Some News

So, I should be in bed, but I'm not because my mind won't slow down.  Do you ever have those days?  I am exhausted, but lying in bed isn't going to help at this point.

We just got back from Arizona - nice and balmy this time of year.  Around 110 degrees every day.  (That sound is me melting.)

Why go to Arizona this time of year, you ask?  Other than to see my parents and the fabulous Johnstone family, the answer is, "For Scott to interview for a job."

Yep.  He did.  And we are.  MOVING.  Not just across town, but across the country.  Hard to wrap my mind around all of it, but it is reality.  We will be moving to Payson, Arizona; a smallish (15 thousand or so) mountain town about an hour north of Phoenix.  It's a beautiful area; reminds us of the Black Hills, for you Midwesterners.  Pine forest, mountain views, snow about five times a winter (they call it "designer snow" because it's really pretty and then it goes away); and an hour north of year-round warmth.

This is not a new notion for us. Scott actually looked at doing his residency in Scottsdale; and he interviewed in Arizona after residency for a few jobs.  It was a very serious possibility for us until we found out that I was expecting Maggie, and thought it might be prudent to live closer to family, so the crazy lady would have some help with two babies.  A dream deferred so the dream of family could happen, I guess you could say.

So, I am in full-on "get the house ready to sell" mode.  Painting, sorting, tossing, weeding, crying (a little).  New washer and dryer, new kitchen, new bathroom, new walk-in closet and master bedroom...hope it all pays off.  And someone will enjoy it all, right?  Scott felt bad that I finally got to redo my kitchen and now we are selling.  Oh well; eventually I will get a new canvas to work on.  :)

So many things to decide - sell everything?  Moving a household of four, thousands of miles away is a spendy adventure.  As I look through the house, I am not super attached to a whole lot of things, believe it or not.  And we are planning at this point to just rent for awhile until we get the lay of the land down there.  Soooo, a GIANT yard sale may be in my future.  We'll see.

We go through bouts of excitement followed by heart-squeezing sentimentality.  We've been here ten years.  Mags was born here.  Jake and Maggie both learned to walk in this house.  We will miss our church, our school, our friends...(don't even get me started on that).  The thought of finding a new doctor, hair stylist, accountant, insurance agent...the list goes on and on and on; is daunting.

I am not new to moving.  In fact, ten years is the longest I've every lived anywhere and despite how some of my cousins see me :), I am really not all that old.  So, I know the drill.  But I don't particularly like it.  I don't like seeing my kids fearful about the future...because that's exactly how I feel, too.

Nothing is permanent, I realize.  If we hate it, we can always come back.  I know that we have that option.  But more importantly, I know that I have a big God who loves me and my family.  So, I am at peace (most of the time) and will keep following Him where he leads us.  And if he would lead any of you to come visit sometime, that might help a little, too. :)

(Disclaimer: wrote this post last weekend, just couldn't post it until Scott officially resigned.)