blessed

I've had plenty of time to write lately. Apparently, it is the slower season of baby birthing. People want summer babies, so I hear. I've still worked plenty, just less than the forty hours a week. However, I've been fairly lazy when it comes to this blog thing. I didn't know what to write or if I did think of something, it was mostly a bit of a downer.

But anyways, here I am to write a little something. I will catch y'all up on Christmas time and be amazed that January is already over half way gone.

This is our fourth winter away from the southeast. After  four years,  we had our first holiday season out west. Typically we've made it back for either Thanksgiving or Christmas. And this was the first year I've truly felt home sick. Well, let me rephrase that. When I think of "home", I don't think of a place, I think faces and ones I hold so dear. My little heart ached pretty hard this year at the holidays. I even spent some time looking for new jobs for Davis within a driving radius of our families. Also, I spent Christmas day and New Years at work. I just couldn't shake how sore my heart felt to be so far away. Even Davis, the perpetual optimist, always jolly, even commented how this holiday season seemed less cheerful. I am so thankful for a sweet husband and a goofy dog to call my family here in Utah. Additionally, we have made some amazing friends who have so lovingly welcomed us into their lives. I guess, in some cheesy fashion, I can say I am thankful to have family and friends that I can love and miss. Not everyone can say that.

family self portrait

But that also leads to how by Fall of 2014, our lives will look very different here in Utah. One family we grew really close to just closed on their house last week and will soon be moving on. We prayed for them at church Sunday. I got all teary eye and sniffy nosed. Gosh, I love those people. Additionally, probably our closest friends, the Moffatts, are moving back to South Dakota this summer. I am afraid I will all out ball over these ones leaving. There are other ones leaving and plenty who talk of leaving, it's a pretty transient community. Not to mention we are in a definite minority here. All this makes it hard for me to want to stay. I'm okay right now, I am sure this summer I will be a total mess for a bit. The heart ache at Christmas is passed but I am keeping a leery eye to the future. I don't know what God has in store for us here in Salt Lake City, but I want to trust him to provide what we need.

Enough of this sad talk. We are so blessed. I mean, I just look out the window at work sometimes and am totally blown away. When the inversion isn't being oppressive, this is what my community looks like.

work and a view

I can't help but be amazed at the mountains that hug Salt Lake Valley.


This past weekend, the Moffats, Davis and I decided to get away. There are some supposed Ice Castles up in Midway. Midway is past Park City, which is currently in the middle of Sundance Film Festival. The Ice Castle is slightly misleading, it's more like an icicle fort. It's a bit of a tourist trap but we are glad we saw it. We also walked around Midway, checked out a couple antique shops and had delicious Mexican food and beer for a mid afternoon lunch/dinner. We decided to skip trying to find famous people in Park City, we probably wouldn't be good at recognizing them plus we didn't want to get stuck in the traffic. Davis and I also had tickets to hear Ravi Zacharias speak that night.

entrance

turns out wearing sunglasses in the castle was a great idea
Ice and snow is very bright

stalactites of ice

slot canyons of ice

our group after successful navigating the maze
(it wasn't hard)

 So, there it is. Life as of late. The heart soreness has passed for the time being. Everyone is back to work and reality. Our year is already filling up with trips, family visiting, friends, and so on. We have much to be thankful for.