Houston Soccer Tournament

She is #14 in the white or red jersey

Before
After
Before

After. Go Whit




Lake Travis U15

And the hits just keep on coming

Making the high school soccer team is a big deal for Whitney. It is something she has worked on and look forward to for a long time. So when I got a call from the trainer the first day of tryouts I could not believe it. She had gone up for a header and lost her balance and fell backward. She had put her hand down to catch herself and hurt her wrist. She was in a lot of pain and the trainer thought I needed to take her to get it X-rayed. What kind of luck is that? I felt so bad for her. She was so disappointed.

Good news. It was just a bad sprain and she is able to play in a few days and will be able to make the next tryout. Good luck Whit. Keep your fingers crossed for her.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

We had a rough week last week, no I mean a really really rough week. Toward the end of the week I called Mike and said "well whatever doesn't kill us will make us stronger right?" he replied "yes, but I am afraid this might kill us."

For the last few weeks the kids have been struggling to get used to their new lives in Texas. Some days have been better than others. The worst being the night they were all bawling at the same time telling us they really wanted to go home. "When school starts everything will be so much better" we kept telling them "you will meet tons of new friends and you will feel a lot better."
School starts.
I drop Teegan off and while he is a bit nervous I think he is more excited than anything. He sits down at his desk with confidence and I know he is going to be just fine. As I am leaving the teacher asks if he will be riding the bus or if I will pick him up. "Pick him up" I say and she asks "here or in the carpool lane?" "Here" Thinking she is asking a lot of questions. I guess that is good.
That afternoon I had the cable/phone/internet guys coming to get things set up. I let them know I needed to leave by 2:45 and they said they will be close but should be just fine. 2:40 came and I told them I had to go, "we are almost done" they said. 2:45 came and they said we are almost done they just needed to get this and that ( I wasn't listening at this point)I said "well I have to leave I will be back." "But wait we are almost done Ma'am" "Sorry! I will be back" I yell as I am running down the stairs.
I race to the school (already late) weave through the long lines of cars and find a parking spot, just as I am about to jump out a teacher comes racing out "you can't park there! you can't park there!" "Where do you want me to park? I am new." I ask (very calmly I might add but annoyed) I get the car moved run to the front door, swing it open to find every other parent in the school PACKED like sardines in the entry way. "what is going on?" I ask the parent next to me. "Once you get to the front you give them your child's name, they call them on the walkie talkie, and then they are walked down from the rainbow room (holding area) and given to you". This is going to take all day I am way at the back of the line/mess. "I have cable guys at my house" I say. Eventually they got more people taking names and I just so happened to be right where one of them started so it wasn't to much longer before Teegan and I were running back out the door to get home to the cable guys who were sitting waiting for me when we got home. Oh well they needed a break right?
Although Landon was a nervous he decided he wanted to ride the bus to school, the bus was way late (like school was stating) but other then that he got off to a good start.
We can't find a bus for Whitney so I took her to school. She was a nervous wreak but she got out of the car and walked into that big building anyway. I told her I would pick her up but that I would be late because we were picking Landon up (there school ends at the same time). That afternoon we go to pick up Landon he seems a bit tense and is very quiet, and head to Whitney's school. We get there 30 minutes after her school ended. "High school really sucks when you don't have any friends!" she yells with tears in her eyes as she gets in the car and then looks out the window. I decide to give her a minute. We ride along in silence. I finally say "what about Maddie?" (a girl from our ward)"yeah I saw her in the hall but we don't have any classes" she says very calmly. "what about the girls on your soccer team" "yeah I ate lunch with one of them." "You call that no friends?" Landon says from the back seat. "I didn't talk to anyone all day Whitney". We ride in silence again.
Whitney goes to soccer practice that night.
Tuesday morning starts early, Whitney and I get up at 5:30 to get to seminary by 6:00, she is nervous to go in. I drive home and get Teegan up. He says he can't wake up this early, we have got to find him a new school. Grumpy morning and we head to the bus. The bus is late and we were early. I get home to find Landon crying that he has a stomach ache. "Don't be so nervous you are going to do fine" I tell him. Whitney and I walk out to get in the car while he walks out to catch the bus. "I don't feel so good I am going to throw up" Landon says as he runs back inside. I take a nervous Whitney to school. Mike calls on my way home and says "he is kind of green but he is on the bus." I asked if he threw up and he said "that or hyper ventilated I am not sure he was in the bathroom."
It didn't take much more then an hour and the school nurse called me. He threw up at school. I went to get him but am still not sure it is not just nerves.
