Eight Months

We've officially been in Texas for eight months now. Minus this infernal, eternal summer heat, we pretty much love it here. There are lots of people and places we miss back in Michigan, but I am constantly reminded how much we are supposed to be here right now, at this exact time in our lives. It just feels so right.

I feel like I should kind of summarize what life has been like for us these past eight months, so if you've not been keeping up with us, you'll know what we've been up to. Can I really squeeze the past eight months into one post? I'm going to try . . . and GO.

January 2011
January was basically a whole month of packing and saying goodbye. The month culminated with the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad actual trip. We drove: Nate, a huge moving truck pulling our car on a trailer, and me, our truck with our dog in the passenger seat and his dog house in the bed. The weather was awful. But we prevailed. It took us 2 and a half days (when we can normally do it in 17 hours), but we made it.

February 2011
Nate job hunted, while I spent the time getting to know the ins and outs of life with an infant, and I began working as Ellie's nanny on Valentine's Day. Ellie turned 12 weeks old that day. I was also working part time doing some graphic design for a business in Michigan via the Internet. We were living with my brother, his wife, and their baby, so it was close quarters for awhile. But, we made it work. We had our meals together and divided up the chores. It was communal living at its finest, and I have fond memories of our time together. I think it especially helped Nate and Valerie, the in-laws, get to know each other better.

March 2011
Nate found a job, actually two jobs, and began working at our church and for my brother's IT company. We found an apartment about ten minutes away from my brother's house. It was so nice to finally have a place that was ours to call home. When we weren't working, we began slowly moving our things to our apartment and out of the rental storage unit where all our worldly possessions lived while we were staying with my brother. By the end of the month, the transition was complete, and we were moved in. The biggest highlight of March, for me, was getting my first pair of glasses. I knew I would have to get my eyes tested to get my license, and I knew without glasses, that I would have failed that test. So, off to the optometrist it was. I can't believe I went so long without getting my eyes tested. But, I am pretty used to them now, and I really like the frames. I'm thankful the adjustment wasn't too difficult for me.

April 2011
Now that we finally had a permanent address, we started making the adjustment of getting our vehicles licensed and registered in the State of Texas. It was a miserable experience, to be sure. I've moved lots of times, but this was the first time I've moved out of state as a vehicle owner. We jumped through the myriad of required hoops and finally got everything taken care of by the beginning of May, I think it was. We celebrated Easter with my brother's family, which was different, but in a good way. We're so thankful to have family near us so that we don't have to celebrate holidays alone.

May 2011
After the move and all of the necessary expenses involved with becoming residents and getting settled in our new house, we didn't have much left over for our yearly anniversary trip. I always like to go somewhere, just the two of us. I love to travel, and our anniversary is just the best time of year for us to do it. Since we were new to this area, we decided the best option was to have a Staycation. The only thing I regret about it was that we didn't take more pictures! We really did have the best time together. The first day, we went to breakfast at iHOP (Nate's very favorite place to eat) and then spent the day at Six Flags, which is literally about 10 minutes from our house. That night, we enjoyed the pool and hot tub at our apartment. It was the first time we had been to the pool, and it felt like we were staying at a hotel. It was lovely. The next day, our actual anniversary, we went to the Dallas Museum of Art. I've been to lots of art museums, and this certainly wasn't the finest I'd ever been too. Still, they had ancient Egyptian pieces that Nate enjoyed seeing, and I enjoyed visiting regardless. Afterward, we went to the Hard Rock Cafe, where they had a few guitars belonging to Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. This was significant to us, as we had just gotten hooked on the show Bones, in which Gibbons occasionally guest-stars. After dinner, we wandered over to the historic site where President Kennedy was shot. Everything was closed, but we visited the monument and walked down the street where it occurred. All in all, we enjoyed our Staycation.

June 2011
My little brother's wedding was at the beginning of the month, so we took the opportunity to head to Michigan early to visit. We spent the first few days with Nate's mom and stepdad before heading to my parents' house. It had been in the triple digits weather-wise when we had left Texas, but with the humidity in Michigan combined with the lack of air conditioning most places, it was horribly hot! A few days before the wedding, I visited an old coworker of mine who I had arranged to have cut my hair. I had been growing it out since our wedding three years prior, and I was ready to have it cut. I wanted to donate to a non-profit organization, such as Locks of Love, but I didn't want it super-short. It was the shortest I've ever had it, but it turned out awesome. Kelsey did a great job. :o) My brother's wedding festivities were amazing. I had a blast hanging out with the girls, especially Becca, my new sister-in-law, and our friend and fellow bridesmaid, Angie. This wedding will always be especially memorable to me because I got to walk with my husband, as he was a groomsman. How often does that happen? It was so fun.

July 2011
The hottest month of my life. Literally. Our area of Texas was in close-to-record-breaking heat for number of consecutive days over 100 degrees. The previous record was I think 42 (or 43?) days, set in 1980. We missed the record by a few days due to a minor storm front that passed through and dropped the temperature to the upper 90s for like a day or two. We also had extreme drought conditions as we had had very little rain. We just learned to stay inside most of the time. Since everywhere is air conditioned, it didn't seem to be so terrible. The last weekend of the month, I flew to Michigan to throw a shower and bachelorette party for my best friend, Laura. (Yes, we have the same name. Yes, we're used to it. No, it's not weird for us.) It was a small gathering, but we had a great time. We went to a Tiger's game (where it was miserably hot) and then went to Hard Rock for dinner. It was a whirlwind trip for me, but it was unforgettable.

