Waiting

For the last several days Patrick, Pattie, and Bethany have all been gone to Grandma Taylor's funeral. Without any housemates I've had to learn how to entertain myself again. I went for a walk by myself on the Friday that Patrick decided he would go before he had made the decision and I remembered how much I enjoyed keeping myself company when I was a kid. I could go in my room for hours and read or write or play house with my dolls or reorganize my room (even when it was pretty much the size of a cubby) or I could go outside and pretend I was a princess in a castle or jump on the trampoline. I spent a lot of time thinking when I was a kid too.

For the last four years, however, I haven't really gotten a lot of chances to entertain myself. There were always people within a few feet of me--inside or outside. During my freshman and sophomore years I lived with five other girls and during my junior and senior years I've lived with Patrick. This is the first time in nearly two years that we've been separated for any length of time and it was only three days. In any case, my imagination is still somewhat in tact because the first day he was gone I imagined horrible things happening and that he was never coming back. I also imagined horrible things happening to me whenever I heard an unexpected noise. The rest of the weekend was okay, but that first day I cried a ridiculous amount (something I am blaming on pregnancy hormones). Fortunately, he'll be home in the next couple hours (he just landed in Salt Lake)--yay!

While Patrick was gone, his mom's sister Roxy sent me three packages, two with movies and one with a puzzle. That was appropriate and extremely helpful because I did watch several movies, though I'm not going to admit to how many. I was so touched that she thought of me and did that for me. Besides movies, I also tried to keep busy by making plans. On Wednesday night, the teenage girls at church had an activity that I attend every week because I teach the twelve- and thirteen-year-olds. On Thursday, I visited Pattie's mother-in-law who lives around the corner; when I asked if I could stop by if I wanted company, she said she would be hurt if I didn't. She's very nice and it was a pleasant visit. In the evening, I planned to hang out with some girls from Wisconsin. Two of them couldn't make it, but one of them did so we ate ice cream and cookies and talked. On Friday, I attended a rock, paper, scissors competition with our good friends Dan and Michelle and then came home and watched movies and scrapbooked. On Saturday, I went to the Ballroom Dance performance on campus with two friends. I was disappointed that it was so many of the same numbers as last year, but I guess that's just practical. I did also make progress on my school work over the weekend, though it wasn't as much as it should have/could have been.

This next week is a busy one. Monday and Tuesday are our last days of class; Wednesday and Thursday are reading days; and Friday and Saturday are exams which go into next week for some people as well. Besides school, two of my professors are hosting parties this week (one on Monday and one on Thursday) which we are going to attend and then we are having the ultrasound on Friday. Yes, we are going to find out the gender if we can. Unlike the previous generation, we tend to think "why not do it?" rather than "why do it?" After all, we still have four months to anticipate actually having a baby. Our thought is that it's a boy, but we're not that committed to that feeling and won't be surprised if it turns out we're wrong. We don't care either way; we just hope he or she is healthy.

The week after that, we have some things we need to do in the beginning of the week and in the latter half of the week my mom and dad and my aunt Jennifer are coming for my graduation. I'm so excited to see them all!

Soon after they leave, Patrick will be starting spring term. He's decided to go through spring and summer so he can graduate in December. It seems pretty intense to me, but he feels good about it, so that's what he's going to do and we'll make it work. And then . . . back to Wisconsin whenever the opportunity arises.

Well, perhaps I'll take a walk and stop blabbering on. That's all for now!