24 Mar It’s Always Hard To Leave
Friday morning, Jonathan and I both got up early. Actually, he always gets up early. The only different is that I got up early. Either way, it was just the two of us for a while. He ate breakfast, I enjoyed watching him, and we both took turns at initiating some good conversation.
After Colleen and Josh woke up, we walked through the task of packing up from our week and took off for Provo. On the way out of Midway, we stopped at a couple places. 
One was a cute shop made out of a barn built around 125 years ago, called “All That Stuff In The Barn.” I picked up a couple of neat sign art pieces for my office and the church foyer.
You see a pic of them here. I love their simple message, surrounded on each side by a butterfly wing, emphasizing the truth of the statement!
Then, we stopped again at Heber Valley Cheese, remembering that they make their cheeses on Fridays. We watched the process for a few minutes and one of the workers came out to tell us about it and offer some extremely fresh cheddar curds, which tasted like styrofoam at this point in their process. You can see Josh, Jonathan and I here hanging in a block of swiss cheese.
We also took a snapshot of the Shire house I mentioned the other day as well for you. YOU can live here….not just a movie set. It was just amazing looking!
From there, we made our way back to Heritage, where we had a good therapy session, dealing with how the week went and what needs to be worked on from here to continue re-building trust and healthier relationships. After that, we took Jonathan out to lunch, window shopped a couple of pet stores and then brought him back to Heritage.
I gotta say, it’s always hard to leave! He has no emotional issues with it, it seems. He does fine with the departures. I, on the other hand, am a total mess! I did much better this time, but it’s always hard to leave. At the same time, in many ways, I hope it never gets easier.
We drove about 300 miles back to Mesquite, and this time, we found a great place to stay that I would highly recommend. It’s called Highland Estates Resort, and they’re all 1 bedroom condos. Made for a comfortable, clean, quiet place to stay and rest on the way. It was also only $99 for a weekend night.
Right as I post this update, we are departing Mesquite, 380 miles and probably about 7 hours from home including stretch breaks. Colleen seems to be doing well with stretch breaks every 2 hours. Not without stiffness, and hopefully, it will at least keep deeper stiffness from settling in like December’s trips.
See you at home!
kelli @livingingrace
Posted at 04:07h, 25 MarchPaul, thank you for sharing this. It is a great resource for all of us. Hope we can see you guys the next time we are in LA.
Paul Kuzma
Posted at 04:15h, 25 MarchThanks for reading Kelli! And for praying! And for hanging in there and not giving up in your battle. Please do let me know when you’re in LA! Would love to re-connect and catch up and be a part of what God has ahead of you!
Margaret Ney
Posted at 18:26h, 25 MarchI cannot help but feel such admiration towards you guys as a family for all you are doing for Jonathan.
I know this has to be extremely hard yet necessary.
Thank God you have been led to Heritage for Jonathan to build on stability structure and see him through a most difficult time in his teenage years. No parent could have searched more nor tried more, to give this young man what has been necessary to save him from the world and a more difficult path he could have gone down. Leaving someone you love as much as your own child has to be extremely difficult and heart wrenching,
Remembering now, there is no gain without pain.
Always have loved you guys for being the people you are, always there for so many throughout the years and setting such a good example of the way life is meant to be lived. Yes we know not to put either of you on a petalstool and I am not trying to, I guess it’s just the validation from us to you all, how we are impressed with the way you live your lives especially in this regard with Jonathan.
I have always had such a soft spot for your boys because of my invovlment when they were babies. I had an instant love for them both having taken care of them for the period I did way back when, those days I shall always treasure.
Many including myself, could take notes on the way you are, you both are an excellent example of the personal human struggle it has to have been of placing Jon Jon where you have.
You stepped out in faith actually leaped in my eyes, have gone above and beyond in sacrifice, handing over to the Lord your baby boy to see the future of your son given more of a chance of success. The Ney family could not love you all more.
Well done Kuzma family, so happy for you the week went so well.