We Are Taking This Show on the Road

We are moving to Portland, Oregon.

I've known for a long time that we would not be able to stay in this house long term. In the divorce, the house went to my ex (and no, I did not want the house - I knew I could not afford it and the bank recently re-confirmed this assumption of mine) and at some point we were going to need to leave. That point has arrived and we must vacate the house at the end of the school year - June. If you do the math, that means I have to end my business, pack up this house and be on the road in two months.

Knowing I would be jobless and homeless soon, I have been struggling with the decision on where to move my little family. We love Minnesota, our church family, our neighborhood, our school and our many, many friends. The one big drawback? No family. The events of the last few years and especially the last year have made me recognize that the greatest gift I could give my children right now is more family in their lives. I alone am not enough, and right now all of my family is in Northwest and all of our family on Bryan's side are in the Northeast and here we sit, right smack in the middle, not close enough for anyone to really be a significant presence in my children's lives.

So, we are moving. Why Portland? Both of my sisters will be living there by June, I have a brother in Eugene, my parents are in Idaho which is only a days drive away and it is just a pretty place to live. One of my sisters will be a stay at home Mom and will be able to help me with before and after school care issues and we are moving in with my single sister while I search for a job . . . and a place to live . . . and schools for the kids. Wish me luck. If my posts become increasingly manic the next few weeks - you now know why.