Goodbyes, Driving home and Family!

We left Iowa City Tuesday morning hoping to hit I-80 in Wyoming between high winds and before the snow storm.  We were blessed with dry roads and warm temps in Nebraska!  It was 52 degrees when we got to Sidney!  We had a head wind all the next day, saw several large truck trailers off the road but the roads were dry and open.  It was snowing lightly when we got to Evanston but not bad at all!  We spent Wednesday night with Josh's family!  The girls are grown up! We got to tell Elliott Happy Birthday before she left for school the next morning and drove to South Jordan.
We met with President Eddington Thursday night and were released.
Our basement home is now shared with our oldest granddaughter who moved in with Joni's family last year.  The TV was broken, the washing machine had died and there was lots of rearranging and decluttering to do.  The organizing will be ongoing but we've managed to get settled and feel comfortable.
We visited my parents.  And are driving to St. George to see Richard`s mom after church today, stopping to visit Jon and Nathan on the way.
We reported to the High Council this morning.   Hopefully we'll find out when we will speak in church from the Bishop today.
It feels strange walking around without a name tag!  It's hard to call each other by first names.  We'll figure it out!  Joni and Mikey have taken good care of our home and yard.  Their kids are grown! So far the grandkids like us so we're happy!

Goodbye visits from our Iowa City missionaries.

Last drive past Marshalltown turnoff.

The windmill rest stop.

Nebraska.

We ate at Runzas.  Fun temp Tuesday made our meals cheap.

Windy but dry.

Playing with Olive and Elliott.

Birthday girl.

Loving the beautiful mountains.

My mom and dad.

Buying a new washer.

This picture of the Sisters in Marshalltown made me so happy!

Old TV out.

Fun puzzle.

TV in, pictures up.  Getting organized.  One trip to the dump and one trip to DIs so far!

A new year and decade and our last Sunday In Iowa!

Such a busy week!  We trained, we partied, we got new missionaries and trained them and had a goodbye dinner with departing missionaries, and this time it was our departure dinner video  and testimony meeting too! 

We're packing and saying goodbyes and it's hard to believe we're leaving!  We are praying our car survives the drive and that the weather cooperates!

Christmas and another week in the books!

We've been training the Hills in the office and Sister Hill is going to do great!  Monday night the Sturms had an open house.  It was fun to visit and have delicious treats!  Tuesday Bishop Downing called to say Manathan had an emergency c section and was here in Iowa City, so we went and gave Manathan and tiny Hardinel blessings.  Wednesday we had all the Iowa City missionaries over for a Christmas breakfast!  We taught them how to play the Thankful game and had lots of fun!  

Meanwhile our kids sent fun pictures;

Hardy and Hardinel 1 and 1/2 pounds!

This made me so happy; my grandson giving my mom a hug!

We are so blessed!  Only one more Sunday in Iowa!  We're praying the weather holds!

These clouds on the way to church this morning looked like mountains on the horizon!