June 3rd 2014 -- This boy graduated from highschool. It was one of the happiest days of my life!
Crazy I know... but I know why.
Congratulations to Jonathan !
Hard to believe that this day had arrived and my son #3, was all grown up!
The day Jonathan graduated is the day the big moving truck showed up at our house to move us away out of our beloved Utah and off to a new adventure and new job for Steve in Omaha NE! It was an emotional, happy, time filled with gratitude and love for all!
Yes.. we were leaving this beloved home.. beloved neighborhood and ward and many dear friends and family. An entire chapter of our lives was about to close.
But, we pulled up our courage real high and looked forward to the future and moving to this new home...
By divine providence, the timing of everything worked out. We sold our home in 4 days to the perfect family. We found a house within the following month, and it was due to close just a couple of weeks before we were to move in. This would give the painters just enough time to make some necessary changes before we moved in. We felt grateful for how everything worked out!
Nope.. doesn't look like our home just yet. But, someday soon I hope it will.
I get ahead of myself.... We had reached this point, after 5 painful, difficult months of being separated from Steve. He started his new job on January 6th, 2014! He came home as often as he could but it was difficult and never enough. It was our intention to get the house ready to sell, get it sold and join him as soon as possible. Things always take longer than anticipated, and we decided to go ahead and let Jonathan finish out his senior year at Brighton High School. So, that's what we did. But, it was a long separation and very hard. However, looking back, I think everything worked out in the best possible way... further evidence of the Lord's protecting hand in our lives. We felt right about this big move, and when something is right, I've learned that things move smoothly along.
Here are few events/highlights of Winter/Spring 2014
Michael, Jacob and Scott learned how to ski. We went skiing in the beautiful Utah mountains atleast three times.
We celebrated Scott's 7th birthday, Olympics style!
I spent as much time as possible with my sisters and close friends!
I worked sooooooo hard, constantly from November through March, getting our home ready to sell. I did so many projects and so much decluttering. This is a picture of me resting on the couch for the first time in months!
These months were some ... more..... of the hardest of my life, living without my husband's companionship, taking care of the family, getting the house ready to sell, and walking through the valley of the shadow of death with one of my children... Oiye! I held on for dear life, counted my blessings, and relied on my Savior and Heavenly Father each and every day.
Jonathan went to prom with this darling girl..
We had a double skype session with Eric--Elder Knudsen on Mother's Day
It was a happy happy day.
And, so we made our trek half way across the country to our new city. We were sent off with an abundance of love from dear dear friends and family. We went with gratitude in our hearts and trust in our Heavenly Father's love and direction!
We took a tour of the grand city of Omaha on one of our first Family Nights, stopping to visit Steve's office.
We experienced our first Midwest thunderstorms! The first week we were there, they had double tornadoes about an hour north of us!
We enjoyed visits with Sharon and Thad, so grateful they are here in Omaha with us! We won't forget how the whole family came over and helped us unpack one night. Another highlight includes a spontaneous visit one night at their house. Michael and the boys--including friends of Spencer and Andrew's hanging out together playing basketball etc. Dinner together a few times. A visit to the zoo... Trips to the temple together. Sharon and I visiting the temple together and then going to Lullabye Hill to see her baby Jacob's grave. There was a Sunday evening when they came over and we had treats, sat on the deck, talking and laughing, and watched something together in the basement. We have already made some great memories together.
We threw our boys right in to scouting the second week we arrived.. and that was great fun for them, and helped them to begin to make new friends.
So proud of Jacob in this picture being so brave and excited for scout camp! This was at 4:30 am!
And Michael too... heading off to High Adventure with his new teachers/priests quorums. I was proud of him as well... so brave and came back dubbed "Big Mike," by his new friends. He had a great time and began to form new friendships.
Got Scotty busy with swimming lessons...
... and new adventures... Here he is experiencing his first fire hydrant party!
..More to Come!
