Big News

When JD and I had been dating for about a month or so, he broke up with me. He said that he had no intentions of staying in our town long term and if I was a hometown kind of girl, it would never work out. I told him that I grew up in Florida and while my family lived here, this was not my hometown. I had shallow roots here and travel had always been something that I wanted for my future.

When we got married, JD got a reservist position for the government. The possibly of relocating was slim since he was not a full time agent. For 3 years, we have been praying that God would open a door for a new job and that God would plant us some place where He had a purpose for us.

JD got a job. And in 10 more weeks, we will be Los Angelenos. We are moving to California.

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The news came as a shock. We had put our place on the market and gotten pregnant back in November with plans to settle down here. We thought we had outgrown our 2 bedroom, 1500 sq ft townhouse so we were looking for a 3 bedroom with 2000 sq ft. We were preparing to save for private school. For months, our plan was here in this community. We were planting roots.

When I walked in from grocery shopping one day in February, JD met me at the door with a huge grin and "good news." He had gotten a civilian position with the government and we would be notified of our assignment location within a month. I was floored. I tried to act supportive and congratulatory to my husband, but I was really sad. I didn't want to move pregnant and I didn't want to move with a newborn. Honestly, I just didn't want to move.

I had a heart to heart with God about it and asked Him to help me to be content in all situations (Phil. 4:11-13). After a few days, I got used to the idea of starting a life in a new place with my husband and our 2 girls. I imagined us in a small European village. I saw us in metropolitan DC. I got excited about it. But before I could really imagine us somewhere else, we still had to wait to be notified where our somewhere else would be.

We waited. And waited. And waited. March came and went with no word. We had already told our families that we would be moving soon so the anticipation of whether or not we would still be in the States was starting to take a toll on us. Half of April came and went without word. The day before our vacation, JD finally got the email notifying us of our assignment to Los Angeles. We were excited and terrified. California is awesome, but it is also one of the most expensive States to live in. Suddenly our 2 bedroom, 1500 sq ft townhouse was looking awfully spacious compared to the 2 bedroom, 800 sq ft apartments we found online in our price range. Culture shock does not begin to describe it.

I am only looking on the bright side as I don't want to get trapped in a downward spiral of emotions (mostly sadness about leaving my family and church). I would love your prayers that our place will sell FAST and that we find a new place in a safe area that meets our family's needs. And that we can be content there, no matter how different or lonely it may be at first. Despite my fears, I am really excited. My babies are going to be California girls. I'm gonna be bffs with Lindsay Lohan - not. I'm gonna be bffs with the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Kyle, call me. 


We're moving, that's all I know right now. We still have to sell our townhouse. We have to find a new place to rent on the West Coast. I have to find a new OB, pediatrician, dentist, insurance company, and every other service provider you can think of. And we have 10 weeks to do it. We are thrilled, but a little apprehensive about what our lives will look like without family a few miles down the road and every other familiar thing that makes places feel like home. But this is what I signed up for when I married my wandering husband: a life of travel and new places. I'm embracing it. I think.