Day 11: Somewhere you'd like to move or visit
Well, it's no secret that I'd love to live close to HRH. She's one of my besties! Actually, what I'd REALLY like to do is to develop a community of all my girlfriends and their families (Hi everyone!). Spread out a bit but not too far. I think 15-20 minutes away max is perfect. :)
I'd love to live in Wisconsin. That's where my Oneida Sioux tribe is. There would be multiple benefits from living there. The downside is, church membership is low. Something I'm hesitant about in that my children really need to have friends that share the same principals and standards. Some would say, "MOVE TO UTAH" but um... no. And no offense to my friends that live there. It's a little too homogenized for my liking. I mean, hey-lo! I live in Seattle and here there is such a diverse community here! Anyway, Boo needs girlfriends in her Primary class that live close and that attend the same school. It would help her out in a lot of ways. (Utah peeps? If you feel I'm wrong, tell me why. But don't be mean or defensive about it. Okay?)
Another place I'd like to live is... well, HERE! Seattle! But in a house. It's just too darn expensive here though. Besides, it's just time for my family to go on a new adventure. (Benefit of living in WI is they would help us get a house!)
There you have it folks. The reality of it all is... we'll move to wherever Hero gets a job. Which is another challenge... do we just pick up and move to the area of our choice and take the risk/chance that he'll be better able to be employed? Or do we just keep waiting and keep applying for those out-of-state positions? Even offering to not ask for relocation costs? Decisions! Decisions! Hopefully, we'll receive inspiration soon. And employment. Can't forget that! ha!
6 comments:
Good luck with finding a job! I hope, no matter where you go, you will keep up the blog!
I would sorely miss you if you moved out of state. As it is, we don't see each other nearly enough but I hope and pray you go where you need to and that a job is found soon. It's tough being in between. And yeah, I'm not a fan of UT either. ;)
I hear that a lot from people about the Utah thing, and I never understood it. But I think it's because I live in Southern Utah. St. George specifically is so different than the rest of Utah. It's a lot more divers (though not as diverse as Seattle) and just a completely different atmosphere than the rest of it. I lived in Provo for a year and couldn't handle the community there.
Thanks for the shout out - I'd love for you to live closer to me, too. But I totally get where you're coming from. I wouldn't snub Utah just yet, though. I thought that for sure I'd be in "Utah-Mormon" territory being out there on that slope of Wyoming. All the people in my ward were transplanted from Utah or Idaho. But they were THE BEST people I have ever met and it was THE BEST ward I've ever lived in.
I agree with you - go where the job is. That's what we've done and so far so fine. :)
I live in Utah. I love Utah. I love the dry air. I love the CONSTANT sunshine. I love having four strong and distinct seasons (though I think winter outstays its welcome by leaps and bounds). I love the canyons and the skiing. I do miss Washington sometimes, but not on a daily basis.
Am I a 'Utah Mormon'? No. Do I know 'Utah Mormons'? Yes, plenty. They are the ones who give Utah a bad rep. There isn't as much diversity in ethnicity or religions here in "Happy Valley" (Utah County), but there is plenty in SLC! I know a few very ignorant people who know nothing but Mormonism, however, I also know many more people who are highly educated about world cultures and religions. I work on a faculty that hails from 4 different continents and speak many different languages.
When raising my kids, I appreciated the safe environment of the community. That isn't a Mormon or a Utah phenomenon, but my bro-in-law from Florida did make the comment at my son's little league game (oh, many years ago now) that coming to Utah County felt like stepping back to the 1950's in terms of family and child safety. Not long after that they decided to move here to start their own family. It also makes me feel a bit better about my daughter dating in high school to know that many of her dates have been raised with the same values about abstinence, both in drinking and sex. And her non-Mormon dates understand her values, too, without her having to go into details.
So, there you go. My conversion to living in Utah. I looked down on Utah and thought the same as you do for all of my life. I was proud to live in Seattle, loved the diversity, and pitied landlocked people (and thought Utah was the last place on earth that I would EVER be). I resigned myself to living here when I fell in love with and married a local boy while I was a student at BYU... then came to fall in love with it after all... despite all the 'Utah Mormons'!
Whew! That was long winded. The truth of the matter is, home is where ever your family is. You can find happiness ANYWHERE... so long as you are together! <3 ya girlie!
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