Phoenix Part 1: You want to move where????

So just over five years ago in October of 2004, I was working for the River City Rascals minor league baseball team in O'Fallon, MO. We had a great core of workers and had worked together for a few years at that point. It was the day after the Cardinals were swept in the World Series by a certain team from Boston and was still recovering from the series when my boss pulled us together mid morning and told us he was leaving the organization for a team in the Golden Baseball League.

Over the next few weeks, we were talking about who would take over or if any of us would go. I was a single man at the time and was a perfect candidate to go as well. However, a few issues came about. 1. I had not been asked (yet) to go. 2. I was a Missouri boy. Born and raised in the great St. Louis, a graduate of the University of Missouri and my family and friends were here. How could I leave here?!?!

I had talked to my my boss who was leaving, Matt Jones and he was working out the budget and would let me know if there would be a spot for me. Just after Thanksgiving, he mentioned that he wanted me to go out there with the team. I was grateful to be asked but leaning towards staying. I had never been to Phoenix and just associated Phoenix with snakes and if you know Travis, snakes are NOT friends of mine!!

My mom wanted me to stay and of course kept mentioning the snakes to keep me here. I talked to several people through the process of this. I finally sat down and just prayed and felt God saying GO!!

So I was going. I told my folks and friends and got a mixed reaction. "Going to Phoenix? You know it is HOT there???" "The winters there are gorgeous!" Both of these I verified while living there!

I spent the last few weeks doing going away parties for those of us leaving, relaxing with family and preparing for a life changing event! I stayed with my folks on my last night in St. Louis and the next morning, had breakfast and stood in the kitchen I grew up in and caused a lot of chaos. I did not know what to do and lost it. I hugged my father and mother. Before my little brother left for school I hugged him too. I got into the car and drove away from home to a place I had never been.

Who knew that I had been doing that all my life? How many times do little decisions end up changing your life forever? Do we realize these changes? From changing majors in college from business management to sports management and recreation led to the River City Rascals, which led to moving to Phoenix which led to...

Oh we will see what it led to.

Next up: Phoenix Part 2: How do we react outside of our comfort zone??