The end of an Era-zona

I am not proud to admit that when we accepted a job in Phoenix almost five years ago I was NOT thrilled about moving to Arizona.  It had never been on the list of places we wanted to live, we knew very few people here, and it was really, REALLY hot.  I worried about the people, the schools, the lack of seasons, finding friends and all those unknowns.  During the months before we moved I had to continually remind myself of something that I had been taught during the April General Conference by President Monson, "The future is as bright as your faith." 

Fisher and I spent three days looking at houses with no knowledge of the area and made an offer on the one that we felt good about.  Little did we know that our faith and prayers landed us in the middle of wonderful neighbors and a great LDS ward.  We arrived on a Saturday, we did not ask for help to unload but as soon as the truck pulled into the driveway five members of the Rose Valley Ward appeared and unloaded our small U-haul in 30 minutes (during the middle of a BYU game).  On Monday morning, my neighbor Micole showed up on my doorstep and offered to watch Curly and Lou so I could unpack.  I did not know then the impact she would have on my life as she has become a dear friend.  During the first weeks and months we met more great neighbors - The Sheppards, Quinns, Wests, and Sos. As time has passed and we have made many friends.   We often say, "What would we do without _________ in our life?"   Then Tim and Shar moved here in 2012 and it sweetened Arizona even more. We often reflect on the fortuitous circumstances that brought us to live in a place where we could be surrounded by such good people.  We know we have become better people through all of their examples.

When we came here, we thought we would stay a few years to get the training Fisher desired, and then move back north closer to family, but as time has gone by we have grown to love Arizona more and more to the point that we thought we could stay here forever.   However, over that past six months we started to feel a tug to move closer to our families. 

We are leaving Arizona.  We have been blessed to find a good career opportunity in Idaho and realize that the time has come to go.  Our emotions have run a wide gamut as we think about leaving the dear friends and familiarity we have here and at the same time we are excited to live closer to our families in Idaho, Utah, and Washington.  We are once again, moving forward on a new adventure knowing that "the future is as bright as your faith."