I apologize for not updating this sooner. I promise that once we are on the road we will update this a lot more regularly.
Today is Memorial Day and we are in Ohio at Stephanie's parents house. We came for the weekend to get the kids and fix computers for family. My parents needed some networking and print issues resolved and I took care of that yesterday in exchange for some homemade lasagna! It's the first time I've had the family recipe lasagna in about 15 years and it was fantastic!! Mom froze the leftovers and we'll take it back to Virginia to have Tuesday or Wednesday.
As I said in the last post, the sale of our house is going forward. One week from today we will officially be homeless. Over the last week, Steph and I were able to get the vast majority of the house emptied out. All of the furniture from upstairs is in storage - we only left 3 mattresses on the floor for the boys to sleep on this week. Downstairs we have a bit more to take care of - Our bed, a refrigerator, 2 filing cabinets and my computer desk. Most of the rest of it is already in storage. It's amazing how much "stuff" we accumulated over the last several years! We've been weeding through it and making stuff go away - but there's still a lot more.
So the plan right now is to return to Virginia Tuesday night. I have a client system install on Wednesday. Thursday we're getting together with friends in Richmond. Friday is a packing day, as is Saturday. Sunday we'll take the mattresses to storage and get a hotel room for the next several nights. Monday we have closing at 11am and hopefully all goes smoothly from there! Tuesday or Wednesday we'll get our Jeep and we hope to be on the road heading south by Friday. It's scary and exhilirating all at the same time.
Everybody keeps asking us where we're moving to. We honestly don't know. That's kind of the point of the trip - to find out! I'm personally hoping to stumble across a city that wasn't formerly on our short list and fall in love with it and just KNOW that it's where we're supposed to be. We do have a short list - It contains Jacksonville, Huntsville, Colorado Springs, Boise, Helena and Lexington. They all look good on paper - but we've never been to any of them so ...
Anyway - we just wanted to update you on our situation and let you know what's going on. I'll have more to add shortly!
John
Monday, May 30, 2005
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Moving Ahead
I have intentionally not posted - because I had more questions than answers. I'm finally starting to get some of those answers, though. Our buyer found a new buyer for their home. Things will go ahead here - just with a new closing date of June 6th. Instead of Wednesday, it's now the following Monday. I can live with that.
The kids are going back to Ohio for a week. Steph's parents are going to meet us in Morgantown for lunch and then take the kids home from there. This will give us some alone time - as well as an opportunity to pack without interruptions. Things should go well. We'll go pick them up a week later - and I can fix a few family computers. It's gonna cost some good home cooked meals however!!
It's been nice to get up the last few mornings and NOT go to work. I still get up at a reasonable hour though - I can't sleep in - at least not like I did in college! We're making progress getting things packed and over to storage. Yesterday we did a bike ride at a local battlefield. Zach and I did 14 miles and the others rode 10. I felt so good that I thought I could ride the whole thing over again. That's a good feeling!
Well - that's about it for now. We have to make a dump run and take the Spotsy Softball equipment over to the new coordinator. Hopefully she'll get that back up and running for the homeschool community next spring.
c ya!
The kids are going back to Ohio for a week. Steph's parents are going to meet us in Morgantown for lunch and then take the kids home from there. This will give us some alone time - as well as an opportunity to pack without interruptions. Things should go well. We'll go pick them up a week later - and I can fix a few family computers. It's gonna cost some good home cooked meals however!!
It's been nice to get up the last few mornings and NOT go to work. I still get up at a reasonable hour though - I can't sleep in - at least not like I did in college! We're making progress getting things packed and over to storage. Yesterday we did a bike ride at a local battlefield. Zach and I did 14 miles and the others rode 10. I felt so good that I thought I could ride the whole thing over again. That's a good feeling!
Well - that's about it for now. We have to make a dump run and take the Spotsy Softball equipment over to the new coordinator. Hopefully she'll get that back up and running for the homeschool community next spring.
c ya!
Friday, May 13, 2005
Changes
To be honest, I am finding it easier to change houses than I first thought. I have made this house into a home with many personal touches, and finally had it pretty close to what I'd dreamed of it becoming. Even the boys are OK with leaving behind their personalized rooms with colorful murals. The kids are even excited about living in a RV for the summer. Not sure I can survive it unless we take tents for them to stay outside now and again... :) But we know beyond any doubt that the Lord is the one carrying us to a new land. It's not like we are going overseas or anything, but it will be different for us.
Some people think we are just plain crazy. Some think we are giants in our faith. I think we are just following our leader, which makes us neither one. I was never one to embrace change. The Lord has simply been preparing me, and all of us, for this moment in time when He would seemingly turn our lives upside down and lead us down a path of worldly insecurity. We are ever more sure of our steps only because He has been so clear in His directives.
I lived in the same house all my life growing up. I always had the security of a stable home and family. I grew up normal in a chaotic public school because I was so cautious and never took chances of which I was I was uncertain of the outcome-- or was certain it would be unplesant! I was saved by the grace of God when I was 7 years old and never strayed far from the faith at any point in my life. I am a perfect example of what security and stability would have looked liked. I think that scared John just a little when we were first married. He felt a great need to provide for me what he knew I had experienced all of my life to that point. Stability.
