This month marks two years since we decided to move from California to Arizona. I can’t believe I have been here for almost two years. This month also happens to be 14 years since my sweetheart asked me to marry him. When we got engaged the deal was matching Halloween costumes every year and he had to promise to always dance with me. And I believe lessons were mentioned as well. We both wanted to stay in California. We grew up in Orange County and lived here all our lives. All our family was there. We had no reason to ever want to leave the great weather, warm beaches, or amazing stake (location of our church group). But Heavenly Father sometimes has a different plan than we do.
It started with a notice from our property manager. We got a notice that we had 60 days to move. We were shocked. We immediately started looking for places in our stake, preferably our ward. We wanted a garage and we needed good parking for my hair clients. There wasn’t a ton of options, but we knew The Lord had a place for us. Half joking Grady suggested we move to Arizona. A month or two earlier we spent the weekend there to take our family through the Gilbert Temple Open House. We wanted our children to be able to go inside a temple and feel the spirit. I told my husband no way. He left for work for the day while I was on the computer.
I looked up houses in Arizona just out of curiosity. But while I was looking at them I felt peace. I totally surprised Grady when he came home when I told him I think we needed to move there. He was getting ready to pack for a weekend away volunteering as a chaperon for a Kiwanis Conference with High School kids. It was also General Conference weekend. He suggested we take the weekend, pray about it, and listen to conference and pray about it when he got home. I told him I don’t think so. I can’t have this weighing on me all weekend. We needed to pray about it now.
And we did. And we both felt peace. We couldn’t believe it. Us? Live in Arizona? But we knew The Lord had answered our prayer and it was where our family was suppose to be. We had expressed our concerns with raising our kids in an area that would help them draw close to The Lord while praying. The youth program is really amazing in Huntington Beach. But The Lord knows our kids and what is best for them.
Now we had to tell our family. Grady flew back Sunday afternoon so we could attend my girlfriends beautiful wedding. Grady’s parents watched our kids while we headed to the ceremony. Another girlfriend at the wedding joked about how crazy mormons are in Utah. She was telling her boyfriend that we were “California Mormons”. Grady and I just exchanged glances. I wanted to tell her about our huge decision but it wasn’t the right time.
We drove home and told our kids. We talked about the beginning of the Book of Mormon when Lehi receives revelation that he should take his family and leave into the wilderness. They were on board. And totally trusted The Lord that we were suppose to move. Then we had to tell our parents. That was harder. And it was especially hard to tell my mom. My grandma had just passed away a week earlier. Now we would be moving her only grandkids out of state. Grady’s parents said we could stay with them for part of June so our boys could finish up their school year.
Now we just needed a job for Grady and then a place to live.
But sometimes things get harder. A couple weeks later we were told our baby girl Georgiana had Osteopetrosis. And if she was going to make it she need to find a donor and get a bone marrow transplant. Our doctors were surprised when we told them our desire to move. They did want they could to get things ready for our transplant in Arizona. We were referred to a doctor at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. We scheduled a bone marrow biopsy to see if she matched her brothers.
And everyone asked if we were still moving. We said of course. The Lord knew about her diagnosis before we did. Our world had changed, but His view hadn’t.
And Grady’s job search wasn’t going very well. He was having the hardest time finding a job. But this gave us an opportunity to share our testimony.
When we told people such as teachers, principals, doctors, friends, strangers, etc., that we were moving to Arizona they would usually ask,
“Did your husband get a job?”
“No, but he’s looking for one now””
“Do you have family in Arizona?”
“Uh, no. Actually all our family is here.”
“Do you have a place to live?”
“Nope. Still working on that one too.”
“Have you ever been to Arizona?”
“Once. In February for the weekend…”
“You’ve never been there in the summer?”
“Nope!”
“Then why are you moving?”
And then we would tell them about prayer and how we believe that The Lord told us to. We had lots of chances to share our testimony. Draco and Gandalf would straight up tell people, “The Lord told our family to move to Arizona so we are moving.” And because Grady didn’t get a job until the last minute we had lots of opportunities to share our testimony with others. I knew he would find a job. The Lord wouldn’t send us here with out providing a way for us to get a place. And within a week we were able to find a home to rent.
Now there was some stress with trying to make sure we chose the home The Lord wanted for our family. And He picked the perfect place for us. Moving is never easy. And our life isn’t without trials. But The Lord knows what is best for us. And I am thankful for the chance to show our children that we are willing to go wherever The Lord wants us. And thankfully He sent us to a beautiful area with great schools and shopping. We really love it here. I do, of course, miss my family and friends. The kids miss their grandparents and cousins. But luckily it’s only a 7 hour drive.
And just last month we were able to purchase a new home. The Lord has blessed us so much. My husband LOVES his job. He works for an amazing company! We now have a pool and our own place. Our kids attend a great school and I can see how our lives will be blessed living here. And my favorite part of the story was a week before we moved out here we got a call from the lab and were told our daughter did NOT have Osteopetrosis. She is healthy, growing, and the light of our lives.
Have you ever had the chance to test your faith and move someplace else? If so, please leave a comment below. And don’t forget to follow me on Instagram to see pictures of our new place.
