Bliss

I really don't have anything to write about, other than how blissfully happy I am! Brian is coming home tonight after fighting fires in Southern Utah for 2 weeks. We're going to get our stuff moved into my in-law's basement and finally set up our little home. Life is just better when you have your own things around you. We'll be cutting second crop hay in the coming weeks, something that I'm going to re-learn all over again. There's a technique to turning around at the end of a row that I can't get right. I always turn the wrong way. It's still plenty cold at night and I have to shut the windows after about an hour. I still have 3 blankets on my bed. The days are hot and the nights are cool. I love snuggling in bed with the crisp mountain air coming in through the window. We've been hiking a few times, 4-wheeling, and farming. Went to a couple rodeos. Shopping in Salt Lake. Life is just awesome! I know I appreciate it so much more because of where I've been. The miracle of Utah is already diminishing, and I'm trying to hold on to it. Yesterday I got my library card at the Smithfield library (which hasn't changed in 100 years) and tears came to my eyes as I browsed through shelves of LDS literature. Wal-Mart and other grocery stores have LDS books/music sections too. Our neighbors, the Chambers, served a mission in Louisiana and had a family from that area visit them last week. It was fun to hear the awe in their voices at the many miracles of Utah. "Whoa, did you see that? There was like 5 churches just on that block! And those guys were praying before they went hiking! Everyone is a Mormon!" Its always such a thrill to come back to Utah when I've lived away. I use to think that it would be better to raise children outside of Utah so that they could really know their religion, not just the culture of it. I've tried it both ways, and I vote for raising my kids within the protection of the mountains. It definitely has its challenges and isn't perfect. But there's nowhere else I'd rather be!

We Have Decided

So we have decided that we are going to live with Brian's parents in their basement apartment in Smithfield, Utah and chip away at Brian's student loan. Kylie is pretty happy because she gets to see both sets of grandparents every day. My parents live just around the corner. Every other option out there just didn't feel right. Just another opportunity for me to practice listening and interpreting the Spirit.