The Big Move

At the end of June, Joe and I packed up a Uhaul and made the long trek down to Arizona! It felt so surreal to be here and call it home. It was really hard to say goodbye to our Logan Home and all the people we have come to love there. And our Aggie Village home! We have lived there since we've been married so it will always be a special place for us. We were able to break up the trip and stay with my parents one night and then Joe's parents the next two nights so that we could hear them give their homecoming talk. (They had just returned from their mission in Chinle, AZ.) Saying goodbye to our parents was the hardest part. As I was hugging my Mom, she got emotional and said, "My baby!" Which of course made me cry. I have already had a minor breakdown crying on Joe because I miss my mom. But life goes on, I suppose!

Then it was on to Mesa! The day we arrived here, the temperature was only 100 degrees! It was such a huge blessing to not have to unload that huge Uhaul in weather hotter than that. We also were really grateful to have so much help. My sister, Jessica, was able to drive our car down and make the trek with us so she was there to help. I also have a sister currently in Gilbert so her and her husband and kids came to help. One of my old roommates and her husband joined in on the fun. And an old mission friend of Joe's came to help as well! We had the truck unloaded in probably half an hour - 45 minutes tops. It was so lovely. Then we all went to celebrate by eating Cafe Rio which is just down the block from us - yippee! Joe didn't start work for another week so we spent the week seeing my sister and her family every day, putting together our apartment and, of course, swimming!

Loading the Uhaul

Goodbye 31C!

The parting breakfast my parents made for us

Views from the drive down

Some of our helpers!

The sunset that welcomed us here

Joe's mission friend, Robert

Things I have learned since living in Arizona:

• There is no such thing as cold tap water in the summer
• Keeping the thermostat at 80 degrees can be quite nice (after adjusting...)
• I need to drive more aggressively...
• Dust storms are called Haboobs and happen fairly often
• Valley fever is an inevitable sickness that is wide and varied in symptoms (including not even knowing you have it)
• There are a lot of chemicals and chlorine in the water here which makes the water taste awful and a shower feel like a swimming pool
• Geckos are cute and not harmful
• The sunsets render me speechless
• Once you get your "adult" driver's license, you don't have to renew it until you're 65

And I am sure I will continue to learn about this place I now call home and will continue to love it. I will admit that it has been hard accepting that there will basically be no fall or winter and only a sort of spring. But I am learning to love it for what it is. Now that's true love.