Saturday Soliloquy 43: How We Chose Texas

This story would be more accurately entitled "How Jessie Chose Texas," but since I accepted it, I'll share from both sides from my perspective. One note: Jessie does often try to share the story as how WE chose to move here, but I work hard to correct him. He was the lead in choosing!

So, you remember in the story about why we left Florida that I was looking at various other states... primarily in the north? Unbeknownst to me, at some point, Jessie decided that maybe we did need to move. I'm guessing that he figured if we were going to move, he better put his two-cents in about WHERE we were going to end up, or we'd end up in some super cold-winter place like those I'd been suggesting. Since he doesn't like the cold much, he would definitely not prefer any of the places I was looking.

One day, when I was sharing some info about one of the states I'd been looking at, he told me he thought we should move to Texas. Just blurted it out. I was very surprised, but accepted it as a suggestion. So, I started looking at Texas, out of curiosity. I decided I wouldn't argue with him, unless I found that state to be odious to me.

I thought we'd move near Lubbock because Jessie's family has some connection there. I thought mine did, too, but my Mom tells me we do not. So, I was looking for land in that area and began to look at the laws of the state.

The issues MOST important to me: homebirth (including birthing multiples at home and birthing untraditional presentation, like breech, at home), homeschooling, and building codes. Come to find out: Texas is awesome for homebirthing, homeschooling, AND alternative building! It is legal to homebirth multiples at home. It is legal to birth breech at home. Homeschooling is even easier in Texas than Florida. And, although there are building codes, if you are building in an area that is not incorporated, it is illegal for anyone to come to inspect for those building codes! Those three points sealed the deal for me. I looked for land with focus and determination.

And then Jessie informed me that he thought we should move to East Texas. I asked him if he had an idea of where, since I hadn't asked the first time I heard about Texas and had poorly spent time looking somewhere he wasn't interested in. He told me he thought somewhere east of Dallas, maybe around Tyler. So, I started looking there.

Interestingly, I found recently (in December 2015), that Jessie has a relation buried in Tyler.  Maybe that's why he was so interested in that particular city.

When I asked him why he thought we should go there, he showed me a satellite view of Texas. He pointed out how there was almost a line from south to north where the land became more green toward the east. He said he figured it would be better to be somewhere that was green since we wanted to grow stuff.

And that's how we chose to look for our homeplace in East Texas!