New Abode

We finally got the whole house unpacked and set up.  We had to wait a few weeks for our new furniture so in the pictures it doesn't have our new couches so it's a little different now but this is close:)

A Mother's Help

I was sooo lucky to have my mom make the drive up to Oregon with us, help us unpack and get settled in. She has been there for every major moment in my life. I don't know what I would do without her!

{First Day}

Mason's (second) First Day of Kindergarten

Edy Ridge Elementary

He was so excited to start his new school, I on the other hand was a ball of nerves! When we got there he joined me and was a little more nervous than he expected but he warmed up and was so brave!

Multnomah Falls

 This the transition was a tad tougher than we thought not to mention how overwhelming unpacking was so we decided to take a break and go site seeing:)  As soon as I knew where we were moving I googled "Portland Oregon" and clicked on images.  None of us had ever been so we didn't even know what to expect. Mason was sitting next to me and we looked through some of the gorgeous pictures and among one of the top ones there was this incredible waterfall. It got both me and Mason a little excited and I promised him we'd go find it as soon as we got to Oregon and so we did. We found out it was named Multnomah Falls. We took the ultra scenic route and drove along the historic scenic hwy. It was breath taking with the most gorgeous viewpoints and waterfalls along the way!  I found myself finding peace for the first time with we had arrived during this drive. I knew there was good here. I knew a part of me belong here and this is why I felt peace even before moving. 

It was a great day with my mama and kids!  The kids loved exploring and Mason screamed when we finally saw the waterfall! 

Hello, Oregon

(It's already May, I'm sooo behind in keeping up with this blog. Bare with me as I start from Day one in Oregon) 

We arrived in Oregon December 31st, 2014. It was almost poetic to end our time in Utah on New Year's Eve and wake up to Oregon on New Year's Day. 

When we finally got off the Exit, my excitement dropped and I felt anxiety literally take over! My mom said she physically saw my disposition change in a matter of a few minutes. It was weird, I was excited, the drive was beautiful, I wasn't in denial, I knew what was happening but when I got off the exit it started to hit me like a brick wall. NOTHING looked familiar. It was all so new and then we got closer and closer to the address of our new home and I literally felt it over take me. We pulled into the street and I felt hot tears sting my eyes. We pulled into the driveway and I just looked out our new home, it was cute, just what it looked like in pictures... but seeing it in real life set in some serious panic. I got out looked at our new street and felt my stomach tighten, this wasn't home, this wasn't my street. Seth instantly saw the look on my face and said "what's wrong?" ... We unlocked the front door and walked in... it was SOOO much smaller than the pictures made it look. My stomach, heart, mind dropped. I walked around and found myself in the Master bath and panic was erupting in my chest, it was creeping out. I just looked in the mirror and thought "What in the world have we done? Everything is packed up. We sold our home. There's no going back?" 

It was a rough night to say the least. The first week actually was intense. I knew what it was like to move out of state, I knew it would be new, I knew it would be different. There wasn't anything I didn't expect except what blew me away was my emotions. I didn't expect to feel the way I was feeling. I felt so lost. It was a long, hard year. I think topping it off with a giant change completely threw me out my ability to feel safe.

It was an emotional transition. We got through that first week and even through those scary feelings I started to see Oregon's beauty and knew it was only a matter of time til I fell in love! 

The kids took it really good for the most part. They were excited about everything being new, well except for Aiden. He struggled. I didn't necessarily expect that from him, Mason is usually the more emotional one. I should have known though, Aiden struggles with change and that he did. He would cry for his old room in his old house, his cousins, his friends, it was sooo sad. I would just cry with him sometimes.

At that some time there was good in the transition. The beauty was breathtaking. The ward was so welcoming and Seth fell in love with his new job.

I knew we just had to give it time.

We had to have faith in the peace we felt in making the decision to move here

but also honor that it was rougher going through it then we thought :)