Setting Out On Our Big Adventure

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind. Nick returned from a month long working stint in Alaska on August 13th, just two days before my sisters wedding. We spent the next two days celebrating with E (my sister) and Sergio (her now-husband). It was a wonderful two days, filled with family and friends, laughing and crying and the most beautiful wedding I have ever seen. Sunday was spent saying good-bye to our Church family. Next was a day and half for Nick & I (and Jericho) to have some special bonding time. Then it was onto Monday afternoon when we began the craziness of packing up an entire house, selling furniautre, deciding what to store, what to bring and what to give away. Our deadline was Friday night as we needed to be on the road Saturday morning to head to Southern California.

While Nick was in Alaska we prayed, talked and then decided that we were a family, a family that was meant to be together. The job opportunity that Nick has right now, is a travelling job, so we decided we would go with him. It was not an easy decision to leave home, our family, our Church family & friends, but we wanted to be together. We are crazy, we know it. We have five children, 7 and under, dedided to pack everything we need into Nick's cargo van and we go carvaning down the highway. We will stay in most places 5-6 weeks, but it could be longer or shorter, just depends on the job.

So Saturday morning we left, our goal was to make it to Lompoc (about 1 hour north of Santa Barbara) where Uncle Bobby lives. It is a 9 1/2 hour drive WITHOUT stopping. Well we had to stop, if I remember correctly we stopped 4 times. It ended up taking us 12 1/2 hours. It was a long driving day!

Sunday we woke up hung out a bit, went to breakfast and then set out on the last two hours of our drive to Oxnard, CA. The drive was beautiful. Through Santa Barbara, along the coast, Ventura Beaches, just amazing.

We had an awesome family evening of a picnic dinner, playing on a pirate playground and walking along the beach. Sunday night we stayed in a hotel in Oxnard. We planned on beginning our search for an apartment or Extended Stay on Monday.

Due to a huge miracle, we found an amazing apartment...it was the first place we looked at and it was just perfect. Two bedrooms, one bath, furnished, rented by the week (which we need as we could be moved at any time), attached to a beautiful inn in a small town about 15 miles from Oxnard, so we have a pool, get clean towels and sheets as often as we need them.

Since then we have spent our time exploring Santa Paula, Ventura & Oxnard, visiting beauul parks, figuring out how to let Nick sleep (he works nights) and spending each afternoon by the pool.