Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes...

I love the fall.  I love walking through the leaves and hearing them crunch under my feet.  I love all the bright colors everywhere.  It's not sweltering outside, but nice and brisk.
On Facebook, I've been doing 30 Days of Gratitude.  I focus on one thing each day that I am thankful for. It really puts things in perspective, makes me count my blessings.

This time of year always throws me into ponderings and homesickness.  I miss my family.  I wish they were closer.  I wish I could go to my parents' house this weekend and give everyone a hug, play games, and eat junk food.  I wish I could talk to my mom like I did when I was in high school.  Long nights and random letters to each other.  I'm just not that person anymore.

I tend to shut everyone out and try to take on life alone. It can't be done.  I've been burned so many times and so badly, that I have such a hard time letting anyone in.  My poor husband.  I try to take on the burdens of our life, so he doesn't have to.  That's not what marriage is about.  We're supposed to be a team.  I'm grateful for him.  He has helped strengthen me in so many ways.  He's has helped me gain my self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-respect back.  Anyway....onto our lives....

Life is good.  September and October were crazy busy.  I don't even remember what happened most of November.

My mama and two beautiful little sisters came for Thanksgiving.   I took the day before off, because I knew they were coming and I wanted to get all the cleaning and laundry and what not taken care of.  Instead, they arrived around 1AM the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, turned my bedroom light on(since I was obviously asleep by then), and ran in saying hello.  I did what any person would do when woken by creatures of the night.  I screamed and threw the covers over my head.  The neighbors probably thought I was getting murdered by my crazy insomniac husband.  I am a little surprised that the cops didn't get called.

I was so excited...and terrified....my heart was pounding so fast for the next couple of hours.  Who needs sleep, right?  Isn't that the point of holidays?  Don't sleep and eat more than is good for you?

So, we had the best Thanksgiving I've had for a few years.  The only thing missing was my daddy.  But, he did Skype in a couple of times.   It was perfect, because I have been very homesick lately.

On to December.  December is always a whirlwind.  It is our busiest time at work and there is always something going on during the weekends.  We spent time with friends.  On Christmas Eve, the in-laws flew in and stayed for a week.  They are much quieter than my family, which takes some getting used to.  I prefer the noise, but I definitely lucked out in the in-law department, so I can't complain.

I have been in the process of looking for a new job, which is never a good time.  I promised myself and hubby that I would stay at this office for a year.  And what a year!  I don't know how I lasted this long.  On January 1st, I started sending out resumes.  I have gotten one call back and one 'no.'  But that is pretty good for the amount of applications and resumes have left my email.

I feel at a loss for what I'm supposed to be doing.  I know that Richard is doing what he is supposed to be doing.  We have been blessed a thousand times over with our decision to come to Portland.  I know that the two jobs I have had since being here, were the right places for me to be at the time.  But I don't want to move from job to job every year, and have a million places on my resume.  It's not a passport, for Heaven's sake!

Every time I think about going back to school, I have such a strong feeling that that is not where I need to be. I have my patriarchal blessing, but I don't feel like it applies to my life.  If I had stayed on the straight and narrow after high school, I'm sure it would be more fitting.  And maybe it is my perception.  I don't know.  I just feel so lost lately.  Not knowing which steps to take to where.

I do know that if I stay where I am, we will never get ahead.  We will never be able to afford to buy a house, or take family vacations.  We're going to Miami in a couple of weeks, but only because I want to try to spend some time with the people I love that are far away, before I don't have the chance anymore.

I'm tired of being the only person that cares at my job.  I'm tired of being treated like I'm not good enough because of my lack of education and my unemployed husband.  She has no idea my reasons for not going to school and for my husband not working.  I am trying to support him to the best of my ability, and I know that he would do the same for me if I asked.  I have a healthy, loving marriage.  I don't have to control everyone and everything around me to feel good about myself.

Enough complaining.  What will be, will be.  I will try and do my part, but I think I'll put this one in the Lord's hands....if He'll let me.

Ciao.  

Hello Summer, I've been waiting for you...

June is upon us again.  And with it, our 1 year anniversary with Portland.  It's been a good year.  A long one, with random hiccups and great visitors.

In the past month, we have:

1) Met a graphic novel writer/artist that Richard really likes...while we were with some friends at a comic book signing at our favorite comic shop, Things From Another World.

Richard, Edgar, and Joe with Craig Thompson

Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon

Craig Thompson:
Author/Artist for-
Blankets-A very boy book.  All the guys I know that have read it, have admitted to tearing up.   I tried it, didn't get it, and gave up
Habibi
Good Bye, Chunky Rice-Which actually is quite adorable and heart-warming.

