Woo Pig and Farewell Arkansas

It's 11:30 am on May 7, 2021. Mel turns 23 today. I'm sitting in the XNA Airport, waiting to fly back to Utah. I've been visiting Kamiko and Bekki in Rogers, Arkansas, for her graduation, and I'm feeling quite sentimental. Arkansas has been good to us. We've had a connection to this lovely corner of the US since 2014. Allie came to the U of A as a freshman in 2014, then Mel came here on her mission in 2017, and Kamiko and Bekki have called NW Arkansas home for over 2 years now. To quote Allie, "Arkansas isn't big enough for more than one Adcock at a time."

My first trip here was to bring Allie as a college freshman. I was so impressed with the campus, the kindness of the people, and the beauty of the green hills. I told her I wouldn't blame her if she got a job and settled here forever. Oddly enough, she didn't. She's a Razorback at heart, but transferred back to BYU via SLCC. Mel then came here on her mission. We learned from the current assistants to the president that they still speak very highly of Sister Adcock even over 2 years after she came home, especially in the YSA wards. They talk about a short missionary that was very creative in her ideas to find and serve people. What a lady! UPDATE: there was an elder from the BAM that was on my flight. I bought him lunch on our layover in Dallas and he told me that the mission president always talked about Sister Adcock when he was training YSA missionaries. He said that President Strong said Sister Adcock was the best YSA missionary they ever had. 

Bekki came her to earn her PhD at the Walton Business School. She was here a couple of years before she met Kamiko. Her happy place was Crystal Bridges, the museum funded by the Walton family, owners of Walmart and owners of NW Arkansas. When Kamiko started dating her and said "guess where she's going to school" I would have never guessed U of A. What a connection! Shortly before the wedding and before Mel finished her mission, she was transferred back to Fayetteville and got to meet her soon-to-be sister-in-law and they even taught a lesson together. 

Now we're all one big happy Razorback family, ready to watch Bekki graduate as DR. BEKKI tomorrow. Oh, and I'll miss it in person because after I bought my ticket, they changed the graduation date. We decided to stick with my original itinerary. It worked out great. I've only been her 1 1/2 days, but we got a lot done. We ate yummy food, went to Crystal Bridges to watch a cool light exhibit at sunset, went to the Momentary modern art museum (also Walton/Walmart), ironed Bekki's graduation gown and hood, played "Pomp and Circumstance," the graduation song, cleaned, got ready for a moving sale, had a moving sale, got boxes, and just had a great time being together. I can't believe this era is over for us. I really want to come back someday and see Bekki's name on the sidewalk on campus. They sandblast the names of all graduates on the sidewalk. Campus is covered with names. It's sooooo cool. 

Every pedicure is better with a cold soda!

Kamiko went with yellow toenails

Bekki will greatly miss her nail guy, Tony. 

Kamiko - Yellow
Me - Pink
Bekki - Razorback Red

Kamiko's first pedicure and he loved the pampering

Such a great Mother's Day gift!

Seated and waiting for the "show" to start

Lighting has started to add color to the room

This is a really cool exhibit that's on a trail that's part of Crystal Bridges. You enter this circular structure that has a circle hole in the top. It's best to go at sunset. You watch the sky through the hole. As the sky darkens, LED lights change colors, illuminating the room and changing how the sky looks. The sky darkens and you see different color combinations from a gray sky to black. It's really cool. It took about 40 minutes and it was a good excuse to slow down. We're always so busy. It was necessary to remind myself to just sit and enjoy art + nature + family. A beautiful evening!

On to The Momentary and an exhibit on color. Loved it. 

Me and Bekki in front of her favorite piece

I loved this. I think I like old furniture and flowers. 

Couldn't resist the orange chair

This piece reminded me of a quilt

Here's the food we ate:

Parkside Public in Rogers: awesome burgers, sweet potato fries, onion rings, Caesar salad, root beer float, and fruity pebbles shake. This place came recommended by Michelle and Drew Blankenship, friends I have that live in Centerton. 

Havana Tropical Grill: rice and beans! YUM. The most simply jasmine rice, but so yummy. I think it was cooked in well-salted water. Kamiko got some meat with his rice and beans. Bekki and I just wanted to keep it simple. I gave her my fried plantains. Still don't like them. 

Yulianitas: CARNE ASADA QUESADILLAS. YUM! Got the meal that included rice and beans. It was sooooo good. It's one of Kamiko's favorite places. 

