My Husband Rocks!

So, one day back in November, I was feeling really lonely for my far-away-friends and family of the west. It had been a long time since I had visited my dear ones out that way, and I was actually pretty sad and in the dumps over it. Well, a couple days later, Jared came home from work and told me that my Christmas present was in my email account. To my surprise and great delight, he had purchased one round trip ticket to UT... ONE meaning, I was going A-L-O-N-E... ie. No children for a whole week, to do what-the-heck-ever I wanted to do. How, and when, I wanted to do it. SA-WEET!

I farmed out the kids to amazing friends and family and left my dear hubby A-L-O-N-E with four rambunctious boys. Everything, so they say, went swimmingly well here at home. (Detour... Usually when I'm gone for even a few hours, upon my return, bits and pieces of information are involuntarily purged from my little people's consciences... Things like, "Mommy, while you were gone, the babysitter forgot to put the railing up on McKay's crib and he fell out." or, "Mommy, while you were gone, I ate a whole pack of cheese singles. You get the picture.) So far, the worst I've heard that occurred during my absence, is that there was a fair amount of McDonald's consumption.

My trip was Jan. 6th-13th. I spent the week with some of my favorite people.

The two lovely ladies above were two of my awesome companions from my mission in Chile. As companions in the mission, we laughed our guts out and worked our butts off... so, the bond we formed was rooted in good soil. Now, some 14 years or so later, they are the type of friends that make me want to be a better person but also make me feel good for being me. I feel like they are the sisters that I biologically I didn't get... sisters from another mother.

Friday night, myself and some other West missionaries (Detour... the Chile, Santiago West mission was/is the best mission so we like recognize our affiliation with her by referring to ourselves as "West missionaries")... as I was saying, me and my peeps got together at a condo in Park City that an amazing friend hooked me up with. We played a card game called Wackee Six. (It's like Skipbo on crack... hence the name Wackee.) We laughed a ton and reminisced. Oh, and we froze our booties off. The water heater and the heater didn't work for a bit so we warmed ourselves by the oven... then some of the super smart company I was keeping figured out the pilot light (it was much more difficult than it sounds, seriously).

After this short retreat, Sara and I met up with two college friends that we both love to pieces. I have not kept in very good contact with them but will reform. It was so great to be with them again. They were both wonderful examples to me as a 20 year old. They helped me, whether they knew it or not, prepare to serve a mission. And it was just like "they" say, we "picked up right were we left off" It was constant chatter and laughter for our whole visit... best therapy ever! I love those girls and will be talking to them much more frequently. I forgot to take any pictures of us 4 together... lame!

Then that evening I drove up to Logan to see my great family of "in-loves" (that's what my mother-in-law calls us marital additions). They are so fun to be with. They all are so stinkin' funny. We laugh a lot and eat a lot too... pretty good combo. I got to see the whole clan, minus those who live in Brazil (hmmm, maybe Jared will send me there next). I love Logan and my family there. It's nice to feel like you have two places to call home.

I guess I'll shut up now about my little vaca. but must say that the time away from the sometimes mundane and predictable days of stay-at-home-mom stuff, left me feeling rejuvenated and darn blessed. I am so grateful for the wonderful relationships that I have with all these people and am thankful that God sees fit to bless my life with individuals like these. So, like I said before, my husband rocks! Sending me on this little get-away, was what I needed to remember that I have a wonderful life, with wonderful relationships (both near and far). Can I get an, "Amen"?