{the 44 hour drive}

When I think about how long we drove it makes me sick! But during the drive, it actually wasn't bad. I was definitely blessed to feel well along the way! We drove the first day to North Platte Nebraska, then drove to Fort Madison, Iowa (right next to Nauvoo) the next day. We stopped at Winter Quarters for a minute and then spent the whole next day in Carthage and Nauvoo. Travis had never been to any of these places, so it was fun to see them again with him!

We walked all around Carthage Jail and Nauvoo, ate at the great Nauvoo Hotel Buffet, and saw a great show put on by the young performing missionaries and the senior missionary couples.

We woke up the next morning and drove for 18 hours straight---yes 18 hours. I can't even believe it. But our excitement to get to Chapel Hill, mixed with a day before of rejuvenation in Nauvoo, and a huge storm while driving through West Virginia all helped us stay wide awake the whole time.

We stayed in a hotel in Chapel Hill Friday night, then moved in on Saturday morning. It was so great to have members of the Elders Quorum here to help us unload the Uhaul, along with Travis' friend from his mission. Our neighbors (members of the church) invited us over for dinner that night, and church the next day was great! We met a lot of fun people and had people drop by treats at our door a couple times after church. Southern hospitality never fails!

We LOVE our new home. As in, we can't stop talking about it mostly because it is the biggest upgrade I could imagine. It's more than double the size and everything is pretty much brand new. We now have a bathroom sink, a disposal, a dishwasher, an actual counter, a second bedroom, a coat closet, air conditioning...the list goes on and on! I can't wait to get it all organized and take pictures to document the difference. We are so grateful and excited to be here for the next five years!