.the westensee family.: .end of one chapter, beginning of another.

.tomorrow we leave texas.

.and to be honest, i am not sure how i feel about it.

.i am ready to be around family...but i have really enjoyed my time here in texas.

.even with what seemed to be the endless hours in a hotel room, the hot hot sun (which i enjoy, Andrew is a different story), being pregnant here, moving here knowing NO ONE, having a baby here-with a doctor i didnt know (whom i found to LOVE), feeling like i was the only one to deal with brooklynn's attitude and tantums..i could continue with the negative, but really the positive is MUCH better.

.being away from family and only being able to rely on Andrew. i feel we grew closer together and being away from family forced us to talk more, and check in on each other. this move made me grow closer to brooklynn. i seriously love this girl, but watching her grow and become more of her own little person just made me happy. this move also helped me grow a deeper love for andrew, and his hard work and dedication to his family. . . that even on hard days when brooklynn was a pill, i was able to be there for her...not a babysitter, not a daycare, --ME!. moving to texas forced me to be a bit more social, and learn more about the ladies in my ward, and grow friendships here...it also pushed me to ask for help when i needed things, because i didnt have anyone else around to ask, no best friends, no family. i grew a deeper learning of faith- having faith in the Lord and that things will work out for our family. i wont lie, i cried and cried coming here, and cried and cried when we got here, but I just had to rely on the Lord that he knew my needs and worries. this move made me grow a deeper love for my mom, and for her sacrifice for me and my family. for her love for me, and her worries for me. i have grown a deeper understanding for prayer, and for the connection we need to have with our Father in Heaven...that family prayer is important, even if your toddler is running around throughout the whole thing. i learned how much i take the priesthood for granted, and the comfort it continually brings to me when I need it. one of the biggest things i will miss about texas is the memories we have made here in this chapter of our lives....but it has come to a close, time to start our next chapter in our lives, and continue to "reread" the old chapters. to be reminded of the lessons we learned, the trials we went through, the strength we have gained, and the memories that were made.