Goodbyes

I do believe Blogger hates me. It ate my last blog post and hasn't given it up yet, so I think it's gone for good. And I don't have the energy to post all those pictures again. Suffice it to say that life has been good and we are eating lots of chocolate chips and watching lots of Friday Night Lights and Downton Abbey, and enjoying the springtime weather (except for the allergies that unceasingly plague Harry's nasal passages).

Speaking of goodbyes, which we weren't, let it be known that I can't stand them.

Another school year is ending for our family ward here in Stanford/Palo Alto/Menlo Park, and it's all shades of depressing.

I was visit taught for the very last time today by these two fantastic ladies.



We all moved into this ward at the same time two years ago. We're all the same age and all graduated from BYU, but never knew each other while we were there. And they have been my visiting teachers since we moved into this ward. They've brought me cookies and always made me feel so loved and made it clear they were looking out for me. They helped us move, mourned with me while I looked for work, prayed for me when I kept getting sick over and over again. And in the next 2-3 weeks, we're all moving away. While Harry and I will be back for one more school year after this summer ends, these two will be on to bigger and better things, like the Bar exam, doctoral degrees, and this elusive "setting up roots in a permanent place" thing that people do when they aren't students anymore.

This is happening all over our ward right now. Women I have become good friends with and have looked up to over the last two years are kissing student housing goodbye and moving with their adorable families to other parts of the country, into actual homes (with actual dishwashers, laundry machines, driveways, garages, and multiple bedrooms). And while I'm so happy that everyone has a bright and cheery future, it's completely crumbling my heart into tiny grainy pieces.

And I'm really bad at saying goodbye to people in these situations. I can't stand it. It's probably not a good quality but it's easier for me to just let all this moving away happen without any big hurrahs. But let it be known that I will continue to blog stalk all my wonderful women and watch their kids get even more adorable and plentiful, and I'll be even more thrilled I got to spend a chunk of my life in their company.

If there's a Menlo Park Ward Alumni Association in Heaven, I hope there's a big party planned for when we're all there someday. I will bring chocolate chip cookies or a bundt cake or lemon bars.

The Sarrison download.

The last few weeks have been busy!

I've been really blessed to be able to find work-- since the company I worked for since we moved here dissolved, I've only had about 2 total weeks of unemployment. I'm currently working nearby in Mountain View and I'm really enjoying it! I'm on a recruiting team for a technology start-up company, something I'd never done before. It's so funny to look across the room at the Assistant/Receptionist's desk and identify so much more with what she's doing, and yet I have my own completely different projects that I work on. It's been a nice change.

Other notables: We saw. The. Paul. Simon. In. San. Francisco.





Memborable songs: "The Sound of Silence," "The Only Living Boy In New York," "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover," "Still Crazy After All These Years," and the song that I haven't been able to get out of my head since the concert, "Dazzling Blue."

We went kayaking at Shoreline Park with some Law School friends. It reminded me how weak I am, mainly because of the sheer amount of sweat I produced while rowing.




We were also able to skip down to Irvine at the last second for Merzy's delicious little baby's blessing. I was so thrilled I got to spend a few days with Jude. He's such a dreamy and loving baby. Bonus: Because Harry's brother married my sister's husband's sister (it's aaaaall very confusing), we got to see some extra Reynolds and Hayes people, which is always a magical delight.
















The weekend included copious amounts of snuggling, giggling, biking, morning walks, South Coast Plaza (we always-- ALWAYS-- meet up by See's Candy in my family, as evidenced in the pictures), and a flatbread pizza concoction made by my Dad that involved grilled fennel, eggplant, pork, dill, celery seed, and heaven.

Also, we made another blueberry pie for the Ward Bake-Off! It's the recipe that we swear by- so good you almost have to repent for it. And no, it didn't place (probably just as well. My inordinate amount of baking pride needed a good leveling)-- not even 4th or 5th place. More pie for us, sucka!




That is it. In a nutshell. Things here are winding down, and we're getting ready for our summer of love in LA where we'll get to be neighbors/party with these kids! Woooooooot!




I'm ready to stop blogging now. XO.