The Move

The day after Trent graduated we were off on a new adventure!  We left our hotel at 8 am, there were so many people that came to mean so much to us while we were there that I couldn't leave without saying goodbye.  We said our goodbyes and were on the road by noon.

Back in October we had been offered housing on post at Fort Carson.  The house was pretty new, it was a duplex style, had a 2 car garage, 2000 sqft of living space, 4 bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms.  We were so excited!  We didn't think we'd be able to get on post housing as the waiting list was about 6 months long. We were offered housing two weeks after being put on the waiting list.  A few weeks after we got offered a house I started to feel really uneasy about living on post at Fort Carson.  I don't know why, but I just did.  I pulled up the website that had our current house layout and square footage listed and then compared it to the layout and square footage of the house we were offered.  The bedrooms were all up stairs, and were much much bigger than what we were currently in.  Although we were in a 5 bedroom house, so none of the kids had to share a room, and we had a basement (ghetto as it was) that we used as a playroom and for storage.  We wouldn't have that in the new house.  Carter and Hunter would have to share a room, so all of their toys would have to be in their room too.  The bedrooms were no longer looking much bigger.  Then there was the downstairs. It wasn't much bigger (according to the layout with the numbers on it) than our current family room/kitchen. The kitchen in the new house looked a bit smaller too.  I was already in a tight kitchen (although I had TONS of cupboard space).  Going to a smaller kitchen, that opened right into the family room/dining room, with no other space for kids to play in did me in.  I couldn't even think of living in such a tight space with 4 kids on top of me ALL THE TIME as there was no other place for them to play other than their rooms which would be now filled with their toys that were currently residing in our basement.  So we started to look for houses in the surrounding communities.

 I didn't know a thing about Colorado Springs or Fort Carson, but with a good friends help I knew where to live and where to not live (she also assured me I'd love it here...I'm still waiting for that to happen :) ).  So the hunt for a house began.  We were trying to keep it under $1400 per month.  There were many many options for a 3 bedroom home, fewer for a 4 bedroom house, and much much less for a 5 bedroom house.  I wouldn't say I'm too picky, especially since we'd only be there for just over a year, but there were a few things that are non negotiable in my eyes. At least 4 bedrooms, 5 was preferable. Kitchen has to be workable, I spend a LOT of time in the kitchen, it needs to be big enough to accommodate all our things and have plenty of counter space to work on. Size of the home was important too.  No less than 2000 sqft.  We were currently living in 1600 sqft (5 bedrooms 2 bathrooms) and it was TIGHT. Although, that 1600 sqft didn't include the basement, which had the laundry room and a play area and more roaches that I care to count. More than one living space, so a basement family room or a living room and a family room.  Air conditioning.  There must be air conditioning.  I was so surprised at how many homes didn't have air conditioning.  I'm not from the area, but I assumed that the climate is much like UT.  There will be some pretty warm summer months and without and AC we'd roast.  A yard for kids to play in was a must.  And the commute was pretty important to me too. I don't want Trent to spend a ton of time in the car driving to and from work each day.  He doesn't like that and we'd rather have him home with us. So no more than 10 miles away from post.  That's it, that was all our must haves.

We got with a realtor in Colorado Springs and she sent us a list of homes to check out. We looked through it and quickly eliminated most of them, no AC was the biggest offender and some of the yards were really weird.  Trent was very anxious for us to find a house to move into, have it before we got there.  I was happy to search for a home once we got there. I emailed a few of the houses that we liked and quickly learned a few things.  First, there are many rental agencies that will not rent sight unseen. Second, houses rent FAST.

We were moving right before Christmas. We had a few different plans floating around.  We could either go straight to UT, spend a couple of days there and leave right after Christmas.  Or we could come to CO and find a house and then go to UT.  We really weren't sure.

Then one day as I was looking though a new list of houses that was sent to us I came across one that I had seen on Trulia.  There was only one picture and it was a picture of the house.  It was 2500 sqft.  5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3 car garage, 1 year old, less than 10 miles from post, and only $1375.  And it was really pretty!  So we sent the relator an email asking to see if she could get more pictures for us.  She emailed us back and said she had contacted the rental agency and that they had 4 showings the next day and that it would be rented so we shouldn't even try to go for that one.

We were totally discouraged.  We loved the look of that house.  Later that night I had a though.  Surely there is some way to apply for the house online without even seeing it.  When I got up the next morning I set out to find out how to apply for the house.  I found an online application.  I filled it out and sent it in.  I sent the agency an email saying that I knew there was an application fee but I was out of state and asked how the best way to get them that fee would be.  I was really hoping they'd tell me there was a way to pay it on line, but I did offer to overnight a check to them.  They got right back to me, there was a way to pay it on line!  So I paid, and not even an hour later I got a phone call from the office manager. She wanted to know if I could get them the deposit that day, if I could the house was ours and she'd cancel the showings that were later in the day.  I could not believe it! Just like that we got a house, one we both really really wanted.  So I paid the deposit on line and the next day we signed the lease agreement. This was the first week of December.  We'd have a house for us when we arrived in CO.

The ONLY picture we saw before renting

We were able to arrange with the driver of our household goods to meet us on the 22nd of December at the house.  We got there with the keys to the house about 5 minutes before he did.  We left San Antonio Saturday afternoon, Dec 20th.  Drove for almost 10 hours before we stopped for the night, then arrived in Colorado Springs on Sunday Dec 21st in the early afternoon.  We got the keys to our house at 8am the next morning and met all our stuff just before 9am.  We unloaded the truck and left the very next morning for UT to spend Christmas there.

the agent was kind enough to take a few pictures for us when she pulled the for rent sign down

Leaving San Antonio was really hard.  I never thought I'd say this but I came to really really love it there.  I would have stayed if there was a phase II site there.  Although we heard they were opening a phase II site there for the next class there wasn't one currently there. Our bishop heard about that and decided he'd look into it.  He is the reserve liaison on Fort Sam and knows all the right people.  He asked Trent one day how serious he was about wanting to stay at Fort Sam.  Trent told him he didn't feel right staying there when other families were being split up, dual military families with one spouse stationed at Fort Sam and the other having to go somewhere else for phase II for example.  He felt that if those spots opened up they should go to those people first.  I agreed, no matter how much I wanted to stay there.