Whataburger: Chicken honey biscuits for breakfast. I had heard about them but had never tried one. Loved it. 

Last photo together before I drove out of their apartment complex in tears. 

My flight to XNA to DFW was uneventful. It was a full flight and I lucked out to have the ONLY empty seat next to me. I read a book that we're reading for book club called "Two Old Women." It's an Alaskan tale written by an indigenous women. I really liked its message. During our layover, I treated Elder Hansen from Provo to lunch at Panera Bread. The flight to SLC was fine too. I had a window seat with an empty middle seat. I watched a movie, finished my book, and took a nap. I was tired! Mario, Allie's boyfriend, had flown to SLC and arrived a couple of hours before me. He waited and I drove him to Provo. We had a terrible windstorm unlike anything I'd seen before. I wondered where in the world I would find my garbage can that Allie had so kindly remembered to put out for me. I got home and found it next to my garage door, safe and sound. My cute young neighbor, Chandler, had pulled it in for me. He had seen it blowing down the street and rescued it for me. So nice of him. 

So I'm back home. Saturday I went walking with friends, then went grocery shopping. Then I settled in to watch Bekki's virtual graduation. Allie and Mario came over to watch with me. We're so proud of her. She was such an enthusiastic graduate. So typical of her. She really is a light. I then took a nap and went to mom's to spend time with her. We played 5 Crowns, visited, and I vacuumed for her. Happy Mother's Day, mom. This morning I slept in then went to church. Great lesson in RS about intentional parenting. Allie came over and gave me the cutest sweatshirt with California flowers on it. I LOVE IT. Kamiko and Bekki were on the road, coming to Utah. Mel is on the road, going to California. Allie and I visited for a bit, then took naps. We then had jerk pork with avocado mango salsa, then baked. We made Mel's birthday cake and 2 batches of cookies for a going away party for Allie that I'm hosting next Sunday. Love that girl. I will miss her. 

Allison was watching and texted me when I took this screenshot. I think her reaction is so cute.

In addition to Allie moving, Mel is going to the Hamptons for the summer. She will be a nanny in the upscale community on the beaches of NY. She will care for 2 boys AND work in the interior design department of the dad's architectural firm. It's a dream come true for Melia. She's always wanted to live in New York and she loves design. It's like it's meant to be. Such a miracle. That family will be fortunate to have Melia as their guest for the summer. AND she gets paid. She will have a car and her own room and bathroom. 

I get emotional when I think of all the changes. They are all good changes, but it doesn't make it easier to say goodbye. 

April

 

I had a student ask me to be on her podcast. She and her husband have a podcast geared to newlyweds and they wanted to interview me about family mealtime and how to make it happen. It was really fun and I had to sent this picture to Kamiko because he and his friend Tanner have a podcast. They talk about film. 

Last seminar with our interns and our student teacher who was in Houston. Natalie Hancock, our director, on top left. Jadyn, bottom, student taught in Houston. Me and Nicole Lauper went to Diamond Fork to meet with our interns, Kelsie and Sabrina. They all did so great, teaching during a pandemic. It's been a difficult year. 

I loved my Easter decorations!

The Saturday of General Conference, I drove Melia to Payson to get the Covid vaccine!

I got to be a guest speaker in Allie's class all day at the end of April. I talked about being a teacher as a profession. I also taught her co-worker's class when I wasn't in Allie's. It was a lot of fun. She is really loved at that school. She got a job teaching in Park City. She will be missed. 

Rose came with her mom to visit. She spent the night with me. Grandma and grandpa treated Rose, Melia, and me to Chick fil-A for dinner, then we had ice cream. Rose started the night sleeping in my guest room, then ended up in my bed, which didn't surprise me. She said I have a big house for one person. 

Grandma, Rose, and Me. Rose is wearing a vest that belonged to her mom when she was young. Her grandma Kay had it and gave it to Rose. 

Student teachers finish after a long, hard semester. 2 had to join us via zoom, something we're all very used to. We wore our masks the whole meeting; we only took them off for the picture. Barb, next to me, was the student teacher that I had the pleasure of supervising. She's fantastic and really improved with time. Natalie and Nicole, on the right, are the other university supervisors. We have a great job. 

Mel's awesome boss, Wayne, nominated her for a special scholarship that is awarded to student employees in Physical Facilities. She got it! She has worked in the upholstery shop for over 2 years and really enjoys working there. Wayne often treats the students employees to lunch at the Cannon Center. 

