Last Week, A Good Ending . . .

Last week was a very bumpy ride for our family.  But we made it through to the next step for all of us and we are putting one foot in front of each other.  Individually, as couples and as a family.  Thank goodness we have our faith, free agency, our church leaders to counsel, each other and new windows to look through and new experiences to search for.

But first to put a period at the end of the sentence of last week.  Jon made it home pretty late from Phoenix and the last day working for State Forestry.  It has been 7 years since he walked off in his retirement at DPS (Dept. of Public Safety).  For some time he had felt like it was time to leave, not sure why, but when the feeling became very so strong that he knew it was time to take a leap, now, he put in his notice.  We were a little frightened as there was no plan in place and we knew he had to keep working since the pension would not be enough to sustain us.  So leap we did, into a black hole looming before us . . . and the state forestry job fell into his lap.  As a seasonal person, called up starting with the severe fire season blew up for the first year, and then as a part time plug for all the holes in the in all the work that needed to be done in communications.  Now, here we are leaping off into a black hole, again, but this time there is nothing that has fallen in our laps to look forward to.  But when the spirit whispers, not so quietly, it so important to listen and follow.

I don't think our answers will come as quickly this time.  I have not felt like it at all the last few weeks, but I know that the promise I was given years ago is still a promise today.  We will have what we need.  There will be much that I might want, but it is important to determine the difference.   Both of us would LOVE to go back through New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma, then to Northern California to see extended family, but as big as that want is, it won't happen.

So Jon came home about 11:30 p.m. , saw that dreaded rabbit in "farm" and dragged in to the house.  Garrett was here for his sleep over, so the poor guy went and found a different bed to sleep in . .  welcome home Jon . . .poor guy.  The next morning, he decided to give Garrett a treat and tail gate for breakfast . ..  as you can see, the little guy was thrilled .



"Garrett!"

"What?"

"How's breakfast coming along?"

"Huh?"

Oh well, Jon had fun and it was as cool as it was going to get that day.  Then all He_ _ broke loose for the rest of the week.  As Jon was driving down to taxi Rob and the girls back home after they dropped off their van to be worked on,  Sarah called.  There was a huge puddle of oil under her car so she drove to the first place she could an got more oil.  Before she could get in and start driving to the mechanic, there was a 6" puddle under it again.  She called as she drove so that I could call the mechanic to let them know she was headed there and was it OK.  It was and she ended up getting heavier oil (she thought of that on her own, so proud of her . . not a mechanical little lady we have there) and it took 6 quarts to get her there.  All this time I am calling the mechanic, Jon, to warn him he may need to go and tow the car over, and just wringing my hands in general . .  oh, I forgot, Rob's van threw the belt on the way and he was somewhere on the side of the freeway putting it back on.  Now Sarah is driving one of our cars until she can come up with the $$ to fix her car. . . always a little unsettling . . for some reason . . .

We had another big wind and rain and the neighbor got a big ole' boo-boo which reminds us why we took out pepper willow out and had it hauled off.  this is about half their tree so it won't be casting much of a show now.

I went to the home ward Sunday to hear Gabriel's talk. Came home and started cooking up a food storage storm.  Had "Italian Bake"  which was pretty much lasagna made from elbow macaroni since there were none of the big noodles in the house . . except, I found some after I had cooked the macaroni.  The home made ice cream is WAY too rich, we needed to cut it with milk, and I will now and refreeze it.  But it was fun having most of the family here and Sarah brought her new roomies along.  We always enjoy them.  Our littlest princess got to maul baby food all over something just help her get used to something in her mouth.  Then Sassy gave her a bottle with food in it and next thing we knew, she had nodded off.  We all had to get a picture of her little Buddha belly.  She is a pretty slim little girl and then there is this HUGE bubble hanging out there.  Just like her Aunt Sassy had when she was tiny. . . . . . I just did a double take, Sarah's arm looks like mine a "few" years ago.



Side Note:  My flower box is growing so well!  You can stand off and see the Vincas standing right up there, blooming away and the Portulaca is getting pretty fluffy looking . . . blooming up a storm.  It is almost long enough to start spilling over the edge of the boxes.  Way more exciting than it probably should be, but I do love it when a plan (dream) comes together!!   Shhhhhh, don't anyone tell Jon, I am just wondering if there should be a box under the real window.  That is where I had wanted to put one for years . . . just thinking, IF there is enough wood left over . . that is already stained . . . . . why not?  A little balance is always a good thing, right?