Ancestors that tend to lead your path

People often ask us why we chose to settle in Tennessee. We never quite know how to answer this question without sounding like a crazy person. How do you tell someone that your husbands dead ancestor lead you here? Truth be told that is the real reason we are here. Haden Wells Church is my husbands great great grandfather. I like to call him my husbands guardian angel because for some reason he tends to follow where Haden lived when he was alive and it's hard to explain but he has a strong bond with him. How can you have a strong bond with someone you have never met on this Earth? To explain some of this we have to rewind 10 years back. Ryan was graduating from college and we were searching for the place where we wanted to raise our family. We had searched different states but didn't feel any of them were the right fit for our family. We kept being drawn to St. George. After much prayer we decided this is where we wanted to go. My father-in-law told my husband one day that his great great grandfather, Haden Wells Church, was the first teacher in St. George. His family helped settle the area when they came from the East. I believe this was after we had decided to move there but nobody else knew we were even thinking of moving there. So this made Ryan even more excited. He had always admired Haden for some reason he always felt close to him and thought it was cool that he was one of those faithful men who had joined the Mormon Battalion. So anyways the months crept by summer was almost over meaning that the teaching jobs were pretty much filled. We didn't know at that time how hard it was to get a teaching job in Washington County School District. He had passed up other offers in School districts around the area we were living in because he was so determined he would get a job in St. George. Two weeks before school started he finally got a job offer in Southern Utah. He was so excited to be teaching in St. George just as Haden had. We loved Southern Utah! In fact our older two kids still call it home and we haven't lived there for almost six years.
Now many of you are wondering how this has anything to do with Tennessee. I'm getting to it I promise. Now fast forward to 2013, Ryan and I were once again trying to decide where to move after searching many different states but none of them seeming right for our family we thought one day what about Tennessee? I wasn't thrilled on the idea but told him to go ahead and apply and we will see what happens. He ended up getting an interview in the district he wanted that we never thought he would have a chance at and needless to say got the job. He kept saying I think my great great grandfather Haden is actually from Tennessee or went on a mission there. So he looked it up one day and sure enough found out that his grandpa Haden was born in Franklin Tennessee (where Ryan teaches) and he died on his mission out here (of some sickness I can't remember what it was at this time). He found the town he was buried and only the words along the Duck River in the Church family cemetery. So when we came out to find a house to live in one day after church we decided to go and try to find this place. We really went blindly. We had no idea where anything was only that his family had lived in Williamsport and our church was off of Williamsport road so we decided just to follow it and see if it lead us to the Duck river. We found the Duck river and a cemetery but it wasn't the Church cemetery so we drove a little further and me being the pessimist thought we will never find this. Ryan said I just want to go a little further down the road so we did and he finally said ok lets turn around in this driveway, he pulled in and the sign said Doug Church Road. I looked at Ryan and said lets go see if they know where the grave is. So we drove up to the house Ryan got out and asked the people if they knew where it was. Needless to say they were long distant relatives. Doug and Billy Church ,they were the nicest people so friendly and just good old country folk, they drove us over to the cemetery, thank goodness because we never would have found it on our own! This was another "sign" I guess you could say that we were suppose to be moving here.

The first week at our new ward was a hard one for me. It had been a long week of adjusting to the new area, being away from family, finding out what true humidity is, and being attacked by mosquitoes. Also trying to be the strong brave one. Ryan was so busy and stressed he was falling apart which was hard for me because he's normally the strong one when we move. Anyways I was sitting in Relief Society wondering to myself did we make the wrong decision? Are we really as crazy as people said we were to move all the way out here not knowing a single person? I remember praying to Heavenly Father to let me know that this was the right decision and right at that time the person talking was talking about a Church family reunion that took place last Sunday. I knew that there was one going on because Billy and Doug had invited us to it but we decided not to go since we had just gotten to Tennessee the day before and we didn't want the kids to be in total culture shock (remind you Billy and Doug had really thick accents. We could barely understand them when we met them the first time.). I found out that we were related to half the word. Heavenly Father knew that is what I needed to hear at that exact time. It made me realize that even though we are far away family and distantly related to the family out here that we are not alone and have family close by. I always tell Ryan that Haden wanted him out here to finish the missionary work that he couldn't finish because of his sudden death. Which may or may not be true. The reasons for us coming here will be known to us through the years I'm sure, but it makes you wonder why has Haden been such an important person in our lives? Why do some ancestors seem to be more closely tied to you then others? These I guess are questions that we might get answers to in the afterlife but for now whenever we feel homesick and far away from family visiting Haden's grave always makes us feel close to family. This might sound crazy to you but for our family it is what keeps us knowing that we made the right decision.

