The Joys of Moving...

Moving hasn't been quite the adventure we were anticipating. It has been a slow process, actually. We're still fighting with the previous owner to get certain items repaired as requested in our final addendum. They're a real piece of work, if you know what I mean.

With Michael's crazy school and work schedule, most of the moving has fallen to me. I spent two days shampooing carpets and am now in the downsizing stage. We moved most of the boxes from the storage unit over so that we can go through them before moving everything from Grandma's house. It's like opening a giant time capsule. Most of the things we've been storing weren't really worth paying to store. I'm pretty sure a good majority of what we have stored for the last 4 years is going to end up at DI or in the trash.

On a happier note, here is a picture of the first item to hung on the wall in our new home. :)

Belle isn't quite sure what is going on. Understandably, she still thinks of Grandma's house as home so after an hour or so at the new house she plants herself by the door and stares at us with her "I'm ready to go home, now." look she does so well.

10 Days and Counting

The light at the end of the tunnel is getting larger by the day and I just pray it isn't a train. We get the keys to our new home in 10 days. It doesn't seem like that long when you say it, but it feels like an eternity! I should be grateful for the time I still have because there is so much that needs to be done. We started packing this weekend (by packing I mean that the contents of our bookcases are now hiding snuggly in 2 of Michael's suitcases. Everything I've read about organized moving states that the non-essentials should be packed first. (Obviously.) Books, pictures, decorations...pretty much anything on a shelf or a wall is the first to go. This has been more difficult than you would imagine. Taking pictures off the wall signifies that we are pulling up our roots; that we'll be leaving. (I know what you're thinking: "Well, duh, Ashley. Moving means leaving the place you're living in and going to live somewhere eles." I understand this, but it's not that simple. This move means a significant amount of change. Grandma will be going into a care facility, the house that I came home to after I was born and has always been there to come home to my entire life will be sold. After 42(ish) years, strangers will live in my grandparents' home. It won't be my grandparents' home...People who have no knowledge or appreciation of the lives that have been lived there will come  in and erase all traces of our existence. Whomever buys the house will be unaware of the fact that every inch was customized in some way by my grandpa and grandma. My grandpa poured his heart and soul into the yard and all of his fruit trees. Will anyone care or love them as much as he did?

Lies

The last week has been one of the more emotionally trying times of my life. Two of my in-laws spread lies about me throughout the rest of my husband's family. Sadly, these lies were accepted as truth and triggered an "intervention"-esque phone call from one of Michael's brothers. It is extremely disheartening to know that after 4 years together, my relationship with my husband is under attack. The hardest pill to swallow is that the attack is coming from his family. I was crushed when I heard what was being said about me. I cried (sobbed, really) myself to sleep 3 nights in a row. I couldn't understand why his entire family would think/say such terrible things about me.

Michael and I live approximately 400 miles away from his family. The 3-4 times a year that we see them does not provide an accurate look into our marriage. My in-laws do not know us. They don't see us on a regular basis. They don't know anything about our marriage or relationship.

The Gospel teaches that spreading rumors and lies is evil. Simple as that. It is extremely hypocritical for members of the Church who claim to be in-tune with the Spirit and frequently quote scriptures to spread rumors and lies about a family member. Not only is this damaging and hurtful, but it has tarnished my opinion of these family members and caused a significant strain in our relationship. I know I have to forgive, but it will be difficult to interact with the family now that I know they have such a low (albeit misinformed) opinion of me.

5 Moves in 4 Years

Yep, it's that time again. Time to announce our 5th move in our 4 year relationship. Let's take a look back at the previous moves:

Move 1: Las Vegas, NV. to Provo, UT (Jan. 2011)
Move 2: Provo, UT to Wichita Falls, TX (Mar. 2012)
Move 3: Wichita Falls, TX to Fort Worth, TX (May 2012)
Move 4: Fort Worth, TX to Provo, UT (Sept. 2012)

and now Move 5: Provo, UT to Provo, UT. ;) (Nov. 2014)

Michael and I are moving about 10 minutes away from where we live now. Most people wouldn't consider this a very big move, but for us it's huge. We are closing the chapter of our lives and marriage where we have cared for my grandparents. Aside from the summer we lived in Texas, we haven't had our own home or the freedom to live our lives fully for ourselves. We are excited and eager to start this new chapter in our lives.

Stay tuned for pictures of our new home!

Late News is Still Bad News Sometimes.

I had the opportunity to work as a long term substitute in the Special Ed. department at Provo High School from Feb-May this year. I came to know and care for all of "my" students while I was there. (I'm now working as an Instructional Assistant at Provo High, but that's another story for another day.) One of "my" students was a quiet, petite girl who attended classes irregularly. I wasn't able to know her as well as some of the other students, but I did know her. While I was subbing, I was made aware that this girl was being watched for self-harming behavior. More than once I had to call the office to report injuries and concerning marks. On those days she wasn't in class, I feared she may not come back.

When my assignment ended 3 weeks before the end of the school year I returned to my regularly scheduled life, often wondering what was becoming all the students I cared so much about.  Sadly, it wasn't all good....I learned today that this meek girl we all worried about had killed herself the last week of the school year. My heart is broken for her and the loved ones she left behind. A part of me feels a tad ridiculous to be grieving 5 months after the fact, but late news is still heartbreaking sometimes.

...

My whole life I dreamed of getting married...I just never dreamed of the soul crushing in-laws that came with it...

Where Does the Time Go?

Since moving back to Utah to take care of my grandma, time has both flown by and stood still. The months/years are rolling by quickly; I blinked and missed most of May. I turned 29 this year and have experienced an uncomfortable amount of anxiety over getting "old". Michael and I have taken care of Grandma for 3 years, living in a bubble where every day seems to be exactly the same as the day before. The world slips by, waiting for no one, leaving us behind. I got old before I even had the chance to really live.

Not all that much has happened or changed since my last post. I got a job working for the Aviation department of Utah Valley University last July...budget cuts took said job away from me in November. I was crushed. I went back to Substitute teaching and spent February to May teaching Special Education at Provo High School. I'm considering going back to school for my teaching credentials...

At least I worked on something great while I was there.

Michael started working for U.S Synthetic as a Press Operator last October and he loves it. He is also in his second semester of Aircraft Maintenance school and is eager to graduate and move on to bigger, better things. Our plan is to move back to Fort Worth once Michael is done with school. I have been working as a freelance photographer, building my business and honing my skills, dreaming of opening a natural light studio when we get back to Texas.

I think the highlight of our time back in Utah has been the addition of our gorgeous furbaby, Blue Belle.
We adopted her in December 2012 (a few months after we moved back) and have loved every minute of our lives with her. The cats may feel differently about her, though...