Guymon, Oklahoma

Well here we are...Guymon, Oklahoma with one week under our belts. So far, so good. I have had a few impressions over the last week. First, leaving home (and yes home will always and forever be Utah, no matter how bad the winter is and that it seems a never ending torture come April...oh wait...no May and it is still snowing) sucks. Saying good bye to every person that I love was terrible. Terrible in a way that I haven't known terrible before. Saying good bye is a good way to help you realize how much you love someone.

Mom and Dad I love you, I love you, I love you! Take care of each other...take care of yourselves...take a break on occassion. Oh and make sure you take some computer lessons so we can Skype, everyday, if need be.

The Jones Crew...Scotty, I love that I am reminded of you every time my kids watch the Incredibles (which has been more times than I would like to admit this week). I love that I can't hardly remember much of my life without you in it! Take care of my sister, she needs you! Oh yeah and next time you go to Magic Mountain I'm coming too!!

Shannon, my little sis, I love you so much. I love the way you talk and talk and talk...it makes me happy, really! Make sure you add my new number to your fave five so I can keep listening and listening and listening. Thanks for all you do for me (even mopping my floors until midnight). You're awesome, keep your chin up, and I love you!

Logan stop growing...right now...I'm serious. If I come home and you have turned even more into a man I'm going to have a heart attack! Tommy said to me the other day, "Mom, when I'm Logan's age I'm going to be a man huh?" I said, "That's true buddy." And unfortunately it is! So stop it, now! Remember if ever you need to chat about zits, or braces, or even chicks you can always give me a call. I love you buddy!

Cole...Cole...Cole! How is my handsome man? I'm going to miss you dude! Keep working hard in school. Try to stay out of your Mom's hair. Work hard on the guitar because I fully expect you to play me a sweet serenade when I see you again (i.e. Oregon...July...get working on it). I love you!

Brin! My girl! I'm so sorry I will miss your baptism! I can't even believe it! But you better believe that I will be thinking about you here in dusty Oklahoma. I can't believe you are turning into a little lady! Be smart, be good, and make your Mom paint your nails at least once a month. I love you sister!

Saige, I love you little one. Make sure you keep your siblings in line, oh and Oreo too. Make Daddy get Skype going so you can talk to Maddie. Lots of love!

The Wilding Crew, Greg, even though your my brother and even though our family is so into non-emotional interactions, I want you to know that I love you. I have always appreciated the example you have been to me and the help you have given to me over the years. Make sure you practice up on your ping pong so next time we play you can actually win.

Juneal, I love you! I can't believe I won't be around as you face another round of raising a baby. Get lots of rest, take it easy, don't stress, and enjoy that little girl (she is going to change too fast). I am going to miss you Juneal! I am going to miss just showing up at your house unexpectedly...you apologizing for the mess (although there isn't one)...but inviting us in anyway and almost always feeding us dinner too. I love you.

Kaden and Karson, my dynamic duo. I'm still laughing about going to church with you two and having Grandma's Bishop say, "They look like twins." And then being dumbfounded when I say, "They are, literally." I love that you two are so different! Just know that I can't even look at a Just Dance 2 without crying right now. I'll miss you two, incredibly. Take care of each other and don't fight!

Rachel, I love you little girl! Make sure Daddy and Mommy send me lots and lots of pix! Stay safe, stay healthy, and I will hold you in July.

Wilding Crew 2, BJ, thanks for everything. You have been the stalwart big brother throughout this change for me and my family. You have helped me be brave and stride forward into the unknown. I love that I can always come to you with spiritual questions, frustrations, and concerns. I love you tons and tons and tons.

Angie, sit down, right now, because I'm sure you are running around busy, busy, busy. Stop right now, kick your feet up for at least 5 seconds, and take a deep breath. Take care of yourself especially right now. I love you Angie thanks for always being a friend.

Brittany, Hannah, and Sarah, hey girls! I hope life in Boise is treating you three good! I want all of you to keep getting smarter and smarter. Work hard in school. Read lots of books. Make sure you practice the piano, a lot (because if you ever move to Guymon, Oklahoma you just might be the only one at church who knows how to play). Brit-keep running, faster and faster. Hannah, keep kicking booty at soccer and pretty soon I'll be trying to play as good as you! Sarah, sweet Sarah, I love you little girl. Be good to your mom you three! I love you!

