Down on me...

The summer of 2012 has to have been the hardest summer of my life.  It started out exciting and the anticipation of what was to come was almost overwhelming.  Our nephew Jeremy decided earlier this spring that he would come and live with us this summer.  He was going to work at camp with me and spend all of June and July here.  I absolutely loved having him in my home!  The girls absolutely loved having him in our home!  Nathan absolutely loved having him in our home (who are we kidding it gave him another guy to combat all of the estrogen he is up against)! 

 

The first week of camp was Staff Week.  There was a lot to be done, but nothing we couldn't handle.  Staff week flew by too quickly and the days became a blur.  There was so much to be done and not enough time to get it all accomplished.  Technical difficulties and other complications added to the stress.  

 

As quickly as it came, the first day of camp was over and all I can remember thinking was "we have to do all of this again next week?!?!"  There were seven weeks of camp and each week brought some of the same campers, but even more new campers to enjoy their summer.

 

 

Jeremy made a few friends while living with us, which made me so happy! It was nice having "the boys" in my house of girls. Teenage boys are so much fun! They play video games, eat lots of food, say yes ma'am and give each other a hard time! I loved it!

As much as Jeremy needed to save the money and wasn't going to quit I could tell he missed home! The job he was originally hired to do "shooting sports" quickly changed to "outdoor skills" teaching fishing and sports. A change I think he was excited about. I only wish he had a better supervisor he could have looked up to and learned from while working. I guess he did learn a thing or two of what NOT to do!

 

The summer really is a blur! I wish Jeremy could have seen a more easy going, fun loving, got her act together aunt than the crazy, going out of my mind, in over my head aunt he had to live with this summer. I remember telling my boss one morning "I've seen it all in my career! I've handled the worst of the worst situations dealing with children who have been abused, neglected and abandoned! I KNOW stress, but this stress is so much more." I finally realized what was so different about this stress. When working in the child welfare field I never had my children with me. If I had I would have been the same.

Having the girls with me was a blessing! It really was! Finances are tight and so it meant not having to pay for child care. It also meant having to handle Savannah crying, pooping, crawling, babbling all in front of staff (who loved her), the boss (who loved her), parents (who grew to love her), and scout executives (who hopefully his children told him how amazing I was at my job). I'll never forget the morning he stopped in to "see how it was going" and Savannah spit up, projectile vomit, right in front of his shoes on the floor. Talk about stress.

Then there was my sweet Kaitlyn Bell who wanted nothing to do with her age group. Each morning I had to fight my own tears back as I encouraged, reassured, and bribed my child to go to camp.

 

Taylor seemed to enjoy the new experience.  She helped in the Trading Post, watched Savannah, and made a few friends.  The staff even teased her about a boy who seemed to really like her.  A fact I wasn't ready to handle, especially since he was an "older" boy.  But what's not to like.  She is even tempered, soft spoken, quick witted, and beautiful.

 

Summer was well on it's way and Father's Day was approaching.  I had gotten an itch to get Nathan's truck fixed.  The one his mom gave to him after his father passed away.  I spoke with a friend from church who is a mechanic and he was able to get the truck fixed.  Funny story.

 

Nathan was scheduled to go out of town for a three day trip.  I had arranged for a tow truck to tow the truck to the mechanic the morning he left.  It was perfect or so I thought until my handsome husband called and told me that he was still in town and his trip had been cancelled.  Holy cow!  Thankfully the repairs were minor and Mark (the mechanic) was able to get the truck back in its spot before Nathan made it home.

 

I drove the truck every afternoon up and down our road for three weeks before Father's Day.  The Friday before I was to give Nathan his surprise I loaded up the kids in the truck to drive to camp so I could take it to the tax collector's office on my lunch break to get the tags renewed.  I couldn't believe it!  The truck wouldn't start!  On my lunch hour I drove home with a jump box to try and jump the battery and wouldn't you know it started all on it's lonesome.  I was able to get the tags renewed, but forgot to shut the hood of the truck when I got home.  It was barely open.

