Hmm....pathetic, I know!

I have been a lousy blogger recently and what is worse, there are actually things for me to blog about--which rarely happens for me.

Anyway, we've been in Oregon for almost 3 weeks now and are having a lot of fun. While Joe has suffered at home, moving our stuff out and getting our house move-in ready, all while studying for the biggest test of his life (the BAR) we have been camping, swimming, jumping on the trampoline, visiting family and friends and relaxing. I am really starting to feel a tiny speck of the pressure he must be feeling and am really feeling badly that we've left him alone for so long to take care of so much. I know, though, that he is a tough, smart, level-headed guy and is handling the pressure MUCH better than I would be. Nevertheless, if you all wouldn't mind keeping him in your prayers, it would be greatly appreciated.

We found someone that we love to rent our house in Utah, which is not as wonderful as selling would have been, but we are happy none-the-less. Heather, my sister, and I took a long weekend and flew out to North Carolina to find a house for us to move into. After driving around for two days, watching my ankles swell to the size of grapefruits (Pitted Edema, it's lovely...) and starting to feel the pressure, we found our house and knew it the second we walked in. It's a beautiful, new home at the end of a cul-de-sac, out in the country, with lots of room for the kids to play and I couldn't be happier. As always, just when I had lost hope of not only finding our house, but being able to pay for our house (looooong story) everything fell into place and our home will be waiting for us when we get there. I am beginning to realize that faith is a VERY difficult concept for me to grasp and if I would only learn from the past, I would save myself all kinds of stress.

We will be heading back to Utah in about a week to pick up our things from storage and say our "See you laters" and leave a week later. I am having a hard time dealing with the fact that when we get to Utah, it will be for a visit and when I leave, it will be for a long time. I have made and renewed some of the best friendships I could ever imagine during our time in Utah and it makes me really sad to think of going long periods of time without seeing them, not hanging out on the grass in front, working on our tans, while all the kids in the neighborhood run around us, entertaining themselves. As I write this, in fact, I am working to fight back the tears and have to force myself to remember that the friends I made and the friendships made stronger over the last 3 years are the ones I will have forever. I will really only be saying, "See you later" and not "Goodbye."

On a less depressing note, let's see some pics of the new house! Enjoy!!

It's a.....

BOY!! (I will spare you the actual "boy" shot, but will let you see these pics of our sweet, healthy, Todd Michael!) Enjoy!!

Just call me Debbie Downer

I read over the hasty post I made yesterday and realized that I was definitely seeing our over-flowing glass as practically empty....sorry for being lame. Thank you, though, to those who left kind, encouraging messages--it helped so much.

WARNING: LOOOONG RAMBLE AHEAD

After talking to my parents, sister, friends and our kids (although there were tears), I am feeling much better about things. What confuses me the most about my initial reaction to the news is that I have never really lived close to my immediate family since being married and as long as we're in the military, there won't be many opportunities for it. I think that my family had talked about the possibility of us moving to WA for so long, that we almost believed it was for sure, before the military had even made a decision....bad idea.

I think what was making me the most discouraged was not only all the questions this new information still left unanswered, but the number of additional questions it created. Whether or not to sell or rent our house, where to have our baby, when to move, what house to buy, who to call when I need help and Joe is in Virginia and I have 4 kids (1 infant) and 6 new schedules. It's the unknown that scares me the most, I think. If I knew our house was selling in 2 months, making it easier for us to buy a house in NC and I knew whether or not to have the baby before we left and we knew which house we were going to buy and blah, blah, blah...

But then I remember. It's been a while (3 years) since we've really been a part of a military community and anyone who has been knows that my last question is the most ridiculous of all. Being a part of the military and our church, together, makes my concerns about doing things on my own seem almost laughable. Without being asked, a woman from the Relief Society would show up at my door with dinner or a military wife I barely knew would stop by to see if there was anything she could do to help because she knew my husband was gone. It is a way of life not everyone gets to experience, but should.

