This is a tricky post to write! There are many thoughts floating around in my head, so I'm trying to chase down the important ones and articulate them in a coherent manner!
I know that Steve was initially resistant to the idea of looking for work again, but once he began the search and realized it was going to be tougher than he anticipated, he embraced it wholeheartedly, throwing "travelling" to the wind for a season, somewhat unexpectedly for me and the rest of the family. However, we embraced the full-time lifestyle once more for a final hurrah, and I'm so glad we did! When Steve received the offer for Salt Lake City, his initial response was rather somber. It was difficult for him to see it in a light other than "losing his freedom" and "the end of the adventure." Sooo...lots of fluctuating emotions have abounded around here for quite some time! With that being said, we have prayed about our "end game" as diligently as we prayed about our start, so although there are without a doubt some bittersweet emotions flying around, there is also great peace about the way it all worked out. I'm not sure why we've landed here, other than to say that I am convinced that, for whatever the reason, it is where the Lord wants us to be.
Since our arrival here, we have transitioned from a one car (truck) family, to a two vehicle family! Wow...car shopping is always stressful, in my opinion. Nonetheless, we now own a minivan in addition to our truck. I know Steve was always dead set against owning a minivan, but he was a real sweetheart and caved to my request for one. Gotta say...love, love, the space inside for cargo in addition to people! And, it is definitely easier to maneuver in tight spaces! Another bonus is that since the price of diesel has risen 40 cents a gallon since we arrived here in SLC, we have a more fuel efficient vehicle for getting around!
Of course, we had to decide what to do about lodging, too. Realistically, we're not sure how long we'll be here because you never know what the future holds; I think we know that with much more clarity now than we did just a year and a half ago! We needed to decide whether to stay in the rig, rent, or buy. I'll admit, I wasn't gung-ho about the idea of staying in the rig; as Steve puts it, the best thing about an RV is that it
moves! In other words, it isn't too exciting living in RV parks, packed in like sardines, watching
all many of your neighbors come...and go...while you stay put! Not to mention, having dealt with condensation issues in our rig last winter, which was mild, I wasn't thrilled about wintering here in SLC where there are real winters with plenty of snow! Soooo...after a little research, we decided that it would be a good idea to buy a house here, but of course, we had to decide on location, size, price, etc. All I can say about it is that God was in the details. We did spend a lot of time looking at houses online, but when we decided to look at houses on Labor Day for the first time, Steve & I both knew that the second house we looked at was "the one." Crazy! We didn't even bother looking further; we just made an offer. And, despite three other offers coming in on the heels of ours, our offer was the one that was accepted! Wow!! Such big decisions, so much money, definitely daunting, but again, it's good stuff that's happening, and there is an underlying peace about it all, in spite of the tumult! It's becoming clearer that the adventure never really ends. It simply morphs. One era may have ended, but another is just beginning! Oh...one more thing, there's room to park the rig right next to the house, so for now at least, we'll be keeping the rig! Awesomeness!
