Will We Ever See Wyoming.....

We got up and hit the road after I gave the kids trail mix and bananas for breakfast.  The kids did well during the drive.  Liam loved the DVD player and just watched movie after movie.  He didn't sleep much on the road because of it.  Silas would just watch the player and then fall asleep for a while.  The girls enjoyed doing their activities that others gave to them before we left.  Rogue just enjoyed his own spot half way on the seat and half way on the ice chest. In all God really blessed our trip and kept us safe.  David and I talked with walkies talkies most of the time.
The hardest part for myself was staying awake. I didn't sleep well for three nights in a row and it was hitting me the second day that we drove.  I kept putting ice on my face and eating ice chips.  I spent time call friends and family along the way.

Yeah...we hit Wyoming..this is a rock formation around Rock Springs

More Rocks...

I loved the clouds in this picture...as we drove along...

 This is an email I sent out after we go here...


HI Friends and Family,
We are alive and tired.  The trip has a hole was very smooth and God was very gracious to us.  Here are some little snips of our trip: Holly got car sick. Liam didn't sleep much because he loved the dvd player in the car.( he'll be sad to know that it's now put away) It kept him from winning and saying are we their yet every couple minutes.  Silas watched, slept and played.  David and I were blessed to be given waki talkis to communicate while I drove the van and he drove the truck.  When I felt tired I had to put ice on my face to stay alert.  Between last minute pack (night 1), sleeping in a cozy hotel room with 6 people and a dog (night 2), arriving at our new home after a six hour drive and then unloading until 9:30pm (not sure what time it really was) Ended with eating dinner as a family at 11:30pm at the local truck stop.  Got home moved a couple things and got the kids in bed about 1:30 am.(it was amazing how quickly I did set up their beds and also reminded me how lazy I can be when I wait to get things done :) its just a reminder that God is always teaching me new things and how much i need to depend on him)   The kids slept until 11am ( I think that was yesterday)  That next morning i was up early unpacking before everyone got up ( David has been a wonderful help and sometimes walking around not know what to do be I get so independent in my thinking...another reminder of my need to depend on Christ)  I did get the kitchen completely unpacked and went to the store yesterday.  We all enjoyed a later afternoon nap at 3:30.  Last night was the first full nights rest in i forgot how many days.  Skip>>>  While David and I unpacked the truck the kids enjoyed playing outside for the first hour and then they wanted to go inside, but they had to stay out so we could put things in.  The girls watched their brothers and did a great job.  Our place does have a swing set and a play house that the kids enjoyed while we unpacked.  It had rained that day (not on us while we unpack, so thankful) The mud or red clay was thick so the kids had very muddy shoes. They learned lots of patience or the definition of the word. The hardest part of the trip was feeling tired and needing to show love and patience to one another.  The kids might have seen a new side at times and David and I had our own times, I spent lots of time praying silently for the Lord to close my mouth.  He was faithful and renewed my heart quickly.  (thank you for all your prayers they have been felt) Our new landlord said he would try to help us unload when we got to Wyoming.  I was thankful in knowing that.  Then we got our key from him in Wyoming and he was sorry that he couldn't help because his new born wasn't settled down at home.  I felt a little over whelmed in thinking David and I had to unload by ourselves.  We did it even thought I felt so weak physically from being out of shape and lack of sleep, and having tired crying kids stop us every once in a while and trying to correct in love.  I spent most of the time praying for strenght and help in keeping my own comments to myself.  The Lord was faithful and I saw it when I was able to thank David for putting the boxes at the end of the truck so I didn't have to walk up and down the ramp each time.  I then stopped and thanked the Lord for the strienght. ( we had lots of help loading the truck in Lodi and it was done within two hours) Thank you to everyone who helped!!! And for all of your prayers.  Things are slowing getting back to a routine, I was happy that i could wake up this morning knowing I had a cup to use and soap for my hands.  I'm still not sure where my clothes are yet.  Holly was swinging yesterday and said mom can I have some new clothes.  She has had the same clothes on for two days. ( washer and dryer are now set up Yeah!! clean clothes for Holly)  I only set aside enough for our trip their oops!  That is the fun in traveling out of state.  I've woken up a couple times wondering if this was all a dream or if it was just a vacation and that we are just visiting. It's alot to think about when everything around you has changed.  When I feel I need a long break I'll have to update our blog with photos of the trip. 
Thanks again for your prayers and support.
Much love the Kiiskinen travelers
Forgot to say David starts work tomorrow (23rd) and the kids and I have our first play date on Monday with another homeschooling family :)
It's been in the low 70's high 60's here.  We left the hot weather just in time

Family Room

 This is our new home....