Rose with grandma and grandpa. She stayed at their house after I had to go home to do work for my calling. Then on Saturday morning, she wanted to go back and spend more time there. She said that she loves grandma's house, especially her kitchen with all of the Swedish stuff. 

More of my Easter decorations! See my Easter witch and my Easter apron?

See, we wore masks

One of our student teachers, Wendy, gave me a thank you gift that included some chocolates. This is a great thought. 

I love this Easter pillow so much. I think it looks so cute. 

Veroo, a Uruguayan mission companion of Daysa Oswald Corrington, has lived with Annie and Phil Oswald for a few years now. It is time for her to move on to finish her degree at BYU Hawaii. This was at her farewell get-together. I remember us working on her student visa years ago when Annie and Phil were out of town. She and I had to figure out the paperwork on our own. We must have done it correctly because she's still here as a student and is doing quite well. 

Conference AFTER Mel got vaccinated. We got McDonald's and went to the Payson Temple to listen to Conference. It was a wonderful day.

After 16+ years of teaching at BYU, Ann Hardman retired. She and I were hired together. I'm the last of the 3 of us that were hired together. I won't be leaving for many years. Natalie, Ann, Starlyn, and me. 

Some Healthy Changes

I joined a group for some metabolic coaching, which included a lot of emotional work. A lot of thinking and goal setting. It was way out of my comfort zone, but I really liked it. See my post of 4 words for 2021. Connect. Alignment. Health. Creation. This challenge really helped me see how those words fit into my life. I want to remember what I wrote in mid-February. 

Here I go...rating the 6 human needs for me at this point in my life:

1. Connection/Love: I'm introverted, but am still very much a people person. My friends, my family, my kids, and my students mean the world to me. I'm recently divorced and (thankfully) removed from a 28-year relationship that didn't really offer much connection.
2. Contribution: I'm a teacher by profession and at heart. I really like to help others. Even if life is crazy, I can find joy in giving and in supporting others.
3. Certainty: I have had an aversion to uncertainty and insecurity since I was a teenager, when my dad had some significant financial/business setbacks. Covid and a divorce have helped me realize that I can pivot if needed, though.
4. Significance: I'm pretty lucky in that I have an already intrinsic sense of self-worth. I don't need external sources to tell me I'm unique or important. I kinda tell myself that. LOL.
5. Growth: While I know growth is important, it's kinda scary. Joining this group and committing to 3 months and using my hard-earned money was a huge step toward embracing growth for me.
6. Uncertainty/variety: I really, really don't like uncertainty and I'm not bored with the mundane. Routine makes me happy.

Note: When I first started typing, I had certainty as #1. Then I re-read the prompt and realized that certainty had been #1 for years for me, but not anymore. I've learned that I can be flexible and change/grow when needed. So, connection became #1 for me right now in my life. Thanks for the challenge.

I'm done with the 90 day challenge. I lost 8 lbs and almost 7 inches. I gained confidence. I eat way more vegetables and drink way more water. I feel great. I also got some home strength training plans that I really like and that's saying something because I HATE lifting weights. Hahaha. I eat way fewer sweets and find that if I'm eating nutrient dense food all day with plenty of protein and fruits and veggies, I don't feel hungry and I don't crave sweets. Most important was the change inside. I see myself and I really like what I see. I have a way better relationship with food than I ever have. 

March Memories!

I have LOVED this month. 

I decorated for St. Patrick's Day. I love the little spots I have in my house to add some decor - from hanging an apron, to using holiday dishtowels, arranging fun items on my chest of drawers and my plant stand. It really makes me smile to decorate. 

March is Women's History Month. I introduced my students to Ellen Swallow Richards, the founder of my field, I shared with them my appreciation for Emma Smith and how extraordinary it was that she was called to expound the scriptures to the church (Doctrine and Covenants 25). We also talked about the early days of the Relief Society, which was organized on March 17, 1842. I'm learning to think more about marginalized individuals, like women, my brothers and sisters who are Black, indigenous, Pacific Islander, Asian, and other minorities, as well as our LGBTQ+ friends. I got to read the report of BYU's council on Diversity and Inclusion and learned a lot. 

