One year ago, Daddy and I came up with a crazy plan. We had decided for Dad to apply to a new job in a new place. We knew if he got this job, it would require him to go through a 20 week long academy full time. We came up with a plan, if he had to do this, I would take the kids to Utah to stay with Poppa and Grandmalissa for the entire time. It would be hard, but we could be away from each other and fly daddy down once a month to visit us. As we found out that he got the new job, this plan seemed crazier and crazier, but seemed that it was what we were supposed to do. So, we did it. We put our house up for rent, packed up all our stuff (everything except for clothes to take to Utah) and put it in a storage unit and off we went.
We drove away from Daddy and our family in our old city and I thought about how I wasn't sure that I could do this. It was going to be so hard. At the same time, I knew how necessary it was. This was the most crucial part to our plan to make things work in a new city after the summer was over. So we drove on.
We had the most fabulous summer. We got to make so many memories living next to all our Utah cousins. It was hot and we went swimming almost every day. We ate sno-cones and played outside. We had grass hopper races and competitions. Went to birthday parties for cousins who are normally living too far away to celebrate with. You took swimming lessons and realized that the water is not a scary place after all. We spent about 3 weekends with Daddy throughout the summer and those were fun weekends. We showed him temple square and met up with old friends. We walked along a gorgeous creek and got our feet wet. We showed him how you like to play in the swimming pool, and we all cried when we dropped him off at the airport. You danced on the fourth of July with your cousins while we waited for the fireworks. We went on picnics and played at the park. We went on a hike to the wild flowers. We went to some shows at the Shakespeare festival and ate more sno-cones. We had slumber parties with cousins and played dress up. All the while, sending as many pictures and videos to Dad because we missed him every day. It was HARD to do all of this without him but it was what we needed to do.
Before we could believe it, there we were at the end of our stay. Crying because we were leaving Grandma and Poppa, cousins, Aunts and Uncles. Sad because we also would not be close enough to our old city where are other Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins were, yet happy because we get our Daddy back and our other Grandma and Grandpa back. We were headed somewhere new with a new house and new schools. We were headed to the light at the end of the tunnel. It used to be so far away that I doubted it would ever be visible. Now here we were, driving right to it.
We made it back. Got moved in to our new place and went off to see Daddy graduate from the academy. I think it's safe to say that him and I were both in denial this all was actually happening. At one point it all seemed so far away, and here we are right in the middle of it. I want to tell you about your dad. He is an amazing guy. I don't even know how to tell you how proud I am of him. He led his class into the early morning flag ceremony like it was something he'd been doing all his life. He called out commands and they all worked as a team flawlessly. Daddy made some lifelong friends in his class. Friends with goals like his, friends who have been through a tunnel like us waiting to make it to the light at the end. Daddy looks up to a lot of the members of his class. Later in the day was the graduation ceremony. Again, he led his class into the auditorium. They all stood in line and your dad was in the middle. Standing so proud and so happy. I was overwhelmed all day with the sense of accomplishment we had because of all the hard work we had done to get to this point. It seemed surreal. Daddy spoke to his class and did a fabulous job. At the end, Grandpa pinned the Police Department badge on Dad. I had to hold back the tears at the sense of relief I felt. We had done it.
On the drive home, Daddy and I kept saying how weird it was that we were done. It was over. WE DID IT! We stuck to our plan and didn't give up. Sometimes I feel like for the last 5 years, the universe was playing some kind of mean trick on us. things seemed to never be going our way. In the last year, Heavenly Father placed a path in front of us and lit it up. At times we doubted it was the right way for us, but every time we doubted, a small and simple reminder would pop out of no where to tell us it is the right way. I still get nervous that we will have another stroke of bad luck, but I have to remind myself that as long as we keep treading along and never give up, there will always be a pathway. It may become blurry at times, but I can clear my eyes and find it again.
Our crazy plan worked, we have a new life which will come with new challenges. We won't give up. This is what we are supposed to be doing for our family. We couldn't have done it without all the family around us. Both in Utah and in Washington. I love knowing that we aren't alone when we are faced with big choices, changes, and challenges.
"Learn what we should learn, do what we should do, and be what we should be"
Thomas S. Monson.
Learn, Do, and Be.
Love,
Mom