We are here! Before I get to all the details of our move in and how we are transitioning to life here, I want to quickly document moving day.
Tuesday June 19th, was the big day. A day we had been thinking of and planning for for weeks. I awakened that morning about 4:50 am to the birds chirping outside as usual and with quite a bad headache. You can imagine that headache or not with all that was on the "to do" list, I couldn't go back to sleep. I got up soon after, showered and got ready for the day. The headache persisted but I pushed along with the many things I still had left to complete before leaving to the airport at 3:30 that afternoon. By 9:30 I was laying on the bare floor in the girls bedroom feeling like I was going to die. Randall and my Dad had left to pick up the moving truck and I was home with the little girls finishing up the last bits of packing to do.
My head and neck hurt horribly by then. I also had chills like I had a fever and was very sick to my stomach. You can imagine my panic knowing all that was left to do with the house and needing to board a plane with 3 little girls alone in a matter of hours. I didn't feel well enough to get off the floor let alone do any of the other things. I called Randall and told him to please pick up some Excedrine while he was out and that I needed a priesthood blessing. I was trying to keep it together but just wanted to cry not knowing what I was going to do.
It wasn't long after I spoke to Randall that I did actually throw up. Almost as soon as I had flushed the toilet the doorbell rang. I wanted to die wondering who was at my door and how I was going to answer it. I went to the door to find that it was Heidi, the president of the women's organization called "Relief Society" from our church. I didn't know whether to try to put on a happy face like all was well or tell her I was sick. I opened the door and she told me she was there to help. I was so embarrassed at the predicament I was in but so incredibly grateful that she was there to help me. Thankfully the night before we had worked late into the night getting things ready. I had told Randall that I would sleep better knowing that there was very little still left to be done. I was too sick to "fake it' so told Heidi I was so sick and desperately needed her help.
Heidi stepped right in and did anything I asked her to do. It wasn't long after that, that Randall came home. I took the medicine and Randall and my Dad gave me a priesthood blessing. The blessing was fairly short and I don't remember the details exactly, only that the outcome was dependent upon my faith. Soon after the blessing I threw up again. I tried to keep working but had to sit down for a minute to just to compose myself.
I would say that in about 20 minutes I was feeling much better. within an hour I felt fine. I couldn't eat anything but I was no longer sick to my stomach or vomiting, and my headache was gone, even though I had most likely thrown up the Excedrin.
Heidi worked with me for an hour or so until we had all the last minute details packed and ready to go. When she left our home I was overcome with gratitude that she had come at the perfect time, and that by some miracle I was able to feel well enough to pick up the kids at school, have our travel bags packed and get to the airport in time. I felt well through the whole flight even though I sometimes get queasy flying on any normal day.
I'm so grateful that my Heavenly Father heard my prayers that day. It was just one more tender mercy to let me know he was aware of me on such a difficult day. I cried, ok, sobbed most of the way to the airport. It was one of the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I knew I was closing an incredibly hard, and amazing chapter of our life there. I was saying goodbye to so many that I have grown to love.
The good news is we have been in our home 8 days today, and are completely unpacked and have even hung some things on the walls. Do we feel settled? No...I think that will take some time despite everything being familiar here. I can say that we have been welcomed in the warmest way. When I first got to our home on move in day, my friends had decorated our door with a welcome sign and had a balloon bouquet flying from out lamp post. Another good friend brought us dinner that first Sunday, which was life saver still being in a huge mess of boxes. Two other families of friends came by that night to visit and bring a treat. Someone else from church came the next night with home made bread, jam and cookies. It has been fun to catch up with family and friends, and I'm looking forward to this next chapter, but I continue to miss my loved ones back "home".