Wilding Crew 3, Tom, hey there my biggest brother.Thanks for helping me so much at my house. I appreciate it. Thanks for being a good ear when I needed it. Keep enjoying those Saturday classes...don't worry they will eventually end. I love you!

Jen, hey pretty lady! I love you sister. Make sure you take care of yourself and your kids, oh and take care of my brother too...I know he's a handful but I think you can manage him. One of these days we will have to have another botox party (I am slightly depressed now that my forehead muscles are working again). Love you.

Bailey, Layla, and Gavin, hey kiddos! I love you guys! Be good! Be good in school! Be good to each other! Be good to your Mom and Dad! Oh and be happy too. Lots of hugs to each of you! I love you!

Wilding Crew 4, Russ, I hope you're not still mad at me. I love you Russell...You know I do. Keep dancing and some day you will be as good as me (actually you probably won't but I don't want to dash any chance of happiness you may have toward dancing right now). I will see you, your Wii, and Just Dance 2 in July.

Megan, thanks for everything! You were so much help at my house, thank you, thank you, thank you. Thanks for being a life long friend, literally. Take care of yourself, be patient through potty training, and be happy every single day. I love you!

Pret, I love you buddy...The next time I see you I am going to tickle, tickle, tickle you... all day long.

So here is the deal, all of you, my siblings, take care of Mom and Dad for me. Visit more often! Call and just show up to say hi. They won't ask for much help so you need to find out if they need it and then give it all the time. I know that you all live a little ways away but I need you to take care of them. I don't think we will ever say to ourselves, "Gosh you know I should have spent more time working in my yard or cleaning my house." But I am sure we might eventually say, "Gosh I'm an idiot, why didn't I hang out with Mom and Dad just a little bit more."

I love all of you and am already looking forward to Oregon...So be there...okay?

I will miss all of our good friends, all of Tommy's little friends, and of course the Barton Creek Ward. We'll be back though...I'm sure of that!


Well, now, back to Oklahoma...Give me a moment, I need to quit blubbering like a baby so I can see the computer screen. I was initially talking about impressions...the first one took me a while to express. Here is the second, Oklahoma is a flat and quite barren. It is slightly or maybe moderately sacrilige to say, especially on a Sunday, but I think maybe God was a bit lazy, or maybe just tired by the time he came to the midwest. "Hmmm," He said, "Let's just flatten this part out and be done with it."


So here it is, beautiful, lush Oklahoma. As we crossed the state line to our new home. We said to Tommy, "Here is Oklahoma!" He thought about it for a minute and said, "Where are all the people?"

Really though the few people that we have met have been genuinely kind. I think most of the people here in Guymon are religious they just don't go the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they attend one of the other hundred churches in this tiny town.

Tommy and Maddie have been troopers! They did great on the drive (I don't know how parents survived road trips prior to portable DVD players, it would have been a miserable torture without Tangled, Mega Mind, The Incredibles, Despicable Me, Tangled Again, The Letter Factory, Mulan II, Tangled Again, Shark Tale, and oh yeah, Tangled yet again). They have both done well with the transition. Tommy has even made a new friend but for the most part they just play (or torment) each other.

Brayten is doing well. He seems to be enjoying his new job and the challenges that go with it. He works long days but we get to hang out on the weekends and enjoy one another's company. Much to my dismay he still thinks about hunting. He has already been planning pig and white tail hunting...Fun huh?

I am hanging in there (by the way I had been crying for half of the day in the above picture, hence I look like I've been crying for half of the day, I hope you don't mind). The first few days were slightly, or incredibly rough. Between nasty toilets, huge spiders (seriously huge spiders, including a black widow), fear of rattlesnakes, unpacking two times over by myself, not really having our own place to stay, I have had a hard time. But, and that is a big BUT, I'm doing better. I am finding my own nitch in this tiny town. I'm even starting to memorize the one big store in town, Walmart... I have been to Walmart more in the last week than I have been in my life. I am confident that things will work out for the best. We even attended church this morning. We sat through Sacrament meeting and then I was called into the Branch President's office... A new calling already... Primary President (I suppose it is slim pickings out here...but I will do my best). So I should have plenty to do here in Guymon.






Tommy is happy as long as he has bugs to catch...and there are plenty of them. Maddie is happy as long as she has naughty things to try and eat, naughty things to try and climb, and general mischief to make everyday. So we're okay here in OK. Oh, and Dad, I saw a BSA bumper sticker here in town, so Oklahoma can't be too bad right?

I love all of you and can't wait to see you soon!!! Wish us luck! XOXOXO