Finally I have time to write. . .

Posted by Castel on May 6, 2008

We have finally made the move to South Western Montana. I am now working a desk job during the day. I like my job for the reasons that I am able to be with my family more now that I am working four days a week. We have moved into our CRAPPY apartment where it is easier to walk to the moon, then it is to get our bathroom to have cold AND hot water.
We love where we are. South West is probably the most beautiful place in the world. NO JOKE. Yesterday, we went hiking in the mountains that are just a 5 minute drive from our crappy apartment. I don’t think I have ever been to a place that had such a beautiful access to nature.
Ok enough about this place. . .
Sunday my wife decided that we needed to go for a walk to the park. Of course as anyone who has a child knows, the statement went something like this. Hey, do you want to go to the P-A-R-K? At that point I knew that I had no choice whether I wanted to go to the park or not.
I could say yes and we would take off with Skipper and Scooter nearly dragging us the whole way.
OR
I could say “No I think I would like to rest tonight, maybe tomorrow, no?” and my wife in her ever wifely ways would say, “Are you sure you don’t want to go to the PARK (not spelling it this time).”
There is something that is faster than light, it is a toddler that thinks that she is going to the park. Both of my girls would be getting on their shoes and coats and telling Daddy that he has no choice, and to make their point they would start to whimper, almost as if the word NO would kill them.
So. . . We went to the park. While there we saw a dog, local children, and lots of sand and grass. As I was sitting on a bench enjoying the spring temperatures of 59 degrees, we noticed an elderly woman with her son and grand daughter walk towards the play ground. As their four year old assualted the wooden death trap of a castle we started up a conversation with Grandma.Her name is Sharon, and she was here in Butte visiting. At first I thought she was visiting her son and grandchild, but come to find out she was here visiting the hospital. Her husband had fallen down the stairs and broke his femur at the ball joint. He had just gone through a repiaritive surgery were he received 3 screws to re-attach the bone. Sharon was just getting out and her son (who lives about 35 miles west of our town,) was in town to see how things were going. Sharon explained that she lived close to Idaho Falls, Idaho. Her husband had fallen down a set of stairs when he was bringing in their luggage while visiting their son.
I could not help but feel sorry for them. I know how it feels to be a long ways away from home and to be hurt. It amazes me how life lessons seem to pop up in the everyday places. I was thinking that the park would be a good place to relax and maybe get some sun, but instead it helped me realize how important it is to have family near by as you go through the hard parts of life. When there is no family around life gets harder. I am eternally thankful that my family and I  are able to make this job transfer together. Even though we are currently adjusting and changing to adapt to this new area, we have each other. If I have a problem I can go to my wife, or hold my girls when I seek comfort at the end of the day. What a great blessing my family is to me!