The Pittsburgh Merkleys: Feeling more settled

Let me start out with saying that I hope nobody reading this is expecting long, insightful posts each time... if at all! This blog is more of a family journal than anything. But feel free to join us as we document some of the good and not-so-good that comes our way, and we try to figure it out.

Well, it has been a good couple of weeks. A bit less crazy than our first week here -- thank goodness. We are feeling a bit more settled in - most of our stuff is unpacked and put away, we have pretty much all our furniture except for like a nightstand and a side table in the living room - so we are feeling much better.

We must be feeling settled, because we have even ventured to have people over for dinner! We had the sister missionaries over last Monday. We love them. They live right down the street from us, so we have had the fun opportunity to get to know them and see them walking around town! We also had our cousins Erin & Rico (and baby Eloise) over for dinner tonight, which was so much fun. We have already planned our next get together which will most definitely be a Mormon Bridge game night (for the Merkleys that may be reading this - virtual high five!) It is so nice to have family in the area, and we are so very grateful for them.

A few fun things we have done the last couple weeks - Madison and I have visited a few playgrounds, a couple farmers markets, and we went to the Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens in Oakland (a couple blocks away from the law school) and the Water Steps in downtown Pittsburgh with our new BFFs, Janelle and Addie. (In case grandma and grandpa are reading this, BFF means "best friend forever." ;) ) Addie is Madison's age, and she and Madison hold hands and love each other half the time, and spend the other half the time yelling "MINE!" and swatting at each other. Overall, it's pretty dang cute.

We had a family date night last Friday in Squirrel Hill (right next to Swissvale where we live) at a place called the Cake & Cookie Stop and got some 60 cent cookies. They were yummmy! I splurged a little and got a "glob" which is essentially a cake cookie - two pieces of cake together with frosting in the middle. Yum.

The next day (yesterday) we worked off the cookies at our stake softball tournament though, which was really fun. Our stake (the Pittsburgh stake - there is also a Pittsburgh North and a Pittsburgh West stake) covers part of western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. It was double elimination and unfortunately we lost our first two games..... but that's not what really matters, right?? We traveled about an hour to get to Washington, PA where we got together for softball, potluck lunch, and ice blocking. Madison even rode on an ice block, and I am so upset that I didn't get a video! I think the sister missionaries got a picture of her though, so we will have to get a copy from them.

We also got to talk to the Soderquist/Peterson family (my side) today, which was so great. I was so happy to see the faces of all the people I love so much, and to help sing happy birthday to the family birthdays this month (including Sean!) We love and miss all of our family so much. But we are so grateful to be here and we know that this is where our family is supposed to be right now.

Sean has now attended three weeks of law school (four if you count orientation week) and is hanging in there - there is so much reading to do! Luckily we have netflix to keep me occupied. :) He is a trooper though and is doing his best to stay on top of things, and somehow manages to still be a wonderful dad and husband. Madison loves when he comes home from school and wrestles her around for a while - I think it's a good outlet for both of them!

Madison is getting so big, I can't believe it. She came home from nursery a couple weeks ago singing "the wise man built his house upon the rock!" doing the motions and everything. It is so fun to see her learning and growing. She learns new things and says new sentences every day. I find myself just laughing at her all the time (in a good way!) because I just think she is hilarious. Two year olds can be stinkers for sure, and Madison is definitely not an exception, but it is also such a fun and hilarious age. It is hard to describe the joy that she brings to our lives.

Overall, we are doing well and time seems to be flying already. I can't believe we are already halfway through September! We are so grateful for our wonderful ward who has welcomed us in with open arms, for new friends we have made, and for the tender mercies we receive daily.

Here are some pictures and videos from the last few weeks...