The Return

After 17 fairly sleepless and fidgety hours, we touched down on American soil. Darren had come back "home" for work a couple times but it had been over three years for the kids and me. LAX and customs were okay but just seeing those Utah mountains come into view got me misty-eyed. It truly did feel like coming home just to be in the good old USofA again.

And I'm willing to bet there's never been a more wonderful welcome party. Our family totally outdid themselves with banners and posters and lifesize pics of our faces (what?!). We were completely surprised and overwhelmed by the outpouring of love they embraced us with at our arrival. The night was spent hugging and laughing and catching up - a reunion I can't adequately capture with words. Man, it had been a long time! The kids were walking on air with their cousins everywhere and all shuttled off to each others' houses for sleepovers. Des and Summer were oohed and ahhhed over and immediately accepted their "new" extended family with all that love in the air.

visiting Dad's grave with the fam was a special moment

cousin shenanigans

The next few weeks were spent at a hotel in a new part of downtown, City Creek, that we had ample time to explore and enjoy. Riding Trax, hiking the foothills, rediscovering museums and parks and restaurants we remembered. Oh, the restaurants. American food, people. It's to die for. (And the portions are literally to die for, if you know what I mean, but who's complaining?) When Will realized the root beer floats were bottomless, as were the fries - his head pretty much exploded. We had so much fun falling in love with Salt Lake again. Not to mention all the cousin time and catching up with friends and family. Reunions every day!

um, bottomless drink options?

Darren had worked long distance with a designer and contractors for months to get our kitchen/main level remodeled and ready for arrival (which it was and is glorious!) but our shipment was delayed due to some paperwork mishandling. We were hotel living for longer than was truly comfortable (over a month in total) but we made the best of it and enjoyed the pool and the adventures. Usually D would spend most of the day getting the house set up and ready for us to inhabit again while I'd entertain the kids around town. We'd get together for dinner and work at the house until 11pm or so then I'd scoot back to the hotel with the sleepy ones and tuck them in bed and he'd roll in with some food around 1am. He was a champ - there's just so much to organize and connect and sign up when you're trying to get house/finances/life up and running again. Tiring, but we did it.

boredom: the kids tallied cars from our room window one day

Extended living out of two hotel rooms and a mini-fridge can get interesting with seven peeps though! One night held a particularly memorable low point, Darren was sick with the flu and I zipped out to grab some Nyquil with a fussy Des on my shoulders while Summer slept and the big kids were engrossed in the Disney Channel. The new market "up the street" was a little longer walk than imagined and of course, I grabbed more than I should've as we were totally out of food (oh, the long and endless American grocery aisles filled with cheap, exciting and unnecessary "food" products!!) so returning at 11pm with Des wriggling off my shoulders and more bags than is humanly possible hanging from each arm...I was stopping every 10 feet to readjust, Des was crying, the brown bag handles were breaking and I honestly wondered how I'd make it back. A kind-hearted cook was just ending his restaurant shift when he noticed my sorry state and offered me a ride in his car. Okay, not something you generally do in any downtown area of any city late at night, but honestly I was desperate and my intuition was at peace, so we hopped in for the last few blocks. I know, it was crazy stupid but I'll never forget the goodness of that stranger who took pity on a young mom and rescued my sorry self from my own bad decision!

lots of swimming and TV cuddle time that month