These same questions remind me of another lesson learned in this military life (a lesson I could definitely take from right now). When we arrived in Colorado, me, 5 months pregnant and Joe getting ready to deploy, there were certainly many unanswered questions--when would our baby come, would Joe see him before he left, where would we live and SO many others that seem, even now, more important and pressing than the ones I mentioned before and yet, we were completely taken care of. I had faith and put my trust completely, 110% in my Heavenly Father and EVERYTHING was taken care of. Joe's deployment was pushed back so many times that my dad asked me if I felt responsible for holding up the war on account of me wanting him there for the birth :), but 2 days before he left and 2 months after the initial deployment date, Luke was born and Joe was able to meet his first son before going off to war--a blessing we will both forever be grateful for. I learned and relearned this lesson SO many times during that year, it is amazing I seem to have already forgotten it.

Remembering what it is like to be a part of this community again and all that comes with it, has me seeing things in a different light.

I am excited for our new adventures. I am remembering the old me, the less situationally comfortable me, who loved meeting new people, seeing new places and feeling as if a move was long overdue 3 years into a duty station.

I am excited for a new home, a new atmosphere, new/more friends, new climate, new schedules, new experiences, new growth, new jobs (for Joe) and even new (or just old and unfamiliar--military) worries--KNOWING my family will be taken care of.

My kids will survive, too. In fact, I believe they will thrive, seeing knew things, meeting new people and seeing the blessings of Christ in our lives.

The future doesn't seem so grim.

In fact, it seems pretty bright.

Hmmmm....

We got our orders today for our next duty station.

We have many mixed feelings about it, but are really trying to ignore the fact that we will have to settle for seeing my family on the webcam, rather than visiting them from Washington like we had hoped.

I am excited for the selection of homes we will have for buying there, the MUCH warmer winters, being close to a dear high school friend, Myrtle Beach, Florida, etc. within a day's driving distance, being closer to Joe while he attends his post-doc course in Virginia and many other things and am trying to remind myself of all this.

Our kids (and I) had their hearts set on Washington and being close to Nana and Papa and my brothers and sisters and their cousins, so we are trying to strategize a game plan on how we can present this kind of out-of-left-field information to our kids.

Let's just say I needed a day or two to process the information and get out my own tears, before telling the kids....so wish us luck.

I know we'll be fine and happy wherever we go, so I have to concentrate on that and the many positives of it and make the best of what we have been given.

To all my friends in Utah County with daughters...

would you mind filling out a survey about body image for you and your daughters here

THANKS!!! My friends in Public Health appreciate you and your time...

Thanks!!

...to everyone who gave their input into the graduation debacle we have been struggling with at our house and I am happy to inform, anyone who cares, that we have made a decision that all are happy with. After weighing the options and double checking that I would be able to have a fairly normal graduation (I think many were confused that I wouldn't actually be walking/graduating if I went to Joe's--I will be walking just before Joe as our last names are the same and I start with an "A" and he starts with a "J".) with my husband sitting next to me and walking just after me and not too many people looking at me strangely for graduating with a bunch of doctorates, I will be graduating "with" the Law School, with my family, Joe's family and, most importantly, Joe, attending. I am so excited for this decision, surprisingly, and know that while my kids may not remember the actual occasion, having us all together for such a big day will always be the best choice for us....plus, I like Karen's idea of being the most likable graduate in a room full of lawyers! HeeHee! :) Thanks again to all who offered their opinions and support--I considered each one seriously.
You're all great!!

Hmmm....what to do? I need help.

So, I need help--your honest opinion. As many know, I have spent much of the three years we have been here going to school and trying to get finished before we leave in August. Well, turns out that although I didn't believe it would ever happen, I am actually going to graduate and get my Bachelor's Degree in April. However, as many of you also know, my husband has also spent much of the last 3 years working towards his Law Degree and will also be graduating in April. Exciting, I know, but here's the problem. He and I were completely bummed to find out that our graduations are on the exact same day at the EXACT same time!!! What CRAPPY planning on BYU's part, if you ask me.

