We have a little announcement we'd like to make…. our little family is moving to Utah!
This feels like big huge news for our family in some ways, but also like pretty small news in others. On one hand, I’ve lived in Idaho for the last thirteen years or so and have so many dear friends and special places that are close to my heart. On the other hand, Utah has been like our second home all this time, not to mention that Richard lived here on and off since about 2005 until he left everything to come to Idaho, so the move isn’t completely full of change and newness like it might be under other circumstances.
I also know there are tons of you that will be surprised only because you thought my family already lived in Utah! haha Everytime I would meet one of you in Idaho you thought I was visiting, and I would explain that it was because we’ve spent SO much of our lives here(Utah) between all the work/blogging events and collaborations, visits to all of my family and friends that live here, Martin’s old school friends, and now many of Richard’s friends (and family too) since he lived here for so long. We just know that after years of commuting here oftentimes week-after-week that it’s time to make it official, and we really couldn’t be more excited!
It’s been nearly 10 years now since my late-husband Martin and I started our lives together, and after we were married and moved into our first house we felt pretty fortunate to be able to stay in southern Idaho right near both his and my parents, mostly because that’s a pretty rare thing for new young couples, especially when I was just starting college.
We’ve always felt very led in our decision making, and as much as we loved our friends and neighbors in Idaho, we loved talking often about all of the fun new places our lives might take us. It was just a few years later when what had begun as my little online journal started becoming a bigger source of income that he and I started talking seriously about the different areas of Utah that would make work and adventure so much easier.
After he was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2015 and it looked like we were going to pursue chemotherapy at The Huntsman Cancer Center in Salt Lake, we were once again looking for homes there and trying to decide if it was the right time to move. We were given a prognosis of just a few months left for him to live, and he wanted to make sure I was near my closest family and also many supportive friends that would be able to help me move forward with our five young children once he was gone. We ultimately decided that he should start immunotherapy in Mexico and that we should stay in Idaho for the time being, but we still knew that we needed to at least leave the neighborhood where we were living.
We very quickly found the house that we’ve lived in for the last 3 ½ years or so, and that home has been good to us, so leaving it has been bitter-sweet. Leaving the house where he passed away is bitter-sweet. I received a lot of advice after he passed away that I should move away from the home we'd shared and the place where he'd died, but I'm glad we stayed for as long as we did.
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We feel so much excitement for the bright future ahead, but Idaho will always be such a special place to our family and to me especially. It’s where all my sweetest years with Martin were spent as well as the hardest years of my life. It’s where our three homes are, where our children were all born, and the bench where Martin proposed to me. It’ll always have my favorite sushi restaurant and the Thai place where the owner knows our order. It’s also where I held his hand and watched him pass away, and it’s where his body is buried.
Richard and I plan on taking the family back often to visit the landmarks that are so special to us, the relatives that we’re close to there, and of course to see all of our friends and neighbors that are so much a part of our family. All of the people that carried us during those impossible years especially will always stay in our hearts. All of the adopted grandparents that read the kids stories before bed and that brought us dinner over and over again. The friends that drove across town at 2am to sit with me while I broke completely, that held my hand when the coroner came to take his body, that sat on the roof on the fourth of July and cried with me, and on and on. I love feeling like that whole life from beginning to now is all secure and safe in a little town in Idaho, and that now we have a wonderful chance for a fresh start.
The kids were elated and then jumping with joy at the mention of a move to Utah, and they started rattling off people and places that we love visiting here and how we could see them all the time! They have nearly 20 little cousins here that they love to visit, and the idea of living right near them was mind blowing I think.haha Ellie especially was thrilled, because before we’d made the decision official, she had suggested that a move might be really good for our family and good for her in particular. Naturally, she thought Richard and I had just taken her advice and she was elated at the prospect that she was responsible for all the fresh new excitement.haha
Overall we've been pretty caught up in unpacking and painting and such since our first trip down and have sort of lost track of time, but every day has been filled with fun experiences and family scooter rides and already SO many visits with people we love and have missed. It feels like a dream to be so close to so much, living in a such a populated area, while also living right in the mountains with gorgeous scenery all around and so many trails to explore, etc. Richard actually found our home on a solo visit, and we both knew it was the one almost immediately. He's been so excited about the potential we have here and has already taken the kids out on so many little adventures. He has always loved being as active as possible outdoors, and that lifestyle will be able to be much more fulfilled here.
