Moving (in Photo Format)

Goodbye dinner and ice cream in Swan Valley with Chase, Annie, Mom and Dad.

O.C., the neighbor's cat, would not leave the Uhaul as I loaded it.

The road near Cokeville, WY.

Sunset in Evanston, WY. Hashtag no filter.

It was SO HOT in Provo. We had to unload the Uhaul, then unload the storage unit, then load everything into the Uhaul properly. I helped unload both the truck and the storage unit, but Regina was high maintenance during the loading, so Todd did that himself. We were all sweaty and uncomfortable so Reggie ended up in no clothes in the shade while we worked. I felt so homeless at this point. We didn't have help (not that we struggled too much), all of our possessions were out on the concrete, we were sweaty and cranky and looked like gypsies.

In our empty, third-floor apartment.

Todd and Reggie taking a break from moving.

Short Short Hair

I loved my platinum bob so much. I have never loved my hair and its volume so much. So when I went to get my roots touched up in June a lot of my hair broke/burned off. I hid it with a deeper part, some teasing, and some extensions for a few weeks, but tons more fell out every day. By July I had to wear it up, or a hat every day to hide it so by August I was fed up. Annie told me to cut it short and two days later I did. 

From Wyoming to Idaho

Todd and I moved to Boise! This has been the first move of my entire life where I haven’t sobbed upon leaving. The first move where I haven’t doubted that it was the right thing, or that I wanted to do it. It’s been the easiest move, emotionally and psychologically, that I’ve ever had and for that I am grateful. I think the reason is twofold. The first is that I know we will only have to be here for two years if we don’t like it, and secondly because every good thing that could happen has happened easily and lets me know that here is where we are supposed to be. I know we have been guided here and we have been extremely blessed financially and otherwise. I think it’s a wonderful mercy that on our first move to somewhere unknown as a couple and with a child that I have been able to not only cope, but be happy about the change. If you know me well, you know that I am deeply uncomfortable with (most) change. I really don’t like when Todd rearranges the furniture, or puts anything in my sight that I am not used to. When it comes to larger, life-altering changes, I have a much more difficult and traumatic time. Moving as a teenager, going to college, getting married, graduating from college twice, moving to Wyoming, having a baby, etc., were all incredibly difficult for me to accept and none of them happened calmly. I suppose I am just happy to announce that God has made me feel so calm and blessed that I have remained level-headed and excited throughout this move. I am also hoping that perhaps my anxiety-ridden disposition is slowly melting away and leaving a much more collected grownup in its place. We shall see.

Regina is nearly seven months old. Her personality has changed a bit. While she can still be easy going and it is very easy to make her laugh, she really prefers someone to be holding her. She hates being left by herself and she hates being strapped into her car seat, though on the drive here she slept nearly the entire time. She will smile and giggle all day so long as she is in someone’s arms, or within someone’s reach. I love that she loves me, but she is a little too attached for me to get much unpacking done while she’s awake. She has finally learned to sit up on her own. When she sees something she likes, or wants, she remembers it and where it was (i.e. my shiny, red phone, my necklace, her dad’s face, etc.). She can recognize patterns and anticipate what will happen next (i.e. playing peek-a-boo and popping out from different sides). She loves help standing and if you hold her hands she will walk around the entire house. She spends much more time sitting and standing than on her tummy, so I have no idea when crawling will take place. She throws herself out of her Bumbo chair and launched herself off my bed a couple of nights ago. She has a very strong back, legs, and will.  I love the time after her morning feeding where I’m still pretty sleepy and she starts to babble and sing and squawk and then reaches over to tap and grab my face.  It’s really lovely to know how to care for her. She feels comforted by my presence. I know holding her will make her stop crying, I know rocking her will put her to sleep in my arms. She is so sweet and pleasant. Her sleeping habits have changed a bit. She’s gone from sleeping 7.5 hours back down to five. I think it has to do with being hungry in the night. I try to feed her plenty during the day, but she is just so interested in everything that is happening around her she gets very distracted no matter if she’s nursing, or spoon-feeding.

I think she’s brave. She’s not afraid of anything, it seems. She doesn’t mind loud noises (she loves fireworks and the vacuum doesn’t phase her), she likes surprises, she likes other people, and she loves new objects, textures, tastes, sounds, etc. We put her in a baby swimming contraption and she just kicked her legs and moved herself around the pool. She loves other children. I’ve never seen her smile, or laugh so easily as when a child talks to her. So at least when one of her parents is nearby, she is fearless.

Todd is the most wonderful husband. He started work this week and he begins school on Monday. I forgot how expensive textbooks are. And furniture. I don’t understand how he can remain so calm when I’m about to scream and fly off the handle. He can go to bed much later than he’d like, get up in the middle of the night to put Reggie back to sleep, wake up early to go to work, come home to play with Regina, make me dinner, compliment what I’ve gotten done, give me adequate snuggles, change the baby, go to bed late again, get up in the night again, and still smile. He never complains about his life, or me, or our situation. He is such a good example and a sweet father and my very best friend. It’s pretty amazing to have someone who is your twin, your opposite, your comic relief, your support, your confident, AND who is attractive.

I love it when he makes me laugh, but I really love it when I make him laugh and I love it when he calls me “Hill.”