It was such a sad and strange feeling to be headed "home" to our house in Oregon for the last time. The word "home" seemed abstract as we hovered between our two homes. Our Oregon house felt like our real home still. We had fun looking at houses and were excited for the adventure ahead in Utah, but as we headed "home" for the last time - the thought of leaving our home, friends and everything familiar for 10 years felt overwhelming and so so sad. It was a weird feeling to arrive "home" and know we would only be there for two more weeks. And finding our lawn mowed and the house well taken care of by our sweet neighbors across the street and every other kind thing our friends did for us in the next 14 days made my heart ache and also feel so much gratitude for the good people who were our surrogate family for a decade. We were so blessed with wonderful friends . . . so blessed.
So despite the huge list of things to get done in the next two weeks - we spent as much time as we could with friends. We had the girls attend to school during our last two weeks in Oregon - partly just to give them something to pass the time, to be around their friends a little longer and to allow us time to get the house and everything ready. It was not easy for the girls to go when it seemed kind of pointless. Sarah especially struggled on the days when things came up about projects, field trips and things the fourth graders would be learning after she would be gone. I think overall, it was the best to have them going and staying on a schedule to help them ease into school better in Utah.
Lauren was such a cute friend of Sarah's - they were just starting to be really close when we decided to move. They have written a few times to each other. I was heart broken to pull Sarah from her wonderful friends in Oregon.
Lydia and Natalie have been the best of friends since we moved into our Zachary street house four years ago. They were so little when they started having their first
playdates.
A funny picture of Tina, me and Shannan. Sorry girls, I think I said I wouldn't put this on the blog - but it makes me smile so much and brings such good memories. This was a night of a secret mission that brought a lot of giggles - like we were in high school. I can't disclose the secret mission, but it was a lot of fun and a wonderful memory with two of the most thoughtful and giving friends I know.
My future son-in-law! (o: Isn't he the cutest?? We'll see - Kim and I have plans . . .
It has been almost 4 months since this night and it still makes me tear up. Kim and Mike and the kids were like family to us. Still are - just farther away family. We knew we would most likely not get to end up living close together - they came back to Oregon for two more years while Mike gets his PhD in Kids' Dentistry. It's not really called that, I don't think - but it sounds good. (o: We knew they'd probably head somewhere else when he graduated, but we had two years of good times before that fateful day. And here we were - our two years of fun cut short. )O: What a wonderful night and a fabulous dinner, of course. Kim's yummy homemade
Jamba Juice and awesome sliders. Miss you Kim!!
A photo for the future wedding slide show perhaps? I better tone it down before they get old enough to catch my hints and rebel. (o:
Two peas in a pod - Allie and Sarah (who spoke on the phone yesterday for about 40 minutes non-stop - January 17
th - cute girls)
The big kids wanted to be outside alone - "no adults allowed" they told us. But I just had to sneak out for one picture.
Aww Kim - we were finally in the same state again. Maybe someday . . . You are the BEST!
A few days before I left, I wanted to see some of my good friends from our "old" digs. It was so fun to hang out with Krista, Rose and Jessica one last time. I've known them for so long. Krista was Sarah's preschool teacher (along with Kim) what seems like eons ago and a dear friend from the
Quatama ward. Rose served with me in primary and made that huge calling so much fun. And Jessica lived right across the street from us and had kids the same age. We had good times on 210
th Place - the kids had so much fun playing on our little dead end street for hours and hours while we talked. Such wonderful people. I am a better person for each one of my sweet Oregon friends and pray that their lives will be happy and wonderful. And I hope that we will meet again!
I was feeling so sentimental, I snapped a shot of Angela as we walked out of the library for the last time after closing my account. )o: I loved our beautiful library.
Kind of a funny little still life. A gorgeous rose someone left on our porch with a sweet note - I'm pretty sure it was the
Gerbers. Paper plates and cups to simplify things the last week. A grilled cheese sandwich in a
ziploc -
must've been leftovers from a tomato soup and grilled cheese night. And one last tomato from the garden.
One of our last beautiful Bartlett pears from the pear tree out back. Man, can you tell that I am a VERY sentimental person? This move was killing me and all these little things still make my heart ache and feel "home" sick.
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