Living in the Aves

March 9, 2016

One week down of the big life changing move.  It was major work to move our little family of two from a 3 bedroom, 2 family room, 2 bath, and 1 kitchen house to a 1 bedroom shared living space home. But Craig and I are delighted living with Anth's and Jana's family; especially enjoying the giggles, hugs, and play dates with our grandchildren.

On our second day here I promptly helped chaperone 5 kindergarten children at the zoo. Considering I was a bit tired it was probably a good thing the field trip was half a day and I had a partner chaperone.  First on the zoo agenda was the 2 month old baby giraffe - guarded heavily by his parents, lions and tigers were top priority too plus the boys' favorite snakes! of which there were plenty to observe. The kindergartners enjoyed running pretty much from exhibit to exhibit, slowly down just enough for us to put a star sticker on their pretend camera roll of animals to mark which they saw.

Lots of unpacking and deciding again which items we can live without or put in storage for almost 2 years happened over the next few days.  A short visit to Aimee's just in time to taste test slow cooker brownies - I think I will like living closer to my recipe developer food blogger partner daughter besides just to become buddies with the C boy.  We have our first babysitting job set up next week.

Saturday brought the heavy moving with Craig, Anthony, and Jana's strong muscles or back breaking move of the washer and dryer downstairs.  I don't think those will ever be able to be moved out, so hope they last forever or can be easily fixed.  And FINALLY Craig and I got to use our Christmas gift Red Butte Gardens membership pass with Miss Z.  It was still a lot of fun even if there was only a few daffodils in bloom and a very little trees starting to put out leaves.  Z liked spying along side Grandpa Craig with our binoculars up the hillside but she especially like the Children's Garden and sitting under the willow tree or climbing up the flower pot.

Then I got hit with a nasty cold, you might know the kind with aches and chills, fevers, lack of strength and hacking cough.  I slept Sunday while the rest of the family enjoyed Stake Conference at the tabernacle.  Monday was not much better but finally I am on the mend and even went for a couple of walks today. One of which was to the Church Office Building so I could pick up my Seminary Graduation certificate proving to the Italian Government that even though it was 38 years ago I might be worthy to serve as a ministry missionary in their country.  (Proof finally to my seminary students that seminary graduation has another purpose.)

Tonight brings a smile while I listen to my son read to his daughter - accents and all - her bedtime story.  We continue to prepare for our mission, gathering the visa papers, and look into our necessary immunizations - SHOTS - ugh. And yes, we had snow and cold but it still feels like spring is on its way.  Lots more to see and do but we are happy.