We did it! We actually made it to Georgia AND BACK!! After celebrating a low-key 4th of July around here(including an only-in-Utah Family Search float at the parade)
We got the house cleaned up and the van packed up, and TRIED to fix the air conditioner on our van! After 3 days in one shop, and one day in another, we had all new parts, and still only cool-ish air blowing, which worked okay until it got to about 90 degrees outside. Thanks to Mom and Bree calling to let us know there was a strange cold front out east, we decided to take our chances and leave anyway. Brian stayed behind for work, and I took a 5 day journey with the children, our VHS/TV combo from DI, snacks, and a box full of layered prizes to open every few hours. We got to Uncle Tom's house in Denver Tuesday night, left early for Cousin Emily (Miller) Clark's sweet house on Wednesday--enjoying a great dinner and fun visiting time--lots of catching up to do after about 15 years!
Wednesday, we drove 2 hours to Robert and Bree's house in Missouri, and soaked up some cousin time relaxing and chatting (hooray for sisters!!--I was hoarse the whole next day!)
Thursday, after lunch, we headed to St. Louis and loved the free zoo! Get a load of the amazing swimming hippos!!
We spent that night w/ longtime friend Katie (Sowards) Rose and her family, who were SO welcoming setting up beds for all of us in their basement, then left for GA Saturday morning, to get to Mom's in time for dinner! It was TRULY a tender mercy that we had cloudy weather for our WHOLE TRIP across the country IN JULY!! The clouds followed us so consistently, that I told the children I felt like Moses and the Children of Israel following a "Cloud by Day." When Mom's mechanic was just as befuddled with our van, I thought there was no way we'd have a 2nd trip with low temp's on the way home, but we did! Not like any summer I can ever remember! Also, sweet Jane, who had still been waking at about 3 every morning, responded to my prayers by sleeping through the night for the week before we left, and through the week of my driving, before resuming her old schedule.--Hooray!!
We had a great time catching up with family and friends, swimming, hiking, watching the laser show at Stone Mountain, doing temple baptisms, celebrating Pioneer Day at Briant's house, visiting Babyland General (home of Cabbage Patch Kids) with Scott's family, swimming and visiting with Madsen's, visiting Kristy and Jon Anderson's "Resort" house, enjoying forests, hair with humidity, and even venturing downtown to see the Capitol and Federal Reserve. We had one night of adults to dinner once Brian got there, enjoyed Lake Allatoona swimming, and joined Mom's "Queen Bee" group to tour the Margaret Mitchell house and Gladys Knight's Chicken and Waffles restaurant. Also an amazing Thrift Store shopping Spree thanks to Mom and Laurie's awesome skills! We drove home faster (in just 3 days) and loved one more visit w/ Robert's family, and a really rejuvenating visit w/ Tom and Marva, where we all got hooked on "Wits and Wagers"! Lots of fun, and mostly, just great to be with loved ones, and to get to better know each other again!
The Monday after we got home, Brian had a 2nd interview w/ the County Attorney's Office in Box Elder County (his first was over the phone at Lake Allatoona)--on Tuesday they offered him the position of Chief Criminal Attorney, which means we will be looking to move next summer! Just as we thought we had shut the door on the government options, this has come along, and seems to be a great fit. We are all VERY sad to think of all we will leave here in sweet Syracuse--I can barely even bring it up--we're glad that though they want us to live there, they are being flexible with the children in school, etc. Here's a picture of our new "country" and also some shots of the brand newly renovated Ogden Temple we went through yesterday (though it's hard to fully enjoy now that we know it's not "ours" for much longer!) After 2 weeks of being home, our van IS now fixed!!--Jane is sleeping through the night again, Anne has finally outgrown her need for pullups, AND Brian and I got killer-deal tickets to visit Nick and Laurie in Boston this fall (and Brian's old mission in Maine) 25 years since he got home from his mission, and right over the weekend of my birthday! So much sadness and happiness all mixed together--as Maddie mentioned in her testimony 2 weeks ago, "You can't know joy without knowing sorrow!"
