This summer has been a big one for change for our family. We had a baby, sold our beloved little home in Washington, and pulled up roots and headed south to Texas for an adventure!
After living in the PNW for our entire lives, Seth and I have long dreamed of trying something new for a while. We love traveling and exploring new places, and we loved the idea of getting to live somewhere totally different, even for just a short time. It has been a constant theme in our goals and discussions for years. But it was hard to know where to start: where would we go, HOW do we do that; find a new job, house, etc. The whole idea seemed overwhelming and paralyzing.
But over the last couple of years, the call seemed to grow louder and stronger. There were a number of reasons for that. Seth got a new job, a remote job that made it possible to move without finding a new job. We were outgrowing our little house and it was starting to feel necessary to find something bigger, but we lived in one of the most expensive housing markets in the country, which meant we would be spending a lot of money to upsize. Our oldest kids are becoming teenagers, and we knew we would need to go somewhere soon, particulary if we wanted to move again before they started moving out.
Last fall, we took a long road trip through the Southwest, ending in Texas. We didn't have strong feelings about Texas in general, but we really liked the little town where we visited friends. We saw more of the country than we ever had, and when we got back from that trip, we began our moving talks again, this time really seriously, especially as we now had baby #9 on the way!
We talked about going to a lot of different places, places we had been and some we hadn't but wanted to see. We talked to friends and mentors and prayed. We really felt like we were supposed to do something, but it was hard to know just what we were supposed to do. As we started actually looking into different options, though, doors started to close. We really wanted to try somewhere warmer and sunnier, so some places were crossed off the list for that reason. Some places were nos because Seth couldn't work in that particular place (even though he works remotely, his company is only authorized to have employees in certain states). As other places were crossed off the list, Texas stayed on, and we liked the idea that we had been there before, so we knew a little bit of what to expect.
As we continued to pursue moving, we prayed that God would lead us by closing doors as necessary. Time and time again, the doors remained open to Texas. We tentatively made plans to move at the end of the summer. We started preparing to sell our house. We checked Zillow daily for months, looking at the kinds of homes that were available and were often discouraged to find homes that were too small, or not a style we were interested in. Occasionally we found something promising, but the timing was off, or it sold quickly. We had to trust that if this was what God wanted for us, the right thing would come up at the right time.
Right after Abram was born, we saw a house that seemed great for us; it had many of the features we needed, plus some that we were hoping for but not necessarily expecting. We placed an offer that got accepted, and everything started seeming real.
We had a crazy July and August as we adjusted to a new baby, completed the purchase of our new home, prepped, cleaned and staged our WA home for sale, and packed and prepared to move across the country.
Somehow everything came together. Our home sold quickly, we packed up the moving truck and sent it off, and we packed our van with our kids and some basic necessities and headed off on a four-day road trip to our new home.
The road trip was a little rough, especially with a young toddler that wasn't too fond of sitting for hours, but the settling in to our new home has gone really quickly and smoothly.
This whole adventure was a huge test of faith, but also a huge testament to God's faithfulness. Over and over, we felt His leading and His blessing over this move. There were so many unknowns, but there were also so many little ways that we felt the hand of God directing us as he opened and closed doors. We are so thankful for that, as it has given us great peace in this big life change.
While we miss our family and our old home, we are so far loving our new home and enjoying exploring and living in a new place. We are excited to see what is yet to come!
