an update...sans pics

Sorry folks. My camera has been neglected of late, so you'll have to bear with a wordy post. As usual, something exciting happened and it happened to be a whirlwind. Starting at the end of July: As you are probably aware, we drove to Des Moines for a little family vacay... actually, it wasn't just a vacation. Jon was taking the Iowa bar. AND HE PASSED!!!! (by the way). We weren't having any luck finding a job in Utah and no one in Nevada was interested, either. So, we decided to move back to Iowa. While here, he had an interview for a job and we waited hoping and praying for something to work out. After our adventures in Des Moines, we stopped in Colorado to see my sister and had an excellent time. Then the waiting and wondering continued in Utah. Brooklyn started school as scheduled and we just kinda went with it. Finally, the last Monday in August, we got an official job offer! Jon was finally employed! WOOOHOOO doesn't even cover it. Here's where the craziness started. We got the offer on the 30th and they were hoping he could start on the 7th. The Tuesday after Labor day. That gave us one week to pack up, get out here and find a place to live. A word of advice: DON'T GO LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LIVE AROUND LABOR DAY!! It was a pain. I thought for sure we could find a place before we left. The packing/loading was no big thing (since our lives have been in a storage unit for over a year), the driving was no big thing, either (my sister graciously took time off and rode with me to help with the kids). However, finding a place to live.... I.M.P.O.S.S.I.B.L.E. We looked everywhere. In our target area. At homes to rent. Out of our preferred area. At apartments to rent....the list goes on and on. We looked and looked. We found a few things that could have worked but they didn't really feel right. Then we started calling apartments and they didn't have any available three bedrooms. THEN, the weekend hit and everyone took a vacation. Seriously. It was awful. Finally, after having to keep the truck for an extra day, we came across a home in Norwalk. We unloaded the truck as soon as we signed the lease, and dropped it off on our way back to the motel. We'd paid for the night, so we figured, we may as well have a bed to sleep in. So, on Jon's second day of work, I got to work unpacking and organzing. Finally, today we feel pretty much settled. There are still a few things that yet to have a home, but it's only because I've been putting them off. I'm not the best organizer and it's worse when it's toys I'm organizing. Oiy. So, here we are back in Iowa. We miss our family in Utah, but it's so great to have a home of our own again. The kids bounce off the walls when they find a toy. I spent most of those two first days listening to: "Mom! Look what I found!! Mom!! Look at this!! Mom!! Can we open those boxes?? Mom!! Look what's in here!!" While I was excited for them. It got a little old. Finally, on Monday, I got Brooklyn back into school. She missed more than I intended, but she seems to be doing fine. Her teacher is great and just welcomed her with open arms. It's a little different having her gone all day. She loves it though. It's crazy to me that even though she only gets out a 1/2 hour later than she did in Logan, it seems MUCH later and I don't have very much time to do things after she gets out and before I start dinner. It is kinda nice to only have two kids to lug around as I run errands, though. Not that Brooklyn requires much lugging, but.... ya know. So, there ya go. We're finally employed after many many months of looking. We're looking forward to getting back together with some Iowa friends. And we're anxious to get to know Norwalk better. Hopefully, I'll be better at the whole picture thing. I do carry the camera around. Who knows why it never gets used... Oh well. Once we get more things in place, I'll work on posting some pictures.