Moving our life from MO to ID.

welp,
 we are here and semi-settled. 

(us 10 minutes before driving away from our house in Missouri)

Devin and I ran into the house for one more last look around for anything left on or forgotten.

As we did, we kinda had a moment where we both realized we would never be in our home again.

So weird.

Although it had been a source of stress the past 6 months,(selling a home by yourself, blah.)

There were a lot of memories there.  Naomi's only home.

I suddenly saw ghost images of us running around in that house, praying, crying,

laughing, worrying, cooking, talking with friends that became family. Devin studying and struggling, My water breaking,

(I'll never tell the new owner WHERE.) haha. 

Bringing Naomi home, rocking babies, putting on band-aides.  Yelling and apologizing, dancing to music to help us all feel better, family home evenings, kids running in circles while we clap and sing,  recieving heart breaking news, praying some more, hugging, kissing ;) encouraging one another, "It's going to be okay." Missing family, sucking it up and going on, painting, dreaming, hoping and praying some more.

 Oh man what a loaded few  years graduate school was!

We changed a lot as a family and as people in that home.

A lot of our heart did seem to reside in the walls of that house, and I felt it at that moment.  It's the only way I know how to describe it.  We hugged, as if to say good bye to the past.  Started to choke up and so we quickly let go.  

No time for that type of thing. 

 And Devin definitely didn't want to be crying in front of my dad. We raced around found a baby doll in the kitchen cupboard. Set the keys on the counter and slammed the door behind us.

We are still recovering from the stress of selling a home, hoping it all goes through while packing in two weeks.  (We moved the day after closing.)

 Then driving for 3 days with Naomi

in the car.  Poor little girl, she was literally pulling her hair.  

Toys would not entertain her for long, t.v does not interest her, and

she only sleeps in her crib NOT in a car-seat. To say the very least I was SO SO SO glad my dad 

 came out to help drive.


He had his recipe for happiness:  

driving a big truck 

 jerky 
 black licorice 
 Talk Radio
Caffeine. 
Car trips are the one time we can argue that drinking caffeine is better for your body than crashing.  Except of course if your with child as I was. No Dr. Pepper for me. darn.


  Being worried about him all alone for

 so many hours, I called him to make sure he was okay...

"This is awesome, I just listened to the whole 2 hour program on the history of

combines, then after that they had another program on the history of guns!"

welp okay then. 

Plus he has: "Always wanted to drive through Nebraska."

:)

Arriving in Boise, Devin's fam came over including brothers and 

cousin.  Had us unloaded in no time... seriously like 35 minutes. Into the garage mostly.

Our home wasn't ready for us. 

So we took off the next day for La Grande.

All 5 of Devin's siblings were there.

They camped. We did not.

Devin's mom and Dad with All of their grandchildren. 21 right?

Had to include the next one, only because of Klora's smile/laugh.  (3rd in from the top left)

They are all laughing at Uncle Darrin doing, I don't know what, but I think he has found a summer job for when he's not teaching.  Working at a photo booth. Just look at some of these happy kids.

Such fun cousins. Every one of them.

Entire Orton Clan minus Uncle Patrick

Wayne and Janie applauding Uncle Dylan's speech on the constitution at the flag raising...

Dylan thought they were making fun so he tripped Grandpa in a game of soccer afterwards.  

Doc Devin concluded no stitches were needed, but that it looked pretty cool.

Despite our joy of being with family after FOREVER.

 This is just about how we ALL were feeling inside

 after that long trip.

In serious need of a nap.

 But it was so beautiful.

And the kids got good and dirty which is part of the definition of having true fun.

When your a kid.

As in many families with lots of cousins, there are sets of "cousin twins."  Basically same b-day look alike ect...  Makes family get togethers all the more fun.  

There are many sets of cousin twins and triplets in the Orton grandbaby bunch...

Here is Dustin and Klora.

Devin snapped this during the taping of a rap video...

Now we are back in boise,,,figuring things out.

Always something to straighten out it seems....

I've decided to except that things will not ever be perfect. 

That was hard for the perfectionist in me to accept.

I am enjoying life much more now.

Now if I could just find my way to Target without a chauffeur...