LATELY.

Life has been good. Ryan got an acceptance call from a law
school – his first one and it’s such a fabulous option. We are grateful. We are
going to law school! All of his sweat and my tears was worth something! Crazy. And hallelujah.

We’ve been healthy. I’ve been simplifying. I’ve
sorted through thoughts and goals in my head and deep-cleaned my home. It has
rained rather than snowed. Birds chirped like mad outside our house on
Saturday, and the earth smelled fresh and springy. I’ve had wake-up calls to how privileged I am to be where I am – this
season of life, this country, even this apartment. I feel so grateful, so duh, life has been good.

Friends and friends and friends – I don’t think we’ve gone
longer than two days without a play date. I just wish we
could fit the whole neighborhood in this apartment. The more little people and the creative messes they make the
merrier. I finally took pictures of Olivia and Ethan when he came to play (saggy baby bums, nice)…

No, she’s not yelling here. She’s going in for the kiss.

…forced it. Please bless baby Ethan and all other children smaller than Olivia. She really likes to kiss them. 

Uncle Nick surprised us with a visit!!! How I love having my brothers and sisters so close.

Kimbee and Nick came back that night with his roommate, Brennan, for a CP (cereal party). We thought the Opening Cermonies were going to be on…wrong. They were on Friday. Right.

I’ve been playing with my friends. IE, Mare and I went yoga at the Gap (hilarious and such a blast), and a girl’s night happened with some of my favorite women. Kicking myself for not snapping a pic – next time!! 

Olivia has been a stroller kick. She sits in her umbrella stroller – like for fun – and she takes her dollies for rides every day. The little lady is also on plastic-bead-necklace kick. And she has one seriously serious face (that girl’s expressions – they’re forceful and endless). 

Ratatouille, by Ryan. He’s home pre-dinner on Sundays, which I soak up like a sponge. We usually cook together and he does the dishes. I so look forward to that.  All of that that 🙂

Sunday on the whole was amazing. We had a large church meeting and two speakers made me cry – tears of gratitude and relief. I’ll never forget how comforted I felt by their life’s stories of faith. People are amazing. That night we walked up to the temple because we can walk to the temple and it’s getting warmer. Totally – 40 degrees is “warm”! 

She teases me – “no pictures of us for you, mama!”

The temple’s white light against the black night struck me. It was so bright. Elaine S. Dalton takes the words out of my mouth – “It took my breath away as I realized the Savior is the ‘light of the world'”. I love that woman. I love the symbol of light. I love this good life, because seriously, it is so good.