Living in a house...awesome

So, we are in a house and it is awesome. I love it. I love not having to worry about other people hearing us or anything.
Last night we were sitting on our back porch watching Lily play and it was such a peaceful great moment. We both looked at each other and said that this is what life is about. We are just so happy to be here and to be settled.
We are starting to paint our house. Rob painted Lily's room yesterday (pictures to come). We are probably going to try and do one room each Saturday for a while.

Pay it Foward

So, yesterday afternoon Rob and I were going to take Lily to a park when we saw a sign for a Yard Sale, looked down the street and saw a dresser. We have been looking for dressers so we immediately turned around and went to talk to them. It needs some TLC, but much cheaper than buying new, so Rob decides to try and see if he can put it in the car. He is carrying it to the car when a nice older couple drive by in a truck, stop, roll down their window and ask if we need help. They then asked is that going to fit? Rob told them that is what we are trying to figure out. Without thinking, they pulled their truck in the driveway, put it in the back, and followed us back to our house.

I am amazed at the generosity and giving spirit of others sometimes. I hope to be better and like that someday.

You know you live in a small hick town when......

• there is a Kmart attached to/in the mall...the one and only mall
• there is only one doctor in town
• in order to get an appointment with said doctor you must drive to office, pick up small novel sized packet, fill out packet, drive back to the office...then and only then will they give you an appointment...2 months later
• you call to ask if you can get an appointment, they take your information, have a meeting about it, and then decide if they want to take you as a patient or not (what are they discussing? did she sound mean? ugly? etc.?)
• people say, oh you bought a house? Oh, is it that one on that street with the red trim?
• you go to get a burger for dinner on a friday night, you pull up to the drive-thru, you order, and then they proceed to tell you it is going to be 25 minutes before you get your food....which in actuality turned out to be 45 minutes! (NO LIE!)
  
• there is only one person in front of you in line at Wal-Mart and it still takes you 20 minutes to get through the line
• anytime you want to buy anything bigger than a toothbrush, you either buy the floor model, or wait 4-8 weeks for them to order it in
  

Now, I grew up in a small Idaho town...but this place puts a whole new spin on small hick town life....that is for sure!

Ahhh, life is getting better

Here is a pic of the front of our soon to be house....we are living in it...but renting for 2 more weeks until we close.

Here is Lily pretending to sleep in the drawer of the dresser at our lovely hotel. She makes me laugh so much.

Lily enjoying snow in Alamogordo, NM.
Lily swinging in Alamogordo.
Here is Lily and I sleeping at our "lovely" hotel in Alamogordo. I am so glad that those days are over!




So, our life is definitely getting settled...FINALLY!

We are in Carlsbad, NM in a house, that we are "renting" until we close on buying it in 2 weeks. We are thrilled beyond measure to be in a house, and to be together with our baby girl. We feel extremely blessed in so many ways.

Rob is liking his job. He has to commute about 40 minutes 3 times a week, which currently leaves me at home without a car, but since we are in a house and I have lots of projects to do it doesn't really bother me.

We went to church for the first time today. It was such a nice feeling to be in a ward where we know we are going to be for a while. Lily also went to nursery for the first time by herself (she turned 18 months yesterday). She did great. She didn't even care that we left and stayed in there the whole time by herself. She was THRILLED beyond belief to see Rob again, but she did so good. My baby is definitely not such a baby anymore. I am trying hard to get used to that concept!

Here are some random thoughts:

1. I never really pictured myself living in the "mission field". Growing up, we always talked about the mission field (anywhere besides Idaho and Utah where Mormons are the majority by far) as some mysterious far off place we prayed for. I never really imagined myself living out in that mysterious place. But, we have been for 2.5 years now and you know, it is great in a lot of ways. It is a much different experience than living in Idaho or Utah, but not a bad one. I am grateful for all of the things it has taught me to live somewhere outside the Mormon bubble. You rely on church members more, and you meet some really awesome people in all sorts of different places. I am grateful that we have had the opportunity to live where we have lived. I am hoping that we are going to have a positive experience here in New Mexico too. It is also a change to have to drive 1.5 to get to the Stake Center....we are definitely not in the bubble anymore.

2. There is a lot to be said about being somewhere and feeling settled. I am thoroughly enjoying this feeling of settling down...buying a house, my husband has a stable good job, etc. I am also so grateful that I get to stay home with Lily and be with her. I am just so grateful that I get to be at home with her.

3. The Roswell NM UFO Festival is July 1-5 if anyone wants to come down! It should be AWESOME!





This is Lily and I at the Lubbock temple. It is beautiful, definitely on the smaller side.

Here is Lily thoroughly enjoying her water cup at Texas Roadhouse in Texas. The place was packed so that must mean that Texas Roadhouse is really good Texas food.

Lily at Christmas

Here are some long overdue pics from the Lil-ster at Christmas!

Another update

We are heading to Carlsbad tomorrow to start working. It is very exciting.
Rob actually has to go to Alabama this weekend for a training so he will be gone from Thursday to Monday.
I will post more about the house once I know more. We just put an offer in, but haven't heard anything back yet, so I am waiting to share the news about the house hoping for more definitive news. If we don't get this house, at least we will be in Carlsbad now to continue the search.

Passing the test, getting his license, moving to a different town, leaving for 4 days for a conference, and trying to buy a house all at the EXACT same time is stressing my poor husband out a bit. He is overwhelmed to say the least, but in a very good way.

Hooray!

Good news for our life!

• Rob passed his test! We found it online yesterday!
  
• He just received his license this morning..a licensed Occupational Therapist! YEAH!
• We put an offer on a house this morning..let's hope for good news there!
• We are headed to Carlsbad tomorrow for him to start working.
  

Now, I have about 89 things to do today...but can only sit here and wait for Lily to wake up!