Retirement

My Dad was released as Stake President in Show Low today.  Even though we knew this day was coming, I was surprised how emotional I was about the whole thing.  I'm mostly sad for my Dad and all his new free time.  There hasn't been a time in my life that he wasn't serving in the church.  It is all that I have known.  He has been such a good example to me.  His testimony is unwavering and his love for his "people" is great.  These words feel generic but it is how I feel today.  I am thankful for the opportunity my Dad had to serve.

I love my Mom.  She talks loud when she is nervous and cracks jokes that she won't remember later - we get to remind her what she said at the pulpit.  "I said that?  Oh, Mikey really?"  Her testimony is strong and like Elder Lesuer of the seventies said today she "still has some buck in her", for which I am grateful.  I pray she is around for a lot longer to show me the way.

Elder Lesuer also talked today about the blessings that would come to the new stake president and his family.  Angels will protect them and guide them.  Some of these angels are members of the stake.  He asked the congregation to protect them as they would a valueable treasure.  It was then that I realized how blessed my family has been these past 9 years.  Macy was just a baby when my Mom called to tell us we'd better get up the mountain - there has been a call.  We have felt the physical protection of angels.  We have felt the love and the guidance of the Lord.  We have been blessed with 3 more amazing children in our home.  Healthy children. And the Lord has seen fit to bless us financially.  I told my Dad today that I hope this retirement is short and temporary.  Heaven knows Jace and I need all the angels and blessings we can get.

Note: Mikael was asleep in the car.  She was an angel today.

You best keep up.

The Show Low House.  After.

We have exciting news to share about the Show Low house.  Click here.

The Heber House.  Before.  Me.  Before I gave birth to Mikael.

Other house projects are coming.....the Heber house has been waiting very patiently.  I vote we transform her next.

So, just so you aren't lost......Exciting news about the Show Low house posted here.  The Heber house is still very ugly.  We are dusting off our tools and ripping magazine pages out for inspiration.  And we still live here, in the Snowflake house.  Everyone with me?  Good.

You blink and you'll miss something.  If you haven't been clicking here, then you are missing stuff.  Good stuff.

You best keep up.

The Show Low Project - Before and .....

Jace showed me this beauty on the internet weeks before we bought it.  And as usual I thought to myself and said to him, "No thanks."  But as we pulled up to the house one sunny late summer day - it came to me.  Yes!  I remember now.  I remember this place.  This neighborhood.  This house.  My childhood.

My sunny childhood took place just down the street from this house.  I rode my bike down this dirt road.  I hid in it's dark places during summertime capture the flag marathons.  I later would speed by this house in my Toyota truck - late for 1st hour english or work at Dairy Queen.  This house very quickly became near and dear and FULL of potential.

You may remember Jace leaving my side and closing the deal on this day.  My newborn baby is now 5 months old.  Mikael and the house have grown and changed so much.

Well, the after picture you ask?

Follow me here. 

My new blog will feature all the before and after pictures of the Show Low house, future houses, and maybe a few oldies.  We will talk houses, paint colors, Jace's good ideas, Lindsay's better ideas, and it will not require an invitation...so spread the good word. 

You now have a front row seat to the tears, the sweat, the swear words, and the work that we call our life day job.

What I learned in Realtor school

Back when Jace and I were very first married I took a job at a little place called Homestore. I worked as technical support in a department called Realtor.com. Here I took calls from realtors all over the U.S. They would call to complain about how slow their computer was. Or call to tell me that their listing on 5th Street was actually a 3 bedroom home and not a rental in the trailer park down the street. I would kindly explain to them that all the information was information they submitted - if your listing is wrong on Realtor.com, then go fix it in the MLS.

Then I would go throw up in the toilet.

Not because I thought Realtors were very unsmart because I did but because I was pregnant with a little miss Macy. But ya....It was here that I started developing ideas about Realtors.

