Our California Adventure

I slipped out of our crowded hotel room this morning while it was still dark. The girls and Jon were sound asleep, but I couldn’t lie still for another second.

I drove to a nearby trailhead in Southern California, and as the sun rose, I hiked back through the mountains. The path winded through a peaceful valley with sloped canyons, lush meadows, and blackened tree trunks. I crossed over a trickling stream and hiked back into the open wilderness. Fresh air! After a hectic week of packing and traveling, it was a treat to have some quiet time.

What are we doing in California? Good question. We’re still sorting it out. After a whirlwind job hunt last month, Jon was offered a position at an animation company in a mountain village called Topagna, northwest of Los Angeles. Four days after he flew back from Berlin, we packed up the truck and got back on a plane to fly west.

We’ve found a great townhome to rent in the San Fernando Valley, but it’s not available until March 11th so the four of us are living in a hotel for a couple of weeks, pretending that we’re on a camping adventure. It’s definitely an adventure.

Everything we own is on a truck right now, headed toward the West Coast with my Dad. Most of our things have been in storage for the past two years as we’ve lived in several different states (and Germany), but Jon’s new job is permanent and we’re signing a ten-month lease.

Ten months seems like forever. It’s strange to think that we won’t have to move again for almost a year. What will I do with all my free time? I’m hoping to take a few more walks through the California mountains. Play with my girls in the warm sunshine. Get involved with a local church. And start on my next novel.

No wonder why I can’t sleep….