Getting Settled

Together again after 3 years apart.

It's been two weeks since Kaitlin came back to live at home, and I feel comfortable saying that things are finally settling.   The first week of her being home was mostly a blur.  She was pretty sick that first week, having both the stomach problems that she's been struggling with in Paraguay, and then a cough/fever thing, which she also brought home and promptly shared with the family.  So that first week was full of catching up with her boyfriend, Ben, going to the doctor, figuring out what she can eat without being sick, and battling jet lag. Kaitlin spent the first three days in pajama pants because they were the only pants she owned and she didn't have enough energy/desire to go to the store.   

Kaitlin's "fellas" all home from missions and together again.

Things started to settle down in week two.  Shopping trips provided several pairs of jeans, some shoes, and a handful of shirts.  Food and eating started to settle too, aided by a definitive abstinence of all things dairy.  A  medication recommended by the doctor helped as well.  Things were looking up so much, that by the end of week two, Kaitlin felt so adjusted that she started to look into colleges and started job hunting. She even drove a car by herself for the first time in 18 months. Coming home from a mission is a huge transition and Kaitlin has done it like a champ.  She is doing great. 

Last Sunday Kaitlin spoke in church and then we had friends and family over to the house for food and visiting.  It was a great time.  Thank you so much to everyone who came out and who brought food.   In spite of feeling sick all day, Kaitlin handled it all with aplomb. 

We had so much support for Kaitlin's homecoming! 

Kaitlin brought us all gifts when she got home. One of the funniest was a gift from a teenager she had met there.  He had seen Ruth's picture on Instagram and decided that he was in love with her, so he drew this picture for Kaitlin to deliver to Ruth when she went home. The gift left Ruth speechless.  

She's Home!

Kaitlin stepped off the airplane a day and an hour later than we expected, but still safe and sound and happy.   I don't know if she'll blog about her experience, but here is the short version.  Her first flight out of Asuncion was delayed because Kaitlin felt sick and was throwing up in the airplane bathroom before takeoff.  After a 6 hour layover in Sao Paulo her next flight had a broken emergency latch, and after sitting two hours on the taxiway, they decided they couldn't fix it and canceled the flight. What followed was an 8 hour odyssey getting a new flight and problems getting vouchers and the challenge of negotiating in a foreign country and language.  She finally got a hotel room by 6am and was able to get a few hours of sleep before her new flight.  That new flight was delayed, but eventually took off.   She arrived in Atlanta facing another long layover, and then that flight was delayed an hour.  So it was a very tired Kaitlin that greeted us on Saturday, after traveling for 36 hours.

Kaitlin was home!  In spite of it all, she looked beautiful coming down the airport escalator and we are so glad to have her home.  The cold weather was a shock to her (I had brought her a coat) and she commented on how ugly it is here (yeah, after living in the jungle the browness of home would be a shock). We spent the rest of the day just talking and visiting.  She did the obligatory rolling around on the carpet and ohing and ahing over how fancy our house was. She had some amazing stories to share about her time in Paraguay and I'm sure we have only heard a small percentage of her experiences. She wasn't feeling very well so we forwent a fancy dinner and I made her some chicken and rice soup, which, upon the first bite, made her cry a little bit (my cooking is that good!).

Kaitlin gave a very good report to the Stake High Council and was released on Sunday morning.

She will be speaking in church next Sunday and we will be having a gathering at our house after for all our relatives and friends.

Nationals Qualifier

Ruth was heartbroken when Kaitlin's flight was delayed by a day, because Saturday was the Debate National Qualifier tournament and she could not miss it.   Ruth did really well and broak to semi-finals, and then finals, and in the end ranked 2nd place. The top two finishers qualified for Debate Nationals (which is in Alabama this year) so that meant that Ruth had made it! It was Ruth's goal this year to make it to Nationals.  She was so excited and we were so proud (she told us via text since we couldn't be there).  That evening she came running into the house with her plaque in hand, and Kaitlin jumped off the couch and ran and smooshed her in a big hug. They stood in the kitchen and cried in front of all of Ruth's debate friends. It was both touching and a bit awkward.   Kaitlin said that she would have been mad that Ruth wasn't there to pick her up, but since Ruth won, it was okay.

So Saturday was kinda a big day at our house.

"Five More Sleeps 'til Kaitlin"

Tonight I'll be writing my last letter to Kaitlin. Tomorrow we'll get our last e-mail from her.  On Tuesday Kaitlin will travel from where she is on the Brazilian border, 8 hours by bus to Asuncion.   On Thursday she'll get on a plane headed for Sao Paulo, and then another to Atlanta, and then Friday morning, really early she'll get on the plane that will bring her home.

