We started our three-day road trip from Minnesota to Arizona early Christmas Day, leaving the snow behind as we drove out of Minnesota and through Iowa.
How fortunate we were with no snow or ice, dry roads, clear skies, and the most beautiful scenery along the rest of the way.
I had never been through Missouri, Oklahoma or New Mexico. It was a good thing my husband was driving through New Mexico and into Arizona. I ooohed and aaahed and gasped at the incredible beauty of the landscape, and had I been driving, I would surely have gone off the road.
I could never even have imagined such majestic views of the mountains, or the stone cliffs, or the red rock along the highway. Such a marvel, God's beautiful creation.
We arrived at our new home, unlocked the door, and looked around at our new home which we had not yet seen. Remember my post, Sight unseen? We had purchased the home in early spring, only having seen photos of it.
We were more than pleased. It was everything we had envisioned. And we knew we had purchased and entered a home where love had dwelled.
Its former owner, Theresa, had been in failing health when she listed the home for sale. She planned to move to Florida to live with her daughter. But her health suddenly declined, and she passed away in Arizona as she was preparing for the move.
And so, as I unpacked the dishes she used, the pans she cooked with, made the bed, and discovered all the little touches of the home, I thought tenderly of her.
I discovered her craft supplies: beads and acrylic paints, all neatly organized. And a ceramic Santa and a wall sconce with her initials on the bottom. A lovely piece of white Hardanger embroidery. Those things I will send to her daughter, but I'll always have a little of her spirit there and will treasure it.
We vastly underestimated the effort of moving into a new home. Organizing and making our own spaces for things, creating our own place there, has taken some time and much energy, but it has been a joy and an adventure.
Now we're also getting acquainted with our new neighborhood. Where's the grocery store, the drugstore, the library, the churches, the garden center, the restaurants? We've driven around in circles and have "followed our noses" more than once trying to navigate an unfamiliar city.
I'm looking forward to sharing our adventures with you as we discover the new sights around us.
But, for now, we are here and are happy. We are at home in Mesa.
