Short News Update

Dissertation Update:
If you haven't heard - on Tuesday I had my dissertation defense and I passed. I made the corrections and now am waiting the feedback from my advisor. Should know something on Monday.

Moving Update:
Rob, I and the babies traveled to Atlanta last weekend to find a place to live. A long story short we felt that Atlanta was not where the Lord wanted us right now, as we looked I became more nervous and anxious and there was absolutely no peace. So, we talked about things we discussed moving into my parents rental home (which is where I lived in HS). Their renters broke their lease and moved out 2 weeks before Rob and I got married so it was empty, plenty big (much bigger than what we were looking at), and a home I love. So we called my parents and talked to them and they agreed to us renting the house! Yeah for having wonderful parents! So, after my defense we packed and then yesterday we packed the truck, cleaned the apartment and drove the truck to Herrin. We got here about 4:20am - the babies slept the entire time but did sleep in some so we got about 4 hours. We will be moving to Houston this weekend so we are trying to finish everything up here in Herrin. Lucky for the kids school doesn't start till August 23rd!

More updates to come on this and the other blog but we need to get settled first so please be patient.

The Other Blog

There seems to be a little bit of confusion on the invite that I was suggesting for the other blog. It's address is http://robandkathie.blogspot.com/. For most people that may want to read I have already put their email addresses into the system and then all you will need to is go to the blog and enter your email address and password and it will let you in.

Hope to see you there!

I got married

On June 19th, 2010 I got married!

It was a wonderful day and it has been great ever since.

I hope that marriage is this natuaral and easy for everyone.

I am still waiting on the wedding pictures and will post some as soon as I can.

I will be posting pictures of the beautiful areas the we traveled to on our honeymoon soon.

I have started a new blog for the Ricks Family. I have made it private, so if you want access to it and haven't recieved an invite then please leave me a comment letting me know.

Girls Night Out

The Wednesday before we got married we had girls night out, a family tradition when ever we are all together.  We decided that we would go and eat and then attend a temple session.  It was a fun night - Beth, Dallas, Shelly, Cyndi, Donna, Mama and I ate yummy Italian food and then headed over to the temple.  We had a great server, he put up with all of our silliness and our constant need for water, bread and whatever else.  He even sang me a "marriage" song - "here comes the bride, all dressed in white..."  The temple was nice and peaceful - the perfect thing for a hectic and emotional week.

Family

I have been home since Sunday and it has been wonderfully relaxing. I have gotten two massages to help with my neck and back, worked on my dissertation, sewed, hung out and eaten yummy food. I get married in a week and a day! Rob and family will be here on Sunday and I am very excited. Next week will be a whirlwind I suspect but a good one at that. I am very excited to start my new life with Rob and the kids and just in case you were wondering - no, I am not nervous, have cold feet or anything else. I am happliy anticipating being sealed for eternity next Saturday to the man I love and who has become my best friend. The next weeks and months will be crazy full of things (travel, moving, defending my dissertation, family reunions, getting jobs hopefully) and there is such an incredible peace about it all that I am truely feeling blessed.

I like this quote - I pray daily that I will know how to be the mother and wife that Rob and the kids need. Lucky for me I have great examples all around me of those roles, people who are willing to talk and give advice and I am very grateful.
"Our most important and powerful assignments are in the family. They are important because the family has the opportunity at the start of a child's life to put feet firmly on the path home. Parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents, aunts and uncles are made more powerful guides and rescuers by the bonds of love that are the very nature of a family."
Henry B. Eyring, "Help Them on Their Way Home," Ensign, May 2010, 23

I hope you are all well. I look forward to seeing you all in the coming months.

Memorial Day Weekend

This Memorial Day weekend I spent with Rob and the kids.  It was a filled weekend but it was good.  Rob and I meet up on Friday at the temple where we did the temple work for Aunt Verda and Uncle Clyde (brother and sister).  It was a great day in the temple and we got to seal them to their parents after the session. 

Sister Bartholomew, Denise Black's mom, made this beautiful blessing dress for Elizabeth.  Unfortunately our baby was born big and just keeps on growing.  We tried on the dress this weekend and it barely covered her belly, but it is beautiful.  So I got some pictures to show everyone.

Saturday we worked on the house getting it ready to sell, went to the parade, and then went to the park and had a picnic and then hung out and watched movies. Sunday we to church, made fruit turnovers from scratch and just relaxed.

Marlissa trying on a hat

Monday we were invited by Rob's brother, David and his wife Stephanie to a BBQ at their home in St. Louis.  It was nice to finally meet them and we all had a good time, ate yummy food and just hung out with cousins and new friends.

Marlissa had a ENT appointment in St. Louis on Wed. so we decided to stay the night or rather nights.  We got two rooms at a hotel and divided up (the girls versus the boys).  Tuesday we went to the zoo, it is really very pretty, and had a great time swimming in the hotel pool and eating pizza in our room.

Can you find the Rhino in the picture above?

Wed. Rob and Marlissa went off to the doctors appointment and the rest of us went and had a yummy breakfast at Waffle House and then off to the Science Center.  By that time we all were hungry again and tired and ate yummy Chinese and drove on home. 

Making an arch - Sammy

Finding the best foundation for an earthquake.

Looking a cool back-lit map.

She doesn't like her picture taken at all - can't you tell?

Sunday I leave for TX.  I am still working on the last bit of editing for my dissertation but it is coming along and in 15 days I get married.  Lots of changes for everyone - we are still working hard at finding jobs and hope and pray that we will hear something soon.

Goodbyes

Columbia, MO has been my home now for 4 years and 4 months, there is only 1 other place that I have lived that long continuously in my entire life and that is Cypress, TX. I guess what also contributed to the whole thing is that my parents moved from my Cypress home to Plantersville, TX about 9 months after I moved here and so I go home to my parents but not to my old home any longer. So, consequently Columbia has in many ways become home to me. But like Rob tells me continually home is where my heart is and my heart is always with me. :) I have learned to love Columbia, the small town feel in an OK size place, the good access to two good size cities, Kansas City and St. Louis - both only 2 hours away. I have loved going to the St. Louis temple and visiting Nauvoo as often as possible but it isn't any of the places, building or shops that I will miss it is the people I have fallen in love with.
As most know I grew up moving a lot and I liked it for the most part - still get that itch to move every two years or so and have done my fair share of moving since graduating from HS (about 10 or 11 moves) but it is always the people that draw me in. I will miss the great people of Columbia. I have worked with some of the most Christ-like and loving people I can even imagine. They have taught me so much about what it means to be true disciples of Christ and how to walk in His ways. I have been blessed to make amazing friends and strengthen friendships that already existed that will continue for years to come. Those friendships and the things I have learned from them are worth more than all the degrees I could ever get. I have served in the best ward I have ever attended as an adult. I know you really aren't supposed to say things like that but it is true. I sat today, a little emotional, as I looked around at all of the great families that have shaped my life for good. The amazing moms and grandmas that are so incredibly patient and loving to their children and I just hope and pray that I can be like that. I think about the amazing sisters I had a privilege of serving in primary and YW with and their amazing talents, testimonies and abilities and wonder why I was so blessed to be in such an amazing ward for such a long time.
Today was my last day but lucky for me I get to take with me all that I learned, felt, observed, and experienced within the last 4 years as my testimony has been largely enriched. My next ward has so much to live up to :) but I am so grateful for a church that is the same everywhere, because the gospel is true and I know that to be true.