We've been really excited around here to the point of breaking out in song more than once.  We did some shopping on Saturday, because Kaitlin will need practically everything when she gets home, so shampoo, and toothbrushes, and some t-shirts, and lotion.   I'm sure it's the first of many shopping trips to come.

Woman's March

I went to the Woman's March in my area.  I had a couple friends who were interested but then couldn't go, and then Chuck decided to go with me (he didn't want me to go alone) but then that day he got sick, so after work I headed off to the train station with my sign and my winter gear all alone.   And it was cold! Wind, snow, and sleet.   As the train got closer and closer to the city it began to fill with pink hatted women with their signs. It was a very festive atmosphere.  I got there just as the march started.  There were so many people, I would guess around ten thousand.  We filled the entire street for half a mile. I was lucky enough to get into the capitol for the rally.  A lot of different issues were talked about, and while I didn't agree with everything, I did agree with many views that were expressed.

I hesitated sharing my experience on social media because my community is very conservative. From my community, I saw only anti-march posts. But ultimately, I decided to share my experience, to take a public stand.  For me, marching was my way to show my anger at Trumps hate rhetoric and sexism, and my support for all different kinds of people. I also feel that women are underrepresented in government and in all layers of our culture here.  Ironically, the same women that were on social media on Monday saying that "the march didn't represent them," today are posting how upset they are about Trump's immigration ban - a big thing that we were marching against.



City Youth Council

Later in the week, Ruth was back at the capitol for a day with the City Youth Council.  In addition to touring and talking to several of our representatives and congresspeople, Ruth was also selected to chair a discussion about drug testing in high schools.  They had a nice lunch where Ruth ended up sitting at a round table with our Mayor and a few city council people. She said it was super fancy

Ruth's Sweep

This weekend was one of Ruth's larger debate tournaments at a local university.  I went on Friday to judge.  While judging takes a lot of time (an entire day), I always enjoy it.  These kids are just amazing.  They can talk eloquently about subjects that most adults would struggle with. But at the same time they are just teenagers, often loud, usually silly, sometimes obnoxious.

Ruth felt pretty confident throughout the tournament and ended up winning every one of her five rounds.   Her team got third overall, which is amazing because they are not a large team.

On our first date we stopped at Burger King and split a chicken sandwich.  To celebrate 19 years later we returned to Burger King, but this time we ordered whatever we wanted. 

We got a lot of snow on Saturday. Luckily, we had no where to go so we could just enjoy it. 

The city youth council sponsored a dance to raise money for the food bank. Ruth said it was pretty successful and they got a lot of donations. 

I had the week off of work so I spent most of my time working on my competition cosplay.  I set a goal to have all the basic pieces built by the end of the month.  I'm on target to accomplish my goal. 

Half Way

It seemed like a month or so ago school was just starting and now suddenly we are at the half way point.   Ruth and Jared both got A's and B's this quarter and both are super happy because they are both done with PE (Ruth is done with PE forever).   Ruth also had her first debate tournament of the year this weekend, she brought home a 2nd place finish in one event and she didn't place in the other.

Ruth's Debate Team had a bowtie day.

Kensington Singers

I started rehearsals with the Kensington Singers, a new audition choir connected to Kensington
Theater.  I've been conducting choirs for four years now, but I haven't been singing in them, so it's really a joy to sing in a choir that is at this level.  I'm already learning a lot and I haven't worked so hard at singing in a very long time.

At the first rehearsal, I was chosen to represent the "pelvic floor" in a demonstration of how proper breathing works.

All the Things I Didn't Take Pictures Of

We had a pretty quiet week between Christmas and New Years.  On Tuesday I went to a funeral for an uncle. I didn't know him well, but it was nice to visit with family. Ruth and Jared got to spend the day with cousins so that was fun for them.  The rest of the holiday was spent shopping or in my workshop or hanging out with the kids.  On Saturday we had a New Years party at my sisters.  We played games and ate food. It was good. 

2017 - The Future is Unclear

I'll be honest.  While 2016 was generally a good year for our family as a whole, it was a tough one for me personally, and I was glad to see the back of it.  I know it's silly, because nothing really changes at midnight, but as soon as the clock turned and I heard the fireworks go off in the distance, a feeling of relief washed over me. It was done.   I'm not too sure what 2017 will bring but I do know what it won't bring.  We were not accepted into Nauvoo this summer, and Chuck and I were passed over for doing Trek.  So we aren't doing the big things we thought we might be doing.   On the flip side, Kaitlin is coming home, so that will bring on a whole slew of unknown events.  So looking forward, 2017 is mostly a big mystery.   We'll just have to see.