Leading Up To The Big Move

Life after Denver, leading up to our big move was cray-cray! We sure packed a lot into that last week including... 

Lunch with Stephanie and Ally at Zuppas 

Two trips to the Apple Store where we had an incredible customer service experience #scoreoneforapple

Adi had breakfast with grandpa--he didn't realize she was still in her PJs when they went out...

Adi spent some time with Brad and Jennifer, and while she was there, I celebrated my mom's September birthday...

And went out to Mi Ranchito for dinner...

Feliz. Cumpleaños.

When Jennifer brought Adi back to Provo, we made one last trip to Smokehouse BBQ (aka "Paul's") for some much-needed pulled pork and Macaroni...

And got last-minute pedis together for my mom's birthday...

(Adi was a bit ticklish) 

I spent my last night with my friend Jenn at Kneaders devouring my favorite sweets... I could really go for a mint brownie right now.

Is This Real Life?

Do you remember seeing the "David at the Dentist Clip" from a few years ago?

That's kind of how Ryan and I have felt over the past week...

We're moving to the Caribbean.

We're moving to the Caribbean?

We're moving to the Caribbean!

#isthisreallife

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Last week was crazy. Literally.

One of the craziest ever.

Moving out, cleaning, packing, sending Ryan off to the Grenada, moving to my parents', getting our renters in. Whoa.

If it weren't for some amazing people from our ward and our families, it wouldn't have happened.

Seriously though, Stace, you were a life. saver. I'll owe you forever.

Stacey and Steve. We seriously love these two. Gorgeous. (our kids just need to grow up and get married already)

I didn't finish packing and cleaning until Friday (after Ryan was already gone) with more help from our families, but it was a whirlwind.

Evidence of the madness...

Everything we own in one 10x15 storage unit. 

---

Friday morning at 3:30am, Ryan, Jennifer, Adi, and I headed to the airport. Unknowingly, Ryan and I were both praying (pleading, begging, etc.) for one thing: that the bags would be the right weight.

He had three bags at 70 lbs a piece, and although we first weighed them in at 50-60 lbs a piece, there had been a lot of shuffling.

We got to the airport (Ryan had already checked in on his phone) and proceeded to check the weight of the bags.

68 lbs... yes!

70.10 lbs... umm...

75.00 lbs... yikes!

But, with a little shuffling (we were literally placing Ryan's oil canvases one by one on top of the suitcase) we got it down to a svelte 70 lbs exactly, 70 lbs exactly, and 69.50 lbs.

Seriously! There was not room for another granola bar or pen anywhere in his checked bags, carry on, or personal item (and heaven bless our new friends Laura and Jared for telling us a pillow didn't count, because that's where we hid some of the sheets)!

We got the bags squared away weight wise, but because of the embargo, we had to be escorted by our new friend American Airlines friend, Walt, to the desk to be checked in manually. (The desk agent seemed really annoyed with the fact that our bags were at exactly 70 lbs. She stared at it for ten seconds, willing them each to be over. I was thrilled that they were the right weight and beyond grateful!)

After that, Ryan came back to the car and wished us all good bye.

Ryan and Adi - 8/1/2014 - 4:00am 

Ryan and Adi - 8/1/2014 - 4:00am

It was a quick goodbye--we were all tired at 4:00am, but in a flash, he was off!

I stayed up texting Ryan until his flight took off at 6:00am, but I loved this iMessage later in the day that he sent from his Miami to Grenada flight...

"Warm nuts are the best thing about First Class" 

Love him.

Only 54 days until Adi and I join him!

#tightlikeuntoadish

Earlier today our friends, Stacey and Steve, asked us if we wanted to come over to their house for dinner. It was incredibly sweet of them, and really a major blessing. Stacey always knows the ways to make lives more cheerful. (Life is crazy with moving, boxes, and getting Ryan set for his big embarkation (T-minus two days and six hours). Not to mention our renter moving in Friday afternoon.) 

When we got to Stacey's house, another neighbor, Misty, opened the door and her little girl, Cici, yelled, "Surprise!"

I thought it was just a little dinner with Stacey and Steve and their kids. Stacey had really planned a little going away party. It made us feel loved, appreciated, and really, really happy and sad at the same time! I hadn't been too emotional about leaving--life is full of adventures--but at that moment and a few other times throughout the night, I realized how sad I was to leave my sweet friends and neighbors here in Blackhorse.

It really goes to show that Heavenly Father has a plan when he places you in various circumstances throughout your life. I am so glad we bought our first home here and that Adi has had some of her firsts here: first group of friends, first bike, first smooches (not sure if that'a good thing, Stacey?!?). We sure will miss it, but we're excited that we'll have the same opportunities in Grenada.

I wanted to document the fun we had, so I snapped some photos...

The first thing I noticed were Misty's amazing decorations... 

And her amazing usage of #hashtags

At one point, Adam was giving us a hard time about the usage of a good hashtag and he said something like #imleaving to which Misty responded #dontletthedoorhityouonthewayout. 

Oh Misty is so clever! 

Hilarious. 

We were all dying! 

Misty's last effort to make us stay... 

We'll miss Lindsay and Mary Anne

And Bri (and Ada), Cassidy, and Stacey too... 

We'll miss Adam. He'll miss our amazing #hashtag wars, and he's already said that nursery (where he and Ryan serve together) just won't be the same without him. Apparently they had a system. It really warmed my little heart to hear Primary callings going well. 

Adi and Dani were getting Jenn's amazing cookies. (I had waayy too many.)

We finally got Cassidy to smile--Misty and I were a sight to be seen to get this.

Little Gavin wanted to join in the fun

Although at times it was hard. (: Misty and Kim made it fun! 

Sam, Dave, and Adam were chatting with... 

