The West Family: March 2012

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Saying Goodbye

Our lives have been upside down. Nothing major. No serious health issues or plagues or other such nonsense. We have just been topsyturvey. As many friends and family know, we have been back in Utah now for about three months and, man, ughhhhh, man, has it been a whirlwind. I keep having moments where I think things are finally getting settled and then something comes and knocks my legs out. Again, it's nothing major...just the verberations of life starting to sit down. Nonetheless in order save the many boring deatils of what that has all specifically meant I will just say that overall it has just been busy, uncertain, full of illness (just getting reaquainted with the ol' American germs, I suppose) and did I mention, BUSY? So busy, in fact, that by the end of the day when the wee ones are finally asleep I have been so knackered that all I have wanted to do is read or watch TV. This has meant severe negligence on anything computer related. (This includes, but is no limited to, blogging, writing in my journal, writing for fun--LOL...fun... facebooking and on it goes.) However, the point I am trying to push along in this weighty rant is that this although we have been dowside-up, this last week or two have been better...much better. In fact, I feel like the West Family Train has but put back on the rails, got a nice tune up, and is now slowly begining to chug along...and we are gaining momentum. It's a nice feeling...a splendid feeling, in fact.

However, as I get more involved in the life I now have here...it causes me to face to the sadness that still lingers over leaving our lovely, quaint existance in Scotland. Now, a brief caviot if you please: I am happy and releived and grateful to be here, in Utah, near family and friends that were greatly missed. I am grateful that Mike has made us all so proud through his hard work and graduated like my own version of a knight in shining armor. I love the sunny weather and the fabulous playgrounds and the majestic mountains and the cubscouts and the temple and the fact that my kids get to spend so much time with their Moody aunts and uncles and grandparents. But...oh...but...that also means that we are no longer near the West aunts and uncles and grandparents. It means that we said goodbye to the castles and the history and the accents--oh how I love the Scottish way of saying things. We left behind dear friends and people who became so special. We traded in small village bakeries and farms for big time grocery stores that, although are mighty convenient, lack the village-life charm. Although I am thrilled to, once again, explore the brilliant mountain hikes and red rock valleys I will miss, more than I can express, the green fields seperated by mossy stone hedges dotted with shaggy cows and bushy sheep. I will miss those walks by the river and exploring the countless paths that seemed to burst with a thousand different shades of green. It will miss those views that made me believe, truly, that when Adam and Eve fell a tiny corner from the garden of Eden must have broken off and landed in Scotland to grow and spread and create the panorama I got to witness everyday.

Sigh

So, yes, I am happy and excited and expectant about our future. But I am sad to have closed my Scottish chapter. Therefore as a way of saying goodbye I decided to post a few pictures as a small ode to the things I love and left behind.

Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa West's house. Abby opening a present with Uncle Matt enjoying the sight.