Well, I’ve gone into way more detail than I thought I would in this post, but feel free to ask any questions you may still have in the comments and I’ll get to them in the next post! All-in-all it’s just pretty incredible how things work out sometimes, and already we’re amazed to see how our family is thriving in our new home. We’re still just a reasonably short drive away from our old stomping grounds, and we’re back and forth quite a bit still as we wrap up affairs and such there, but it’s already making such a difference with work and family time, and the kids especially are making so many friends(and getting more party invites than they know what to do with) and doing so well in school, it’s so sweet to see.
A big thank you to everyone who has been so supportive and encouraging, and helpful in the packing and moving so far, it means the world to us! We feel like we’re taking all the best things and relationships with us, while also being able to leave everything negative behind, and I have to smile a little to know that Martin’s close by constantly and is excited to see that our family is moving along the path that he and I dreamed about all those years ago.
Thanks so much for reading, and cheers to the future!
WOW. That's a big change. I honestly didn't know where you lived! But welcome to Utah. If you ever need a great group of women to hang out with that get the "cancer world" let me know. We even have retreats for just us moms where we can talk or maybe not talk cancer and loss but they have massage therapists come, great food, and just an escape.
ReplyDeleteI hope this is an amazing move for you guys. I'm in Sandy and love it, though we will probably leave eventually.
My mom moved out of my childhood home last November. It was the home that my dad passed away in (he had cancer as well) and it was a very emotional experience for us. All of us kids and our mom, grieved in a different way but we knew it was time, it felt right for my mom to sell the house and take a step forward but it was still hard nonetheless. Almost like a bump in the road that was invisible. Which, aren't they usually invisible?
ReplyDeleteAs hard as it was, as much as I miss that house, the house where my last moments with my dad exist, the neighborhood, the ward I grew up in, my childhood best friend still living next door.... it has been SO good for my mom and for our family in the grieving process. I don't want to say that my mom is doing SO much better than before but now that she's been settled in her new home for a while, I can see how important this step was for her and how big of a blessing it has been in our lives.
I'm so excited to hear about your family adventures! I'm a UT native (born and raised) and now I'm living in South-East Idaho learning to love being here :) So happy for you and your family!
How exciting! Can't wait to see pics of the new house. Love from California!
ReplyDeleteHaving your life and memories with Martin safe and secure in the little town is such an emotional yet beautiful way to express it. I sincerely hope you find everything you want and need in your new home. Wishing you a wonderful future my sweetest Emily
ReplyDeleteWhere in Utah will you guys be moving too? I am so excited for your family to have a fresh start, but also what a blessing to be able to go back often to where pieces of your heart is also. Wishing you the best with this move!
ReplyDeleteYou explained that so beautifully and I'm getting weepy over here. Wishing you all the best!
ReplyDeleteBest of luck in your new home! Enjoy following you and your sweet family!!!
ReplyDeleteIf you need a realtor in Utah, I know someone who pays your first month mortgage payment as a part of her service. Not only that but she's just amazing! And no, it's not me. I just can't stop telling people about her since we used her 8 years ago.
ReplyDeleteIf you want more info email me. Contactconnied@gmail.com
Oh wow, thank you so much for sharing! We're actually right at that point so if we end up going with her I'll certainly tell her who sent us, I think she'd love to hear your great feedback:)
Deletewishing you and your beautiful family so much happiness in your new home!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Kaila, that means so much that you came here and read the post and then took further time to leave a comment, you're the best!!
Deletexoxo
My brother and his wife live near Salt Lake City. I had the opportunity to visit him last year and I must say....I've been to many states in our beautiful country and Utah is on of my favorites. As the 'gateway to the Southwest' (my happy place) it has such a clean and pure vibe. I hope you really enjoy your life together there.
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Oh fun! Change can be so good. I have always been of the opinion that only you and your family know what is best for you. Staying as long as you did was your choice and it seems it was the right one. Bittersweet is the right chord for something like this. I am happy for you and your family!
ReplyDeleteThis is exciting news, and I hope you all find a room if happiness here. (I'm biased, for sure.) And that explains why I saw you and your family at Ikea on Sunday! I would have been brave and said hello, but my toddler had just woken up from his nap and was less than amiable.
ReplyDeleteThe news and move is incredibly exciting. A fresh start indeed! And absolutely love the Harry Potter matching pjs - adorable!
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