Steve who was watching some of the kiddos. (Oh my goodness Finn is such a cutie.)

Callen had fun with cars

And tiny Ada observed from the sidelines.

I'm pretty sure the only person not pictured anywhere is Anderson, who at age seven was an awesome photographer!

A little hand... 

It was hard to get everyone together... 

And for everyone to hold still long enough for a picture. 

Left to Right

Adam, Lindsay, Cassidy, Colton, Ryan, Misty, Jesse, Me, Stacey, Adi, Finn, Steve, Ellie, Mary Anne, Maisy, Matty, Kim, Benson, Grette, Gavin, Same, Ada, Jenn, Sam, Bri, and Jack. 

Not pictured: Callen and Anderson 

Whew. 

A huge than you to Steve and Stacey for hosting, and for making delicious chicken and to everyone else who brought yummy, yummy food. I look up to you and emulate each one of you! 

We have been incredibly blessed to have this amazing group of men and women in our lives. We hope our paths cross after med school and for eternities to come. 

The Up Side to Social Media

**Retroactive Post: March 17, 2013**

May 9th last year was a crazy day. In fact, it was insane.

We were moving. We were homeless. And I was leaving for Washington in less than 24 hours. Our underwriters hadn't finished the loan yet and that day I had to sign power of attorney over to Ryan. I was leaving not knowing when my little family would have a home.

Luckily, my mom watched Adi while my mother-in-law came down to help me clean. We packed, scrubbed, and threw (literally) odds and ends into my car. (They're both seriously amazing.)

At the end of the day, headed back to my parent's house, I was grateful for getting everything done by the skin of my teeth.

When I got there, Adi and my mom were sleeping. My mom woke up and said that I should sit down.

Okay...

She proceeded to relay the events of the day. One minute, Adi was there. The next minute, Adi was gone. She thought she might have been hiding, but checked the house. She was gone.

My mom is really good under pressure, especially emergency pressure. She immediately called my younger brother (who had just left for class) and asked him to come home immediately to help look for her. Then she called the police.

Austin came home and started looking up and down the street on foot.

The police came and scoured the house. No sign of her.

Austin decided he was going to change his tactics and came home for the truck and headed back the opposite direction.

The police officer kept looking while Austin drove around the neighborhood. When he drove up the street perpendicular to my parents', a landscaper was working in a yard and Austin yelled to ask him if he'd seen a little girl. He said he had seen one a little while ago, and that one of the neighbors had picked her up.

Um... okay which one. He pointed to a house on the corner, so Austin went to ask if they'd seen her. IT turns out, she hadn't recognized her, but didn't want her to go out in the street.

But, Joeen had recognized her. Off the top of her head, she didn't know who she was, but she said that she knew her from non other than Facebook.

She was at the Hill's house. Safe and sound. (She'd made it completely down the street, around two corners into a cup-de-sac.

When Austin picked her up he said he was stern and said "You are in trouble." Sheepishly she said in her little two-year-old voice, "I left the yard."

After confirming that they had actually found Adi, the police officer left and my mom sat down Adi to talk to her. Adi was fully aware that she was in trouble and when my mom asked her why she said. "I ran away. I left the yard."

At this point when my mom was telling the story I could not help but laugh. My little brother was really concerned that Adi was so unhappy that she'd run away from home. I wasn't concnered, because Adi had just learned what it mean to run away from someone and had just followed the sidewalk (where they took walks) as she ran away from grandma. Her little confession was so funny.

Needless to say I was ecstatic that I had not been told about the issue until retrospect, I probably would have been a basketcase.

But, I was grateful to Joeen and grateful that she recognized her as from Facebook.

Audacious Adi

This little lady is mine... 

For better or worse.

I say for better or worse because she has definitely got my personality.

And someday, she may hate that. But for now, it has made her the cutest, sweetest, friendliest little girl.

Yesterday was our first day in our new ward. I was so excited. I had butterflies in my stomach and it reminded me of moving as a child... a little nervousness, a new adventure, another set of friends, I loved it. I had forgotten that feeling, and it was fun to recognize a fresh start and new stage in life in a traditional ward.

The moment we arrived, we were asked if we were new, and from that moment onward it was golden.

After Sacrament meeting, we found one of four nurseries (by following a woman with a little girl, and come to find out she was new too). I was bit apprehensive because a couple of weeks ago (after about four weeks away from nursery) Adi did not want us to leave and screamed and cried. But yesterday, it was like she knew my nervousness and recognized it was a new ward, with new friends. I introduced her to the nursery leader and she scampered off. I love that darling, gregarious little girl. Such a friend.

Sunday School and Relief Society/Elder's Quorum were great too--I'm excited about the activities and ways to get involved. I am however, a little nervous about callings. On the back of the program was the get-to-know-you form and for one reason or another they always ask previous callings... we'll see what the future holds.

Later in the afternoon, the ward had a "Break the Fast," a semi-annual or so tradition of having dinner together as a ward. Everyone was so friendly, introduced themselves, and wanted to get to know us. It was so welcoming.

Here's to more (new) friends, a fresh start, and a gregarious, darling little girl who scampers off to nursery to make new friends.

A little bit of this, a little bit of that.

Life around these parts is bu-sy and looks a lot like this... 

And this... 

But, that doesn't mean we're not having some fun. (:

For example, Friday, we stopped by the Sweet Tooth Fairy for some delicious cake bites... 

Saturday, my older brother, Chris, and I stopped by a place called Jim's for breakfast. Chris loved his Belgian waffle...

It's an art you know. 

The final product. 

We helped with HarvestMarket... 

And "helped" Grandpa with the desk project. Sadly, the sandpaper cost more than the desk itself. C'est la vie.

"I helping."

"I cleaning."

All-in-all, great weekend.

Now, if we could just buy a house...