The Move

Surprise!

We've moved!

Okay, so this isn't really a surprise to anyone anymore, but here's the first proof that it really did happen. But proof or not, I think I'm still in a bit of shock that it really has...

The short version of the story is that we knew all of the year 2012 that we'd probably be moving when Matt finished school in December. We had hoped for a local job, but at the same time, we also just kind of knew that that wasn't what the Lord had in store for us. So I tried to prepare mentally to be uprooted. All the places Matt applied for didn't give any feedback and we were starting to be really confused and concerned. Then out of the blue, he had a phone call from a former classmate in the program he was in at ISU, saying that he had highly recommended Matt for an open position at their company and they wanted to know if he wanted to do a phone interview the next day. This company was in California. Not even on our list of options. Nope. Not at all! But we had decided we would apply for any open job. So, that phone interview turned into a trip out to have a interview in person. (They flew Matt & I out. Yeah for a mini vacation!) And then they called the day after we got back to offer Matt the job. We fasted and prayed for confirmation, but after being there and everything, we knew we already knew the answer. I'm very grateful for that confirmation though, because the Rebekah that I thought I knew, would not have been as okay with this as I seemed to be. I wasn't jumping in with both feet per say, but I knew it was right and that was good enough for me to follow through and do it. The possibilities for Matt with this company are so much more than we had anticipated him being able to experience, even with this extra education. And that was something so important to me--to us. I've always told him that he deserved more than Union work gave him. He deserved to be rewarded for his hard work and dedication. Of course, we could have always kept waiting around for something else, but we knew this was all unfolding so perfectly for a reason--and well, 2 years of unemployment helps drove one to a job as well. Ü The company pretty much told us to enjoy the holidays with our families, and then they flew Matt back out the 2nd week of January to find us a place to live, and we moved the very next week. What an adventure for us! We really are excited, but to be honest, we're home bodies at heart and could have stayed in the same place our whole lives. I always thought we'd raise our kids to be tough Idahoans--like us! I wanted our kids to have good relationships with their grandparents and cousins. But who knows what the future will bring. I'm definitely learning not to try and predict it, because I sure hadn't predicted me being where I am right now. So I'm trying to live by a saying from one of my wall hangings that I very carefully packed away:
Bloom Where You're Planted.

Here's some pics from the move:

A box castle.

 



The kids got to try out lots of neat new hiding places as things got packed away...

 

Loading in the snow and ice.
Oh man it was cold that week!
We could never thank those who were willling to help us enough!!!

Our last night at our house.
We'll always cherish our memories there. It's where we became a family.

Ready to drive 800 miles.
I'm still amazed that we somehow got everything to fit and got the house ready enough to finally walk away.
(The kids and I followed behind Matt and this big rig the whole way.)

Just starting to unload.
Notice how the snow and ice magically disappeared!
That's right. It was 65 degrees when we arrived! It felt like we time warped 5 month ahead in the year.
Get out the bikes and let the fun begin for the new Californians!