It's official. Another year has passed leaving so many
memories and lessons in return.
January found us packing our things and getting ready to relocate.
Six months in an apartment was beginning to show its wear and tear. I was
beginning to look outside for rainbows sure I had re-enacted Noah boarding his
roomy ark with all of the wild animals he was entrusted with. Our six month
lease was up and we had some decisions to make. Sure, no one was complaining about
having a pool, clubhouse, home and yard maintenance at our fingertips but with
no backyard to release the tiger into (the apartment complex discouraged tigers
running around the park in his underwear) we just needed more space (Oh how I
miss my house...)
As usual, we were blessed to be able to find a rental home close
to Tiger's school and in the same ward so we could maintain our church
responsibilities and the children could go from 3 separate schools to all being
in one. There was my rainbow complete with the sweet dove flying about me
holding the olive branch. Though
the state was in a drought- we did see rain for a two week period- the exact
same two week period we had allowed ourselves to move- it's a good thing we
don't melt easily. February found
us in our new home and a trampoline was promptly purchased. (we had to leave
our first one with the house since it was placed in a hole dug into the
ground... oh how I miss my backyard...)
March rolled in and the sweet little dove holding the olive branched
pooped on my head. Monkey started to become sick to the point that she could
not attend school. Throwing up and shaking constantly I was one worried mamma.
I prayed, studied and prayed some more. I felt prompted to take her to a doctor
similar to the one that had helped me (oh, how I miss my doctor...) Turned out
she was suffering from severe anxiety complete with panic attacks and a dairy
allergy. Since her anxiety was seemingly related to school, she spent many
hours with me from there on out. Her teacher didn't fully understand everything
going on (either did I!) but she worked with us the best she could. I began my
appeal to have Monkey receive a formal evaluation so that she could get the
help she needed. (I miss the days where I could go to the temple for a few
hours...)
April proved to be costly (the 9th month in a row) as my trip to
Costco was cut short. Just as I pushed on the accelerator to merge on the
freeway, my transmission died. I coasted to a smooth stop dodging diesels and
fast moving traffic. My training and experience on autopia (and the teacups)
was well used. Luckily, no one was hurt and it happened before I made it to Costco so I managed to
save a couple hundred dollars and lost no meat in the process. We purchased a
new car and broke it in properly flooding the floors with goldfish and french
fries within the first week. And in case you missed it- Puppy got baptized!
What a wonderful day to share with her and family and friends! April is also
when I learned that Rhino was having an extremely difficult time adjusting to
the life of middle school. The hours I dropped Monkey off at school were spent
meeting with teachers and counselors about how to improve the support offered
in Rhino's current IEP. He was struggling in everything and was becoming more
anxious and developing ticks. The child that I had not seen stim for years was
beginning to resurrect old habits. Puppy had been throwing up for years. Her
little body was suffering for years with no answers and with the success I felt
with Monkey, I made an appointment for Puppy. Turns out, she gets more from her
mom than her freckles... she, too, is allergic to gluten, dairy and peanuts. (I
miss peanut butter sandwiches chased down with a cold glass of milk...)
May gave me my escape to Women's Conference where I returned to my
UT home and was able to wave to and hug friends that meant so much to me. Time
didn't allow for all of the reunions I hoped for but it was so good to be in my
old stomping grounds for a little while. The message I felt and heard and
continue to feel ever since was that Heavenly Father loves each one of his
children. Sometimes bad things happen to good people or even just things we
don't comprehend in this life but one thing we can rest assured with is that he
loves us and sometimes that's all we need to know to get through hard times. (I
miss being young and knowing everything...)
June came not a moment too soon and it was so nice getting my
family all to myself. Despite our earnest desires and preparations, we were not
able to put our house in UT on the market so we settled to remain in limbo here
a while longer. I was reminded that decisions don't always only affect the
people making them and found myself trusting (AGAIN) in God's plan (and mercy)
for me. Being content where we are can be a trial but a blessing. Mr. Zookeeper
planned and hosted a successful scout camp so other than prepping for that, we
just chilled. While having kids in school allows me time to do things for
myself, by myself- the constant calls, homework, meetings etc etc etc don't
always make that time feel like it's worth it. We rested, we slept, we played
and we detoxed. (I suddenly wasn't missing alone time...)
July was spent chasing down doctors and counselors for checkups
and evaluations. We played and enjoyed the freedom that a low key schedule
offers. I'd also like to add what an amazing job my husband was able to secure
by moving here. They have exceeded all of our expectations and become like
family to us. (I wasn't missing unemployment times 4 or in between difficult
jobs one bit...)
August found us trying to postpone the return to school and
schedules but some took the inevitable return harder than others. Tiger was
refusing to eat anything and lost 7 pounds. For a skin and bones boy- 7 pounds
might as well be a leg. Our doctor now recognized our faces, discovered a
gluten allergy and an ulcer caused by worry. (I thought I worried enough for
everyone!) My toll was due and I found that my body was working to remedy
thyroid issues and my insulin resistance was back up so I lost the luxury of
eating fruit to address my sweet tooth. It'll just be me and my sweet spirit I
guess... and spinach of course. Hope wasn't all lost- the beginning of the
month gave us a chance to visit family and laugh hard. Laughter is so good for
my soul- I try to get at least 5 servings a day. (I miss being close to family
but I missed my cozy bed too so it was easier to pack up and head back home...)
