Dust

Wow.

Two years have passed.

So much has happened. So much has changed. So much has broken.

Time to clear of the dust and cobwebs and write again.

Bzzzzzt

I've decided that an abscessed tooth is the worst pain I have ever been in. Period.

Yup. You read that correctly.

More pain than giving birth to a 9 pound baby with no pain meds whatsoever.

Agony with no relief in sight.

12 hours after I was put on antibiotics, I wasn't waking up crying from the pain anymore like I had been for the previous 48 hours. Mostly because they gave me a hefty dose of narcotics.

I was in a drug-induced stupor for two days.

Then it was suddenly Christmas.

It's been a week since the ER visit and my house is. a. disaster. All three kids have been sick for over a month and now Josie isn't just not gaining weight, she's losing it.

The antibiotics I'm still on have me nauseated 24/7 and the smell coming from whatever is in my kitchen sink is preventing me from going anywhere near the dirty dishes that desperately need to be done.

Who am I?

Where am I?

When am I?

Well hello there!

A good friend recently told me, "Yeah I follow your blog. There's nothing lately!"

Point taken.

Here's where I don't waste your time with excuses.

Here's where I update and try to remember what I haven't said yet...

We moved to Utah at the end of May. Hooray!!

We are in Taylorsville, which is about halfway down the Salt Lake valley.  It's perfectly central to all of our various loved ones.

This is the street we live on. 

I am in LOVE with Fall.
LOVE.

I am working back at the same Macaroni Grill (by choice) I was in 2002. I am a server/trainer again and they are looking to promote me to bartender (aka more $$). I love it just as much now as I did then. The people are amazing. There are even 4 still there from 12 years ago. If that doesn't tell you something, just know that the average restaurant turnover rate is maaaybe 6 months.

Todd started out working with me there, and quickly got to learn how to be a line chef. Unfortunately, they didn't have enough hours for him so he had to look elsewhere for steady work.

I won't even bother wasting time on mentioning that place, and I'll just happily relate that he is now working full-time at a much better and more stable company. He works for multiple insurance companies that provide Medicare part D Rx benefits, on behalf of CVS Caremark, on behalf of Xerox. Say that 5 times fast. I still get lost trying to explain it to people. At any rate, it's challenging and complicated work. He works M-F from 7:00-3:30 which makes it hard in the mornings, but nice at night so that I can still go to work.

Of course we now only see each other for an hour a day at the kid hand-off, but we're finally able to maybe start paying our bills.

My computer died a month ago, and most of my blogworthy photos are still locked in the hard drive, so you'll just have to wait for Evan's 1st birthday (from June) and Rylin's first day of preschool (waaaaah!).

Our car needed some major work done (2 grand worth?!) in November so we could go on our road trip to California and Las Vegas. I'll post separately about those (promise!!).

So that's our life for now. I'm home with the kids during the day while Todd is at work. Rylin has preschool on Mon and Wed afternoons. She took (and was not thrilled with) a ballet class for 6 weeks. I work at nights. We all have Sunday off, which is our family day of rest.

We're maybe (hopefully) looking to move into a house when our lease is up next summer, but a LOT has to happen before then.

Obligatory witty end-of-post comment.

Remember To Save Your Work

So after two hours of typing disappeared into the interwebs, I feel like crying.

When typing anything, SAVE YOUR WORK!!!!!

Absent

I can't believe I have not posted something in so long. Rylin has been cutting 4 molars, one right after the other for the last three months. Hooray for getting up throughout the night to a screaming toddler. I've been so exhausted and my stomach has been borderline volcanic for some reason lately, so all I want to do when I am home is sit and watch stuff on Hulu. I have no energy today as I seem to be fighting off a cold or something.

But enough excuses!

I have SO many posts to write of delicious recipes and Allison family excursions. I have a whole file of pics I need to upload too.

I just wanted you all to know that I am not gone, just out of commission lately.

The Tale You Tell

Careful the things you say,

Children will listen.

Careful the things you do,

Children will see.

And learn.

Children may not obey,

But children will listen.

Children will look to you

For which way to turn,

To learn what to be.

Careful before you say, "Listen to me."

Children will listen.

Careful the wish you make,

Wishes are children.

Careful the path they take,

Wishes come true,

Not free.

Careful the spell you cast,

Not just on children.

Sometimes the spell may last

Past what you can see

And turn against you...

Careful the tale you tell.

That is the spell.

Children will listen…

This is from one of my favorite musicals, Into the Woods. As a single adult, I listened to these lyrics repeatedly. The line children may not obey, but children will listen haunted me. It did and still does bring a lump to my throat. What a simple yet profound statement. Can we ever be truly aware of how much our actions and words influence others? Careful the spell you cast, not just on children. Especially when we don’t know they’re watching us closely…

Like you, I usually go through life oblivious to how often people are actually observing me. Oh sure, we know that our friends, family, co-workers, boss, the girl scanning our groceries, and even strangers on the street interact with us and form an opinion based upon their experience. But what they DON’T tell you is what they think while watching us silently. If you are lucky enough, people will share with you those feelings. I have found that to be the exception and not the rule though. So I am always pleasantly surprised when someone trusts me enough to open up and voice their true feelings to me.

Just yesterday I was sent these thoughts within a very touching e-mail:

“I just needed to let you know that I LOVE your blog! Every time I see on Facebook that you have posted something new on your blog, I have to read it. I love that you are real and don't sugar coat life. Life, marriage and family are all really difficult, but most of us don't vocalize it- so thanks for being the voice for all of us! I have always watched you from a distance (you probably never knew this!) and have wanted to have your infectious smile and outgoing personality. I am grateful to call you a friend and have learned from your example!!”

It still brings tears to my eyes reading these sweet words. I really never knew, and am so grateful this person had the courage to tell me. I have mentioned before that one of my main reasons for blogging is to give a voice to those that aren’t able to for whatever reason. My patriarchal blessing states that when I share my thoughts and feelings, others will be willing and ready to listen and will be strengthened themselves. The context was about my testimony, but I feel that all these topics (life/gospel, marriage, family) make up what a testimony is.

I truly hope that in some small way on here I can fulfill this sort of calling. And I hope that the tale I tell is a good one.


- Posted from my iPhone

Testing...again

So I got this new app to write my blogs, and I just want to see how well it works. I am so so so SO behind on my writing...


- Posted from my iPhone

Testing 1...2...3

After being a fan of so many friends and family blogs, we decided to create our own! So hooray. :) More is coming, but for now thanks for checking in!