 

The next morning I was in my bedroom when I heard  Nathan call across the house, "Jodi do you know why the hood to the truck is open?"  "Are you kidding me?"  I asked myself.  I had been able to keep this a secret for nearly a month and the day before Father's Day my handsome husband notices the hood isn't shut all the way.

 

I lied of course, made up a cockamamie idea that maybe thieves are stealing the trucks parts and hoped he didn't think anything more of it.  Yeah right!

 

On Saturday while I worked and Nathan was at leadership meeting for Stake Conference, Jeremy cleaned out the truck.  Sunday morning we washed it.  Then we parked it so it would be the first thing Nathan saw when he came home from church.  Jeremy was our lookout and the girls hid in the truck.  Even though it wasn't a total surprise, it was still a nice surprise!

 

 

Having nothing else to do this summer I agreed to let Kaitlyn play soccer this summer.  Nathan was her coach and was able to make most of the games, but I thought I was going to go insane the nights when he was out of town!  There just weren't enough hours in the day to accomplish everything that needed to be done!  Having said that, Kaitlyn really did enjoy herself, if you cant' tell by the smile on her face.



 

 

After months of fighting our pool (it is totally my nemesis) we finally got it to a point where we could enjoy it this summer.  Savannah's favorite spot was her own kiddie pool where she could just sit back and relax. 



 

As much as I love going home for the holidays I wasn't able to this year because I had to work.  Well, I had to work until hours started getting cut and I "got" to go home for the day.  Fortunately it wasn't a total wash.  The girls and I were able to go with my friend Stacey and her girls to the parade.  Then we barbecued and were supposed to watch the fireworks from the boat.  Unfortunately because of the rain I didn't go out on the boat with Savannah, but Chuck was able to take Rachel with Nathan and our older girls to watch the fireworks while Stacey and I found a spot to watch from the van.

 

We counted down the weeks, the days and then the hours for camp to end!  They added one more week, but I couldn't work because we had already planned to celebrate Mama and Daddy's 50th wedding anniversary with the family at the beach.  Clay, Elaine, Courtney and Delaney visited several times.  Jamie came for a visit too and took Taylor & Kaitlyn back to stay with her for a week.  All to help me!

Survival is an interesting concept.  When you think of it's definition it means "continuing to live or exist, typically in spite of an accident, ordeal, or difficult circumstances."  This summer was everything but an accident.  I walked right into it.  Some would even say, "you chose it Jodi!"  Yes I did!  I chose to leave a job I loved!  I chose to work in an environment where I could have my children with me!  I chose to invite my nephew to live with me!  I chose to let my daughter play soccer!  I chose to magnify my calling at church!  I chose to trust those I loved the most to lean on and, at times, carry me through this difficult time!  I get it!  I chose this!  I am not perfect nor did I handle this summer perfectly!  But remember, perfection is not obtainable and survive, well I am here aren't I and if you are reading this so are you! 

Favorite memories of the summer:  Teasing Jeremy about the fact he didn't think Savannah's "mamamama" was really "mama".  Watching Savannah learn how to crawl.  The priesthood blessing my handsome husband gave me when I thought I couldn't bare to go any further!  My handsome husband's hugs and sweet forehead kisses!  Asking myself what the heck I was thinking when I said it was okay for Jeremy to go to the midnight premier showing of Batman on a work night (I completely spaced that I would have to wait up for him to get home).  My sweet Jeremy's hugs (almost as good as his daddy's hugs).   Teasing Jeremy about calling me "woman"!  Watching the girls play Wii with Jeremy.  Listening to Kaitlyn get on to Jeremy about going to Mark or Tim's house (she was so jealous)!!!  My calls from Daddy to see how I was doing.  He would ask "so how's today?" To which I would respond the same every time, "It's good. I'm alive and I haven't killed anyone yet!" His laughter at the end always made me feel better! I knew tomorrow was a new day and this too shall pass!

If there is one thing I have learned (maybe the hard way, but still learned) is that happiness is what you make of it!  It always has been and always will be.  This summer was a summer I will never forget.  It, I am sure, is one that many of my closest loved ones would hope to forget!  But if all I did was dwell on the negative then I would have missed all of the tender moments of mercy the Lord poured his blessings down on me.