Teeth Probs.

Everyone in my family needed braces (except one lucky sister who got away with retainers!). Going into motherhood, I was aware that my kids were going to need some orthodontic help. What I didn't realize was the myriad of other potential issues.

You see... Paul and I both have a baby tooth where an adult tooth never came in. Apparently, this is highly genetic. We braced ourselves for the possibility that our kids might be stuck with some baby teeth. We've been brushing really well and taking care of what they've got because it might need to last 30+ years. Today we got a little surprise though. It seems that Kate is missing a baby tooth (and thus will not get an adult tooth either). It didn't dawn on me that she could be entirely missing a tooth from birth!

We're giving it 6 more months. Then we'll do x-rays to confirm the tooth isn't there. After that, we'll leave it alone until she's about 7 or 8. At that point she'll get a "flipper" (a false tooth attached to a retainer) for her to wear until she is 14-15 years old. Hopefully her jaw will be solidified enough to get an implant at that time. Had it been missing from her upper palate, she'd have to wait until she was 18 or 19 years old! Looks like we're going to have to invest in some good dental insurance from here on out...


On a happier note, neither of the kids have cavities! Woo hoo!

Saying Goobye

Throughout high school my Spring Break was spent visiting family in Provo, going to General Conference in SLC, and wandering around BYU campus dreaming of my college days. In 2008, I graduated and began living the dreams I had been imagining since I was 13. Now days, thinking of my freshman year in Chipman Hall brings back a palpable nostalgia; the kind you can feel, and smell, and makes your brain feel funny because for a brief moment you're back in that time and place.

It's 2015 now. Nearly seven years since the Fall I ventured out to permanently live in Provo. Not just a week long visit, but a new life to explore and discover myself in a different setting. Flash forward and I have a nursing degree, a husband, two kids, and am on the verge of owning my first home. Those seven years are packed with countless memories and people who have touched my life. I've grown attached to the mountains and little slices of Provo that hold my dearest memories; falling in love, laughing with roommates until you can't breathe, acing a final, overcoming trials, getting engaged, becoming a mother... 

Paul and I had been itching to leave Provo after we graduated, but as we had children we realized that it's probably the best place in the world to have a young family. We were surrounded by good people, family, nature, attractions, Temples, and shopping galore.  As the job hunt continued we realized there weren't any viable options for us in Utah. It was saddening. My heart ached to think of leaving my sister, Ruth. Then to make things worse, Paul's parents moved to Provo too. Could it get any harder to leave?

We prayed. Both together and apart. And we both knew that moving to Grand Rapids was the right path for our family.

In preparation for our move, we spent all of our time (when we weren't packing & cleaning or working on a thesis) to say goodbye. At first the adieus felt nonchalant. I had been living there so long I couldn't seriously wrap my head around the fact that this was goodbye. My grieving process was further disrupted by the fact that I didn't have to pack all of my belongings. My surroundings weren't changing enough to help me process the fact that we were leaving.

Those last few days though... It started with saying goodbye to former roommates. First Marlee, then Ashley. And then Kaitlin Stead (Kunz). Kaitlin has been with me every step along the way. We only lived together for 1 of those 7 years, but our lives always seemed to be going in the same direction. We wed & had children on nearly the same timeline, our husbands were still going to school while we stayed home with the kids, we come from large families and can relate to one another. It felt so right when they moved into our apartment as we left.

Then came my sister. Ruth has been holding down the fort in Provo since before I started visiting for Spring Break. She has seen everyone in our family come and go. With over 10 years separating us, we finally hit a point in life where things were similar. Our kids could play together, we worked out at the gym night after night to get our pre-baby bodies back, we shared recipes, and got equally excited each time Mom announced she was going to visit. My farewell with her is when it truly, deeply sunk in. I was leaving. Tears were shed driving home from her house. (And I realize now that I hardly ever took pictures at her house. I feel like such a dummy.)

Lastly, Ron & Kathryn. Paul's parents have been so good to, and for, us. Their example helped us to loosen up and have more fun with Vincent. They introduced our boy to a whole new world of music, train rides, old phones, tree swings, buttermilk, marbles, and much more. Kate lit up each time she saw her Grandma & Grandpa (they also introduced her to the wonders of whipping cream). Our time in Provo with them will always be cherished.

We woke up bright and early to drive to the airport. The children were calm, the morning was still and I quietly cried as we drove away from what had become my home. Goodbye to Y mount, Helaman Halls, Utah Lake. I reminisced about how good Utah had been to me. Hiking at Arches National Park, camping beneath the desert stars, rafting down the Colorado river in Moab, tying the knot in the Salt Lake City Temple, working nights at the Harold B. Lee Library, building forts at the Brittany, late nights at Park Plaza, climbing up the side of a mountain because we couldn't find the trail head, zip lining in Provo Canyon, watching a Temple being built down the street, flying down water slides, watching fireworks from a rooftop. It's just all so good. Life is so good.

With six bags, two car seats and a few backpacks in tow, we hobbled our way through the terminal. We boarded a plane and flew away. To a new life. A life that doesn't start by being alone. One where I take my family with me and we grow and develop together. Because I already found myself. Provo gave that to me. Now, I help my children discover who they are and why they are so very important to me. Who knows how long we'll be in Grand Rapids, but whatever the length, we're going to make beautiful memories here too.

 

 

Bye Bye, Provo.

In a whirlwind of events, we have MOVED. I already miss my beloved city of Provo. Probably because it was 60 degrees when we left and now I'm trying my best to survive -17 degree weather. Brrr!! Many adventures are to come for this family. First on the docket-- buying  a house!

Stay Away.

It's not that we don't love visitors. Rather, we're sick. We feel all achy and are appetites don't exist. Even drinking water makes me want to hurl. Luckily, no one has puked. We're not sure if we picked up whatever Vincent had last week, but we do know that it's no fun.