Kitchen Table

Kitchen

 

Boys Room

girls room

Laundry room with a extra freezer to store extra food if the we get snowed in

Our extra bedroom/ playroom with no shelves. lol...They all got left in California

This is our new yard that the kids love. When it rains their is mud to play in.  The kids have enjoyed the playhouse and the swing set.  Two things that we have never had in our own yard before.

The kids met some of the neighbors and they wanted to play.

This is no snow yet but Ayla used the snow sled for the slide. Kids get so creative...Weee Weeee

Our Yard

Packed the Truck on June 18th and Start5ed the Drive On June 19th

Right before everyone came over to pack the truck the kids enjoyed an empty truck. It was a blessing that they got to see it empty before the left to be take to a friends house.

 The boys loved sitting in the truck.  They never wanted to get out

 The girls were so excited but had mixed feeling about moving.  They had lots of time with friends before we moved.

This is the sweet guy that I've been married to for 15 years.  Wow, does time go by so fast. I just love this picture.

We enjoyed a much needed stop in Elko, Nevada.

Everyone enjoyed a time of resting in our 37 dollar motel :)

Email I send out after we left California...
Hi Everyone,

We are all packed up and ready to hit the hay so we can start traveling by 6am.  I wanted to thank you for all of your prayers. We have a new truck with only 4 thousand mile on it.  We are all settled in for the night at my parents house.  The kids saw the empty house earlier and Silas was like aaawwww....like where is my bed. Everyone else seemed to be ready for everything to happen.  Silas is at an age where he just takes things as they come.  When he saw the big truck infront of my parents house he was so excited and to see Daddys car on the end made him even more in awwww...We did have to leave something behind but it's nothing that can't be replaced in time.  We had some great help and everything has gone so smoothly.  Thank you for all of your prayers.  It was a blessing that  close friend of mine took all for 4 kids from 9am to 6pm What a help that was :)  I'll keep you posted on how our move is going.  Maybe I can send some pictures love Karen and eveyrone else...it's time for bed we have a 9 hour drive ahead.  We plan on stopping in windover, UT tomorrow night.

Wyoming here we come...It was a great drive with a lovely view of our car and u haul in front of us.  We drove from Lodi to Windover, Nevada.  We found a motel for 37 dollars that took us all.  What a great price that was.

Saying Goodbyes

 

Kiley is a sweet friend that the girls have shared a love of horseback riding with.  Ayla has always said that she is like a twin to Kiley because they are so much a like in their personalities. The girls have enjoyed park days, Monday classes, field trips, and sleep overs with memories that will continue on. It was a blessing for them to all enjoy three months of horseback riding together before we left.  Right before they said their goodbyes Kiley gave the girls some winter clothes so they can stay warm this winter.  What a joy it will bring to the girls this winter when they take out those things and are reminded of the the love of friendship. Seeing the love of Christ being displayed through their friendship brings joy to a parents heart.  They girls like to fight over who is going to call first or who is going to play web kinz. The girls now look forward to taking a trip to California to visit their friend Kiley.  Ayla says that she wants to do it in one day and not two.  All that driving is not always a kids favorite thing to do. 

The last supper with my parents in Lodi. They have been more than  a blessing from the Lord.  It's too much to write down. We will miss them just stopping by because we had the joy of having them around the corner for 4 years.  The kids loved the going swimming and bird watching trips with them.  David and I will miss the free babysitting.  That is just one of many things.  God used them to provide a place for us to stay and a stronger foundation built on loving one another and cherishing family ties.  The joy of the Lord is our strength.  God used our place in Lodi to teach us what humilty and contentment are. They are lessons I will treasure because it has drawn us closer to the Lord and our family has grown closer together because of the things God has graciously and faithfully taught us. 

Nana and Papa came by and all of us girls went out  together.  It was a sweet  time of fun and laughter.   I will miss them coming over to visit from the bay area which was only a two hour drive and not a now  14 hour drive. 

The girls enjoyed a last minute 10:30pm ice cream snack with Natasha at my parents house with a packed truck in the drive way.  It was our last night in Lodi.  The girls didn't want the visit to end.  Natasha has been a friend that can make them laugh until they are red in the face. They share a friendship that they can share the love of Christ in. Natasha has spent the night numerous times and has just become apart of the family.  The kids now dream of us visiting California and having more sleep overs. They have meet a new friend here, but Ayla said mom , no one can make me laugh like Tasha, I miss her. They now spend time on the phone talking and playing web kinz. Friendships is something the kids chairish even more now. Now I have to stop the girls from arguing about who is going to call Tasha first. 

 It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about all the friendships God has provided and each one means something different in my life.  God knows every need and he has filled those needs with the friends above and those who aren't shown.  I miss them all so much and know that God will provide new ones here in Wyoming.  No one friend is alike and I do treasure the ones I can't see daily or weekly now.  I know that we will still have email and the phone.  I do look forward to visiting with everyone next summer in California.