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Our adventure is ready to begin!

Let me start at the beginning and highlight my favorite parts:

Garth graduates from BYU in April 2006 and immediately got a job in Las Vegas. We move in with my parents and start saving money for a down payment on our “perfect first house”.  In August we are happy-go-lucky first time home buyers! The world is wonderful and we are on cloud nine! Ainsley Ann is born March 2007. We have enjoyed making our house a home painting the walls, rearranging the furniture, and putting in our backyard. November 2007 we suddenly found ourselves unemployed. Christmas 2007 was very “simple” as we were searching and searching for employment. We started a second business January 2008 and made it by the skin of our teeth doing freelance work.  Garth found a job May 2008 and we enjoyed the pleasures of having a consistent bi-weekly paycheck.

This is when it gets good!! June 2008 I volunteered (on a whim) to go on the 4^th year hike with the young women I was serving.  It is by far the most painful, grueling, life changing experience I have ever been through! I was mentally and emotionally ready to get to the “top” of the mountain.  We were the last group in our Stake and we had a GREAT time talking, singing, listening, breathing, walking, and climbing step by step to the top of Mt. Charleston.  AND THEN it happened.  I was at the top and I was DONE! I don’t know why I never considered it, but at that moment I realized, we were only half way done. I had 8 MORE MILES to hike down! I still get emotional as I think about the lessons I learned about myself.  I learned that I can do hard things. I learned that having a Priesthood leader as a guide is very important. I learned that if I stopped talking my legs hurt! I learned that if I focused on the pain it only got worse! I learned that as I focused on others my own load was easier to bear. I learned that I can do hard things! Life changing I tell you!

July 2008 we find out we are pregnant and announce it to the twitter world. August 2008 I pass out, fall down, and find out that my pregnancy is no longer. My doctor comforted me and informed us that passing out and falling down was just a coincidence and had nothing to do with the unsuccessful pregnancy.   But I knew that it was a tender mercy of our Lord – because of the fall I was very cautious and Garth came with me to the first appointment when they did the ultra sound and informed us of the bad news. Life is delicate! Life is difficult! In January 2009 our pregnancy test is positive and Emiline was born 09.01.09. During this last pregnancy I have seen myself “grow physically” as well as spiritually.  In May we randomly decided to go to a BBQ at the park with my parents ward.  We had a great time catching up with Roseanne (our adopted Grandmother). This is the exact moment (tender mercy) that started the whole process!  I don’t remember what was said exactly but she told me to follow Garth to graduate school! To do it now while we are young and dumb because it will only get harder as we get older and have more children! She did it – I could do it! So that night we came home and bought tickets to NYC. June 2009 we flew to NYC and enjoyed every minute thinking about a new adventure that we might be embarking on!  We visited the graduate school, rode the train to the suburbs, climbed the Empire state building, danced in Time Square, sang to Wicked, rode the subway, and walked and walked and walked. We started getting used to the idea that we could make it in NYC. I started believing I could ride the train with 3 little girls. Garth started the Job Hunt! Garth started the Graduate School application! I cried a lot.  I cried because I knew it was going to be hard. I cried because I would miss my Las Vegas family. I cried because I had crazy amounts of hormones pumping through my pregnant veins! I dove into volunteering and serving! Any extra time I had I spent helping others! I was able to be a part of an amazing service project for girls camp. We put together a video to introduce the service project and a second video of the girls completing the project.  As I was showing many of the leaders the second video, sweet Jana Dixon, gave me a big hug and said in passing, “If you have ever doubted it, let me tell you, I know you moved into this Stake for a reason! I have known that on several occasions and this confirmed it yet again! You are wonderful!” Smiles and tears all over again! I needed that confirmation that we had made the right decision in buying our house, that our last 3 years were valuable and meaningful! I never cried because I didn’t “want” to go, I only cried because I knew it would be “hard” to go. I knew with all my heart that going to NY would be Garth’s time to shine! I started considering it as a “mission”. I did research and started getting excited about east coast life. I called almost every bishop (and spoke with their wives) about the wards, the people, the places, the new life we could be starting soon.  I started cleansing my own life. I realized very quickly that we would not be able to afford a 2000+ square foot living space.  I was advised to not bring any furniture because west coast furniture was much larger than east coast living spaces.  I emotionally and mentally started the checklist of items to throw away, to sell and to keep. We started the process of selling our house and cutting any strings that held us to Las Vegas. I have cleaned out every deep closet and dark corner. I didn’t cry (as much) after Emi was born and my hormone levels returned to normal. Except for the time when Gracie stepped on a bumble bee!  I couldn’t get a hold of Garth because he was recording his podcast, my parents were out of town, and I felt rather alone with a screaming panicked 4 year old girl and a sobbing emotional me! I called Billy who lives down the street and he came rushing over and was here within 13 minutes and helped calm me down. The emotions that bubbled over had very little to do with the bee sting and mostly came from realizing I would be alone (a lot) for the next few years with my sweet little girls. I gained an appreciation for a ward family. I knew that I would be over 2,500 miles away from my famLEA but I would be able to call a Home Teacher, Visiting Teacher, Relief Society President, or the Bishop and they would step in and take care while my family was away. That is the moment I realized I was truly ready! I knew I could do it! It was just a matter of when, where, and how? Garth flew out in December for several job interviews. This trip was the first time that Garth and I had been apart for more than one day since we started dating February 24, 2003.  Let me tell you, it was HARD! But I have learned, I can do hard things!  We video chatted with Garth every day thanks to Starbucks Wi-Fi. Garth was able to see his parents. I was able to get a small taste of what the next two years would be, Garth being gone a lot! Working all day, going to night school, plus the commute to the suburbs. And to be honest: I was excited! I was excited for the adventure! We had many unknown answers! We will not find out until April 2010 if Garth was accepted into the program.  Where would Garth work? Where were we going to live? How much of my belongings can I fit in a 8×8x16 foot Pod Container? January 10, 2010 Garth submits his portfolio and is “officially” applied to Graduate School. We, mostly I, am praying every moment to have patience! Praying “thy will not my will be done” just let me know what “thy” will is! Then it happens!  Tuesday, January 20, 2010 Garth sends in his Resume to a random company that one of his buddies works at from the singles ward we served in 2005.  We saw this buddy at MAX and he connected with Garth online. Garth submitted his resume and within a few hours they called him to set up a phone interview on Wednesday.  They had a second interview over the phone on Thursday. They bought Garth an airline ticket on Friday. Garth flew to – get this – Salt Lake City on Saturday and toured the facilities in – get this – American Fork, Utah! They ate delicious sushi and got to know each other better.  As the owner was driving Garth back to the airport Garth said to him, “I will have to discuss with my wife because we had NO INTENTIONS on moving to Utah!  Why? Because we had NO IDEA this kind of company & job was available or possible!” Monday (today) Garth got an email with the official job offer and within an instant we knew this is the answer to our many prayers!

There you have it: Our adventure will begin in American Fork, Utah.

Mom and I will drive up on Wednesday to find our new home and then the real packing begins! AND – get this – I get to keep my couch, bed, and kitchen table! I am truly HAPPY and grateful for the Lord’s guidance because we would have never been able to do this on our own! My favorite scripture Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”