There are two avenues we could take; well three, but one isn't really an option. I could either skip my graduation and go to his and possibly walk with him, with both our families attending his or he could skip his and everyone could come to mine (this is the one I don't really think is an option, for obvious reasons) OR we could each go to our seperate graduations, his parents and family go to his and my parents and family come to mine. This seems like the option I am leaning towards, (Joe is hoping I will get to walk with him) except there is another problem. If you knew my children and their relationship with my mom, you wouldn't need me to explain, but for those who don't know, let's just say where my mom is, my kids will be also. Meaning, that with her at my graduation, my kids will 100% want to come to mine as well and unfortunately, not because I'll be there. :)

So, you can see our problem. What's a girls to do? Is it selfish to want to go to my own graduation even if I do have the option to walk with him at his graduation? Or is it something I deserve to celebrate at my own graduation after these 3 long years? Or if I could walk with him, would the fun of walking with my husband outweigh the utter humiliation I would feel walking with people getting their doctorates enough to make it worth it?

I can't decide and I need opinions or suggestions. Believe me, I am all ears!!

WOW....it's been a while!!

I am going to have to do this in baby steps I think. It has been so long since I have blogged and I have debated the blog etiquette on past-due blogs, wondering when it becomes too long past an event to blog about it. I've heard that with thank-you notes, once you've reached a year past the event, it is considered more of an insult than appreciation to send the note. However, I am not sending a thank you, so I figure I don't care so much what etiquette says for blogging. So, you'll have to suffer through Halloween up until now....my apologies. :)

I am going to start with MY most exciting moment since Halloween and not do this necessarily in any chronological order.

So, a couple weeks before Kate turned 2 in December, she started showing some interest in the bathroom and the things that go on in it and I had set my resolve to begin the potty training process once school was out and Joe and I could focus our full attention on it and make it stick (although it seemed VERY early). Apparently, however, Kate was not willing to wait until we had time for it. Joe and I were especially busy with finals, the health fair I was organizing at my internship and just life in general. So, one of these busy days, my friend Shawnie was watching Kate when she said the magic words, "PeePee." So, Shawnie being braver/crazier than I am, sat her on the toilet where she did her business. When Shawnie told me, I was excited, but was still set to start potty training after finals.

Well, the next day was the Health Fair and Shawnie was watching the kids again and when I got home, she told me she had done it again and was even dry when she woke up from her nap. I was thrilled and decided potty training couldn't/wouldn't wait. So, we went with regular procedure in our house and ditched the diapers (I have strong feelings AGAINST Pull-Ups and their enabling--I won't start) and Kate has been fully potty trained ever since. Which is especially lovely seeing as how I am going to get to go 8 whole months before I have to change another diaper. I think that, secretly, because of this, she's my favorite....oh, come on, can you blame me? :)

From the mouth of babes...

So a friend of mine came up to me after church today to share a story with me about Luke. At first I was a little scared, knowing some of the doosies he's repeated, but as she told the story, all I could do was smile and nod.
She said he was sitting with his class in primary (sharing time, for those who know what that is) and was loudly having a conversation with really no one in particular. This is how it went:

Luke: So, my mom has a little baby in her tummy...want to know how I know?

(No real response from anyone, but he certainly had my friend's attention at this point)

Luke: Because there were two lines on the stick.



(I wonder what other things he's decided to share....)

P.S. Don't worry, this is not my "stick."

Go

(She's the darling one in the middle holding the ball)

here to vote for my sister for player of the month at her college. Not only is she a mom of two little ones, but she got a full-ride scholarship to play soccer for Northwest Christian College and brought their winless season last year when she didn't play up to multiple wins with her game winning goals. After you click on the link above, scroll down just a little and on the right you can vote for her--Heather Henderson!! I am so proud of her! Thanks for the vote!

So sad.

Got this news from a blog I stalk (she's lovely--check her out). Mother's Frosted Circus Cookies will be no longer....I have lost a piece of me.

sniff....sniff....

More Mamma Mia Pics....BEWARE!!

Here is a few more pictures of our Girls' Night--Such a blast for all of us--we dress-uppers were quite the entertainment for the "Nondress-uppers" -it's safe to say, I think.
ENJOY!








Not pretty, I realize....I sacrifice this for your entertainment.
You're welcome.

Good "clean" fun!!

