My how things have changed...

So I thought I would take a moment and speak for everyone when I say our lives have changed for the time being. How you might ask? Let me illuminate the situation. (I am taking it upon myself to say how both my family's life has changed, and Mo's, since she is currently "under the gun" with schooling...educate on, Mo.)
With the exception that we are now minus one parental unit, our transition has really been quite minimal. We unloaded our carload of stuff and made ourselves comfortable. Physically we are acclimated (except of course for the disturbing increase in nasal secretions from the dry Utah weather...not so much secretions, as "witholdings" ie. We all wake up every morning with excess boogers. Mia doesn't like this new sensation and uses many opportunities a day to tell me, "boogers" while pointed to a wrinkled nose.)
Haley started school and is enthusiastic upon drop off and pick up...I am taking that as a good sign (and have found my comfort zone with yet another public school system after utterly defeated, I lower my standards, again....why don't I home school you ask? If you knew me, you would just know...let's just say we have acquainted ourselves with the local library for now.) And Haley has decided to start spelling her name with and "i"...I figure, whatever helps this 6 year old cope. I'm afraid she has carried the majority of the weight with this new transition...emotions are high. Bless her little heart--we're working with that as lovingly as possible.
Abby also started a pre-school with a really nice lady in Mo's ward who generously allowed us to skip ahead on her waiting list. Abby is also enthusiastic, mostly about the little rainbow chairs she gets to sit in during art time. She asks on a regular basis if Dad is coming home yet...she will single handedly drag this deployment out, I'm afraid. And in her prayers she always blesses Dad the "he will swim safely in his submarine".
Mia doesn't really know what is going on except that she has extra boogers that are too far up to reach and has now regressed (in the last six months) from her toddler bed, back to a crib, and now to a pack n play...I hope she doesn't think that she is just growing out of her spaces uncontrollably. There are deer in the backyard at any given time of day, thus providing Mia with hours of dinner conversation..."cuse me Papa, cuse me Papa...deer, go home...eat dinner...yada yada yada"
Ours is a win win situtation...we have loving grandparents an arm's length away, fun cousins, an endless supply of Orange Cream Soda and the biggest box of mozerella sticks you've ever seen in the freezer.
The moth population is booming in Utah. They cling to the front porch and the garage door. We have to make a mad dash out the door and often times just pretend that we are running through a poetic release of doves or butterflies like a bride and groom leaving the church. (Sometimes a few renegade moths make it all the way to the car with us where they cling to the windshield for dear life until I hit a high enough speed and they spiral off into another neighborhood.) I finally convinced Haley that they are "too fragile" to handle and "would you please stop catching them in your hands!"
I have discovered all of the delightful places to eat just within my reach here and take advantage almost daily. I love to eat out and it just so happens that all of the best places in the world are within five miles. So here I am, the kids in bed, 8pm, monkey pj's, Pei Wei in hand and watching all of Heroes season 1 with Mo in the most delicious chair ever made (I then proceed to bed whilst looking vigilantly out of the corners of my eyes for special powers among my house mates...then dreaming about Peter Petrelli and crazy super human abilities.) I also have a loving, reliable babysitter at a moments notice for school drop offs and doctor's appointments. It is such a relief.
Mo's life, on the other hand, has declined in order and organization. There is more trash, more dishes (which we try to help out with), more crumbs, more shoes and more people (and stuffed animals) in her bed upon waking up many mornings.

I try not to feel bad about our intrusion...you see, I long for the day when I have my space back and I can actually find things where I left them...we have forced Mo back into those early years of whiners, random whiffs of urine and handprints on the wall...all good for a Mom in that stage, probably a tad frustrating for a Mom who has been there, done that (and done it well.) I know that they are happy to have us and they are a tremendous support so we don't have to feel so lonely. For this we are grateful...I will just keep apologizing for our messes until next Spring and hope that little girl hugs can make up for our less convenient presence at times.

This is Haley's creative contribution to our stay. Isn't she crafty and optimistic? I'd say rather adaptable in my opinion.