I was so thrilled I was able to go home to witness Easton's blessing. I had to really work this trip out because I was missing a lot of important things going on at work. My boss's birthday was that Sunday and everyone started school the next Monday so I was taking off work at a horrible time but my boss understood how important this was to me and let me go home.
I left Saturday early morning and got in around 930AM Phoenix time. My plan was to take Cooper out bowling and maybe Amazing Jakes. Right after I landed we headed to Courtney's house to pick Cooper up but he didn't want to go. I forgot to mention in my last blog about the way things ended with Cooper and I. I left straight from his house to the airport so I was saying goodbye and he just started bawling. He couldn't even say goodbye. It was so hard to leave him like that. I was in tears, Courtney was in tears, and my mom was in tears, no surprise there we are all a bunch of cry babies. I spent so much time with him last time that it was almost like old times but I still had to leave and it was hard on him. It was hard on me too but I knew it was coming. So back to his house. I was trying to get him to come with me but he threw a fit and I didn't want to push any further and Courtney said to go on home.
I went home and sat around with nothing to do. I was supposed to go to the lake with chris but I had to wait for him to get off work at 1. I don't remember what I did. I think I took a nap. When Chris got home we got the boat ready to go and waited for everyone to get there. Jesse was coming along with Chris' girlfriend, Danielle. I was happy to meet her, I knew her before but now I got to meet her as my brother's girlfriend and it is totally different meeting someone who is dating a sibling. Jeff and Rachael ended up coming too. We all loaded up in Chris' truck and took off for Saguaro Lake. Oh, how I have missed the lake. We had a great ride to the lake and I enjoyed the conversation. We got to the lake and we were unloading the boat and when Chris went to start it, it wouldn't start. Just my luck. We tried everything. At one point I was a buffer between his boat and someone else's boat who was giving us a jump. It was fun. I got to get in the water and see the mountains. It was worth it even though I didn't get to go wakeboarding. I enjoyed being with my friends and enjoyed a part of Arizona I haven't seen in a long time. We went back home a little discouraged but I was happy all the same. I was home surrounded by people I care about and people who care about me. I also got to get some great pictures of the lake and nearby mountains.
I don't know if I have mentioned this before but Will is absolutely fascinated with Arizona and everything in the state. I think it is the cutest thing ever. Whenever he sees a cactus or a picture of a cactus he gets so excited, he'll say, "look Jeni it's a cactus." Just last week he was watching some cartoon and they went to the Grand Canyon. I wasn't watching it with him but he had to pause the show and come find me so he could show me. I love that he has so much interest in Arizona. Every Thursday is show and share at school and he has brought two things from Arizona now. The first thing was a little plush cactus with Arizona written acrossed it and the second was a snowglobe his brother actually got him when he went to the Super Bowl earlier this year. He told me I had to take some pictures of all the cactus and the mountains. So these are the pictures I took for him...
Saguaro Lake
Saguaro Lake Marina
Arizona Mountains near Saguaro Lake
So, the lake was a bust but we still had fun. We all went back home and I honestly don't remember what I did. I think we all went out to lunch or something. That night I went over to Jeff's house and watched the ASU football game. I miss Arizona sports. It is hit and miss trying to catch a game on some of the national stations but even then they are usually on really late due to the time difference. I loved getting to watch the game with my friends. I miss them all so much. ASU won in overtime. :) The game got over late so we all went home and I crashed. Sunday was Easton's big day. I felt so blessed to be able to be there to hear the blessing given to my nephew. It was just as exciting getting to see Chris part of the circle, he was ordained an elder earlier in the year. After the blessing we went over to Courtney's and had a nice brunch with friends and family. It was so much fun being surrounded by so many people who love you. You never really appreciate things to the fullest until you don't have that anymore. I was going to go to my old singles ward with Chris but once I got home from the brunch I crashed and I didn't wake up in time. I really wanted to go but I was just sooo tired. That night we had dinner with the whole family. I love family dinners! I got to play with Cooper and talk to all my siblings. I also got to hold Easton as much as possible. My mom would try and take him from me but I usually held firm, she gets to see him as much as she wants. Everyone left but Mandi stayed behind to play some games. It was great, we all had a blast.