We also saw Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon.  They are from Brazil.  I haven't read any of their stuff, but they are sooo pretty...


I had to get a picture too, because I developed a crush...










That same week Richard attended some forums at the International Comics and Art Forum.  Basically, a bunch of comic book artists, writers, and professors came and did panels and forums.  They talked about getting started and where they think comics are going.  I attended one of the panels, and it was very interesting.  Richard seemed to get quite a bit out of it.  We are so lucky that we can be in an area where it is such a prevalent medium.  It's been great for Richard to be able to rub shoulders with people that have been in his shoes.  I think it helps when he gets down on himself.

At the end of May, our lease was up and it was time to move on.  Richard moved pretty much everything, since I had to work.  He is amazing.  We had a couple guys from the ward come and help move some of the bigger furniture.

This is part of the dresser set that we were given.  

So, for the past week, we have slowly been unpacking and try to reorganize our lives.  This weekend, my boss moved as well.  They just built a new house and had some furniture in storage that they didn't want to move, so they offered them to us.

Richard's new desk and matching bookshelf(courtesy of the good doctor and his wife)

The picture of the dresser is kind of blurry, but it came with a matching chest of drawers and nightstand set.  Very nice IKEA set.  

Front Room

Dining Room

Fireplace

Kitchen

I think things are finally starting to feel like home again.  =)

Back Deck w/ Storage

Well, that is all the news in our life at the time.  =)

Oh look, it's Spring again!

So, it's been a while since my last post.  Things have been pretty tame around here.  Nothing crazy.  No trees falling on cars, or baby bumps, or any other kind of disaster.

Since my last post, I have been adjusting to my new job.  I'm pretty sure I've found my 'kindred spirit,' as Anne Shirley would say.  Abby and I are pretty sure we're the same person. If not for the age difference, it's like we were twins separated at birth.  So, as you can well assume, by knowing me, she is delightful.

Anyway, my job is good.  The pay and hours both increased from my last place of employment, which has been mucho helpful.  Also, I now have insurance.  Yay!

So....I started writing this like a month ago....and this is where we are now. Tomorrow is May.  I don't know if I'm ready for it.  I can't believe how fast this year has gone.  And our lease is up at the end of the month!  Which means that we've almost been in Portland for a year!  It has been an incredible ride!

We've met some amazing people and even convinced my sister and her family to move out here.  Hopefully we can both stick around.  It seems like we both love Portland for different reasons, but that is all the more reason to stay!

Richard is thinking about getting into the film industry.  He still wants to do the comic book thing, but more as an on-the-side kind of thing.  We think we'll just get him a nice camera and some movie making stuff and he'll do his thing here in Portland.  We have some great film certification classes at the NW Film Institute in Downtown Portland, so he might take a couple of those classes to help structure things a little.

As previously mentioned, our lease is up.  So, we're deciding whether we want to move closer to my work or stay in the ward...More like I'm trying to decide, Richard doesn't really care either way.

My family came to visit a couple of weeks ago.  They stayed with my sister in Lake Oswego, and it was a great weekend!  My sister is a great host and we have way too much fun with them.  =)

Well, not much more to report as of yet....

Enjoy May!

Just some food for thought...

Happy Sunday to all,

This isn't really an update, or a look into our lives or anything.  I've just had a good weekend so far and thought I would share a few thoughts on the happenings of the past few days.
My sister and her husband and their sweet little girl just moved in 15 minutes away.  We were able to pick them up from the airport and take them to their new home.  They are still waiting for their things to come, so have had to live a little simpler.  But I think it has been good to have some time together before, Dan starts work.
Richard flew out on Friday to Salt Lake City to spend some time with his brother. Since that left me alone for the weekend, I was able to spend some time with my sister and her family.
I had the opportunity to watch what amazing parents my sister and her husband are.  How lucky their little Olivia is!  I feel privileged to have such great role models for when Richard and I decide to expand our family.
From the songs that are sung during bath time, to the little games they play just to get a smile or giggle out of her, anything to make her know she is loved.  That is going to go so far as she gets older.
I am so proud of her parents, of my sister.  We always knew she would be an amazing mother, now we get to experience it in action.
Richard has been away, and I kind of have a co-dependent personality.  I was worried I wouldn't be able to function.  haha Silly me.  Such a feeling of peace has been with me lately.  I think it's been good for me to have a little time to think.
I have a great life.  I have a wonderful husband. I've been lucky enough to have always been blessed with a good job and great co-workers. I can honestly say that I have never been as happy as I am at this point in my life.
I know that I've made some bad choices in my life, choices that could have been avoided.  But I also know that if I hadn't made those choices, I would have never met my husband.  He is the love of my life, the peanut butter to my jelly, the breath to my life.  He takes such good care of me.  He makes sure I have all that I need.  He makes sure I don't freak out over the little distresses of everyday life.  I couldn't ask for a better person to spend eternity with.  Or a better person to be a father to my children.  Everyday I fall in love with him again.  And I love him more than I did the day before.  I didn't think it was possible to have my heart overflow with such love for another.  He makes me want to be better, to try harder.
Well, that is about all today....God bless.

