The Nitty Gritty

Hi family! Wow! It has been quite the spring for us. Sooooo long story short, a lot has happened with the Bickmore's. Isaac's university, UCM went through a retrenchment this year and unfortunately, his position was retrenched. He was given a terminal contract which meant that his job would officially end 2022. Meanwhile, Isaac applied for a job at BYU last October which was right up his alley as far as what he would be teaching. He was a finalist and it seemed like all the stars were aligning in our favor and we would get to be closer to family. We finally heard back from BYU three weeks after the news from UCM and they said that no, he did not get the position. Poor William was devastated. I haven't seen him sob like that in years. For me personally, I was heartbroken that I would not get to be close to my family again, but I love Missouri and I'm looking forward to being here for a lot longer.  While we were waiting to hear back from BYU, Isaac applied for another un...

 Happy Easter! I love Missouri in the spring! No humidity, blossoms abounding, birds singing, I just love it. We watched general conference this weekend. For the first time, my kids watched it without needing legos and other entertainment.  I was impressed. They just watched it and ate snacks. They both took a snooze through some talks as did I. Saturday morning session was my favorite. I've been looking forward to this weekend. Conference gave me the uplift that I needed. In between sessions, we went to Marr Park. I took a walk, the kids played, and Isaac played frisbee golf. It was lovely. A few weeks ago, our friend Holly, invited us to come see her baby goats. They were only a day old when we met them. They were so cute and so tiny. Holly brought them to my preschool last week so the preschoolers could see them. They had really grown since I had seem them three weeks prior! One day old three weeks old For the last five years Isaac has been keen on getting a mini bike, just...

 This year for spring break we drove down to Slidell, Louisiana to see Abbey, Michael, and SAWYER! It was so much fun. It had a lousy ending where Isaac and I both got sick with the stomach flu, but the rest of the week was full of memory making, bonding, and doting over Sawyer. Highlights of the trip: 1. We made a stop in Little Rock, Arkansas on the way down and saw Little Rock Central High School, one of the historical markers of the Civil Rights Movement where 9 African American students integrated the high school. There was a visitors center with exhibits to learn more about this historical event. I'm so glad we made the stop. It's important to me that my kids learn about this part of our American history.  2. Michael, Abbey and Sawyer all came down with the stomach flu a few days before we arrived, but we made the decision to proceed with the trip and take the risk. It was worth it for sure! 3. When we arrived at the house, I surprised Sawyer with a new outfit and put it...