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I say thirty, but it really depends on how you slice and dice it. Many of those moves took place when I was a child. We moved from house to house to house but mostly stayed within the same community, so I could count the first seventeen years of my life as either eleven or one, depending on how you approach it.
Once I hooked up with my husband, the moves kept coming, but this time we tended to move around to different towns and even provinces. I’ve lived in five different provinces and territories (Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Manitoba, NWT, and Yukon – strangely I never lived in Alberta.) However, we moved back and forth to the same locations more than once. Here’s the best example: Crystal Lake to Hyas to Crystal Lake to Hyas (yes, twice); to Churchill to Hyas and then back to Crystal Lake; to Estevan and… you guessed it… back to Crystal Lake; to Wynyard and back again to Crystal Lake… all within about ten years. I could count Crystal Lake as ONE, but seriously, I had to pack and unpack boxes, so I count each and every time!
My best count is 33 moves, 15 towns, and 5 provinces… but I could be wrong. It’s hard to keep track. Usually, we moved every one to three years, but some were less than that. By the time my eldest daughter was in Grade Two, she was in her fifth school. No wonder we started to homeschool our kids shortly after!
All of this packing and unpacking fostered a craving for new places. It seemed like an adventure; a fresh beginning. We made so many friends along the way and met many wonderful people, sometimes through work, but most often because we always found a church and connected with other believers. There really is something to being part of “the family of God”.
When we moved to Watson Lake, Yukon in 2000 we had never been anywhere more than three years. We ended up staying there for eight. It was a record, and despite the fact that I truly loved it there, this wanderer was ready for a change. Then we moved to Tumbler Ridge…
When we first moved to TR in 2008, I figured we’d give it five years – ten at the most. In 2016, once we reached year eight, I admit to feeling anxious. We had never lived somewhere longer than that. Even as a child, I hadn’t been in a house that long. I became quite antsy, ready to pull up and move almost anywhere just because I felt trapped. By year ten I was feeling less anxious but still on the lookout for a change. Maybe that’s why we started renovating a different house in town, just so I could move.
But I have noticed a subtle shift taking place in the last few years. I’ve noticed a real sense of contentment to just stay put. I can see myself settling in here for a long time to come. It’s been thirteen years now, and the thought of another ten or more doesn’t fill me with that trapped feeling. Maybe it’s a result of Covid, or maybe I’m finally getting used to staying in one place.
On a recent trip ‘south’ we talked about moving elsewhere in our retirement. But why would we? All four of our children have settled within a ninety-minute drive. TR might not have the best shopping, but I’m not a big shopper anyway and these days you can order what you need online. I often cited the road to Tumbler as an obstacle, especially in winter, but after driving some of the other roads in BC, it’s really not that bad. And what about health care? When I’ve had medical issues these past few years I’ve had excellent care – without waits – right here in town, and when I needed an ambulance – or an air ambulance – it was available. You won’t hear me complaining about our health care system any time soon!
All in all, I think these restless feet are finally settling down. Tumbler Ridge is a really nice place to visit – and an even nicer place to live!
