It's happened. We're back in Oregon. For a few years anyway. It's been an emotional time. And I tell myself, "that is ok". Just because something is hard doesn't mean that it is bad.
Our dream, ever since we were dating, was to be in Oregon. Among the qualities that I loved, and still love, about Handsome Husband was that he was an Oregon Boy. I have noticed that Oregonians, especially, are loyal to their state. It's the beauty, the pride, the ocean, the color green, the three R's (reduce, reuse, recycle), and the trees. My roommates will always remember me as the girl who could never throw away a plastic bag. I recycled everything within my power.
We weren't thrilled to be in Utah for my student teaching and were on Plan A for the first excuse to head back 'home'. It never came. Steven found a job that he loved, I found a job that I loved, we both loved the little community of Farmington. We always said, "Utah isn't so bad, so long as you're in Farmington." Three years and a baby later we were settled in what we thought would be life for the next two years. What would be five years in Utah.
And then the unexpected news came. The store that Steve was working for needed to downsize their employee salary and Steve, being the lowest on the totem pole even after two years, was asked to consider transferring to another store. The distance was not the issue, as Farmington is located between Centerville (where Steve was currently working) and Kaysville (where he would transfer to). The issue came in that Steven's time that he's put in for promotion would start over. You've got to be at the same store for two years before you promote. That would put us two more years, at least, in Utah. Luckily Steve has connections and called a guy in Oregon and was offered a transfer position to his home town. Which puts us just minutes from each family. And in Oregon. We honestly had a hard time deciding if that is what we wanted to do. After so many big dreams of returning to Oregon and closer to family, with it so close in front of us it was hard to wrap our minds about it. We loved Farmington. Our ward. Our callings. Our friends. But we took the leap and went for it. It finally came down to the idea that we were going to be spending three years somewhere, may as well lay off the southwest tickets and be closer to family. And of course fasting and prayer and many pros and cons lists.
So we're here. And a lot has happened. And a lot hasn't happened. Steven won't start until the first Monday of March. We have a lot of vacation time, which we haven't had in a long time. We moved from Utah using a 16ft Budget truck, nearly 1/3 the price of U-Haul, and the car. The move was stressful. And by the time we got to Oregon our colds that had been held off by the stress came on full-force. Mine had hit hard in Utah, but Steven's held on hard and left him miserable or in bed for the first two weeks of being in Oregon. It slowed us down. A lot.
Our first plan was to stay with family, switching each week off and on, until we found a place. Which was only supposed to take three weeks. And then getting settled in a place the fourth week. We are in the fourth week, going on five. I am burnt out on moving back and forth. We're no longer looking for a place to rent. We're looking for our starter home. We've been approved for a $105,000 loan. $693 a month. And there are houses enough, if Steven weren't so picky. I could really not care less, I am ready to have our own place again. It's not our dream home that we're looking for, so it really doesn't matter too much. I am a bigger believer in making a place a home rather than finding a home already made.
Oh, and have I mentioned anywhere that we got a cat? Yeah, our kitty kitty. Alaska loves him and he is so awesome with her it makes my heart swell. That in itself is a story.
And that's life. That's where we are right now. Total and complete limbo.
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