Ohio!

Well, we made it to Ohio. The trip was really long. The kids did great thanks to Karma and Jessica and the presents that Miranda got my kids for the trip. We were excited to see Jenny and her family along the way. We wish we could have been there longer because the kids were having so much fun together and Jenny and I needed more time together. The time change along the way was a little hard. The last night we were in a hotel the kids were swimming until 11:00pm (9:00 Utah time).

We arrived at our house at about noon where we had the elders quorum president and a law school acquaintance came to help. The house is just off a lake (beautiful to look out my window and see but not a recreational spot). I am still not sure about the neighborhood. It seems like every third house is well kept and the others are not. It is weird not having any members in my neighborhood (at least not that I know yet). The atmosphere is completely different. The house is smaller upstairs than our house in Utah but we do have an unfinished basement to store stuff in. It is just hard to decide what can go downstairs, especially the kitchen and bathroom stuff. I have got the living room together and most of the kids room done. Hopefully things will get together fast so that me and the kids will be less crazy.

We were able to do some fun stuff while Jessica and Karma were here. On Friday we went shopping all afternoon. On Saturday Karma stayed home with the kids and me, Jessica, and Kimball went to Kirtland. It is only an hour from our house. It was neat to see and be where the prophet has been. I didn't feel much in the way as a love for the early saints more than what I already do, but I did get a lot of feelings of love and answers to prayers from my Heavenly Father. The temple was an interesting experience. First we were tired so we all kept falling asleep during the movie and then the tour guyed was mumbling and mono tone so I couldn't really hear him. It just felt like another landmark not a place where amazing things happened. It was so unexpected.

Sunday we went to church. The ward was huge. I kind of felt like we were going to get lost in it, but then in relief society they said that there was so many visitors. Hopefully we'll get to know some people soon. Karma also flew out Sunday morning. I was really sad to see her go. I asked her a couple of times if she really had to go. Sadly she did.

Monday Jessica took us to the zoo where we had a lot of fun before taking her to the airport.
Yesterday Kimball met another first year law student who is LDS. They have a 4 year old and a 1 year old also, but opposite genders. I talked to her last night and she invited me to the ward playgroup activity today and then took Alli all afternoon for me so I could get some more unpacking done. Yay for new friends!

The kids have have been struggling or maybe it's just me who's struggling and it is portrayed on the kids. Alli has really struggled with the lack of attention. Even when I do give her attention she doesn't seem to listen to anything I say. I can't wait for unpacking to be done so I won't be so torn between that and the kids. Joseph is into EVERYTHING. If I am unpacking one thing he is destroying another. The house is not toddler proof yet so that doesn't help. Soon , I hope, we will be back into a schedule and have more activities planned.

One thing I have really struggled with is getting lost. Monday I just went to go to the store. I had a map so I thought I would get there just fine. Well I got lost (and had forgotten my cell phone) and so I plugged it into the GPS. I was so off that the GPS told me to get on the freeway. I got on and then it froze. I got off the next exit found a place to stop. Tried turning it off. It wouldn't do anything so I got out the map. Not having the mountains to know which way is north makes it harder. I thought I knew where I was so I started heading to the store again. I couldn't find it so I just wanted to get home. I started balling. Let's just say I cried for the next hour until I finally found a landmark that I recognized and eventually made it home. It happened again today but I eventually somehow ended up at the university where I called Kimball to come out and get me home. So tomorrow I am going to get a good GPS whatever it costs since ours is dead forever.

Here's to more adventures and courage to leave my house.