Moving to Mayfield

So much change, so little time. I sit here today and I can’t believe that just six weeks ago I woke Michael from his sleep to tell him that I was in labor and needed to get to the hospital. Since that night we have had a baby, interviewed for jobs, got a teaching job at Gunnison Middle School, put our house up for sale, house hunted in Gunnison, rented out our Hyrum house, found a rental house in Mayfield, packed up, moved, and unpacked in a completely new town and home with a completely new career, and what feels like a completely new family with the addition of Caitlin.
Since that night I have learned and experienced so much. I’ve learned that each baby brings a special and unique kind of joy to your life. Caitlin is such a special gift. Cuddling a sleeping baby is Gilead’s balm. Everyone in the family loves her, but the bond between Caitlin and Joshua has been especially strong which is fitting since the baby looks just like her big brother.
I’ve learned that my body is an incredible piece of equipment. I labored and gave birth in a little over three hours with no pain medications. I’ve been able to nurse a healthy strong baby. My recovery was quick. Emotionally I have been fairly stable, and when I’m not I understand that I shouldn’t fight the hormones. I’ve been able to do all the work that has been demanded of me. I’m grateful for my healthy strong body.
I’ve learned that our family is capable of stretching our abilities to meet the demands placed on us. Watching us all take these life changes in stride has amazed me. The baby cries, someone takes care of it. Something breaks, someone takes care of it. A job needs doing, someone does it. Everyone’s hungry, someone starts dinner. Someone gets emotionally overtaxed, everyone else supports and lifts. We have proved that family is a strong force and support system.
I’ve learned that there is beauty everywhere. I’ve never particularly cared for Sanpete county. I always found it fairly barren and devoid of interest. But I believe god has given me a gift. Everywhere I look I see sites that take my breath away. Whether it is the sunsets, the acres of alfalfa, the rocky ridgeline, the Victorian houses, the quaint towns, the scenic canyons, beauty surrounds me. I’m falling in love with the land in Sanpete.
I’ve learned that good people can be found anywhere. I guess I already knew this one, but a few points have driven the concept home. The elders chorum moved us out in Hyrum, and the Elders chorum moved us in Mayfield. The relief society bid me farewell in Hyrum, and the Relief society president brought us dinner our first night in Mayfield. I was so glad to be in touch with the RS, that I threw my arms around her neck when she told me who she was! Our next door neighbors are our age and have children our children’s age – they already have best friends. Everyone has been friendly and kind. We feel welcome here.
I’ve learned to lean on extended family. I don’t know what we would have done these last six weeks without Barlows and Jaussis. Carrie and Jon, Dad and Jan, Grandma Jaussi, Ma, Mom and Dad B, Daniel, Becky, all of them have been giving, working, babysitting, feeding, advising, driving, animal tending, and listening. We have asked more from our extended family this month than ever before and I am proud that I have such a strong support system. I’ve not always been able to say that and it’s nice to know that when it is needed they are there.
I’ve learned that 100 year old houses can be creepy and charming at the same time. Our new home is a beautiful old Victorian house that has been updated rather nicely. It has central air and a gas furnace, new appliances, new wiring and plumbing, storm windows, etc. But there are still things that are just plain old and gross. I need to go through room by room with a toothbrush and pine-sol. I keep finding spiders in all the dark spaces. We’ve nicknamed the place “The Rabbit Hole” in honor of Alice in Wonderland. Everywhere you turn there’s something…odd. Doors that are sealed up, doors that lead nowhere, a hole in the kitchen ceiling that leads into the upstairs boys room, light switches in odd places, no plugs in the bathrooms, stairs so steep you have to go down sideways, an exterior door on the second story with no railing, pea green bathroom fixtures, bats swarming the yard at dusk, and so on. Everywhere you turn the house gives you a surprise. That being said, with every box that is unpacked there is more and more of a spirit of home here. It is quickly becoming our home -eccentricities and all- because we love each other here and have brought our history and sense of self here.
I have learned a new level of organization and list making. I’ve always been a list maker, but this month I’ve had to be so organized to make sure nothing important falls through the cracks. In our marriage I am primarily in charge of finances so the lot fell to me to arrange all of the banking, switch over all the utilities, set up all the new accounts, enrolling Joshua in school, etc. I’ve been impressed at how well I’ve been able to manage the “business” end of things; especially with a renter in our house. It gives me a sense of pride to know that I am capable of handling financial and legal matters efficiently.
I have learned to be happy with who I am. One of my fears in the whole move was that I would lose my sense of self. People can be judgmental in small towns, and I love to please people. But just understanding that about myself helps me stand up to the temptation to change for anyone besides me. So what if you get sideways glances when I pop a Diet Coke. So what if people think I am strange because I like home theater but not four wheeling. So what if my son wants long shaggy hair instead of the missionary cut. I will be who I am and try to love others for who they are despite what they think of me.
Babies, career changes, and moves. So much change, so little time.

She's Here!

We just came home from the hosopital a few hours ago, and one of my first priorities is blogging! I'll post the whole story and all the pictures later, but for now let me just introduce Caitlin Clair Barlow. We are so excited to have her here - what a blessing for our family!

7 year old philosophy

Joshua:

"Mom, I know why you have all your babies around holidays. I was your Christmas present, Andrew is your Easter egg, and this baby is your firecracker!"

