The Lord is at work.

Kids, I need to take a minute and record what is at play.  I should probably rewind 15 months or so to when Aimee was a newborn.  We were right at the beginning of life as parents of four, constant feedings, sleepless nights and a bit of chaos, when Dad came to me and said that he saw a job opening for BYU-Hawaii and felt like he should apply.  Bompa & Mémé had just gotten in to town to help out and I insisted that we talk to them.  The thought was too heavy for me to carry at that point.  I remember laying stretched out across our big bed bawling, expressing ALL of my many concerns and even though many people would LOVE the opportunity to live in "paradise", that I had absolutely NO desire to move to Hawaii.  Especially not with a new baby, not after starting to feel settled here in Normal, not when we had such a beautiful home and Dad had such a wonderful job.  In the end Dad applied for the job.  While waiting to hear back from that, Dad felt inspired for us to visit BYU-Idaho on a side trip while vacationing in Utah that Summer (2015).  I dug in my heels a little bit, for similar feelings, but went anyway.  It was a sweet and enlightening visit.  We loved the spirit of the campus, but felt like the message we received was that we should be preparing for future opportunities.  After returning to Utah Valley, I had a few experiences where the Lord even opened my heart to the possibility of coming back to BYU and living in Provo.  We've both been opposed to the rigor of BYU's business program (the seeming lack of work life balance) and the subculture that often exists in Provo within the church.  But I felt my heart softening even more and felt that I would be willing to live there if the Lord needed us in that part of His vineyard.  Now fast forward a year to the Spring of 2016.  The thought of moving had faded in to the back ground until Dad got an email from SUU (Cedar City Utah).  When he first mentioned it we talked about the benefits of being close to family, but we weren't sure it'd be a good fit for us.  I definitely never would have picked it out as a place to raise my family.  We kind of left it at that.  Then when we were leaving Utah, after several weeks of spending time with our families, we felt an unusual homesickness and longing to live closer to "home".  We messaged our families (via What's App) and told them about the job in Cedar City.  They were all of course thrilled at the prospects of us living much closer!  We talked a lot about the job over the next two days as we drove back to Normal, Illinois.  When we got home we both felt like we should pursue the position.  We waited about six weeks for the job to finally be posted.  Dad updated his CV, teaching statement (?), and references (Ted Christensen, Mahendra Gupta, and Julie-Ann McFann from the CTLT).  After a week or so he called the talk to some of the faculty and show interest in the position.  During that conversation, Dave, mentioned that they were excited about his application, but also mentioned how the person whose position was being filled had decided to retire a semester early!  Instead of leaving in May (2017), he'd be leaving in December (2016).  They were now trying to fill the position a semester early!  When Dad told me about the conversation I felt like he had pulled the rug out from underneath me.  I had been feeling satisfied with my efforts to have an open heart about the SUU job (a cross country move, leaving our home in Normal and the WONDERFUL Illinois State University).  But this was a total shock to my system.  Bry start in January??  In the middle of the school year?  In the middle of Winter?  Why in the world would we do that?  I felt so conflicted inside.  Everything logical in me screamed NO WAY, yet I wanted to be open to the Lord's way.  Dad had told me on a Saturday night, on Sunday morning I was pretty grumpy heading in to Sacrament Meeting, but as we sang the songs, I melted in to tears and offered a silent prayer, turning my heavy heart to the Lord, expressing how hard this proposition was especially during first trimester and at the beginning of the school year.  Yet I wanted so badly to be willing if this was an opportunity He was extending to us.  The thought that came to my mind was that at least that would mean our baby would be born in Utah.  Mom, Em and Rach could easily drive down for the birth.  It'd be much easier for our families to come and visit and help out once the baby was born.  Those thoughts gave me a small glimmer of hope.  On Monday Dad & I started talking about it again.  I told Dad that I just wanted to be the child for a moment and wanted to talk and counsel with Bompa & Mémé.  Dad thought that was a great idea so we called.  As always they provided the professional wisdom (suggestions of being upfront about the complexities of a winter move, possibly burning bridges with ISU, etc.) and the spiritual counsel (to pray to the Lord, letting Him know that August 2017 is our decision and to please let us know if we should consider January).  The last thing that Bompa said was that God would provide us with revelation for our family and that we would look back on that decision with sweetness for years to come. This morning (Tuesday) we dropped Brie (2nd grade) & Alex (Kindergarten) off at school and came back to the house with Lij and Aimee.  It was a peaceful morning with the sun streaming through the windows, the feel of Autumn coming in the air.  You two were being so content (Lij with his blanket) and Aimee cutely toddling around and there was a calm spirit in our home.  It facilitated a very pivotal and important conversation for Dad and me.  We reviewed the counsel that Bompa & Mémé had given us, then started talking through (while I jotted down) an outline of a conversation that Dad would have with SUU.  The main pieces to consider would be selling our house during off season (though when meeting Mrs. Moore, Brie's teacher, she had mentioned looking over the next year for a house within the Grove school boundaries.  And since that night, several times I'd thought of us {mowing our lawn FIRST ;0)} emailing her that we would most likely be moving this next year, even as soon as December.), and moving cross country in the winter and during the holidays.   As we talked through it several times I felt this peace.  I felt an openness to the January start date and felt like it would fall in to place if it needed to.  That if SUU really needed/wanted us there that we could come up with an arrangement that we all felt good about.  As we finished our conversation I had a sense that things were supposed to work out this way and that they were going to.  I thought of the show Fixer Upper where they look at the three houses and have blueprints over imposed on the current reality. I envisioned the blue prints and scaffolding for the next several months and year fall in to place.  I felt like I should verbalize to Dad what I was thinking and feeling and voiced to him that the conversation we just had was really important.  We knelt down and said a prayer, voicing to Heavenly Father the gratitude for the way things had been spiritually created, for the sense of peace and direction we had received.  After the prayer I had the thought that what if the baby was born in Illinois and Healthlink Insurance continued to be delinquent and didn't end up covering the expenses of the birth.  In any case, I don't know what the Lord sees up ahead or exactly what He is preparing us for, but I know that He is at work in our behalf.  He has carefully provided for and positioned us over the last several years (being at Wash-U in St. Louis and here at ISU in Normal) and is now positioning us for our next move and mission.  And I feel like it's a greater mission than us just being closer to family.  He has important plans and purposes in store for our little family as we continue to stay close to Him.

