Friday, August 14, 2009

Anniversary


One year ago today we had lunch with my mom in Sandy, Utah.  James and DeDe joined us.  We sat outside in the summer air and ate our turkey sandwiches and laughed.

One year ago today we loaded our suitcases and weighed them on my mom's pink bathroom scale to make sure they didn't exceed 50 pounds each.  One of the suitcases contained a frying pan.

One year ago today we drove in my Mom's van to my dad's shop.  He came outside and we hugged and laughed a little and hugged one more time.

One year ago today we drove to the airport and unloaded our heavy suitcases on the curb.  I hugged my mom in an unbreakable clutch and we cried.  I hate goodbyes.

One year ago today my mom left us at the airport and drove directly to the hospital to welcome my beautiful niece Abby.  Goodbye.  Hello.

One year ago today we boarded a plane.  Lucy sat in her kennel beneath my feet, mildly sedated.  We traveled 2200 miles while we watched Kung Fu Panda and ate beef tips with mashed potatoes.

One year ago today we rode in a shuttle van from the airport to the house of some new friends.  We were stuck in traffic for hours.  We were so tired--physically, emotionally--and the brake lights and orange cones seemed to never end.

One year ago today we refused to wonder if we had made a horrible mistake.

One year ago today we found our way to the quiet house of our friends.  They were away on vacation, but left a welcoming note for us and fresh towels.  We laid down on a foreign mattress and fell asleep to the sounds of the summer bugs outside.  The next day we would buy a house, an air mattress, and a sheet cake.  The house to live in, the mattress to sleep on until our stuff arrived, and a sheet cake to make everything all right.

One year ago today we left home to come home.

14 comments:

Alyssa said...

beautiful! And I am so glad you came! I can't believe it has been a year - it seems like you've been here for ages and just got here all at once.

Dede said...

That was a bittersweet day! Sad to see you go, but so excited for your awesome adventure. I'm glad we were able to have lunch that day. I actually remember it very well because I was pregnant and we hadn't told anyone and I was SO sick that day. I kept begging James to let me tell you I was pregnant-he wouldn't let me :( Anyway, wish you were here, but so glad you are where you are!

Angie said...

Wow. Remarkable.
I'm glad it all worked out so well.

Kim said...

Time sure goes by quickly. One year down...many wonderful years to come!

Anonymous said...

Just when I thought I was getting over my separation anxiety, you pull a nolstalgic blog like that! I can't take it! I will be under the covers with a Costco sheet cake!

Love and Miss You All!

Heidi

Becky said...

Thinking of that day still makes me bawl! I can't believe it's been a year- and we all survived! :) I still miss you though- that feeling probably won't ever go away.

Aimee said...

Very cool.

Mac and Dixie said...

A year? Wow. Time flies. We still need to come out and see you guys sometime. We miss you guys! Thank goodness for your blog. It is still my favorite one to read. If I only have time to read one...it is always yours!
-Dixie

kami @ nobiggie.net said...

I like hearing that you call it home, because that is a big move to not love it one year later. This year has just flown by.

Well written, as always... throw this on in the book. :)

Jesse C said...

Wow. What a day.

Christy said...

Amazing that its a whole year later. Beautifully written post!

tiburon said...

Worst.year.ever.

Mostly because you are there and not here.

Mindi said...

i must say, i am still a bit bitter about having just discovered the magic of TIFFANY, and then have it ripped right out from under me.

i'd say it shook my faith. in HUMANITY.

but i know you are exactly where you should be. and waiting for me and kami to come out to visit and sleep in-between you and ryan.

shannon p. said...

I really can't believe it has been a year! Not that I see you any less now that you are clear across the country, but I miss knowing you are near by! I am glad to read about all of your fabulous adventures and very happy that you are HOME!

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