Cats and Bags

Life has been REALLY CRAZY!!!

First, my job, which is usually not fluid, has been like the ocean! I work this week, but not the next, I only work Tuesday this week, and Monday through Friday the next. Don't get me wrong I LOVE my job. But I hate change. I am really looking forward to summer being over and my schedule going back to "normal".

Second, we planned ZERO trips to the west side this summer. I have been over 4 times, and together twice. We don't really enjoy the drive over, and some of the trips have been for not so happy things.

Third, too many people are dying! This summer alone, I have know personally 3 people to go, and then a hand full of actors/figure heads/important people to go. Namely, Andy Grifith and Sally Ride! (Sally Ride was my hero for most of my life!) Interestingly enough, I was talking to a friend a while back, and she said, "You aren't old until you hear more about people you know dying or of their funerals, than of weddings and babies being born." So, I have been feeling pretty old lately, so all you young baby making couples hop to it!

I could keep listing all the things I am not enjoying in life right now, but I thought I talk about Cats and Bags. I know you all are super intrigued!

Our cat has a love/hate relationship with plastic bags. It is really funny, and ANNOYING!

She is terrified of them. She can be curled up asleep and you move a plastic bag and she is instantly awake and watching to see what that bag is going to do. Best of all if you shake one to open it, she freaks! Darts as far way from the bag as possible.

Paper bags, she enjoys to play in, and will even knock over a bag you have just setup...

But those plastic grocery bags... She hates them so much, that she EATS THEM!!! She eats them so often, that I switched to cloth grocery bags. (By the way, if you don't like them, we love them, and would love to take them off your hands!)

Back to her EATING PLASTIC GROCERY BAGS! At first, we were wondering what was happening to handles on the bags we had around the house. Then we started hearing her eat them. It is the world most annoying sound! And you have to physically TAKE the bag from her to get her to stop! The worse is when you are in bed... At those times we at tempted to stuff her in the bag.

We were also worried that digesting plastic was bad for her, but had since given up hope in stopping her. Unless the bags are behind close doors, she will find it. And EAT IT. We have found bags we used to store something under the couch or bed, 70-80% eaten! Also, she will start eating bags almost as soon as you come home with one!

We love our cat, and hope she doesn't shrink wrap her colon.


There is another, cat and bag story, we have for you...

This one is really interesting, but you are going to have to wait until at least the first of August before we let that cat out of the bag!

Numb

Sunday, July 15, we woke up late (which is actually normal for us on Sundays). Both of our phones had been ringing, but we just figured it was someone from church needing something. When I finally got up to check my phone, I had 3 missed calls from my dad, and Brody had missed calls from my mom.

I called my dad back, as I had just missed his last call. I was concerned, but didn't think much of it. When my dad answered the phone, I knew instantly, something was very wrong.

My mother, at the age of 57 died suddenly of a heart dysrhythmias and complications of hypertension and diabetes.

We left Tuesday evening, to go to Olympia, to help organize and to be with family. The funeral was Monday.

We are both still numb from the shock. There are so many things changing in our lives right now, that we just want some time to process.

We would also like to thank all of our friends who have offered to help in anyway, and to say that just knowing so many of you care is helping in more ways than you know.

Ch-Ch-Changes...

To start off we thought we would reel you in with a super cute picture of our cat.

She will do anything for some sun

Yup, she is cute!

To bad I am forever mad at her... She is very pensive though.

Let's see it has been a LONG summer. And a very hard one.

This summer we have had to say, "Until later" to too many friends.

First to my friend Merri, who moved farther away. But she did get a totally awesome new job in Utah, and so moved from Oly to Utah.

Then, my Grandfather died. As a family, we have mixed feelings, but his crazy ideals, will be missed.

A couple weeks ago we saw off some friends, as they moved back to Tacoma.

Now, the Wagstaff's are leaving (which honestly is the HARDEST THING EVER, ok not really, but it is hard! Yes, I am crying, don't judge me!) They have been our best friends. Helped us through a lot. We even say in our house, "What would the Wagstaff's do?" We knew that they would leave before us, now we just have to hope maybe Ross will transfer to Texas A&M or Brody gets into the University of Illinois and not Texas A&M. Actually, I don't want to live in Illinois it still snows there... Maybe we will visit, A LOT!!

The whole ward is changing, and it is weird. After three years of being in it, I have never noticed this big of a change. The Olson's are leaving too, and I am really going to miss her style, and her cute kids! (By the way, Rachael, if I never told you, I secretly envy your wardrobe!)

But sometimes change is good, right?