Fun times in Southern Utah yet again. This time we went west instead of East. The trip down was rather exhausting. It might have had something to due with the fact that we were all worn out before we even started.

We had a WIC appointment in the morning. Just a few highlights... I had to call a number to prove our file was still open or I would have to reschedule. So, I dial the number on my cell phone and have to push "1" ... then "3" ... then "2".... then "0" ... by the time a person came on the phone S was about to pee her pants. So, I took her into the bathroom, trying to balance my cell on my shoulder (it is too small...). I just left the twins and B playing and/or searching for me. S refused to get on the toilet (ever since the incident at the library when she literally fell into the toilet and after I saved her the toilet automatically flushed) she has to be gently persuaded/forced to use public toilets. I was trying to tell S that it wouldn't flush, and trying to talk on the phone. Then I had to hand the phone over to the lady behind the counter.... So, I left S crying and partially naked in the bathroom, ran to the counter, handed off the phone, and ran back to the bathroom. The twins spotted me, started crying and running after me.

All of that was in the first five-seven minutes. I won't bore you with the rest of the visit. But it only got worse. We were there for an hour and a half! At the end, a nutritionist tries to talk to you about the kids' eating habits.... everyone was crying! She just printed out the "checks" to let me escape when the thought popped into my mind to make sure R was given her goat milk. She had to tear out all of R's checks, look up a code and reprint them.... The sadness is that she still gave me the wrong thing. Instead of quarts of goat milk, she gave me cans of evaporated goat milk! I can't decide whether to make R drink that or try and make a new appointment to enter the dreaded WIC zone again. The taste of reconstituted evaporated milk is the only thing that haunts me. Gross... so can you imagine goat milk?

Then we helped Ana leave her apartment. She was at that point where you have worked so hard to move and you think you should be done.... but one thing after another keeps popping up. There is always more and more things in the apartment... the little annoying things that don't fit into boxes. Poor girl. She did it though... and she is now settled in CA, reunited with her husband. I took Ana to SL and dropped her off.

Then we met Steve... who had been waiting for me for about four hours. I'll teach him not to say he doesn't mind waiting. After this trip, I am sure he has changed his mind.

The cats were great up to that point. The next four hours were an absolute nightmare, full of asking/begging S to stay clicked, discovering that the crackers I had so liberally passed out had not been eaten... but had been crushed to decorate the floor, babies crying, stinky diapers, hungry monsters. Whew! We got to Ticee's around 10PM.

I was so excited for Susan to have such great boys. Kaber going threw the temple...so grown up, so not the little "baby" cowboy/army guy I can still remember. Chris baptizing Zachary... they both did their part perfectly. I loved watching Richard by the font... giving advice, making sure everything was alright, but not stealing the show. What a great dad.

The food was great. I feel super guilty that I didn't bring anything... my only contribution was helping Ticee with the forty desserts she brought. (exaggeration)... Also, I am still dreaming about the fluffy salads Janice made. Was that Jello, cottage cheese, cool whip and fruit? I can make that worth almost no points at all. Another thing I love about Sue and Richard, they always add a little class to their food. My delicious BBQ/au jou(sp?) (yes, I did both to the same sandwich) was on some special bread... that I didn't even get to ask what kind it was. Maybe Parmesan.. it was good. The best news of all for me was that I didn't gain any weight on the trip (other than water weight... which is now gone)

I am sad that I missed staying at the ranch. But I got to "watch" Ticee's kids while they went to a movie (everyone was asleep and I just held really still and enjoyed the quiet for a while before going to sleep myself).

Thanks to Susan and Ticee I was able to print out the application for E to apply for citizenship/naturalization as it is known in the Department of Homeland Security. We just finished filling it out last night. Now all we need is for our neighbors to pay for their part of the fence and we can send off the application and $330 to the previouslymentioned Dept. of Homeland Security. This really has been the easiest application so far.

I just realized that I had better check the instructions... because usually we have to send our last three years worth of tax information, photos, fingerprints etc. All I did was fill out the form....

Congrats to any one who was able to make it this far with me. Quite a feat... Oh, and about the "owl" necklace... at least I remember it's existence... I know Mom wore it at least once... maybe it wasn't "Bob" night... but I remember Dad worrying that it might break or something. Maybe I am blending memories. I think that is more convenient for my brain...

And, Jodi, the birthing panel is a pictograph/hieroglyph... some ancient drawing that Dad says represents the birth of Christ. I will see it someday.

I miss Ana... Tuesdays I slept in because I was wiped out from traveling, Wednesday it was raining too hard to walk, but this morning I went walking in a little drizzle of rain. It was nice... but I like talking to Ana more than walking alone. Although I did see a killdeer (bird) so that was fun.

Love to all!

Hey world.... how's it going? I've been keeping busy...

We had a super fun trip down to Southern Utah! We stayed at Alina's house... which is so beautiful. The colors, the art, the counter-tops, the furniture... loved it! B had so much fun playing with her boys.

Saturday, the cinco de Mayo, we ran down to Blan Juan... it was snowing!! It really was blizardy in between Monticello and Blanding. Craziness. So, we didn't go to the "birthing panel" with Dad. We will have to save that for next time. Donna did a big extravaganza for S's birthday. They made a cute cake with Dora, Diego and Boots on an island play ground. Everyone in the family loved it! Then they gave S some really cute toys... little princesses, which I love as much as S does.

Then we ran down to the Pow-Wow. In Blanding I got to see Robin Benally... fun... her daughter was our waitress! Robin and I taught together at WHS. Then at the Pow-Wow I got to see Vicki and Kenneth Joe (I taught with Kenneth)... the Pow-Wow was in honor of their son, JR Joe. He died in a car accident... so much death on the rez. I forget how much I love the rez. It is smelly and brown and rocky and Mussi is such a sad little town... but I love it so much! I met so many great people there. I am glad that E could be with me to enjoy a little of the rez spirit.

The 12th of May we had another birthday extravaganza for S because Silvina wanted to buy her a pinata... and it was big. I made a "Barbie in a gown" cake where the cake is the dress. It was really cute. It definitely looked home made but we all thought it was a masterpiece. That is a huge part of the fun, digo yo, getting in and making things.

Ana is about to leave me... and I am freaking out about that. I just lay in a dark room all day mourning the "loss" of a good friend. She is moving back to California... her husband is already gone to get ready for his new career as a lawyer (he just graduated from law school at the U). Nifty.

I must mention two things that I love about the branch. I received the friendship basket from a sister. She included a card where she told me how much she loved me... the funny thing was that it was a sympathy card. "Sharing your sorrow during this difficult time." Funny...
I also love that when I make mistakes or do something crazy, they just assume that it must be my culture. So, they don't judge me too harshly. Also funny....

Well...love to all.

Happy birthday to Mom yesterday. I know she loves my kids as much as I do. A few memories...
Bob Serawap taking off his shirt and giving it to her because she said she liked it. She was so embarrassed.
She wore the jade owl necklace Dad brought back from Central America to some event. Robert Redford was there and he commented on Mom's necklace, he liked it. She was in heaven.