Violet is 1

365 days ago I gave birth to Violet. It was pretty easy and fun. Except for, you know, the last 30 mintues. Then my placenta was so attached to me it just couldn't bear to leave but my uterus was trying its darndest to evict the reluctant placenta. The result being that my impatient uterus was merely forcing voluminous amounts of blood through the tenacious placenta's open vessels. Since this experience I would never be afraid to bleed to death. Minus the painful uterine contractions bleeding to death would be a very tolerable way to die. Just a ringing in the ears and some tunnel vision then...nothing. The only really uncomfortable thing about it (again, minus the painful uterine contractions) was fighting to maintain consciousness. For Grant, who looked scared but stalwart, but mostly for my baby who'd just been born and who I wanted to meet and nurse and coo over. It was many hours (8 to be exact) after her birth before I really had the presence of mind to be her mother and I miss those hours immensly. She has been such a joy since those first moments when I finally got to be with her and I wish that I hadn't missed any of it. I wish I had been able to enjoy her from the first second when her outside body temperature was still the same as my inside body temperature. Here she is a year later with her hair constantly in her eyes and her brothers and sisters constantly adoring her.

I like Zumba

It's probably been around forever, but I've only recently discovered it. I'm sure I look like a complete dorkwad but it's the most fun I've had exercising in ages!

If you are wondering I will not be posting any videos of myself Zumba-ing on YouTube. Unless I'm wearing my wedding dress with a tube top. Then I will.

P.S. Violet is putting some serious consideration into walking soon.

Did I say we would get a credit card?

I lied. That's another thing you can't get with an N/A credit score. Unless you want the cards for bad credit that charge $200 annually in fees or the prepaid cards for such people as those who've declared bankruptcy or are 14 years old.

I wonder if Wal-mart will give us a card even?

I'm all for tightening up on passing out loans. Out of control, irresponsible lending is part of what landed us in our present economic depression. I remember back in the day when we bought our other houses and the car it was ridiculously easy to get a loan, too easy. Proving financial responsibility makes sense. However, it is frustrating that it is the credit sharks who control the whole system. If you haven't used their services then you are deemed unworthy of their loans. No other method of proving financial responsibility counts. Well, there's my soapbox. I return to my financially responsible but houseless life.

Did you know

That if you spent the last 6 years doing fiscally responsible things like staying completely out of debt and saving up to pay for purchases in cash instead of financing or using credit cards that your FICA score will be N/A and it will be next to impossible to get a home mortgage loan? I just found that out.

And all these years Grant and I thought we were being smart about money!

Oh well. I guess we'll go get ourselves a silly credit card and check out what's for rent.

Local ad in Nickel

FREE, BITING gerbil. Comes with ball, cage and very sharp teeth. Does not necessarily need a good home. Call 789-6942.

This made me laugh today. I thought about getting it because Alma needs some other creature to torture besides his baby sister and this one might teach him a lesson!

Pictures

We got to see Alvin/Justin/Lin Jye Ting recently. He hangs with the prophets and apostles whenever they need Chinese language services.

These are the orange countertops. Okay, this is just a crappy apartment kitchen, but this color scheme speaks to me. Way more than oak cabinets, neutral countertops and stainless steel appliances. I feel happy cooking in these colors.

The kids like to hot rod Violet around in this doll stroller. Luckily, she likes it, too. Um, don't ask why Alma is naked because I have no clue.

Violet sucking on the hose. Metallically refreshing.

The only thing that would make this picture better would be if Grant had a crack hanging out also.

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Vernal, UT

That's where we are. And fortunately it is not where we will be staying. Nothing really personal against it, but it's just not my kind of place. I like places with lots of trees and greenery. A beach and plenty of humidity are also high up on my list of Perfect Place to Live. Also on the list are a good health food store and a nearby Asian Market. These are also lacking in Vernal. In it's defense the city has these fabulous planter boxes stuffed to overflowing with petunias completely lining the main street. My hat's off to Vernal's city gardener/beautifier.

We went to Church for the first time yesterday and one of the speakers gave a nice long talk about fellowshipping. Lots of quotes by prophets and apostles about the importance of befriending new members. Then sacrament meeting ended and not one person said hello to us or even gave us a second look. Grant and I giggled about it all the way home.

Oh! And the best thing about Vernal is the temple. I had a chance to go Saturday and it was lovely. It's an old tabernacle converted into a temple and very beautiful. And in reality, it's likely that when Grant gets a permanent job it will be in a place that is far worse than Vernal (like Tonapah, NV) and there will come a day when I will be saying to myself "I wish I lived in Vernal).