According to Motorola, 18 (June).

Dad getting the van topper (thanks to Aunt Rachie sending us one in the mail!) all ready for our road trip.

The amazing surprise {snack} sacks and road trip activity books that the Cashes made for each of you kids for our long trip to Utah.

Even some goodies for the parents! AND they brought us breakfast from McDonald's the morning that we were heading out on our trip.  Those Cashes.  Gold.

Last last minute details...getting excited about our trips!!

I saw this idea on Pinterest and loved it!  I scoped out the biggest cities along our path, wrote down the 10 biggest cities for each day and then would write them with wet erase markers on these little laminated cards.  It helped us to see our progress each day.  We also rolled a dice to see where we would put the mini red clip.  Once we got to the clip we would hand back a special activity or snack depending on the situation.

Mom helping Alex get a selfie with the Alexander sign :0)

The Perry's neighbor let the boys take a spin

Seeing Chelsea for the first time in A LONG time!..

...I think it was when this girl was Aimee's age.

The garden that Aunt Rachie had been helping work on here in Kansas just a few weeks prior to our visit.

Chelsea did such a great job decorating their house.  Everything was just darling.

Brie loving her girl time!...

I just love these two!

Chelsea has 5 girls and a few years ago started to home school the oldest ones.  This was the first time that I've ever looked at homeschooling and thought, "this is something that I could possibly do."  I loved the way she had created a friendly, cheery, inviting, cute place for her girls to learn!

Hours and hours of beautiful green plains and farmland...

...

...then near the end of day two we hit the Rockies in Colorado!!

Meeting cousin Abi (first Sheets' cousin!) for the first time in Breckenridge, CO!

Pictures with Bompa & Mémé before breakfast at the hotel

Uncle Matt & Aunt Erin

Brie with Aunt Rachie--so cute!

Mom & my little ham, Lij :0)

Aimee & Aunt Rachie.  My heart melted a little.

All of us after sacrament meeting in Breckenridge.

Boys ready to head to the Ranch!  You kids had been waiting for this moment for MONTHS with SO much excitement! :0)

Getting a tour of the Tumbling River Ranch, Uncle Matt holding the babies

Don't worry a whole LONG post will be devoted to our time at the Tumbling River Ranch!

Me & Aunt Rachie trying on silly hats at a gas station on an unexpected early trip home to UT with Bompa & Mémé

Mémé elevating her knee after seriously hurting while doing the limbo :0(

Back to Bompa & Mémé's 5 hours before the rest of you.  It was an unusually quiet Sunday afternoon!  I dug through my old box of journals that had been missing.  Thanks to Mémé for finding them!

Starla had a delicious early dinner waiting for us when we got home.  Bless her!

It's good to be "home" in Provo.

Starla & Prim, Rach & Rue drove me over to the new Provo City Center Temple to walk around and take pictures.  It was beautiful!

Brie, Alex & Lij made it home with Aunt Em & Buck!  They were thrilled to se the dogs!

We got back to Provo Sunday afternoon and had 1 1/2 days to do laundry, get the kids repacked for their week in Utah and to finalize our luggage for EUROPE!!  It was busy, but no complaining here. Heather & Kingston even came to keep me company while I did some of the packing!

