Life is what happens when you're making other plans.

-John Lennon

 

 

That's what I'm experiencing yet again here in the Jensen household. 

 

CJ has been in San Antonio, TX for about a week now taking courses for his upcoming commander job.  He's realizing just how little he knows about the Air Force.  He also realized he doesn't really want to go into periodontics.  He's rather do a specific residency.  When talking about periodontics to him today, he said,"...in the long run it would be more lucrative but less satisfying."

 

I'm all about keeping the bread winner happy in his job he has to do for a looooong time still.

 

At this point, we will still be moving in 2 years.  We will move to either San Antonio or Biloxi.  (Please keep your fingers crossed for TX, I'm not sure I could handle MS again.)

 

So, yah...

 

that's the plan.

Holy cow, it's already April!

 

 

Seriously, where does time go?  I'm not sure if it's good to be this busy when you can't remember what happened to a month.

 

Let's see...

 

CJ, Avery, Aiden, Ari, Amelia and I went to Utah and Idaho for a few days the middle of March.  The kids and I hit up the Museum of Natural History at Thanksgiving Point and Hogle Zoo while CJ was in meetings.  We met up with Penny at the zoo.  On the Saturday after meetings, we all met up with Penny, Denisse and kids and Jana and kids (I still feel badly for Parker!).  Scott was able to join us for lunch.  It was so nice to see everyone.  The kids (except for Parker) had fun running around.  Aiden got a pretty good war wound which is almost healed 2 weeks later.  We visited the This is the Place museum.  CJ and I haven't been there before.  There was a little train ride the kids had fun on.

We spent two days in Idaho Falls.  Thank you, Lanie for watching kids while CJ and I went through a session at the temple.  It's been too long and I've missed being there.

 

In March, Alex decided to serve a mission.  Until he's actually on his mission there is a chance he won't go.  We are cautiously thrilled and optimistic.  He's getting his patriarchal blessing this evening.  I didn't get to go as he wanted to go alone and I've kinda got 5 other kids to get ready for and in bed.  I am looking forward to talking to him about it and eventually reading it (if he lets me).

 

The only other thing that comes to mind for March is the week of optometrist appointments for kids and I.  All the boys need glasses and Ari and I don't-for now.  The older boys opted to keep their current frames.  The younger boys picked out colored thicker frames.  Avery and Aiden are still getting used to wearing them.  That was a week of driving between getting kids to and out of school, to the dr's and back to school.  Craziness.  Expensive craziness.

 

Here we are in April and CJ learned on Friday he didn't need to worry about keeping his job as  most of the Air Force personnel being let go are the people who joined the last two-three years.  Somewhat unfortunately, CJ is stuck being commander.  In fact, he's in San Antonio, TX right now.  He has a week long course to teach him how to be a commander.  It sounds incredibly boring to both of us but, for once, he should be able to get enough sleep.  He'll be back late Saturday night; just in time to get kids ready for the Sunday I have an early morning meeting and am not around.

 

I actually have a couple pictures from our trip that I need to get off my phone.  Hopefully, next post I can remember.  =D

Our Big News!

 

 

As of the end of May, CJ will be the new dental commander here at Malmstrom Air Force Base.

 

Like anything, this is good and bad. 

 

We've been trying to avoid him being a commander.  He gets less patient time.  There are more meetings, more paperwork, more drama to deal with...

 

Of course, with 10% of the Air Force being "laid off", it's also job security.  He's the commander here because there isn't a Lt. Col available to be the commander.

 

This means we'll have 2 more years here starting June-ish.  I would love to make it three and get Andrew graduated.  Our next stop will hopefully be San Antonio, TX. 

 

Two years is NOT a long time and I've already got some nervousness over it.  I look forward to moving.  It's fun to go new places, meet new people, see new things.

 

But, I will so miss Montana. 

I will miss this small but awesome ward.  I will miss wacky weather.  I will miss the help the schools are giving our children.  I will miss our house (maybe not as much when my arthritis is acting up).  I will miss being a days drive from Grandmas and Grandpas.

 

So, if we have just over two years left, we'd better make the most of it!  On to some cities we haven't visited.  Anyone wanna join us?

We might have BIG news in February.

 

We also may be down mid-March.

 

More to come in a couple weeks.

I love these kids!



 

These pictures were taken at the elementary school's Christmas program.  It's a huge-really big-can't miss this-event that I've finally managed to see.  And it only took me 3 yrs.  Sigh...



 

The program has different songs and performance times for each class.  Yep, that's my kid in the jacket and snowboots (he honestly had nicer clothing underneath).  Close to the same story with Aiden.  He wouldn't take off his sweatshirt.

 



 

Ari and Ame both behaved beautifully and our thankfully a wonderful neighbor took pictures for me since I just don't.

 

I can't wait till next year!



Have I mentioned how much I love the people in these photos?

I really would be lost without each and every one of them.

I still remember CJ thinking one was ENOUGH. But I really wanted another one. (Alex was a seriously cute toddler!)

 

Then, we had dental school and felt like we just couldn't manage anymore for a while. So we waited. Almost 5yrs later, Avery came along. We can't have a middle man, so we opted for #4.

 

 

Then we got really comfortable with four. We had built in babysitters and could go for drives or out to dinner alone and we thought, "This is a comfortable number."

 



Heavenly Father had other plans.  Two weeks later, I started feeling sick.

This one was different. 

This child was a GIRL!

 



 

Well, 5 is an odd number so we just had to even things out.

We are all so very thankful we did! 

Look at all the busy and fun and crazy times we have now.

What would I do without my family?

 

I am blessed.

 

 



 I love these girls.  I can't believe how FUN girls are!  Why was ever nervous?  Of course, they aren't  hitting the tween and teen years yet...

Amelia has long feet and fingers and perfect ears.  Yes, I said ears.  I'm weird like that.

 The boys and Ari love their new sister.  Ari has gotten a little more dramatic lately but shows very little jealousy towards Ame.  She only has issues when CJ is holding Ame and Ari is tired.  CJ then gets to practice holding 2 little girls at once.  Ari loves the baby here and wants to touch Amelia whenever Ari remembers the baby is here.

 The boys think Ame is quite the novelty.  Alex and  Andrew like to pick her up (boy am I thankful both of them remembered to support her head!) and Avery and Aiden are quick to give her a pacifier.

Amelia is a great sleeper!  She sleeps in 3-5 blocks most of the time.  She is awake in long blocks of time too.  She also eats in a long block of time.  Hmmm...do I see a pattern here?

CJ and I are so thankful for Amelia's arrival.  We've missed her being here.