Master suite part 2

It feels so good to finally say: "It is FINISHED!!!" For the past four months I have been almost single-handedly finishing the basement. It was a HUGE undertaking, and one that required me to expand my skills in ways I never thought I could. Thanks to numerous how-to books and the expertise of friends and families who's brains I picked endlessly, I managed to complete plumbing, electrical, duct work, wall board, tile, refinishing, windowsill, trim, cement board, faucets, mirror doors, light fixtures, vent fan, closet organizer, spray gun texturing, painting, and of course - moving in. This is a picture of my project file. I kept track of virtually everything, because I am just that kind of compulsive person. I also kept a detailed budget and tracked every penny that went into the project. I'm proud to say that we ended up about $1.23 under budget when all was said and done.

This is the room as you enter. It's already cluttered, but in a couple of months when we move baby to the nursery things will be a little roomier and I can focus on actually "decorating." Til then, it is still wonderfully functional. I'm looking forward to having everything I need for night time changing, feeding, and bathrooming in the same place.

Mike and I both wanted to have mirror doors on the closet. Nine years of marriage, and this is the first time we have had a full length mirror in the house. It is so nice to be able to see the whole picture when I look in the mirror! Plus it makes the room feel much larger and spacious.

Instead of installing a traditional shelf and rod I bought a closet organizer. I love having the extra shelf space and three hanging rods. It was a pain to install, but well worth the effort, and surprisingly cheaper than the shelf and rod option.

As much as the kids love the new room, they understand that it's a place for Mom and Dad to relax and be alone if need be. Our own space!

And on to the bathroom... Who knew such a small little room could be so much work? The bane of my spring has been TILE. Everything else was fairly easy for me - I managed to figure out things, or learn things as I went, or just plain logic things out. But tile, OH. It is definitely one of the hardest things I've ever tackled. Having said that, it sure looks nice. Now that it is done I just love the look of it. It was the cheapest alternative for the tub surround surprisingly, which is one reason I resigned myself to it. But if I can ever avoid laying tile in the future, I will!

Now caulk, that I can say I am now a pro at. Give me a can of caulk and a project to seal up and I'm a happy camper.

I'm rambling on like I did this entire project alone. Not so by a long shot. Michael has been so helpful - especially this last month when my energy started to wane. He helped install the tub, install the flooring, install the toilet. He fixed the vanity when it wouldn't fit to our plumbing and rebuilt the drawers. Mike also helped hang the wallboard and install the trim. Thanks honey for lending your muscles when I was tired, and your shoulder when I was frustrated!

I saved a good chunk of money by buying this vanity on KSL. $40 versus $400. It's a little yellow on top, but with a new faucet and refinished wood, it works like a charm and looks pretty good too. Thanks to Carrie, Dad, and Jan for transporting it from Nephi to Hyrum.

Now that this mega project is wrapped up, we can officially say that the house is finished. We can also say that the yard is finished. And all that work in just six years. It's nice to have it done and to know that we haven't acquired any extra debt to do it. I don't know if we will recoup all of our investment if we end up selling, but it sure is nice to have everything done. It's nice to have the space. It's nice to have the skills. I wonder how long it will take till we get antsy for a new project....I'm pretty sure it won't be for a while because this has worn me out! But it is done, and now we can focus on baby. Yeah!

The End is coming

I'm officially sick of being pregnant. I understand that I have to be careful in the way that I express that emotion, because I do have a number of dear friends who have a hard time holding onto babies or getting pregnant in the first place. So let me preface my complaints with this: I am so grateful for my healthy body that can do this so efficiently. I'm so excited to have my little girl. I'm glad to be a strong healthy woman.

Now let me gripe: Braxton Hicks Suck! I had them all day long yesterday - every five to ten minutes. Usually this would scare me into thinking I was in labor, but I've done this enough times now to know my body. This is just how the last couple weeks go. My muscles were contracting so much and for so long yesterday that I lost three pounds just from the exertion. I slept like a rock though.

Next item of gripage: my doctor looked at me and paused at our last appointment and pointedly asked me if I felt that this baby was bigger or smaller than the boys had been. I told him I felt bigger, even though I don't look it. I told him both the boys weighed in at 7 lbs even. He shook his head and said, "Oh, she's going to be bigger than that." It may have just been an off-handed comment to him, but I'm thoroughly freaked out. I'm sure he wasn't thinking about pushing that out of a 10 cm hole when he said it.

Last gripe for today: I need good distractions from wanting to go into labor now. Joshua came 9 days early. Andrew came16 days early. I can't seem to stop myself from hoping for a trend there - I'm constantly nagging myself with the though: maybe today....maybe tomorrow.... I just know with my luck and impatience I'll end up going til my due date. Even I admit it would serve me right. But distractions do help. Jon and Isaac have been visiting for the weekend - thank goodness. That keeps my mind off it a little.

Okay, I'm done griping. Now for the philosophical moment of the day: I honestly believe that love grows through sacrifice and service. The more you serve someone the deeper you learn to love them. Maybe this is why the love that a mother feels for her children can be the strongest known in this life short of our Savior's and Heavenly Father's love. I gripe about contractions, but when I feel that little foot nudging my hand my heart swells and I know I would do anything for the health and benefit of this child, just like I do every day for my other children. In this I find true joy. Sacrifice honestly does brings forth the blessings of heaven.

Book Review - The Help

I just finished reading what has become one of my favorite books of all time. Katheryn Stockett's "The Help" is a beautifully written novel based in Mississippi during the 1960's. The Civil rights movement is in full swing, and the story tells an intimate tale about some of the women - black and white- who are tangled up in the middle of it. It is a story about the writing of a controversial book consisting of stories about black maids and the white families they serve. I enjoyed getting to know the chacters and feeling the perspectives of These women of the south. If you have a chance, pick up "The Help" at your local library. It's a good read, and a beautiful picture of a slice of American history.