Wastach Back: Ragnar Relay

This past Friday and Saturday, Jacob did something pretty awesome, in my opinion.

Ever head of the Wastach Back? Yeah, well Jacob and eleven of his new coworkers ran it.

And boy howdy, it was beyond impressive to me. Two hundred miles, twelve runners,

continuous running...believe me, I was impressed, but not wanting to join the party anytime soon.

Or ever. I don't think I could run two miles on only three or four hours of sleep, never name three

legs of a race that were definitely longer than two miles each and that had some scary hills involved.

We were able to go to see him in his last leg. Here he is coming our way.

He is either happy about all of our screaming or a little embarrassed.
Probably both. Which is why we yelled extra loudly.

All kidding aside, Jacob did absolutely awesome, considering he had already run two of his

legs and that he switched someone to run one of the longer last legs, with a big hill at the end.

He told me later his legs just kind of shut down the last three miles, but he didn't stop.

This is all of us (including his parents who live just ten minutes away from his final leg location) waiting

at the second spot along the way, waiting for him to come by again. This time with the kids' signs.

Here he comes again. And look at those mountains. It appears we live in Utah, folks.

This is after he ran past all of our cheering and yelling for the second time. I just

happened to catch a photo of him with his work van following him to the next water

drop off. Their motto on the side of the van was "our nerds are faster than your nerds."

And waiting for Jacob the third time. Again with the kids' homemade signs.

Here comes Jacob again and this time the kids decided to run a few seconds with him
(except for sweet Campbell who insisted on holding Nate so I wouldn't have to).

Just a few more feet running with their dad and then they would leave him to make it up the

big hill. I have to say, this part broke my heart. I was holding back tears knowing how

tired he was and what he had ahead. I knew he could do it, no doubt about it, but it was

still hard to see how worn his body was--even if his running times were still amazing.

(Oh, and I should add that just a couple of weeks ago, an orthopedic doctor told Jacob that

he had likely torn his meniscus and would soon need surgery to repair it. Not sure that

helped this pregnant lady and her emotions as she watched Jacob start up the hill.)

And finally, he came around the corner to the last few feet before he turned the

next leg of the race over to the next runner. It was pretty awesome to see.

We love you Jacob! Thanks for doing hard things, so we can all be motivated by how incredible you are!

Hiking close to home

Behind my parents' home is a hill that is really great for hiking. Jacob and the kids

have been up it more than once and the view is amazing every single time. 

There really are some great perks for being back in Utah.

Moving forward

Due to the incredible generosity of some sweet friends, this past weekend Jacob and I were able to fly back to Boston for him to be released as bishop and to see the new bishop of our wonderful ward being called. We were literally in Massachusetts for only 24 hours and it was worth every second.

Like I mentioned earlier, Jacob serving as the bishop of our ward in the Boston area made the prompting and decision to move to Utah incredibly difficult. So while it was a hard day, it was also an amazingly sweet day.

And not just because the new bishop is a man that we have admired from the moment we moved to the East Coast. He is good and kind and is exactly who the Lord wants to serve as bishop of the ward we have come to love so deeply. We are just sad we won't be there to witness what his humility and goodness will do for the ward and for his family.

How we will miss our ward members in Massachusetts. Yes, we know it is right for us to be in Utah at this time, but neither Jacob or I were prepared to feel the depth of sadness we have felt at leaving our friends from church. But as always happens, life moves on and everything will be fine. Especially our hearts. Which have started to feel like they are healing since our trip to Boston.

We are so grateful.

Moving companies and mashed potatoes

Sometimes it is really important for me to put something down on the blog that was significant to us, but the thought of sharing all of the details necessary makes me tired to think about. This is one of those times. But I really want to make sure and share that this because it was such a significant part of our big move across the country. So here goes the quick version, just to have a record of it.

We decided to hire a moving company to move all of our possessions from MA to UT. We packed every single thing ourselves and had it ready to go, but were grateful someone else was driving it across most of the US. We definitely wanted to use a major van line, just to ensure (or at least make more likely) that our things arrived on time and safely. Our contract told us exactly the four-day window we would get our things and it was guaranteed, so after everything was packed up and gone, we took the minimal things we had packed to get us through the next few days and flew off.

You can see where this story is going yes?

Our possessions were late in arriving. Really late actually. At least two weeks felt really late to us. Because of a mix up we still don't understand, our things did not even leave Massachusetts until a week after they were supposedly guaranteed to arrive in Utah.

Good gracious.

