The Big News....

Yes, I think I'm ready to announce the news. Maybe I'm not 'ready', but I think it needs to be told. It has been a really hard week for me, many tears and sick stomaches, and I hate to say that those probably won't go away for a while.
Chuck and I have made the decision to accept a job offer that was offered to him. It will require us to move 2 states away......to..........Colorado. I think we both knew that this was the decision we needed to make, but the tears and sick stomaches come from announcing this to our family and friends. We haven't been able to tell ALL our friends yet, as we think this news needs to be told in person, and I pray that none of them read this blog without my knowing it! :)
I think everyone understands what home builders/contractors are going through at this time in the economic world, and Chuck is just one of many, many people that are affected by it. When I saw the downward spiral that seemed to be happening before our eyes, I urged Chuck to scope out different job options, honestly not thinking that it would move us away. He came to me, out of the blue, to tell me that he had been applying on-line to a bunch of different jobs. Out of those, one company called him. It is very eerie how everything just fell into place, and he just felt like he knew everyone at this company. We prayed that God would give us some sign as to what to do....and boy, did He deliver. It was like a slap in the face. Everywhere we went, something was mentioned about Colorado...and even one time (which was the final sign, we think) we were driving in the car talking together secretly about what we should do, the song "Rocky Mountain High" from John Denver came on the radio. We laughed until we cried 'cause we knew.
Yes, it has been hard to tell the kids. Allison refused to talk about it for a couple weeks, and now has seemed to accept it, and has even looked on-line at high schools in the area. Ashley, at first, was excited. But I think lately it has really hit home, and she's really having a tough time. She tries to be so strong for us, and has said that it will probably be the hardest thing she ever has to do in her life, but she knows that it's best for the family and will go without a fight. Is that the sweetest thing, or what? Tanner just wants to get there and start snow-boarding, but I don't think it has hit him that it's not just a vacation. Mitch is sad, he says, and he's a little nervous about the mountain lions in Colorado. :)
Slowly, but surely, I think we'll get excited....I hope. This is a great oportunity for Chuck, and more security for our family. I'm very excited to have a steady income that we didn't have while Chuck owned his own businesses over the years. Just to be able to budget!
So, the low-down is:
We are traveling to Colorado over spring break to get Chuck settled in an apartment. The kids and I will be returning on our own to finish out the school year and, hopefully, sell this house. I'll try not to post depressing or stressed out messages in the near future, but I will be both, probably. :)
I'll post more on the subject later, gotta go run kids around!