We finally reached our hotel the first night at 5AM... slept four hours, ate breakfast, and headed off again. That night after unpacking we headed off to grab a bit to eat at the local McDonald's where my mom's crazy tired side started showing. Now Jon knows where I get it from =P We then went to the local Walmart to get water (you have to turn it on in person here so this way we could drink, use the bathroom, etc until we turned it on the next day), food, and an air mattress for the boys to sleep on. So you want to come visit?? See Nauvoo or other church sites? We are prepared to room you!
Once again with not enough sleep we rolled out of bed and headed off to show the parentals a quick look at the school Jon is attending and sent them off in their rental car to Kansas City to fly back home. This was the hardest goodbye yet and I had been dreading it. Each goodbye back in Arizona brought tears, but my mom was my last tie to back home and I think I cried the hardest because of that. Jon teared up as well having said goodbye to his father. We both just cried together for a while before sucking it up and getting to work. I really think setting up the house saved us from dwelling on our depression.
So we begin our journey in Kirksville!
Our house!
Sneak peak of the inside, I love my kitchen!!!
The day after our parents left I had a job interview and got the job! I was so blessed to get this position and now I have a name thingy! Never thought I'd have one of those. I work in the microbiology/immunology department at ATSU the school Jon is attending and I love it. Everyone is so nice and fun to work with and I've gotten to do some fun science so far, but I won't bore everyone with that =P
The town's 4th of July Parade was so fun! Afterwards we wandered around the Saturday morning farmers market they have every week and got a yellow zucchini and some homemade oreos, like legit homemade. The filling I'm pretty sure was from their cow and sugar it was delicious! Oh yeah we have yet to get a picture of it but we have quite a few Mennonite or Amish people who ride carriages pulled by horses next to the freeway. Its pretty fun to drive by them and they are always giving a wave as you pass.
The town put on quite the awesome firework show! People were packed in this parking lot but we just crossed the street and enjoyed the view on our picnic blanket in the grass, I don't know why more people weren't over there. But hey, more space and enjoyment for us! We made our own hotdogs and watermelon feast for dinner, so all in all I say we had a pretty fun 4th of July.
The week of Jon's orientation we went blueberry picking! Seriously the most delicious blueberries I have ever eaten, even after being frozen and put in cereal, pancakes, or muffins. Mmmm!
So everything just grows in Missouri I guess and we have had a LOT of rain (I guess more than usual though). So here was a strawberry we found growing in the school's medicinal garden and once again it was the most delicious strawberry I have ever eaten! I definitely plan to grow some in my garden next year. We have also had the joy to try out some raspberries and grapes from this garden too and once again they are fantastic! Much smaller than the ones you find at the store but maybe that's why they are so delicious because they pack so much awesome flavor.
The last day of orientation the school had a giant picnic dinner by the lake. It was gorgeous! They even had pontoon boats you could ride and get a view from all over the lake. We saw deer and lots of geese with their teenager babies. I've never seen a teenager goose before! Then the next day was the white coat ceremony and it all started to feel real that Jon's actually starting medical school! He is rocking his first three weeks, getting 100's on most of his quizzes, but Monday is the first big section test so he is studying away!
Wrapping up, last weekend we decided to go to Nauvoo and watch the Nauvoo Pageant to celebrate Pioneer Day remember those saints and the hardships and sacrifices they went through. Its crazy to me to be in the Nauvoo Stake and so close to so much church history! We walked around the gorgeous temple and then went and visited the fudge shop. I guess it was a favorite of Jon and his brother when they did a church tour so we had to make a stop =) The pageant was so fantastic though, I'm so glad we went and next year we plan to do the British Pageant which is about the British converts and their journey to Nauvoo.
I think we're going to like it here!
