First Weeks in Utah

Well we are here in Utah going on three weeks now and still don't have any of our shipments, that includes our car. We are grateful for family that have been letting us take advantage of them and letting us use their things. We are staying in my mom and dad's second home in Ogden and have used their car for a week and a half and then took Clark and Mary's car for a week and a half. We are getting very anxious to have our own things. We have found a home and can't wait to move into it. It is a very nice home with a big yard. We are excited to finally have a little more space. The lady that we are renting from has been so nice and I think we got very lucky to have found a house that we like and a landlord that is going to be quite enjoyable to work with.

We have done more with family in the past three weeks than we have in the past five years probably. Maria gets up in the morning and asks, "Which cousins do I get to see today?" She is having a great time, but I have been really bad at taking pictures. Some of the highlights have been two trips to Willow Park in Logan (one time with Brad, Brian, and families and one time with Carla and family), a trip to Hogle Zoo with Cheryl and boys, swimming with Grandma, Stephanie and family, Laurel's bridal shower and reception, Courtney's missionary welcome home lunch, a birthday lunch and shopping trip with my mom, Stephanie, and Taylor, and various day visitors where we have just sat and talked. It has been very nice, and we hope that everyone will be able to come and visit us in our own home very soon.

Maria and Bracken enjoying the base pool.

Taylor and Carly enjoying the shade at the base pool

Maria, Caitlyn, and Bracken at the splash pad on base.

Maria, Hunter, and Ashton at Hogle Zoo.

Spain

We left Turkey and made a stop in Spain before going to Utah. It was the most relaxing vacation ever. CJ found a house to rent about 45 minutes south of Barcelona. It was in the small village of Saifores. We had a great time. We went to the beach, swam in the pool, went to the nearby village of Valls and watch them make human pyramids, went to Barcelona to see the sights there, went to the coast city of Tarragona to shop, and just relaxed before the long flight back to the USA. We were sad to leave our vacation home, but it felt good to be back in the good old USA. Since being back we have seen a lot of family, found a house, CJ has started his job, and we are waiting for our stuff to get here. Here's to a good year in Utah.

Maria in front of the Mediterranean Sea in the city of Tarragona.

Family photo in a park that we went to. We hiked around for awhile. It had a man made lake and a castle that you could hike around.

Park with the lake and castle in the background.

CJ and Maria enjoying the Golden Coast.

Maria sitting on the 700 year old steps in the front room of the house we rented.
The view from the upstairs window of the house down to the garden.

Eating on the patio at the house. We fixed and ate most of our meals here. It was so beautiful and peaceful.

Everyone but Carly enjoying the pool at the house we rented.

One of the human pyramids at Valls. An old tradition we were told.

Some of the Gaudi architecture in Barcelona. It was very fun and interesting.

The Sagrada Familia Temple in Barcelona. It was started by Gaudi and is still not finished. They estimate that it will take another 20 years to finish.

A main square in Barcelona.

Goodbye Turkey

We said goodbye to Adana Turkey on June 1st and then goodbye to Turkey all together on the 4th of June. We went out to eat with the Pharmacy crew the night before we left Adana and had a great time. It was good food and we will miss the people at the Pharmacy. We then went to Istanbul and spent a few days. We have never been and couldn't leave Turkey without going. It was pretty amazing. We stayed at a nice place right by all of the sights and walked everywhere. We went to Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, and the Spice Bazaar. All of the places were very unique and very interesting to see. Maria did great and did a lot of walking. She was a little sad to leave Adana and Turkey in general. We have all loved living in Turkey and being able to do the things that we have done. We will miss you Turkey, and hope that we can return sometime.

Thuduras, Mark, Tameka, Lale, CJ, Timeyah, Maria, Myself and Carly.

Maria in front of one of the buildings at the Topkapi Palace. It was a huge place and had some very interesting artifacts. A few of my favorites Moses staff, Muhammad's beard clippings, and a 52 carat diamond.

CJ and Maria in front of one of the many shops at the Spice Bazar. It smelled wonderful.

One of the many rows of shops in the Grand Bazaar

Inside the very impressive Hagia Sofia- Maria showing just one of mer many poses she has developed

The Anderson girls in front of the Hagia Sofia- Carly is hiding under the baby carrier