Is he crazy???
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Is he crazy???
Okay, dh retired from the military almost two years ago now. We've lived here in CO for 6 years. We planned on staying here for a while--years. We love it here. Dh called me the other day and asked, "How would you feel about moving to VA?" HUH??? There may be an oppertunity either there or in LA for a job. It would be a great career move for him, but he also may have to deploy, go on temporary assaingments and move every few years again--just like being in the military again! So what did I say??? I told him, "You do what you think you need to do. I'll support whatever you want." ARGH!!! lol There would be a pay raise involved, but if we go to VA we'd need it to afford a house! The houses in LA are better priced, but dh would rather go to VA. OH, boy. It may not even happen, but if he's thinking about this now, there will be more and I'm pretty sure we'll move eventually. What happened to our plans to stay here?!? I asked him if he had an itch and he said no, it's a job oppertunity and job security (it's a GS position--working for the government). What's really crazy is I really don't think I'm that opposed to moving! lol Has the Air Force turned us into vagabonds?!? I know when my brother got out of the Army it took him and his wife years to settle down and stay somewhere longer than a few years. Honestly, we're used to moving every 2-3 years. When we moved into this house a year ago it took me a few months to accept the fact that we'd be here for a while. Oh, what to do, what to do... I guess it's all up to God now. We'll see what happens.
SO, anyone near Langly AFB (Bea!) or Barksdale AFB??? 
Cat, Bea is close to Langly. I live in Va beach, and we are about 30-40 minutes away.Housing prices have gone through the roof around here.
Uh, honey, I've lived in WA, TX, NC, AL, and MD...ain't NO PLACE like COLORADO!!! SO, yes, he's crazy. It's SO expensive to live out east. It's outrageous. Everything about VA is expensive...taxes, real estate, car registration, transportation, etc. Really put everything out there on paper first, if I were you. Most of the time the pay raise isn't really a raise at all. And, it might affect the kids' education in an adverse way. Every kid I had in high school who moved from state to state was behind in school. Always. And, as you well know, deployment ain't easy.
Don't throw tomatoes at me, but I really think it's a bad idea!!!!! 
Crazy??? YES!!! lol You *just* built your house.
After we had been in our house for 1 year (the one we built in Arkansas) PLUS we had just given birth to Blaker's... Dh came home and said 'Are you interested in moving to Germany or England?' I said 'Are you interested in a fat lip?' ;)
I guess your dh is still adjusting to his retirement and probably throwing ideas around... Maybe after he thinks about it for awhile, he'll change his mind. Who knows.
You have to stay in CO long enough for me to come visit you!
Not to mention the market is REALLY hard if you need to sell your home. We're looking for homes and our agent said we could offer whatever they owe on the house and they would probably take it.
And, yes, I need to visit too!!!
In a word, YES! I'm even more surprised that you don't think you're that opposed to moving. I know I'd be thinking "There is no freakin' way I'm leaving my brand-new home" but I've never lived more than 20 miles from my hometown. I'd really, REALLY give it some thought...which I'm sure you'll do.
Now if he was offered a job in Central CA, I'd say move in a heartbeat!!!
As a kid we moved every 2 to 3 years. I went to 4 elementary schools, 3 jr. highs and 3 high schools. It was what I knew, so it wasn't bad. But now as an adult, I have the itch to move every other year. My husband's parents still live in the same house they bought when they were first married. So, my husband just shakes his head. I start nit picking things every 2 years in anticipation of a move. I think you get programed to do so. I guess what I'm saying is I can totally understand the bug to move. Good Luck in your decision and keep us posted
LOL, Conni! I had a spurt where I moved around quite a bit. I lived somewhere else every year for about 7 years or so. Now that I live in a house and have started my family, I'm not moving! My dh was talking about our house, this and that, and mentioned that we might move in a few years. I glared at him and he promptly said, "Or not." lol
As a kid, I did a major move, everytime I reached a year, with a 3 in it. (3, 13, 23, 33). I have now lived in Sheboygan for 14 years and in my house for almost 11. This is the longest I've lived anywhere, in my life! LOL!
I think I would want to stay in Colorado, but if you feel you are up to the adventure, then go to VA. My best friend's daughter went to grad school in Virginia Beach and just graduated this year. She plans to stay in VB, for the time being, to find a job and settle down, since she wants to stay where it's warmer.
Jackie, I knew you were close to Virginia Beach, too. We may be neighbors soon if dh goes for this! lol
Heidi, we've lived in MO, MD (twice!), ME, MT, and here in CO, plus dh is from NC and I'm from MI (that's not including the places we've lived overseas either before we were married or after). Of all those places, the only place we really didn't like was MD. We loved ME and MT! I think CO is our favorite, but we'd go either of those places if the oppertunity arose. Virgina isn't bad, and I've never been to LA (adventure?!?). We do know it's not cheap there, but it's not just the money and pay raise. It's also job security for dh (it takes an act of Congress to fire a DS position) and a great oppertunity to advance his career. We'd definately put everything on paper first to see exactly what we'd be getting into. Louisiana would be less expensive, but there are other issues to deal with there (higher crime rate, climate--HOT!!!, etc). I do think it'd be an interesting place to live though. The kids and I would have to stay here until our house sold. We already know that.
Conni and Tink, I love my new house. Heck, we just planted what we plan to be our *last* tree yesterday (ordered it before dh pulled this stunt!). But we learned a long time ago, with all this moving we've done, it's just a house! If we'd lived here for 15 years, that'd be a different story. Oh, and no offense Tink, but if dh asked if I wanted to move to anywhere in CA I'd tell him NO! Sorry, not my thing.
