Saying Good Bye

Our last day in town was a Sunday and so we and the Smiths (my sister's family), who were in town for graduation/party/farewell, headed to church. I spoke that day on the blessings of adversity. I think the Lord new that was exactly what I needed to help me through. Even though I was very excited for the new chapter of our life it was so hard to be leaving home, family and friends behind and to know that they would be so far away. It was hard to be moving on to so many unknowns. 

After church we said good bye to lots of good friends and then headed home to pack the last odds and ends. We said good bye to our friends the Hogues and to my sister and her family who both came back to the house to visit and help us pack up. Then we gave our house to April, Tristan and Delia, our friends and the daughter and grandchildren of our neighbor friends Mike and Diane, and then said our good byes to all of them. We waved good bye to the house as we left. I can still hear Ben, "Bye, House, Bye House." :) Then we headed up to return a hitch to our friends the Walters and again said good byes. It was like a gauntlet of good byes.

After that, it was on to California. We talked with the kids about how this was a big new adventure.  When we turned off for a potty break after about an hour and a half or so. Hannah said, "Ok, that was a fun adventure, lets go home now." So we talked more about all the exciting things that were ahead on our trip and in our new life. By the next day of the trip Ben would randomly say, "Home, Mama, Home." We talked about how we would have a new home in California and about all the people we love that would live near us. 

It was hard on my heart watching their process of leaving home and going through my own, but the trip was a great time for our family. It was marked with many blessings and comforting tender mercies. I am thankful to the Lord for watching over us. I am thankful for a trip filled with happy visits with family, inspiring church history sites, 3 different temples and many blessings.

Next post, our great cross country adventure!! :)