However, God had other plans. God saw fit to take us from Ohio to Minneapolis (where we lived in 2 places within one year) to Ft. Wayne, Indiana, where we lived for 6 months. Then we moved back to Ohio where we lived in 4 different places. He then took John to Florida for a month prior to bringing all 5 of us to Richmond, Virginia in a U-Haul holding all of our belongings and having enough money to live in a hotel for 4 days. On day 5, he provided us with a townhouse in a nice part of town for a reasonable price and family who helped us pay the deposit. He then provided us (via postal money orders from Jesus postmarked in Richmond where we knew NO ONE!) enough money to live on for the next 3 months while we were acclimating to a new community and finally receiving our first paychecks from John's new job. Then, after 2 years, he called us to Fredericksburg to be closer to John's new job in Warrenton. We were fed up with our realtor and about to give up when we found our home on Joy Lane. God brought the financing through by another miracle and we lived here for a whole year before John was let go from his job in Warrenton. We then lived by God's grace for a little more than a year as God supplied John work through friends and new clients who just came out of the woodwork. Then God graced us with a job that had insurance to meet my medical needs that were mounting in cost exponentially. Now, here we are.
God is calling us away from a place where we had laid roots with people, a house that I was able to call home for almost 4 years, and a church that I had finally felt was right for us. Of all those things, I feel most sad when I think of the people we are leaving behind. I know God will provide the finances, jobs and other worldly securities necessary as we need them and in His time. I will simply miss all those people whom I have felt privelidged to call friends. The impact all of my friends have had on me these past 6 years in Virginia will only be known to them in eternity when God will reveal all that is unseen. I know that their impact will continue regardless of the miles placed between us. I have witnessed this time and again through all our relocations. We still have friends from years ago whom we still interact with and are still influencing our lives. I know it will be the same again. I will simply miss the personal and consistent interactions. The good news is that on my last relocation from this life into eternity, that final change will be the best. I will see and laugh and hug and have much joy with all of you for all of eternity.
See you all on the other side. Till then, you can live vicariously through our adventures!
Stephanie
Some people think we are just plain crazy. Some think we are giants in our faith. I think we are just following our leader, which makes us neither one. I was never one to embrace change. The Lord has simply been preparing me, and all of us, for this moment in time when He would seemingly turn our lives upside down and lead us down a path of worldly insecurity. We are ever more sure of our steps only because He has been so clear in His directives.
I lived in the same house all my life growing up. I always had the security of a stable home and family. I grew up normal in a chaotic public school because I was so cautious and never took chances of which I was I was uncertain of the outcome-- or was certain it would be unplesant! I was saved by the grace of God when I was 7 years old and never strayed far from the faith at any point in my life. I am a perfect example of what security and stability would have looked liked. I think that scared John just a little when we were first married. He felt a great need to provide for me what he knew I had experienced all of my life to that point. Stability.
However, God had other plans. God saw fit to take us from Ohio to Minneapolis (where we lived in 2 places within one year) to Ft. Wayne, Indiana, where we lived for 6 months. Then we moved back to Ohio where we lived in 4 different places. He then took John to Florida for a month prior to bringing all 5 of us to Richmond, Virginia in a U-Haul holding all of our belongings and having enough money to live in a hotel for 4 days. On day 5, he provided us with a townhouse in a nice part of town for a reasonable price and family who helped us pay the deposit. He then provided us (via postal money orders from Jesus postmarked in Richmond where we knew NO ONE!) enough money to live on for the next 3 months while we were acclimating to a new community and finally receiving our first paychecks from John's new job. Then, after 2 years, he called us to Fredericksburg to be closer to John's new job in Warrenton. We were fed up with our realtor and about to give up when we found our home on Joy Lane. God brought the financing through by another miracle and we lived here for a whole year before John was let go from his job in Warrenton. We then lived by God's grace for a little more than a year as God supplied John work through friends and new clients who just came out of the woodwork. Then God graced us with a job that had insurance to meet my medical needs that were mounting in cost exponentially. Now, here we are.
God is calling us away from a place where we had laid roots with people, a house that I was able to call home for almost 4 years, and a church that I had finally felt was right for us. Of all those things, I feel most sad when I think of the people we are leaving behind. I know God will provide the finances, jobs and other worldly securities necessary as we need them and in His time. I will simply miss all those people whom I have felt privelidged to call friends. The impact all of my friends have had on me these past 6 years in Virginia will only be known to them in eternity when God will reveal all that is unseen. I know that their impact will continue regardless of the miles placed between us. I have witnessed this time and again through all our relocations. We still have friends from years ago whom we still interact with and are still influencing our lives. I know it will be the same again. I will simply miss the personal and consistent interactions. The good news is that on my last relocation from this life into eternity, that final change will be the best. I will see and laugh and hug and have much joy with all of you for all of eternity.
See you all on the other side. Till then, you can live vicariously through our adventures!
