Signs of Spring!

Yes, this is still basketball, but one of the last home women's games.

Owen and Dad at Mizzou Arena

Since our return from Iowa, the weather has warmed up quite a bit.  The grass is starting to turn green and there are flowers popping up.  Nick got to work at his first High School State Wrestling Tournament in Missouri, from a different perspective than coaching however.  Gracie also got to enjoy a full day with Daddy, due to both Owen and I feeling under the weather.  Luckily neither of us were sick for very long.

We have tried a couple more parks and trails, always exploring.

They found a bridge!

After hiking up, Gracie was tired.

Sitting on top of the world.  Quite a view from this overlook.  I think they're crazy!

Gracie and Owen found some HUGE trees.  Unfortunately, I think this is how Gracie ran into some poison oak or ivy.  Not sure which.  We had to go to the doctor again for that.  I think she might have shared it with Nick, but I'm not sure how Owen avoided the rash.

Gracie received an award in February for Star Learner.  Her teachers recognized her for reading and her ability to read with expression.

1st College baseball game.  They had a blast even though it was pretty cold.  The left fielder came to say hi to Owen and gave him a game ball.  Owen was pretty excited.

Last weekend I took the kids to spend the night at my parents' in Osage Beach.  We had lunch with Annie and River on Saturday, then went shopping for a little bit. The kids and I went up to the basketball court and park to play for awhile.  We were really lucky with the beautiful weather!  After my dad got home from work, we grilled pork burgers and Chad and Annie joined us for dinner.

All ready to go play!

Gracie is pretty good at entertaining River and loves to play with him!

Look at those cute kids!  I'm so lucky!

How dare you take his ice cream away Chad!

When the kids and I returned to Columbia on Sunday, I found these in the back yard.  They made me smile a little bit.

The weekend prior to visiting Osage Beach, mom, Annie, and River came up to join us when Nick made home made pizzas.  The kids also got a short ride on Bullseye.

 

River seemed to like being on top of a horse!

And of course, our kids love riding, too.

I think I forgot to post this awhile back...Just another picture of Gracie and Owen being silly.

We've been here 8 weeks now.  I think most of the necessities for transitioning to Missourians have been taken care of and I will just need to change my license when we get back from Florida.  I feel like the weekend we moved down here was such a long time ago, but at the same time, I can't believe we're already almost to the middle of March. While this new chapter of endless adaptation and change feels like an eternity, I know in time I will look back and be thankful for the challenges that I have faced and overcome.   I can't wait for the day that I feel like I'm finally at home instead of a visitor in an unfamiliar place.  There are still days that I feel extremely lonely and isolated, as I have not yet established a peer circle that even comes close to the friends made in Iowa.  However, those relationships were also not built overnight and I need to keep working on my patience.  We are making a trip to Iowa to get the rest of our stuff this weekend...a really quick trip, not even staying the night.  We'll head up early Saturday morning and come back late that afternoon.  

I have obtained my Missouri School Counseling License and to my pleasant surprise, the license is good for 99 years.  Kind of crazy, considering in Iowa, you have to renew it every 5 years.  Certified teachers/school employees just have to keep up with their district's expectations for continuing education.  I have applied for a couple more jobs, finally getting an interview in Columbia Schools, but not sure if it's a good match for me.  It's an hourly position working with English Language Learners at the elementary level.  I also interviewed with Columbia College for an online academic advisor position, but not sure if that is a good match either.  I haven't heard back from either position yet.  I can't remember ever feeling so frustrated, but then again, I've never had a time in my life that I was unemployed for this long.  People keep telling me to be patient and that everything happens for a reason.  Very strange;  as a counselor, I'm usually the one telling others this exact same thing.  It's quite the role reversal, constantly questioning myself and not really having a clear direction at this time in my life.  Lacking constant interaction with people has made it difficult to maintain my sense of purpose and my positive perspectives on life, which I pride myself on and hope to regain soon.  I really want to be the eternal optimist again, helping others and giving others hope.

On a more positive note, we're looking forward to a visit from Nick's mom!  She is coming up since we changed our travel plans to Florida to coordinate with Missouri's spring break.  Deb will be here next Tuesday through Thursday.  The kids are excited for that and for Florida in two weeks!  

Gracie and Owen are doing great, and seem so happy right now!  Their conferences were refreshing and I love Owen's teacher, Mrs. Rowe.  She couldn't believe how well Owen is doing for his young age as a kindergartner.  She noted that he is teaching them strategies for reading from his previous school and she is excited that he is in her classroom.  Gracie is also doing extremely well and I'm so glad that both of them have made this transition so seamlessly.  Gracie has written to her friends at Ballard and still says that she wants to have play dates with some of them, as does Owen, but I'm not sure if that is going to happen any time soon.  They both have friends here and will start softball and baseball in a few weeks.  I'm so thankful that they're both happy kids and content with where we're at.  It seems that I might be the person in our family most resistant to change.

Anyhow...there's the update for anyone reading and I feel better now that I shared.  I guess if there's no one to actually talk to, I can always write. (Yet another coping strategy that I remind my students to use). And now, I  think I might go for a run. :)