Baby Steps back to Blogging

I've been a bad blogger for a long, long time.  I just haven't had the inclination or the words to work with the past several months.  It's time to get back on track and start living life again.

I'm trying to find a new normal.  My old normal is gone--never to return. It's like I've been swimming in a deep, dark lake and I can't tell which direction is the surface and which way to the muddy bottom.  I thought if I allowed myself to drift, I would eventually float to the top (or simply settle on the bottom), but it seems that I'm not going to get back on top of anything unless I dig in and swim.

I don't mean to sound like things are terrible, because they're not.  We actually had a tremendous summer!   Camille and Robbie were married July 13.   Dani and Kelly drove out from Baltimore to spend four weeks celebrating with us. (See her post about the trip here.)  We had other guests coming and going all summer too.  Mark and Nana brought their three boys from Singapore and were in the United States driving around in a big RV (See her post about the trip here).  They were at our house for awhile and we certainly enjoyed having them here.  Rob, Bryan, and Kevin had a fun few days in Arches National Park hiking and rappelling with the Shumways.  Nana was able to attend the Family Bridal Shower for Camille while she was here.  Ward members, Lisa, Laura, and Celia threw a Neighborhood Bridal Shower for Camille.  I know Cami and I both felt greatly loved after such kindness and generosity!

Shumways in Arches-  The Brave Crew getting ready to rappel 

Camille and I had a fun-packed day doing bridals shots.  Seven hours of strutting her stuff in her gorgeous dress was pretty entertaining.  I especially enjoyed when we moved to the Utah State Capitol Building for some shots and three busloads of Asians flooded into the building and thought they were watching a celebrity during a photo session and joined in by crowding around Camille and shooting their own photos and wanting her autograph.  Our photographers weren't happy, but I was highly amused by it and Camille just ate up the additional attention.

Asian Tourists butting into our photo session

July 13th turned out to be pretty spectacular.  The morning started with a gully-washing rain that cleaned the air and blew out leaving us a gorgeous day.  The sealing at the Brigham City Temple was perfectly beautiful.  The luncheon  at Maddox was delicious and fun.  The Johnson family tradition of clinking glasses to make the newlyweds kiss, brought lots of laughter, kisses, but little eating for the couple.  The reception at Hilton Garden Inn was well-attended and so fun.  Rob's brother, Kevin and his wife, Tanja came all the was from Tennessee for the event.  Rob's sister, Jody, came from Northern California for a week.  All four of my children and spouses were in the temple. Again, I felt so loved.

Beautiful couple outside BC Temple

When Robbie and Camille left on their honeymoon, I still had Dani, Kelly, my Mom, and Rob's sister, Jody here at the house to help sort through things and put stuff away.  We had a huge gift-opening party eight days later when the honeymooners were back.  I felt loads and loads of love then too.

We are anxiously awaiting the next big event.  Kevin and Lindsey are expecting a baby boy on September 1, but the doctor says Lindsey won't make it through August before this little one appears.  We are so excited to meet and love our new baby Crouch.

We've got some situating to do as we readjust here in the house to include my Mom as a resident.  She moved in the middle of May.  We are still trying to figure out a way to work the details of day-to-day living with her.  It is a lot different having a parent move in than it would be to have a child move back home.  The kids are gone and just when Rob and I expected to figure out that 'empty nest' thing, we are thinking about my mother, her belongings, and her health issues.  Hopefully a new normal will emerge soon and we can make her feel loved (because she is!)

I was released from my Relief Society President calling in May in anticipation of my mother moving in, the wedding to finish planning, all the company we had coming, and my on-going health concerns.  I was grateful for the time to devote to those things, but now we are on this side of some of the biggest ones, I've been a bit lost.  A few weeks ago I received a new calling to be a Primary Teacher to the five year olds.  What a blessing this has been!  Little children have a way of making a person feel whole and loved.

A Fist-Pump Kiss

Love These Two!

New and Improved Crouch Family

The Mob

The Sisters

The Brothers

The Mamas and the Papas

 (Rob is much happier about this wedding
than his face would indicate in this photos).