So, sorry we haven’t added to this blog for a long time. We haven’t had internet connection all summer in Jackson, and we don’t currently have it here in Rexburg either, but hopefully that will soon change. The few blogs we did post were done by Richard, and I feel like I’ve lost touch. I’m looking forward to getting this up to date now (beware, this is going to be a long one, but hang in there, it’ll be worth it in the end).
So, as you all know, we spent another summer in Jackson. It was a great summer, living in a beautiful place with people we consider to be just like family. It was so nice having Julie and Ashlyn around during the long days while the men were off working. Ethan and I truly miss their company now that we’re on our own. It was really fun having the Andersons to play games with in the evening too. We learned a bunch of new fun ones from them. We also really enjoyed all the good food and recipes they shared. Ahh, such good times.
Now we’re back at school in Rexburg. Moving in took way too long, but we really like our apartment. It’s got lots of storage space, and Ethan now has his own room! It’s a basement apartment but doesn’t really feel like one since the front of it is above ground and has gigantic windows that let in a lot of light. We’re in a family ward here, and we love it. The people are so friendly, and we just got a calling (which we haven’t really had since we were married, or at least I haven’t). We’re going to be teaching the 15-16 yr. old Sunday school class. I think it will be challenging, but fun.
Richard is trying to get used to the more complicated schedule of classes and work (the job in Jackson was pretty straight forward), and he’s trying to not be too stressed about applying for graduate school and the impending GRE test, but it’s a bigger task than we had anticipated. We have such big decisions ahead of us --decisions that will determine both our near future and ultimately the rest of our lives. It’s kind of scary, but exciting too. It’s really hard for people like Richard and I who just like to sit back for the ride and let life take us wherever, but now we’ve got to be proactive, we’ve got to make decisions, and be in charge of our lives. Yup, we’re finally growing up.
Speaking of growing up, Ethan is looking more and more like a little boy every day. He’s no longer a baby. He runs all over the place (walking is not fast enough for him), and he gets into everything. The other day I discovered that he had found a bag of flour in my cupboard, and he had unfolded the opening and was proceeding to empty the bag, one handful at a time, onto my kitchen floor. There is seldom a time when there is not a Tupperware or a kitchen utensil on the floor somewhere because these are the cupboards he can reach. The bathroom is always off limits, but when he does get in he heads straight for the toilet to send something for a swim, or to unravel the toilet paper. Yes, he can be quite the little trouble-maker. Now that it’s just me and him at home most of the time he’s much more demanding of my attention and has taken to hitting. This is also a problem with other kids, it’s as if he doesn’t know how else to interact with them, or is threatened by them somehow, or something. At church he’s a terror. When we can’t manage him in our meetings, we take him out into the hall, but that’s where all the other babies are, and he goes around hitting all of them. I reprimand him, I redirect him, I try to teach him to be soft, but he’s a little grudge holder and he gets especially determined to hit the ones I prevent him from hitting. He even takes on two year olds. We have taken to quarantining him in the space between the double doors that go to the outside. If anyone else has had similar problems with their kids, I could use some advice on how to handle this.
Now Ethan isn‘t always a little hellion. He gives us kisses all the time, and he’s very helpful. He understands a lot now, words like up and down, in and out --like when we need things thrown in the garbage can, he knows exactly what to do. Of course, we have to constantly check the garbage can for non-garbage things too, and I really need to teach him to leave garbage in the garbage can. In Jackson we had a front load washing machine, and I could leave him with a pile of clothes and he would put them all in the wash for me. He would also take the wet clothes out and hand them to me to put in the dryer. Nowadays, it’s “take this to daddy, or take it to mommy.” He’s very obedient. Although he makes a lot of different sounds, he doesn’t say much. Sometimes we can get a “hi” out of him, and he always yells an enthusiastic “Dada” when Richard comes home. It warms Richard’s heart. Ethan’s a real daddy’s boy. I try not to take it too personally when Ethan screams every time Richard leaves for school in the morning. Ethan communicates in his own way, grunting and pointing, or by taking us by the finger and leading us to what he wants. Usually it’s to go outside, but once in a while he’ll lead me to his bed, or to the changing table. He’s a smart boy. He also really likes books and is constantly bringing them to us, but he only has patience for them if they have flaps or pop ups or something to touch and feel. Speaking of touching, he still has an aversion to plants and animals. Not as bad as before, but you can tell he’s still very sensitive to how things move and their texture. He’s a really funny boy. We have a book that has a pop-up page at the end --a bunch of frogs that are jumping every which way; he screamed and started crying the first time I turned to that page. He’s mostly over his fear now--he’ll even kiss the frogs--but he’s still wary of it and gets a start every once in a while when he turns to that page.
Okay, okay, enough about Ethan. There’s just not much else I do all day. Actually, lately Richard and I have been doing a lot of reading. Especially together. We don’t have TV or internet, and Richard has to read 30 young adult books for one of his classes. It’s been fun. I read out loud while he cleans the kitchen, seems like a fair trade to me . Actually, Richard has been working on a new personal project. He has acquired some equipment and can transfer old music records and cassette tapes to CD, as well as VHS to DVD. He’s hoping to make some money on the side as soon as he gets through with his own stuff. So most often he does that while I read.
Well, I believe that’s everything I have to say. For now, that is. However we do have one more little thing to show you. Richard just had to get another one of his videos in. . .
