Spring

You know how I can tell for sure that warmer weather is here and Spring has finally sprung?

Tulips blooming? .......nope
Buds on trees? .......nope
Birds chirping? .......nope




Sweeping up enough cat fur dust bunnies in one day to make a cat? ......yep

Insert foot in mouth

The only conversation I had with anybody at church on Sunday:


Woman: "How many months?" (gesturing at my stomach)
Me: "Oh, I'm not pregnant."
Woman: "Well you look like it."
Me: stunned silence
Woman: "Well, get on it!"
Me: "I can't have children."
Woman: "My friend couldn' have babies. She had four, five of 'em and they just kep' dyin'"
Me: "Oh, that would have been tough. We've lost three."
Woman: "Yep, she just kep' havin' 'em and havin' 'em and they kept dyin'" (this was said very quickly as she retreated away)

Expectations

I posted this on the other blog I write for, but I thought I would post it here too.

We went to church for the first time in our new ward today...it also happened to be the first time I willingly went in almost 2 years (long story...see my other posts). We decided we wanted to get active again and the 1500 mile move provided us an excellent opportunity to start fresh. We didn't get a chance to 'ward shop' because we had a VERY limited time to find a place to live, so what we get is what we get.

Our experience there today was a little less than we had hoped for/expected and naturally we talked it over on the 25 minute drive home. We discussed all sides of the issue and could not decide on where we stood, so I thought I would see what you all thought. (Because I have some pretty insightful friends our there)

When there is a new member to a ward (no matter if they are a recently baptized convert, a family who just moved in, a newlywed couple moving from the student ward to the family ward, etc) what expectations are ok and where is the line drawn? I know it would be too much to expect a host of angels to meet us at the door or for valet parking or for a seven-course meal to be served after the block. But with all joking aside...what can one expect? Both as the new person and as the ward?

LOST

Friday was a BEAUTIFUL day. My new friend Sara and I decided to take our smelly four legged children on a walk to enjoy the very welcome sunshine. About a half a mile or so into our walk I notice that I am missing my cell phone. I ask Sara to hold the boys while I quickly go back and see if I can find it. I thought it must have fallen out of my pocket when I squatted down to pick up Besta's, well...poop. (sorry, gross I know but hey, at least I am a responsible dog owner!) I scoured the entire way back to our building and found nothing. I raced upstairs, told Nathan to call and suspend the phone, then I went back to meet up with Sara.

We get back to the apartment and it was the weirdest thing...I would think about things that were in the phone (pictures, addresses, birthdays, etc) that I would have to get again, or that I would have lost forever and I would worry, but I never got that horrible pit in my stomach...which is weird because I am a WORRY WART. As we were getting ready to head to the cell phone store, Nathan got a call on his cell phone. Someone had FOUND my phone and wanted to get it back to us. He had searched through my address book and called the number for 'HOME' and no one answered, but the message said Holly and Nathan so he scanned through and found Nathan's # and called that. We went downstairs to wait for them and about 20 minutes later this beautiful little family comes walking up to us and hands me over my phone. The guy's son (who looked about 12-ish) had found it. I thought it was awesome that he was teaching his kid to be honest and do the right thing. They could have easilly just kept it and used it for themselves, but they didn't. I was (and still am) grateful for them. I hope somewhere, somebody will show them the same kindness on them that they showed me.

This beach has gone to the dogs!

We took Besta to the dog beach this afternoon. He was (as always) content enough to ride in the truck and take a little walk, but when we got to the gate and walked through and he saw all those other dogs and then we TOOK THE LEASH OFF (because he's always leashed outside). Oh man, he took off and ran and ran and ran. You could just see the grin on his face. I tell you what, if you are ever sad, go to a dog beach. Watching those guys all running around and playing with each other with their big goofy tongues hanging out the side of their mouths...good as Prozac. Seriously.


I love this picture of Nathan and Besta...isn't it just sweet?

Playing Tourist

Our first weekend here we went into the city with our new friends John and Sara. We got to see The Bean (I believe it's actual name is Cloud Gate), Buckingham Fountain, Millennium Park, Grant Park, Crown Fountain and we checked out the Magnificent Mile.

John & Sara

Buckingham Fountain

Jay Pritzker Pavillion

The Bean

This is the park where Obama gave his acceptance speech.

American Gothic...in Chicago??

Crown Fountain

Meeting the neighbors

So we moved into this fabulous building on April 2nd. The landlord had misplaced the mailbox key and the garage door opener and he assured us that he would have replacements to us in 48 hours. It is now WAY past 48 hours. We took matters into our own hands. We FINALLY found a mailbox lock the right size and installed it ourselves. Yesterday I went with my new buddy Sara to Lowes in search of a garage door opener. After the assistance from the resident door/window helper we were on our way. When we got home I tried to program it myself, but you need to push a button on the back of the motor and that is easily 12 feet up, and as I am no giant, I gave up and left it for Nathan.

He woke me up this morning (er, LATE morning...like 11:56...don't judge) and told me he did something bad. I am thinking something along the lines of eating all the leftover Easter candy, killing the dog, etc. No, not that he tells me. He then tells me that as he was programming our garage door opener he erased the code from the motor and therby made everyone else's openers NOT work. But hey, he says, ours works now! (That's my eternal optimist)

So as I relay this moment of hilarity that so fits the our lives, he is going door to door in the building, explaining the situation and fixing each and every opener. At least he'll get to meet all the neighbors!

Calling all readers

Head on over to my online bookgroup and throw out some ideas for our summer months. Anyone is welcome to join us...well, technically ME because I am generally the only one who comments. :(

Anyone out there want to be my book buddy?