Sunday, April 19, 2015

Our Moving to Utah Story

Sometimes I feel like our life in California is a lifetime ago. Going back through these pictures to make this post has just made me realize how much moving really does change your life! I used to feel like it was an adventure, new places and people and getting to shake off a dusty layer. (And get rid of junk!!) I honestly don't know how I will leave behind the gypsie life. But at the same time now that thing are getting into a groove here and the kids have stabilized, I can't imagine anything but putting down some real roots here for a change. That will be the adventure: to stay put.

Kent had been looking for other options in his career for a long time. Usually when he puts his mind on it, things move pretty quickly (as plainly seen in our track record!). So when it had been six months since he first started mentioning his intentions to switch roles I was feeling antsy! If we were going to move I was totally ready for that, or if we were going to stay I was totally up for that too, I just couldn't handle this up in the air stuff anymore! When the possibility of Utah came up I thought it was too good to be true. I tried my best to not get my hopes up because ever since college I just NEVER thought we would end up in Utah since there are not any physical J&J companies located in Utah. In my heart though, I allowed the prayer that we would be lead to where would be best for our family and where we could do the most good. That's it.
When things started really warming up I couldn't help it and I told my sister because I was literally about to EXPLODE with excitement and anticipation! I shouldn't have though because of course Kent wanted to wait WAY LONGER than I did to tell people- all the way until Christmas (which was like a couple weeks away lol) so then we were both just having to keep a secret ha ha! Finally the time came and we got to tell our surprised and supportive families. I also made the announcement on fb like this:

We have some exciting news! Kent MacKay is being reassigned for work! Anyone want to guess where J&J is taking him next?
1- New Jersey! He finally landed that cushy corporate job!
2- Utah! He is trying his hand at the only aspect of business he hasn't yet- a commercial role!
3- Puerto Rico! He will be managing another manufacturing plant in his first long term international assignment!
Or 4- Good Ol' SoCal! He is being promoted but staying at the same location!
Family members who we told yesterday please don't spoil the fun! The rest of you have 24 hours to respond 
smile emoticon 

32 people left their guesses in the comments! It was super fun to see what our friends said. Then the next day I posted this:

I am so proud of Kent MacKay! His talents and work ethic have allowed our family to live so many places experiencing amazing things and meeting awesome friends. Our next adventure will take us to a place we never thought possible because J&J doesn't have any companies there. It means a HUGE change for us as Kent will be working from home! He will be receiving a company car as he will be traveling a lot. He has been searching for just the right challenge for a while now so when this opportunity for a role on the commercial side of things came up it seemed almost too good to be true. We will have to get a whole new wardrobe for everyone (no more year around croc wearing). Have you guessed it yet?? That's right- UTAH it is!! We are beyond excited and feels a little like coming home since that is where our family started (does BYU count as "Utah"?) We can basically live anywhere we want, but not too far from SLC would be best. We are thrilled to be so close to a ton of family and friends- buckle up people cause we are coming over for dinner! Lol! Also, anyone know a trustworthy and cheerful realtor? We are moving as soon as we can find a house!
*To all our California friends: We have called several wards here home, and loved the unique flavor of each one! You have welcomed and loved us beyond our highest hopes and it will be so hard to leave all that behind. Thank you for your kindness and support through thick and thin!!
Here we go! smile emoticon


The time passed in a blur. There was so much to do!!

We sold and gave away so many things- most not pictured here!




(The kids were sad about selling this couch so we took a goodbye picture.)


Including our plants. It was hard for me to say goodbye to these members of our family! Of all the things to be sad about moving, right? And these aren't even all of them! But the front seat of the pilot was already a jungle on the drive to Utah so we just couldn't have kept any more than we did.





And we packed boxes. Kent was gone SO MUCH so I felt like I plugged away not making any noticeable progress and then he would come home and make a dent doing huge projects and then it was back to my invisible work again. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone. You don't realize how much stuff you have until you move!!

We said goodbye to our favorite parks. It was always awesome to get out of the house and away from the boxes!!









And we said see you later to our favorite people.

Here is our kind neighbor Tom. He and his wife Mary just adored the kids and we will miss having such friendly neighbors. 

Here is Caleb with his friend Benson.

And here we are with the Rogers girls. They were our best friends in the ward and we miss them!!


We got to see both sets of my grandparents before we moved and I am so grateful they made the effort to be with us. We have played dominoes many times with Grandmom and Grandad. We love them and miss them! I'm so grateful they got to be part of our lives as much as they did!

My parents and Hansen grandparents came to stay with us right before we moved and I loved being with them one last time as official Californians =o]


My amazing 84 year old Grandpa made me a cedar chest! 



Part of what made this visit so special was that they got to hear Kent and I sing in church, and me teach my last lesson in Relief Society. I love my mom and will miss living so "close" to her! Here we are for our tearful see you later. 

Two other women that it is so hard for me to move away from are my best friends Carly and Sarah. Seriously, I don't know what I would do without them! I am so grateful for all the ways they have blessed my life!!

