Neanderthals and Cupcakes

Yesterday, I read a post on Facebook by a friend who had recently fallen down in front of the grocery store while holding her toddler.  There were no serious injuries, with the exception of my friend's favorite jeans (may they rest in peace), but my friend and her baby both spent a few moments shedding some tears on a bench in front of the store. 

My initial reaction was sadness that I wasn't there that day to help my friend up off the ground and give her a hug.  But, what bothered me even more was the fact that some dude saw the whole thing happen and he didn't even pause to help her up or ask if she and her baby were ok.  Seriously??!!??

I have since come to the conclusion that Neanderthals still exist and and walk among us, and this uncaring grocery-store "dude" was one of them.  My guess is that he looked something like this:

I had my own encounter with one of these prehistoric oafs a few months back on Savannah's birthday.  Savannah had been attending preschool at Snow College, and she would be celebrating her 4th birthday.  So, I thought it would be adorable to bring birthday cupcakes for her to share with her friends.  I spent hours the night before baking, frosting and applying sprinkles to scads of mini cupcakes.  I carefully packaged them for their journey to preschool the next morning. 

However, when I arrived, I realize that I would probably need some help carrying the cupcakes and Vivian through the double-glass doors leading into the school.  As I examined my plight, I met eyes with a college-aged boy who was volunteering that day.  He did nothing but stare at me with an expressionless face while I tried to balance hundreds of cupcakes and a squirmy toddler.  I sensed right away that he wasn't going to walk two feet to open the door for me, so I convinced myself that I could do it on my own.  Nope. 

Viv wiggled just as I was getting the first door open, and naturally, the cupcakes went crashing to the ground.  I prayed in vain that at least a few would be spared.  Again - Nope. I glanced up at the boy who had watched everything without a so much as an eye twitch, and the focus of my prayers shifted to keeping my composure so I wouldn't be tempted to ram the cupcakes up his nostrils.

I found a gross cupcake substitute at the nearby Wal-Mart - cupcakes with blue frosting.  But let's be honest.  Preschoolers don't care about quality.  A cupcake is a cupcake, and it always tastes better when served on a Tinkerbell plate.

The kids sang Happy Birthday to Savannah, and we played in the beautiful leaves before heading home. 

 

Met any Neanderthals in your neck of the woods?

Small Town Livin'

Living with my family in Mayfield, UT has learned me taught me a lot about small town life.  Although I lived in an even smaller town until I was 12, I had forgotten what can happen to a sociological group when imprisoned in small clusters by miles of pasture land and a limited dating pool.

Just in case you ever find yourself in a farming town with a population of 400 people or less, here is a list of things you may not be adequately prepared for:

1.  Everyone knows everything about everyone else...or, at least, they think they do.





2.  The bigger the truck, the bigger the jerk.



3.  Big trucks are actually really, really fun to drive.  (Try not to think about #2)

4.  If your car goes off the road....

you have about 30 seconds before Brawny men appear out of nowhere to assist you. 

5.  If you want your mail, you must drive a mile to the post office to pick it up

6.  If you don't want to fire up your big truck just to get your mail, simply drive your four wheeler.

  

Please note:  Driving a four wheeler instead of a big truck to the post office does not preclude you from obeying the speed limit of 15 mph assigned specifically to four wheelers and snow mobiles

7.  Mullets will always be in style, so start growing yours now so it will be nice and thick by the time you pull into town

8.  Livestock outnumbers humans by at least 100 to 1

9.  Everywhere you go, warning signs for deer crossings line the roads.  However, as I ponder the landscape, I can't help but wonder if the deer are just trying to commit suicide by leaping in front of big trucks????

And last but not least, 

10.  It is more shocking to discover that your neighbor is a Democrat vs. a Polygamist.

Here's a bonus vocabulary lesson!

• The use of proper grammar is unnecessary and sometimes confusing to others - over time, you will notice yourself using words like "aint".  Don't fight it.  Just go with the flow.
• Tuesday is pronounced "Toos-dee" and Wash is pronounced "Worsh"
• Vegetarian = you will eat the mashed potatoes that accompany your enormous steak
• Vegan = "V-Gun...what's a V-Gun?  Got to get me one of them!"
• If you come across a group of men, refer to them as boys.  For example, "Heya boys!"  If you are talking with a girl, always refer to her as "hon".

