March - Three Birthdays and a Move

March this year was really busy! Tyler's company was showing signs of failing and on March 17th we decided to pack all our belongings up, put them in storage and head east to look for a new job. March 17th was a Tuesday, Friday we celebrated Topher's eighth birthday with his school friends, Saturday we moved all our belonings to storage or to the car and Sunday we started our trip.

While it was a very busy week and a lot of work, I am glad we did it. Topher is enrolled in school at Vaughn and seems to be okay with the move. He started cub scouts this past week and is looking forward to his baptism next weekend.

The girls are content where ever they are and enjoying having Mimi and Papa and Katie Jo around to play with them. Along with all the pretty flowers they can pick.

August is like the little girls - happy where ever there are people to play with. He is getting close to walking and will let Mimi feed him a few bites of food every night.

Scout likes all the trees. She has lost quite a bit of weight running around!

Tyler has had two interviews within a week and has a follow up interview on Monday. I don't know for sure if any of it will lead to employment. But, I do still feel good about the choice we made to move here. Sometimes life likes to be difficult, but I can't say I mind too much right now. My kids are happy. Tyler has some promising prospects and I get to see family. So, despite any difficulty, it is easy to find all the little blessings that have come with this change.

Topher, with all the moves was able to celebrate is birthday three times! This is the first birthday party - a friend one! I wanted Topher's last day of school not to be sad but fun, he got to think all day I have a party instead of this is the last time I get to see my friends. So in the midst of a move I found time to decorate in a Nerf theme. We bought little nerf guns, created a target and hung balloons for target practice. But who am I kidding. They shot eachother the whole time!

Probably another reason we moved so quickly is I am not fond of goodbyes. I didn't really tell anyone we were moving. On Thursday I posted that we were moving. I had some friends from Daybreak call me - Rachel, Pam and Lisa. And a friend from Traverse - Skye. It was hard to say goodbye to friends and honestly to Utah. I thought I was going to be there longer than I was. Skye was sweet, she made travel bags for the kids and helped by taking the kids while I packed. Rachel offered to bring a meal and Pam offered to take the kids too. What kind friends. Lisa and Gavin happened to be in the area on Friday and made a point to stopping by to say goodbye. While I liked seeing her I hate goodbyes!

On Saturday Tyler's family came out to help us move. Josh and his family, Dave and Annie, Chris and Jessica all came and helped move boxes. Marissa and Amy helped with the baby and little kids. It was such a long hard day after all the work of packing. There is no way we could have done it without them. I don't have pictures of the actual work, but if you look in our storage unit you will see the proof of the work. But here is a picture with cousisn!

As Tyler and I looked at the map to determine our route we decieded on the southern route to spend a day in New Mexico. But after such a long hard day followed by a long day in the car, in which August cried for most of, we decieded to stay there for two days. It was such a nice break and so fun to spend time there. August spent a lot of time wishing he was bigger! The weather was amazing and we spent a lot of time playing outside with nerf guns! Topher got another birthday party there!

 August makes the funniest faces when the flash goes off.

We will miss, more than anything else, being so close to family. What wonderful memories my kids have of spending time with cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. I am so glad we took the time we did to spend with family. And with our established moving pattern, we may be back out there within three years :)

On Wednesday, March 25th we loaded up the car and drove to Amarillo, TX. It was not a bad drive - kids were happy and good. We stayed in a hotel and enjoyed a swim and soak in the hot  tub that night. Tyler and I thought we would stay up and play a game but we went to bed about twenty minutes after the kids did. We woke up, ate breakfast and got on the road to drive to Dallas, TX. This was a short day and that was good. We stayed with Aunt Margo so the kids enjoyed a big house to run around in. On Friday August decieded to wake up around 2:30 AM and not go back to bed. So rather than waste time not sleeping in bed, Tyler and I got up and got on the road around 3:30 AM. We made it to Louisianna before sunrise and breakfast. At that point we knew we were going to do the entire 13 hour trip from Dallas to Powder Springs in one day. The kids were amazingly good during that time. By 6:30 we were at Mimi and Papa's house! Kids enjoyed running around and playing.

And on Monday, March 30th we celebrated Topher's birthday again!

Today is Sunday April 5th. We decieded to move 2 and half weeks ago. We got here 10 days ago. A lot of change and craiziness. But all my kids are happy and adjusted. Tyler and I are happy. So life is good :)