What Happiness Looks Like -- Nilla Style

So I have been answering plenty of questions about my new job and how it's going. For example, I spent about 2 hours talking to April on the phone, catching up on about 2 months worth of life happenings. What an awesome conversation we had ;). So many changes for us both, and definitely positive ones! So I will fill you in :). Work is going well. It was busy last week, because I took on the responsibilities of one of the other ladies who was out for the week. This included scheduling time for the 3 commissioners (this is an adventure...) as well as learning the process for contracts. Plus my normal duties. But I'm catching on to things more and more, and I am becoming a part of the group. My direct boss (the woman named R'Lene) sat and talked to me during lunch one day and we had quite a conversation. And she told me that I am doing wonderfully and that they are thrilled to have me there. That is comforting when you are new to a place, at least in my opinion :). My other job is the funeral home, of course. And this weekend was Memorial Day weekend, so I was up there quite a bit. But it was so fun! I work with some seriously awesome people there.

But not everyone is asking me about work. Actually, more people are asking me about Jeremy. Which makes me smile. A lot. Like a ridiculous school girl, seriously. But it is 100% awesome. And so is he :). So here is a picture of me and Jeremy from Friday. :). It makes me smile :).
So on Friday, he picked me up around 3:30, we went by a Taco place that used to be very popular at the funeral home, and we got burritos. Then we opted to take them to a nearby park, because it was such an unexpectedly beautiful day. So we ate and talked, and then we walked. And talked. You see the pattern. But we talk a lot. There's a lot of ground to cover (literally, as far as walking the park goes :), and metaphorically). Then we took a few pictures. I kept cutting off the top of his head, so we changed photographers. He has longer arms and is taller. It worked better. And frankly, I think we took quite a great picture! Okay, so I'm not bragging on it or anything, but I think we look quite cute together ;). After we finished walking (and it got colder), we drove over to the funeral home (which wasn't far) and parked there to study scriptures. Okay, so maybe it's strange that I am at the funeral home so much. But it's kind of normal for me, since I work there. Plus there was plenty of free parking :). And after our scripture studying, we sat and talked for a long time. We have some really great conversations. Full of depth sometimes, silly and fun at others. I got home about 10:15 or so that night. Of course we sat in the car talking a bit more, and held hands (insert "awwww" here ;)). And, though I probably should have gone to bed right after a shower... I didn't. I talked to my mom until midnight and then got to bed sometime after that. Yep...

Saturday morning was early. 7:00 early. Because I went with my mom to the funeral home and then waited around there until about 9:15 when I headed to the church cannery to work. I ended up canning dry non-fat milk. Apparently that's one of the harder jobs, because the goal is to not produce dust from the milk. So I ended up being a slow-poke! But I got our 4 cans of oats, 1 can of hard white wheat, a 25-pound bag of sugar and 25-pound bag of flour (we use these for baking...). And then I headed back to the funeral home to work. I was there until close that day, and Lea came by so we walked and talked and I filled her in. And then, after work, I went over to Lea's and hung out with her family so we could continue catching up. And Chuck grilled out, so we had a marvelous dinner. Yeah, it was a fun night. I was tempted to stay the night when Lea invited me to (it was after 10 and I was pretty beat), but I didn't. And I actually had a slightly earlier night that night :).

Sunday morning we were up by 8. We had all 5 kids at church, so that's always entertaining. But they really do well. I taught Sharing Time in Primary for the first time. Also an adventure. But it did go well ;). Then home again home again, jiggity jig. And I changed clothes and headed with my mom to the funeral home. At night was the big Memorial Day celebration thing, so I helped set up for that (programs, chairs, assisting with directing the parking). We had all 5 kids again, and Jeremy went too, so he got to meet a lot of my family, plus a lot of my funeral home family (who had been asking when they were going to get to meet him...). Upon meeting him, Christina said, "I approve. He is handsome." Hahaha. I'd feel sorry for him for that embarrassing awkward moment. Except that it made him smile really big and so his dimples showed up ;). The event had a seriously great turn-out!!! Over 200 people! And, of course, the kids loved the fireworks at the end. I still say seeing all the flags across the park, honoring those who have served our country, is a pretty awesome sight. It was another late night, since I was riding with my mom. I waited on her to be done, plus I helped break everything down. All in all, I think it went really well. There were a few minor drama things that could have been improved upon, but that seems to be a daily occurrence there of late, so I just overlook it. Oh, and Saria is like over-the-moon about Jeremy. She thinks he's so "cute and nice and funny." Oh those pre-teen crushes.

But today I slept in. Until 9. And I didn't feel guilty. And since it turned out to be a gorgeous day, I worked outside. And Jeremy joined me around noon-ish. I hoed my garden, planted the garlic and chives and raspberries (thanks again to Jeremy who tilled up a new spot for the raspberries... And thanks to his mom for letting him bring me the chives, garlic, and raspberries). And I also planted the two cucumber seedlings and 4 tomato seedlings that look the best. I need to do a trellis type thing for the cucumbers and then put the lettuce under that. I have a few lettuce that seem to be doing quite well. But a lot of my seedlings are not so great this year, so I'm going to just buy some. Sort of disappointing, but oh well. On the plus side, that strawberry patch is growing like crazy :). I'm hoping for some strawberries this year :). Eventually Jeremy and I made our way to Applebee's, and while there we learned we pretty much look like a couple. (Oh, after the host who seated us kept going crazy over my "Goonies Never Say Die" t-shirt. Seriously.) So we ordered our food, and Jeremy ordered a lot of food. And he finished it all, which our waitress (I know they are called servers now, but whatever) didn't think he'd be able to finish, so she kept asking him if he needed a to-go box. So when she came back with the receipts, she was like, "Wow! I'm impressed!" Then she said to me, "Did you not feed him today? And maybe yesterday too?" Hahaha. So we all chuckled, she left, Jeremy looked at me and smiled and said, "So does that mean we look like a couple?" Yep, apparently that's what it appears to be! Too funny. So then we left, and on the way out the door, the host guy called after me, "Rocky Road!" Which is a Goonies quote. That guy is seriously in love with that movie. Possibly more than I am. He even asked me where I got the shirt and for how much (FYI: Target, 5 or 6 bucks on sale). And then, because no date for me and Jeremy is over before at least an hour of walking and talking, we went to a waterfront park and walked around talking. We discovered that Italy looks like Washington State. So does France, for that matter. Hahaha... (Okay, so not really. Just that there is a replica of the continents set in the grass at this park, and so we joked about taking our trip to Venice (per my bucket list). Dorky? Probably. But we had fun ;)). It was fun and wonderful and all the good adjectives you can think of.

Oh, and I got some sun today. Woohoo! It was a great weekend :). Full of happiness :).