GOODBYE UTAH, HELLO ARIZONA

The last week has been an absolute whirlwind.

I had no idea what moving as a grown person was like.

When you head to college you pack up everything that can fit in your car - and call it good.

Now, we are {kind of} in the real person category.

I was in awe as we packed up and realized how much stuff we have accumulated in the past 3 years. 

Seriously... I never considered myself a hoarder until moving day rolled around. 

Friday we picked up our moving truck and started the process.

It rained and rained and rained while we moved.

We joked that Utah was crying because we were leaving.

For some reason thinking Utah was sad we were leaving made things a little easier. 

We were so blessed to have so many loved ones assist us in packing up.

They were all such a great help during the move... but more importantly they have been a great help over the last few years.

We were sad to say goodbye to them.

After packing up the truck, we went to say our final goodbyes to my family. 

That was... well tough. 

Although I know that I will be seeing them soon, it's never been an easy thing for me to say goodbye. 

As I walked away from my parent's house, I took one good final look back at the home I was raised in.

I can't tell you how much gratitude I felt. 

I smiled and cried as I thought about the sweet memories I will forever cherish there. 

After saying our goodbyes, I lay in bed that night and began to think about the past 3 years of our lives.

I thought about how Brett and I were ending an era of our lives and beginning a new one. 

As we drove away in the morning we took one look back and headed on our way excited for what was ahead....

Which is when I started to get a little teary...again

 (yes, I have been an emotional wreck this past week)

It was at that moment that I realized this really was happening.

I also realized I wasn't sad.

More just grateful for everything in my life.

Grateful for my roots. 

Grateful for my parents.

Grateful for my husbands parents. 

Grateful for our college experience.

And mostly grateful for my new life with Brett.

This will be the newest chapter of our lives that we start together.

All of these big decisions are so much easier with him.

In fact, as I drove away from Orem thinking...

I am not ready for this... this is scary... etc etc.

I then looked over at Brett in the driver seat of the car...singing his little heart away to a song on the radio.

It was then that I realized all of this moving business is really not that serious.

I wiped off my tears...

said see you in a few to my home town.

Gary and Michelle were nice enough to help us make the drive down to Arizona. 

What would we do without them?

They have been angels in helping us get situated. 

Michelle has been helping me clean and unload boxes... ah, it's starting to feel like home.

Brett and Gary have been installing things for days (blinds, ceiling fans, washer/dryer, etc.)

I can't even begin to describe the gratitude we have for them. 

Arizona has been - well, hot.

But we can't get enough of the sunshine, beautiful sunsets, and nighttime lightening storms. 

But I must admit, despite how beautiful our new town is...

it is still taking some adjusting.

We have had to kind of redefine what home is for us.

Home is no longer Utah for us.

We don't know how long we will be here...

but we do know that home cant just be a town or address or a place you have a routine in. 

Home just has to be with each other.

Tonight is the first time it has just been the two of us here.

And it just feels right!

So here we go...

new state.

new house.

new job.

new life.

 More updates and pictures soon.