The Big Plan

I didn't think I'd be able to share this plan of mine so soon, but after a couple of conversations this past week I am free to do so.

We are moving, Lord willing.

Emphasis on "Lord willing".

I completely submit myself to His will for our lives. If He wants us in Idaho this year, then He will provide a way for us. Many prayers have been prayed and will be prayed regarding this big plan.

I have thought about leaving California a few times over the last twenty years. I'd travel to other areas in the country and be charmed by them. I'd see that California did not have a corner on the market of living well. However, family ties, my job, and other extenuating circumstances always have made it easier to stay than to go.

It would, in some ways, still be easier to stay than go. But I am convicted that we need to go.

About eighteen months ago, a plan to leave began formulating in my mind. I first considered Colorado. I have a first cousin who moved there, and my aunt and uncle have spent a lot of time there with them. But the more I researched, I was drawn to Idaho instead.

Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/courthouselover/7638047728

I had traveled with my family to Idaho as a young girl on our way to Montana, and again as a teenager on our way to Montana. It was a stop along the way. I did not remember much of it to be honest.

Today Idaho is the fastest growing state in the nation. Even so, the entire population of the state is less than 2 million people. If I did the math right, that's like five percent of the population of California.

So Michaela and I visited Boise, Idaho during Spring Break last year, and our visit confirmed what my research had led me to believe. Boise will be a good fit for us.

Photo credit: http://boisestatepublicradio.org

In Boise, we will enjoy a much lower cost of living, less congestion and traffic, be able to afford a larger home, get out into natural areas for recreation more easily and in less time, have access to cultural and educational enrichment, enjoy four seasons, and live under less government regulation and ridiculousness, not to mention less crime.

We have friends there. We know of more friends, neighbors, and extended family members who are moving there in the near future. We won't be alone entirely.

Michaela will be able to attend a great Christian school in Boise all the way through high school. Our friends' daughters have attended this school, and our friend Stacy worked at the school for many years.

So I am in the process of putting together my application for a Interim Idaho Teaching Credential. I had to disclose my plans to my school district's assistant superintendent of Human Resources because I needed his department's help to complete the required paperwork. He was very understanding and supportive. I also had the conversation with my principal, and received the same support and understanding. I think a lot of people "get it".

My plans are entirely dependent on getting a teaching job in the Boise area. So that is my focus now. There are two very large school districts in the Treasure Valley that combined serve over 60,000 students. I have read that each year another 1000 students enroll in these districts, so it seems as though there will be job opportunities.

I am very excited to blog about our quest to relocate to the Gem State!

Au Revior 2017

Tonight we say good-bye to 2017 and all the good and not-so good it held.

Overall, it was a good year.

I am very happy teaching middle school. It is a pleasure to work at a well-run school, for administrators that have it together, with colleagues who are supportive and professional, and with students who enter my room eager to give it a go each and every day.

After a short foray into the world of MLM selling leggings, I decided that was definitely NOT for me. I have returned to my first love - selling thrifted high-end clothing on eBay. One of my favorite sounds is the cha-ching my phone makes when I make a sale, and I absolutely love thrifting.

Michaela made the transition from kinder to first grade, and from one private Christian school to another, easily. She is a super student and reads several grade levels above her own grade level. I am so blessed to have a bright and happy child!

We took our first big trip just the two of us successfully. We loved Idaho, and we hope to spend more time there in the near future.

We got a new dog! Friends from church have the sweetest Golden Retriever, and he was the inspiration for a new buddy of our own. Maui joined the family in June. He is handsome, smart, and has a nice bark when he senses somebody near our home - I really like that. We hope to make him a therapy dog one day. He would be a blessing to those convalescing or stressed out.

We took an amazing cruise from Montreal, Canada to Boston with my parents in July. I love cruising, and I loved all of the ports we spent time in. It was a great way to celebrate my mother's seventieth birthday, and my fiftieth - yes, I just turned fifty. How did that even happen?

We took another trip to visit friends in Michigan - friends we had never actually met in person! The Matts Fam were just as lovely in person as they have been online for many years, and we loved our time with them. Michigan is a beautiful state, and we enjoyed every minute there. They were such generous hosts.

Did I mention that I turned fifty? I think I did. Well, some might cringe at that, but I realize that it's a privilege to grow older. My Michael did not have that privilege. So, I do not worry about growing older. I have a little one to raise, and I hope I will always be here for her!

Lest you think my life is all rainbows and unicorns, I must say it is not. There are uncertainties. There are strained and estranged relationships. There are personal failures (mine!). There are challenges, disappointments, and loneliness. Nevertheless, God is good all the time.

As we move forward into 2018 I look forward to what it has to offer. And I trust that the Lord will guide our steps, meet our needs, and bless us.

Happy New Year!

Till the season comes round again...

It has been so long since I've visited my little blog. I doubt anyone is still checking in and looking for updated posts, but I've been thinking about writing.

What have we been up to? Well, life has been busy - more so after M entered kindergarten last year for some reason. If you have school-age children, I'm sure you understand. We get up, get ready for our day, leave the house early (too early!), spend our days on our respective campuses, reunite in the late afternoon, do homework, eat dinner, relax a bit, and climb into bed. Our days are usually very good, but they just fly by. Michaela loves school, and so do I. It's all good!

It has been a very full year in which we had several adventures, added a new family member (of the canine variety), reached various milestones, and have been mulling big plans for our future. We look forward to the New Year and what God has in store for us, and I look forward to sharing more here in the weeks and months to come.

Merry Christmas!