August 2011
A few weeks later, Nate and I flew back to Michigan to attend my best friend, Laura's wedding. I spent the week with Laura while Nate went to see his parents for a few days. In the past nine years of our friendship (has it really been that long?!?!), I have come to know her family and friends. It really feels like they are an extension of my family and friends. Laura and I are like the sisters each of us never had, and I love the friendship we have worked very hard to build and maintain. It has been so worth it. I told Laura the weekend after I met Andrew (but several years before they began dating), that I wanted her to end up with a guy like Andrew. I had no idea she would actually marry him, but I am so glad she did. They are perfect for each other, and I just love that they are now Mr. and Mrs. After the wedding, we came right back to Texas to take part in Ellie's dedication at church. It was awesome to go to God in prayer, together, to ask him to bless her little life and to help us be a godly example to her. As her aunt and nanny, I was honored to be a part of it. I definitely teared up. She means so very much to me, and I constantly thank God for allowing me to be a part of her life.

That brings us to the present. Thanks for being interested in our lives. We have some new things planned for September, including me getting involved volunteering at church as well as both of us attending an Equip class (a month long topical Bible study on Wednesday nights) and joining a small group at our church. Stay tuned!

Wedding Update and Blessings in Disguise

Imported Livejournal entry from 04.23.08
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Wedding planning, and life, are going well. There are just 38 days until my life changes forever. I am hardly able to sit still because I'm so excited. There is so much to do, but I'm not stressing...at the moment.

Shower #2 went quite well, as did shower #1. Both showers were filled with people I love and gifts I never would have expected. It speaks of unconditional love and heartfelt support. Gifts aren't my primary love language, but everyone really "spoke" love to me via gifts at both showers.

I am feeling contemplative now, tonight, realizing how close the wedding is, and how real the marriage to follow is. I am so looking forward to my future with Nate, but right now I'm thinking about the past.
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The way the last 5 or 7 years of my life have unfolded is really quite amazing. I could write a book of the way God continues to surprise and delight me, even when sometimes circumstances have felt all but exciting in the moment, but looking back I can see what a true blessing in disguise certain things were.

People come in and out of our lives; we make new friends. Sometimes we stay friends with old friends, and sometimes we grow apart. I guess right now I'm just mourning the loss of some friends, people who I wish I could still be close to. Our lives go in different directions, whether we want them to or not, and looking back, I am sure I'll be able to see the blessings in disguise in this circumstance. I'm anxious to look back on this in 5-7 years to see how far I have come.

Anxious for the months to come...

Imported Livejournal entry from 04.23.08
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I am just getting over a nasty virus. I was sick from Tuesday night until Saturday afternoon. I am not totally better yet, but I am able to function, a definite plus. I watched Apollo that whole time, which was fun but frustrating at times. Nate is now moved into "our house" in Coldwater, which is pretty fantastic. Our bathroom is absolutely to-die-for, if a bathroom in a rental house can be that way. EVERYTHING is brand new in it. Soon we'll get to start filling the shelves in our kitchen with our dishes and glasses and pots and pans. Ours. Mmm. Love the sound of that.


A month or so ago, my mom found some nice used furniture, in the way only she can, and one of them is a dark green "overstuffed" chair. It's extra wide, but not really very deep. It pulls out into a bed, which I know sounds confusing. I couldn't picture it until I saw it, but it looks like a normal chair if you don't know the difference. Anyway, it's going to be mine as Nate has his own recliner, and I'm excited. I've never had my own furniture before. I'm sure I'll share it with whoever visits us, but I'm just silly and excited to have furniture that actually belongs to Nate and me.


I am enjoying wedding planning and all the fun that is a part of it; however, I can't wait to get into my hobbies and other things I've always wanted to do. I simply don't have time to do them now! I have some great ideas for incorporating graphic design, my desire to work from home, and my interest in some newer potential hobbies. That, and the whole newly popular "going green" topic are too long for tonight's entry.


Cheers...I'm gonna finish watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang before bed. Nite.


"I am on my way to far away, ta-ta and toodle-doo,
And fare thee well and bon voyage, arrivederci, too...
Port out, starboard home, posh with a capital P-O-S-H, posh!"


Valerie commented:
Lunch break is nearly over, but I just wanted to say "hooray" for YOUR things! Wow! How fun is that? :D 
And also I had BETTER not be singing Chitty Chitty Bang Bang all afternoon...craaaaaaaap.

I replied:

"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang we love you. And our pretty Chitty Bang Bang loves us too. Near, far, in a motorcar, oh what a happy time we'll spend. Bang Bang Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, our fine four fendered friend! Bang Bang Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, our fine four fendered Chitty Chitty friend!"

Holy crap that was probably the hardest tongue twister I've ever had to type! Hope you don't get that stuck in your head. I just watched that movie, and I didn't realized how not kid friendly it really is. It's kind of weird and scary, with the child catcher, and violent with the King trying to kill his wife all the time! I wasn't scarred as a child watching it, so I guess it's not sooooo bad. But it's way worse than I remembered! (I just love the singing and dancing parts though, yeah Dick Van Dyke!)

Laura C. commented:

lol so I would like you to know that because of you I have started writing in here again.. it's all your fault :0)

I am excited for you that your house is basically done.. and I have to admit.. it's a little weird for me to think of you having your own house.. weird in a good way though :0)

I replied:

I am super thrilled that our house is almost done. I can't wait for you to come over and see it. I was thinking, we have to have a new house dedication/christening party and watch PD2. I was listening to the PD2 soundtrack in the car on the way home from work today, and I totally thought of you! Do you know if they are coming out with a PD3? As much as I hate sequels, they totally should!

Casey commented:

Coldwater! Wow, you are so close to me, it's just down the road. Yay, I'm excited for you Wills, and I miss all our crew:)