"Because I knew you, I have been changed for good..."

Moving day came and went and we survived.

Barely.

But we did survive.

I cannot even begin to tell you how tired I am of packing our stuff up in boxes and hauling those boxes out to a big truck.

Last time.

(for a LONG while, hopefully!)

Yay!

Another chapter in our lives closed.

It is exciting to be done with Grad School, but also so hard to say goodbye.

The truck.

Thanks to several wonderful friends/neighbors for hauling all of

our stuff down two flights of stairs and out to the truck.

It was a mad house at our home for a few days....

Saying our last goodbyes to such wonderful friends was tough.

We have LOVED associating with you as friends and neighbors!

You will be missed!

Becky and Avery.

Thatch giving his good bud Charlie a goodbye hug.

Cute little Luca. When we first moved to Westgate he was just a baby!

Charlie and Luca's Mom Kate is one of the funniest girls I know and I will miss her.

She cheered up many of my grey days.

Little Presley, affectionately known at our house as "Pres".

Cutest little girl, I got to teach her Joy School and Thatcher AND Tagg (brother riverly) just love Pres. We didn't get to say goodbye to Ella Bella and Elijah, Thatcher's other Joy School friends, but fast forward 13+ years and picture these kids living at Helaman Halls at BYU?

The moms would LOVE it that is for sure! :)

Thatcher saying goodbye to Dylan.

Thatcher has always looked up to Dylan ever since we first moved in.

Some of the Westgate girls on one last Girls Night Out at Cheesecake Factory.

(missing some of my dear friends, Christine and Mia)

I cannot tell you how much I love these women.

I don't know what I would have done without them as a support group over the last two years.

All of them are amazing, and I will miss just being around them and seeing their beautiful smiling faces on the Westgate playground.

I am a better person because I knew them.

I really have been changed for good.

Todd pulling away in the truck driving our stuff down to Texas.

Don't worry, he is not only driving the biggest truck you can rent, but he is also towing our van.

Love it.

Just in case you wanted to actually watch him drive away, we have this little video.

Goodbye Cambridge/MIT/Westgate.

We have loved you.

You will always be in our hearts and the memories we have with you we will treasure forever.

Oh the Places You'll Go!

Well, he did it!

He is DONE and DONE!

This past weekend Todd graduated from MIT with two degrees...

an MBA and a Masters of Engineering.

I couldn't be more proud of him.

Seeing him in his cap and gown brought out more emotion for me than I had expected!

Graduation was like a cumulation of all the sacrifice for our family, for me, and of course for Todd.

Seeing him walk in the procession with his class beaming from ear to ear got me all choked up!

It brought to my mind all the late nights when I would go to bed and Todd would stay up until the wee hours of the morning doing assignments and projects and eventually his Thesis.

It brought to mind the FOUR moves we have made including all the packing, downsizing, and stress.

It brought to my mind the 6 month internship in Kentucky, and all the great memories we mad there.

It brought to mind living in 600 sq. feet of a storage unit (which I lovingly nick named "The Hostile"), with no dishwasher, washer or dryer, and where two little boys would drive me literally crazy bouncing off the walls during the long New England winter months.

It also brought to mind the playground at Westgate where the boys and I would would spend our days outside during the Summer and Fall with wonderful, wonderful friends.

It brought back the memory of the day we found out that Todd got accepted to the LGO program, we were so excited, and so happy.

It brought to mind all of Todd's hard work, his diligence, and all that he has sacrificed to get here to MIT which was his goal and dream.

and as I saw him except his degrees looking so and handsome in his Cap and Gown for just a moment in my mind I saw this kid...

The boy I once knew, who was also very diligent, has grown up into an amazing man, and has accomplished so much...

I am so grateful and blessed that I have been at his side along for the ride, hopefully being a support to him as he has taken on his challenges.

It has been wonderful, and we will remember this experience for the rest of our lives.

Congratulations to Todd, I am SO proud of you (have I said that enough?)

and I look forward to the rest of our lives witnessing all the very diligent and amazing things you have yet to do!

Todd's "Ocean" the group they divide all the Sloanies into.

Todd and the classmates of his that were nominated for Best Thesis.

Welcome...

...to the world little Abigail Ruth Monson. My brother Jon and sister in law Rebecca have the most darling little girl and we finally have a NIECE! I have already nicknamed her Abby-lou. She is just too precious and I can't wait to snuggle this little doll and spoil her silly!

We love you to pieces already Abby and can't wait to meet you!

Just watch out for your crazy older cousins....

Mark and Kristin get hitched!

We were happy to go to "fabulous Las Vegas" for Mark and Kristin's Wedding!

Four days in Vegas and we never even set foot on the Strip.

It's just not our bag I guess.

But we did get to spend lots of time with Todd's siblings and family, we got to know Kristin and welcomed her to the family, made sure to go to Cafe Rio and In and Out (yum!), took in a session at the Las Vegas temple TOGETHER! (so nice!), spoiled our nephews, and had a great time!

Congrats to Mark and Kristin!

A Sneak Peak...

Our new home...

Currently being built, finishing middle of July.

We are VERY excited.

"Oh Boy...I've Got JOY!...I Do, I DO!"

Thatcher and Tagg graduated from Joy School! We have LOVED being able to be apart of two wonderful Joy School groups this past year. Both of the boys have grown so much from what they have learned in Joy School and I have loved being apart of this great program with them. Thatcher's little group had been together for two years, and it is so fun to see how much these cute kiddos have grown in those two years! Thatcher is now going on to Kindergarten, and Tagg will be attending a Preschool in Frisco in the Fall. Both boys are getting SO BIG I just can't handle it!