Leaving One Home for Another

At the last minute, we decided to just stay and get the cleaning done rather than stay at a hotel and return the next day to do it. So it was close to 3:00 am when the house was scrubbed, garbage cans piled high, and the trailer loaded.

While I was finishing on the inside, and Richard was securing everything . . .

the kids had snuggled in for a long drive. They slept all buckled in, in the driveway, so we just pulled away once we were ready.

Although on the trip to the East Coast, we did lots of sight seeing, this time was different. (What WAS the same however, was that Richard - again - drove all 2600 miles. He's awesome!) We made just a couple of stops to visit some friends.

In Pennsylvania, we stopped to see Darryl and his family. Richard and he served together in Iraq. Cooper was VERY concerned that there wouldn't be anyone to play with during the visit.

As luck would have it, they had just one child - a boy Cooper's age!

Of course McKenna made friends with the cat.

And the kids were able to get out a lot of wiggles in the fun backyard.

I had to pry her out of the swing to get back in the car.

I consider technology a direct blessing from the Lord!
All the kids are fabulous travelers, but movies make it even better.
But let me clarify. Although technology keeps them happy, it doesn't necessarily keep them QUIET. Ivy liked singing along (despite her full mouth) to the shows.

Our next stop (other than at a hotel) was in Kansas - to see our friends the Lords.

They fixed us a nice BBQ - such a relief after days of fast food!

The girls had a swinging time.

And finally, we stopped in Independence, Missouri and the church history site.

The kids would have stayed all day in the fun children's activity center.

I finally left McKenna to watch Ivy because Ivy wouldn't leave the play area to go on the tour. I figured everyone else (including the other visitors) would enjoy the tour more without a mad 3 year old!

Of COURSE, Maia loved the baby stuff!

Soon we'd be at OUR home!

The Final Goodbye

Our last Sunday in Belmont was three days before we left. I've had a hard time posting this because it still makes me so sad to think about leaving Massachusetts. Here are the kids in front of the church house. I love the church grounds. Right after church there was a farewell party at Heather & Dave S.'s home. Lucky for us (but not for the others in the ward) another family who had been in the area nearly 10 years was moving also. That meant that lots of people came to the party to see them off, so we got to feel like they were there to see us too! Yummy food and fabulous friends. What could be better?

With Christine and Clayton C.

Tessa and Becca

Leilani, Denise, and Sande.

Bishop B. and Richard

Melinda and Lynda - the BEST Sunbeam teacher and the one who was moving as well.

Rebecca and Leilani

Sande, Carolyn, and Laurie

My favorite. Ivy and her special friend Andrew.

I'm sure that our year in Belmont didn't mean as much to the people there - as they are used to people coming and going - as it did to me. I felt included, valued, and befriended 100%. I learned so much from the ward members, especially the women I became friends with. If any of you are reading this - thank you for a lifetime of memories!!

Saying Goodbye

Belmont II Ward has an annual tradition - a cookout "goodbye" party for the families leaving the ward. Because there are many students / interns / fellows who come for a year or two or three at a time, there's quite a rotation going on on a yearly basis. Besides the picnic, there were watergun wars between the children and adults. Ivy hanging out with her favorite friend Andrew.

Although you can't tell, Cooper's stomach is purple! The boys got bored with spraying water from their guns and switched to sticky soda pop.