Well... this is a really hard post to write. How do you sum up all of your feelings for the last 8 years?
We found out last week that Dave was offered a job working in Orem, Utah for doTERRA. We have been on pins and needles about this decision and have been very, very prayerful. After much consideration we accepted the job and feel that it is the right move for our family.
Although there have been things about Vegas that I haven't loved,(crime, heat, etc..) there have been many, many people that I have loved. It's the people that make it so hard to leave this place. . .
I think back to 8 years ago when we first moved here. Matt was 12- he passed the sacrament for his very first time in the Cheyenne Ridge ward. Lindsey was 6, just going into first grade. Katie was 5, just starting kindergarten with Becky Pili as her teacher, (little did I know her teacher would become one of my dear friends.) Ellie was only 18 months old and just going into nursery.
.....Here is what our family looked like when we moved here... this was taken 3 months after we moved in.... :) ugly Walmart photo... but ya know....
We were so scared to move here. We knew nothing about Las Vegas except that Dave's brother Rich lived here, it was scorching hot, had lots of mormons, and was Sin City. We were excited about our new job prospect working for David Winterton. . . and so the journey began... with many ups and downs under our belt, we feel that these last years have been irreplaceable for our family.
Over the course of these 8 years we have had SO MANY wonderful experiences. Matthew has had the most stellar group of friends that any mother could ever wish for. He absolutely LOVED his High School years and had experiences that he will never, ever forget. Our girls have grown up here.... from little tiny girls to beautiful young women... They have made many friends along the way and have enjoyed so many fun times.
But the time has come to move on.... Just like one of our family's favorite quotes, "And I didn't even see it coming!". We were not expecting this or planning on it. It has felt like kind of a blessing out of the blue. We are grateful for it (and for sweet family connections)!! But while we know it's the right thing to do, leaving Vegas is going to be hard.
I am quickly turning this post into a novel. But I really, really want to remember the things I have loved about Vegas. (This is a blog BOOK, you know.) So here they are, in no particular order.
MY FAVORITE MEMORIES/THINGS ABOUT LIVING IN LAS VEGAS FOR THE LAST 8 YRS:
-My best friend Jamie Jones. Jamie has been one of those once in a lifetime friends for me here. We have leaned on each other and been each other's sounding boards for eight whole years. We moved in at the same time and I just can't express how I am going to miss her. I love her and her sweet family so much! We have had so many fun times with them and it's been so wonderful to have a loyal friend to count on while raising our kids together!!
-Living by Rich and Heidi. It has been so wonderful watching Rich and Heidi raise their darling little family! Their kids are so sweet. Sunday dinners, soccer games, baby blessings, hanging out, Dave and Rich working in "the shop", baptisms, trips together, and the very rare opportunity of Dave and Rich working so closely together for 8 years. We will miss them SO VERY Much!!
- Matt's friends. I cannot say enough about how INCREDIBLE Matt's friends in Las Vegas have been and what they have meant to our family. We will never forget the great influence they have had on all of us.
-Our ward. We have had some of the most wonderful Bishops ever. We loved Bishop Adams like he was our own Dad. I had such an incredible opportunity to serve as RS President under him. He is an amazing man. Bishop Creer. I can't imagine a person who has a gift for loving people more than Bishop Creer. Dave and I have been so blessed to have worked closely with him as a counselor in the bishopric and in the stake YMs, and as YW Pres. Bishop Albright has been such a wonderful example to us as well. He is a master teacher! His family is one of the most kind and sweet, outstanding families we have ever known. We love these men and their families and are so grateful for all that they have done for us. We have met so many amazing people while in this ward and look up to so many incredible people that we are really, truly going to miss.
-Our Stake. We are constantly amazed by our incredible Stake President and his counselors. President Tew has had a direct impact on our family. I have never known a Stake President who takes such an interest in the youth. He completely influenced Matt. Matt was able to have a very personal relationship with Pres. Tew and considers him one of his all time heroes. Dave and I have both served with incredible YW Presidents in our stake and will always remember their amazing examples.
-Girls Camp. I had the wonderful opportunity of attending Girls Camp for four years here in Las Vegas. It is one of my favorite memories here. Dave was able to be there as a stake High Councilor three of those 4 years. What an incredible treat! I was so happy that he could learn to love Girls Camp as much as I did. And for the last 2 years our daughters were there!!! It was AWESOME!
-Missionary experiences.
-Trey McGhin's conversion
-Warm winters.
-Ethnic/cultural diversity.
-Wrestling/cross country/track for Matt.
-tennis and soccer for the girls.
-our great piano teachers
-trips to California (so close by)
-great restaurants :)
-Early morning seminary
-lots of visits from family
-My Dad living one door away for the last year
-Many faith building experiences and trials here
-the Las Vegas temple
-Scout camps
-Youth Conferences
-Activity Days conferences
-band/orchestra for our kids
-the bellagio fountains and flower room
-Trader Joes
-the parks here/soo many... so close with lots of tennis courts all around (also...Matt literally adopted Metro as his home away from home for 5 yrs)
-the church here... the church members here are different than Utah church members... just sayin.... ;0)
-the drive inn movies
-no mosquitoes
-the libraries
The list really goes on and on... but what it boils down to is the people we love here. It will be a sad day when we pull away for the last time....
BUT LIFE IS an adventure! We are excited for this new chapter and are filled with hope and faith for a brighter future and lots of new opportunities for growth in all of us!!
VIVA, VIVA LAS VEGAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
p.s. Can you believe we've never even been to a Las Vegas buffet? We've got to do that before we leave!!! :)