Monday morning Courtney came over and picked me up, now that my car is in NY I have to be driven everywhere while I am back home (I don't like depending on everyone else to get around). I got to spend some time with Easton (Cooper was in school) while Courtney ran some errands. I loved every minute of it. For lunch we met with most of the family to celebrate Marcus' birthday. We were trying to come up with a place to go and I felt like going somewhere that has pizza and wings. Marcus didn't mind where we went and Mandi said there was a place near here work that she heard was good. We all decided to go. When we were pulling up I noticed what it was called, Streets of New York. I just started laughing, I just couldn't get away from New York. For the record it really isn't like the traditional pizza here in New York, but it is really good. I was very pleased with the whole experience and plan to go back. Pictures from lunch are below...
Chris and his girlfriend, Danielle
Easton just woke up from his nap. I love the look on his face, it's priceless.
After lunch I went back to Courtney's house to babysit. She had to do some things and then go to Carson's Volleyball practice (she's the head coach) so I was left to babysit Easton and wait for Cooper to get home from school. 
I couldn't believe how much Easton was smiling. He has the cutest smile and I totally see so much Rudd in him.
After Cooper got out of school I took him bowling. He had never been bowling but he loved bowling on the Wii the last time I was home and wanted to show him the real thing. He loved it. He was pretty good too. I didn't too bad myself but then again we were using bumpers. 
I LOVE this picture. Cooper had just made Easton laugh and he was laughing right along with him but the best part is the look that Easton is giving Cooper.
After bowling I took Cooper and Easton home and went home myself. I ate dinner and then I went to see the Dark Knight with Jesse. I liked the movie but I liked the first one better. Heath Ledger was a great Joker, super creepy. It was a great night. After I got home from the movie I had planned to go out to Avondale to meet up with the Casanovas (a family I used to babysit) but things fell through and I ended up staying home. It was my last night at home and I had a emotional break down. I was talking to my parents and told them I was ready to come home. I am ready to come home but I know there are things I want to do first and therefore I am planning on coming home next year before Marcus & Mandi's baby is born. It was a very tough night for me.
Tuesday morning I packed my things and then I went window shopping with Rachael Downs. We had a blast. I am so happy that I get along with Rachael. I was always worried that I wouldn't like the girls that my guy friends decided to marry but I really like Rachael and we have become friends. We went to Superstition Springs Mall and we went on the new double decker carousel. I felt like a kid again. There was this mean lady who was in running the carousel and she yelled at us to put on our seat belts. I don't know how long it has been since someone has made me wear a seat belt on a carousel. This lady was nuts!
After the mall, Rachael took me home. I was all packed up and ready to go so I got home and we basically left for the airport not too much later. Both my mom and my dad took me to the airport (I'm not sure that is going to happen again). After Monday night when we all had our tear fest we were doing pretty good until the luggage was out and we were giving good bye hugs. I was doing pretty good and I just wanted to get in the airport before I really lost it. I was walking away and my dad called me. I turned around and he gave me a hug. He was crying to hard he couldn't talk. He finally choked out, "You're welcome home anytime." Wow, dad could you have said anything else that didn't make me start bawling like a baby. I was happy to hear that but that just made all the tears start flowing even more. I walked into the airport and tried to get into New York mode. I focused on going back to work and finsihing up my life here. I still have so much more I want to do and I just had to prepare myself to come back. I came back and it was a lot easier to get everything together than I imagined. I just had to focus on what I was here to do. I also have some great friends here now, so that helps a lot.
Well, like I have said previously, there will be more to come very soon. I promise.
Later,
Jeni
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