Crimes of Domestic Violence

I woke up this morning, not to Autumn crying... but to hearing my neighbors shouting and multiple sounds of crashes/bangs through the wall that separates my bedroom from theirs. Immediately my heart stopped. All I could think of was Toni Clark - one of my High School friends who was murdered in a "Crime of Domestic Violence."

I don't know my neighbors very well.
I do know that they have two children.

I did the only thing I could think of - I called the police.

After assuring me that officers were on their way and disconnecting the call I realized that one of my neighbors left in a truck - it was the husband.

I called police back and informed them.

I could not hear anything next door now - and now I was even more scared.

Was she ok?! Were the babies injured?! When was 'he' going to return?!

I called the apartment manager and told him what had happened, and what I had done.
He thanked me - he also said he would go and knock on her door to see if she was ok.

Thank God she was, and answered his knock (I heard). I was so afraid that she wouldn't/couldn't.

The apartment manager called me back and told me she was ok and that he did not see any bruising, etc, on her when he was there.

The police came and spent quite a bit of time inside her apartment with her. They parked in my neighbors parking spot, and had another officer show up with an orange box to collect samples... Things were not as bad as I imagined, but this was not a good sign.

My mind thought on the video I had seen that my friend Toni's parents had made this past year. I want all of my friends to watch this and share it - it could save a life. Because of its influence I may have saved my neighbors.

This is the link to the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI2ZEaEB_XA&feature=share

The police are still here. I don't know what the outcome of everything is, but I hope it is more positive than it may have ended up. I know it is more positive than it may have ended up.

I will never forget Toni, nor her story.
I hope others find the courage to prevent these things from happening to their friends, neighbors and loved ones.

It just may save a life.

New Year Resolutions

So... I don't blog much, as is evident by how often I actually write one.

Here's the latest in my life and my 2012 New Year Resolutions.

Today:
Autumn's first tooth has appeared! She hasn't figured out crawling just yet, but she will get up on her hands and knees and rock.

Jay is really liking his job at Micron - which he started in November of last year. He is a process engineer in the photolathography lab. He was given two free movie passes today at work for doing such a good job over the past week. Date night here we come!

I have days that I find myself kicking my butt into gear and getting a lot of things done. Namely today - I did the dishes, took out the trash, organized the fridge, cleaned the baby room, etc. Then there are other days that I don't do a darn thing. Being a stay at home mom is great. :) I rewarded myself tonight by going out to a game night with some relief society sisters. It was really fun.

Yesterday:
Autumn does not like the sound of the vacuum, or any high-pitched sound for that matter. We have an electric pump to inflate her baby tub, but every time I turn it on she bawls. Getting ready to take a bath should not be this dramatic.

I was called to be the Night Relief Society Chairperson in my ward. So I get to plan a once/month night meeting (aka enrichment) for my ward's relief society with a committee. Our first one was on Valentines Day - and no, I did not pick the date for this one. It was fun anyway.

Tomorrow:
Autumn is going to get a bath - she's overdue.

Jay has to work Saturday's now, so I'll be alone with the baby and chores all day.

I need to cook enough rice for 10 people for the "Friends of Scouting" dinner and auction at my church. I also will be providing shredded carrots for said event. I hope I have another day where I feel motivated to do things because I need to do this and get Autumn and myself over to the church building by 5:30pm - and because we only have one car, I will be walking.

So... for the New Year Resolutions I decided on for myself, they are as follows:
1. Be caffeine free. No more caffeinated sodas. Zip. None. Nada.
(so far so good)

2. Pay off all the hospital bills from last year and money I owe my daddy.
(half complete)

3. Loose some weight. Even one pound.
(not really a big deal to me - but I am trying to be more active and take walks with Autumn in the stroller during the week)

4. Find a house to rent or purchase.
(I've been looking at local places on my walks that I can get to on foot)

5. Make friends here in Boise.
(Amy Taylor is friend #1, Nickelle Weeks is friend #2 - so far so good)

6. Buy a second car.
(I'm assuming this will happen later in the year)

7. Re-create our nest egg.
(Looking forward to filing our taxes so that I can put the whole return into savings)

8. Stay in better contact with my immediate family.
(Sent them all Valentines)

9. Take a trip or two.
(Two family reunions planned this year - Christopherson & McConkie)

10. Move my dogs to Idaho.
(This will have to happen once we are renting and/or own a house)

We'll see how I do... wish me luck!

My giggler

What's new in the Christopherson world?!

Autumn giggles!

Halloween

Autumn was "The Scarecrow" from the wizard of Oz this year.

I ended up being a scary looking Dorothy to go with it.
(I did try really hard to find a Dorothy Dress that was modest, but that didn't happen, so I wore my Capris underneath - but forgot to wear socks)





But, on the plus side - Autumn got to meet her Great Grandma April for the first time on Halloween!



We stopped off at as many relatives' houses as we could for our "trick-or-treat" run.
Namely: Great Grandma Jackie's, Great Aunt Cindy's, Great Grandma April's, Great Aunt Connie's, and Great Aunt Cherry's.
It was a great night for visiting with family!

All My Children

I figured I should put the pictures up of Kayley, Autumn, and myself up since I have a couple to share now!

Home for the Holidays

I can't believe how close Thanksgiving, and even Christmas are getting!

With that thought in mind I figured I would update everyone on what our Holiday plans are shaping up to be...

We're moving to Boise, Idaho!!

Jay, just this week, accepted an offer to work for Micron Technology, Inc.
He will be employed as a full time Dry Etch Engineer.
When they extended the offer they didn't set a start date, but asked how soon we could "get up there."
Jay will be talking to the HR contact tomorrow to give them the date we've decided we could make it by (the 28th of this month... yes only 17 days away), and we'll be turning in a rental application tomorrow with a hold deposit for a 2 bed/1.5 bath townhouse once I make sure it's a ground level entrance so we can move the piano.
Everything is moving so fast!

