The Week

We've had several violent monsoons lately, and we lost the only tree in our yard when a storm toppled it. 

These rabbits did not run away as we walked by.

I've been running errands all over the city with Leah this week. We got stuck outside this grocery store waiting for a monsoon to end.

I found this massive and creepy Palo Verde beetle in our church kitchen this week. It was no longer alive and had spent its final moments trying to get this M&M it could never eat. There are probably great lessons and metaphors about that.

I was scared to get close in case it was still alive. It took a while to get enough courage to vacuum it.

It was wider than the vacuum hose and only fit halfway in. I'm pretty sure I screamed. I ran to the door with the vacuum on, turned off the vacuum, and let it drop outside. It was huge, and I never want to see another one.

There's a parasite scare across the country that involves fresh produce, and I'm not taking chances. I haven't been buying any lettuce, but I do like a yogurt parfait with granola and berries every morning. I've been soaking berries in vinegar and baking soda, then boiling them down into simple sauces.

The hardest days are when I wake up and my stomach is already huge for no reason. I feel defeated before I even begin the day. This was yesterday.

A walk didn't help much, so I hid inside the rest of the day, taking it easy and wearing large, loose, comfortable clothes. I don't even know what to try next. Nothing calms my stomach problems yet.

I had another ENT appointment this week and the doctor scoped me again and confirmed my stubborn sinus infection is finally gone. The more Dupixent shots I take, the more the polyps will shrink and disappear, and my CRSwNP will get back under control.

And today I'm watching Dan, Colby, and Leah play racquetball.

Utah and Back Home

I'm very grateful my dad survived his massive heart attack with 100% blockage this year. 

I stayed at Leah's apartment because other family members were staying at my parents' house, and I was going to spend most of the time in Provo packing Leah's things anyway. Leah has a roommate in Alaska for the summer, so there was an empty bed I used. It worked out well.

Leah and I spent our mornings taking long walks all over Provo.

Leah spent a lot of time on campus trying to finish lab work for her thesis so she could come home for the rest of summer. The lab professor is my brother's good friend. I met him when I was 16 and he came to our house to visit. They played college soccer together and still keep in touch often, and he recently sent this text to my brother. So one day I came up to campus with Leah and said hi to Shawn, then left Leah and wandered campus for a while.

Another day, I was in line at the BYU bookstore when I looked at the line next to me and saw the author of this book I read a few years ago. I've followed him on social media for a long time. I introduced myself and thanked him for sharing his experiences. We talked about all things Arizona, since he lived in our city for grad school and was just in Arizona for a conference and knows a friend from my ward here. He is the nicest man, and I was a little starstruck to see and talk to him in person. It was unexpected. I hope I played it cool. I do wish I had taken a picture of us, but maybe that would have been less cool of me.

We got all Leah's things organized, pared down, and packed neatly in a corner of her living room. We left her bedroom deep cleaned and empty for the next person who will move in before Leah comes back. This is our easiest move yet. We didn't have to pack up kitchen things, and we just have to move her right into the next bedroom which will be bigger and easier to fit everything in.

Leah and I drove to the SLC mission office and picked up a large box from Carson because HE'S COMING HOME IN TWO WEEKS!!

We drove back to Arizona all Saturday, and she's finally home and can take it easy for a few weeks. Meanwhile, back at home, Dan and Paige watched World Cup soccer games, Colby traveled to California with friends, and we had a mini split air conditioner installed in our one-car garage because we have a wild plan for that space soon...

For the Cause

Today Leah's assisting with a graduate study. They needed victims, I mean participants, and I'm in town. I hate all needles but agreed to it for science and helping college students out. Leah stabbed my finger for blood. Then another girl drew more blood which was not easy for me and maybe was embarrassing for Leah when I had some strong reactions, but hey we got it done and I hope they learn interesting things about me.

Stadium of Fire

I flew into Provo airport on the 4th of July in time for Leah to pick me up, drop my things at her apartment where I'm staying, and meet family at BYU's Stadium of Fire. It was an incredible night.

Gentri sang a powerful medley of patriotic songs.

Brad Paisley is an amazing singer and great entertainer.

The fireworks were combined with a drone show for America's 250th Birthday. So cool. 

Backyard Progress

Dan's in the middle of snake proofing our yard with 1/4" wire mesh along our view fence and metal panels on gaps in our gates. He's also filling in all openings (we'll paint the black filler stuff). Now that our backyard is landscaped and we'll be spending time out there, we don't want to find snakes.

Our Polywood Adirondack chairs and side tables came today! We chose ones with a believable faux wood grain instead of the more smooth and plastic-looking options. They're comfortable. They're heavy enough to stay put during monsoons and wind storms. They won't fade or burn or crack with harsh sun and extreme heat. They're easy to wash. They're warrantied for 20 years. We'll put a fire pit or a low round table in the middle of this group of chairs, but we haven't decided or ordered that yet. I wanted to see how much space the chairs take up so I know what to get next.

We always stand over in this spot to watch the sunset because there are no side walls in our way, so I wanted chairs there. I picture future me resting at the end of the day, reading a book with a snack and drink next to me and an amazing sunset across the sky. And no snakes.

Dan and I shopped for outdoor lights today and got overwhelmed with different options. Dan came home, uploaded a picture of our backyard to AI, and created this vision which is actually helpful. We still want plants and a fountain and more furniture to complete our backyard, but we're one step closer with these Adirondack chairs and side tables. 

Update: We did indeed sit outside on new chairs for tonight's gorgeous sunset.