Today was bittersweet. It was our last Sunday in the ward we have attended for the last 4 1/2 years. My husband was released as bishop and we said goodbye to all our dear friends. It was bitter for the sadness that it may be a long time before we see them again, it is hard to even think about. But sweet that we were able to meet such wonderful people and make so many lifelong friends. I often think how sad it would have been if we had never ventured away from our home and enlarged our circle, we would have missed the opportunity to share our lives with such good and kind people.
It's hard to believe that exactly 9 years ago we loaded up our cars and moving truck and headed East. We thought we would be gone 3 years for graduate school. Nine years and three kids later we are heading back "home" for an extended visit. We spent half our time in New Hampshire and half in Kentucky with a small stint in Virginia. I dearly love the Eastern U.S. and know I'm going to have a hard time heading back to the desert, but we are also looking forward to seeing family again.
We are also very excited to spend a full month together as a family (with no interruptions!) before my husband heads to the middle east for a year. We are running the Top of Utah marathon together next month and have been training all summer for it. Yesterday we ran 21 miles, something I never thought I could do or would ever want to do. I have decided if I can survive a marathon I can survive a year with him gone (or really anything else life throws my way)! So I'll be going dark for a month or two while we move and get settled...but I'll be back with updates for our extended family on the other side of the country. We love and will miss you all!
