When I left off last, we had just found out Will’s contract was going to be terminated. We had no idea where we were headed next, whether or not we could break our lease, and most importantly, if Will was going to have to start a new 13-week contract.

What a difference a week makes.

I’m happy and incredibly relieved to say that everything has worked itself out.

Earlier this week Will accepted a new 9-week contract in the Twin Cities! This is a serious win for us because we desperately did not want to start the 13 weeks over again. And for an added bonus, he starts right away so there’s no gap in work.

But of course, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows and this new opportunity comes with its own logistical challenges – the most pressing being our living situation.

Right now we live about 50 miles outside of Minneapolis/St. Paul and 70 miles from Will’s new job. Initially, the recruiting company wanted us to stay in our current place and for Will to commute. But 70 miles one way, in the winter, is just not gonna work. So we pushed back.

Guess what? We’re moving!

Sidebar: We are quickly learning that while there is an advantage to being ‘easy to work with’ we do have to be our own best advocates. Pushing back on this specific detail was our first lesson in getting what we want for the service that Will is providing. Of course the recruiting agency doesn’t want Will/us to move. That’s a ton of work and added headache to an already chaotic situation. But when push comes to shove, the need for qualified help outweighs the irritation of relocation. So yeah, fight for what you want. But you know, don’t be an asshole.

So, we’re moving to the Twin Cities. Yay! But the next challenge was finding a place to stay for 9 weeks. Not that easy friends, not that easy.

Considering the fact that we will only be relocating for 9 weeks rather than 13, the recruiting agency advised us to find our own housing through Airbnb or Craigslist – somewhere that we wouldn’t need to sign a lease.

I spent a few frantic days searching online for furnished housing that would allow our two pets and wouldn’t break the bank. I didn’t have much luck. Most Airbnb listings in the Twin Cities are glamorous downtown lofts that are way out of our price range and Craigslist is just too overwhelming.

So after some debate, we decided on an extended stay hotel. There’s certainly some trepidation that comes with staying in a hotel for 9 weeks, but we felt it would be the easiest solution to our housing conundrum. To be honest I’m kind of looking forward to it…on-site gym and pool and housekeeping weekly? Yes, please.

Unfortunately, Will has to commute for the first few days while we wrap everything up here, but it’s a small price to pay for being able to relocate. This weekend will be dedicated to repacking and preparing for the move. Here’s hoping the rest of this process goes smoothly.

Next time I check in it will hopefully be from the comfort of our new temporary home!

Stay tuned….

PS…I’d like to give a quick shout out to red wine for getting me through this week. Thanks for always having my back.