But after many a phone conversation and even a pretty firm email sent from yours truly (which for the record was not rude, but definitely firm, and resulted in apparently scaring a few grown men and getting the ball rolling), we have received everything in the world we own. And some compensation from a certain moving company for being so incredibly late.

And even though we don't own much (a very few of you know how many pounds of possessions we shipped and how crazy low we were told it was for a family of almost eight), it is still nice to have it with us in the same state. Especially because the house we are building should probably have a bed or two in it. As well as a couch. And maybe a table. And a potato peeler of course.

Because seriously, have you tasted my mashed potatoes?

Wait, maybe I should have offered those as a reward for anyone who actually succeeded in getting our things out of the state of Massachusetts.

I'm telling you, two weeks wouldn't have been the case. Two days maybe. Especially if my milk gravy had been a part of the deal.

Blast. I should have thought of that earlier.

Feeling sick in St. George

Our Nate had a rough first night in St. George. He was in our room and woke up about every thirty minutes fussing and moaning a bit. At first I thought it was because his crib was so close to us, but he would always go back to sleep within a few minutes. Around 4:30am, I realized it had nothing to do with his proximity to our bed. But the fact that his stomach was bothering him.

Without going into details, I'll just say that we were up with him from 4:30 on and his stomach was having a really hard time. At first I was worried that we would be leaving first thing in the morning, so as not to expose my grandma to his sickness. But within about 30 minutes, and again, without going into details, I realized that he did not have a stomach bug, but instead was just not used to a combination of car travel and food that is much less than nutritionally stellar.

Poor baby. It was really pathetic.

Finally, just before seven, he fell asleep and slept hard. And woke up looking and acting a lot like this:

This would be Nate boy asking for breakfast. I'm thinking he feels better for sure. And I would be right.

Thank goodness.

Hiking in St. George

Jacob took the three oldest hiking in Snow Canyon for a few hours on
Saturday afternoon. In 106 degree weather. Um yeah, glad they had a good
time. And glad my assignment was to stick with the younger boys and take
care of the baby girl that won't allow me to hike at this time. Good times for all.

Swimming in St. George

Sweet waffles, our photographer must have been delirious and did not
realize she did not get any good pictures of two of her five children.
Poorly played lady who usually takes 487 pictures per event. Poorly played.

My grandma

Without question, one of the hardest parts of living so far away from family, was not being able to see my grandma (who I am extremely close to) for almost three years. We talk each day on the phone, but not being there to see her every few months or to be a part of her special events was hard.

So within days of moving to Utah, we decided a road trip was in order. And St. George was the destination. My grandma's house in St. George to be precise.

And it was a wonderful two days we were able to fit in. More posts on other fun details to come, but just being with our grandma was fabulous and way too long in coming.

We love you Gram! Thanks for having us and we can't wait to come back again soon.

More pictures from the wedding

Grumpy anyone? This is by far the best I could get of our Nate baby.
Not that I blame him. After all, moving an eighteen-month old across the

country to a new house, new time zone, new everything and expecting him to

understand...well, let's just say we are hoping for some kind of adjustment

 before he turns two. Three at the latest. Okay, before Kindergarten for sure.

And the reason we moved a few days early...

Honestly these two are not only fabulous, but aren't they darling?

We were so grateful to be a part of their wedding day.

And this here would definitely sum of their relationship. Danny and Camie are just awesome.
And lucky for us, they are family, so we get to be a part of their awesomeness for a long time to come.

(Incredible pictures taken by my darling sister-in-law Taunya. She is an absolutely amazing photographer.)

Did I mention?

We arrived in Utah and had a couple of days to settle in, as much as that is possible in a couple of days. I wish I could say that it feels normal and natural. It doesn't. And that is okay. It will in time. But for now, we will just keep feeling like we are on vacation. After all, we kind of are for the time being.

So now that we have been here a couple of days, we decided to take a ride to visit a bunch of dirt.

Exciting no? Actually, it was for us.

Did I mention we were building a new home? No? Well then, we are. Because who doesn't want

to move across the country, have a sixth baby and build a new home in one year? Not us for sure.

But with the craziness of moving and all that it involves, we haven't been able to focus much on

the new house. Enough to buy the lot, choose a house plan, put down money to the builder
and sign more papers than I ever really wanted to sign in my whole life. But otherwise...

The view from one side of our lot. 

And the view from the other side. 

Pretty good pick for not seeing it beforehand me thinks. 

 

 Our visit made things seem kind of real. Like we are building a house or something.

Which we are.

Did I mention that?

Saying goodbye

It is hard to believe almost five years have come to an end here. Sometimes I have the words

to express how I am feeling, sometimes I do not. This is definitely one of those times I do not.

