Our New Adventure!!

From what I gathered on TV, the northeast region of the United States was filled with fast-moving, quick-speaking, cold, abrasive people. Then we took a trip to Connecticut. As it turns out, the area is not all about NYC and crime and public transportation! In fact, this area has to be the most picturesque, peaceful, quiet, serene area I've ever come to know. I didn't want to leave. I loved the people. And now, after 7 months of serious research, travel, waiting, networking, imagining, interviewing, negotiating, and praying... it appears as though our family will soon be making a move from Provo, Utah to Canton, Connecticut. Dave has been teaching at BYU for 15 years and as much as we adore this little bubble from the world, he is excited to have been offered what seems to be, the moon. We're still working out details but I'll put it this way, I'm planning the biggest yard sale I've ever hosted.

2000 miles seems to be world away, but we are all excited for the opportunity to experience something new and different and beautiful. We've been to the area, the church, the schools, the stores, the community. We've run on their trails and eaten in their restaurants. We've made good friends and spent time in their homes. We've shopped in their shops and driven their byways. Hey, Tori even enjoyed a 3 day trip with the youth there. How could I have ever have been so intimidated by the idea? The people in CT have been incredibly welcoming and warm. Such as I have never seen before. We've been facebooked, emailed, texted, and phoned by them... and it wasn't even official until just this week.

Family is in the west. All of them. We will truly miss being able to just hop in the car for a day's drive and attend a big event or visit on a whim. This has been our greatest pull away from the decision. But it will be a day's flight, however, just like it is a day's drive is now. And there are blogs and facebook and picture texts and cell phones and skype. And there is still the amazing love which always has and always will, bind us to our eternal family.

I'm so happy for Dave, who has worked hard in his career to get to this point, excited for Dania, as she'll be coming "home" to the east coast like she has always dreamed of, thrilled for Tori to have an adventurous last two years in high school, and glad for Benny to start his life as big-boy where they really value education (yes... he would start part-time this fall, in a pre-K program!). And me? I look forward to radiant autumns, endless exploring, and getting involved in the community wherever possible. Canton, Connecticut, here we come!