Tomorrow we'll stay in our jammies, pile on the blankets, take lots of advil and watch General Conference. But for now, I need to force myself to drink water and stay hydrated. Hope your weekend is better than ours!

Quirks, Oddities and Random Facts: Part I

Everyone is weird in their own way. I love that we're all unique individuals. Someday, I'll be long gone. I don't want my posterity to only know me as a name. I want them to know about my oddities and random life events. This list is a work in progress... but it's a start.

-- After I have a cough attack, I have one giant sneeze. Then it's over.
-- I talk in my sleep all the time.
-- I don't like drinking "old" water. I'm convinced that it makes me sick. So each morning Paul has to dump out the water from the night before and get me fresh water while I nurse.
-- I love high heels. I don't wear them for very long because they start to hurt, but I love them. I even wore them when I took my drivers license test when I was 16.
-- Planning is a must. I plan out everything.
-- I hate losing. It's not my fault. I'm pretty sure it's genetic because everyone in my family is a sore loser. I've gotten better since marrying Paul... but I'm still really bad at it.
-- At night I always run into the bedroom, jump on the bed and jumble up the sheets until I get beneath them.
-- Cuddling is my favorite. Paul knows that if I lay down and face my back to him that he is expected to snuggle up.
-- I've been hand washing dishes for the past few years (I can't wait to have a dishwasher...) so I have perfected the art of using the minimum number of dishes.
-- My feet are always frozen. For this reason, I LOVE wearing thick, fuzzy socks in the winter.
-- I only like ballpoint pens. Those glidey gel pens are terrible!
-- My clothes are hung in color order and the DVDs are in alphabetical order.
-- Bargain shopping is my forte. I love a good deal.
-- I start listening to Christmas music in September. Don't judge me! I usually only do it when I'm studying or stressed out because he makes me feel so happy.
--  When I get hot I get really grumpy and won't let anyone touch me.
-- My short AND long showers are 20 minutes. It doesn't matter how hard I try. It's always 20 whole minutes.
-- I'll eat anything Pumpkin. It' so yummy!
-- I won't go into the ocean unless I have swim shoes on. Crabs and living things creeping around in the ocean scare me.


And now a few about Paul:

-- Without fail, he takes at least 65 minutes to get ready! We are working on this...
-- Talk about ticklish. I can't even give him a foot rub without reducing him to spasms.
--  He is a morning person. Like, wake up and be to work at 6 am, kind of morning person.
-- Paul is very particular about the way cords are wrapped up.
--  He refuses to sleep with socks on.
-- Paul bought a 54" TV when he was single because "He knew his wife would never let him"
-- Even though he stopped gymnastics 12 years ago, he can still do a back flip. It scares me every time.
-- When Paul is toasting a bunch of bread, he'll go back through and flip over all of the pieces of toast to keep them from condensing on the plate and getting soggy (Weirdo).
-- He is really good at cutting up large amounts of fruit and he can cut REALLY thin pieces of cheese. These talents frequently come in hand.
-- Cell phone belongs in the left pocket, keys in the right. Always.
-- Paul has an uncanny ability to remember numbers. Whether it's an address or a telephone number he can retain it til he's done with it.
-- If he's been somewhere once, he can probably get there again without directions.
-- He has always wanted long hair but knows he never will.
-- Paul is a deep sleeper; I practically have to yell to wake him up. Vince, on the other hand, can wake Paul up with the smallest peep.

My Ramblings.

-- Dreams are so weird and can feel so real. Let's just say I was glad to wake up this morning and have hair on my head.

-- Speaking of hair, the dreaded "all of your hair falls out after pregnancy" started happening. It took almost 4 months to start...I thought I had dodged the bullet. Looks like I thought wrong. Darn.

-- When Paul and I leave Utah, I am going to miss seeing Ruth, Ben and their sweet families. It has been wonderful having siblings close by during my college years.

-- Last night my fortune cookie said, "If you want something, you must earn it." After I read it I complained and said I didn't want to have to work hard this semester. Later, when I thought about it again, I was ashamed of myself for having an aversion to hard work. Work is what shapes people and allows them to grow and reach their potential. I am determined earn my BS in Nursing instead of using motherhood as a crutch to blame when I'm too cowardly to try.

-- I watched way too much TV this summer. I blamed it on having nothing to do while nursing, but then I didn't turn it off when I was done feeding Vince. Basically, I wasted a lot of time and I regret it. Now I'm trying to leave the TV off when my Little Man is awake.

-- Going back to school seems so have knocked me out of my lazy rut. Slowly, I can feel motivation returning to my body. I'm setting new goals and moving forward.

-- We're in the process of moving Vince to a 4 hour feeding schedule. Holy moly. I LOVE IT. Who knew that dropping one feeding could be such a life changer? I feel like I have time again. Vince stays awake long enough that I can go out and run errands if I need to. Then he sleeps longer so I can be productive and get my schoolwork done before he wakes up.

-- Last night was the first time a thunderstorm scared me. It was loud and I was too drowsy to think straight. But by some miracle, Vince slept through the entire thing. Man, I love that kid.

-- Paul is so giving. This semester is crazy; it's full of 12 hour clinicals, class, random nursing conferences, test, etc. All while trying to manage a baby. I feel selfish, but Paul's work schedule is now revolved around my little world. I am amazed by the love and support he shows me. He watches Vince and goes to work at odd hours and never mumbles a single complaint.

-- There was a spider in Vincent's crib and it freaked me out. Now I'm scared to put him to sleep in his own bed! Stay away from my son, you nasty spiders!!

-- Calorie counting got a lot harder when school started. Uh oh...

-- I really enjoy reading the Ensign and watching past devotionals.