Tears welled up as Vivin spoke these words to me. I was worried with how he would handle this move, he, like everyone else has done amazing.
We have had amazing blessing as we have packed our home and moved. Trials by the dozens but blessings by the thousands. I was laughing with my grandma the other day and telling her our stories, she laughed and said "Jaymie write this down!! Years to come you will think 'wow did we really do that', you have to write this down." So, I am going to be a good girl and mind my grandma, and write it down.
Tylers last day of work was the 15th of December. It was a wonderful and very sickening day. We were unemployed,... wow, unemployed. Tyler was excited knowing that what he has been dreaming of doing was finally happening. We packed a few things and attended important family events that weekend and on Sunday, Tyler and Tallon left for Denver to find us a place to live. Everything we had tried had failed and with only 2 weeks to leaving we had nowhere to live. Monday the 19th was very hard. Everything Tyler tried fell through. People were nice and helpful, but we were still homeless. That afternoon he and Tallon had an appointment to walk through his school and after that things came together. He met up with an individual who had a two bedroom condo that was willing to rent to us. Nothing mattered, size, location, nothing, it was a place to live and we were excited.
I had spent the day in Jackson with my sister Jullie and our 6 six kids at doctor appointments. Wow, that was a fun day. Needless to say we didn't visit two many places. We laughed and enjoyed the time that we had together. It was sad to think that I wouldn't be able to do that again. At least not for awhile. Missing family started to set in. That night the 4 boys and I attended a Hansen Family party and had a great time. But again the thoughts of "i won't be doing this next year" hit and so did the tears. That night I made up my mind that there would be no more sadness for me. I couldn't let it happen. With Christmas, a baby blessing, and having ALL of our family home for the holidays, I had to make the most of it and face this move with a smile.
Dec 20th
I received the call from Tyler telling me that all was in order in Denver and he and Tallon were on their way home. This was a great relief. We didn't know how long they were going to have to stay and the weather wasn't looking great. I was glad they were done and had been successful. That morning I also got a phone call from the family that we had asked to rent our home. They said they wanted to but had some issues with their rental now but things were worked out and we now had renters. What an answer to prayers. We didn't want just anyone to rent and we hadn't found anybody that we really trusted. I called this family on a whim and now we had renters! In 12 hours things started coming together.
Dec 21-23
We spent these days doing nothing but packing and finishing up the last days of school. Tallon had a sad last day. His tears broke my heart. His classmates all wrote him letters and as we read through them we just bawled. We knew this was going to be hardest on him. He was able to spend time with friends those days which was a huge help. He had a ball with JJ and Gabe.
My mom came everyday for 6 or so hours and we worked on the house. Ty stayed busy doing and packing the garage. We needed to leave the house somewhat in order for Christmas, so we called it quits early on the 23 and had Christmas all weekend. It was wonderful. We did family parties, attended church as a family for the first time in months, and just spent time thanking Heavenly Father for all of our blessings.
Dec 26
Wow!! We spent all day packing and preparing for Conn's baby blessing. We got tons of the house done thanks to my mom, trying to pack with a nursing baby was not all that productive. Orrin played with Carter, Vivin and Van spent the day with aunt Jerrie and Tallon hung with Jacob. Tyler, Kaleb, James, Brian, Darrin, and Brent got the piano out of the basement. Yeah we won't go into much detail, just glad it is done. That night we filled the relief society room with family and Tyler gave Conn a beautiful blessing. We laughed for an hour with all our family and just drank that time up. Yes, there were (and are) tears that night. We dropped the twins off to Grandma and Granddad to spend the night and laughed the night away with Whit and Kaleb.
Dec 27
Ty and Kaleb made a bazillion trips to the dump and packed, packed, packed. Before I knew it my couches and beds were gone and my house was empty. My mom put us all to same with her packing skills and with Jullie's help my kitchen was done in no time. That afternoon Jennie Hansen and Aubrie came and wow did we have a system going. Me nursing while everyone else worked :) I had hit the "throw it away" stage and it was amazing to watch our stuff disappear. The boys all slept over at families houses which was good considering the didn't have beds to sleep on.
Dec 28
Today found us a day ahead of schedule!!! We were hoping to have everything packed and out and we were going to clean thurs, but we finished the house!!!! We had so much help. Anytime you need to move call my mom and Kaleb, seriously call them they are amazing, there is no way we would have got things done without them. Jennie and Aubrie came and helped clean, Sherri was there shampooing the carpets, Grandma Mel was washing walls and by 3 the upstairs was DONE!!!! I figured we would call it a day, but not with that crew! We started the downstairs, and with new energy from Dave and Shandi MY ENTIRE HOUSE WAS EMPTY AND CLEAN BY 6!!!!!! Amazing, seriously, amazing. Ty and I went out to dinner with the Majors and had a ball. How we miss them. Since I hadn't seen the kids in days we went to grandmas to give them a kiss goodnight and ended up bringing them home to spend the last night in our home. Yes, it was a sad night but we were too tired to cry. Tallon was spending the night with Brixton. We went to sleep on the floor knowing that the next day would be filled with goodbyes and tears.
Dec 29
This morning we woke to ice!!!! And lots of it. We called everyone and told them to stay home and off the roads. The house was done. Ty spent the day paying bills and disconnecting everything. Shandi took the boys for the day so Ty and I could meet with our renters and get contracts signed. I took a few quiet moments and walked from room to room saying my goodbyes. I knew I needed to be happy for the boys. They didn't need to see me cry. As I walked from one room to the other memories flooded my mind. The day we bought our home 8 years ago and the first night we spent there as a family of 3. The days of tears and joys. The day we brought the twins home and finally had CHILDREN!! The love that welcomed each Holiday, birthday, and popcorn movie night. The first steps, the first sleep through the nights, the first days of school, and many more. So many images went through my mind as I made my way through my home. Tears came and then it came to me. It was the house and the rooms, but even more it was the people in those rooms that meant so much to me. Tyler, Tallon, Orrin, Vivin, Van, and Conn. They are what made my house a home and they are what I need to be happy. Not a house, not a Valley, not anything. I CAN be happy where they are. Nothing else matters. Home will be where I make it. And I am going to make it in Lakewood Co. I will have memories there and they will be precious. All because of my boys.
So with that, my boys came home and I watched as they said goodbye. It was hard. The 4 youngest didn't really get it. Tallon did. I watched as he cried. I watched as Tyler hugged him and told him it would be okay.
I got in my car with my children with me and I drove away. I wasn't sad this time. I was okay. I knew what was important and where my happiness comes from. I cried for Tallon, but I know he is strong and will be okay.
As we said goodbyes to our families more tears came. But it is not forever, just for awhile. Tears mean we love each other.
And so our Adventure Begins.