Life in Lubbock.....

.....Lots of words, and one picture......

Well, I finally caught up on my blog. So, be sure to scroll down and see all the new stuff. There are new posts all the way back to September....yeah, I was that far behind. I am hoping to keep updated a little better, especially for my family and friends back home (not that really anyone else even reads this).

We are settled into our new house, and as unpacked as we are gonna get for the next several years. In moving, we had to downsize quite a bit, so we still feel a little cramped and lots of stuff will remain in boxes in the garage for the time being. Needless to say, I really miss my house back home! Oh and my yard for sure......our new yard is teeny tiny and full of weeds. But, we have a great house, in a nice and quiet neighborhood, and everything is very conveniently located.

The girls love their new school, and so far I've been very impressed. Both girls are still excelling in their school work, and seemed to have picked up the new curriculum and systems very quickly.


School has also started for Jeremy, and boy, it's been tough and intense. He's got some very difficult classes, and they take all of his time and focus and energy! According to his adviser, this semester, and the next should be some of his toughest overall. We cross our fingers and pray daily that he can make it through this semester with good grades and his sanity still intact.


Our new ward is HUGE to say the least. Much bigger than us small town kids are used to. But it is a great, welcoming, and very friendly ward. The kids love their primary teachers and classes, and Kallie loves nursery! She goes straight in, and doesn't cry a peep. The only time she throws a fit is when it is time to leave and go home. Neither Jeremy or I have a calling yet, so that's been a bit weird. I think this is the longest either one of us has ever gone without a "job" to do. Also, one of the best parts of Lubbock is seeing the Temple on a daily basis! We can see the Angel Moroni shining high every day when we take the girls to school. And, our church is right in front of the temple, so every time we go to church we are fortunate to see it. It's been great for the kids to recognize and see The House of the Lord on a daily basis. Jeremy and I have also felt very fortunate to be able to increase our attendance. It's been absolutely wonderful to have such a blessing only 5 minutes away......one that I hope to take full advantage of for the next several years while we are here!

Now, I must mention (for those of you on facebook, you've heard this before), the people here are amazing. Seriously!!! The hospitality, kindness, generosity, and love we have received is overwhelming! I am loving this southern hospitality. Even my kids have noticed a significant difference in the way people act in general. Kourtney told me she loves Texas because everyone is so nice, Drew said he likes to go to Wal-mart (yes Wal-mart) because they smile a lot there, and Lexi said she loves Lubbock because everyone says please and thank you all the time and she likes it when people have good manners. Now don't get me wrong, I love my hometown, and the people there. But I must admit that overall, people here are much happier and more friendly. It's such a refreshing thing!

Perhaps the only drawback of living in west Texas is the wind! It blows all the time! Day and night! No matter what the temperature is, the wind is blowing. And the dust storms, courtesy of our friend the wind. On the really dusty days, it's best just to stay inside, even if it is 70 degrees outside. West Texas is very FLAT, so there is nothing to stop or slow down that darn wind. But overall, we love being here. It's been a good change for our family, and one that I know will pay off in the long run.


We do miss our family like crazy! It's been tough not being next door to my mom and sister! And Drew and Kallie are going nuts without their BFF cousins to play with every day. And crafting and Hobby Lobby just isn't the same without Meggie and KK. All four kids miss their grandparents very much! Drew asks all the time to go have a boy party with grandpa and watch cartoons. Thank goodness for FaceTime......we love being able to FaceTime frequently with everyone!


Now, what's an update without a picture, right?! So here is a completely unrelated picture of my sweet baby girl and her infamous cheesy grin. I just love these messy, squishy, chubby cheeks!