Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Necessary relocation....

It is with heavy heart, my fellow Americans, that I address you with this news:
We're moving to Saint George. [post-update: IN JUNE OR JULY]

Okay, okay, my heart isn't that heavy, but I am a little sad. Okay, really sad. I feel like I just hit my stride! A little late, but still....I really love Cedar City, and I'm really loving my friends here, and I just got two more photography jobs, and I've been working out regularly at the gym, and I love my church calling, and and and.....

And the horrid gas prices are just not working for us. $3.59 a gallon and still climbing? Do you KNOW how much it costs to fill our 20-gallon tank? Never mind--don't do the math, it's ghastly. We've usually been able to make it filling it up just once every two weeks, but I got home on mostly just vapors last night. And Phill has to fill up his little Honda all the time because he's commuting back and forth to Saint George five times a week, and sometimes six or seven if he has drill. That means we are spending at least $250.00 on gas every month [post-update: PHILL AND I RE-CALCULATED. IT'S ACTUALLY MORE LIKE $400.00!!!]. And when you consider that we could get into a rental in Saint George for only a little more than we're paying now, well....the logic is undeniable. This move is really the smartest (and most obvious) option. I don't want to. I don't want to pick up everything and move, and I don't want to worry about the kids adjusting, and I don't want to have to change utilities and go to a new ward and get a different calling and go to a different gym and find friends. Every fiber of my being is really annoyed that this is so necessary! I feel very rebellious and I find that I'm just balking at this every step of the way. I really don't want to.

But on the other hand....here are some pros I've imagined will make this easier:
-We do have two families down there who are some really good friends.
-I will be ridiculously tan. (And we'll just discount the dying-of-heat part)
-It will be an adventure. Hold on. I have to write that again because I don't believe it yet. It will be an adventure.
-We will save on gas.
-I might get steadier photography business down there.
-I can visit Cedar still.
-Shopping is very close by. (But this should also go on the cons list, because shopping close by is temptation close by and I get a little afraid of myself when I walk into Ross.)
-It's fun to arrange furniture and decorate a new place. (Provided that new place is nice and not something scary and weird and dysfunctional.)

Okay. My heart is aching a little bit and this post didn't make me feel as good as I had hoped it would. While I'm making my pros list, my cons list is growing ever-gargantuan in my mind. But because I am used to relocation as a way of life (Hi, I'm an Army man's daughter and I married an Army man), I will do what I've always done and plan, plan, plan until the sad sort of goes away. For at least a minute.

Nope. Not gone yet.

9 comments:

Abby said...

Give it a week and you'll be ready to dive in with both feet. Knowing you, once you start looking at rentals and figuring out school info for Reed and ward info for the family and all that, you'll get super excited. Cedar will always be special - but you can do this!

And what was that about HEAT??? Ahem. Run that one by me again?

Lara Neves said...

WHAT??? NO!!!! When?

You do have to do whatever is best for your family though. We all understand that.

And the heat part is nothing compared to Phoenix. Believe me. :)

Andrea said...

I'd been thinking about you guys recently with the hike in gas prices and the commuting.

The moving part isn't usually fun, and I know you've already gone over (and over) everything, but change can be so good. Just think how jealous all the Cedar City-ites will be during the cold time up here when you're pleasantly warm down there. And, then be grateful for air conditioning the other times. Have you tried the Sand Hollow Aquatic Center? Lots of fun, and cheaper if you're a resident.

Keep us posted on the when.

Pam from Over the Big Moon said...

I couldn't imagine commuting right now and spending all that gas money. We just moved into our new house in Hurricane and it annoys us so much how much our gas bill has gone up and I only go in like 3-5 times a week and my husband everyday and we are only 15 minutes outside town!

Good luck with the move. I'm sure everything will work out great.

Anonymous said...

I can say that I know exactly what you are going through and feeling, I made the biggest move of my life less than a year ago (moving from UT to AZ )and it was so scary, my children handled it better than I did and in the long run I think it has made me a stronger person, it completely took me out of my comfort zone and I had to get over my fear of meeting new people (every one I had to meet was going to be new). I still get sad sometimes but I know it is the plan that was laid out for us.
Put this one on your pros list-NO SNOW!!! and it is absolutly beautiful in St. George.

From My Eyes said...

Crazy!!! As much as it is hard, who knows, great things will come from this adventure!!! We will be sad, but excited for you!!!!

chucknorris said...

:( sorry you feel so crappy. i wouldn't want to move either. hey! you need to email me! :)

Heidi said...

Ouch, ouch, ouch on the gas bill!

Is there such a temperature difference between Cedar City & St. George? I didn't think they were that far apart. I've only briefly visited both and stayed a couple nights but they were both beautiful.

Crystal said...

You'll love SG!!! I miss that place :(