Dogghouse Update

I have been wanting to update the blog for some time now but every time I sit to write I just don't know where to begin. Our lives have taken on such a different look that sometimes I wonder if this is really us or just some alternate version of us. We are not unhappy by all means but this is definitely not what we expected our lives to look like. Matt is working for the Utah State Health Department as a pharmacy claims tech and Monday is my last day as the General Information Specialist for the Utah State Human Services Department. On Friday a supervisor from the Bureau of Contract Management came to me and asked if I would like a temporary job in their department. I was very flattered. I know that my boss now put in a very good word for me and I a so grateful. So on Tuesday I start my new job and although I am nervous about starting over in a new department I am very grateful to have the opportunity to learn a new side of the Human Services Department. This whole thing has been kind of a wild emotional ride for me. It has been so hard to be away from our kids. Everyday my heart hurts a little bit knowing that I am missing the little moments with them that I have enjoyed for years but I know that working is the right thing for me right now. It's funny to see how the plan that the Lord has for me plays out as opposed to the plan that I had for myself. I had planned to be done working on Monday and to be home with my kids. I was planning on using the next two weeks to take my kids shopping and get all ready for school to start. Instead I have a new job and I am facing the possibility of missing their first day of school, something I have NEVER missed. When I realized that I would be working that day I started to cry. It seems that the tears come so easily lately, as if they didn't before. The kids are very excited for school to start and this year three of them will be going. Claire is starting second grade. She is 7 going on 23 and I see so much of myself in her. Ivan is starting first grade and we are all excited that he is going to have all day everyday to spend with other kids. He does his best to drive us crazy here at home but whenever he is away I miss him so much. Nora is starting preschool and I am so excited for her. We tried preschool last year for about 2 weeks but she did not enjoy it. This year she has to go whether she enjoys it or not because Kindergarten is right around the corner! Naomi is such a happy baby most of the time and she is finally sprouting more teeth. She is 17 months and still sporting only the front 4 teeth.
We are missing having our own place. We are missing our time alone as a little family but we are overwhelmed with gratitude for Matt's family for taking us in. I have been looking at apartments but it looks like Matt is headed for more surgery. We found out yesterday that among other things, he has gallstones and needs his gallbladder removed. His liver is not doing well and the doctor's are hoping that removing his gallbladder will help his liver recover. I sometimes wonder if fixing the hydrocephalus was worth it but he says he would do it all again. I would too no matter how hard this has been because he's a happier guy despite all of the problems he's been having. Things seem to be easier for him at work. His mood has improved and his stress has lessened. He told me the other day how nice it was to have a clear mind to do his work. How nice it was not to be overwhelmed all of the time and this is a new thing that resulted from the shunt. We still seem to be facing hurdle after hurdle but we aren't alone. Things are slowly coming into place and settling down and although it's not the "happily ever after" that I had pictured, we are all together.