We had the most wonderful neighborhood.  So many friends!  We miss them all so much.  Our housemates were the most amazing people anyone could ask for.  We were SO blessed!  At any given time there were kids in our yard playing, I loved it.  There was always a friend to play with and a friend for me to talk with.

We LOVED our little ward (church congregation)!!  I was teaching the 14-18 year old Sunday School class and I absolutely loved it.  It was the best hour of my entire week.  What amazing youth they are.  Trent was working with the Young Men as the 1st counselor in the Young Men's Presidency. The boys really loved him.  Many asking when we were coming back, asking why we had to go.  Some even suggested that I say and he go.  We love those kids!  I am always amazed at how much I grow to love the people I am serving.  I still find myself praying for my kids.  I miss them every week I go to church and I don't get to see them. Our ward was pretty small, usually less than 100 members in attendance on Sunday.  So it was really easy to get to know them and truly get to love them.

LOVE my kids!!

Our new ward is HUGE, well over double what we left. It is so easy to get lost in all the faces. The second week we were there we were extended callings.  Trent was called to the cub scout committee and I was called into nursery. I have never turned down a calling before, never have I wanted to so badly before now.  I spend all my waking hours with toddlers, being able to step away from that and talk with adults is something I really look forward to. Getting to know other people in our ward will be very difficult now as I don't get to interact with anyone other than 18 month-3 year olds, I may have cried. :)  But if that is where I am needed then that is where I will serve.  And I just have to keep reminding myself that we'll only be here for a year. :)

So, the house..... We were super excited to have a house to move into.  We weren't going to have to spend time house hunting with 4 kids, we could get our stuff and unpack some and then head to UT for Christmas. We walked into the house and the kids take off to explore.  First thing I hear "MOM THERE'S A MOUSE IN THE TUB!" Shut the front door.  There is a dead mouse in the downstairs tub. Grose. Upon closer inspection I notice dried pee on the toilet seat. Gag!  Everywhere I looked I saw filth. The floors were vacuumed, but not cleaned.  There was still trash along the baseboards. There was a dog house in the back yard, dog blankets, and so much dog poop that the movers wouldn't go back there.  They took our outside stuff though the house. There was mouse poop in the kitchen pantry.  Hair in the bathroom drawers.  Dried crusty stuff in the fridge. Oh and the dishwasher, so nasty! Walls were dirty. Blinds were gross. Toilets had to be cleaned before anyone could use them!! Cleaners still sitting in the shower. A jock strap in a closet. Two vacuums in the garage.  A desk. An entertainment center left behind. Other random things left in the garage. I was totally overwhelmed.  Not only did I have a house to unpack but now I had a house to clean!  I know that when I leave this house it is going to have to be spotless or I'll be charged for it.  Moving into a nasty house was not in the plans.

some of the yucky mess

I did the only thing I could think of.  I called the management company and explained the situation.  They were very good to me, she said they'd send out their cleaning crew to clean as soon as they could. The owners had just moved out and they don't check the houses after owners move out. Unfortunately the cleaners couldn't come till the next day. So we got no unpacking done before we left for UT.  There was NO way I was going to unpack in a nasty house.  We got beds set up, laundry done and that was all I was willing to do.  If the weather hadn't been stormy I would have left for UT as soon as the movers were done unloading the truck at noon. But it was snowing. So we stayed in our gross house for a night and left at 8am the next morning.  As we were pulling out of the driveway the cleaning crew showed up.  I jumped out of the car to show them exactly what I wanted done. I must have looked crazy complaining about a dirty house, but we had cleaned it some and it didn't look too bad anymore.

We got back from UT late on the 1st of January.  Our 9 hour drive took us 13 hours because we hit snow 2 hours outside of Denver in the Mountains. Then we crawled along the freeway for HOURS.  The kids were really good in the car, however, Andrew HATES the car now and he used to love it.

We spend all day on Friday (Jan 2nd) unpacking the kitchen. The house has a few unexpected flaws.  The kitchen is small, not nearly as many cupboards as our last house and the dining room is in the kitchen, much like the small apartments we used to live in.  There is not a single linen closet in the house.  Who builds a new house with no linen closest?!  But we really like it otherwise. (maybe when the house is clean I'll take pictures of it)

I got the kids enrolled in school the following Monday.  Surprised to learn that they aren't bused to school.  The school is a mile on foot away (2 miles round trip), driving is closer to 3 miles away as there are no roads that go through the neighborhoods.  We walk to school on nice days.  Hunter asked all that first week we were here 'did you find my school yet?'  I didn't know if I was going to find a preschool for him or not, but I did.  The school district has a preschool. They've converted an elementary school into a preschool, so there are about 20 preschool classrooms.  He just goes two days a week for 3 hours, he LOVES it.

We are all adjusting well to CO. The weather is very bipolar.  Freezing cold and snowy, then two days later it's 60 degrees. We've been able to get out and explore the area which has been really fun.  The kids are making friends in the neighborhood, at school, and at church.  Trent is doing well in his rotations and really enjoying it too.  We miss TX every day, especially our dear friends there.  We hope we get to go back and visit soon!!