A Sort of Limbo

Picture taken five or six months ago.  Joshua about nine-months.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I had decided to not post again until we had a change of circumstances for the better.  Not that life is not good-- just nothing I really cared to write about(?).  That, and besides having the cutest baby on earth who is growing way too fast, life has been pretty darn stagnant up until now.
Things that are the same: Josh is still plugging away at the cheese plant.  I am proud of his perseverance.  We are still playing creepers in my parent's basement similar to Harry Potter, minus the hostile treatment and living under the stairs.  Still in love with being a mother...on most days.
Fastest changer: Joshua.  It makes me sad when I think about how my little man has gone from being an infant to toddler overnight.  Joshua is walking, trying to put on his own shoes, and has learned exactly how to throw the world's funniest tantrum.  He starts to shake and holds his breath until his face is beat red, all the while growling ferociously.  On the other hand, Joshua has learned how to blow kisses, yell "mama!",  and give bear hugs or "1, 2, 3, SQUEEZE!".  Who knew a year could bring about such changes?!
Things to look forward to: Mostly, the future!  As President Monson says, "The future is as bright as our faith," and I have faith there are great things in store for our family.  First of all, we decided to remodel the family and add a new addition around September first.  We wanted Joshua to have a buddy...keeping our fingers crossed that it's a boy, but we will find out the beginning of April for sure.  A girl would be ok too;).
Also, Josh is anxiously awaiting word from University of Nebraska (Lincoln), University of New Mexico (Albuquerque), and University of Kansas (Lawrence), to find out where we will spend the next three years of our lives.  Word of acceptance/decline should be coming sometime during the next month.
All in all, search as I may, I can't find a whole lot to complain about.  Come daylight savings, it will be another story.  (Loosing sleep is the polar opposite of loosing weight.  Not a happy camper.)  

Many Happy Returns

Most of the pictures don’t need an explanation. One is a family picture taken when Joshua was just barely three-months-old. Another is us at the pool this week. My mom and dad and siblings in the Manti Pageant. Joshua trying out his dad’s cowboy hat on the 4^th. Josh’s graduation.

It’s been a while. Much has happened…and not happened for us here in the Kirkman Clan. Josh graduated this May Suma Cum Laude (yeah, my hubby is a jamn denius) with his Bachelors of Architecture. He has really been a trouper this last semester with a 21 credit load, work, and a new baby, but somehow he muddled through;)

We anticipated a flood of work opportunities for Josh, and granted, he did have several interviews and submitted countless resumes. But as luck would have it, most places prefer an architect with more experience under his belt. To make a long story slightly shorter, we held out as long as we could, waiting for a company to take a chance on a new guy, but in the end, our bank account decided that we could wait no longer.

In June, my parents were kind enough to take us under their wings and give us a place to live. During the month, we continued to look for work, interview, and enjoy our summer going camping, hot air ballooning, and reunioning. Josh spent his days working for my dad fencing and irrigating. This week we were very blessed to have Josh start his new job at the Fillmore cheese plant. We still have hopes of further education and a career in architecture, but for now our student loans and savings account for graduate school need some attention.

I am soaking in the plethora of babysitters and loving feeling of progress that exercise gives me. Although I can honestly say that I never wanted to come back to my hometown, I can also honestly say that it’s not so bad…in fact, life is pretty good. For the first time in a long time, I have gotten one-on-one opportunities with my siblings.

Joshua is now 6 months old! I can hardly believe how fast my baby is growing and how much personality he has. Lately he has figured out how to give very slobbery kisses and is scooting around on his fat little elbows. Joshua looks like a baby jack-o-lantern with his two baby teeth sticking out and uses them to bite anyone who dares to cross him.

