New

So my whiney post was un-appreciated. Sigh. I guess I'll have to do a chipper post instead.

Its been a week and I'm getting used to the Pitts.

My eyes have grown accustom to the cracks and crumbles, the mulitude of power lines criss-crossing back and forth, the narrow streets, or narrow "everything" for that matter and I hardly notice the old worn out town and I am starting to notice the beauty.

Firstly with my home.
Ours is on the right, with the white door.

I love the porch with the black and white checkered tile, the brick, and the all glass weather door.

Its a simply beautiful day today and Alli is out there reading right now, I'm might join her in a few.

I love the old mailbox. Did you see those stairs to our door? Those stairs are in front of 80% of homes here in the Pitts, and guess what? The mailman walks up every single one of them to deliver your mail right to your door, I love that.

I love the molding here, ours is worn and tattered but it brings alot of character to the houses here, craftmanship, something you don't see much of in the west.

The old hard wood floors, with their nooks and grooves bring a sense of story in the house.

I love the smell of the cedar closet. Probably the only closet in the house that doesn't smell like old lady and better yet, no moths will be getting in here.

I love the story behind these raunchy things, Pittsburgh toiletts. In any given basement you have one. The story: When the coal miners would come home from work they would enter through the basement, take off their filthy work clothes, hang them up, and then do their business downstairs before being greeted by their family.

I love this doorknob, its in the basement and is the door to the cold cellar, yep I have a cold cellar fancy I know. :)

 I love the old sturdy industrail look of this key hole and all.

These great things are on a few of our doors here, the only problem...they don't lock. Uh-Oh!

And obviously, I find beauty in this charming little thing that hangs in my dining room. I'm pretty sure its a cheap little replica of something or other but it brings some interest downstairs for sure.

Thomas and I have always said we'd love to live in an old house, the truth is we would LOVE to live in an old house that has been gutted and then properly redone with all of the classic hardward and all of the modern amenities...maybe someday.

 

I'm a mess

So bare with me will you? Its the first weekend of the Pittsburgh move and I'm exhausted and a bit homesick, well maybe a LOT homesick. After packing for a little over a month, garage "saling" the living crap out of my junk, and traveling to and fro for various reasons, we loaded up our truck last Thursday night and said goodbye to our Arizona home.  We moved to AZ in 2001 with intentions of only being there for 3 years, that 3 years turned into 9 years, filled with 3 children being born, 2 homes, 1 dog, a couple of jobs, a college diploma and numerous learning experiences filled with wonderful friends that became family.

.

This past month has been hard, along with the packing, trying to live a semi-normal life, finding a home for Echo, and getting our house ready to rent it has also been coupled with the fact that I had to slowly say goodbye to the life that I've known so long. To friends that can never be replaced. Friends that I have had for years and have had many experiences with. Pregnancies, infants and toddlers now to tweens. Job losses and promotions, husbands in school and church callings. Happiness and sadness. Memories that I pray will stay with me for a lifetime because I know their friendships to me will last that long as well.

Along with the loss of my friends comes the loss of my kids friends. This has broken my heart. Some of these friends I've known since they were babies, some of the kids were over almost every day and have turned into nieces and nephews to me. I've grown quite attached to having a few "extras" around, to seeing them play and interact with my kids and bring them as much happiness as their parents have brought into our lives.

I doubt that in a few simple paragraphs I can express how much these people and experiences mean to me. How can you possibly express in words friendships of a lifetime?  All I can really say is how grateful I am to have had this time with each and everyone of them and how thankful I am to have learned and gained what I did from them all.

Whirlwind

Describing the past month would definitely include the word chaotic. We got the news last week that Thomas' grandma had past away. She had lived a good life and after 33 years of being seperated from her husband she returned home to be with him.

We decided we definitely needed to attend the funeral in Vegas and after some discussion we decided we would also attend the burial in Orem Utah, and while there, kill two, or maybe three birds with one stone.

The "birds" being visiting my dad, knowing I probably won't be able to see him for awhile since we'll be in the Pitts and baptizing Claire while both families are in town.

Unfortunately, after arriving to Vegas Claire and Rainier got the stomache flu, keeping Thomas and I up all night, its miserable when a one year old is throwing up I tell ya.  Anyhow I missed the funeral, but Thomas, Ainsley, and Alli all attended. Later that day I got sick, packed up, and headed for Springville. I think Thomas thought I was "milking" up the sickness, but man that one was a doozie, luckily it was a quick passing virus. Too bad quite a few other family members got to experience it for themselves.

We were able to 'sneak' in on stake baptisms in my dad's ward and have Claire baptized and have both sides of the family attend.

Thomas' mom made this beautiful baptism dress for Claire and Grandma Nancy had a baptism towel all ready with her name embroidered on it. She felt so special and was so happy.

After the baptism we headed back to my dads for some lunch.

A little bit of playing,

and a little bit of smoochin'

We then headed off for the burial.

After the burial we went swimming at the city pool with Thomas' family were he learned to swim and then changed and camped out on the streets of Provo while all the kids had fun running around lighting fireworks and watched the real firewords at the Stadium of Fire.

Sunday morning Thomas woke up with the stomach flu, I think he was just milking it, I kid, I kid.

So we left him home with Rainier and Ainsley and went on our merry way to see a taping of  The Spoken Word.

I had never been to the conference center yet, it was pretty amazing. We were able to get seats up nice and close and really see everything that goes on for a production like this.

Afterwards we walked across the street to Temple Square.

These two have been bickering with eachother a lot, so it was great to see them enjoying time together.

 With life so hectic and crazy right now, I was so thankful for a little R&R. Even if that R&R included a little sickness and a lot of driving. There really isn't anything better then being with family, and enjoying the 'fruits' of the gospel.