moving...

Basically this blog has become useless. I just can't seem to keep up with everything. I am still blogging over at www.pameladonnis.com/blog though if you want to catch up with me.

Maybe I should update!

Well, it's been long enough, maybe I should update...

We're in Kentucky now! We've been here about 6 weeks, and we really love it. It's very different from what we are used to, but being here feels right, comfortable. Like home. And we haven't felt that way about any place we have ever lived.

Jared is loving his new job. He's teaching two sections of English and is the Writing Center Coordinator. It's perfect for him and although he sometimes comes home stressed (beginning of the semester is always so busy), he comes home really happy. And I love seeing that. It makes the sacrifice of going back to school worth it, and I know it was the right thing to do although I really dragged my feet and complained through a lot of it.

We have a cute 3-bedroom 2-bathroom house with a huge yard, and we love having more space. And I LOVE having a dishwasher again!

We attend a small but super friendly branch. Everyone has been so welcoming and being so far away from family has not been nearly as hard as I expected since we have this new "family." One thing I love about the church is that you have an instant family wherever you go. And the gospel is the same wherever you go. We're so blessed. Jared and I both got callings today. I am going to be the Activities Director, and will also do the weekly Sacrament Meeting programs (bulletin). And Jared is going to be Young Men's President. We're a little overwhelmed, but super excited. When the branch president visited us last week to ask us to serve, he told us that since this branch started (I think about 15 years) there has never been a missionary go out from this branch. Jared is a really great example for the young men because he is a returned missionary, married in the temple, and a college graduate. He blushes and thinks it's not really that big of a deal, but it is. Plus he's really good with teenagers and college-age kids, and they think he's cool. He'll do a great job.


This next part may be a little braggy, but hey, this is my blog, so I'm allowed to do that!


Ryan is almost 4. He is so verbal (like his daddy) and talks all day long. He's been reading for a few months now and loves books. Reading books together is one of our favorite things to do every day. And he is still obsessed with Thomas the train.


Emery is almost 2 and is talking quite a bit too. She is starting to put two or three words together. She knows all her colors and recognizes a lot of the letters in the alphabet. When we moved here we decided not to set up the crib, but to just put the mattress on the floor. She has been doing great in her big girl bed. Pretty soon we'll get Ryan a twin bed and Emery will get his toddler bed frame. She is also potty training right now. Seriously, already? I swear my baby girl was just born. She still has quite a few accidents, but has been doing really well. She hates wearing diapers, so luckily we have mostly wood and tile floors in case of those panty-wearing accidents. But please don't get me started on poop and our white carpets. I curse these carpets every day.... Luckily the carpet cleaner seems to take care of it. Ryan did this too. I don't get it.


And our newest little one will be here soon. About a month until my due date (October 1st). I'm really praying that she will be here sooner though because last week they did an ultrasound and she is already over 6 lbs. Ryan was 6 lbs. 7 oz. and Emery was 7 lbs. 3 oz., so I'm nervous about having an 8 or 9 pounder. And really, I'm not sure my body can stretch much farther (or is it further? I'll have to ask Jared...)


I'm super busy with all the above mentioned, plus tons of designing which is going very well. I'm going to be one of the featured designers at The Daily Digi next month, which I am very excited about!

Relief

Jared got the job!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kentucky, here we come...

(Yes, I'm very nervous, but I think it will be a great adventure!)

Moved out!

We're out. This move kicked my butt. Jared and I have now moved eight times in our eight years of marriage (hey, we like change!), but this time by far was the hardest. I guess cause we have two kids and I'm pregnant this time! Anyway, we're still waiting to hear back about the job, but the interview went really well, so we'll see. Although it's really hard to wait, I'm confident that it will work out if that's what's best for our family right now.

Have a design deadline weighing on my mind, and am desperately trying to get out of tired packing mode and back into creativity mode. So I made a couple of layouts tonight...

And don't you just want to eat her up? I so love those curls!

What a week...

Our apartment is basically empty--except for an air mattress, some toys, and duffel bags with our clothes. Jared left this morning for the airport. He's flying out to Kentucky for the second interview! Crossing our fingers and saying extra prayers. It's SOOO far away, but if no one has noticed, jobs are kind of hard to find right now, so we'll take what we can get. He gets back on Thursday and then that night we leave for Washington for the summer!

I just have to brag a little on my husband. This morning as he was rushing around to do last minute packing and preparing for his trip, he stopped to hold my hair while I puked my guts out. We were late leaving because of it, but it meant a lot to me that he would try to support me with all that he had on his mind.

Packing, packing, packing

Trip to the Zoo

We took a day off from packing to take the kids to the zoo! My sister Chelsea came up from Provo and we had a great time. I think Ryan's favorite part of the whole day was planning out the route and following the map. This kid's going to be an architect one day!

While we were there Jared received a call from Lindsey Wilson College in Kentucky, wanting him to fly out for a second interview! (His first interview was over the phone.) He was so excited he was jumping up and down in front of the giraffes. It was especially exciting because the day before he had gotten a letter from BYU-I letting him know someone else had been selected for the position and he was feeling depressed. In some ways it's a blessing we didn't get that job though, because it was for a one year position with the expectation that you will go on for your PhD the next year, and he wasn't sure that's exactly what he wanted to do. So he flies out to Kentucky next week. We aren't necessarily thrilled about the location, but the job opportunity is amazing. If chosen, he will be the Writing Center Director as well as teaching two composition classes at the college, which as he says "marry his two academic loves." It's a lot of responsibility, but he is very passionate about both, and I know he will be up for the challenge. Say some extra prayers for us!