Some ladies in my ward/neighborhood and I have started a city league soccer team and it has been so great getting to play and getting to know these great girls--most of whom I hardly knew before the season started. I'm not sure if I blocked my high school/church ball days out of my mind (it wasn't pretty), but being back in competition has rekindled the competitor/poor sport in me. I've realized that even more than in high school, I HATE LOSING!! While trying to teach my son, who gets devastated when he loses, how to be a good sport, I am very sensitive to how I am responding to my own losses. Remembering the frustration of loss has helped me be a little more empathetic at his devastation and hopefully we can learn together how to take losing like champs.
Anyhoo, it has been so fun playing with these ladies and today was no exception. I was SO excited when I looked out the window this morning and realized I'd get to play in the sloppy, wet rain. Growing up in Oregon, I grew fond of the frequent "puddle jumping" opportunities my sister Heather and friend Jenny and I were given.


So, needless to say, today I was feeling quite at home running around in the rain and mud and with the encouragement of Jill, we created the perfect sliding spot and celebrated our win. Who says we're too old for this!?!!?





(Yes, I do realize the pooh inducing position I am in here...I'm so photogenic!)


The big blob of mud on the side of my face was courtesy of Carrie. Let's just say it's a good thing I love her....and that she's way faster than I am! :)

P.S. These women are even cooler than they look in these pics--LOVE 'EM!!!

GRRR!!!

(I'd take a pic of myself being annoyed, but.....)

So, I live my life according to blogs these days. What I mean is, when I see something happening with myself, my hubby or my kids, my initial thought is, "This would be a great blog--I need a picture." (Am I alone in this or has the blogging world shifted all your universes as well?) Anyway, this new technologically driven habit has been stunted by the annoying fact that I CANNOT, for the life of me, find my STUPID camera! So, not only can I not load up the 1st day of school pics I took of Luke and Jozlyn for my "Back to School" blog (premeditated, mind you), but when the kids throw about 7 loads of clean laundry all over my living room (yes, that's right; I have 7+ loads of clean laundry that needs to be folded--when I find my camera, I'll take a picture of that, too. It's impressive, I must say) I can't even take a picture. I had to just sigh at my misfortune of a lost camera and make the kids help me clean it up. What good is a huge mess, if I don't have a way to document it? It may finally come down to me asking Joe for a new one and while I'm at it, I may as well ask for the video camera and Kitchen Aid mixer I have been dying for.....

It could happen.....

It's Almost Time!!!

This will be me--hopefully, minus the scruff and wife beater--on October 14th, when the new season of Eli Stone begins. Lame? Maybe, but I have been waiting for this and The Office (YAY JIM AND PAM!!) since the sad day it left us hanging last season. Take my advice and make this part of your weekly schedule and you can thank me later!!

Uppercase Living

As some of you may know, I am a demonstrator for a company called Uppercase Living. It is a company that specializes in decorative vinyl lettering for your home. I just wanted to let you all know that I am having a 25% off sale on all orders made by the end of this month. You can view the catalogue online if you visit my website at andreaj.uppercaseliving.net (no www), or view a sample of the product below. If you see something you like or have any questions, let me know!

She was the Dancing Queen--FAR from 17!!!

Well, I am about to share a moment with you all--some I know and some possible "blog stalkers" (I only assume, because I am one)--of a day in my life when I was in rare form and exposed a side of myself that even I have rarely seen. A few weeks ago, some friends and I had the "genius" idea to dress our little selves up and head to the sing-along version of Mamma Mia--yes, we have one here...only in Provo...). Well, after a "JACKPOT!!" trip to DI (long, embarrassing story for me--I won't expound), Savers, JoAnn's, and Amanda's for her AMAZING sewing skills, we were set with some pretty awesome (I use this term loosely) outfits. When we came up with this idea, I'm not really sure we anticipated the energy and effort we would put into these costumes, but I think we are all glad we tried as hard as we did...looking ridiculous has to be over-the-top, otherwise it just isn't worth it.

Well, once we were sufficiently decked out--platforms, bell-bottoms and fake eyelashes--we headed to the theatre and flamboyantly (i.e. obnoxiously) took our seats. We laid low for a few songs, but once "Dancing Queen" came on, we were out of our seats dancing and singing and getting the rest of the theatre into it as well. (Apparently they weren't aware that they had bought tickets to the SING-ALONG...sheesh!). At one point, we MAY have made our way up to the front of the theater and we MAY have sang and danced (WITH our blow up microphones, courtesy of Julie) and had the crowd clapping and singing along. It was a totally blast and I had a stomach ache once it was over.

