May Review

May was totally packed. I think about Ben’s graduation (which happened in the middle of the month) and it feels like several months have passed. We’ve had some serious ongoing uncertainty but the month was filled with family and fun which has been an awesome distraction.

Good

• We’ve been with extended family basically the whole month of May which has been awesome. At the beginning of the month, Ben’s mom and nephew came out. They were joined by 3 of Ben’s sisters as well as my parents for graduation. It was an adventure fitting everyone into our tiny apartment but we had a blast!
• Ben had several graduation parties/award ceremonies that we were able to attend. It just made me so grateful that he had the opportunity to be in this specific program. His cohort and his professors have been totally supportive and awesome. We feel really blessed.
• Ben graduated!!! I think of where we were at when Ben started this program and it legit feels like a lifetime ago. Graduation day had me fighting off tears because I’m just so darn proud of my husband. Ben and I always joked that we were probably the only people in the program’s history who’ve had two kids in its duration. But even with all the changes and adjustments, Ben’s handled everything very well, graduating with distinction and making all of us very proud.
• All of our visitors stuck in town a couple days after graduation and we were able to have a picnic in Sedona at Crescent Moon Ranch as well as have a day at the Out of Africa Wildlife Park. It was fun to take family to some of our favorite places around here.
• We also had Greta’s baby blessing the same weekend (yeah, we were busy). We just did it at home so that Ben’s family could be there but it was very sweet and I’m grateful that family could be there for it.
• Ben has had a couple of job interviews which has felt something like progression toward the next stage of life.
• After those interviews, Ben and I headed up to Twin Falls to visit family. We had a water balloon fight, went to the parade of homes, attended a cousin reunion, ate at our favorite restaurant, and just spent time with everyone. It was wonderful.
• Two years ago my family had a reunion in the mountains of Colorado and this year we were able to go to the same place. It was a miracle that everyone in the family was able to make it. And my parents went all out planning activities for the weekend. We had a tea party, a pioneer trek, four-wheeling, slideshows, games, hiking, delicious food and treats, and an awesome dance party. It was so fun watching Wendy interact with cousins who are her age (Greta made the 8th granddaughter in a row on my side-all ages two and under!).
• Wendy had her LAST nutritionist appointment! They mostly ended it because Ben told them we’re moving (it’s true…we just don’t know when or where…) but they did say Wendy’s growth was doing well. I truthfully don’t know if they would have ever let us stop going if we were sticking in Flagstaff…

Blah

• Driving around town is totally fine but for long road trips we have definitely outgrown our car. Someday we’ll be able to afford something bigger…but for now we’ve had to rent. We rented a RAV 4 for the weeks we were out of town. While it was nice having extra space and working air conditioning, it makes me see red every time I think of how expensive it was. Bleh.
• Mingling with so many kiddos makes it difficult to walk away unscathed. Wendy got sick the last day of our reunion. She was up most of the night with a fever and a cold. And just wanted to be held all day. Ben and I got sick too. Luckily the worst of it was short lived.
• Ben raced some of my brothers on a three-wheeler, ended up falling off and getting into some stinging nettle and sustaining some pretty nasty bruises. Not to worry-his main bruise gave him a softball sized lump on his lower back which provided lots of entertainment when coming up with late night charade topics.
• I mentioned Ben had some job interviews…we haven’t officially heard back from either of them. All the waiting and not knowing and not being able to decide anything has been very stressful. Not a fave.
• Colorado was super fun buuuuuut with so many of the kids being so young it was hard to feel like I got all the one on one time I wanted with my siblings and their spouses. During the day, much of our time was spent entertaining and keeping an eye on the little girlies. Luckily, the cabin we were in has a huge separate space where we were able to meet at night after the kids had gone to bed. We spent that time playing games, chatting and drinking delicious mocktails.

On My Brain

• I always think that during the summer, I’m going to start cranking out beaucoup blog posts. But in reality, it is the time where blogging gets set to the side. So forgive me if blogging is spotty this summer.
• Obviously something that has been on my mind a ton is what our next step is. I always think I’m a pretty patient person but then something happens or I get placed somewhere where I realize I’m terribly impatient. This is one of those times. But someday we will have a plan and a place to go. Meanwhile…
• I’ve started watching This Is Us and I really love it. Pretty much every episode makes me feel like I’m about to cry. But I like how the show gives me things to think about. It makes me consider how I’d respond if I was in a similar situation.
• While I haven’t started actually packing, I have thought lots about it. You’d think with how many times we’ve moved in our marriage that I’d be a pro…but I’m still trying to figure out what the best way is.