our first move

I'm considering this our first move, because to me it was a big one. All the others shouldn't count. Well, at the end of the Winter 2015 school semester, the end of April, we moved to Arizona. Yes, Arizona, my dearest husband's home land. He assured me after living there, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Being 30 weeks pregnant, and driving 15 hours, you might assume I got a little cranky. You'd be right. I even shed a few tears. And by a few, I mean a lot. Our car was stuffed full. Stuffed. Full. My seat was pulled all the way up, my legs crossed, items below my feet and on my lap. Remember,  I was pregnant. This was not my ideal situation. We also had to assure we'd have room for a little one in the back seat for our journey back to Idaho in five months. So, you could say we were cramped.

I promised him I would never do that again. 

I would be flying with our baby back to Idaho (and that's just what we did).

the reason.

We decided to move to Arizona for the summer for my husband's internship. He would be working in Scottsdale for JW Marriott at their prime resort. He's a Business Management major, and it seemed like the perfect fit. His recruiter was so kind and really helped line him up to get a great experience. It was honestly a miracle that they had an opening so close to where he lives, let alone in the same state. We were prepared to go anywhere, but when we heard Arizona, we knew it was the right thing for us.  
Was I hesitant? Yes. I would be thirty - forty weeks pregnant in the heat of Arizona's summer. Did that sound fun? No. Did that matter, not in the least bit.

arizona life.

It is because of this place I finally know my cardinal directions, and they actually mean something. As long as I'm on Guadalupe facing towards Fry's Marketplace. I really got to see everything that Arizona offers. We went tubing down rivers, boating on the reservoirs, swimming at Grandma's and for cool nightly walks around the lakes (they're actually ponds), and lazy-ing around lazy rivers. Really, Arizona is pretty great. And even if it is 115 degrees outside, and I'm a pudgy pregnant lady, I didn't have much to complain about. 

If I could complain about anything, and I can't, but I will. I'll say that it stinked being home while he had to work. His love for Arizona was so large, that if I were to experience any of it without him, he'd be crushed. Well, at least that's what I like to think. The truth is, I didn't want to do anything without him. I craved for the time we got to spend together. Which, was more often than scarce, that's for sure. He had a great work schedule that made it perfect for us to have enough time together throughout the week. Some days had more than others, but on the days when it wasn't too much, we'd make a sonic run.   

the real reason.  

It was awesome living in his home town. I was finally able to really understand what my husband saw about Arizona that made him want to live and die there. The truth is, it wasn't the gorgeous palm trees, the weird rocky yards, or $1.25 pool passes. It was his family. Family meant more than all that. And underneath his desert rat facade, I began to agree. 

I had always known his family was great, but I tell ya, spending five consecutive months with them, really developed my relationship and love for them. They became my own family. Not just my in-laws. Some are not as lucky as I am to have lived so close to in-laws, and enjoy it. But I really did.

I owe a large majority to my sweet mother-in-law, Wendy. Wendy has an amazing ability to create time. Amid all her daily responsibilities she had, she always managed to make time for me. I really appreciate her, and the time we were able to spend with each other. I learned so much from her example. Wendy never ceases to amaze me. She is so full of love and service. I have never see her back down on an opportunity to help someone in need. I am so lucky to have been able to see her in action, because I don't think she really knows what a wonderful woman she is, and she certainly wouldn't tell anyone if she did. Each day she would make it a priority to spend time and talk to me and always invited me to do something with her. At the time I didn't have the energy to participate in much, but boy do I wish I would have more often than I did. The time I spent with her was filled with joy. No matter the conversation. Isn't that an amazing quality, so be filled with joy, so much, that it radiates from you? If you can't tell, I really admire her. No wonder Kevin turned out so good. 

I never understood Kevin's longing for this place, until I thought about leaving it.

We had his spectacular parents, Bob and Wendy. If there ever were two people who loved each other, this was them. 

We had his eldest brother Aaron, his wife Emily, and their irresistible two kids, Jordan and Sienna. They always had something positive to say. They never left you without a smile.

We had Jeff, who always makes you feel wanted and, guaranteed, would make you laugh at least three times. 

We had Grandma Jensen, who never let you go without a full embrace, radiating her love for you.  

so all in all...

We were pretty blessed. We were surrounded by people who we loved. And, we even got to see them every Sunday. Those were the best days of the week, because those were the days that my love for them grew the most.  

and it is quite possible, that we will be back.  







But wait there's more... these are just a few snapshots of our beautiful summer before our sweet baby girl came. It was filled with too much fun and unremarkable memories.