Movin' right along....

Phew!  After 4,600 miles we are HOME!

Okay...KatieJo, Phillip and I missed 1,100 of those miles as we flew to Denver in early July.

However, we were a part of the rest of them!

We visited Denver, CO; Council Bluffs, IA; Newton, IA; Cedar Rapids, IA; Dodgeville, WI; Denver (again); Twin Falls, ID and then finally home.

We drove through Idaho,Oregon, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, and Wisconsin. 

We got to visit A LOT of relatives and friends that we haven't seen in a long time.  

KatieJo and Samuel got to meet their birth mom, Grandma Pat, Great Grandma and Grandpa Urias.  We also got to spend some awesome time with their Aunt Nicki, their brother Payton and some great cousins!

Pictured below are (L to R) Payton, Samuel, Staci (birth mom), Kaiden (younger half brother) and KatieJo.

 They even got to fish.  Phillip caught a bass (not pictured below).  And Stuart caught this on a barbie pole.  Maija takes credit for the catch however.

 From left to right, cousin Libby, Aunt Nicki, Grandma Pat and KatieJo

 In Cedar Rapids we stayed with some amazing friends of ours, Mary and Brian Stubblefield and their 4 kids.  We had such a great time and wish we lived closer!

 Our last stop before heading back to Denver was at Stuart's sister Hannah's.  They live in Dodgeville, WI so we don't get to see them very often.  We got to meet Winston, what a doll he is!

 Stuart's youngest sister Jada spent the summer at Hannah's and we had the privileged of bringing her back to Idaho.  She was SO. MUCH. FUN!  She and KatieJo had a great time sitting in the back of the car together!

 Phillip and Orion.  Orion is 2 weeks older than Phillip and used to be taller than him.  I think perhaps Phillip got hold of the miracle grow!

 At one point almost everybody was up in this tree.  I'm glad the dad's took care of climbing up with them! 

 Sweet Oliver!

 William, what an amazing boy!

 I'm so grateful to be able to call Hannah and Phillip (and their cute kids) family!  We are so blessed and had a great time with them!!

After Wisconsin we headed back to Denver to attend a wedding. 

But, I'll have to wait until the next post for those pictures.