June pics and our Transition

This month...

Emmett found his fingers. He'll still take a binky but really prefers his fingers.

The boys sporting their Cardinal wear

Sleepy Sunday mornings

Keith's parents brought out some of his old toys and the girls had a blast playing with them.

On our second trip to the aquarium. I didn't manage to take any photos while we were actually there but we had fun. We stopped at Ikea afterwards to eat dinner and buy a few things for the apartment. The girls were squished on the way back with a long box that wouldn't fit in the trunk.

 I'm just in love with this sweet boy and his cute faces. He is SO happy. He's very generous with his smiles and Kenzie is the best at getting him to giggle. Nursing is FINALLY better.

She is such a mess when she eats. She has to explore every food and when she's done, she has to lick the plate/bowl clean.

Just a picture of my cute girl. She is at such a fun stage and I love all her little expressions. Please stay sweet when you're 2!

Transition: I don't like to complain but I do like to document real life, my thoughts and feelings. I knew I would be sad to leave Kentucky but I didn't get a chance for it to sink in until we were in settled in our apartment, the company was gone, and Keith was a working man again. The loneliness was almost unbearable at first. I was used to a complex full of friends and young women who stayed home all day with their children. My kids had friends, I had social interaction, I couldn't ask for more. It was a unique situation I know we will likely never have again.

Here, I found myself in an unfamiliar city in an apartment complex I didn't feel entirely safe in, without friends. There was a lot of crying and frustration. Sunday's usually leave me lonelier than ever because I miss the familiarity of our old ward. I also haven't had anyone sit by me in Relief Society yet. After a couple weeks, I made the effort to sit by someone and try to make conversation but I'm usually one of the first ones in there and will purposely sit in the middle of a row. It's so dumb and I know that I can branch out and try to sit by others but sometimes, I want them to recognize the new girl and try to make some effort. Our ward is a good size and they don't have a lot of move-ins. Most of the people have a relative or two in the ward. There are plenty of primary kids and a decent nursery but most of the kids are the youngest of other siblings. I seem to be one of the youngest women in the ward and the first Sunday I had a girl tell me if she had three kids at home all day she would hole up and cry. It seems everyone thinks my life is just too chaotic and busy to want friends or a life. It totally doesn't help that I'm pretty shy. We were car-less that first month so I couldn't go anywhere but I also wasn't invited to the daily activities. Plenty of older women in the ward told me how the young girls got together all the time for play dates but I didn't manage to meet anyone who invited me to them.

Two months later I still don't know if I have visiting teachers and haven't been assigned a route. It's just very different from our move to Kentucky where I was welcomed with open arms and made friends quickly with other girls who had young children.

I think this transition would have been hard regardless of where we moved. I'm still not in love with Atlanta but it is growing on me. I miss the Kentucky blue grass and the small town feel. I struggle sometimes being so far from family. It was especially hard to miss out on my brother Caleb's mission farewell a month after we moved. Money has been stressful and getting our affairs in order has been stressful. Emmett is sleeping through the night but I am not. I need to learn how to chill out again!

Now for the good parts. I feel like I am closer to my children. I play with them more and I make sure to take them out. I may have 3 kids 4 and under but that doesn't mean we can't go to the park and play or go to the library where there are plenty of nursing friendly chairs. 

Keith's schedule is wonderful! It's so nice to have him home around 5:30 or 6 and have nothing else to really worry about. I'm grateful we have a pool to swim in and that Kenzie was able to secure a spot in preschool. I'm grateful for a kind home teacher who invited us to his house last week for a date night. I'm grateful for the sweet single mom in my complex who brought me dinner one night because the Spirit told her to. I'm grateful for the missionaries. They helped us move in and it sounds funny, but they are the only ones who make this city feel a little bit like home. I'm grateful for Keith's boss and his concern for my happiness.

I recognize that though all of this has been hard, there are harder trials my friends are passing through right now. I have a blessed life and I'm grateful for the perspective the Gospel gives me and I know that time will heal our broken spirits and I will have peace and comfort in my life again.