Texas bound

Written a few months ago
Many people will be shocked to hear last fall we made the decision to move to Texas. Cody and his twin brother had a wonderful opportunity to buy Kip's father in laws practice in Austin Texas. We haven't been able to share this with many people because of our dental practice in Arizona. We didn't want it to hurt our business until the dentist buying it could take over. Needless to say, many prayers, lots of faith, blessings and anxiety of the unknown have been present in our lives the last 6 months. I know this is what is right for our family, even though there have been many tears some days over this decision. I never do well with change and the unknown of big changes always scares me, even if its a good thing. I'm doing a little better, but with being pregnant, selling our home and practice, building a home in Texas, and anticipating all the changes for my children I get a little overwhelmed some days. I feel very blessed though for my best friends Stephanie and Lorrie, and my sister in law Kajsa who have helped me out so much during this time:) not sure what I would've done without them!! Their advice, help, and encouragement have meant the world to me. It's never easy making a big life change, but I'm grateful to my Heavenly Father for placing good people in my life that help keep my perspective where it should be:)
Some days it seems unreal that we will really be making our home in Texas. There are days I feel excited, positive, and optimistic about this move, and then there are days where I feel sad, unsure, and anxious how this new adventure will be. I've loved the people in Arizona, our home, and the closeness of being by so much family. When we moved to Arizona I felt many of the same feelings I'm feeling right now about moving to Texas, and we've been very happy in Arizona. I know it will be the same way in Texas. The spirit is letting me know this is what is best for our family, it's a beautiful place to live, we will get to be by Kip and Kajsa whom we love so much, the schools are good, and the opportunity for my husband and his twin brother to work together in a great practice is priceless. Yet there are days that are hard, overwhelming, and scary to pick up and leave a place that has been so wonderful for our family. We've put so much blood, sweat and tears into building our practice, and we feel blessed to be able to sell it to a great friend and dentist, and move forward. But when you have worked so hard to get something started, it is a little bitter sweet to leave it. When Cody graduated from dental school we felt very strongly about Arizona! We have grown spiritually, emotionally, and physically as a couple and family. I feel like it was a place that prepared us for the next big chapter in our lives. I have no idea what this next chapter holds, but one thing I know is that our Heavenly Father is with us and aware of us on the journey. Life has taken us many unexpected places, but every place it's taken us we've grown to love, and met wonderful people. I think it's the people, and friendships I miss the most with each move. That is one good thing about technology:)
I'm thankful to a good husband who is always there to love, reassure, and let me know we are on this journey together. I'm glad I have him :)
We had a neat experience trying to find our home in Texas. The last few months I've been very prayerful about where we need to live, and finding a place that is best for my children. We found a home that we loved online, and Kip and Kajsa checked it out for us and told us what a nice home it was. We made an offer because I would be flying to Texas a few days later, and we could still back out if we chose to. I got to the home, and I knew it wasn't the right one for my children. It was beautiful, and in a great neighborhood, but I knew it was not the right home. I started to stress because there were not very many options for homes at that time. We looked for 2 straight days from 9 am to 9 pm at night! I found a floor plan that I absolutely loved but it wasn't in the right neighborhood, and the same floor plan in another neighborhood was way out of our price range. I was stuck on this floor plan and loved it so much, so I was sad I couldn't find it in the right neighborhood. I decided to make an offer on a home in the same neighborhood Kip and Kajsa were building in. It was nice, had enough space, and would be ready to move in before the baby came in August. I asked the builder before making the offer if they had anything else in the beginning stages of being built. He replied that they had 1 home started and only the foundation had been poured. He showed me the home plan, and it was the floor plan I loved so much in the other neighborhood!!! He said he could build it for the price we needed to stay within! I was soo happy!! I knew it was the right home immediately!! I then asked him where the home was located in the neighborhood. He said, "well, it's actually right next door to your husbands twin brothers home that is being built!"
Everyone was so excited and we couldn't believe how things were working out! It was clear this was where we were supposed to live! It was a neat experience:)
Ashley