I am just on my way out to meet Teegan at the bus stop (they won't let him off without a parent) when the phone rings. "The school has been trying to call you" Mike says excitedly. "They have Teegan, they wouldn't let him ride the bus because he doesn't have a bus pass" "what the heck is a bus pass?" I say "I have not idea just go get him". I run to the school get to that front door again but this time school has been out long enough there are only a few parents. "what's your child's name?" she ask "Teegan Maxfield", she repeats it into the walkie talkie. We wait. "What was his name again" she asks after a bit. "Teegan Maxfield. He was supposed to ride the bus home but you guys wouldn't let him because he didn't have some bus pass, what is a bus pass?" "Oh" she doesn't answer my question and starts telling the story to another women standing behind the door that we are not allowed to go through. "I am sure he is on the bus" the other lady says, "we can call the bus driver and they can let us know if he is on it or not..." "No, he is not on the bus" I interrupt "I wanted him on the bus but you all just called me and would not put him on the bus" "Oh,what's his name? lets go see what I can find out" and they both walk away. They soon return to let me know they found him and that he is in the "car pick up holding" area and they have walkie talkied them to send him down. He soon appears with his teacher who lets me know I need to send her an email to let her know he will be riding the bus and what bus number (yes she is standing right in front of me and I am telling her) I get her email address and agree to send her an email letting her know he should ride the bus. I feel lost in all these details. Mike says "we just can't we seem to catch on."
We head straight to pick up Whitney who gets in the car and says "High school really sucks when you have no friends!!"-again, with a little more anger this time and a few more tears. "I ate lunch all alone!Do you know what that feels like?" "Oh yeah and I have to have a physical by Monday or I can not tryout for the high school soccer team" we ride in silence. Where am I going to find a Dr. ?
Landon is feeling better this afternoon and goes to football practice. He is going to school tomorrow.
Wednesday morning Teegan does better and we get him on the bus. Landon gets up and starts throwing up right away, he lays on the bathroom floor and tells us he can't do it, he can't go to school. "You will be fine" I tell him, not sure what to do.
That afternoon I drive for an hour each way to get a players pass so Whitney can play in her game this Saturday. You just start getting used to being lost.
I pick Whitney up and things were a bit better today. Landon was riding the bus home. The bus pulls up to the stop at 5:00. He gets out of school at 3:45 and the school is 5 minutes away! I ask how the day went. "I threw up all over the floor in 1st first period" he says barely audible. He does not look good. He is in a bad place. We hurry and get ready for football since we have to be there by 5:30. Dinner that night is quiet. The moral in our house is awful. All the stress from the last month has come crashing down in the last few days. The reality of moving,the reality that we live here, the reality of living in this duplex. Whitney wants to go home, Landon has a big knot in his stomach and hasn't smiled in 3 days and Teegan is just rolling with things. What have we done to our kids? Mike and I wonder.
Next morning same thing, Landon throws up time and time again. Cries and says he can't do it. Then he says with pleading eyes "I can't ride the bus home because I can't sit and listen to all the boys swear for the hour ride." I had found a Dr that was able to fit Whitney in for her physical and it was right after school. "I need you to ride the bus because I won't be home". I feel like I am destroying him. But he is already broken. We send them off hoping things will get better because I am not sure how much longer everyone can keep pushing on.
When I pick Whitney up she is starting to see that she might just survive. Landon comes home and says he threw up at school but he smiles for the first time this week.
Friday morning is more of the same for Landon but Whitney is starting to feel like she may not have friends but she at least has 1 person in most of her classes that she talks to. Things are looking up for everyone except Landon he is still having a hard time. Moving has been so much harder on my kids then we ever expected and it has been harder for Mike and I. I can only hope that this experience is making us stronger people. I hope that when it comes time for Whit to go to college or Land and Teeg to go on their missions it won't be so hard. I know it will help us grow. We have already become closer as a family because we have to rely on each other. I have seen my prayers answered right before my eyes. Last week when thing were so bad the Relief Society came by for a visit and both of them have moved here, one from Utah and they understood how I felt. They understood how the kids felt, they listened and helped me through. The next day I got a call from a ward member asking if Landon could come over and play. We haven't been left alone.
So why do I blog such a downer post. This blog is to document our lives. I feel like this journal entry is important to remember how hard things were. That life isn't always easy.

The first day of school

-9th grade- Lake Travis High School.

This is about 1/4 of Whit's new school.

