Explanation

An interesting series of events have led me to sitting alone in a hotel while my husband is 750 miles away feverishly finishing packing, caring for kids, walking the dog, and cleaning a house he will walk away from in the morning. In Bountiful I had a beautiful home, loving and caring family nearby, a great job, good schools, an amazing ward and stake, and the list goes on. Why in the world would I uproot my family, take them away from the comforts and familiarity and the only thing my boys have ever known? Well, because.

A common story from the Bible is a good explanation. A group of disciples, including Peter, were fishing on the sea of Tiberias. They did so all night long and didn't catch a single thing. The morning came and they started to get some coaching from the shore. They couldn't really see who it was, but they were given the advise to fish off the other side of the boat and low and behold, after doing so, the net was so full they couldn't even pull the fish on board. When Peter realized it was Christ coaching, he went right into the sea toward the shore, the others following behind with the overloaded net. Then they joined Christ on the shore for a feast. After finishing dinner, Christ asked Peter basically the same question three times "Do you love me?" Peter answered the same way every time, "Yes, you know I love you" to which Christ replied "Feed my sheep". Peter was a fisherman. But Christ asked him to do something other than what he was used to doing, what he was comfortable with, what could have been seen as easy.

Joe was released from the bishopric on Sunday. Another incredible opportunity. Why walk away from that? For heavens sake, he sits next to Elder Anderson on a fairly regular basis. Our decision has been confirmed to me, to Joe and me as a couple, and to all of us as a family. When we met with the Stake to be released, it was once again confirmed through the Stake leaders. Several years ago Elder Koford spoke at a Stake Conference and suggested that the Lord should send a wind across the Mueller Park Stake and spread its members and leaders to the four corners of the earth. I guess the Pacific Northwest is our corner. Two of the stake leaders referred to this during Joe's 'exit interview' and even mentioned the confirmation they had that we were doing what we were being asked to do over the pulpit. Kind of weird. Kind of a personal decision. That said, I have never been one to shy away from validation.

There are a lot of other reasons we are moving to Portland. I have a great new job. Joe has a new job. Tanner needs a change. Maybe we all need a new change. Moving into a new house will be cool. We need a fence for Star.

Among our hurdles ahead are living in a hotel for 45 days with two active boys and a dog settling into new routines, making new friends, shopping at new grocery stores, exploring new dog walking routes, and tyring to decide if rain and gray is harder to endure than inversion, snow and cold.

It seems a little hard and scary but we are up for it.  And, we will keep the updates coming.