You read it correctly- we're moving to Vancouver, WA! Jim got a job flying cargo out of PDX (Portland International). We're packing up and moving down south after the first of the year.
I am on the fence about it, to be completely honest. I am so excited to be out of Port Angeles, where it's been a sort of living hell for the past few months. I'm happy to be close to family (I have an aunt/Uncle in Vancouver and cousins in Portland), for having more activities and opportunities, and for being only a few hours away from my immediate family. But I am anxious about moving. To date, this will be my second "Clear everything out of the place, leave no trace you were even living there" kind of move. My move from the Tri-Cities to Port Angeles was a "Take what I can in the car, but I still have a place to leave everything else" kind of move. I'm nervous that I won't have enough time to get everything sorted and packed up.
Not to mention the finances that it takes to move. Jim and I aren't made of money, and I've found myself in tears more than once about how we're going to use quite a bit of our savings to go down there.
Then on top of all that, I need to find a job. How am I going to find a job down there when I'm all the way up here? I've applied to over 15 places. It's been a few days now, and I haven't heard from a single one. How long does it take to review credentials? Honestly!
Needless to say, I'm overwhelmed. I've been a wreck as of late.
Oh and another thing, we're going to be moving during/after Christmas. How are we supposed to think about the holidays when we've got a move on our plate? I really am having trouble with "Holiday Spirit and the Season of Giving" because we're going to be needing every penny we can get our hands on to move. But I want to give thoughtful and meaningful gifts so bad I almost want to forget the move altogether.
It's a lot of change to think about. As you can see, I'm completely boggled. I feel like I need a vacation to clear my head. I need some sunshine, a good book and a lot of tea.
Really though, this is more exciting than it is scary. I'm kind of a drama queen, thinking the worst of everything. As Jim would say "It's just another step." It's not as big of a one as it could have been, but to me it feels monumental. With time though, I think I'll be able to be ready for moving more readily. I'm just green when it comes to moving.
I think the most fun prospect of moving is that depending on where we live, and how much we are able to save, we might be able to get a dog! That alone makes this move completely worth it. Cal, on the other hand won't be as excited to have a dog around. I think they'll be friends eventually. But I mustn't get ahead of myself. For now, I'm hoping to find a pet-related job and a pet-related place to volunteer my services. If we get a dog, however, I'm hoping the little bugger is tiny. I want it to be larger than Callie, but less than 25 lbs. That narrows our search substantially. I'm hoping to find a boston terrier to adopt. Jim would love one. He's had only a couple of experiences with that breed, but he's seen just how wonderfully silly they are.
This is a long-winded post, and for that I am sorry. In spite of it's length, I feel I could write about our move for days. I'll end with a request: Please give me some advice, encouragement, or words of moving wisdom. Better yet, if you want to come visit and help me move, I will repay you with a place to sleep and lots of yummy vegetarian food. Cal would like the company too. She's feeling the stress as well, and hasn't left my side for days.
Blue skies,
Robin
Coming Soon! My Happy Cat: A Series of Posts about what I do to keep Callie Happy and Healthy.
Your move is really exciting for me too and a powerful answer to lots of prayer. We had LOTs of moving experience in our first few years courtesy of the Army, school, and new job. On our first one our household fit into a 4x8 Uhaul trailer + the back seat of a 57 Chevy. A few years later it took a real moving van. The moving process itself was never a lot of fun - the excitement and joy came from the change.
ReplyDeleteAdvice? "Don't worry, be happy" - don't be afraid to toss stuff that gets in the way - take it one box at a time - pray constantly - hug Jim & hold Calie a lot - take a break and call me when it gets frustrating. We'll be with you next week to help as much as we can and I'm praying constantly myself. Relax and enjoy it.