Landed in Salt Lake City, UT May 3, 2013.
We got into Utah at 11pm, friends were waiting to pick us up, we loaded all our crap (minus 1 stroller, story for another time), 2 kids, and 2 dogs into their pickup truck and headed North. We cruised into Idaho Falls, Idaho at 2am. Exhausted we crawled onto couches, and air mattresses and passed out.
I woke up at 6am. I knew we had so much to do in 24hrs before we were on the road again. We cruised Idaho Falls, and surrounding all day Saturday looking for wheels. At 4pm we agreed to disagree, I lost this one and Don got the big diesel truck his heart was set on. I was so exhausted at this point I probably would have agreed to a Jet Airplane if only his credit would allow.
Sunday morning we loaded everything up again, headed to Ririe, Idaho to empty our storage unit. It is amazing how much dust collects in 14 months. We put all that we could into "monster truck" and our rented Uhaul trailer, and hit the road.
200 miles later the poor girls, who just spent 1+ year on a 26 X 8 mile island, wondered if we were ever going to stop driving. We coasted into Bozeman, MT at dusk. Finally we made it.
That was not the end of the adventure....I wish. Don started work the following day, and me and the girls started house hunting...kind of. The "monster truck" was with Don, so I was limited to calls and appointments set for the following day. That evening when Don arrived home, me waiting anxiously to hear about his first day. I greeted him at the door (of yet, another friends home) and was met with a shake of the head, and he mumbled "same shit, different day." Great....he hates it.
The next morning all my appointments from the day before were cancelled due to the places already being rented. So I drove around Bozeman and made new appointments. All I was finding was over priced apartments and contaminated mobile homes. The day ended in stress, and no promising answers. I did have one appointment for a Condo that sounded good, but I suspected that before we could make it Wednesday night it would be rented. Don was assingned to the "420" crew, and his day was brought down a notch. Hate was not a strong enough word. Neither of us said a word to the other, but you could read between us, and we were both thinking: "What the hell have we done."
Wednesday was filled with more time wasting home inspections. We did get to keep the condo appointment. Turns out, after all the "junk" I had seen, it was an awesome place "for a condo". We filled out the application on the spot and crossed our fingers.
Thursday morning after I dropped Don at work in Big Sky....yes lots more driving around for the girls, I was sitting in the Bozeman Burger King, and I got a call from the landlords of condo. They took pity on us and our story....we had a home. Of course it wouldn't be ready for a week, but we had a place to hang our hat.
We moved into the hotel across from my new job Monday morning. Being that I was going to be working nights, with only "Monster Truck" it didn't make sense to be round tripping 4 times a day. This would be the third place we would sleep at in the past week Macy pointed out less than impressed. At least "this one has a pool" she added. And I could walk to and from work. Two days and we had a home I promised, this was the final stretch.
I met the landlord Wednesday at the crack of dawn, signed the contracts and got the keys. I unloaded all our luggage into the garage and was thrilled I wouldn't have to move those bags again for a long time. I took Macy to school and began moving our things for the 3rd time from our friends shop. Finally our new adventure in Belgrade, MT could begin.
And now it's over, we're moving again. THE END
I could leave ya hangin'....but that would be mean.
So long story short. We hated our jobs. I worked 34 hrs in two and a half days. I am exhausted, and although my children are not in daycare, they are being attended to by a ZOMBIE! Don is working as a Journeyman carpenter, he took the job to get him back into the states. He knew thought it was a stepping stone, ...it just turned out to be a stepping bog.
Last week, outta the blue Don gets a call for an interview from a company in Spokane, WA. One of our many applied resumes had been found, and they were really interested in Don. Even more so when they found out he was no longer in the USVI, but right next door in BIG SKY country. They called again the next day and scheduled a phone interview for the following week. We couldn't stop thinking about it all weekend. Trying so hard not to get our hopes up. I was so excited, but on the second hand I didn't know if I should unpack, or start packing.
Phone interview was last night. Prayers were answered, they love him and are really excited to meet him. The owner of the company is coming down Friday and Don is meeting him in Butte, MT. If it all goes well he will be a new member of their team as a Working Superintendent!!!!
The best part....the project they are starting him on is in...IDAHO FALLS, ID. Then the next one is in Rexburg, potential one in Pocatello. Apparently they do a lot of commercial construction in SE Idaho.
Of course we hung the pictures on the walls this past weekend. That always cinches things, right? So I guess I'll stop unpacking. I can't complain, we love Montana, but Idaho is home. Funny thing, if you let yourself you really are guided in life. Not always in the direction you are expecting, but you will be led to water you just have to be willing to drink.
SO....I guess we are not done moving. Please if you've been praying for us, keep it up. I would never turn it down, and this ain't final yet. I always do the same for all of you!!
