We're moving to Texas.
As I can probably guess your first question... "No way! When?? After the baby comes?"
Actually, March 25th. That would be in 12 days.
Your next question is probably something along the lines of "Wow, are you crazy?"
Yes, yes we are. Also excited and relieved - does that count for more?
We knew we wanted to try and get out of Utah and move closer to the east coast (where both of our families are) after Adam graduated in December and originally were hoping the move would occur closer to January so I wouldn't be quite so pregnant and could get established with a new doctor wherever we ended up (which we were hoping the most might be Kentucky or North Carolina - I have sibs in both places and Adam's family lives a few hours away from where my sister is in Kentucky). But, ya know, it's not always easy finding and landing that first job out of school exactly where you want to be.
There was one opportunity that would have put us in North Carolina and been really cool that was in the works during January and February but just didn't quite pan out and it took forever to hear back on every level possible which left us a bit frustrated and just hoping and praying that more opportunities for interviews would come along. About mid February we started to get a little skeptical and wondered if getting out of Utah before having our baby could even really happen... and we decided it would probably be good to give ourselves a deadline. We decided the end of March would probably have to be our cut off, which is about a month before my due date. Driving across the country to move to a new place would probably be a bit too crazy with any less than a month left in my pregnancy -- heaven forbid I go into labor in the middle of nowhere during our drive. Which of course could happen with a month left, but much less likely.
I started getting questions from some friends and other people on where I'd be delivering my baby. When I'd answer "oh ya know... if I'm still here in Provo, just at Provo UVRMC, but if I'm not... then wherever I am" and they'd pretty much look at me like I was crazy and that I should already know something like that and be settled at 7 months pregnant. I started a prenatal class last Tuesday and even at the beginning of that class the instructor wanted to know where I'd be delivering. When I answered the same way she said "......oh?....well lets hope you figure that out soon" - in other words, "you're a lunatic for not already having pre-registered at a hospital being 31 weeks pregnant"
I'm sure some people had thoughts like "if you don't know yet or haven't heard anything yet, I bet it's safe to say you're still going to be in Utah" -- which we knew was a definite possibility but still did all we could and patiently waited to see if something might fall into place just before the end of March. And lo and behold, Adam was extended an offer on Monday of this week and after praying about it and going to the temple, we feel good about it and that it is what's right for us! He accepted the offer today. His job will start April 5th, which is pretty perfect considering that my last prenatal class is March 24th and him getting the offer when he did allowed us to put in just perfectly two weeks notices at our current jobs. Also, it will give us about a week together to find a place to live, get our stuff unpacked, and start looking for some furniture before he is tied down to work.
Did we think we'd ever end up in Texas? No, not really.
Did we think we'd be moving just 6 weeks before our little miss makes her debut in this world? No, not really.
Are we feeling really blessed that it still worked out according to our timetable and really excited for a new adventure? Yes, 100%!
It really is bittersweet thinking about the last almost 8 years (can't even believe that) I have lived here in Provo, starting all the way back to freshman year at BYU. From my college years, to getting married, to being in the working world for a couple of years, there are SO many memories in this place that I will always hold close and never forget. Although it will be sad, I am so excited to close the door on this chapter of my life and open a new door to life as a mommy in a brand new place that ironically I have never even stepped foot in despite all the traveling I've done throughout my life.
With that, wish us luck that our preparations to leave will go smoothly in the next 12 days and that this 34 week preggo lady (at that point in time) will survive the move!!
Texas, here we come!