Hope this list helps you feel more prepared when you visit me in Mayfield.  Hope to see you soon!

Been gone for awhile

I've put this entry off long enough, and with a New Year's Resolution to update the blog every week, I can't put it off anymore. The last few months have been painful, and I haven't wanted to write about them. But, some day, I know I'm going to look back on them and find something to be thankful for. It always works like that, doesn't it?

I'm currently living in UT with my 2 kiddos, my mom and two sisters...and no Hyrum. No, we're not separated, and yes, we DO want to live together. That's the first thing people ask (or at least they think it and don't dare ask) so I thought I would just get that out of the way.

It all started about a year ago when Hyrum was looking for a better job and came across the training programs offered by the National Guard. He decided to apply and begin taking their litany of tests and physicals to see if he would qualify for anything interesting. We were excited to learn that he scored in the highest percentile on the basic tests. Consequently, he qualified to take another rigorous test for language studies, which he also passed! We found out later that only a very small percentage of people pass this test, so Hyrum definitely had something to feel proud of.

What an answer to our prayers! Not only would Hyrum get some training for a career that he would really enjoy, but he would be well paid during training!! It felt like such a miracle, and we made preparations to change our lives accordingly.

The plan was for him to go to boot camp on Aug. 2nd, then Military Intelligence training in October, and finally Arabic school in Monterrey, CA for 18 months. We were SOOO excited for this adventure and the opportunity for Hyrum. I've never been more proud of Hyrum or happier for him.

So, when he left for boot camp, we both quit our jobs and ended our leases for our car and apartment. Everything was lined up for the next two years. However, when he got to boot camp, they found a tiny problem w/ one of his eyes, and told him he would need to be discharged. The Guard knew about it before, but thought it wouldn't be a problem. Apparently, the Army was far more picky.

He spent weeks in limbo at boot camp hearing the Army say he was disqualified, and also hearing the National Guard say they would fight to keep him in their program. When we learned that the Army was overstaffed already by 115%, we knew they were just trying to weed people out, and that he would definitely be coming home.

I've never been more deflated, depressed, angry, worried, frustrated, disappointed, confused, and hurt in my life! Our miracle was suddenly gone in a flash. Instead of our adventure, I was enveloped in chaos of thought. What now? Should I go back to work? Should Hyrum go to school? Should we move in with family? Should Hyrum look for a new job?

The worst part was not being able to discuss any of this with Hyrum, because he wasn't allowed to use the phone. I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders, and I felt completely alone and helpless. Worst of all, I felt abandoned by God. Why did He open the doors to this amazing opportunity for us and then slam the door once we started to walk through?

By the time Hyrum got home, we only had days to figure out what to do. We simply didn't have money to start a new apartment least or to buy another car. We tried to renew our lease for the apartment, but there was already a new renter in place. We decided that I would find a full-time job, and Hyrum would go to school full time. But every time I looked for a job, I got a sick feeling that it was the wrong thing to do.

So, we decided that he should stay in Seattle with his family and keep working for UPS, since he gets great benefits there and is next in line for a full-time driver position, and I would live with my family in Utah. My dad drove up to Seattle in his truck and drove the kids, our meager belongings and me to the tiny village of Mayfield, UT. And here we've been since the end of August.

Many people can't understand why I'm being so "selfish" and not using my CPA license to support us. But I know what it's like for kids in daycare, since my mom did it for 18 years, so I can't do it to my kids. And I can't deny the sick feeling I get whenever I look for a job, so the other option is to stay faithful that Hyrum will get a better job or a promotion soon, and we will be together again.

In the time I've been here, my dad passed away, and I have learned a lot about living in a tiny town. More about those things later...

Anyways, that is an update on where I've been and where I am today. Everyone tells me it's all for a reason. I know that in my head, but my heart is still hurting. I'm still have a hard time trusting Heavenly Father or staying positive.

Have you ever felt really, really let down by God before? If so, how did you deal with it? How did you recover your faith?