Wednesday, August 25, 2010

limbo land

Jared's gone - for a while.  He's starting a new job and sadly, it's not a local job.  A promising company in Ogden wants him as their new Chief Technical Officer and the job is a great fit for him.  So he'll be up there for a couple weeks, getting going on new projects and learning more about what this job will entail on the day-to-day.  We're planning on some combination of telecommuting and working on site in Ogden for the first few months.  But there's a good possibility we may need to relocate at some point.  Hmmmm.....

Jared's been our fabulous webmaster for Power of Moms for the past several months and his help was invaluable as we redesigned the website and launched several new programs.  He's really enjoyed learning cool new stuff about programming (he's got quite a bit of tech geek in him) and has been able to do complicated things that our little Power of Moms organization couldn't possibly have afforded to hire out at the going rate.  The kids and I have been so spoiled having him work from home the majority of the time since Christmas.

But Jared has always been poised and ready to jump into a new challenge once the right one emerged.  And this job looks like a great fit for him. 

But it's in Ogden.

I love Saint George.  I love the red rock.  I love the kids' school and the fact that they're learning so much Spanish.  I love our friends.  I love our house.  I love the beautiful swimming pool here in our development.  I love the open space behind our house where the kids play.  I love the proximity to Zion and so many super-close, super-beautiful hikes and bike rides.  I like being settled and being involved and feeling like we're really part of the community here.  I like church here (even though they just asked me to be in the presidency of the children's organization at church and that threw me for a loop when I had so much else already going on - but I'm loving it).  I love having mild winters and being able to go outside every single day.  I even love the heat (I get chilly when the temperature drops below 85...).

I know very little about Ogden.  I went there one time to do a training when I was working for the Corporation for National Service - maybe 12 years ago.  They had a great little children's museum on the main street of town where I did the training.  The downtown was very run down.  I've driven past Ogden 100's of times on the way to the farm to see the Looslis or Logan to see my grandma.  I grew up in Salt Lake which is only an hour south of Odgen, but somehow I never really heard much or learned much about Ogden.  I know I don't like snow and cold and I'm pretty darn sure that's an issue in Ogden.

I need to learn more about Ogden so it's not such a big fat scary unknown.  But I've been crazy-busy and I almost don't want to get into researching Ogden.  That might make it seem more like a real possibility.  And I'm sort of in denial.

I know that the most important thing is that we be together as a family and that we can be happy anywhere.  We've always said we love it here but that if the right opportunity took us elsewhere for a while, we'd be fine with that.  I guess in my mind, I was thinking that the "right opportunity elsewhere" might involve a move somewhere exciting - to another part of the world or across the country.  I'm always up for a new adventure!  But somehow Ogden never entered my thoughts when I thought of places I'd love to live in or experience some day.

So this is all sinking in and maybe it's a false alarm but I'm looking at this place and appreciating it all the more as I think about possibly leaving here one day...

19 comments:

Hilary said...

I always thought Ogden would be a decent place to live. Close to SLC, but with the hometown feel.

At least your house will be sure to be larger than the one here. :)

brittanimae said...

Good luck Saren! Moves are always an adventure . . . but that doesn't mean they're always fun! I've loved looking at the gorgeous pictures you have of your family down in St. George and I can see why it would be hard to leave. I can tell you that after 3 years in Canada, Ogden doesn't *really* get much snow or cold though ;). Good luck with making the decision--I'm sure you'll find the right path for your family!!

Michelle said...

I found your blog through your sister's blog. I've lived in Ogden most of my life (- 18 mo. in Uruguay and 3 years in Provo for my husband's schooling). It's great! I love it and will always consider it home. As long as you stay out of central Ogden you'll be fine, there are a lot of great suburbs to live. As for downtown, it's cleaned up a lot!!! They have built it up and it's a fun place to be. 25th street is also very eclectic and nice.

Josh said...

I have to say, Ogden, Utah is the last place I ever thought you would live. But talk to Tal. He lived there for 2 years and LOVED O-town, as he calls it.

lesli said...

Saren in Ogden. That is really something! I can appreciate how tricky it must be to get your head into it. But possibly it has somethings there that you'll end up loving. I just found out that you are in at George! Was hoping to stop and see you one of these times on our way to the cabin in duck creek. Hopefully there will be a time to do that. It has been so fun to read through your blog. Your family is beautiful and you are as stunningly georgeous as ever. Loved your previous post. I hold many of the same thoughts about creative thinking and play time. Fun to hear of your work with power of moms. Would love to attend a retreat someday. Best of luck these next few months working all of the details out about your new adventure. Maybe you could think of living in Ogden like moving to Switzerland. Ok maybe just the weather part works for that but that's how I'd have to look at it! Cheers, lesli

lesli said...