Here is something I posted on fb to Carly last week that just shows the depth of our friendship:
Carly I just can't stop thinking about you since you posted on Friday, publicly announcing your relationship with Shawn. When I met you five years ago, the woman you are now was beaten and hiding deep inside that huge heart of yours. I feel so blessed to have witnessed you rise from the ashes of your past, spread your wings, and absolutely SOAR! You have experienced so much and helped so many!! Although you post on fb daily, there has been SO MUCH that has gone on behind the scenes (probably a ton I don't even know about) that has shaped you into the intelligent, compassionate, righteous woman that you are today. You are truly a covenant keeping mother in Zion! I couldn't be happier for you and Shawn to have finally found another person who will be both an equally yoked partner in your relationship and a loving, focused parent in your family. I have prayed for you countless times to be at peace and find happiness, and I can see how much the Lord has blessed you! I wish you all the best in your glorious future my friend!! Go get those dreams girl!!! 
She commented back:
Allison thank you for always being my cheerleader and sounding board. I couldn't have made it through the last few years without your listening ear and wise counsel. 
I feel the same way about her. She has been there for me!!

 And here is what I posted on fb with this picture of me and Sarah:
Yesterday with wild abandon I went out for one last girls night with this incredible, courageous, hilarious, and beautiful woman! We went and got a pedicure (in my whole life I have ever only gotten one with her!) had dinner, went grocery shopping and talked for hours and hours. This resulted in my only getting 3 1/2 hours of sleep because we are MOVING today, but it was totally worth it! With tears in my eyes and gratitude in my heart I say "see you later" to my dearest friend! This song is for you because I love you!!
‪#‎soulsisters‬
The song I posted was "For Good" from Wicked. 


We fulfilled one of my dreams before moving away from SoCal: we took pictures at each of our homes =o] It was so fun to drive all around and see how much everything had changed!









We also took a picture at San Dimas Community Hospital. The sign says "Remarkably, we were all born at this hospital!"

Another item on the bucket list was to go to the beach one last time! And since Kent wasn't home I took them by myself!! It was terrifying and awesome =o] I didn't put them in swimwear to try and deter them from getting all the way in, but all of us were soaked within minutes of our arrival.


















Finally the big day arrived! I was so ready emotionally even if we had a hard time getting ready physically (that last push is always surprisingly rough!!). The house had become less and less our home as we said goodbye to people and our stuff went into boxes. Again, if you have moved a lot you understand what I mean that "home" can move with you wherever you go. 
The kids were waiting by the window for the moving truck and ripped the curtains... what are the odds?!?!

The truck finally arrived and then proceeded to wait another hour for the crew to show. After all the work I did to try and find the "best" moving company, I cannot believe our experience. What a sad industry this would be to work in.  

The kids hung out at Tom and Mary's house for a couple hours, bless them!


Then when Kent got home during quiet time I took the three older kids out for frozen yogurt and then to go play at the park one last time with friends. 

When we got back a ton of stuff was in the truck, but they still had a lot left to fit in. 

They had a super rough go of it because they underestimated our load by 4,000 pounds!! There were two other loads in the truck and really I think there only should have been one, because they had to put some stuff in the cab and tie stuff to the storage racks underneath and in back. 

Once they were finally gone, we went out to a late and super grumpy dinner. 

We got back and put everyone to "bed" on the floor in sleeping bags and then cleaned as much as we could before giving up. We also cleaned a bit in the morning too, but when the owners got there and started walking through we just called it and drove away. Here are the kids saying one last goodbye to the house. And California. 




We stopped in St. George for a few minutes to give Katrina dinner since Hazel had just been born, but didn't stay to visit. 
Then bad weather started to hit. Kent and Caleb were in the car in front of us and with the walkie talkies we could communicate pretty well. 

But I can't even communicate to you now the fear that gripped my heart as we drove through that blizzard. This is before it was even bad. I have never driven in conditions like that before, and especially never with children in the car. I prayed and cried and sang hymns and tried not to freak out the kids, but seriously I felt that our lives were at stake more than once. When we finally got through the thick of it and I peeled my fingers from the steering wheel, my hands ached so bad because I had been gripping so hard for so long without realizing it. I KNOW we were protected through that storm and am so grateful our prayers were answered!

At long last we arrived and it only took a few minutes for the mood to lighten and the excitement to set in. We were finally home!!

Kent had a great time giving us the tour!











We once again put everyone to "bed" in sleeping bags on the floor, only this time much more comfortably with carpet underneath instead of hard laminate! 
The next morning was Sunday and we received a call that our stuff would get there shortly. They unloaded throughout the day as I took the kids to church and then to the Murrays for dinner. Russ came to help Kent set everything up (apparently they eventually just told the movers to leave and even declined all the well meaning neighbors and ward members who stopped by!). Thanks to their hard work we all slept in our own beds that night! Then began the task of unpacking!!!

And there you have it. We have moved to Utah. Hooray for this new chapter of our lives!! I feel grateful for this opportunity and hope we can make a difference here!

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