Changes- some are welcome, some are not!

The following quote from President Monson's General Conference address given last October, has been at the forefront of my mind recently:

"I begin by mentioning one of the most inevitable aspects of our lives here upon the earth, and that is change. At one time or another we’ve all heard some form of the familiar adage: 'Nothing is as constant as change.'

Throughout our lives, we must deal with change. Some changes are welcome; some are not. There are changes in our lives which are sudden, such as the unexpected passing of a loved one, an unforeseen illness, the loss of a possession we treasure. But most of the changes take place subtly and slowly." (General Conference, Oct. 2008, Sunday Morning)

Bill and I are about to make a HUGE life change- one that I'm not fully prepared for. But as President Monson said, "Throughout our loves, we must deal with change." Bill has accepted a new job in Houston, TX. He will be moving in 2 weeks, while the girls and I will stay here in Las Vegas until we tie up a few loose ends (place to live, car to drive, etc.). And then we will pack up & move 1400 miles away.

After much fasting, prayer, discussions & list making, we feel that this is the best thing for our little family. We were not seeking a change in vocation or location, it came to us. And we feel blessed to have the opportunity! Bill will be working for a solid company where he will contribute his sales & management experience, Spanish speaking skills and ability to work hard. He is switching industries completely- goodbye construction & hello oil!

I've slowly been wrapping my head around the enormity of this change. (We finalized our decision on Tuesday & left town on Wednesday for the beach- a great place to allow something this life changing to soak in!) There are moments when reality hits & I just burst into tears thinking of all that we'll be leaving behind. It breaks my heart to think of my girls saying goodbye to their friends. And I count myself as one of the luckiest women in the world to be surrounded by such a wonderful support system & network of friends! This ward truely has become our family! No more weekend road trips to visit family in Utah or California. No more mountains = no more hiking. No more family visiting for BYU football games or weekend getaways. No more comfort zone.

On the upside- I don't have to leave in 2 weeks!! And we're moving to a much better school system. And we'll have a grandma & grandpa about 30 minutes away. And Houston is a family-friendly city. And there are 2 major airports there! And we have technology to help us stay in touch with loved ones from afar; blogs, email, and cell phones- HOORAY! And the most important thing of all is that WE HAVE EACH OTHER! I'm lucky to be in love with my best friend!

I also need to note a few tender mercies. I called my good friend Cindy after we made our decision- I needed a vote of confidence & encouragement from someone who has lived far from home. She was a great source of comfort but the tender mercy came a few days later when she remembered that her sister's friend lives in Houston. I contacted her & she lives in the exact area where we are hoping to settle. To quote this girl, "I love, love, love our ward!" Somehow, that was just what I needed to hear that day! I'm hoping to glean from her insight as a local as we begin a serious house hunt.

And then there is my walking buddy. We've had many conversations about moving & starting over & humility & finances & strengthening our little families & long distance relationships with extended family- all conversations were a few days apart & were during a crucial discussion phase. She sure didn't know it, but all of this was been a direct answer to my prayers to bring me peace!

We've made just one of the million decisions that we'll need to make in the next few months:

*A new car. We are buying a mini-van. And it's a good time to buy because prices are low.

So although this is an unexpected change and it will be difficult, it is welcome and we're ready for the challenge!