Excuse my spelling and typos. Working off the iPad in a hurry..

Rosie said...

I grew up in Idaho(St. Anthony)but have lived near the Ogden area for the last 20 years. There are many lovely areas just outside the inner city.

Consider Morgan County for a small community with small great schools. The other added benefit of Morgan is that you are rather rural but you are 12-15 minutes from Ogden or Layton. Mt. Green is 5 minutes from Snow Basin ski resort--from the olympics--there are bike trails, running etc. There are open spaces that you can actually enjoy!! In Mt. Green There are also tons of new homes that have been built and would love buyers--small community with strong LDS values--seriously, check out Morgan County! (the HS only has 600 total students 9-12grades instead of 2000 at all other HS on the Wasatch front!

charity eyre wright said...

sar. o-town. also known as the armpit of utah. awesomeness. i have a mission companion and a best friend's husband from ogden, and i'm not going to lie, i make fun of it a lot. BUT i have heard it is actually pretty cool. ogden canyon is off the hook and apparently downtown (25th street) is really cute and vintagey and fun. and they are re-doing the temple there to be super pretty and nice, so that's cool! i would love it if you moved to ogden because it is the best mismatch of person and place ever, which probably means it would be incredible.

Allyson said...

I had no idea! Boy, I can sure appreciate what you are saying after what we just went through leaving LA for Utah county. I would hate to give up your place in St. George, too. You've got a good thing going there, and feeling settled and integrated in a community is very comforting. Going back to "square one" is a bit rough I must say. I'll be thinking of you guys. You'll make the right decision.

Shawni said...

I thought you said you could stay in St. George??? Hmmmm. Whatever happens, I know YOU know how to make it great.

Love you.

anna said...

So how are you liking working on that Children's program for the fall? Our's is in like 3 weeks and I just got called as 2nd counselor too, with that responsibility. Fortunately, the previous counselor had already done a lot of the work. I am just waiting for those parts to roll in so I can plug them all in to the program. We want the kids to use their own words. Some are really cute. Good times...As for the possible move, I know what you mean. You finally feel like you are in your niche and then BAM! But, new adventures are cool, too. And you can spread the POM mission in yet another area!

Becky said...

You might want to check out Morgan County - just 20 minutes from Ogden up Weber Canyon!

Jonah and Aja said...

rock on sar. nice comments here.

Michelle said...

I happened upon on your blog from Power of Moms. I too grew up in the Salt Lake area but ended up in the Ogden area 10 years ago. We currently live up Ogden Canyon in what everyone refers to as "the valley". It is the perfect place to raise a family! Consider looking up the canyon and you might be pleasantly surprised. :)All in all Ogden has come a long way and isn't as bad as I thought it would be.

Anonymous said...

It's a job. Look into the move. You will lose your fear.

Won't you be closer to extended family? Being apart for a long time during transition won't make you happy.

If the area bothers you, improve the area.

Susie said...

Ogden is my hometown! I haven't lived there for a long time, but my family is still there. The mayor is my cousin-in-law and is working really hard to improve the downtown area. The children's museum (The Treehouse) that you refer to has moved and grown and is so much fun!

As great as the nearby valleys, such as Ogden Canyon, Morgan and Huntsville are I wouldn't recommend them for you if you really don't like the cold. The valleys tend to be about 10 degrees cooler at any given time than the Wasatch front area.

Good luck!

i'm h.mac said...

just caught your blog thru a link and i live 15 minutes north of ogden. north ogden. best kept secret around. close to downtown,(which is great by the way) fabulous schools and the best people. the valley is also great, up ogden canyon. there are also some great neighborhoods in ogden that boast some of the prettiest historical houses you can imagine! south ogden is also great, where a lot of the medical professionals live that work at mckay dee hospital. mckay boasts some of the best medical care around. email me if you want any details, i have lived in north ogden for 20 years (with a brief hiatus to the east coast) and love it!

Suzie said...

Wait...didn't the Osmonds come from Ogden? Enough said. Ha ha! I am sure you will love wherever you have to live. After all, just having your family together makes it home. Believe me, after 20 years of living in Las Vegas, memories, family, friends...all those things make a place wonderful.

Jennifer Knight said...

Saren, I just love Charity's supportive comments, haha ... but, after so many winters in Boston, Ogden can't possibly be worse. Walking along the Charles River in January... never again!

My husband served in the Ogden Mission and all his apartments there were in bad areas, but I'm sure you will be far away from them.

Sorry for the late comments. I'm just now doing my "power hour."

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