The Wonder Weeks...

What we have accomplished in the past 2 weeks...
-Cross Country trip in our van from Maine to Texas to New Mexico to Utah to Idaho! YAY!!
-Fixed our callipers, replaced a flat tire, replaced our two rear tires, and packed our lives in that whole van...
-Spent time with our families...
-And got married!

So the story. We were given a 1999 Windstar van from James' grandparents, and are very grateful. No problems were known the 2 weeks we had it in Maine before we left on our big adventure. So we set off on our journey cross the country. We got about as far as New York City, when James felt our front brakes sticking and a strange smell, and off course we were in a traffic jam and the last exit avaliable before the bridge, thank goodness. So he pulls off and does the "work" on the van and we set off again. We cross the bridge safely and journey on... about 30 minutes later that same smell occurs pull over and do the "work" and off again. No problems in site for a while. We arrived in Texas at 3:30 AM what a great time... Spend time with my sister and her boys which are just so precious. And on Wednesday we wake up and its the day to get the marriage license, a very important day... we get to the courthouse when James dares to say, "I think the callipers are sticking again" not something I wanted to hear. So we park it and thank goodness for cell phones and sisters. Jelaina came to our rescue and was our taxi driver for a bit. Needless to say we got our car fixed with the help of many, Joe Mac, Dad, James' Dad and his brothers( more for moral support). That was the night before our wedding so I was for sure stressed out and deprived of the sleep I probably should have gotten. Next morning, as usual, running late, and arrived at the temple 30 minutes past the time we were suppose to arrive. We had a beautiful experience in the temple with our loved ones around us. We headed back to my parents house for a reception. Which was also amazing thanks to my family, Tara, Kristie, Aunt Lanie, Jelaina and my parents. When people are starting to leave James proceeds to go outside to find... no other than a flat tire on our van... so he fixes our vehicle once again with the same men around him with the addition of one or two more. And off to our hotel for the night just to get a good nights rest so we can wake up bright and early to fix that wonderful tire. Walmart here we come... Fixed the tire, Piled my junk from the storage unit, Jelainas and my parents, and off we went to Albuquerque to see my sister Jen, Joel, and my precious Peyton. On our way to New Mexico we discovered we couldnt drive over 60 without our van shaking tremendously. So we arrive in Albuquerque stay up with the fam until four, just to wake up and run to take bridal portraits and balance the van. While taking my portraits with Jen, we get joking texts from my wonderful brother-in-law with more problems on the van... but he was partly truthful we ended up having to replace our back tires completly. Then we went to Chinle Arizona to spend time with the Simeonas James' second family from his mission as well as stopping in at the Murrays. Stayed the night so we didnt drive through the reservation that night and then off to Utah, to have a small reception with the Blakes and friends from Utah. No problems have yet to arise with our van. Thank goodness, it finished its journey loaded down and got us to our wonderful apartment in Rexburg.

We love our apartment it is so cute. And we have a wonderful mini temple known as our stake center that we meet in across the street. We have settled ourselves in and enjoyed being married. We love having James' brother, Ben and his wife Katelynd, just down the street and have spent some time with them. Life so far has been good to us (as well as our van). We have been married a week today, and have had a blast moving into our apartment and making it a home. School starts on the 8th so we will see how married life carries on then, but I think we will be able to balance it well.

We are very grateful for everyone who has done anything for us in this past week. We love you all, and will try to keep you informed and updated on what is happening here in Idaho.