Little Things

Lately, our house has become cluttered with little socks, diapers, throw-up towels, onesies, and most every other little thing that comes with having a baby. And when I look at all of the many dishes that have been neglected and hours that have gone unslept, combined with an ever growing array of little paraphernalia, I can't help but think that I deserve credit for coming up with the perfect recipe for a short circuited memory. So if any of you need to forget an unwanted appointment with your boss or bishop, come spend a day at the Kirkman's. Before you know it, you too will forget to get dressed only to hear a knock on the door and realize that it is mid-afternoon and your baby is content, but you forgot to turn off the oven.
Motherhood is an adjustment.
BUT I love it so much! I can honestly say that nothing brings me greater happiness than seeing my sweet baby happy. He is growing much faster than what I would like. At two months, he is barely fitting some of his six month clothes and is quite long. I am confident that little Joshua will grow up to have a career involving highly trained leg aerobics...possibly be the next Billy Blanks (?). He loves to kick and kick and smile and then kick some more. Josh gave a beautiful baby blessing last Sunday and the luncheon was yummy, thanks to my mom and Grandma Tippetts and all who brought salads/desserts.
Good news all around: we purchased a 1998 Buick Century off of KSL for a super good deal. It only has 82,000 miles and runs like a teenager on steroids. I feel like a new woman with wheels to the outside world!
This week was spring break down at SUU. Josh spent it busting his brains trying to finish his home-study physics class while Joshua and I made ourselves scarce at Grandma Lisa's house. We have had fun testing out our chauffer skills on the kids and practicing early bedtime habits.
Stay tuned for some baby/car pics!

New Beginnings

On January 5, 2012 at exactly 7:23 a.m., one week past the due date, Josh and I embarked on the scariest, most wonderful adventure either of us ever hoped to experience...parenthood. Joshua Franklin Kirkman was born via C-section due to the doctor's concern about his weight on the ultrasounds, and the fact that my body did not want to prepare at all to give birth. Although he was not the whopping 11 lbs. the ultrasound predicted, he was 9 lbs, 14 ounces, and 21 and 1/2 inches long, which was reason enough for me to be very grateful we are blessed with the technological advancements of our day. We named him "Joshua" because it fit perfectly, better than any of the names we had debated earlier in our pregnancy, because he looked just like his daddy's baby pictures, and because I admire my husband just that much;) Also, it is a bit of a tradition with his family to name some part of their first born sons after the father. Then "Franklin" is a stretch from my late grandfather Frank Tippetts, an amazing man who lived his life in a way I hope our baby will. We are planning on calling him "Joshua" and his dad "Josh" or to avoid confusion, "Joshua Franklin". The happiest moment for both Josh and I was when we heard the startled cry of our baby (over the doctor's commentary about baby Joshua's broad shoulders), and Josh was able to bring him over to the operating bed and hold his tiny cheek to mine.
Needless to say, our lives have taken a total turn-around from the start, beginning with a very strange, limited sleep schedule. I never thought I would rejoice over four consecutive hours of sleep! If it's true that there "ain't no rest for the wicked", Josh and I must be the devil's henchmen because I have never been more exhausted in my life. Hopefully part of it is due to recovery time...otherwise I am not sure how much longer I will have my wits about me. Nothing could have prepared us for the selflessness that goes into parenthood. Everything that was once all about us and what we wanted is now all about Joshua and what he needs. All of the work put into taking care of one little person is unbelievable, and makes me want to be filthy rich to pay my own poor parents back for all the trouble I caused them;) The reward of having this sweet, beautiful spirit in our home far outweighs the cost. He brings us more joy and happiness with each passing day and strengthens my testimony that our Heavenly Father has an infinite love for His children.

