Because we apparently like to move across the country every couple years, we're in Indiana now. A new time-zone, and a whole new experience to go along with a new job for Bryan (hooray!!)
We stayed in Minnesota for about six weeks. We house-sat for my aunt and uncle, I took over care for my grandmother while we were there, and Bryan worked hard to find a new job. It was nice to catch up with friends and family for the time we were there. I enjoyed spending time with my grandmother, and we had fun getting re-acquainted with her and my aunt and uncle once they returned home from their missions trip. Thankfully, we were able to trade the house-sitting/grandma care for a rent-free place to stay. (Which works out well when you have no income...)
Our original plan was to unload our moving pod at their house, and then re-pack and re-load it once we knew where we were going. After we arrived, we decided not to take delivery on the pod. It just didn't make sense to unload it all knowing we didn't have a home. So, we lived with the two suitcases and five boxes of things we had in our car for six weeks. Thankfully, the house we were watching had most of the things we needed to exist, and we just got creative with outfits and lived simply and made it work.
Honestly, there's something to be said for having less. But that's a whole 'nother topic.
It snowed and iced and froze and melted and did it all over again several time during our stay. It was unpleasant. But, you know, it's Minnesota in the winter.
As I mentioned before, once we made it through the holidays, the phone started ringing and Bryan got several more interviews, in several states. At the end of February, he flew out to Indiana to interview for a job in a city called Goshen. He also spent a few days scoping out the area.
Just after he returned, he received an offer! I can't tell you how relieved we were! It did pose a bit of a dilemma because Indiana is not the first place (or really, tenth place) on my "places I want to live" list. My only experience with the state is visiting a friend at Purdue a long time ago, and I mostly just stayed on campus. It would mean moving sight-unseen to a state where we would live permanently (knock on wood). But California wasn't calling, so there you go.
Do you get to pass on a great job just because you don't really want to live in the state it's in? Technically yes, but really, no. Bryan said it was a nice city and I'd like it, so he took the offer and a few days later we re-packed our car and cats and once again said goodbye to family, and friends, and mountains of snow.
We drove the comparatively quick eight hour drive in one day and arrived in Goshen in the evening. We had reserved a hotel room for the first week, so we unloaded and started our hunt for a house to rent while we learned the area.
Isn't our life an adventure? Sakes!
As we began exploring our new town, I realized this was going to be an adjustment. Goshen and the surrounding areas are very much small towns. Size-wise, they aren't tiny, but attitude and environment-wise, absolutely. There's no shortage of camo here! Basically, I'd describe what I've seen of the state so far as what would happen if a farmer and a hunter had a baby. You know, my kind of place (not even a little).
Oh, and that baby has an Amish friend.
This area of Indiana is Amish country, something new to me, but very interesting. There are yummy Amish restaurants, and beautifully-crafted furniture and hand-made things to purchase. So, it's not all guns and tractors.
Unfortunately, the small town issue means everyone under 25 and their little sister is pregnant or has five children all 9 months apart. It's tough. I guess no one has anything better to do here than have kids just out of high-school (middle school?). Again, not my kinda place. It's very damaging to my heart to see another example of people just having babies like it's no big thing.
Unfortunately for me, that's not how life works for everyone.
Anyways...
We searched high and low and were coming up with nothing to rent, until we happened to meet someone who happened to know someone who had a home to rent on a short-term basis.
Good thing we talked to strangers!
It's a very small little rambler, just across from a gun-range (don't get me started...), but there's a nice river in the backyard and it's got enough room for all of our boxes that I refuse to unload unless absolutely necessary.
We're tying so hard to find a good home, and it's a struggle. For some unknown reason, there are simply not enough homes for sale here. And the ones that are for sale are not great. Who knew people still have wallpaper, and borders, and carpet in every room??
At this point I feel like I'm just complaining, so let me be clear that I'm very glad to be in a home, with food to eat, and Bryan has a great job that he's really liking, and we can make it anywhere, so it's going to be okay.
The past few years have felt very tough. It seems like nothing good stays and we're always unsettled. I'm really hoping we can find a good home, put down some roots, and create a new life here. Maybe I'll get in touch with my country-living side (a lot of my family is from Iowa) and it'll be a good place to live.
And it's April - a very extra bad time of year - I'm sure everything is just seeming extra hard because I'm extra emotional. And every day without Samuel is just empty, no matter where we are.
This weekend is Samuel's fourth - can you even believe it? - birthday party. We're flying back to Minnesota to celebrate his life with family and friends. Then next week, my sweet little baby is turning four in heaven. It's been way too long already, and I have a lifetime left to go.
Think of us in the coming weeks. And remember our sweet son with us.
