I can't even believe I am typing the words - I now live in Oregon. We just moved our little family to Oregon! It happened so fast that it still doesn't seem real somedays, it feels like we're just here on vacation, visiting family like we really were last month. We have been here for a whole week and we feel blessed, anxious, grateful, impatient, and happy most of all.
Tyler had been applying for manager positions in Oregon for a few months now after we realized that this would actually be a perfect time for us to move somewhere if we ever would. And we wouldn't want to be where we didn't have any family support if we didn't have to, so he was applying and interviewing at warehouses in Oregon along with Utah. Nothing was coming of it, so I had accepted it wasn't the right time to move and got geared up to start Cole in kindergarten, Kate in preschool, renew my car registration, etc. We loved living in Farmington and being close (-ish, 2.5 hrs) to my family so it was a fine thing to not have to move. And then he got a job offer exactly one month ago. In Albany, which is the same city his grandparents live in and 45 minutes north of the rest of his family (except you Jessica! :( You east coaster). It felt like a good decision, one of those this doesn't feel wrong but isn't an overwhelming yes, just sort of a do it if you want to. So we proceeded to pack, and list our house, and pack, and try to decide where we want to live in OR, and pack and clean. We were packed up and had our stuff out of there in 2 weeks. What an amazing family and ward family we have. So much support and help, we are so lucky.
At first I cried every time I thought about leaving my mom, my awesome family, my amazing neighborhood with super moms around me and sweet friends for my kids, the school across the street from us that I had taught at and had dreamed of the day my kids would go there, the house full of happy memories where we became a family with kids, my mountains and my beautiful seasons and snow. It still makes me sad. I really miss it all. But I am so grateful for personal revelation, that Tyler and I can pray about a decision and receive help and guidance every time. We know this was a right choice for us, so no matter what I feel or what challenges we face here I know it will be best for us, that we will learn new lessons that will help us grow, and that most of all we are in His hands and it will all turn out like it's supposed to. I have been thinking a lot about Pres. Uchtdorf's talk about the forget me nots and how we need to learn to be happy now and not wait for our "golden ticket" to come to be happy.
We are selling our Utah home and hoping it goes quickly, because we can't go forward with buying a home here until it does. For now we are staying with Tyler's brother and sister-in-law's family and we are so grateful for their generosity in taking us in. I would be much more of a mess right now if he didn't have such a wonderful family out here taking care of us.
Here's how we spent our last weeks in Utah.
This was our last trip to Lagoon and it was POURING down rain. It rained an unusually large amount the last three days before we left, as if we were being prepared for what was to come. We got to the park, looked at all the rain coming down and all the people that were sprinting to their cars LEAVING and asked the kids if they still wanted to go, of course they did. A little water has never stopped us! We stayed for almost 2 hours before they were done, it was one of the most memorable times we've gone. This is in the car as we were getting prepared to hop out and get drenched.
Train ride at Lagoon. Look at that mini-Tyler.
I was lucky to get to play in on my U Alumni team this year that plays the current team. We were their first match at the Huntsman center and it was so much fun. I couldn't believe I was one of the oldest Alumni there, it's been 10 years since I played! Sure doesn't feel that long ago. We were not the winners of the match but we sure had a great time. It made my heart happy to see the U tattoos that Tyler stuck on the kiddos during the game.
With my friend/roomie all throughout college Kim and coach Beth.
This kid now has 3 teeth, 2 on bottom and one on top with his other front tooth coming in any day now. He continues to be an angel baby, so happy and easy going. He's been a little more clingy and wanting to be held more since we've been here, but when he does get down he is walking all over the place. He's so smart and I'm so lucky he's mine.
This was exactly a month ago, just minutes before Tyler called to tell me we were moving. Cole is on a bug kick lately and loves finding and collecting bugs - snails, slugs, praying mantis, and spiders were the things he found around our home in Farmington. He would wake up in the morning after the sprinklers had been on and go in the yard to see what he could find. Our garage was getting so congested with bug jars I told him it was time to put them back and he did not like that idea. So after a long discussion he came up with the idea to have a Bug Sale. We made up little flyers and he hand delivered them on his bike to friends and neighbors down the street. We set up a table, and $3.30 later all the bugs had been removed from our home :) It was the most adorable thing to see him selling his bugs. The sign said Bug Sale - snails .25, snails with jar and food .50, spiders .50, praying mantis 1.00. Our sweet neighbor Arletta wanted the praying mantis for her garden so Cole delivered it to her to collect his $.
We found out about the job just a couple days before Cole's first day of school, and after lots of thought we decided to start him at this one and let him go for 2 weeks before we left. He understood what was happening and was just happy to be with his friends. Here's his first day! He starts here in Junction City at Laurel Elementary, the same school Tyler went to, tomorrow morning.
We went up to the cabin and played at the river one beautiful fall-feeling day.
Luke building up his confidence.
The kids ready to take off! Tyler likes driving through the night while everyone sleeps. Less stops. :) Yes Kate has a bug jar on her lap, this one we would never sell - we found a monarch caterpillar at Grandma Morrill's the week before we left! It is now a cocoon and we can't wait for it to hatch.
We got to Oregon and began partying right away - cousin Austyn celebrated her 3rd birthday and the kids had a blast.
Our first rainstorm as Oregonians. I learned that real Oregonians don't use umbrellas.
I'm really looking forward to what our future holds!! Even in the next month things could change so much. It's an exciting time to be a Petersen.
