Better

Things are always better after a long bath, a good book, a good night's sleep, and calling the Independent Study office and getting an extension for a week.

Rough Day

I always forget how hard it is to take care of children. Especially when I decide to do it for a week. I love it, but by the end of the day (ok five o'clock) I am ready to just fall into bed. I try to remember that it is hard for them too, that they are missing their mom and dad, but sometimes I just can't handle it anymore. God did not intend for us to raise children by ourselves. Kudos to anyone who actually does it! (of course, instantly having four children doesn't make it easier.)
Also I am a little emotionally drained. The whole closing and opening of chapters in my life significantly contributing to that, especially since the new chapter included a DTR. (PS. I am not a DTR kind of person. Every time it has happened, the other person has brought it up. Why is it such a big deal? Do we really need to define it at all times? Why can't we just let things be for a while?)
And, lastly, I found out today that I was supposed to have finished my independent study class last Wednesday, not this Friday. So, that is a phone call I have to make tomorrow, and I might just turn in the last assignment and try to take the final anyway. Shouldn't there be some kind of grace period, especially since, they only tell you when the class is due at the time you register?!?
Anyway, I am going to take a nice long bath tonight, read a totally frivolous book and get a good night's sleep tonight. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Update

New chapter opened.

Finally!

For the past three years, every time I walk into a Target, or Gap, or store with those detectors, my purse has set off the alarm. I have not been able to figure out what it is. My friend's mom works at Target and so while I was there, we looked for what could be setting it off. We finally found it! It was one of those paper cards with the metal spiral embedded in it and it was hiding behind some of my (many) cards in my purse. So I should be able to go places without sounding the alarm finally!! Yeah for Target Mom!

Arkansas

I think I should seriously check into a mental institution now.

Well, on Thursday, I decided I needed to visit a friend of mine who lives in Arkansas. So I bought a plane ticket for Saturday and flew out there to spend four days with him and his family. He has been in Brazil for the past two years, and is planning on going back in two weeks, so I really didn't have a very big window to visit.

Anyway, it was a good trip. I really enjoyed spending time with his family and enjoyed the time I spent with him. I tried catfish, which was good, and had some amazing ribs with some equally amazing potato salad.

It was a good trip, but hard at the same time. I really miss the friendship we had before, and its clear that that is not something he is willing to invest in again.

But I really needed to go and I feel good about what happened.

One chapter of my life closed, ready to open the next one.

Wedding

Here are a few pics from my trip. My cousin who got married isn't in here, but these pictures are indicitive of the true personalities in my family.

My cousin smiling for the camera


More cousins. These ones are brothers.

Long weekend

My cousin Ross got married on Saturday, so I drove first thing Saturday morning down to Vegas for the wedding. That means I woke up at four and drove for six hours. I had planned to drive afterwards to Southern California, but my aunt talked me into going bridesmaid dress shopping with my cousin Kari, and by the time we got home, I was so utterly exhausted I crashed at their house. (Yeah, don't ask me why my body decided to wake up at 4:30 every day this last week, but it did). Sunday morning, I made my trip to Southern California. I misjudged how long it would take me and ended up at the church an hour and a half early. This gave me time to go on campus and find the office I had an appointment at Monday. Church was fine, but I skipped the institute graduation and drove to Cherbear's house (another hour). I got to spend some good quality time with a friend I haven't seen in years. And I got to meet her little boy!! He was very cute. And we watched Oklahoma!
Monday, after a pleasant chat, I drove back to the school and had my appointment. I think the hard part about going to school and moving is going to be getting a job! Especially since California is cutting teachers. Then I drove back to Vegas and spent the night at my other aunt's house.
This morning I drove back to Utah. I felt worse and worse as I got back home. I'm not sure what that is supposed to mean. I don't know that moving to California right now is the best idea, I don't have a job there, and even if I did, school doesn't start until the fall. So I'll be working on sorting out lots of things in the next few weeks.
My life is crazy.
I'll post pics from the wedding when I'm not at work.