thoughts on a sunday

• Finally, I think I'm back to doing these weekly posts again. It's been awhile!
• McKay had his official first day of preschool on Friday. He did great! He didn't have any problems, and although he didn't tell us much about it, he said he loved it. I can tell that this is going to be really good for him.
• Everyone here keeps warning us about the winters here. Like everyone. It's almost as if that's what you tell people who have just moved here. It's part of the welcoming conversation. I'm scared. I'm scared and I need more lamps.
• I need lamps because we found out that it is a common thing to not have an overhead light fixture in family rooms around here. Or master bedrooms for that matter! Our house doesn't have either and I can't get over why anyone every thought that would be okay to do in a house. Anyway, we're on the hunt for lamps.
• Ellery is talking up a storm. She is a very LOUD child. Most everyone thinks she's very quiet and shy, but not around us. She will sing songs to herself and repeat words over and over to herself and she progressively gets louder and louder. She's also lets us know when she's really serious about something she doesn't want to do by saying, "No. No way!"
• We took a guided tour of the Portland temple grounds today after church. Our guide told us that there are only 150,000 members in the state of Oregon. I was surprised by that. So it's interesting that our landlord sent in a carpet cleaner and we hired a random plumber out of the phone book and both of them happened to be LDS. Pretty crazy, huh?
• Speaking of the plumber, when he was here McKay wandered into the bathroom where he was working and was talking to him. I don't know all he said, but I do know that he asked, "Are we paying you?"
• I got a special package in the mail this week. It was a signed picture collage and notes from all my young women. How sweet is that? I miss those girls and the ladies I got to work with. Even though it was a stressful calling, I am so glad I got to do it and got to know all those wonderful girls and leaders. And part of me is so sad that I'm missing out on what they're doing now. I miss them. Thanks you guys- the pictures and notes brightened my week.
• Has everyone been over to my sister Jana's blog? She has some exciting news. I suppose it will only be exciting if you know her. Ask me how much it's killing me that I'm going to miss that? A lot.
• I've still been talking to my sisters, although not quite as often. Jana and I now feel happy about ending our conversations with "love you!" We didn't do that before, but now that I'm away we just sometimes want to.
• McKay played with our six year old neighbor girl yesterday. She invited him over to her house. That's the first time he's ever done that. It was weird for Brian and I and we worried. But he was so pleased to have a friend and to be playing with someone. It was very exciting for him.
• I guess right now the hardest part is not having a real regular routine, and being around each other ALL the time. There are moments when we have all just been around each other, with no interaction with other people, for too long. Me, Brian and the kids seem to have these moments. Luckily, we recover quickly. I know that soon we won't be seeing him much, so I really can't complain about seeing him too much. And that's why we don't have a regular routine, for those of you who are confused. Because Brian doesn't start school for a couple more weeks. So we're just here, hanging out and getting settled.

Happy Sunday!