A Breath of Air, Finally!

I apologize greatly for the long gap between posts. It has been driving me crazy too! But I just have not felt like I had the time or energy to post in these last two crazy months. So, finally, after a long time of running around like a chicken with their head cut off, I am getting a breath of air! Life, for the moment, seems to be finally slowing down a little bit.

So then, what have I been doing these past couple months, you might be asking yourself. Well, to make a long story short, David studied very very vigorously for his Step 1 Exam which he finally took on June 17th. This period of time left me playing single mother while also packing up our apartment for our anticipated move. Just a few weeks before David took his test we took a trip to San Antonio. The idea was that David would have some quiet rooms to study in while Lydia and I got to have some fun time with Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Neil. Well, that didn't quite work out according to plan. A couple days after arriving there my mom ended up in the ER with gallstones. Yuck! So, instead of watching Neil during the day and playing in the evenings, I ended up taking care of the house while my mom attempted recovery. I learned a lot about the gallbladder and fat-free diets during that week. We still had a little bit of fun with Neil's highschool graduation and a bowling night. I'm glad I was there to help out my mom during this stressful time. Unfortunately we weren't able to stay for her to have her surgery though, but I think my dad and the ward did a good job of taking care of her through that.

After coming home from San Antonio, life got even more crazy with David doing all of his last week cramming and me taking care of all of our last week moving errands. After David finished the most difficult test of his life we expected him to help me with moving. Once again, things didn't work out according to plan. David was starting orientation for 3rd year the following Monday and had been given hours and hours of training he needed to complete each night before going. Yuck! He was able to give me a few hours to get our moving truck loaded and unloaded before he headed back to the library. Then it was my job to unpack, organize and decorate our new home. By myself again. It may sound like I'm complaining, maybe I am a little bit. But I know David didn't have a choice. And I don't have the patience to live in the middle of boxes and chaos to wait until he could help me.

So, 2 weeks later, here I am. I think that I may finally be through this crazy time. Maybe. Knock on wood! Things are all unpacked and pretty well organized. Most of our decorations are up. Lydia's bedroom has been painted from blue to green. I have refinished her dresser and am awaiting Hobby Lobby's order of my last few drawer knobs. There are minimal things to do for the house. Like a trip to Ikea to get my last few organizing totes and rugs. And my parents to make a long awaited visit and bring us a couple items of furniture my dad bargained at some estate sales.

Yes, I finally have time to sit at my computer and compose this long awaited blog post. And I will be posting several more soon. Like one showing off our new spacious home with a back patio and garage. And another giving updates on our little lady. But, for now I will just share some pictures taken over the past couple months.

We enjoyed a Mother's Day stroll on the beach. The seaweed was pretty gross, but the company was wonderful!

My Aunt Charlyn and Uncle Jim came to Houston for a work conference and we were able to visit with them along with my cousin Marc and Lee and his family.

Lee and his family, Sherry, Ben, Luke and Annie.

David chose to celebrate his birthday at Rainforest Cafe. We had a lot of fun, but Lydia was pretty scared of everything there :)

What would Galveston be without some time at the beach?

Happy Birthday David!

Neil and Lydia enjoyed many walks while we were in San Antonio. Neil also enjoyed holding Lydia's hand because then he could control her stopping and pointing at everything :)

Neil's highschool graduation. Congrats!
Lydia enjoyed pushing the bowling ball down the lane. Though we all agreed that she liked watching the TV screen with the scores better!

The new Rainforest Pyramid at Moody Gardens. Lydia loved watching the animals! She could have stayed for hours!

Lydia met a new friend, Autumn, while she was there who loved to give her hugs. Too bad she doesn't live closer!

Lydia had fun at the 4th of July parade and fireworks! I can't say I've ever been to a 4th of July parade that gives the kids Mardi Gras beads instead of flags! Welcome to Galveston :) And Lydia was a natural at the fireworks! She pointed at them all and admired them with her "Ooooohs and Awwwwwws"! :)