A Monumental Day!

In Chicago at the Orthopedic Surgical Conference in 2012

After months...almost a year of going back and forth, interviewing, looking at schools, communities and praying, praying, praying-- our fate is sealed!  We finally signed a contract for Orthopedic Surgery in February.  We are headed to Cedar City, Utah to start practice at IHC.  We will get there in August and start on September 1. It is so exciting and scary at the same time.  Both of us had racing heart beats and trembling fingers as pushed the send button on the final scanned copy of the contract bearing Lex's signature. It's still so crazy for me to believe we are actually going back to Cedar.  Talk about coming full circle.  Lex and I met in August of 1999 at the Get to Know Ya barbeque at SUU.  The student government always does heaps of activities the first week of school, so I was very busy setting up, starting icebreaker games, trying to introduce people and encouraging "get to know ya" type conversations.  Then there was Lex and his roommates, first year at school after the mish.  He was so helpful in setting up (and yes, good looking...who doesn't like a helpful hotty?) and then...I just couldn't shake him after that.  We became such good friends.  We saw each other every day until I went home in the summer to plan our wedding.  In fact people used to ask me if I was dating him, and I would always respond, "No we're just really good friends."  When I showed up at work in March with an engagement ring they said, "Oh so like REALLY good friends then?"  Yep, I guess so.  We were a perfect match since neither of us wanted to get serious.  Lex had plans to play basketball for the college and I was getting my papers started for the mish.  Perfect!  Finally someone who wasn't thinking marriage!  I remember asking my bishop why I wasn't getting the answer I wanted about serving a mission and putting my papers in.  I had the desire, wasn't I called to the work?  The bishop smiled and said, "Jes, I think you know why-- you just need to discover it for yourself." (My bishop, and my whole ward to be honest, LOVED Lex). After reading my patriarchial blessing, I realized-- Lex had been put in my life for a reason.  He was the perfect match for me, he still is.  Of course he isn't perfect but he's perfect for me.  He is still my very best friend--yah, "REALLY good friends" and no one knows me better.  I know I married up...and I feel so blessed.  I'm so proud of Lex and all of us really for getting to this point.  I'm not just saying this, but it does seem like yesterday we were setting up for the bbq, then getting married, living above the mortuary garages and working funerals for rent, crying tears over getting into the U for med school, more tears for getting our number 1 match for residency in New Mexico and then tears in the airport leaving our families to live in Brisbane.  It has been such a wild ride.  Sometimes the days were long with his call schedule, it seemed we might never see the end of the journey.  There were times when it seemed like the years would just be too long to endure, but there were also so many great memories.  Our time in Centerville in a tiny (and I mean tiny) to bedroom fixer-upper, our years in Apple-turkey with amazing neighbors and a ward that has forever changed us, and this year in Brisbane that has brought us so close as a family.  When I look back on the journey, it is marked with some big trials--yes, but honestly, I cannot say I would take any of it back or feel regret about it.  This journey has made our family who we are.  It has made us strong and united.  It was the path we were meant to take.

Going to Cedar fills me with such mixed emotions.  Mostly excitement, but of course it's always nerve-racking starting a new job, a whole new phase really, and moving in general.  It's funny, Cedar has always had a very special place in our hearts.  It seemed to be such a perfect compromise for Lex's small town farm boy roots and my city slicker, adventure seeking heart.  It's a middle ground and it holds so many wonderful memories for me and Lex as well. Will it feel the same raising a family there and not just doing the "student life" thing? I hope so, I hope it is still just as magical.  I love the community, and the schools.  Of course, the university means so much to me and I am excited about going back to complete a Masters there. And now the temple is being built, what a huge bonus! The area is filled with things that suit my family.  The gateway to the parks.  Fishing, hunting, hiking, camping, climbing and not to mention my parents cabin on Panguitch Lake--just 45 minutes up the canyon!  I am nervous about living permanently in a small town, I won't deny it.  I hope I can embrace the differences and just love it for all that it is.  One thing is for sure, we cannot deny the answers we received about looking for a job in Cedar and eventually signing the contract.  Too many things just worked out too perfectly, and we realize it was no coincidence.  We all know it is where we're supposed to be, and that provides so much comfort.  A huge part of my mixed emotion is just coming to terms with the idea of actually leaving Australia.  It makes my heart hurt a little (and sometimes a lot) every time I think of it.  I have loved our time here so much.  What a blessing it has been to rely so much on each other, to come together and pull ourselves up so we could enjoy another part of the world away from everything familiar.  Our challenges here and throughout our journey are such a part of our family and our character.  It's so much easier to be thankful for trials after we've had time to look back and reflect on the blessings that came because of them.

Just out of the surf at Burleigh Heads a family photo in our togs!

Well the contract is signed and we are moving forward. It now really feels like we we are on the downhill of our year. It's going faster and faster and we are always thinking of things to do "before we leave". The kids are so excited, sad to leave but excited about Cedar.  Park was born there so he really is going home.  For whatever reason, all the kids feel so good about Cedar City.  I thought they'd be sad to not be moving next door to cousins and grandparents, but everyone agrees-- Cedar is where we're supposed to be.  And they are excited about all of it-- the cabin, the mountains, the small town (Parker has known for some time that he doesn't like the busy, down town city scene), the snow (heaven help me, please!!! I'm doomed in the winter!), and the thought of living in a college town (really nothing better). Of course we are all so very excited about being back close to family. Everyone will be about 3.5 hours or less of a drive.  So do-able! Once we fasted and prayed as a family, it felt just right.  We signed the contract and celebrated with kebabs at Southbank!

I am so proud of Lex, he set a goal on his mission and he never wavered.  Yes, a bit of an overachiever...but in medicine it has served him well.  There will seriously never be a better surgeon! Southern Utah, here we come! I love you to infinity, babe.  (3 hand squeezes)  We Did It!