Heartburn and Heartwarming Times

Well folks, we are down to the last month of school and pregnancy. Needless to say, times being the way they are has put both Josh and I on edge. Really, he is the one coping well as I fall apart over the stupidest things such as grocery shopping, children's movies, and Pampers commercials. One day, people, one day I look forward to having my hormones in check and behaving like a sane person again...if I ever was sane. So far, within the last three months, two people have asked me if I am having twins and three+ people have asked how overdue I am. "No," to both questions. Not carrying twins. (Apparently I was for the first while but we are now having one baby, and he is sitting cozy all up front.) As much as I wish I was close to being overdue, it is still a while away. I think the worst incident happened when we were on a date at the Garden House and after the waitress seated us at a booth, my tummy prevented me from sitting down all of the way. I was stuck between the booth wall and our table. Luckily, they were not busy and we were able to find an open table with movable chairs.
This last week was marvelous. We were able to go home and watch my brother (Nic) be the stud of his high school play and a wrestling star. On top of that, my whole family (minus the two youngest kids) sang in the church choir while they were accompanied by my second youngest sister (Anna) on her flute. My siblings are very talented;)
Thanksgiving was a blast. We went with my family to Grandma DeGraffenried's and gorged ourselves on everything from sweet potatoes to a variety of twenty-eight different pies made by small children and adults alike. --Heartburn and water retention in my feet were the result, but SO worth it. Josh and I loved holding my little cousins and imaging what our own little boy will look like. I have to confess that about the cutest thing is seeing Josh with babies. Until he married into my obscenely huge family, he had never held one and to see him interact with them is heartwarming-- and not in a heartburn heartwarming way;).
My mom was a gem and hosted an incredible baby shower which most of my aunts were able to attend. It was a soup buffet of sorts and the end result was that Josh and I are financially able to purchase some of the big ticket items we need such as a crib and car seat. My relief society is hosting another shower for our ward this Saturday. We feel very blessed to have such generous family and friends. Thank you! Thank you!

Skilled in Pumpkin Carving

My hubby is skilled in many ways, but recently he has taken on a new challenge in the art of pumpkin carving. Although I would like to take credit for the cat one, he perfected it;) These are his creations:


Supposedly the Mickey Mouse one is for "Jr.", the goofy one is Josh's, and mine is the cat one. I have always been a big fan of Halloween (the fun, decorative parts- not the creepy, bloody parts) and so I insisted on celebrating Halloween a couple of days early rather than skip it because of Josh's odd schedule on the main night. While he went to work Saturday night, diligently outlining and then carving masterpieces, I attempted to make my mom's apple fritters.... It's true: nobody can cook it like mom can. They were OK, if you don't mind a super crispy outer shell and a doughy inside. We watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and then concluded that even though we could stay up 'til all hours continuing our party, something about being married makes it so we simply choose not to keep teenager hours anymore, despite there being no children to run our schedule...yet;)
By the way, has anyone else noticed fall in Utah lasts about a week tops? Yesterday we took a Sunday drive up Cedar Mountain to look at the colorful leaves only to find that they had already taken the plunge. Maybe next year.
Happy Halloween!

...there was no room for us in the inn.

This was me at 28 weeks. Large and growing.

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Barack Obama, that all America should be taxed, and with such a tax should be so poor that the price of many goods, from market supplies to transportation, increased.
And Joshua also went up from Cedar City, to be taxed with Adell, his espoused wife, being somewhat great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. Nevertheless, it was not the desire of Joshua nor Adell to bring forth their firstborn son and wrap him in swaddling clothes and lay him in a tiny pickup truck because there was no room for their meager student loan at the car dealerships.

Now this story may seem incomplete at this point. It is. This is due to the fact that for the last two days we have scoured every car dealership in Iron county and have come away from all of them feeling a bit more like Mary and Joseph (no sacreligiousness intended)-- that after checking out my large front and our dumpy truck, there is simply no room for selling to students. So far we have only been laughed out of each dealership (literally) when we tell them the extent of our small loan. Heck, two of the places didn't even bother to try and convince us of anything on the lot and just shook their heads in apparent sorrow at our circumstances. Apparently, with the economy being the way it is, used cars have drastically gone up in price since many cannot afford to buy new cars anymore. Three times we were referred to KSL. We will most likely end up buying a car from said website...if we can ever find the time to make it up to the SLC area. Hopefully it will happen before I bring forth our firstborn son.
If anyone reading this has a car in mind, please let us know;)
Along with car shopping, we have gone to some prenatal classes at the hospital. They were a bit helpful in easing the ball of tension that builds within me whenever I think of giving birth. However, we both gagged during the C-Section video and I nearly passed out at the sight of an epidural needle. If nothing else, the classes made this baby seem more of a reality for Josh, which is a really good thing, since he is very convinced he is still too much of a child at twenty-four to actually have one. Truth be told, I don't think either of us feel adequate, but ready or not, we will learn together.