Six Years in Iowa
We moved to Iowa six years ago.
Not for a job. Not for the winters. For family.
Carma’s parents needed care, and we were the ones to do it. So we went. We settled in. We made Iowa home — at least for a season.
We always knew it was a season.
The Season We Didn’t Rush
Six years. Long enough to appreciate Iowa in ways we didn’t expect. Ragbrai. Bicycle rides along the Mississippi. Adventures with Carma’s sister. Camping at state parks. Afternoon drives with parents. Ice cream stops.
And through it all, we got time. Time with Carma’s parents. With family.
Picnics with the parents — one of the simple pleasures of the Iowa season.
Family meals. The best kind.
That part? We’d do it again in a heartbeat.
In October 2024, Carma’s mother passed away. In February 2026, her father followed.
The Iowa season was complete.
We’d Been Planning
We weren’t starting from scratch.
Even while we were in Iowa, we were looking ahead. We made trips — one to the Southeast, two to the Pacific Northwest — quietly scouting. Asking ourselves where we’d want to land when the time came.
Ashland, Oregon kept rising to the top.
In September 2025, we visited for the second time. And that was it. We knew.
The House Sold Faster Than We Expected
Back in Iowa, we met with our realtor. We figured she’d say spring 2026. List it when the weather turns, when buyers are out, when the market opens up.
She said: list it now.
We did. It sold in a week. Closing was set for December 19th.
The Iowa house — sold.
We were ready by December 15th.
Saying goodbye is never the easy part.
Off we went.
Iowa to Oregon — the full route.
This section of the blog follows our relocation from Iowa to Ashland, Oregon — east coast, Gulf Coast, Texas, the Southwest, and finally the Pacific. Stay tuned.