Cousin Support

More fun talks with my cousin, Katie, who has experienced her fair share of packing, moving, and relocating. She is a great mom who is not afraid to love, laugh, and lose her mind on occasion. I was 15 years old at her wedding and still thinking I world move to English to convert and marry Prince William. Fun that we have moved on to have some similar adventures and good times. I hope she doesn't mind that I share her awesome thoughts. :) 

April 25, 2013 12:19 p.m. 

Oh, Katie! It is so good to hear from you! I think of you all the time while we are on this exciting adventure. It really is a roller coaster. What is with kids? Loved your stories about Jack and Annie. Sometimes I forget Quinn is not forgetting the sound for "w" just to piss me off. But I am pretty sure that is exactly why she stills pees in a pull up BEFORE she even falls asleep every night. Oh dear!! :) 

You are amazing. Thank you so much for your thoughts and interest. We feel many things to be grateful for. There was a talk in worldwide general conference for the Mormon church a few weeks ago in which a man talked about greeting new Mormon families who were relocating to Texas over the last couple years. He said the families would call him and ask, "Which is the best congregation?" He said only once did someone ask, "Which congregation needs a strong family?" I was very inspired by this thought. I am grateful to get to go live wherever I want. And through that, hopefully we will be in a position to help and support others. Once consolation we have on hard days is to say, "We wanted this, and still want this." This same phrase helps in the DARK days of motherhood, right? LOL

Love to you and yours!! Take care! 

Jill and Family 

On Apr 25, 2013, at 10:29 AM, Katie Ragland <katie_ragland@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hi Jill!

I've been following your Colorado adventure on your blog. I swear in the Benton extended family, I don't think there are many cousins who can understand moving to a new home, living in a less than ideal place (which you try to make feel as homey and cozy as your possibly can) while everything is in storage and you are living with just enough to get you through the day. I, however, can so I feel solidarity with you! Moving adventures as both of us have experienced are not for the faint of heart! But they make for amazing memories and stories as the years go on (and we are all more comfortably situated). And it's the reason that our family motto is, "You've got to grow where your planted." 

But how surprised was I to see your blog talking about Jesse Benton from CO! I swear to you that Ben and I were JUST talking about him yesterday. He has to write a paper on someone famous or noteworthy. He is thinking Run DMC (b/c he's 11), I suggested Joseph Breen and then he countered with "that relative in CO who used to be the sheriff." I tried looking him up (not having time to call, Mom) so how funny you should blog about him. Ben is going to be thrilled!

Good luck as you continue moving in. Your surroundings are breathtaking and if CO has taken as long to get into spring as MN has, then as the trees and surroundings start to bloom and grow around you and the girls, you are going to treasure each step toward summer. I am already watching our trees for signs of buds and looking forward to a weekend that includes our first 60s and 70s since Oct. 

BTW, if it helps, I went to a retreat at our church run by this visiting priest who was an amazing speaker. One thing I walked away that has been very, very helpful when I am having a difficult day (unending winter surrounded by kids CRAZY from being shut-in will do that to you), is his advice to find something to be "intentionally grateful" for every day. So when it snowed eight inches for the third time in two and half weeks in APRIL and I was scared we were going to have snow on the ground into June, I really applied that thought process and it helped. On days, when the girls and their parents are all not feeling the CO adventure, maybe this can help.

And, by the way, if it also helps, Jack peed his pants off and on until he was in second grade for no reason other than he just held it until he exploded or didn't feel like stopping what he was doing to pee. (It would have been hard to be intentially grateful for that phase truthfully). AND, Annie had THE most difficult time reading last year. It took well into first grade to grasp the concepts and before I didn't pull out my hair trying to read with her. I only add these, to help ease a few of your worries in the middle of this transition. It's not just you guys, it's everyone's kids. Some are more willing to admit it. But then, I think it's obvious, I am a flawed, flawed mom. But aren't we all?

Thanks for allowing me to follow in your adventure. When things settle down, consider a road trip to the upper midwest. We'd love to see all of you!

Love to all of your fellow Fellows!

Love,

Katie