Monday evening we headed over to Aunt Em's new classroom (at Meadow Brook Elementary in Springville) to get her supplies moved in and to start decorating.

She stayed true to her heart and went with a beach theme :0)

You kiddos were seriously the best little helpers.  I was so proud to see how hard you worked and with very little complaining!

This is where you 3 sleep at Bompa & Mémé's house.

Typing up notes for you kids to read each day that we were gone.

And we're off to Paris!!

(Don't you worry, at least one giant post will be devoted to our trip in Europe :0))

And we're back!  Read his screen ;0)  Uncle Tim was our awesome welcoming committee who got us home via Front Runner, Trax and the Malibu.  

Breakfast at Bompa & Mémé's

Sorting through the souvenirs and goodies, trying to figure out what to give to which person, especially those dear souls who watched the kids while we were gone!!

I love the greenery at flowers at home.

Visiting Em post surgery.  Leave to Aunt Emmie to have CUTE toes :0)

Wednesday morning was turning THIS...

...into THIS! We needed to be all packed up and ready for our road trip home Friday morning.

Brie looking at the beautiful baptism dress that Grauntie Elaine bought for her several years ago.

a little thank you for the WONDERFUL week at the ranch.

Our little fam going to visit Aunt Emmie at the hospital.  You kiddos were so cute to pick her out gifts: Alex-flowers, Lij-gum, Brie-Bean Boo :0)

Rebecca, Owen & Julia came to Granpa & Nana's house to chat for a bit.  It was great to reconnect!

Pioneer Park splash pad with the grandparents and cousins!

Me & Aimee, Aunt Heather & Kingston

Maya, Brie and Lilli

Me & Aunt MaryAnn with 3 of the babies: Aimee, Caleb (finally got to meet that cutie!!) and Carrie.

Cousin fun at Grandpa & Nana's!!

Our cards made the board!  Yay for keeping snail mail alive :0)

Goodbye to our families and Utah and back in the car for our road trip home.

Had to stop at Little America for ice cream cones and a potty break and pitstop

Aimee demolished her cone!

Me & my sweetie

Lincoln monument in Wyoming

My boys :0)

In our hotel room, oh Paris, we miss you already!

You cutie pies

This is how we've been having you kids sleep the last few hotel stays, lined up across the short side of the bed and Aimee in her pack 'n play.  It's worked pretty well, especially if you're extra tired.

Aimee has started to fold her owns for prayer.

This is the first Marriott I've stayed in that actually incorporated the area culture into the interior decorating.  I loved it!  Come on' Marriott, let's try this in other places too!

At breakfast the Europe cup was playing in Paris!  Can't believe we had been there earlier in the week!!

Stopping in Nebraska to see the family that housed Bry after his and his mom's accident.

The wife said several times how grateful they had been for the Gradens: the sweet spirit they brought in their home, their calmness in the situation and their love for each other and that it was such a great example for their kids to witness.

A beautiful sunset as we were leaving.  It made Dad & I both think of Grandma Vicki.

Attending sacrament meeting in Nebraska.  Dad & I both felt strongly that we were supposed to be in that meeting to interact with certain people and that Heavenly Father blessed us for taking the time to be there admist a long drive home.

Driving back in to our beautiful corn country.  The sunset was gorgeous crossing over the bridge from Peoria and fire flies welcomed us home in the most magical way!  We ended up parking near an empty field at the end of Sheperd and Airport and getting out to watch as the fireflies literally made all of the tops of the fields sparkle.  Dad & I danced there in the cul-de-sac, as you kids chased around catching fireflies :0), and compared the magic of that experience to hugging on a bridge over the Seine as the Eiffel Tower glistened.  Both, we agreed, were equally magical to share together :0)

You boys ready to wash the van!

Hello luggage, I'm not ready to tackle you yet!

In a rather impromptu way had the Nowlands over for a pull together meal.  They brought left over curry and we provided the sides and dessert.  It was great to catch up with them after both of our families had been gone for most of June and with them leaving the next day for 6 weeks in Taiwan!  We love the Nowlands and will miss them this Summer.  You kids all loved catching fire flies...

Getting all the little souvenirs to give you kids after Family Home Evening

Summer vacation at home starts now.  Bring on the fun!

Out for a morning walk with you cute kiddos!!

Playing out back

You guys always get excited about playing with the water.  Though this Summer we are much more cautious about it so that we don't see flooding-of-the-basement-take 2!

Sending a card to your ranch counselor, Sabrina.

Brie writing to her ranch crush, Finn ;0)

Our "Summer Corner" was inspired by the Perry's awesome basement school!  

Little Lij sending a get well card to Mémé.  You picked out the dalmation Beanie Boo for the envelope :0)