Changes...

Just when you think life is great and you have everything planned, Heavenly Father can throw some curve balls your way. :) Teaches you to have a plan....

This spring we realized it was time for us to leave Pennsylvania - and where did we end up? Idaho. Definitely not the original plan we formulated and certainly not something we thought would happen. Yet, we are here happily.

We miss Pennsylvania and our friends there, however are enjoying our new life here in Idaho. Lowell likes his new job. I am mere minutes from my parents. Our ward is less than 1/2 square mile (instead of an 1+ hour from corner to corner). We are also closer to Lowell's family (they were here this weekend for a visit). While a major adjustment in many ways, being in the west again feels like home.

Thanks to help from our friends and my family, we loaded up in late June and headed across the country. My parents drove one car for their summer vacation with my sisters (you should ask about their ride on the back of a tow truck). Lowell, Tanner, and I were in the other.

Just starting the trip.

Our first stop was Kirtland. Lowell has now taken me to all major Church history sites, except Missouri. I will get there someday. We enjoyed a tour of the temple grounds, as well as some time in the Newel K. Whitney Store and other church sites.

Then it was time to hit the road. The next night we stopped to see our friends Jared and Ali in Illinois. Their kids were adorable and Tanner loved the attention. They were such great hosts over the next day and a half. Thank you again!

From there Tanner and I flew the rest of the way. Two days in the car was enough for a one year old and a lady who was 12 weeks pregnant and dealing with morning sickness. :) (Yes, we are expecting #2 in January in case you missed the announcement on Facebook or the ticker to the right).

Time to get out of the car

Lowell was a brave soul and drove the rest of the way himself.

We are fully moved in and mostly decorated (at least in the living areas). Lowell is now working with the priests in our ward and I am in the nursery (awesome because I get to take Tanner while Lowell is busy the third hour - Tanner loves it!)

A few more blog updates in the coming days...a lot has happened at our house as you can tell. :)