Monday, July 14, 2008

When it rains, it pours in Yuma, Arizona...

The 4th of July is a day that is supposed to mark a day of independence for our country... and so I suppose that it was a good day for marking the independence of our family, as well. I can't say what happened, exactly...it just sort of did. I think it was a combination of things... Andrew and Anne coming for a surprise visit with our beautiful niece, Lydia, knowing my parents were going to Cali for the weekend for my Grandfather's birthday (on the 4th) and wishing I could just pick up and go too, missing my parents, wanting a good job opportunity for Aaron and knowing we weren't getting anywhere here...all of that. Anne and Andrew surprised us the evening of the 3rd. That night, I leaned over to Aaron and bed and spilled out a bunch of "wouldn't it be nice" to live close to his brother, to watch Lydia grow, to be able to visit the beach, etc... Aaron looked at me and said, "so are you saying you want to move to Yuma, now?" "Yes, I guess I am." "Me too." "What?! Since when?" "Since your parents came for a visit." ...blah blah blah...and on the conversation went, and it hasn't stopped since. It's as if the Lord finally pulled back the curtain to let us know what direction to take. It felt so good to have peace about this, to be on the same page with Aaron, and to be excited about a new chapter in our lives together.
So, that was the 4th...we talked with a realitor, and our home will officially be on the market as of the 21st. In the mean time, I am busy boxing up anything and everything we don't really need until we move so that the house looks larger and emptier for walk thru's, and also setting aside as much stuff as we don't need for a yard sale (we advertised in the paper), so as to get rid of superfluous items. We are selling our tv, entertainment center, desk, book shelf, random kitchen items...my car, Alice (yes, she is still around, though not exactly running as she has been sitting around for over two years), and eventually our truck.
We will be living with my parents until we find a house and/or wait for this one to sell...it's a real buyers market over there, and we want to get in on it before it's too late. Aaron already has a real good lead on a job over there, and hopefully will get an interview soon (in which case he will drive over and possibly stay until I join him...which won't be for long, as we were planning on leaving in September. My parents were coming up anyway to go four wheeling with their "rhino" and so we thought that would be a good time to car pool back with them with a moving van, etc...
Our house will be on the market in a week, as I said, but if it doesn't sell by the time we leave, we are going to hire a management company to rent out our side so that it will be paying for itself while we are gone....one of the many perks of owning a duplex! It may not be a great sellers market, but it is a great renters market!!! We thought of just keeping the duplex as an investment, but decided against it for reasons we went over so many times (weighing and reweighing the pros and cons) that now, I don't exactly remember why...but I do know that we decided against it, and that I recall there be good reasons for the decision we made. Everything is happening so fast!
Telling Marlene and Larry was, not at all, easy for me to do. They knew that Aaron was looking for work and that it could possibly mean us moving wherever her found it...but it's still very difficult for them to see both of their grandchildren go, especially when one just arrived. ...but they have both been very supportive and even came over today to help us clean up the yard and haul off several truck loads of junk, that was of course all meant for "projects" that I am so glad we no longer have to get done...let someone else put in landscaping! I can still tell that they are sad by the random comments they make about missing the kids, and so I made sure that I told Marlene, today, that my excitement in moving there, in no way means that I am excited to leave them. In fact, it will be extremely difficult to do... not to mention leaving all of the other friends we have made here. It never felt like that many, until I started to think about the people I would miss. It really puts things into perspective...God has really blessed us here! I know Aloria would miss Caleb terribly, if she were old enough to know better...as it is, I think I will miss him more and am sad that she probably won't remember him much at all if we don't come back for visits.
It really does hurt me to pull Aloria away from Marlene...for her not to remember just how much she loves her Grammy. ...how she screams and jumps up and down whenever she sees her car pull up, or her face in the window. ...how her favorite thing to do with her is to play blocks, go on walks with the dogs on her property, and watch the train go by. I can't help but wonder how much she will remember once we move away. Usually, you can't recall much, earlier then age 3 or 4...so all of her more permenant memories will be built someplace else, and that makes me sad because this is where her life began...and most of my most cherished memories of watching her grow took place. I could cry just talking about it. Man, I love this house, and our life here... Good thing I've blogged so many pictures. I will show them to our kids often as they grow, so that they know what a blessed beginning they had here!

5 comments:

Andrew Knizley said...

I did it!!! I finally checked your blogs. I got excited all over again that you're really coming down to live in Yuma!

Shelley said...

Hi! I should have commented on your blog ages ago. I've probably been stopping by once a week for a year now.

I think you are wonderful. I really admire your parenting style and think Aloria is soooo adorable (Justus too!). And you are the cutest little pregnant lady EVER!

I love to stop by and see where the Lord is taking you. I really identify and relate to the way you think and process things.

Congrats on your move to Yuma. I will be praying that God just blesses you in ways you could never even imagine and that the move is as stress free as possible.

Shelley

Deidre said...

visit...two kids...yes please!!! and the sooner the better!!

Carrie said...

Wow, I remeber when we decided to move from california to georgia. I was pregnant with caleb and felt so sad for leaving my mom alone without even seeing her grandson yet. Things worked out though so she could be here shortly after he was born and again when leland was born.
From yuma to grand junction isn't that long of a drive so it could make for some fun road trips :)!

thesticklergirl said...

So, now I have to figure out a few reasons to visit Yuma? What is in the area that would excuse the trip? other than you of course...

We are excited for you and will be praying specifically for the job for Aaron and for your duplex to sell and that you can find a good deal in Yuma!

Love ya mucho!