We found out at the very end of January 2025 that we would be moving to Hawaii!! We had Hawaii in our top 3 (I believe #2), so we were really happy and excited, and also intimidated about the overseas move to come.
We spent February to May preparing. There were SO MANY logistics. From arranging the flights and making sure we could get Captain on the seat next to us for both flights, doing all the health paperwork for us and Captain, to packing and organizing hotels, pack out dates, and shipping two vehicles. I know the Lord helped us. I spent an extensive amount of time working through the smallest details to ensure things went as smoothly as possible, and honestly, they did. I'm very, very grateful.
My parents came to visit and took the kids out on the pack out and loading days to have fun. They hauled their golf cart all the way to Montana and the kids spent a few days driving it around the church parking lot and had so much fun while Jeremy and I were busy with the move.
There were some small hiccups, but we were able to work through all of them. We had so much help and support from our neighbors, mostly in the last month before we left. We had to have the van detailed and Jeremy and Beckham drove it to the port in Seattle to have it shipped a month before we left... this meant that we only had the truck and we don't even all fit in it. So a really kind family in our ward, the Boatman's, let us borrow their small car and it was a LIFESAVER. And our neighbors across the street, the Allen's, let us use their washing machine for the week that our house was packed up and we were house camping before we left for the hotel on base. They also drove us and ALL our luggage (there was A LOT, 27 pieces!!!) to the airport with their parents they day we flew out. So many tender mercies.
The flights took us two days of traveling to go from Montana to Hawaii. We left Great Falls in the afternoon the first day, then had to get our kids and dog through the Seattle airport and on a shuttle to a hotel to stay overnight, then get back to the airport in the morning and fly to Hawaii. Unfortunately, the flea and tick treatment that Captain was required to have made him very sick... so for the entire two days he was throwing up, having diarrhea and was very anxious. It was a little rough, but I'm grateful that for the long flight to Hawaii he did really good.
Back to Great Falls, I remember hauling all of our luggage into the airport, saying teary goodbyes to our friends, and checking all of our black and yellow totes in, getting through security, and then finally boarding. It was most of our kid's first time flying and the little ones were so excited. We packed backpacks with activities for them to do, but they were so happy about being on a plane that they didn't even touch them, haha. I was excited too, but it was also hard to say goodbye to a place we loved for four years. Bridger was sitting beside me, and I remember clearly as the plane took off and Great Falls grew smaller and smaller beneath us, both of us cried silent tears. It was hard to leave a place that had most definitely come to feel like home. We loved our ward. We loved our neighbors. Our kids had wonderful friends there. We may have hated the cold winters, but I have to say that Montana was good to us and will forever hold a piece of our hearts.
We arrived in Hawaii in the afternoon and had such a warm welcome from the ART team that Jeremy works with!! They had a huge van to put all our luggage in, and even someone's personal vehicle. They dropped us off at the Navy Lodge hotel and introduced themselves. It felt like a dream to be in Hawaii and the views from the Navy Lodge are dreamy. The van had arrived at the port already, so we didn't even need a rental. The timing worked out perfectly!! Jeremy was able to pick it up the next day. The truck arrived three weeks later.
We ended up having to live in the Navy Lodge for six weeks, until mid-July. Then we house camped in our new home on base for another week before our HHG was delivered. I prepared for a long hotel stay and brought pans, and even our ninja air fryer and knives, and more, haha. I was able to cook all our meals in the tiny kitchen. Not gonna say it was easy, but we did it. We took the kids on some hikes, went to the beach, and took several Costco trips. We also got to walk around Ford Island and see some historic sights. I must say that after six weeks with seven of us and our dog in two hotel rooms, we were READY to move into our house, haha.
We love our new home, the layout is really nice, our yard is nice, and it's just as big as our home in Montana, which is a HUGE blessing. Grandma and Grandpa Brown flew out in August to help us settle in and spent several days sight seeing with us too!! It was fun to get to see more of Hawaii with them and we very much appreciate their help.
Oh, and I should mention that while we managed all of this, I also finished my second epic fantasy, edited it, AND published it this last November, haha. To say that this year was busy is an understatement. But we DID IT. I know we had God's help and I'm very grateful.