Stephanie
Monday, May 09, 2005
Delays
Stink!! It seems that our timing isn't going to work out quite like we had planned. The sale of our home on June 1st was contingent on our buyers selling their home. About a month ago - within the 10 days specified by our contract, our buyers found a buyer for their home. The kicker is that today I was informed that their buyers were denied financing based upon the fact that they didn't have a green card. I never thought that the idea of illegal aliens would ever have anything to do with me - i was wrong. Now they don't have their place sold and therefore don't have the money to buy our place! Apparently we have absolutely no recourse on this whatsoever!! Grrr!!
Our realtor is working hard with their realtor to get their place resold - and quickly! Settlement is supposed to be in 3 weeks. It looks like we have 2 choices - to put our home back on the market - or wait until our current buyers have the money. It has been suggested to me that waiting for our current buyers involves more known quantities than relisting. I was able to extend my employment for an additional week (my replacement isn't scheduled to start until the 22nd) so that helps a bit. And my friend Sean has said that I could subcontract under him again as he has work available. So we won't starve!
It is frustrating however to be placed in this predicament. I have given notice at work. Our plans were based upon having money from the sale of our home on June 2nd - and not making a June mortgage payment. I know we'll be ok. God has a plan. The fact that I am not God means I have to trust that it will all come together. OK - I can do this. God hasn't let us down yet!
Our realtor is working hard with their realtor to get their place resold - and quickly! Settlement is supposed to be in 3 weeks. It looks like we have 2 choices - to put our home back on the market - or wait until our current buyers have the money. It has been suggested to me that waiting for our current buyers involves more known quantities than relisting. I was able to extend my employment for an additional week (my replacement isn't scheduled to start until the 22nd) so that helps a bit. And my friend Sean has said that I could subcontract under him again as he has work available. So we won't starve!
It is frustrating however to be placed in this predicament. I have given notice at work. Our plans were based upon having money from the sale of our home on June 2nd - and not making a June mortgage payment. I know we'll be ok. God has a plan. The fact that I am not God means I have to trust that it will all come together. OK - I can do this. God hasn't let us down yet!
Saturday, May 07, 2005
The Beginning
Well ... where to begin? This is a place for us to share our thoughts, adventures and lives with friends, family and the world at large. Who are we? Just a family that thought that life was getting too complicated and decided to do something about it. The cast of characters here are myself (John), my incredible wife Stephanie, and My Three Sons (David, Zach and Alex). The current location is our home (for the next few weeks) in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Our discussions started in the fall of 2004. My commute to work (in Reston, Virginia) seemed to be getting longer and longer. Some days it took me three hours just to get to the office 60 miles away! If family is a priority in my life then something had to change. We couldn't move closer to my place of employment - housing in Northern Virginia has been skyrocketing (our same house would go for 3 times as much in Reston) and there just wasn't the same work or pay available in Fredericksburg. As time went on we decided to leave the area.
Throughout the next several months we went back and forth about possible scenarios before finally settling on this plan. We would sell our house, get debt free, buy a used motorhome, and tour the United States looking for a new place to call home. Risky? Absolutely!! Exciting? Even moreso!!
Some folks think we're nuts. Others envy us. What it comes down to is that we don't want to live a life of regrets. A life wondering what would things be like if only ....
We have accumulated a sizable chunk of equity in our home (thanks to the boom in Northern Virginia!!) but equity won't raise my boys. My wife does an INCREDIBLE job homeschooling them - but I'd like to be involved more. That's hard to do when I'm gone for 13 to 14 hours a day. That's one of the significant points of this adventure - to find a new place to live where a commute of over half an hour is a thing of the past - to regain 4 to 5 hours per day.
Anyway - this is just the introduction. We plan on writing here often - to update people on where we are and what we're doing. We close on this house June 1st and our journey begins then. Actually I guess that our journey has already begun!
Our discussions started in the fall of 2004. My commute to work (in Reston, Virginia) seemed to be getting longer and longer. Some days it took me three hours just to get to the office 60 miles away! If family is a priority in my life then something had to change. We couldn't move closer to my place of employment - housing in Northern Virginia has been skyrocketing (our same house would go for 3 times as much in Reston) and there just wasn't the same work or pay available in Fredericksburg. As time went on we decided to leave the area.
Throughout the next several months we went back and forth about possible scenarios before finally settling on this plan. We would sell our house, get debt free, buy a used motorhome, and tour the United States looking for a new place to call home. Risky? Absolutely!! Exciting? Even moreso!!
Some folks think we're nuts. Others envy us. What it comes down to is that we don't want to live a life of regrets. A life wondering what would things be like if only ....
We have accumulated a sizable chunk of equity in our home (thanks to the boom in Northern Virginia!!) but equity won't raise my boys. My wife does an INCREDIBLE job homeschooling them - but I'd like to be involved more. That's hard to do when I'm gone for 13 to 14 hours a day. That's one of the significant points of this adventure - to find a new place to live where a commute of over half an hour is a thing of the past - to regain 4 to 5 hours per day.
Anyway - this is just the introduction. We plan on writing here often - to update people on where we are and what we're doing. We close on this house June 1st and our journey begins then. Actually I guess that our journey has already begun!
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