-6th grade- Hudson Bend Middle school.

-2nd grade- Lake Travis Elementary

Thanks to everyone that helped us move.
We had tons of help from our family and we want them to know how much we appreciate it.

Howdy Y'all

It's official we are Texans.
A month ago today we pulled into this town and called it home (OK no one will agree to call it that yet). It has been a crazy 4 weeks. We lived in a hotel for a week, went without a fridge for 3 weeks (don't ask), went to Houston and just got internet,cable and a phone -hence why there has been no posts. I actually really wish I would have been able to post because there were some good stories to tell.
We made great time getting here in 2 days. We even stopped for a quick hike in Moab.





We went to check into the hotel around the corner to find it book and ended up camping here at the duplex for the night. Landon started football the next day. It just so happened to be the hottest day of the year so far, at the hottest time of the day. I think it was 102. We got our warm welcome (bu du dum).
We spent the next few days at the hotel thinking the truck was going to come any day with our stuff. It finally made it and we got things moved in. For those of you who have moved with a moving company you will understand when I say they really just threw things at me and I told them where to throw it as fast as I could. I think it took 8 hours to load and 1 1/2 to unload.




A few days later Whitney and Grandma Susan made it. We were so happy to see them.
We got a quick jump on things. I think they got in sometime around midnight and we were up and at the school by 9:00 to get Whitney registered and to soccer practice by 10:30. She was off and running. We spent the next few days getting the kids enrolled in schools (that was a process) and showing Grandma Susan around.
We hit Rudy's.

It is this great little BBQ restaurant that someone recommended to Mike and I the first time we came out here. Before we left Whitney asked if she was dressed up enough for the restaurant. I laughed so hard, it is actually on the side of a gas station. -no kidding.
We hit the cupcake in a trailer.

It is actually called hey cupcake! but we call it cupcake in a trailer since it is :).
We also made a trip to the outlet mall and had dinner at the Oasis. It was fun to have her come and she was a great help in getting all the kids set with school and sports. It was very hot. I think we have been in the 100 for the last 15 days straight with a high of 107! add humidity to that and wow. I am pretty sure she will not come back in August again :). That's OK we understand.
We went to Houston for a soccer tournament the next weekend. I know everyone says "already?" Yep Whit made the team one week and they told us they wanted us to go to Houston the next weekend and the nuts that we are we agreed!!! We all make mistakes. It was just a big rush running around the next week getting forms,birth certificates and of course lots of money to the right people. Uniform ordered and picked up and driving an hour to get players pass picked up. Did I mention she had practice from 10:30 to 12:30 everyday on top of it and that I live in a town that I don't know where ANYTHING is. Thank goodness for GPS and being OK with being a bit lost.
Houston ended up being a lot of fun. My Aunt Catherine, Uncle Jonathan and their cute kids Ethan and Clair live there and it was so fun to see them. We got to see there house and have a nice visit and then the nice people they are they sat in the heat with us and watched Whitney play.



I don't know how poor Whit did it, it was so humid and she played the entire game. She says she is so sweaty she glistens like Edward Cullen.
The kids got started in school (post to follow)and we are getting settled. I wouldn't be honest if I told you it was all roses. The kids have had their hard days and miss friends and family back home but I think things are starting to get easier. I will admit it has been a bit harder on everyone then I thought it would be but I am still glad we took this adventure together.

One Year Blog Anniversary

I first started this scrapbook journal, one year ago, in August and I am so happy I did. I find it a lot of fun to look back on all we have done this last year. Of course I wish I had more time to post, there are times when I am so far behind I don't know where to start and it is a little work but well worth it.

I write to remember the 7 of every week, the 30 of every month, the 365 of every year. Because there is something wonderful in each and every one of them.

Tomorrow is the big day! We are moving! At this point I don't think it has really sunk in, it has been a stressful few weeks getting everything and everyone ready. I am dreading the last goodbye's so if I didn't actually say good bye to you please don't feel bad and yes I was trying to avoid the whole thing :).
I am going to pick up Mike from the airport in a few hours after not seeing him for a month. We are all excited to see him again.
Whitney is staying in Utah to go to girls camp and will fly out on the 9th. I can't wait to get our family together again.
So far moving has definitely been a lot of work but we are all still excited for the opportunity. Austin here we come.

My mom and my sisters are my best friends. I love them all so much. I am so thankful to have such a great support in my life.

I feel like this last month has been one big party!

Gram, Melissa, Natalie and Lorilee gave us one great Texas size going away party!