September 2016

I'm almost within a year of the present! This is either getting easier or we are getting more boring.

These pictures right here actually happened in August still...I only remember that because I just remembered why I don't have any pictures of Haley on her birthday.  I took the kids to Philadelphia to go through the new temple open house, and left Clark and Haley behind.  On her birthday.  In my defense she was totally OK with it.  I don't really blame her - the thought of a quiet day at home watching tv and eating snacks doesn't sound so bad. 
Clark had booked our hotel not knowing exactly where it was relative to the temple-we stepped out onto our balcony and found it right off the bat.

The little trip up so delightful, the temple incredible and the philly cheesesteak: gooey and delicious.  And we will have to get used to that drive since both the DC and Raleigh temples will both close down next year for renovations.

Right on the heels of Haley's birthday is Mia's.  This girl has grown so much in the last year, in more ways than one.  She is a beautiful young lady with a lot of spunk and talent and she is a joy to be around.  And I think we are finally getting the hang of her luscious locks.

A final trip to the beach and Bergey's for ice cream, and on to the first day of school...

Jonah started preschool at Deep Creek Baptist, Haley started 10th, Abby 8th, Mia 6th and Hazel 3rd.  These kids amaze me in their ability to adjust to new surroundings.  Here they are on a first day in a new place and a new school and not one complaint was heard.  That is a true blessing.

Clark apparently got a cake on his birthday and I can't remember what the heck else.

One of the things that we find truly amazing about our new home is the sunrises and sunsets.  I don't know if its living on the edge of farmland with wide open spaces but they are magnificent.  We all have oodles of pictures on our phones when it is so amazing we just can't help ourselves.

At the end of September we saw a little excitement.  The girls and I were taking a trip to Utah to attend Women's Conference, something I have wanted to do ever since Mo was called to be General Young Womens President.  And it was the first time that ALL of my daughters were old enough.  But the day before we were supposed to leave the rains came down, and the floods came up.  Because we are not on city water, our storm sewers empty into the ponds at the front of the neighborhood...so when the ponds get filled to the top, the water comes back out into the street.  Luckily all of the houses are set up from the street enough that the water didn't come close but what it did do was trap us in our neighborhood.

The kids made the most of it until the porta potty across the street tipped over and started to float...then we called it quits.  I'm not really a "let my kids play in sewage water" kinda Mom.  Plus I was getting really nervous because I was watching the hours tick closer and closer to when we were supposed to leave.

Clark miraculously got us to the airport...by way of a sidewalk on the wrong side of the street.   However, once we made it to the airport it became a waiting game to see which flights would make it out and which ones wouldn't.  Our flight did not make the cut which meant that Clark had to load up the boys and make the treacherous trip back to the airport to get us. 

The put us on a super early flight the next morning.  When we came home we left the car parked at the entrance to the neighborhood where the street was still dryish.  Then we literally waded through thigh high deep water back to the house, leaving absolutely everything in the car for our early departure.  I threw everyone's clothes in the washing machine and in the morning we dressed again and donned garbage bags on our legs to wade back through the water to the car, being very careful to not fall! No one wants to ride on a plane in soaking wets clothes, am I right?

It was an adventure well worth traversing because the weekend with my daughters and my family was so special and amazing.  We spent time with Mo and Papa, cousins and Aunts and Uncles.

Hazel threw up the morning of the conference and I was heartbroken that we were going to miss this once in a lifetime chance to all be together at conference where my Mom was speaking.  She rested most of the day and had a blessing from my Dad.  The hour before we were to leave she was as good as new and we were all able to attend.

It became one of my most favorite memories ever.

We had the added blessing of meeting up with Karie and Daria Hubnik from Houston.  It was so neat to spend time with them-we have missed them so! On Sunday morning we attended Music and the Spoken Word at the old tabernacle.  What a perfect way to start the day and end our trip before heading back to the airport and home to dried up roads and handsome Scharman boys.