TSA, thanx for your input. Robin's been to 9 different schools, plus me homeschooling him for 7th grade and the second half of 8th. Randy's only been to 3 different ones.
Enchens, why does you dh want to move and how far away? Does he just want a bigger house? Our last move was 1 1/2 miles to a bigger house with a bigger yard. It was a great move for us!
Dawn, dh is leaning toward VA instead of LA. I know I'd like VA, but I've never been to LA. You know I'm always up for an adventure! lol
I do have to say, growing up I never moved. My mom still lives in the house she and my dad build in 1969, two years before I was born. Joining the military and moving away at 17 was a HUGE deal for me. I was terribally homesick for a couple years. I had trouble adjusting to new places and things. But, for the last 8-10 years, I seem to have gotten over that. Now I see moving as an adventure--somewhere new to see! New people to meet. Different things to experience. Shoot, my mom's living vicariously through me! lol She loves visiting us at all the places we've been. She does love Colorado, though and would probably be upset if we moved because there'd be no reason for her to come back here. I know she'd LOVE the beach, though. I don't think she's ever been to a real beach on the ocean. Lake Michigan and all the other Great Lakes are cool, but they're nothing compared to the ocean. Honestly the only beach on the ocean I've been to was Rio Mar in Panama (AWESOME black sand beach!). So maybe the Air Force did create vagabonds of us. The kids will be okay. They always are. Robin's homeschooled, so no real adjustment there. Randy's just starting middle school and he's smart (if we can just get him organized! lol). Like I said, we'll see what happens.
Heidi and Conni, you'd better get a move on visiting me! lol
Cat, if we buy a bigger house I will demand a cleaning lady. This one is all I can handle! LOL
I'm not sure why he mentioned moving. Maybe he was just thinking about "what if..."
Btw, what's wrong with CA???
Where is LA? I've lived in several states too and LA is hands-down the worst!! It is miserably hot, there are no season, there ARE hurricanes, the economy is horrible and won't recover anytime soon because of the statewide effect of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. LA is actually losing people every year because of people moving away. There is high crime depending on where you live and there is a high cancer rate due to all of the chemical plants and oil companies. I would not recommend LA to my worst enemy and there will be a smile on my face when we drive across the state line to move in August. Only pro? The food!
I think VA would be lovely, but with the year you have had with the boys the past year I would really hesitate to uproot them. What about if you plan to move when they graduate perhaps? The kids would be my biggest concern by far. Have you discussed this with them?
Oops! I meant where IN Louisiana? I know where it is--I'm here right now. LOL
Ditto Pam on the children. For any move, the children would be our biggest focus unless it was a matter of one of us lost a job and we financially HAD to get something else and move. I've traveled all over but never lived anywhere but IN, so yes, you ARE crazy IMO!!LOL
Cat we are movers too. We have lived in this house just passed 4 years, which makes our longest stop ever. I am trying to stop the itch, but there is part of me that is ready to go.
I second what Pam says about LA though. The schools in general suck. You would have to look at the private schools (and most are catholic). I am sure there are ok public ones, but that is the rep they have. The other knock on LA is you will miss the seasons. I am not sure about the northern edge, but most of it is like houston, you have two seasons, the hot season and the wet and humid season.
However, life is short, I am a live the adventure type of girl.
I grew up moving, my hubby did not. Before we married, he lived in 3 houses. And all in the same town. I have lived in TX, OK, NM, and OH.
Enchens, I've just never wanted to live in CA. Maybe I'm afraid the next big quake and we'd break off the US! lol There are a couple other places I wouldn't go, too. Some I've been to and didn't like, others I just have no desire to go to.
Pam, so what are you trying to say? We shouldn't move to LA? lol We'd be in Shreveport, up in the north-west corner of LA. I know the seasons would be very different. It was about 55 here the other day and dh and I were saying that'd be the coldest it'd get in LA! lol We're very familiar with the weather on the east coase, having lived in Maryland twice. That and dh grew up in Raleigh. Norfolk is a lot closer to the coast than anywhere we've been though. I think hurricanes would be a bigger threat there than where we'd be in LA.
I'm still checking out the schools in both places. If I don't like them where ever we go (IF we go, it's still not a sure thing) I'll just homeschool the boys. Not a big deal.
Kaye, you know exactly what I'm talking about. You just get used to moving eventually. It's hard to settle down after a while. The weather would be an adjustment, but we lived in Panama for 2 1/2 years and adjusted there. Christmas was wierd--90 degrees! Actually, I think LA would be hotter than Panama. There is was always between 90-100 degrees (it sometimes got to about 80 at night) and 95% humidity. We got used to it. We would need a lot more shorts! lol
We're still waiting to see what happens.
Shreveport is not in the direct line for hurricanes, so that is a plus.
BUT Louisiana has a reputation for the worst (or near worst) public education system in the country. And the politics in this state leave MUCH to be desired. It WILL get brutally hot in Shreveport in the summer, however, the climate in the winter season is very different from the extreme southern Louisana area. Shreveport gets cooler weather there.
The upside is, housing IS cheaper in Louisiana, the overall cost of living is cheaper. Hey, you get what you pay for.
And in answer to your question, I'd never leave CO to move to LA - there is not any beautiful scenery like you have there, certainly you don't have the options of the activities available to you in CO, and having lived in LA since maybe 1966 or 1967, I can tell you, it just doesn't hold a candle to other places to live in those regards.
However, Shreveport is in an area where you can venture out to other states west, north and east to see a different part of the country if you want to do weekend trips, etc.
Honestly? Yes, I think it's a crazy idea. :o)
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