Loading up and heading out West!

I wish I could say that the process in getting us out to Utah was easy but I can say that it ended with an amazing amount of love felt in so many directions. All the tears and worries of actually getting everything packed up, cleaned, and goodbyes turned out to be in vain as everything happened on time as it should be.

This picture was taken a few days before we left. April came over with Dad and her nieces and nephew to help us pack. The Whitney family may be blood related to April's family but there have been on more than one occasion as my boys have called the Whitney children THEIR cousins. So, it was so sweet that they helped us move......and wrote us messages on our boxes!

This morning started off shaky as I became more and more overwhelmed with wondering if I would actually get everything cleaned up and ready. My father came over early to help us, before everyone else got there, and I knew immediately that I would need a father's blessing. My father has faith in me and loves me so much. I honestly have a hard time understanding how our Father in Heaven could love me more. So, I am so very grateful that Heavenly Father placed me in the family that He did to show me how much He truly does love all His children.

Strong men and children got the work done!

I love how children just want to help. They loved helping us move everything and even cleaned walls afterwards.

Grape time.....I mean, break time!

Oh Cheyanne, how I love you! I served in the Young Women while in the Grove Ward and I can honestly tell you something about each of the girls that I love so much (and that is including the leaders!). I love that Cheyanne has such a playful spirit. she is always "picking" on me and today was no different. She wrote on my face with PERMANENT marker! And I was fool enough to take a picture with her after she had already marked me. I thought we were just "showing" in the picture what she had done to me previously but NO! She actually wrote on me again! It is a good thing that I don't care about how I look because I really thought it was such a fun way to say goodbye to my stinker of a friend!

Our strong men!

I am seriously so grateful for the church and its teachings of service. These men really stepped up to get this truck loaded up quickly.

And 2 beautiful pictures to end on. I can remember when Uncle Chuck would do anything to not be in our pictures. What a handsome man.

And I you.........