I don't think I have ever felt anything close to the way I do today. This place has changed me to

the very core of my being. It has brought our family closer than I could ever have imagined. 

It was harder than anything I would ever wish for, yet I would not trade it for anything. 

It has brought me to my Savior in ways that continually bring tears to my eyes. 

I'm so immensely grateful. And never want to forget.

Goodbye Boston.

Documenting moving day

It is 9:34am and the movers will be here right close to ten. We are completely ready. 

And for that I am grateful. But nonetheless, all of this feels so very strange.

This is how much bubble wrap we have left. Pretty good planning yes? Or just big time luck. 

This is everything from the basement.

And this is everything from the second floor. 

And this is everything from the main floor. 

(Except the furniture. I don't mean to be misleading, so please imagine five beds, one crib,
one couch and chair, one love seat and chair, one dining room table with chairs, one library table
with chairs and a few small bookcases and nightstands. Okay, now I feel better.)

And finally, this is everything ready for the plane. (Well, not the desk. That was in the house
when we moved in and will be staying here when we leave.) All of this will get all seven
of us through the next eight or nine days. (Or so we thought. Story coming soon.)

Ready or not...moving day is here.

This morning

This morning, I stood at the mud room door watching the kids wait for the bus. There definitely isn't anything unusual about that. I've seen the same view (with varying degrees of leaves, snow, rain, sun) from this exact spot hundreds of times in the past (almost) five years. But this morning everything seemed different.

We are moving. And with every part of my heart I know it is what we are supposed to do. I don't know why and often during the past many days, I don't know how. But it is what the Lord has asked us to do. And if there is one thing I have learned in the last 36 years of being on this earth, it is that His plan is always better than my plan. Sometimes they are the same, sometimes they are not. But I am perfectly confident which one is better.

I can't quite wrap my mind around this move, even with it so very close. I don't know why. Maybe because I am feeling too many emotions at once--excited, scared, sad, happy, exhausted, overwhelmed, peaceful and mostly just gratitude.

Gratitude for the past five years, gratitude for the years ahead and gratitude that our Heavenly Father is kind enough to make His will known. And let His imperfect children try their best to follow. Even when their hearts don't fully understand everything they might want to. But their spirits know, deep down, that it really doesn't matter in the end. Because the knowledge that He knows is enough.

The view may change, but He does not. How blessed I feel to know that this morning.

Grateful for mine

When I am out and about by myself, I get asked on a very regular basis if this baby is my first. And even though I know people are asking because here on the east coast where we live, it is very common to be expecting your first baby at my age, it still does something to my self worth. I mean really, whether it is true or not (it's not), I can pretend they are asking because I look so incredibly young and energetic and rested.

But if you haven't heard, we are moving to Utah in a very short period of time. And I am pretty positive that the assumption that this is my first baby isn't going to be happening. (Especially as I'm quite confident the last three or four months have added about ten years to my whole self.) Neither is the absolute shock (and look of horror/astonishment/awe/annoyance) that follows my reply that this is our sixth baby likely to happen.

If anyone had told me twenty, ten, five or even one year ago that I would be the mother of six kids, I would have laughed. And told them they were crazy. But here we are.

And I am so incredibly grateful.

I truly believe that I, personally, was put on this earth to be a mother and wife. And feel thankful beyond words that that is exactly what I get to do with my time. Even when I'm quite a big mess at times--like the past few months. Gratefully, my mothering motto says nothing about perfection. Only about continuing to try and loving these kids and husband of mine like crazy. And relying on the Savior to make up the rest. I'm so thankful He always does.

Yes, I am expecting our sixth baby. But sometimes, when the question is posed to me, I want to answer that yes, it is our first. Because it feels that exciting and that special and that wonderful to me. 

What a crazy, wonderful, loud, unexpected, hilarious, exhausting, joyful, beautiful ride.

Our kids' teachers

We are so grateful for our kids' teachers!

Honestly, I don't know how we have been so blessed for so many years, but this year was no exception when it came to our kids having incredible teachers. I was at the elementary school the other day and had to grab a photo of Annie and Matt with their fabulous teachers.

And although I do draw the line at going to the middle school to take pictures of Campbell with his teachers (which I'm sure he is extra grateful for), he also had some amazing ones. And Ben has absolutely loved preschool and his four teachers are truly and completely awesome.

What an amazing year for all of them. And how incredibly grateful this mom is for those that spent hours each weekday with our children and made their school days full of learning and security and fun. We are so blessed.