Packing our Bags and Heading south.

I never thought we'd be moving back to Texas. To be honest, there's a part of me that feels a little humility in the decision. I like that we've had the opportunity to grow up in Denver, on our own. We've been able to lay the foundation for our marriage and get our feet wet as new parents. We bought our first house here, had our first real jobs, and have faced significant challenges. There's a sense of pride in the independence we've held and in all we've accomplished since we've been here. And who can complain when the view from your bedroom windows are the foothills?

When I was pregnant last summer, I told Chris I felt like God was stirring a transition in my heart. I didn't know what it meant, when it would happen, or any of the details; only that something new was coming. Then in the fall we started throwing around the idea of moving, and Texas kept coming up in the conversation. In January, we prayed and fasted about whether we should live closer to Dallas or Austin, and we both felt a tug towards Austin. We sat on the decision for a few months, not wanting to upset or excite anyone unnecessarily. Slowly, over the last few months, we've been trying to tell as many people as we could in person, and now that we've told most everyone face to face that we wanted to, it's time to officially let the cat out of the bag.

So why leave Colorado and why Texas?




We are ready for an adventure. We've had our noses to the grind these last few years with both of us working, being in school, and having Nora. We need a change of scenery and a fresh start to re-establish the kind of life we want. We crave the simple, calm life, and we're looking forward to finding that in Austin. The ultimate goal is to find a house on some land so we can have some space, and maybe a garden and a few chickens.

We also want to be closer to family. After we had Nora last year, the craving for family kind of snuck up on us. We've had family away from home here in Colorado, and we've been surrounded by love and support when we've needed it the most. We can never say thank you enough to those who have been our family and who have loved Nora and us so much. We are looking forward to being near to Chris' family who live outside of Austin, and my family who mostly live outside of Dallas. It'll be such a blessing for Nora to know her family beyond holidays, and we're excited to raising her in the south.

We listed our house on the market July 4th weekend, and we were under contract within 48 hours. We close August 29th, and we hit the road pretty soon after that. Chris will continue to work for CCU since his recruiting territory is Texas, and this will make travel season easier for me and Nora as he will be able to commute home easier than before. Austin has a greater need for nurses than Denver, which will make finding a nursing position easier and less competitive. We'll live with Chris' parents until we can find a house that's right for us, and we're hoping to be in our own space by Christmas time.

We are heartbroken to leave and feel a sense of sadness whenever we think or talk about the move. We are not unhappy here, and this place has been our home for so many years. Colorado will always have my heart, and we plan to make as many trips back as we can. We are excited for something new yet familiar but are sad to say goodbye too.

We have felt and do feel a continual peace throughout this whole process. As the move gets closer and as sadness sets in, we are certain of the decision to move. We know God has good things for us in Austin, and we are anxious to see what life will look like for us once we get settled. 

So if you want to see us before we go, let us know! We want to soak up precious time with people before we leave so let us know if you want to connect. And stay tuned for an announcement to help us pack up that moving truck at the end of the month...We're going to need all the help we can get!

All our love,
Chris, Whitney & Nora (and Chelsper too)