From South Dakota to West Virginia

Well, I'm not going to lie, it was a long drive.  24.5 hours to be exact.  Jason and I have always driven it together - him driving 6 or more hours and  me driving 3 at most.  So my anxiety of making this drive alone was getting the best of me while I packed the vehicles.  And to pull the Bug behind... - well lets just say that made Jason nervous.  So as we packed, we left plenty of room with pillows and blankets in my vehicle so that I could rest a few times when I was tired.  I also mapped out directions to to stopping points with numbers for hotels so I could stop and get a room along the way. 

First let me tell you the excitement to get there was overwhelming.  My singing and dancing skills behind the wheel are amazing and have entertained many a driver along the route to WV.  But what I think bothered me most is that while driving out of South Dakota I'm realizing we may never have a reason to return.  So out came the camera - I know dangerous while driving  - so don't judge.  These pictures were all taken with in a moving vehicle and at a moments notice when something caught my eye at 70 mph.  HARD TO DO.  But this ended up being part of my strategy of keeping my awake.  Thanks to XM talk Radio,  Prince of Bel Aire, Paula Abdul, Tiffanie, and some Bobby Brown to name a few, I made it safely to Wheeling. 

These first few shots were just a moment when I realized i had no pictures of SD farms - you know the winter fields, red barns, and silos.

COWS COWS COWS!

Iowa windmills - oh the wind!!  Very futuristic looking  in the middle of farmland!

Ok - have you ever been pulling a vehicle and then scared the crap out of yourself when you forgot you were pulling the vehicle?????  This happened multiple times!  Mom's '71 bug was so light, that in my peripheral vision I would see it and scare the crap out of myself.  And then start laughing out loud....

The next few shots were taken for Jason.  These pictures I started taking at the bottom of the hill that he grew up on.  The drive up only takes about 10 mins, but while driving up we all get butterflies knowing we are almost there after such a long haul. 

 He should enjoy these shots - they are home for him. 

Oh ya - I could have straightened them with photo editing, but I didn't on purpose.  In fact this road makes me very car sick.  I left them crooked for the most part because that is exactly what it feels like driving up.  

Jason's home he grew up in.

Jason's Dad and Nephew Ryan unloading firewood

Their backyard....and this is in winter - you should see it in the summer, Gorgeous!

This is one of my nieces Ella - she is 4

Josh is 8 months

Sarah is 3

The New Chapter.....

The big question today at work was, "Where are you moving to?"  My answer....

Charleston, West Virginia  - the capitol of the state.  About 2 1/2 hrs from Jason's hometown of Wheeling and just a few hours from my brother Nate and his family.  Finding jobs, a home for our family, selling our home in South Dakota, getting the kids settled into new schools and neighborhoods, finding the ward building and our new bishop are just a few stressful things that have been on my mind for a few months now with the added stress of not being able to tell anyone - hardest thing for me!! 

Suprisingly, with prayer and faith, everything has fallen right into place all in the right time. 

On the 7th of March, I leave for WV. 

Many tears have been shed at the thought of leaving my family behind to finish the school year, and leaving my second family at Ruby Tuesday.  I had no idea how sad some of them would be.  Today was life changing.  I settled on a date, gave my notice to my boss, and began to let my staff know. 

All this time I have been waiting for the day I would truely be excited, and finally

 I can say...today is that day!

"West Virginia is known for its fun outdoor recreation. From hiking and biking to skiing and whitewater rafting, West Virginia has everything to offer. These recreational activities provide great vacation ideas and are fun for the whole family. Paddle through the morning mist on rivers or lakes, jet along the white water rapids, take a journey through the mountains on the various scenic trails, or kick back and enjoy the sparkling night sky. Relax in thousands of acres of well kept parks or enjoy many of the different accommodations that we have to offer. Charleston offers mile upon mile of unspoiled, breathtaking splendor season after season."

Emily Made Out....

When Trenten went to buy roses for his girlfriend for Valentine's Day, he returned home with roses for Emily.  She was so suprised and happy.  But Trent doesn't get credit for all these roses, some came from Jason and I.  Emily had a choir concert tonight that the fourth and fifth graders had been working on putting together all school year.  Finally, we were able to hear them sing.  What an exciting concert they had - made my choir concerts seem like snore-a thons.  They were in black and white and used a black light for a song, had glow in the dark bracelets and sang in the dark for another, and had hats and props.  They sang songs from Phineas and Ferb, Shake It Up (Disney), and Fireflies to name a few.  They were so much fun to watch.  The High School auditorium was packed!  Standing room only.  She had a great time and was so suprised to see we had brought her flowers.  She added them to the ones Trent bought her and I grabbed a few photos.....