Goodbye and Hello!

In the past few weeks, and the weeks coming up, life has thrown many curve balls at me, insisting that the life as I have known for the past few years will have to change. Starting out, I am no longer pursuing my degree here, having finally made up the decision that when I do eventually shell out thousands of dollars on an education it should be on something I enjoy and will put to good use. So, I am no longer a student. Also, I have given my notice at the bakery, and in a few weeks I will begin being a nanny a few days a week. I will have much more time on my hands, and have begun to see how I need to reinvest that time in my marriage and my home. Neal’s work schedule, and my own schedule never gave me the time to have any sort of order for doing wifely things on a normal basis, it’s always the last minute exasperations, “agh! I have no clean clothes, better do the laundry!” and “Oh yeah, dinner…” So, I am looking forward to just being a wife for a season, and now, through it all, I am seeing how God has brought me to this point in my life, so goodbye to school and the bakery, and hello home and family. But of course, it would be too easy for the military to leave Neal and me alone to ourselves for a while. He was “voluntold” last Tuesday that he has to go down to Wyoming for six weeks to be an instructor for training… and he leaves tomorrow. So, I’ve been a mess, trying to muster the strength to do this again, out of thin air, without any fair warning. Yes, it’s not Afghanistan for a year, but six weeks feels a lot longer than it sounds. Goodbye Neal, Hello my lonesome. But I will have some things to keep me busy, like finishing our bedroom, and a few other crafty things that have been on my to-do lists for a while. Here’s a sneak peak of our bedroom, our new bed was free from our good friends Mark and Nancy, the linens are Target. I’m trying to fill it with all our found things from Montana, and make it as peaceful as possible. Still trying to figure out exactly what I am going to use for side tables and wall hangings, and I might paint our dresser white. Our other bed will be used as a guest bed, which I love love love, but it is nice to have the queen sized space! (The lump is my cat)

Also, hello spring!! I am wary to say it, but the harsh winter is easing up. Of course we are expecting at least one more doozie of a storm before winter is completely over (June).

Enlightening Montanans, one bowl at a time.

Since working at the bakery, I have been able to meet many wonderful people, from all over the country. Just recently, the bakery hired Nancy, a delightful girl, whom I had the pleasure of training on the bar. As we got to know each other, I found that she is orginally from Abbeville, LA, which is about half an hour from Lafayette, where I was born! We immediately swapped gumbo recipes, she made ettouffe for me, and we both decided to bring some cajun into the mix at work. To quote Anne of Green Gables, we are becoming the bossom-est of friends. So, we made gumbo and king cake to sell at the bakery for Mardi Gras, in hopes of bringing some flavor to the dreary month of March (its 15 degrees outside!). Of course, there is no fresh seafood in sight, but we did find a local meat shop that sells andouille sausage! Happy Mardi Gras!