Back To The Simple Way Of Life

It has been six months since we left the fast pace life of California. Looking back it was the best decision we have made, not saying we regret ever living in California. We love the people we met there (well most of the people), we loved being so close to the beach, Disneyland, Sea World, (and all the other attractions that fall into this same category) we loved snowboarding at Mt. High, and the northern coastline, it seemed like there was always something to do anytime of day.
One reason we are glad we moved to California is what we learned about ourselves. We learned that no matter where we go we will continue to seek the Lord's help in our day to day lives. We learned that missionary work is best done when you are looking at it with Christ-like love. We met some of the most amazing people by looking at their hearts rather than what they appear on the outside. The best way to get over depression is by doing service. Once you are helping other people you forget your problems and this might sound rude but you may realize your problems aren't as bad as you think.  I must admit not all of what we learned about ourselves was good but it helped us improve the areas where we lacked and tried to improve them.
I think one major thing I learned is how being around people that are unhappy and are doing bad things really can bring you down. I consider myself a naturally happy person. When we moved to the HD people would comment on how happy we are and how we are always smiling, they would add soon after, "You haven't lived here long enough. You will change." I remember telling my husband, " I'm not going to change." And at first I didn't, I smiled everywhere I went and tried to be as happy as I could be fast forward 4 years later and I had changed! I hardly smiled, I didn't want to be around people (even my friends), I didn't care to go anywhere, I hated where I lived, I just wanted out!! I couldn't get out of this "funk".  I knew it was time for our family to move. The surroundings had changed who I was and I didn't like it. I realized this is not where I want my kids growing up! I want my kids to be able to ride their bikes around, to be able to play outside without me having to worry constantly about them. I wanted my kids to be able to go to good schools that would challenge them. I wanted to be able to go to the store without being afraid. I wanted my kids to have a childhood similar to what I had.
So after much prayer and thought my husband and I decided what we really wanted was a simpler way of life. So after much searching and prayer

we left the greatest friends anyone could find and headed on to our next journey as a family.
Before we even made it to Tennessee we could already see the difference. We had people, complete strangers, helping us find a place to live. We arrived to Tennessee without a place to live and within a day found a small but cozy place to live. We went from having the landlord from Hell (pardon my language but true) to having the nicest landlord who just wanted us to be happy.

Our kids were so excited to get their bikes and start riding them around in a quiet safe neighborhood. They can actually ride their bikes around the block by themselves. We no longer have "ghetto birds" cicling around night and day! The kids were also so excited for a mailbox in front of our house. They thought it was so funny! Things you don't think about but realize they haven't had before. They comment a lot that it reminds them of where grandma and grandpa live.

 Davin discovered his true country boy side and can't wait to go hunting and fishing. He loves wearing his hunting camo and fits right in here when he does. Not my favorite thing he wears but if it makes him happy. He can't wait to get a bigger yard where he can practice with his arrows and slingshot and whatever else he has.











We found a ward that is so sweet and truly care about each other! The kids love the kids in the ward and Davin actually doesn't complain about going to church every Sunday! They are helping us adjust to a simpler way of life and really are there for us if we need them. If you know our family at all you know that we NEVER ask for help! Well when we moved here we had to actually ask for help several times! I know we went through those things just to humble ourselves and let others have the opportunity to serve. As we are trying to find a house to buy here our kids request is that we stay in the ward!



Our goal for the next year is for our family to return back to a simpler way of life. That includes a humble home with at least and acre of land, garden, chickens (my life long dream), and maybe a few other farm animals. We are so excited to begin our new journey here in Tennessee and are excited to share it with you all.