Yahtzee Holiday! I heard a suggestion on The Lazy Genius podcast to make your own holiday in February or March since those months are so long and cold. March 3 is "National I Want You to Be Happy Day" so I sent the kids Yahtzee games and money for treats. I love to play Yahtzee and we love being together so I thought it was the perfect way to celebrate the day. We may have to make it an annual event. We set a time to join each other via Zoom and played Yahtzee for over an hour. Allie and Melia actually ended up coming over here. Kamiko tells me he often plays Yahtzee now. I do too. In fact, it kinda stays on my kitchen table. We have since played Yahtzee on FaceTime a couple of times. Oh, Allie had moved out at the end of February. She found a perfect studio apartment in Provo and loves it. I am doing well without her. She's doing well without me. We are both thriving. 

I also got to spend some time with one of my favorite former students, Chelsea Bauer. Chelsea took my class years ago and we just clicked. A few years ago, she felt impressed to move to the Bay Area. I connected her with Kristen and Doug and she lived with them for a while. She also visited them often, seeking priesthood blessings from Doug and just a feeling of home. She's from El Paso, Texas, and studied photography. She works in marketing and lives in South Jordan right now. I was observing a student teacher last week in West Jordan, so Chelsea and I met for lunch. We had a blast sitting in my car and eating Chick fil-A. We caught up on what's going on. We also had Kristen join us via FaceTime. She just celebrated her 30th birthday and she's a rockstar. Honestly, I can't figure out why these great women don't meet and marry equally great men. It's the men's loss. 

THE HIGHLIGHT: Kamiko and Bekki came for the week. They arrived on Tuesday night, March 16. Coincidently, I didn't have class on Wednesday, so we were able to spend some time together. We went on a walk in the morning then Bekki and I did some much needed research. She ran crazy complicated computer programs that analyzed her data and I tested recipes for cinnamon rolls and dinner rolls. Both important research! LOL. We also did a little DIY project and hid the cord to my TV. The cord used to hang down and was visible. Now it's hidden in the wall and done according to code. I'm very proud of the project. Kamiko and Bekki were my cheerleaders and helped me map it out. It looks sooooo great. 

I had work on Thursday and the kids had things they had to do, but it was just sooooo fun to have them staying with me. They got to break in the new, cute bedding I got for my guest room. I found it on Facebook Marketplace. I got a bedskirt, sheets, duvet and duvet cover, and pillows all for only $50! 

When I found out the kids were coming, I made plans for all of them to come over to my place for takeout from our favorite Chinese restaurant, T Bone, and for an Easter Egg hunt. My kids go crazy every year for their Easter Egg hunt. Melia reminded me that I even sent them supplies last year for an Easter Egg hunt since we couldn't gather due to Covid. So, Friday I worked at home and got a lot done. I took down St, Patrick's decor and did Easter decor. I went to an appointment with my therapist, I took dinner to my friend Amy Christensen, and I ordered the food. We all gathered at 6:30 and had yummy food, then the fun began. While I hid eggs, the kids waited outside. They decided that I would lead them inside while they all kept their eyes shut so nobody would have an advantage. They lined up until I counted them down and told them to search. They found them all quickly. My living area/kitchen/bathroom aren't that big. HAHA. It was so much fun. The kids emptied all of the contents of the eggs into paper bags and referred to it as their trail mix. We played Yahtzee with "Hamilton" playing in the background. All the kids slept here and it was so much fun. My kids are fantastic. I love having them here and they say they love being here. 

Kamiko and Bekki spent Saturday house hunting with the Braus and they had breakfast with them this morning. I'll be seeing them soon at Bekki's graduation on May 6. Then they'll be moving here. They'll probably stay with me for a bit. I honestly don't know why they choose to stay with me since the Braus have way more space than I do, but I'm so happy they like to be here. My heart is full. Life is great. My family is just perfect for me. We had good talks, we laughed, we spent time together. I also stayed out of the way while the kids had time together. 

I have signed my contract for the 2021-2022 academic year. I'm working with Independent Study to get that class aligned with what we do on campus and online. I had the opportunity to submit a proposal for equipment to be purchased for the labs and it got approved, so we'll be ordering some items for the lab. We're making improvements in our curriculum and it feels good to contribute. Life is GREAT!

Here's a quote I saw today in my friend Adrienne Murray's Instagram feed: "If you trust the open doors, you gotta trust the closed doors too" (Nakeia Homer). When things don't make sense, I hope I can remember wonderful times like March 2021.