We are moving like... today. So sorry that is where I have been since my last post. Packing, cleaning, planning, anticipating, dreading, crying, working, hoping, praying, laughing. And now our trailer is gone, and soon we will the same about us. We are doing ABF u-pack this time, where you pack it and they drive it. Really good option if you have more stuff. (We didn't have enough stuff from FL to Vegas). They dropped the trailer off on Tuesday the 13. We loaded it with the help of the YM in our ward and then they picked it up on Friday 16th. It is so nice to have Luke's help to pack and move this time. We all got sick in the middle of it last week, took turns throwing up and one night we stayed up till 4 am packing just in case we ran out of time the next day. And I have been trying to work on top of all this. Luke has been handling all the phone calls, organization stuff of moving to our new home.
Yes we finally have a place to live. Not a house with a yard and nobody around like I wanted but it will do. It is a cute townhome with an extra bedroom that will be great for guests "hint hint- you're welcome" ;). Luke had to overnight money and everything needed for background checks because they would not reserve anything even though we are across the country. If Luke wouldn't have followed his gut to go ahead and spend the money to make it ours, then we still might not have a place to live. And that would not do with a trailer in transit. Oh where are we going? Sorry, Greenwood South Carolina. It is about 25,00 people (half the size of Idaho Falls or Logan area) and home to Luke's new job. He will be working at a rehab hospital where people will go to recover for about 12-30 days following injuries like strokes, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, or other things like parkinson's, ALS, Huntingtons, etc. But is not long term like a nursing home. We are excited that Luke is going to give the medical setting a try before totally throwing in the towel on speech-pathology. He is very excited to begin his job and get out of sucking it up in Utah for entrepeneurship with his dad. Needless to say I am too. And hopefully I can quit working here pretty soon too. I just don't want it to ruin my resume for such short stint of time or be premature in quitting.
We are moving over Christmas yes. But the only thing sad about that is that we won't get to decorate our own tree/house/and be with friends over Christmas etc. Other than that it is all happy because we couldn't be more excited to spend Christmas with my brother and his 6 kids and awesome wife in Kentucky. This will be our second Christmas in Kentucky. Doesn't that just sound Christmasy! We are excited and Luke is eager to begin his new job with some support over there during the Christmas break. That is why we are moving before Christmas. Other wise he would be starting more cold turkey and we are willing to do whatever to make this the best for Luke. Hence South Carolina. Yes it is a little farther than I would have wanted to move (not across the country again ugh) but we said we would go anywhere for the right job. And this feels right. Luke promised me that he will do his best to not move for 3-5 years, hopefully 5. Let's hope he is right. After that much experience he will be eligible to become a Rehab Director and not have to do therapy any more. That might be the direction we take. Or home-health and/or swallowing is still an option.
We have tried to bloom where we were planted her in Lehi Utah and made a few good friends that we will surely miss. First and foremost will be my best friend and borrowing/lending/supporting neighbor Jean Webster and her son Bob and his kids Gabe and Lilly. They are the sweetest funnest kids you will ever know. I hope mine grow up to be like them. Then of course we can't forget our newest friendship with the McNinch's although, we have so much crazy stuff in common, and have don't so much that we aren't really that new of friends. We will miss Molly and the cookie man Latch and the birth of their baby Hallika. And of course the Avery's who had us over for a goodbye dinner and 10 minutes in, Gracie threw up all over dad and the floor a couple of times. And of course I tried to catch it one time in my hands (dumb instinct) which just made it splatter every. They were understanding and even washed all of our laundry for us too. What great friends. Don't forget Becca and the Browns who helped us get to the temple one last time before we moved. And of course Brad Clegg, the YM president, Luke's friend who with Avery's help saved space in our trailer saving us money and then helped us move our heavy entertainment center out in a moment's notice. We will miss our great friends and our family here too. We loved seeing the Barber side of the family one last time at a Christmas party on Saturday. And my parents made the effort to stop by on their trip to see us and deliver Christmas presents.
Now all we have to do is finish up all our last minute errands today and head out. We wish you all a merry Christmas and hope your holiday is as fun as ours, partly tongue in cheek, but not really. We are going to have a blast. As long as we can fit all of our presents in the car! (we might have to draw upon our distant math skills to geometrically plan our space. Wish us luck. We are definitely being watched over this whole year and this Christmas season and we know you are too!
