Upgrading

Sorry I'm a day late because of Labor day. Also, yesterday was crazy.

Brent and I originally tried to get into a group of duplexes when we first moved out to California. They are cheap and have other LDS chiropractic students living there. Unfortunately, it's a hot commodity and we didn't get in. We were blessed to find another apartment that was barely in our price range (but still there) and have loved living there. It was close to the school and we made so many wonderful friends there. It was a one bedroom, however, and we had smoking neighbors that drove me insane. If there is one thing that bugs me more than anything, even loud hispanic music, it's cigarette smoke.

Well, the Lord was watching out for us because he helped Brent become friends with a student who was graduating soon and lived in those first duplexes. We had an in! So last week we packed up everything and left our home of the last year. It was so hard to leave the area and most of all our friends. It has been the greatest comfort to me to be able to walk 50 feet from our apartment and run into my best friends.

Moving was also hard because Brent is in school. He took the day off and we moved everything. Unfortunately, Isaac decided that was the day he'd start teething and turned from a calm, chill baby into a needy monster who doesn't sleep. Luckily, he let me set him down enough that some boxes got packed.

Brent drove the moving truck over, and I took Isaac and the car to our new apartment. On the way I felt myself loosing my cool. Maybe it was because we'd spent an exhausting day packing and taking care of screaming Isaac, but I was very emotional. I felt tears forcing their way up as I turned down our new street. This wasn't home. This place was so foreign and how would I ever survive here without all my friends?

That emotional low has continued as we have been forced to unpack and try to put our life together at home while Brent is extremely busy with school since his big board exams are FRIDAY. This is my view of him all night long when he comes come:

I have been so exhausted I've barely known how to put my next foot forward as I stumble around trying to set up closets and put together a kitchen while holding a screaming baby whose teeth hurt him so much.

Thank heaven for weekends when husbands can be home and work can be accomplished. Yesterday, for the first time, our house started turning into a home. I got exited when I looked into Isaac's new bedroom. My heart melted when Brent helped Isaac go out and pick a petal from our rose bush and come give it to me (it was slightly wet for some reason...) I got little flutters of giddiness when Brent and I planned out how to set up our backyard into a garden. Goodbye patio stones!

And I realized, you know what? This place is BETTER. For so many reasons. This is so much more like a home than an apartment. I love only having one neighbor. I love that we have a yard and across the way two old ladies always sit out on their porch and they like to coo at Isaac when we go on walks and give me fans because it is too hot. I'm reminded of a quote by President Eyring, "If you are on the right path, it will always be uphill." Though that applies to choosing the right in your life, I also feel like it applies to where you're going. This home was a blessing for us, in so many more ways than saving money! But it was hard to get here. It almost broke me during the process. But now I get to reap the rewards, and they are wonderful.

Brent and I deemed this spot "Doneva's spot" because it is always in the sun. His mother loves the sunshine.