Yes, I'm Still Here!

Oh, I can hardly believe it's been a week or so! Natalie flew 'home' to socal last Friday morning because none of us thought through enough the rest of her packing up to move situation. She and I spent the next two days repacking all their wedding gifts, consolidating things in boxes, labeling, and dividing into rooms all their things. WHAT A JOB! I had forgotten how involved moving really is.

We 'cleaned up' and went to Matthew K.'s wedding reception that Saturday evening. A darling couple. The reception was in the Gardner's backyard and literally there wasn't even standing room, so we all decided to head out and grab some dinner at Wahoo's for some authentic fish tacos. Apparently many others that had gone to the reception had the same idea and so we had a good time visiting with everyone at the restaurant that we would have otherwise been visiting with at the reception.

Sunday morning we got the truck loaded and used absolutely every inch of available space inside and out. Duff and Brett K. covered it over with a good tarp and bungy cords and Natalie, Darla, and I were finally ready to head on out. As with most trips, we left later than we had planned, but it turned out okay.

We had a very nice drive. I just set the cruise control and we hummed along. Got great gas mileage--went all the way from home to St. George on one tank with some to spare. Hallelujah--we debated on whether to stop in Vegas for one last chance at In-N-Out and decided that we were making such great time and weren't really hungry yet that we would keep going. But when we got to St. G, were thrilled to discover that they now have one in Washington off the very same exit that we use to get to our property!

Got to Jennifer's to pick up Christine around 9pm (she had been there for the week visiting and hanging out with her cousin, Taylor). Surprise! Another of my cousins, Leslie (from Twin Falls, ID) was down, so we had a GREAT and long OVERDUE visit. The 3 of us just picked right up where we left off and made the most of the next hour, before the girls and I headed up the canyon for the cabin.

Funny thing: As soon as we pulled into the south driveway and turned off the motor, Darla hopped right out, ran inside, went straight to where we keep her dish and stood there anxiously looking at us like " well we're here, please get me something to drink!" Then she ran into our room to her kennel and barked until I opened it and she could get all her 'babies' out and then ran all over the place playing. She knows this place and likes it too.

Truly--I don't think I realized how tired I am. For 3 days I literally did practically nothing. I slept, sat, watched the Olympics, read, etc. I kept thinking--get up and do something. Then I went over things in my mind: 3 weddings in a year, Duff's mom passing away, my parents health, church callings, Duff's struggling business in this economy, and Shaun's illness ever present with some difficult turns lately, and I felt the spirit tell me that this time is a gift to regroup, rest a bit, and to do things in wisdom and order. Wearying yourself in well doing is important, and now is a season to balance that out.

When I let that sink in, I could feel myself relax. By Friday night I could feel strength returning. Yesterday I felt much better. I finally grocery shopped (I got really creative with what we had here in the cupboards and freezer!), cleaned out the south garage so we could park in it (it had been the storage unit for all Robert, Natalie, and Shaun's college stuff), watered trees, walked with the dog, and deep cleaned the kitchen, took all the trash down to the dumpsters. It felt sooo good.

Duff, Mike, and Christine stopped in Provo at Natalie and Robert's with all the rest of their gifts,
unloaded, and headed up the canyon. That was one of the best sounds in the world when they honked as they turned the last switchback and came up the street! Darla and I ran out to greet them and we all fell into each other's arms, hugging, laughing, and crying to be together. There is nothing like FAMILY. It's been quite a week for all of us. Which brings me to this:

To each and every ONE of you--Dad and I LOVE you all so much. Each of you is unique and special. Something is missing when we are all not together. This life takes us in many directions where that is not always possible, but let's make a promise to each other that we will do WHATEVER it takes so we will be together forever. Sometimes in this life things seem difficult, but the real tragedy would be not being together eternally. We can make it!