Utah on a Prayer

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE to travel!!  BUT, when I travel I usually know several months in advance that I will be traveling and I have time to prepare for it.  Not so on this trip.....

About 3.5 weeks ago my daughter, Sarah, came to me and said that she had been fasting and praying about what she should be doing at this point in her life (instead of living at home with parents - actually there is another story to this!).  She moved here from NYC last year to re-charge her batteries after a very stressful time there with her job.  We loved having her here but I knew that after several months she was not happy here.  She needed more in her life.  She needed to be able to go forward with her career and those opportunities didn't exist here (she applied for tons of jobs in and out of her field with no response!).  So back on track.....she came to me with the following conversation (paraphrased since I don't have perfect memory!):

S:  Mom, I have been fasting and praying about what to do.

Me: Ok, so what answer did you get?

S:  I need to move to Utah.

Me: Wow, ok, that sounds good.  Umm, what will you do in Utah?

S:  I don't really know.  But, I need to be there by General Conference weekend.

Me: That is in like 3 weeks.   I don't know if we can do that but we will certainly do everything we can to make it happen.  You know, I have to present a paper at a conference in N.O. the week before conference don't you?    Now, how do we tell sweet hubby about this?????

Sweet hubby's response:  That sounds like a plan but we will all go out there with you.  I would rather not have you drive that far by yourself.... (I guess he has forgotten that she has driven that road many times by herself!). 

So within 3.5 weeks she applied for a couple of jobs and secured housing -- after a struggle to get into the right place.   We started packing her up -- again, not knowing how we were going to pull this off since it definitely wasn't in our budget for the month to rent u-hauls and car pullers!   But decided that we must all trust that if this is what the Lord wanted then He would provide the way for it to happen.

Sweet hubby came up with a way to move her things cost efficiently and we all decided to allow her to use my SUV for the time being (she doesn't own a car since she didn't need one in NYC).   We knew going out it would be a fast trip -- no frills, no extra spending, just the essentials!!!   Not exactly my kind of trip but hey, I can make sacrifices for my daughter!!!

So here are a few of the pictures of us moving Sarah to Utah --- I call it Beverly Hills style without the rocking chair on top!!!



All loaded down with Sarah's STUFF!!!!



Including her bike!!!



Adding the address to the Countess (gpa)



The Doctor working.....thank goodness for mobile internet and cell phones!!

 


Caleb settling into the truck for a very LONG drive!! 
Blanket - check, Pillow - check, Stuffed Animals - Check
We are OFF!!!

We had a great trip going out there for the most part.  Caleb did get altitude sickness as we went through the Colorado mountains.  He started out so excited to see the mountains and talking about where I go skiing and then crash.....he was sick!!!  But once we were out of the mountains he perked up again and had a great time.

As we are traveling towards Utah on Saturday, sweet hubby recieved a phone call from a missionary couple who used to be here in LR (in our ward).  They just found out we were coming out and invited us to stay the night at thier home.  Again, the Lord provides when we have faith.  It worked out beautifully for us and we so enjoyed getting to see them again as well as meet some of their children and grandchildren.




Caleb with the Kolterman's

Later we dropped Sarah off at her new condo (and about 6 people came over to help unload the truck).

We left out of LR on Friday morning but on Thursday morning Sarah got a phone call about one of the positions she had applied for in UT.  They needed to interview her on Monday!!!   Monday was the LAST day for interviews!!!!   We made it and she went to her interview on Monday then afterwards we all went to IKEA in Draper to get some things for her condo.  I LOVE IKEA!!!  I want to buy, buy, buy when I go there but sweet hubby pulled in the reins and reminded me that this trip wasn't about me but about getting Sarah settled there.  So, I didn't get anything special for  me from IKEA but we did get some neat things for Sarah and that was a lot of fun!!!

Caleb enjoying a cinnamon roll at IKEA...



My beautiful daughter, Sarah, enjoying frozen yogurt at IKEA





Sweet hubby showing me we spent all of his money....so not true.....he has hides his money!!




Sweet hubby and Caleb putting IKEA furniture together




Caleb loves getting to use the power tools....just like dad!!!




One very tired little boy....fell asleep on the super pillow.

Our plan was to leave Utah on Monday afternoon but after the trip to IKEA we decided to sleep at Sarah's condo and leave early Tuesday.  Needless to say it was a very rushed trip but we had a great time and we are looking forward to many more visits with Sarah in her new home.   By the way, she got the job!!!  After interviewing on Monday, they called her on Tuesday and offered her the position......now she is back in the game and loving it!!!


For now, the doctor is out......planning her next trip to Utah.....thinking maybe she should go when there is snow on the mountains so she can slip some skiing in while there....ummm, yeah, that sounds good!!!