A Big Change

Pardon the awful drawing up there, and this isn't the route we're taking. But you get the idea :) The pen and I were not great partners in this.

Ah, I have been wanting to talk about all of this for so many months.  We decided until we really had something to report though, to keep things sort of quiet.  So instead, our minds have just been spinning with all of the uncertainties of our future.  We have been looking for jobs in the lower 48 for over half a year, knowing that we want to move closer to family and friends.  Alaska was always meant to be a short term adventure, and it just became more important once Henry came into the picture.  We want him to be closer to his grandparents, in a town that we love and feel safe in, will allow us to travel easily, etc.  We've been all over the map, thinking we'd be in Colorado, Minnesota, who knows where else... when suddenly Eric was given an amazing opportunity to stay with his current company and work remotely.  With that, we are moving back to Iowa in July. I have just so many thoughts on all of this, and surely it cannot be written in one post so you'll be hearing my mind unload here often when it comes to this topic.  News came while Henry and I were home visiting, and it caught me entirely off guard.  When we envisioned where we'd like our family to settle down some day, where we want our children to go to school, Iowa has always been the answer.  But just as we have loved living in Alaska for a period of time, we thought maybe there would be one more adventure waiting for us before settling back home.  When given an opportunity like this though, where we can go where we'd like to end up and keep a job where he is happy and we are well cared for, it's hard to say no.  We realize how lucky we are, and after a few moments to get my head wrapped around things, I really am excited to head back.  So no there will be no new place to live and explore at this time, but living near family is most important to us right now with young babes.  It will be wonderful for Henry and that is our main concern, and for any other littles that join our family in the future.  We are also looking forward to more freedom to travel... really looking forward to that.  Alaska itself is an amazing place to explore, but it costs us so much to get in and out here, that when we have extra money for travel it's always to go home for a visit, and driving is obviously not an option.  We're looking forward to being able to pack up the car and head to another state for a trip here and there!  We both experienced that as children and want our own to experience it as well.  It's also a bit new because we've never lived there together, so that will be a new experience! Overall, this will be a good thing for us, but as always, it's a bit painful to let go of where we are.  Eric is in the ideal situation, he will keep his current job and therefore travel up to Alaska occasionally during the year (I plan to accompany him when I can).  I have to say goodbye to a job that I love though, and I'm struggling a bit with that.  I know that I can't stay forever, but it's complicated.  There aren't jobs in Iowa like the job that I have, no birth centers like this one, and it puts an awfully huge pit in my stomach.  The ladies I work with now have been my family up here, and it's just going to be very bittersweet.  More on that later.  Probably A LOT more on that later. For now, I just wanted to finally announce (for those who haven't already caught on) that we are making the big cross country move again! Wish us luck!