Playing Catch-Up

If you come to my blog to catch up, there are, of course, gaps in my timeline here on the blog. I kept a blog in 2000-2001 til I gave birth to Addie and was away from my desk for 2-1/2 years. But I'm back! This blog will log our family life from 2003 on, but here's what's been goin' down since High School in Tucson:

After high school, I did a summer and fall semester at Ricks College (1989) and could not adjust to weather/culture, etc. I spent spring in AZ then transferred to BYU Provo for spring (1990) and took classes at BYU and UVSC for the next 2 years, studying education and other humanities of interest.

I served a mission in North Carolina Raleigh 92-94 and returned to Provo for 94-95. I lived/worked in NC 95-96, then FINALLY decided to finish my BA at UofA and moved back to Tucson in 1996. I graduated in 1998 (after changing from Education to English and History). I worked, taught institute, started grad classes in Tucson, got engaged then dis-engaged (for the second time) in 1999.

I began the new millennium in Provo/Orem (AGAIN), working on my MA teaching freshman composition evening classes at Utah Valley College and working days as a marketing copy writer.

I met my husband Richard with a friend of a friend at my big 29th bday party in Provo 9/23/00 (he had just moved to SLC from BYU-H); we were engaged on a mountainside in Paradise Valley MT on 10/28/00, married on 2/17/01 in San Diego. We had our lovely Adeline Rose  in Utah on 11/21/01--a whole nine months and four days after our wedding (more Addie HERE). After a rough year (I mean, really--was 2001 GOOD for anyone?) we moved to Montana in October 2002 so Rich could begin taking over his Dad's insurance business in his hometown. We live here blissfully building a life on the banks of the Yellowstone River, under the big sky.

UPDATE (basically a summary of the blog):
Our delightful daughter Heidi Lynn was born in MT on 4/15/04--the same weekend we broke ground on our own new house. On July 22, 2005, we moved into that house, built with our own hands (with lots of help from family and friends). Our little James Ole Richard was born 9/5/06 and has been an angel.

I was diagnosed with Graves disease (hyperthyroid auto immune disease) in September 2007 and have been trying to keep it under control with all kinds of treatments (most recently, a full thyroidectomy in 3/09)--fun hobby! Richard and I went to Europe for two weeks for what we call our belated honeymoon in Sept-October 2008 (you can read all about it by clicking the yellow "London Calling" link on the right side of this blog). Fall 2010 brought us a huge surprise..we found out we were expecting a baby in May 2011. He was born on May 19th to 3 very excited siblings and we named him Niles Arthur Elrey Melin. He is a wild man, which is how he earned the nickname, honey badger. In August 2013 we moved into a new larger house we built, not far from our first house. In May 2014, we welcomed our "caboose," Ammon Thatcher Layton Melin, to our family.

We live in Livingston (and HERE), where Rich was born and raised, five generations deep. He is (a total nut, of course) an insurance agent--a business we bought from his father after 30 years and an excellent reputation, so I get to stay home with my four wee-melins. Life is good in the northern town. Enjoy the blog!