When we starting looking at Law school both Kent and I wanted to go out of state. We would have stayed if we had the opportunity but I think we both wanted the law school, the adventure, and the culture of living outside of Utah. Right before moving to Nebraska was a CRAZY time. Within in days we packed up, moved, finalized our oldest adoption, blessed her, sealed her, quit my job which was crazy and stressful all on its own, found a place to live, and had a going away party. Through all of this, I never really had the time or the chance to sit down and process, emotionally, what moving meant.
I can still picture the exact spot on the road. We had been on the road for 2.5 day and were just entering the city of Omaha. Suddenly it hit me. We were not just going to Omaha we were IN Omaha. For the first time in my life I was moving away. I was going to be living in a city where I didn’t know ANYONE. And it was scary. I got that feeling in the pit of my stomach. You know the one that you get right before you get up to speak in public, or at the top of a roller coaster when you are just a little bit scared. My stomach was at my knees and full of butterflies. But then the next day we woke up and got to work: moving, unpacking, settling in, living life, making friends, and exploring. And a funny thing happened, like on the roller coaster I had fun, I enjoyed the ride.
I remember the first few months of being there I was a stay at home mom who didn’t really know anyone yet, with one baby to look after, and my husband was in school. So off Missa and I went. We explored and found places to visit and to see.
I met some amazing people there, who we will be friends with for the rest of our lives. I fell in love with the hills and trees of Omaha, and with the wide open spaces and the prairies of the Midwest. But mostly I fell in love with the people. But one of the things I miss the most about Nebraska was my life there, the simplicity of it and the chance to be a stay at home mom. There were good days and bad days of course.
Of course we will always have a deep connection to Omaha because that is where Mia’s birth family is from and live. They were a major motivation for our trip. So we rented a minivan and off we went 2000 miles round trip.
The girls did really well for being the car that long. The minivan helped (I’m choosing to leave out the drama of renting said minivan). We didn’t make any firm plans but ended up with dinner invites every night we were there, and even had to turn one down. I was hard to balance our time as we knew it would be. We had so many people we wanted to see, and things we wanted to do, and wanted some time to be together as a family. But all in all it was a good time.
Kent went back to the law school, I went back to Fontenelle Forest, we played in the pool, we ALL went to the ZOO (oh how I miss the zoo) and to the big slides. We spent the day of Mia’s birthday with her family. Oh it was so good to see them and we wish we had had more time with them. We were able to have to time with the Journeys and many, many others friends. And all too quickly it was time to come home.
Pictures Hopefully to Come.
Happy Birthday To Mia
My how the last year has flown by! It seems like yesterday you were taking your first steps on your first birthday. And now you’re two! You amaze me everyday how much you are learning and growing. I’m amazed at how well you can speak and how many things you can say. Sometimes when I talk to you over the phone I think it must be your sister since you talk so well. You are such a sweet and loving little girl. You try so hard to keep up with your big sister and her friends and get so frustrated sometimes when you can’t. But you love to help. Help take the garbage cans in, find shoes, and put stuff away. You don’t like bugs. I could always get your sister to hold lady bugs, and potato bugs when she was your age but you refuse. You don’t like eggs. You are not as daredevil-ish as your sister and sometimes you get scared. Your deep belly laugh is so contagious. You love to play with other kids and you LOVE to talk. You are a joy in our lives and a ray of sunshine. Here are a few funny stories about you:
Today you got into my makeup and when daddy found you, you said “Mia Pretty Eyes”
You were really tired one day and it was a hot summer day. You had an ice-cream cone that was melting and going everywhere but when I tried to lick it to clean it up you screamed at me for 20 min because I had some of your ice-cream. In the meantime the ice-cream continued to melt everywhere.
Over the 4th of July you loved waving at the ‘Royalty’ on the floats and were really excited about telling your cousins about it.
Also over the summer you stepped on a twig and had to go to the ER to get it out. (that part isn’t so funny) but they gave you some stuff to relax you and make you a little loopy. When your dad got up there you said in a very drunk baby sounding voice “ Hiiiiii daaadddddyyyy” It was hilarious.
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