Background Info and a Visit from Sirie

So I guess that I didn't really explain why we had a going away party for Paul...

Well Paul got a new job in Virginia and his start date was January 16, 2012.  So after Christmas, his birthday and New Year's--which was pretty low-key for us--he packed up the car and drove across the country to Virginia.  He made several stops along the way--he stayed with his sister in Colorado; he visited an old friend and mission companion in Missouri; he visited his aunt and uncle in Alabama; and he visited with some good friends of ours in Tennessee before arriving at his uncle and aunt's house in Virginia.  He lived with them from January-April.  Glenn and I stayed there in Utah, mostly to stay in the house through March for tax purposes and to find someone to rent it.

The day he drove off I cried.  I remember holding Glenn in my arms, waving good-bye to Paul as he drove down 300 West for the last time, and Glenn telling me that "it's okay Mommy."  Probably 10 minutes after he left, his mom came down from Salt Lake, bringing Evelyn.  Clarisse-Paul's sister was in labor with her second daughter and I watched Evelyn while she was going through that.  That was a Friday and that Sunday I still wasn't emotionally ready to be alone for 3 months.  Just about everything made me cry.  But I came to the conclusion that I couldn't cry anymore; that I had to be strong and that I could do this!
After all, I had to; there was no other option.
And once I said that, I was able to handle all the difficult days that came after. (Pretty much...there were a few Thursdays that were hard for some reason.)

I had a lot of things to keep me busy during those 3 months.  Not only was I going through all of our things--deciding whether or not to keep them--but I had a list of projects I wanted to complete before moving. (I will blog about those too.)  I also had little visits to make also.  I was kept busy with that, and my calling, and being a "single parent".  

The visits were really helpful to me, not only physically, but emotionally as well.

My sister Sirie also stayed at my house a few times as well, and how wonderful that was!

Sirie was dating Spencer at that time and he would come over as well.  Glenn loves Spencer!  He really loved having a man to run around and play with.  At one of these visits Glenn said to Spencer,
"You're not my Daddy, but you're my Spencer."

 Glenn is similar to most young kids these days--he really likes those special phones with games and videos.  It seemed like any time he saw Sirie, or Spencer, or my sister Maren he asked to use their phone. : D