Big Changes

Henry had gotten up early (6:15) and I was feeding him his bottle in my dark bedroom trying to keep him quiet so the rest of the house wouldn't wake up (We have two messy haired girls who jump out of bed running at the slightest noise-especially if that slightest noise is Henry.) It was Monday morning last week and we had a full day ahead. Gabriella was getting screened to start an early Kindergarten pilot program at the elementary school down the street. I knew we would have to be up and going earlier than normal, but I wanted the girls (especially Gabs) to get as much sleep as possible.

Henry and I were singing our gazillioneth pat-a-cake song when my cell phone rang at 7:20. My stomach dropped.

You see, I had been waiting for at least a month for that early morning phone call. I knew, one day, Joe would show up at work, check his work e-mail, and get very important news. The news of where we would be spending the next 4 years of our life.

We found out we're moving to Manhattan.

Manhattan, Kansas that is.

I felt so relieved to finally know. We were hoping for Kentucky or Kansas. Those were the best places on the list given us. We really, really, did not want the others on the list. Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, no thank you. Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, no way. Ft. Hood, Texas, not so much. Ft. Polk, Louisiana, over my dead body. News of us being sent to one of those places would have made me cry. I would probably still be crying. Those are BAD places to live. They're in super small towns, with no one but military living there, and you're surrounded by nothing!

Kansas is such a blessing! Here's what we know and are excited about Manhattan, Kansas:

*It's called "The Little Apple"

*Manhattan is home to Kansas State University. The Wildcats. (Joe and I already looked up the football schedule and even though we're BYU fans through and through, it won't hurt to bleed purple for a few years. First game of the season-UCLA. We'll totally be there.)

* Was recently noted as one of the Top 10 places to retire. (Not that we have any intentions of retiring there, it's still nice to know).

* Is surrounded by lakes, golf courses and the Flint Hills (which means it's probably not so "flat".)

* Has a Target, Hobby Lobby and Joann's in the city, so what else could I possibly complain about? Oh wait, the fact that Costco is 150 miles away. But I just look at that as an opportunity to save money.

* Joe will finally be graduating residency and be the only ENT physician serving Ft. Riley. He is very excited to not have to "report" to anyone anymore. He'll be his own boss and in control of his own clinics and OR's. He'll be busy enough at Ft. Riley, but have plenty of time for family time.

* We'll be able to move into a home bigger that the 1,500 square foot home in which we currently reside.

* There is a zoo, library, public parks and pools for the kids to keep busy.

* They have fun annual things like the Country Stampede Music Festival and the New Year's Eve Little Apple Ball Drop. I love that!

* The temple for that area is the Winter Quarters Temple, in Nebraska. How cool is that?

* We'll be surrounded by church history. I can't wait to take the kids and show them all these places.

* We'll actually be 80 miles closer to Joe's family and 140 miles closer to my family than we are here in Washington.

* There will be TONS of opportunities to do corn mazes. Fun for all!

* It's within driving distance to St. Louis (we can't wait to go back and take our kids to all the places we loved but never got to experience with children) and Colorado (great skiing vacations).

* We've been told it's a great, friendly, community. It has that small town feel, but big enough to give you everything you need.

Overall, it sounds pretty perfect. I remember saying to Joe five years ago how I didn't want to wish away his residency. I knew his schedule would be crappy at times and not easy, but I wanted to enjoy it all and not hurry it along. I wish that I could pause time right now and enjoy my family just as it is for a little while longer. We're healthy, happy, and life is simple with three young kiddos. But, the five years are over and it is time for us to move on. We're upbeat and excited to start fresh. Moving to a new place is refreshing. We love to explore places and experience new things. For us, the military is all about keeping us out of debt and enjoying people and places we would have never experienced otherwise. I never would have thought that I would live in Kansas. But I never imagined living in St. Louis (which I fully expected to hate) or Washington either. But guess what, we loved and love both those places. They have been perfect for us. We have grown as a family and become closer because of it. I can't imagine living the past nine years any other way. I know we are meant to go to Kansas. I know it will be prefect for us, right now, at this point in our lives. I'm thrilled to see the ways our family will grow while we are there and what life will be like.

So just like these past five years in Washington, I don't plan on wishing the next four years in Kansas away either. I know they'll go by faster than I want anyway.

Yes, I know the pictures have nothing to do with this post, but speaking of big changes, I had to post these pictures. I made Henry this tie and he wore it today for the first time. Doesn't it totally change him from an infant to a toddler? I actually wish the next four years would take about eight, just so I can keep these kids younger a bit longer.