Week 2: Endure to the End

 Landon: 

Landon text me Monday morning early saying that we needed to decide on a theme for the school year. I was sitting on the couch dreading what was to come (online school) and immediately snipped back "endure to the end." I was of course joking and just trying to be funny. But we didn't end up talking for the rest of the day and come FHE time we sat down, and Landon introduced the theme, "Endure to the End." He actually did an awesome job, talked about the 5 principles of the gospel and then we all tried holding onto the bar for as long as we could. I later told him I was joking and he said, "Oh I thought you were serious?" But what had been done was done. And honestly, in some ways this year will be the ending of a lot of things. Ending of training. Ending of baby making. Ending of newborn life. Ending of COVID life as it is right now. Ending of interviews. Ending of unknowns in gender & where we are going to live. So I think it will work. And plus, we can talk about how "Endure" doesn't have to be negative. We can make our enduring a positive, education, growth like experience... if we choose too. He had a good first week in cases. Really enjoyed it. Leaves every morning at 5:30 and home between 5-6:30ish? I mean thats just week one, but hey hes been home for dinner and thats a huge win!!! Has been continuing to reach out and interview with people for potential jobs. He spent 3 hours with me on Friday night talking about our new family system and then took me on a date last night to tacos and Ikea, man thats a cool store. He set up a tramp for the boys on Saturday and he insisted that we adventure today. So we drove 6+ hours for a 2 hour cave excursion in Mammoth National Park. It was worth it. Well some moments were. And I mean, thats how all of life is with kiddos. Landon is a rock star. I don't know how he does it all, or yes I do, he has me :). 

Becs: 

Online school is the worst. And I'm also grateful for it. But I don't agree with it one bit. I'm grateful it has provided some structure in our day. So all in all, the week went better than I anticipated. But thats how I role, I often expect the worst and its just always better. I think i've been molded into having low expectations so i'm not disappointed. It comes from years of making plans and never have them go the way I anticipated. Life is better when you set the bar low haha :). I had an OBGYN appointment on Wednesday, baby looks good, i'm insanely anemic. They are a little worried about that so they told me I need to take my prenatals AND more iron and let me tell ya, the nausea is back in FULL FORCE. I am really excited about our Family Do Dots System. Landon and I spent at least 5 hours setting it up and talking about our values and what we want in our family. Hopefully it works well. 

Jax: 

Best news this week is that on one of our many scooter rides we saw a boy on his scooter. Jax said, "Hey I think that kid is in my class, his name is Jacob." Well Jax ran ahead and caught him, sure enough, they are in the same class and he, jax and Ty spent 3 hours together on Thursday and 3 hours together on Friday. It is really happy to see that. OH IT WAS OUR 11 YEAR ANNIVERSARY, yay us! And for our Anniversary we took the boys out to celebrate the beginning of the family. At the Chinese restaurant we did PPQ and I don't know how it came up but I just mentioned to Jax that I thought it was really awesome for jumping into school and be so positive. He started to cry. He doesn't like online school. And its what he'd pick right now with the options he does have. UGh, COVID is stupid. BUT he made a friend and has a yard, and a clean place to play baskebtall and a tramp and a basement..... and parents who adore him and admire him..... he'll be okay! 

Ty: 

He did really well with school but I continued to ease up on what was expected. He can do what he wants and i'll work on reading with him and he sincerely has the best teacher in the whole world. She's basically given me the green light to do whatever I want and told me she trusts me and she'd do the same thing. So we will do a little school (Oh and after the first week they've significantly reduced kindergartens time and expectations.... duh!) and then we will do a little reading practice and he'll play with Luke. Which can I just say, Ty is the best brother to Luke. He is so dang cute with him. Such a builder and an encourager. I just love him for it. Gosh we just have the best boys. 

Luke: 

Is making me question my decision to have another child. Toddlers are so stupid hard. And we can't go ANYWHERE ALL DAY BECAUSE OF STUPID COVID AND ONLINE SCHOOL. Okay okay, I've said that enough. But he is adorable and so bright and wants to do all the things his brothers do. And he made friends with all the people in the DMV line, oh the DMV. Listen, I had the best experience of my life at the DMV. I was only there for a total of 25 minutes and I had my new DL after those 25 minutes. Someone did die, and ambulance came.... but for real. I sound so cold hearted. And DMVs are just not fun. I keep feeling so bad for Luke's life. Just with his older brothers needing so much attention at home, me being pregnant, and COVID. I said that to Landon on our date and Landon instantly chimed back in, "Luke lives a charmed life. He'll be just fine." And it is true. He is lucky to have always had his brothers around and loving parents. And stability. 

