Recap

A lot has happened in the past few weeks. Actually the past month has been a whirlwind, so here it is lengthily in bullet points...

• 7/20-I took the kids to Heber where I met Cyndi. She took them on to St. Johns while Jeremy and I went to camp. Thanks to all the Platt's who watched our kids for us.
• 7/21-7/23-Girl's camp - Jeremy and I got to go with the 4th years to camp. It was super fun and the girls have amazing testimonies. I was nowhere near their level when I was 15 years old. I feel like I learn so much from those cute girls.
• 7/23-7/24 -After girls camp, we went straight to St. Johns to pick up our kids and see the Arkansas cousins. It was a quick reunion, but a great one for sure. Jeremy spent the entire time at the ranch collecting petrified wood, his and Brad's favorite hobby.
• Back home for a week of packing and cleaning and getting ready for the big move.
• 7/27 - Grandpa Goodman passed away (already blogged about)
• 8/1 - Grandpa's viewing. It was not nearly as sad as I expected. It was more of an enjoyable reunion with all the cousins that I never see. I suppose Grandpa was reunioning in Heaven too. All the kids still rubbed Grandpa's head like they always did. Bless their hearts.
• 8/2 - Grandpa's funeral services. They were great. All his kids gave beautiful tributes, the music and prayers were super too. I was reminded of the importance of spending time with family, the value of hard work and of course, the miracle of the plan of salvation where we can be together again forever as families. Once again, it was a fun reunion with all the cousins we are too busy to ever see.
• 8/4 - Signed papers in North Scottsdale on our home in the AM
• 8/4 - Took the kids up to PV that afternoon to meet their teachers and to go through our home before we got the keys, exhausting!
• 8/5 - Last day of packing, too much to do still and not a lot of time
• 8/6 - Movers showed up at 7:00 am. They got busy working and, with my help, we finished all the packing, said our sad good-byes to Maddix, Bronson and Alex and headed up the mountain to our new home in Prescott Valley. We got there and a few hours later were surprised when the Morris' showed up at our door. They were a treat and the kids loved having someone to play with. Heather saved me as she got my numbed brain working again to get the kitchen unloaded. Thank you!
• 8/7 - Woke up in our new home after a long night. All the neighborhood dogs got to barking in surround sound. Don't worry, it hasn't happened since. We continued unpacking and the got ready and headed to church. It was nice. The ward was so welcoming and warm. Came home and Jeremy gave us all such beautiful blessings. I bawled through them all. Then, Jeremy headed back down to Mesa for one more week of work.
• 8/8 - The kids started school (that will have to be a post all for itself) They did great.
• The rest of the week has been filled with emptying boxes, connecting services, several trips to the store, getting the house sprayed for bugs (I've found a few black widows, a dead centipede, and countless spiders and other harmless bugs)
• Remember I said the ward was warm and welcoming? Well upon learning that I was a single mom this week in a new home with no refrigerator (we have an ice chest until our appliances are delivered on Monday), the Relief Society set up meals for us all week. I kept trying to cancel them, but they kept on coming. It was a real life saver. Also I got invited to do Zumba with the women down at the church. They do it every Wed and Fri. It is a big deal for me to put myself out there being social and dancing, no less, but it has been great and I feel like I know so many more people now.
• Friday 8/12 - Jake came home off the bus crying. Luckily I was there in the van to greet him and Abby at the bus stop. I thought he'd been bullied, but no, he was burning up, had a headache, sore throat and tummy ache - yep, Strep throat. It's been a few years since he's gotten it and it's really kicking his butt right now. Antibiotics were started right away!
• And, finally, today I get my husband back. We've missed him so much while he's been in Mesa.

So that's just about it. I love my new home. It's bigger than our other one, newer and so so beautiful. This is what I get to wake up to each morning in my room:

This picture doesn't do justice to how awesome my fan and molding are in my room, and all over the house for that matter.