Where to start...

We have been living in Blanding for one week now.

Which means that somehow we managed to pack and clean our apartment in the midst of all the graduation festivities. I'm still not sure how that happened (or how we passed our cleaning check). But we did. And we're here.

It already feels like Cedar City was a long-ago dream. It's so strange how that happens.

At the same time, I can't quite get it into my head that I don't actually live there anymore (and am not just on vacation at "Nama and Nampa's house." I keep thinking about my friends and past ward-members in Cedar and having to remind myself that chances are I won't see them again. I'll never get to see that new baby or find out if so-and-so got into Med school. Weird. It's hard to let go sometimes.

But slowly and steadily we are settling into a new rhythm. Jeremy is working four tens Monday through Thursday (which makes those days long) with a perpetual three day weekend on every horizon (which makes the weekends gloriously long as well). I love that when he's home from work, there's no studying to do (just playing with kiddos, bath and bed times, hanging out).

Debbie (my mother-in-law) has already babysat for us twice. Twice! Getting a babysitter was the bane of my existence in Cedar, so I can hardly believe my good fortune to be have one living with us (who's willing, no less!)

We are loving (with all our hearts) having an enormous backyard to frolic in--with "doggies" who bark at the fences on all sides (Raymond's one true desire in life is to go see the doggies every day). And more than that, there are chickens ("bock bocks") across the street, horses and donkeys a few doors down, and pigs around the corner. Really and truly, life doesn't get better than this when you are two.

Ginny, however, is reaping the most benefits of us all. The girl has finally been put in a room of her own... and miracle of miracles, she sleeps! Still not perfect by any means, but most days she has at least one long(er) nap. And most nights she has at least one stretch (longer than two hours is a stretch for her). Progress, my friends, progress. Hooray!

Other glorious perks to living at the Christiansen abode is (as mentioned before) my mother-in-law's love of all things culinary. She is more than willing to be the head chef of the house, and truly I am happy to be her helper! And she's in healthy-eating mode, which makes me oh so happy. But willing to buy Jeremy just about any treat he requests, which makes him oh so happy. There is all sorts of wining going on around here when it comes to food. (Can I just say she made some out-of-this-world Gumbo for dinner today. Wow.  I don't have words for the rhubarb cake with nutmeg sauce that followed.)

Speaking of the healthy side of life, there is an olyptical (sp?!) machine in the basement (where we live), that I am taking full advantage of. Along with the wide open spaces and new place to go when we want to get out for a walk. Glorious exercise is making me happy.

Did I mention there is a toy room? Yep.

So you see, we are alive and well.

I'm not quite sure how blogging will fit into life this summer. Hopefully more so as the summer progresses, but I guess I can't make any promises. But have no fear, we are happy and healthy and well.