Where have I been?!

You may have noticed that I haven't posted here for two years.

Two years! 

I can hardly believe it. I've been experiencing something of a desert in my writer's soul. And I have not been able to figure out how to balance my creative pursuits with being a mom. Being a mom has won out and I'm okay with that. But I'm hoping to write (and post!) more often. We'll see...

Meanwhile, here is what's been going on!

2Flowers started Kindergarten in 2015. We often walked to or from school. She made friends, and I got involved with the PTO. We loved her school. We found out that Darren's dad and uncle attended the school when it was new! I love connections to history and family like that!

In December 2015, Darren quit his security job. Within a month of giving his notice, he had a new job in the Environmental Restoration branch at Teichert. During 2016 he sprayed lots of weeds and got to work outside most of the time. He also got to work on a mapping project and design a study on medusahead. He had great co-workers and supervisors and goes back to visit as often as he can.

I got pregnant in February 2016. It was a difficult pregnancy because we were preparing to move and I hadn't wanted to be pregnant until after we were settled in our new location. Darren was accepted to the Rangeland Management program at Humboldt State University. I was excited to move back to Humboldt County! I tried to pack (and get rid of Stuff!) but it was really hard. I just wanted to sleep! And to stop feeling nauseous.

In June, 2Flowers and I went to Humboldt to look for a place to live. We looked for two months and I had almost given up hope on finding a place to live. Finally, one landlord approved our application and we jumped on it. By then it was August. Darren and Oreo had joined us in Humboldt and we were all sleeping on my dad's floor. Darren's semester started within a week of our move-in date, and 2Flowers started 1st grade a week later.

My original plan involved me unpacking and setting up house during my second trimester. But I was in my third trimester by the time I actually got to start homemaking. My allergies were exceptionally awful over the summer and fall. I wasn't able to make much progress on the house. I was pretty sick by October and one prenatal appointment ended in a trip to the hospital because my OB was so worried about me.

Baby #3 was due on November 25th, But he came early. He was pre-term by one day and super healthy. The doctors let me hold him while I was still on the operating table. I snuggled him for a bit, but felt very weak. My anesthesiologist asked if I'd like to go to sleep and that sounded very nice to me. Darren held our new baby for three hours while the doctors worked on me. Darren said he wasn't worried until they called in the head doctor (who wasn't on duty). I lost so much blood the doctors gave me a blood transfusion. (I can now attest that giving blood saves lives, because I'm pretty sure that it saved mine.)

Darren was in the middle of his semester still, and his schedule had him away from home twelve hours a day, five days a week. Things would have completely fallen apart if we hadn't had help. God sent us to an amazing ward with friends that I already knew and new friends just waiting to wrap us in their arms. He sent us to neighbors who would watch over us and our kids. And He let Darren's brother, Jeremy, become unemployed so he would be available to come and live with us and take care of us for two months.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Now I've got to write again. Right? I've got to tell you more details about the baby. And about our new friends. And about the adventures Darren has already been on at school. And about the crazy epic road trip I'm planning for this summer... I don't think I have any profound or inspiring thoughts to share. But I do have lots of adventures to tell you about.