We may have had to spend 14 hours in a Uhaul, eat 42 circus cookies to stay awake, pack and unpack 102 boxes, load and unload a piano, and use 300 gallons of gas, but we are happy to call Ashland, Oregon our new home.
Isac is happy to be in Primary with a lot of older kids to imitate. He loves exploring the parks and hiking in the mountains but he's also content to spend time on our balcony or in our yard. His new triumphs include riding a bike all the way to a nature park, teaching a friend's dog how to fetch, and sliding down the firepole at Garfield Park.
Haddyn is happy about keeping her new Princess underwear dry, and helping me sweep up our new wood floors and cook in our big kitchen. She loves visiting the library and yelling, "hi" to everyone we meet on the sidewalk. She's constantly asking to be held and loves hugs and kisses from her Dad.
Sophia is happy to ride in the backpack as we take walks around town. She likes sitting up in the middle of the floor surrounded by toys and she's just beginning to care that she's not mobile. We expect to see her scooting around the house any time now. She's excited to have three teeth and to add carrots, peas, and sweet potatoes to her rice cereal diet.
Amy is happy to play house every day, having a washer and dryer of her very own, and enough cupboard space for food storage. Though she is now 26, she is happiest squishing her feet in the mud and wading in streams with her kids or eating cereal at 10:00 p.m. with Trevor when he has no rehearsals.
Trevor is happy to get paid for attending rehearsals and meeting talented actors in the company. He loves parking the car in the garage, being 20 minutes away from the temple, barbequing on our patio, and playing his electric guitar as loud as he wants without waking the neighbors. To earn some extra change and keep his boyish appearance, he is doing a paper route in downtown Ashland.
When life gets too happy, however, we usually get a reminder that it isn't all fun and games. Right now we are in the winner's bracket but we are waiting for the unfortunate necessity of trial. We must get sick, pay bills, have sleepless nights, and spill milk on the carpet in order to appreciate the times when we are full of energy, the house is spotless, and we have spare change in our pockets.
