It's hitting me hard

I look around at the first house Jon and I bought together, where we brought both of our babies home to, and I get a little teary eyed. Slowly our family photos are coming down and boxes are being filled with our memories. The emotional attachment I have to this house is becoming more apparent each day of the moving process and this weekend I realized just how much I'm going to miss my friends. I keep having to remind myself that we are only going to be gone for ten months and that my weepiness is just me being over dramatic. Then, I look at Jack. The water works start. We are leaving him behind with my parents. I'm going to miss him so much. I've had him longer than I've been married and although his place on the totem pole is pretty low these days, due the the kids being born, he is still a big part of this family. He isn't going to understand why we aren't taking him. But again I remind myself, we will be back. It's only ten months. I'm going to have to repeat that to myself about twenty times a day, I think.

"To the Lakes of Minnesota"

From the Hills of Tennessee...okay, that's a little backwards but it works. We are very excited to announce we are moving to Minnesota for a little while!!! That's right folks, the Andersons are outta here! Jonathan got a great career opportunity that will take us to Owatonna, MN for 10 months of training before starting a new job with Federated Insurance. We plan to leave June 12th for our 15hr road trip north.
I have to say I was extremely nervous at first about the move. 982 miles is a long way to go with two small children. We know absolutely no one there and know absolutely nothing about the area. But now I look at it as an adventure. I'm really excited to live in a place that I would have never dreamed about living. I'm excited that it's just going to be us and I look forward to meeting people from all over the country. Owatonna is where Federated sends all their new hires for training. Whether you are from Knoxville, TN or Austin, TX when you get hired with Federated you train in Owatonna.
Of course I am going to miss my family and friends so much. Plane tickets aren't cheap and we are going to get homesick fast. Not to mention we are taking our kids from everything they know. Laney will turn one in Minnesota. I keep joking that she is going to have a norther accent when she gets back! It's going to be a wild ride, but we are so very ready for it! I plan, of course to blog the entire time we are there so everyone back home can keep up with us. Skype will help things too. We may have to adjust our phone plans though or we will be going over on our minutes every month!
We are so blessed to have this opportunity; it seems like everything is falling into place. Please keep us in your prayers as we start this journey!