Day 3 + 4 - Chicago (driving cross country)

I love Chicago. It is one of my favorite cities in the world. I used to go there for work a bit and really fell in love with it. It has everything a city could every offer, plus its the headquarters of the "American Girl Store". But Chicago also has that mid-western friendlessness. The best part was meeting up with my best friend from college, LeAnn and her perfect family. Even though we haven't seen each other in far too long it seemed like no time had passed. I am really excited to have LeAnn, Sarah and myself all together at Sarah's in New Hampshire and Boston in a few weeks. It has been far too long since we have all been in the same room.

At the top of the Sears Tower

E. spanning the distance from Boston to Denver at the Field Museum.

The always glamorous LeAnn

LeAnn took us to get some of Chicago's famous deep dish pizza.

We also booked a birthday party for R at the American Girl Cafe. She was in heaven. I think the girls would rather come here than Disneyland even. Their dolls, Samantha and Popsicle even got makeovers. And as for Mike - he could not have been a better sport. I think he may be getting use to all this girl stuff (or maybe not).

Day 2 - Kirtland, Ohio (driving cross country)

It DOWN POURED on us in Kirtland, Ohio (it down poured on us every where we went on this trip). But we still thought it was beautiful during the moments the sky cleared. We closed on our house that day (actually our realtor did for us). So not even the rain could dampen our mood (and by our I mean Mike and me).

Day 1 Palmyra, NY and Niagra Falls (driving cross country)

Our girls were great on the trip. We took 6 days to do it. Grandma came (thanks Mom). K still hates driving in the car, that did not change (at all) but we all made the most of it. We had a great time. Day 1 Palmyra and Niagara.

We stayed at the Palmyra Inn. President Uchtdorf and friends from home, the Boyces, were staying at the Inn as well. The girls were so happy to meet President Uchtdorf. After having silently (and not so silently) cried from the "You are now leaving Massachusetts - Please come again" sign, I was thrilled to see someone form home already. (Don't worry, the sadness did go away).

Mike was explaining to the girls that if you can find out for yourself if the Book of Mormon is true by following Moroni's Exhortation. You simply needed to pray. When he was done speaking we turned around to see R. kneeling right there at the statue praying. A few moments later she popped up and said "Daddy, it's true."

Sacred Grove

Packing up

The last day

Youth Conference

(Sorry in advance for being so mushy on this one)

Our Pods came on Wed., but we stayed until Saturday so that I could go to Youth Conference (thank you so much to Mike and the girls for sleeping in sleeping bags in an empty house and staying at neighbors so that I could go). Youth Conference theme this year was "Pioneers, Patriots and Pilgrims". We did the Temple the first day, Concord/Lexington and the Civil War sites the second day and Plymouth the last (sprinkled in with concerts, classes, dances, and Walden Pond).

The Boston Stake youth are very unique. The stake is extremely diverse. Much of the stake constitutes preppy Boston suburbs. But some parts of the stake includes urban and inner city areas. The youth of the stake are however extremely close. In spite of their diversities (and really because of them) they are strong and close. Since there are so few members of the church they really gravitate towards each other in a special bond.

Friday night was my last night of youth conference because we had to leave Saturday. At the end of the evening President Hopkin called me up to stand before the youth and announced that I was leaving in the morning and officially released me from my calling and asked all the youth to give me a vote of thanks. I was so touched to be released in a setting like that with the youth that I loved so much. I just love President and Marianne Hopkin. I love the way they put family first. He went on to say the kindest words. Afterwards he had all the youth sing "God be with you until we meet again". That was heart wrenching.

I will always love the youth of the Boston Stake. Words cannot express my gratitude for my calling. I been so blessed. And thank you Mike for always supporting me in my calling.

(beautiful Walden Pond. I will miss swimming there with the girls. Aside from the ocean, this was our favorite swimmong spot).

Sad, sad goodbyes

For the past few years I have had the greatest calling in the entire church. I have been in the Stake YW's and have worked with the greatest youth (and presidencies). As part of my calling I have been assigned to the Boston III Branch, the Haitian Branch. I could not imagine loving a branch/ward or people more. Truly, one of the hardest parts of leaving Boston was saying goodbye to my dear, dear friends in that branch. I feel so blessed to have known and been loved by such a wonderful group of people. They have shown me and my family such kindness.

The youth are the most phenomenal group of young people. They are close, dedicated, lovely and lively. They can make me laugh like no one else can. They are all beautiful and strong women. I cannot wait to see what they accomplish because I have NO doubt, this group of young women will change the world. I truly, truly believe that they will indeed change the world.

Right before we left they came over and brought a Haitian feast. I love Haitian food (esp. Sister Lamy's). Poor Sister Lamy, however, after we decided we were moving every time I would talk to her I would end up completely sobbing. I, particularly hated leaving my young women.

They made me a sweater with a picture of them (which of course made me cry even more). I will always cherish my sweater and wear it with pride. They had a goodbye cake made with a picture our daughters on it (more crying). And gave us a sweet card (total sob fest at that point).

I have loved these girls and their mothers and leaders. Sister Lamy, Stacey, and Marie-Edouard became my very closest friends and always will be. I only hope that I can be half the mother someday that Sister Lamy is.

I wish that I could take each these wonderful young women and somehow let them see themselves the way I do. I am in awe and humbled by their daily courage. Their dedication to what is most important in life inspires me. I have learned so much more from them than they ever could from me. They became MY examples, MY teachers.

I KNOW that I will always be in touch with them. I cannot wait to hear about their graduations and college acceptances. I will be just as excited as they the day they receive their mission calls. And I promise I will be there when each and everyone of these astonishing young women marry in the temple (you can bet I will cry then also).

I wish I could have taken them all with me. I hope and pray that they always know that I am an e-mail and call away. I promise that I will always be here for them. And just as before, my home is their home. They are ALWAYS welcomed where ever I am and may stay as long as they like (Stacey, that means you).

for now ...

I'll post more later but for now ...

"Mommy, Colawado gives me a wedgie!"
From R. who literally spends half the day at a pool (hence the bathingsuit wedgie).

Need catchup ...

I really need to catch up on this blog/family journal. I have so many things to write about: goodbyes, youth conference, driving cross country (and catching up with a dear old friend), and settling in to our new home. I have to say that we REALLY love Colorado already. Our home, town, neighbors, church congregation are all incredible. People have been so incredibly warm, welcoming and inviting. I can tell that we are going to love it and love raising a family here.

However, for some odd reason whenever I go to blog I see pictures of friends and places we left behind and my heart aches. The crazy thing is that I feel like I am constantly turning to Mike and saying "I really think we are going to love it here." But my heart still aches a little for home and friends.