2016 was quite a year for us. We started the year in California. Malibu, Santa Monica, and then north to Northridge, CA. The months flew by and before we knew it we were planning a trip back "home" for the summer. Our hopes were that Levi could get work close to home in Washington while we waited for the arrival of our lovely new Mr.H. That didn't quite go as planned and he ended up working about 8 hours from home over in Seattle area. He liked it there, but before to long he was dragging up at the beginning of September to come home and wait patiently for the arrival of the new babe. September 7th, came and as quickly as the rest of them Hendrix Clay slipped into the world adding another precious little boy to our family.
We were blessed to spend the next few days and weeks with our family surrounding us, but before to long it was time to hit the road again. And back to California dreaming we went! When Hendrix was two weeks old we took off and headed back to SoCal. The books moved fairly quickly and Levi was able to take a call a few days after we arrived. Little did we know this was where all of the fun for the next few months would start.
After being settled for a bit in the trailer we decided since we were planning on staying in southern California for the next year or so that we might as well rent a house and see how we would like living in California "permanently." So we did! We found a cute little rental that was pretty central to job locations and we moved on in. Little did we know that this year was the completely wrong year to be stuck in southern California without a job. Levi got layed off at the end of November, and the work books loaded on up placing Levi 200+ spots until he would get a call out for a job. We sat patiently and waited hoping for the books to open up and something come available, but it just wasn't happening.
While we waited, Levi took a couple of vacations and signed the books in other states just to see if something else would come up before California opened up. He signed in Washington, Oregon, Northern California, and even a few states towards the east coast. More weeks passed without even 1 call to turn down. After this much time had passed we were back to the drawing board.
Beginning of January came, hello 2017! While we had a home full of visitors Levi took a call in Portland Oregon on a Friday. Sunday morning he headed out bright and early to make the 16 hour drive to work on Monday. He showed up, loved the area and the work... so guess what, we packed it all up and moved again!
Since Levi took the call in Oregon, he is not able to keep his name on the books down in California, so with this happening he would of had no chance at all in getting a call out of southern California until probably late spring. That would have been another 3+ months without work, so this was the only thing that made sense for us as a family at the time. And yes me and the kids could have stayed in California while Levi worked up here, but double living expenses and a 16 hour time difference between us just isn't what we do as a family.
I used the two weeks that Levi was gone working in Oregon to get rid of all of the household furnishings, pack back up the trailer and be ready to hit the road with our lifeline of a trailer packed behind us.
Lesson learned... no house buying for us in California... that has been crossed off of our list!
The road trip to Oregon was pretty uneventful. We took our time with a 4 month old who wants nothing to do with his car seat made a 16 hour trip turn into 48 hours. It was a LONG trip! But we made it. As of the end of January we are now happily settled in Oregon just outside of Portland.
It is beautiful here and reminds us a lot like "home." Levi is enjoying work everyday even if he does have to work in the rain (sorry love.)
Its been a little bit of an adjustment getting our 400 sq ft to work in the trailer again. Three kiddos sure do seem to make the walls grow closer, but we are together and honestly that is all that matters.
At this point we have no idea how much longer we are going to do this travelling gig. Our original plan was to be settled by now. 5 years ago I would have laughed at you if you would have told me we would still be living in our trailer with three kiddos. But this is life, and we plan to make the best of it even if we do only have 400 sq ft to work with!
I'm not sure where the road will take us next, we have some checkpoints in mind, but for now we live day by day knowing that our plan and HIS plan coincide and we always end up right where we are meant to be. For now, its Oregon <3
Happy 2017! Here's to another great year full of travels and memories!
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