignificant moments because to me they actually aren't insignificant at all, they are moments that represent a life I am very grateful I get to live. 

So. Hello- I’m back to blogging, I think. Are “Sorry I've been gone, I'll be better” posts tacky? I don’t know- also don’t care I guess; because, perhaps I’ll read this post sometime in the future and it will motivate me to keep on typing. It may not mean anything to anyone, but I'm learning it means a whole lot me. 

Help from Heaven

Today Heavenly Father gave me the courage to press forward despite me being too discouraged to ask for it.
It wasn't big, but I felt it. And because I leaned into the comfort of the Holy Ghost, today had a completely different outcome. I look back on my day and how much good I was able to give to everyone I love and interacted with, and the good I was softened to receive; and as I sit on my patio I'm thinking, "How did I do it?" And the answer is: well, I didn't...at least not on my own. I know that Jesus Christ's grace actively transformed my disheartened spirit as I worked through my day. I'm grateful I listened to the promptings but mostly just grateful they were there. There's a lot I want to remember about today- booby traps the boys made, Johnny reading "Where the Redfern Grows", surprising Caity with a decorated room, kids playing in the backyard, funny texts from John....yes a lot- but mostly I never want to forget that in my insignificant, mundane world- I'm not forgotten. I know God never forgets us. I wanted to record that.