September was a whirlwind. We celebrated 14 years of marriage
(what an amazing guy to put up with me for that long and still counting!) Mom
came and stayed with the kids while Mr. Zookeeper and I escaped to a mountain
retreat hosted annually by our new family of employers and we did nothing.
Literally. There was so much to do around us but we slept, we read, we ate and
we talked. It was WONDERFUL! I worked hard to get Monkey situated and Puppy
comfortable at yet another new school. Tiger spent a lot of time with me until
his ulcer could somewhat heal and oh yeah, Rhino started homeschooling again (Tiger
will join him in 2015). (I wasn't missing much at this point- just my
sanity and I parted ways with that years ago...)
October looked a lot like September but left me one year older and
wiser too. It might have had something to do with being in my Junior year of
college (YAY!) or perhaps my memorization of the parental rights booklet I had
so many copies of but hey, I am smarter now than I was a year ago. Halloween
happened even without sewing every costume last minute and we packed ourselves
for our...
November trip to Disneyland! Oh what fun. We stayed in a rental
house that my cousin owns with my brother, sister and their families. Then, we
met up in the park with almost the rest of my family. (We missed you- you know
who)! Tiger still wasn't eating much and cost us a lot of money in overpriced
french fries. Monkey's anxiety was elevated so she spent most of the time in a
stroller that my sister worked hard to secure for me and in spite of having
been thrown off my groove by the Kardashian mom, a power outage and more
crowding due to school holidays in other states- you can't help but be happy in
the (second) Happiest place on Earth! We spent Thanksgiving with just our small
family and enjoyed eating way too much in our pajamas. (I don't miss long car
rides...)
December. WHAT? Is it really December already?!? This post is
past making it's way to bathroom reading and I haven't even mentioned a
fraction of our year! As time passes, it's easy to miss the good old times. My life
has been so filled with blessings that if I spent too much thinking about it- I
would have a really long list of wonderful things to miss simply because they pass by so quickly. But, as time goes on
and we receive new blessings, I recognize the importance of seasons. Here I can
grow food much longer without the threat of snow or frost. Still, fresh
tomatoes and strawberries lose their appeal when you're roasting the turkey. We
have times and seasons for a reason and with infinite knowledge and love, we
have a caring Heavenly Father who allows our seasons to change for a reason- to
bring in more crops and more blessings. 2014 taught me many things. I would
have never imagined spending the year in a new unfamiliar state but would not have traded
it because of everything (and everyone) I have gained. (I'm still working on
what to learn from pooping doves other than taking cover...)
Mr. Zookeeper went from ward young men's president to stake young men's president. He has adjusted well to his new job and has proven yet again what a great father and husband he can be complete with foot rubs for mom. Joining the local cross fit gym, he enjoys throwing tires around and sweating- a lot. Rhino (13) performed in not only a choir performance (where he sang a solo) but also as Poseidon in Theseus and the Minotaur. Sadly, he lost his dear friend, little Crawler (leopard gecko) but also gained Lady Crawler (leopard gecko) and Dracoanna (bearded dragon). He continues to learn and freely share all things reptile and is anxiously awaiting a snake... he will be waiting a long time. Tiger (10) is still hiding his secret identity as the Flash and when he's not saving the world he's decorating it in drawings and pipecleaners. Not growing much, he still sports the pajamas look and underwear. The outfit was topped off with a Santa hat from 12/1-12/25... he even slept in it and tried to bathe in it as well. He is now a reader and is working on taking over the world in another dimension. Puppy (8) is gearing up for braces. She has had her expander in for 3 months and says she's ready to just get started already. She is a beautiful beach bum with gorgeous locks of brown hair she hates to comb but refuses to cut. A friend to everyone, Puppy loves to do just about anything and continues to be a big helper to mom. She now acknowledges that her greatest talent (besides being there for Tiger) is that of being a gamer. Her and dad have spent many hours mining and ridding the cyber world of bad guys. Monkey (6) is starting to enjoy kindergarten even though they don't have scheduled naps. She is a force to be reckoned with when she is determined and can melt you with her laugh and smile. Learning to read and write, she fills the house with letters and drawings. True to her name- she has mastered the monkey bars at school and likes to be active. This Zookeeper is happy, healthy and having a wonderful time watching her family learn and grow. I am continuing my education in between the cracks and finally declared a minor in family, child and human development. I enjoy teaching the 6 turning 7 year olds at church and love taking naps.
So the cycle continues as we say goodbye to one year and hello to the next. The rains come down and the floods come up, but the house on the
rock stands still. I am grateful for a testimony and personal relationship of
my Savior, Jesus Christ. He has been my constant companion this last year. As I
reflect on each month, it seems that there would be a lot of reasons to
complain or whine but I cannot. Because aside from a few days in between- I
just remember being happy and blessed! Christ offers a peace not of this world and I feel
it in my life- every. single. day. Times have been challenging and the
adversary has been hard at work but primary songs don't lie and I know my Savior lives. Noah built his ark
before the rain and I am grateful for the people, education, talents and
blessings that the Lord has given me to weather the storms of my life. With
every storm comes a rainbow and where water falls, life grows. (And I don't
want to miss anything...)
