Baby Mine.

FINAL STARR ROAD TRIP DAY: SIXTEEN DAYS!!!!

From Sunrise to Sunset: Our Final Day on the Road to Home.

We left the Kansas plains early on July 5th with the sunrise in our rearview mirror. We were all SO ready to be home after such a fulfilling and AMAZING family vacation. At sunset that evening we got a first glimpse of those Rocky Mountains after weeks of being away. We had made it. Ang a HOME SWEET HOME it definitely was.

Just days later...we would find our new home sweet home on South Jordan Parkway, just a few blocks east of where we lived.

Starr Road Trip: Day Fifteen.

On the Fourth of July we went to the annual Starr 4th of July Breakfast at Peter Pan Park. It was HOT and HUMID. But some of the kids managed to pull through and stay for a baseball game afterward. Jane and I, however, went home where she had a nice bath, a sippy, and lots of cuddles with Mommy.

My Mom the Amazing made another delicious BBQ dinner that evening with the fam.

This time we gathered on quilts to watch the homemade fireworks. Maybe not homemade? Eek. Done at home? Yeah, that's better, ha. Some of the older kids went with Daddy to the Emporia State University stadium to watch the city fireworks. I stayed home to put Jane to bed. Well, who am I kidding? Uncle Aaron did the honors again. 

Starr Road Trip: Day Fourteen.

July 3rd is my Daddy's birthday so we woke up to delicious pancakes made by Grammy and then headed out for an outing to the pool. A day at the pool is always a must - especially during July in Kansas!

Later my mom made the obligatory Flag Cake for my Dad. After gifts, we gathered outside to watch some awesome fireworks right across the street! I spent the evening however going back and forth from trying to get Jane to go to sleep to going outside to console Henry from the loud booms of the fireworks. Jane finally went to sleep when Uncle Aaron went in and told Jane it was bedtime. Ha! Whatever works sometimes!

Starr Road Trip: Day Thirteen.

The next morning we saw Gigi and Papi, and the kids were up bright and early playing with cousins.

We also went to visit Grandma and Grandpa J. that afternoon where Grandpa made sure to pop some popcorn for everyone with his new machine. We hung out on the patio talking, swinging, and playing on the toy tractors.

Jane had a much-needed nap while the rest of us prepared to go to the Mormon Night at the Royals stadium. Cousin Ariel was so sweet to stay with Jane and Henry so they could get some good sleep that night. 

I remember walking into Target with my Mormon t-shirt on and suddenly realizing I was definitely not in Utah anymore. I got a ton of weird stares at what the heck was on my shirt. It gave us all a good laugh!

We found a pizza place to all eat at together beforehand. It was so fun to watch the game as a family, even if they did lose. We're always happy to watch the HOME TEAM! GO ROYALS!

Starr Road Trip: Day Twelve.

Day 12 of our trip was kind of a blur. The afternoon before we made it to Emporia where we reunited with cousins and unpacked for a stay at Grammy and Papa's house. I remember doing a TON of laundry the rest of that day and resting as much as possible. On day 12 we somehow managed to get up early to head to McPherson for our nephew Sam's baptism. As hard as it was to get in the car and drive AGAIN so soon, it was well-worth the trip to see Sam baptized and to visit with our dear family. And just a few hours later, Grammy had us posing for family pictures. Whew! It's amazing to me now that we accomplished all of that and actually got some decent smiles! We were 12 days into this road trip and it just felt nice to be somewhere as close to home as possible - to spread out and just finally relax by the end of this day. 

Starr Road Trip: Day Eleven.

I woke up the next morning to giggling and chatter in the breakfast nook. I loved walking in on a scene of two loving grandmas playing cards with and enjoying their grandchildren. This trip was such a memorable and unique time to have both sets of grandparents all to ourselves for a few days.

After breakfast we drove to Carthage, Illinois to visit Carthage Jail. This spot is a very solemn and sacred place where the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother were killed in 1844.

 The tour began inside the visitor center where we watched a short video describing the events of Joseph being taken with Hyrum and others to the jail and his stay and death. There is a beautiful statue of Joseph and Hyrum outside that really depicts the love and loyalty each had for each other: in life and in death. I love the pictures we got of our own children there with their brothers and sisters.

The tour guide then took us through the old jail and described where the prisoners were held the first night and then where they went for the rest of their week-long stay. They became friends with the prison warden and his family and even sat at the same table during meals. He described when the mob came and tried to get through the door to their room and how they shot through the door and killed Hyrum and then through the window and killed Joseph. He also described the miraculous survival of John Taylor and Willard Richards.

It was a solemn and humbling day, but gave us so much gratitude for the sacrifice of these men and all they did to help restore the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth again.

After this it was time to say good-bye to Grandma and Grandpa Starr. It was very bitter-sweet, but we were so grateful for our time with them in Nauvoo. Jane has always been such a sensitive girl and seemed to understand the significance of the moment. She ran into Grandpa's arms as they were leaving and gave him one last hug.