A Grateful Heart

For the past 14 months, I've had the privileged to serve as a member of our ward's primary presidency.  This was my first calling in over a year, and although I was excited to be doing something more than "just going to church" I was also nervous and overwhelmed, a feeling that I'm sure many would get from this calling.  Reflecting back now, I have a much stronger testimony of the Savior's love for me -- and it all is because of my time in Primary.  I know that I was put in that calling for personal growth -- it feels impossible to not grow in spirit when you are around God's children.  Heavenly Father knows me and knows what I need and I'm so grateful that I was looked after by him.  I am also so very grateful for the friendships that I have made.  The four sisters that I served with have become very dear to me and I will cherish their friendships forever.

I didn't realize how hard it would be to leave my ward family.  Moving as a youth, I was emotionally devastated every time we had to pack up and leave -- but as an adult ... I've been totally fine with this move!  Up until now.  I am grateful for my time here; I'm grateful for such a wonderful home and friends who love me and my family.  We feel at such peace with our move -- but it still is hard.  Very bittersweet.

Movin On Up ..

I've been wanting to move for awhile.  This house that we are in now on Saguaro Dr. is the house I have lived in the longest ... my entire life.  Just shy of 8 years.  (WOW)!  February of 2013 I was playing around online and inserted my information onto SOME website -- saying I was interested in more information about selling my home.  We knew that we weren't very close to being ready -- we still needed to completely redo our master bathroom -- but we were ready to start getting serious about it.  We got in touch with our Realtor, Bryan Colemere, and have steadily been working to sell our house.  FINALLY -- the first week of December -- we were ready to list, and eventually did on December 11th.  Who lists their home in December?  Us.  We didn't really expect to sell in December, but were excited to have it on the market.  We got a steady stream of showings -- every Saturday -- but no bids.  But who cares -- it was Christmas!  The first week of January, we had an awesome showing and the buyers were very excited about our house!  (Most were -- but didn't like the idea of living next to 4800 west.  I guess I can't really blame them there, but we never have really cared ... it's not THAT busy) They got their financing and BAM -- we sold our house!

When setting out to purchase a new place we had an idea of what we wanted.  5-6 bedrooms -- finished basement -- finished yard -- fenced ..... we looked into a lot of awesome properties -- but nothing felt like it was ours.  We probably were at about property #9 or so and Bryan brought us to a new development.  We did NOT want a new development!  We saw these homes online -- didn't really know when we'd have the cash flow to finish the basement, and really wanted it move in ready.  BUT -- we went inside anyway.  As we were walking into the home (not the one pictured) I just had this gut excited feeling that THIS WAS IT!  There are two spec homes being built on Regal View Dr -- We went into the second one and I liked it even better.  It was exciting -- scary -- and new.  This is not what we signed up for in our minds, but feel so excited and at peace with the decision.  Our new neighborhood in Saratoga Springs is right next to LDS Church farmlands -- so it really feels like it is in the middle of nothing.  It is not extremely close to any shopping plazas or restaurants.  It is smack dab in the middle of the neighborhood, another perk for us.  It is open, beautiful, new ... ours!  We are so so excited and are praying that everything goes through without any major hitches.

We took the kids there last night for Family Home Evening -- and it was so wonderful to be able to dream and get excited about OUR HOUSE.  We picked bedrooms, wandered up and down the stairs ... looked in cupboards ...

We close on our home on Valentines day, and hope that our house will be ready to move in that weekend!