But, it wasn't over. Our friends who hadn't dressed up, decided that not enough of Provo had seen our transvestite ways and thought we needed to go to Denny's for a little extra exposure. So, after some cherries ;), milkshakes and an embarrassing close call, we headed home beginning to feel our age....which, I mentioned before is WAY past 17.....

Thanks ladies for an evening I won't soon forget. Here's a few pics I've gotten (I still can't find my camera) and once CARRIE sends me hers, I'll post those as well. ENJOY!!!

Those of you who know, can you tell who is who?

Our summer...

Well, I lied-- I said I would have these pictures up before my new semester started, but of course I kept putting it off and now, here I am at almost 2AM loading them onto my computer. But I knew I had to get it done before I got too far into the semester and ran completely out of time.


So, here is our summer and why our ward (church) thinks we've gone inactive. :) It was an amazing, fun filled summer. Joe left us for his internship in Colorado while I finished off my last couple weeks of school. My family came for their annual 4th of July visit to Utah and Joe was able to come home as well. After the 4th of July, Joe drove us out to Colorado to visit him and spend some time visiting our old stomping grounds. (Along the way I was of little worth as this was the beginning of what we like to call in our family, the "Twilight Obsession.") It was great to be together as a family and to see the beautiful state of Colorado. The kids and I were able to get in touch with old friends and see many great things. We rode the Pikes Peak train to the top of Pikes Peak (obviously), went to the zoo, swam in the hotel pool, got gum stuck in our hair (a first for our family) and rode another train in western Colorado--which, by the way, is one of the most breathtaking places I have ever been!


When our time in Colorado was over, we stopped home in Utah for the Jorgensen Family Reunion. We went to This Is the Place Park in Salt Lake and spent a bunch of time with family that we don't get to see very often.


Once our weekend was up here in Utah, we headed to Oregon where Joe would return to Colorado and I would take my position on the back burner while my kids ignored me and got spoiled by their Nana, Papa and Uncle Erik. It sounds like I'm bitter, but that is the furthest from the truth. Yeah, my kids need me for bedtime, mealtime and maybe a hurt feeling here and there, but other than that, they couldn't have cared less if I was there. My mom had them so busy going on nature hunts, dancing at the concert in the park, teaching Luke to play chess, and happily doing nickel chores around her house, that I was able to escape for a week to visit Joe in Colorado. There is something amazing about my kids going weeks without even a desire to watch television. They were so busy being creative and playing outside, they didn't have time for TV. It is going to be tough getting back into winter here in Utah and to find ourselves stuck inside with nothing but TV to watch. Anybody got any good ideas on how to help the winter pass without my children's brains turning to mush?


Anyway, it was so fun to spend time just me and Joe...and let me tell you that riding the airplane without a single child is something I haven't done for....oh 5 and 1/2 YEARS! I highly recommend it to all my mommy friends out there...you forget how relaxing a plane ride can be, just you, "Twilight" (for the second time--remember "Obsession"), an iPOD and the sky....seriously, it's therapy. Anyway, Joe and I had such a great time being geographically childless for a week, going out to dinner without the threat of embarrassment, meeting up with friends and staying out AS LATE AS WE WANTED, and hiking a couple crazy-high mountains!! (See pics) If I didn't love my kids so dang much, I might have just left them with my parents--it's not like they would've cared. :-)


Well, once Joe was finished with his internship, he and I road tripped it back to Utah where we parted ways again--he to Boy Scout Camp and me back to Oregon. When I returned to Oregon, I was happy to see that I had been sufficiently missed and that my children did, in fact, love me. They had such a great time, though! I am so grateful for parents who love my children so much that I can leave without worry and for the Army for keeping us away just long enough that the novelty my parents have for my children still hasn't worn off.


After camp, Joe met us back down in Oregon, where he and I were again able to take a few more days to spend at the coast at a cute little bed and breakfast he found for us. It was a perfect way to begin our busy lives again and rejuvenate our love for each other. As always, it was heartbreaking for all for us to have to leave Oregon, but my kids have been filled with memories and bonds that will last a life time.


Now, it's back to school for all of us but Kate! It's coming down to the end of mine and Joe's time in school and therefore our time here in Utah. We want to savor the last 10 or so months we have here and leave knowing we have gained some of the best friends we could have imagined.