New year, new changes

I feel like we have been more blessed than we deserve, here on the West Coast. I hope I'm not taking it for granted.  Things have just worked out so smoothly.
Richard has been very lucky in finding artists who are willing to work with him in the development of his comics.  I know that he was following the Spirit when he made the decision that we needed to move to Portland so that he could fulfill a childhood fantasy.  He has been immensely blessed in all his endeavors.
As mentioned in my previous post, we recently bought a car.  Milo has taken us to Idaho and back already.
We knew we needed to get a new car, and we felt really good about our decision.  But we weren't sure exactly where the money would come for us to pay for it.  I was only working part-time, and Richard hasn't had a lot of luck finding a job.  I don't think that he is supposed to be working and that's why he can't find a job.
Well, we were looking anyway, so that we would have a way to pay a car payment.  And as we were looking, I saw a job posting for an Optician.  I already had a good job, but I felt very strongly about sending my resume to this office.  So, off my resume went.  A few days later, I got an email from the office manager, wanting to set up an interview.  Of course, I went in.  We hit it off, right off the bat.  Already, I felt so good about it.  I hadn't even been offered the job, but I knew that sticking my neck out there was the right choice.
She told me a few days later that the only thing they were waiting for, was for Dr. Flandro to call back. I knew that was a slim chance, so I waited.  Well, he must like me, because he called them back. After the weekend, I was offered the job.  I still feel great about it.  I started after the new year, and after our trip home.
I will be making more hourly, working more hours, and they pay for insurance.  A pretty sweet deal, I must say.  And the people and doctors are incredible.
I am excited to go to work in the morning.  I loved working at The Eye Studio, and my co-workers there were amazing.  I will miss them all a great deal.
Rewind to the weekend before Christmas.  We were waiting to see what the weather would be like on I-84, so we could go home for the holidays.  It looked clear, so as soon as I got off work on Saturday, we hopped in the car and headed to Idaho.
All was clear and the drive went smoothly.  We arrived at about 4:00AM.  We had pre-warned my mother-in-law, so that she would leave the light on and the door unlocked.
The main reason we were trying to get home, was to see my family.  My aunt and her sweetheart were flying in from Miami. And my sister and her hubby were coming in from Michigan with my sweet and beautiful new niece.  I would have been devastated if we hadn't made it home. We planned on making it a quick 3 day trip.  I had to work the last 3 days of the week.  And it was my last week at The Eye Studio, since I had put my notice in.  I also had to work one day at the new office.  After that, I had 3 days off because of the New Years holiday.  So, the day after Christmas came and we got up early, all packed and ready to go.  But then we checked the weather.  Three huge snow storms were come straight across I-84.  There was no way.  So, I called in to work for the next day.  And we spent some more time with my wonderful family.
Then, we headed out to stay at my mother-in-law's again.  That way we could head out first thing in the morning and have an hour already taken off of our drive.  Well, the next day I woke up and checked the weather.  The weather was clear, but the roads were terrible due to the storms the previous day.  I waited this time to call in to work for Saturday.  Mostly because it was 6 AM and I didn't think they would be too thrilled to get a call from me.
So, we spent the morning unpacking with my mother-in-law.  Mid-morning, the office calls to tell me not to worry about the weather and that they have enough coverage to handle Saturday without me.  So, I called in to the new job.  No point in going home for a 4 hour workday.
That gave us 4 more days!! Yay!  We drove back to my parents' house.  We were very blessed to spend as much time there as we did.  We were able to get to know my delightful niece and spend some much missed time with my family.
Toward the end of our trip, we were able to celebrate the New Year with friends and 'framily.'  We drove home New Years Day.  The roads were clear, and the weather mild.
I know that we were very blessed to be able to go home for the holidays.  Well, that is all until next time.  Happy New Year!