My to-do list for the next few days includes, but is not limited to:
•Call Autumn's pediatrician and see if she has any recommendations for a good doc in Boise
•Call my doctor & repeat
•Pick up change of address form at Post Office
•Possibly go through some stuff and make a DI donation
•Post stuff online to sell:
couches, sewing machine inside it's own table, coffee table, entertainment center, various odds and ends...
•Call Daisy Maids and get quotes for "moving out" cleaning including carpet cleaning (to ensure we get our renters deposit back)
•Call Questar Gas to give them "turn off" date
•Call Rocky Mountain power & repeat
•Call Comcast & repeat
•Call car repair shop and get price for new headlight (it just barely stopped working... perfect timing)
•Call Insurance company and inform them of move & go over all the changes to our policy that'll make, etc
•Keep being a good mom in the process
•Pack a little bit
•Call moving companies and schedule one to move us (I'm not having us do all our own packing/moving with Jay still working part time 'till we move and me having Autumn to take care of while doing everything else... no way)
•Change address for bank, credit card, hospital billing, etc
•Try not to freak out or slow down during any of this

Yep... I'm going to be crazy busy over the next couple of weeks.

So... for Thanksgiving weekend we'll be moving to our new home.
Yes, we will be moving 'home for the holidays.'
Maybe we'll actually get a T-day meal somewhere... but who knows at this point.

For Christmas?
As soon as Jay has his scheduled nailed down with Micron (and knows what days he'll have off) we'll be buying plane tickets home to Colorado.
On the Christopherson side everyone will be coming home, so we will try to get us into a photo session at the same place we all went 2 years ago before any of the babies were born. It'll be great to have professional pictures of the 3 grand-babies all together in addition to the family.

My little brother will also be coming home for Christmas, so he'll be able to see/meet Autumn for the first time. Yay!

I'm so excited about all of this!
Jay & I have been praying (more like begging) for a long time that he would get a job. It just so happens that he got one just in time (because if he hadn't I would have to go back to work) and a week before his birthday to boot!

Now I have to figure out how we're going to celebrate his b-day this next week... Hmmm, maybe I'll host a "moving away" party for our friends and family?!
Or maybe not... that would just add another HUGE to-do onto my list.

I just hope I have enough energy to get everything done, in a reasonably organized fashion, and without loosing my patience.
I'm stressed out! But, in a good way at least!

Before I know it it'll be 2012!

But for now... happy 11/11/11 everybody!

It's about love

I spent this past weekend with Kayley and her family.

I can't describe to you the overwhelming sense of confirmation that I did the best thing for my daughter 5 years ago when I placed her for adoption.
She is with the right family.

She was meant to be their daughter/sister/granddaughter/niece/cousin.

I met up with James, Stephanie, Kayley, Maggie, James' sister, brother, sister in-law, nieces, nephew and parents all on the temple grounds Saturday morning.

Jay and I were late getting there because little miss Autumn spit up all over her first outfit - so we almost missed them.

I dashed out of the waiting area for patrons not going into the temple when I saw them walk past the window toward the temple grounds exit. I scrambled as fast as my legs would carry me (unencumbered by the baby stroller that was waiting with Jay - Autumn tucked inside) and called out "Stephanie! Stephanie! Steph!" 'till I got her attention.

Actually, I got her mother in-laws attention first who echoed my cry to Stephanie.

It was like I caught up with one of my best friends.
Her face lit up when she saw me and promptly came over to give me a hug!

Of course she asked: "Are your husband and baby here?!"

I sheepishly answered that yes, they were, and that we had gotten there later than we had expected to.
We had a brief conversation as they were headed over to the reflecting pool to take pictures with the photographer she had hired - but I told her that I would go grab Jay and Autumn and meet them all over there.

As Jay and I walked over toward this group of practically strangers I felt very anxious - how was everyone going to react to meeting me?! I was practically petrified.

All that melted away immediately when we caught up to them and - James' mother Beverly took me into her arms in a very warm and tight embrace saying: "I've wanted to give you a hug for a very long time."

Every little tiny worry and doubt in my mind vanished. It was confirmation all over again that these people were exactly who God wanted my little girl's family to be.

Stephanie introduced me to Kayley - who immediately gave me a hug, and to the rest of the family that was there.

James' dad also gave me a very warm embrace and whispered words in my ear that brought tears to my eyes: "Thank you so very much for your sacrifice."
I could only respond "you're welcome."

What else could I say?! I knew 5 years ago that James and Stephanie were supposed to be my little girls parents. I couldn't have asked for more than that - but she was given so much more. She was given a complete family of people that love and adore her. Something I hadn't even considered in my shallow 20 year-old mind when I gave her away. I just knew that it was about love.

That's what it's always been about.
I love my daughter. I've always loved her. Deeper than I can explain to anyone that has never had children, or any child that they love or care for.
I loved her enough to know that, even though I loved her more than I ever thought possible, I couldn't be the best mom for her when I was that young. When I was still growing up myself. When there were years of uncertainty before me. When I didn't have someone to be her daddy by my side - married to me. I wasn't my daughter's best option. I loved her enough to know that and to give her the best thing I could - a complete family. A forever family.

Saturday confirmed all of that, all over to me.

It's about love.

It always has been - and it always will be.

I love you Kayley.
I love you Stephanie & James.
I love your family.
Thank you for letting me be a part of it.


When saying goodbye to James, Stephanie, Maggie and Kayley on Monday - Kayley gave me a bouquet of flowers picked in the grass where we were, gave me a hug and said "Goodbye, I love you."
She said to me the same four words I said to her 5 years earlier.
I cannot deny that it's about love.