Life is good, enduring one week at a time. 

Oh and a couple other things I forgot to mention: 

Jax finished Where the Red Fern Grows and came down at 8:45pm sobbing 

We had dinner in the Thorups back yard! They are such great people!! 

Landon sprained his ankle 

We found a babysitter, Lydia! And a young women babysitter, Haylee. So happy about that! 

Our family has been a family for ELEVEN years. I like it! 

Week 1: Reality Sets In

Oh man. This week. Reality set in hard this week. Another year of training. Another round of interviews. Another big decision; where to take a job and settle down. Third trimester of pregnancy. No in-person school. No friends. No church. No network or tribe. No kids on our street. COVID-19. I can't believe we've only been here for 7 days. Its felt so much longer. 

Landon:

 This entire week was orientation. Which is always the worst. But he is enjoying getting to know some of his co-fellows. Wednesday is his first official day in the operating room.  He equal parts excited and overwhelmed by that. But honestly, all Landon is thinking about is what we are going to do next. It is constantly on his mind. His making lists, and reaching out to people,  and wondering after all this time where we are going to be and settle. He did take me on a fun date to Hyde Park. The Kale Brussel sprout salad was out of this world. Oh man. I want it again. 

Becca: 

I felt all sorts of overwhelmed as I was thrown back into being everything for my children. Their mom, school teacher, church teacher, chef, maid, friend, confidant, etc. etc. etc.  After a fairly desperate plea to Heavenly Father in helping me decide what to do with our boys for school, 

"God, I don't want to do any of these options. They all stink. They all make me sad. I don't have the ability to know what will be best for our boys, but you do. Can you just tell me. You have to this time. None of this teaching me a lesson thing. Please!"

Haha! Thats basically how it was uttered. Immediately Landon and I both and separately felt like we should stick with the google sync live option and hope that they can return to school in October. We will constantly be readdressing it but for now, i'll be sitting next to my kids from 9-3 each day helping them with school while their teacher talks to them over live chat. And trying to figure out what to do with Luke and all of my other responsibilities in life. Ugh! Covid sucks. 

I was grateful for the play date our ward set up on Friday. There are so many boys in our ward. So many! All of them live at least 20 minutes away, but still, I'm grateful that I can begin connections there. 

I also focused on all the happy things about having a house. Like: 

1: All three boys could be in different places playing 

2: I was on a phone call and Luke was being loud so I quickly just went to a quiet place in the house. There are quiet places in this house 

3: We can be as loud as we want, and no one knows. No shared walls. 

4: Jaxsons basketball has gotten cleaner and whiter while his dribbled outside. It use to be brown, not its white and blue. 

5: I can sent my kids out on the deck to eat a peach and not worry they will fall to their death

6: The basement can be as messy as can be and it doesn't disrupt my mind because its not my work place. 

7: Garages are a thing and they are cool. 

8: Two cars and not having to worry about when we can and can't use it. (That was just the last 5 months of SLC with COVIS) 

9: A dishwasher 

10: Two bathrooms 

11: And ice machine in the freezer 

12: Tall trees in the back yard that provide so much shade and privacy. 

So yeah, I feel overwhelmed and sad about so much of our circumstances right now. Its going to be a heavy year in so many ways. But I have moments where I feel grateful. And in my blessing this morning, Landon said that I need not forget all the years I've made it through and even excelled in previous to this year. He's right. We've done hard things already. 11 years worth of hard things. So we can do another year too. 

Jaxson, Ty, Luke: 

Have loved playing in the house. Basketball and LEGOS have taken up most of their time. They are excited nervous and sad about school all at once. But they are kids and kids are resilient and happy. Jax loves his new bunk bed. Ty loves the basement where he can sneak down in the morning and build. Luke still loves food. The all got back to school Father's Blessings after church today. It was sweet. They are the best boys ever. And sometimes when I feel alone I realize i'm not. I have them. 

Week 1: Check.