Polygamy. Do Not Judge.

Up until today, I have chosen to not write about anything the least bit controversial.  There are many reasons for this.  The main one is that I'm not an overly opinionated person.  Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and I am fine with them keeping them to themselves.  Hot button topics are not something I readily bring up with friends or family.  In my opinion, there is much more entertaining things to talk about.

But, last night I watched the season finale of Sister Wives and I've decided to write about it.  I am not a polygamist nor do I ever intend to be one.  I wouldn't want Nate to have coffee with another woman, let alone marry one, or two, or three.  My personality would not work well in that situation.  I also would not be the best as a nun, or a teacher, or a professional athlete.  I am not meant to compete in marathons or juggle in a circus.  Everyone has their "thing" that makes them unique -- that makes them "them."

Some people never want to get married.

Some people want to get married but are not allowed to marry the person they love.

Some people get married and live happily ever after.

And then there's the Brown's.  Kody is only legally married once but has four wives.  Throughout the two seasons of Sister Wives, viewers have gotten to know him and his family in their home in Utah.  They have birthday celebrations, prayer time, family vacations, dinners with friends and many other "normal" family events.  All the kids are very well mannered and seem to do well in school.  They have friends at school and are friends with each other as well.  They help with chores and seem to rarely fight.  They have a very strong sense of family.  Unfortunately, their lifestyle is not accepted and they are being investigated.  Because of this, last night's episode focused on their move to Las Vegas.  It was heartbreaking.  All the kids, the wives and Kody were crying.  No one wanted to leave but the alternative was to stay and risk being split up as a family. Fearing the negative outcome, they packed up, in tears, and moved.

When I was little, my sister and I cried when my parents sold their old couches to update to new ones.  I have pieces of my curtains and wallpaper from my childhood bedroom.  We never moved out of our original house, let alone moved to a different city.  This family was forced to move because of their lifestyle, which wasn't hurting anyone.  Aside from their unique family situation, they were just like us.  Solid, grounded people wanting to raise responsible individuals and now they live in fear of being separated.  I'm frustrated for them because I like them, or at least I like the version of them portrayed on TLC.

If you read this and get mad because you disagree with their lifestyle, I'm guessing you've never seen the show.  I understand not wanting to give the show a chance, but don't judge the situation if you don't know anything about it.  Judgmental people and laws have caused this family (and many others in similar situations) a lot of pain.

It's moving day!

Well, I have a few exciting updates!

Sadie (my sister) had her baby!  She was 12 days early but everything is fine.  She's home now and adjusting well.  We all spend a lot of time over there, taking turns holding Stella between feedings.  Despite my general lack of knowledge about children, I believe I do quite well holding her.  We'll have to see if my skills in other "baby areas" improve over the next year.  It's a very exciting time for everyone.

My next bit of good news is that I found a place to live!  It is located in Park View, Iowa which is 10 minutes north of Davenport and 10 minutes from my job in DeWitt.  It is a three bedroom, 1.5 bathroom townhouse.  There is a little yard that is going to be fenced in for the dogs.  It's funny how I struggled for so long to find a place that even ALLOWS dogs and now I found a place that not only allows them, but has a little fenced in yard for them!  I moved yesterday with the help of my parents.  I couldn't have done all this without them!  They were so supportive of helping me find a place and then stored all my stuff in their garage and basement before we had a chance to move.  We managed to move all my belongings and it wasn't too terrible actually.  The worst was carrying my desk and dresser upstairs.  The couches were tough, but not as bad.  These couches have been through a lot!  Nate and Evan found them for $30 back in Dubuque.  One stayed with their friend Joanie at Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque for a year or two.  I think they were then used in Dubuque at another friend's place before making the trip to Ames and now to Park View.  I upgraded them last year with new microfiber covers but the heart of the couches is still there.  

Tomorrow I am going home after the utility people come (yes, no heat or hot water here!) so I can see Sadie and Stella more before I have to start work.  It's hard to live Dubuque behind again.  I'm very thankful that I'm going to be closer than the last four years.  I don't want to be left out of events in Dubuque any more-- especially family stuff with Stella growing up!

Here are some photos of my new place.  If you want to see more, follow the link!

https://picasaweb.google.com/107708578056300246499/Townhouse?authkey=Gv1sRgCObwieuq9tvUggE&feat=directlink

Still house searching...

As graduation draws near this Saturday... a still have a few things to figure out.

1)  I do not have a place to live in DeWitt.  Although I have a job, and for that I am very thankful, I will be living in Dubuque and commuting at this point.  OR!!  I will be living in my Rondo!  Addie finds the back very comfortable but I'm not sure that I will.  It might also get a bit cold, especially since we have been having "frost warnings" in May.

2)  Important paper documents to complete post-graduation: license, accreditation, DEA license (optional).

3)  Sell my trailer!!!  Although I have had a vast amount of interest and one accepted offer, the trailer is still in my possession.  I try to not take this personally, but it's a bit difficult.  I put lots of hard work into making the trailer a home -- even though it's a mobile version.  Actually, if the trailer wasn't from 1970 and was actually "mobile," I could take it with me to DeWitt and solve items 1 and 3 on my "to do" list.  I believe the not-so-mobile home would fall apart somewhere between Ames and Cedar Rapids on Highway 30.  My hard work would be scattered about in pieces of nicely painted panel and decoupaged wallpaper.  New appliances, fresh paint, nice deck, the list goes on and on.  What more can you want!?  With a 5 minute walk to your other home for the next 4 years, i.e. the vet school, with no scraping of wind shields in the winter or trudging through flooded Ames streets next spring, it sounds like the complete package to me.  As long as the next offer isn't totally unreasonable, this mobile HOME is yours!

So as I work on the above list, I am also doing fun things such as wedding dress shopping!  I believe I found "THEE" dress but I want to keep looking because it's so much fun!  I also made a new phone purchase.  Below are some photos from this new phone that I'd like to share!  Enjoy!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/62450956@N02/sets/72157626518006699/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLrFoKX1c2o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8q8nhMCp9I