I thought that there must be a place somewhere where they hand out real estate licenses, for any taker to take.

So, when Jace suggested last spring during the sale of our Chandler barn-home that I should save us some future $ and go to Realtor school, I thought sure, why not? I signed my 5 month pregnant self up for the 2 week course.

And? Did I meet unsmart Realtors and future unsmart Realtors there? Yep. Sure did.

But as I walked the streets of downtown Scottdale on my breaks I had to admit that Realtor school was tough. Really tough. 90 hours of law school/language trickery/boredom. Maybe it was the fact that I hadn't done any schooling for 9 years. Or maybe all the blood that should have been going to my brain was instead nourishing my unborn fetus but regardless I was nervous and quickly changing my mind about Realtors. That was a TON of information to memorize in a two week period.

My exam was scheduled on the same day as our closing date. That is the day you have to pack up your house and drive away (for all you who did not attend Realtor school). Nothing like a little pressure for little Lindz. I was cussing Jace and all his great ideas.

But I passed! On the first try. Jace patted my back and told me he wasn't nervous for a minute. And if my embarrassed memory serves me right, I think I texted my scores to everyone in my phone. I was ready to sell some real estate people.

So what did I learn in Realtor school, you ask?

Not a clue. Don't remember.

p.s. The home for sale in the above photo? You are going to la la love it. I want to move into it. But Jace wishes someone else would. Come back for some amazing before and afters. She's a beauty.

My nervous tick(s). 10 years later.

L to R: Erika, Lindsey, Sarah, Amy, Kira, Me, Cami, Jami, Mary, Molly, and Beth

Photo from HER blog.  I forgot I owned a camera.

Me with gal pal Nikki (Nikolaus) Nelson at the Show Low Park

Photo from Caitlin Hatch, class of 2005.  

Who would have thought that she would be at my 10 year reunion?  

Way to go Chaz.

My 10 year reunion was last weekend.  It was somewhat of a success.  And by success I mean that I managed not to call someone by the wrong name, no old flames were in attendance, my children behaved, and Jace's zipper was down only for 20 minutes.  I really feel for spouses at these gatherings.  What I didn't manage was controlling my nervous ticks.  The older I become the more apparent they are.  Call me Kim.  I talk loud.  I'm constantly cracking jokes.  Jokes that only I find funny most of the time.  And I'm the one trying to give high 5's or firm handshakes instead of hugs.  The hugging thing drives Jace crazy.  Not the part about me hugging people from high school but the part about me trying not to.  (Have you read HER post about it?  She appropriately named it the Great Arm Wrestle).  

In these attempts to be funny and put people as ease, I often offend innocent bystanders.  I said something to Gaylon about his (future) sad wife and everyone around thought I called Gaylon's life sad.  I told Ryan, "now that's not true, they were lots of underclass men that wanted to date you."  I said something about Lindsey's attempts at making children.  Something about Josh's wife being 5 feet tall.  And probably many more.  I could explain them all but I won't. 

Isn't it amazing how people don't change?  The Show Low class of '99 looks the same.  Talks the same.  It was fun to be in the same room with these people again.  It was also a trip.  Back in time.  I went to dinner the night before with Erika, Kira, Beth, and Nikki.  It was almost like 10 years never happened.  I want to see them more.  They thought I was a shoo in for the "least changed" award. I wasn't thrilled about that.  Surely 10 years has brought or taught me something.  Does it mean I need a new hair cut?  Or does it mean I still say things before I think and laugh loudly at myself?  Probably all of the above.  Lucky for me Cynthia took home the "least changed" award.

For the public record:  I'm working on my nervous ticks (not the new hair do).  Recognition is the 1st step.  I do not intend to harm or offend.  My intention is to make everyone at ease and I really like having a swell time.  I like you all.  Please come in 10 years to another reunion, give me the "least changed" award, we'll party like it's 1999 again and....I promise I'll take it easy on you.