What Would Matt Do

(this post goes out to one Cap’n John. Keep on keeping on, my friend.)

Well, I made it. I did leave FL, even on the day I said I would (early March). I got up, finished loading up my car, said tearful goodbyes to all of my family. Got in the car and drove out. I had my trusty atlas and my iphone and a destination. Just as a note, I think of a lot of this from my perspective, but without the help of everyone involved, Josh and his family, my Mom, my brothers and most especially, my wife, none of this would have happened. To put an even finer point on it, wherever I say “I did this” or “I did that”, I really mean, my wife and I did it. She supported me on everything and listened when I moaned.

The Trip

The atlas and iphone and some clothes were pretty much all I had (and my laptop of course). I didn’t really have a firm plan other than get there and make it work. I did get there, it took about eight days total, but if I was in a big hurry, I could have probably cut a day off. I drove I40 across the states until I ran into California. I saw a lot of states for the first time and couldn’t resist camping in the snow in Flagstaff. You should have seen the look on the KOA guy’s face when I said I just wanted to throw up a tent and didn’t have an RV. He actually had to ask his boss if that was possible. Thankfully she knew how do it and we all chuckled about them not having a non RV camper in ages.

A couple of nights later, after having talked with my sister on the road one night, I was sleeping on a hippie compound in CA. They have a big complex setup there that they rent out and support. My sister has some long lost family there and they offered to put me up for the night. Not only did they do that, they made a delicious breakfast and we all talked the morning away (after I got up butt early and walked the place. It’s all cedar redwood forest on top of a mountain back in the middle of no where). They said don’t forget to check out Whidbey Island while you’re up there and promised to visit.

Stayed at my cousin’s the next night, which was great. Great last stop on the journey. The next day (Monday) I arrived at my friend Josh’s house.

Getting a Job and a Place.

Getting a job turned out to be pretty easy. Much easier than I thought. I had already been sending out resumes, but most people didn’t want to hear from someone that wasn’t already in the state. That was dumb of them, because I was literally applying in three or four states. The day after I got there, a company flew me out (arranged while I was driving across the country) to Idaho for a job interview, put me up for the night and flew me back the next day. Then I interviewed constantly for about 4 days. Had to turn down a couple of offers that were birds in the hand, but I thought I could get better in the bush. I did snag a good one out of the bush and had an offer on the table in about a week after arriving. I started in late March.

I did all of this from my friend Josh’s place. Without him and his lovely family I wouldn’t have been able to even consider doing this. They put me up, helped me eat (I had almost no funds really) and helped in any way they could. Once I got the job, I started driving back and forth from his house to the job, but it was almost three hours each way, so I ended up renting a room in Oak Harbor (south of Anacortes where I got a job and on Whidbey Island).

Then I started the process of trying to find a house (after a couple of paychecks, so I could actually afford it). My wife and I started searching everything we could find. I looked at so many houses! I started to be able to see just from the ad if it was a Facebooked job or I should at least give it a drive by and then maybe a walk through. I was being picky, but I had time and it was necessary. Just about the time we were going to have to settle for a house, we stumbled across a GREAT place in Oak Harbor of all places. Lots of space and some quiet. Can’t wait to move in.

Waiting

Now, for me, it’s just waiting. I’m working and waiting…while my wife and kids finish the packing, sell the car and fly out here (and a million other little things). They will be here in two weeks, right after we get the house. It’s finally happened.

When it’s all said and done, it will have been almost exactly four months to the day since I’ve seen my wife and kids in person. I can’t wait. I’ve always been very aware of how lucky I am to have them, so this wasn’t a wake up call, but more an affirmation of the idea that I belong with them and they belong with me.

Worth it?

Completely and totally. I’m without a lot of stuff I’ve recently taken for granted (volleyball group, D&D group, my extended family, beaches for swimming and so on), but with so much more. I’ve been up the top of the mountains in the Cascades and in the Olympics and climbed the two highest points here in Anacortes. I’ve been to the Oregon Coast and hiking in the foothills in Oregon. I’ve seen so much already. This adventure is JUST starting and I’m incredibly excited.

My faith, that my family and friends and I could work this all out, was greatly rewarded. I’ve got a better job, a better place to live, three or four states to explore, family coming soon, so much to do!

P.S. – probably my last true blog post for awhile. Next up, change the world.