2011, Our Story

What a year to look back on. I have never experienced such a drastic change as I was able to see for me and my family in the year 2011. Did you know we are coming up on a pretty important date to me? Come Jan. 15th this will be the first location that we have stayed at longer than a year in our almost 8 years of being married. When we move next it will be our 12th move. Before moving to Utah to accept Kevin's new job life was very different for us. Idaho was our first home. Our boys were both born there and we built our first home there. Even though we have many friends that we love and happy memories it was the darkest time of my life. We left the only job Kevin has ever known to try our hand at a new job all the way over in Virginia to be transferred only three short months later to Denver. After 4 months there we packed up and moved to Oregon. Kevin and I both felt strongly that he would not go any further in his career if he didn't finish the 6 short months of schooling he had left. The thought of going back to Idaho terrified me. Knowing it would only be for 6 months I felt it could be done and we packed up yet again. After 6 months there and graduating (YAY!) we moved back to Oregon and this time tried to do it the right way. Meaning Kev would focus solely on his finding a job in his field. So it was off to work for me to help support our family. I was able to go fulltime in my passion of makeup artistry working on photo shoots, wedding, fashion shows, designer shows, and fashion week. For almost 8 months Kevin was unemployed and it felt like an eternity! Our living situation was a difficult one and tested us almost to the breaking point. Still we felt blessed to know we were on the right path and that the Lord had not forgotten us. It may not matter to some but during this time I was so unhappy that somehow 45 extra pounds had creeped in and I wouldn't let anyone take my picture. For so long we hadn't heard anything then within two weeks Kevin got FOUR offers from various companies. WHAT?!? Was this really happening? We prayed and prayed to make the right choice and eventually (and reluctantly on my part) decided to favor the offer that came from Utah. Because of my time spent in Idaho I had SO many reservations of moving to another place that had such a high concentration of members of our church. I cried and cried thinking I would sink back into depression, that I would be a bad mother and wife but I trusted that all would be well. We had gotten our answer and we had to have faith in it. We had a month to pack our things (we are experts at this point) and headed off in the first few weeks of January.....not an unscary time to drive eh? We hadn't ever lived in Utah and were only familiar with one area (where Kev's sister lives) so we decided to look there for a place to live until we found a more permanent residence. I have to say, I have loved it here since day ONE! It feels like forever since we have lived alone, just our family. It's something I had definitely taken for granted. I am also pleased that I have been running for over a year, lost all the weight I gained and then some and completed a half marathon in October and my next one is coming up in May. Also since moving here Kayson has made great friends at school which made for a wonderful summer full of activities. Swimming lessons with friends, soccer games, parties, enjoying our pool every day of summer, making best friends in our new ward, Branson started school for the first time, a new school for Kayson, me expanding my makeup business and best of all a huge promotion for Kevin at work. He is now Creative Director and our dream home will start being built in one week! We felt so blessed this year and, remembering our situation last Christmas, were able to provide for three other families to have a great Christmas. It feels humbling to be able to finally be in a position to truly help others. I am so grateful for all of those people that helped us in our journey and in such hard times. I am excited for this year, for 2012. I hope that I can make a difference this year. I hope to be a good friend, wife, mother and daughter of God. I read Jeffrey R. Holland's talk today "The Best Is Yet To Be" (2009 conf talk) and feel so inspired. The future is truly bright, full of possibilities, trials to overcome, and memories to make. I love you all and hope that you are well, that you are happy and that you feel you can turn to me if you aren't. Here's to making 2012 your favorite year!