we made it

 We did it.  We moved to Utah,

and yesterday, our first day in our new home, was the best day I've had in a very long time.  To not have "the move" hanging over my head, making me stressed/contemplative/sad/anxious...

I feel SO much better now.  

On the plane Wednesday night, I looked at my little family, the four of us taking up a whole row of seats,

and I felt strangely grown-up.  

Two kids, leaving our first home, moving to another state, changing jobs.  Big grown-up things.

The flights went better than we could have hoped for. The kids were wonderful, and they slept most of the way.

To move like this, though,

well it was super hard and insanely stressful.

I would never recommend it to anyone.  But we did it, and I survived, and today, being here with my dear sweet children, I kind of feel like I can do just about anything.

Waiting for our taxi in our empty house

Leaving was very difficult.

I took the kids over to my dear friend Allison's house so we were out of the way of the movers, and my other dear friend Allison came over.  The kids played, we talked, and we pretended like things were normal
and it wasn't the last time we'd get together like that.

When we came back, the house was empty,

and then we left.   I cried a little as we pulled away, but the thing about having two kids, you have to put on your big girl panties and be happy even when you don't feel like it, for their sake.

This is how Nicholas fell asleep yesterday--it was a long night getting here

Now we're here--tired but oh so happy to be here.

And really, I love Utah. Mountains!  Crisp winter air!  Macey's grocery stores!  I already feel like we've finally come home.

Last night my brother Josh came over.  We had a belated FHE lesson, ate ice cream, he played with the kids, and stayed for two hours.  I love this.