On Friday, we decided we needed a more lax and laid back day. We slept in (well, I did. AJ was up at like 8!) and then cleaned up. I'm sure we were quite a smelly couple, what with the sweat, ocean spray, sand and marine life fragrance we were wearing. I doubt Estee Lauder would have approved... hehe. We decided to check out the Fleischmann Planetarium on the UNR campus. We had a fun time wandering around the exhibits. There were quite a few brain teasers that would explain afterward how your brain interprets different pictures, patterns and other things. It was kinda fun and we enjoyed trying to one-up each other. AJ can't understand how I could ever claim that I'm not competative... or how he ever believed me when I said that. Hehehe. I guess it depends what I'm competing for or against...? Anyway.
We decided to watch one of the movies in the SkyDome. The cashier was even nice enough to give us the student discount... even though we aren't students at the moment. But, shhh... that's a secret. Haha. It was an interesting movie. I don't remeber what the narraration was all about, but there were lots of pretty stars to look at. I suppose I'm a simple creature that is easily entertained. As far as I know, AJ enjoyed it. After the planetarium, we headed back to my parent's house... after a brief detour for another cranberry slushy and some onion rings. After we disposed of the evidence, we went inside and got ready for dinner: delicious pulled pork! Yummy. We just spent the rest of the night hanging out with family and getting some of the preparation done for the next day.
One Saturday, AJ, Kaiti and I went out to the mall. We were looking for one of the games we'd played the weekend before with Seth and Tavia, and Chris and Jewelia. No such luck, but I did get to see a couple of the girls I worked with at Macy's. It was good to see them again and do a brief catch-up session, although I'm sure AJ and Kaiti were bored out of their minds. Gabby girls, ugh... right?We left the mall and went to Sam's Club to pick up Kaiti's cake for after her baptism. AJ and Kaiti went "sample hunting", as AJ called it and Kaiti quickly picked up the term. She loved it. It was fun to watch AJ and Kaiti. He grew up so differently than she is and, although he sometimes thinks she spoiled rotten, they have quite a unique relationship. Some of the things we went through while we were dating made me incredibly grateful and awe-filled at the unconditional love of a child, and the amazing trust they put in those they love. It was a learning experience I don't think I could have experienced anywhere else... at least not until I have my own children.
When we got back, we ate a quick lunch and then it was time to get ready for the baptism. Grandma McElprang and Ruth, and Grandma and Grandpa McCurdy, and Uncle Dana all came and so it was quite crowded, and talk about fighting for a mirror! Hahaha. I was good to see them all again though. Even though Grandma and Grandpa McCurdy and Dana only live an hour away. We should be better at keeping in touch.
AJ and I had been told, more than once I might add, that the baptism was at 4:30pm. So, we're just kinda lazily getting ready, milling around. Not really in much of a hurry at all. We get to the Stake Center and walking five minutes before 4 and were thinking "wow, there's kinda a lot of people here half an hour early." Come to find out, it started at 4pm. Oops. Good thing we didn't dawdle for another 5 minutes, we'd have missed it!It was a Child of Record Baptism and there were about seven kids getting baptized. They had an opening song and my dad actually spoke
to everyone about baptism. We then split and each child took their turn in the font. Luckily my parents are in the Sparks 1st Ward and so we got to go first. After Kaiti was baptized we all went into the Relief Society Room and, after a talk on the Holy Ghost by one of the counselors in the Bishopric, Kaiti was confirmed. There was such a sweet spirit in that room. It was one of those moments when you just know it's all true and that everything will work out the way it's supposed to if you but live the best you can. I also had the thought that in less than a decade that could be my baby in the font and with all those worthy hands on his/her head. There have been a few times where I actually felt 'grown-up'. This was one of those times. I can't wait to be a mom, not just yet, but soon enough. What an adventure that will be.
After we left the church, we all went to Sizzler for dinner, courtesy of Mom and Dad McCurdy. Thanks for dinner guys! It was delicious! We enjoyed time with the family and later went back to the house for cake. We played a game or two and just hung out. It was relaxed and fun. That must be what Heaven is like. Family close-by, laughing, and just having a good time. It was great. It was also a late night... but sometimes that happens.
We went to my old homeward for church the next day. We only stayed for Sacrament Meeting because our plane left at 3:30 and we weren't completely packed yet. So, we did that and then headed off to the airport. We returned our rental car (which we weren't the slightest bit sad to see go), checked our bags and went through security. We weren't hardly at the gate 20 mins before they started boarding the plane... like half an hour early. So, we ended up sitting on the plane for that half-hour before it took off. We landed in Vegas and got ready to endure our 2 hour layover. We wandered through McCarran International Airport looking for something to eat... $20, a soft pretzel, a pretzel-wrapped hotdog, and a smoothie later we headed back to the gate to wait. Our plane finally took off and we spent another hour in the sky before we landed in Salt Lake. Our journey was almost over...
Until I went into the bathroom and somehow left my cell phone there. I still have no idea how that happened. I was absolutely positive I'd put it in my bag before I got off the plane. Maybe it fell out I don't know. Unfortunately, I didn't realize I no longer had it until we'd gotten our baggage, taken the shuttle back to our car, and were ready to head back to Pocatello. AJ, my ever-gallant hero, spent the next hour on his phone trying to track mine down. We had finally given up and started back north, hoping we'd hear something over the next few days. About 25 miles from the airport we got a phone call... from my missing phone... and eventually AJ got the attention of someone on the other end. She confirmed it was still in Salt Lake (instead of flying back to Vegas as we feared) and we turned around to go claim it.
By the time it was back in my tightly-clentched fist, it was after midnight. We stopped and got some snacks to help keep me awake and started our three hour drive back home. I drove so AJ could sleep. He had to go to work the next morning... and I felt bad it was my fault we were leaving so late. A long, long three hours later I have never been so grateful to see that Pocatello exit and, even more so, our house! I was pretty excited to turn off the car... at least that way I wasn't staring at the clock and thinking 'I can so make it another half hour' because I was pretty much at my limit when I pulled into the parking lot. I'd been up for nearly 19 hours! We parked the car, hauled the bags inside and dropped them in the front room and carried our tired, weary bodies off to our memory-foam soft bed.
p.s. I slept til noon the next day. And AJ slept an extra hour instead of running. He deserved so much more, but he will always be my hero. And he continues to prove that.
