It seems like so great things keep happening to me, that I hardly have time to sit and update you all about them! First, I will update you on my new job, then my new house!
Way back in March I mailed an application to Evergreen Christian School in Olympia, Washington, hoping that they might have an opening for me in their small junior high. Unlike most schools, they were kind enough to do a phone interview with me, just in case something came available. In July, they called to ask if I was interested in being considered for a 5th grade position, which wasn't ideal for me, but I said yes anyway because I wanted to teach, regardless of grade level. A week or so later they emailed me to say they had filled the position. I was disappointed, but not too badly. I knew that 5th grade was not really what I wanted, so I was ok losing it to someone who did want it. After that phonecall I didn't really give ECS another thought.
About three weeks ago, I had just gotten to Luke's house after a day of nannying and I just couldn't hold back the tears. I was exhausted and felt like I was wasting my time in a job that wasn't allowing me to use my talents or my degree. I knew the money I was making would barely cover my bills with absolutely nothing left over and I just felt like I was getting nowhere. God had called me to teach, I had obeyed the call, and now what? Nannying for $4 an hour? Not fair, right? Well God taught me a lesson I'll never forget...
Two days after my mini meltdown I got a call from the assistant principal of Evergreen Christian School. The beloved Mr. Bruce Newman, the junior high's history teacher for a whopping 34 years, was in a coma due to cardiac arrest. They had no idea if and when he would recover, but they knew they needed a qualified social studies teacher to take over his classes temporarily until he could return or permanently if he were to be unable to return. I had so many conflicting emotions, but I knew God's hand was in the whole situation.
My first day was the following Wednesday. I didn't really know how to prepare since I had no idea how long I'd be there. When I arrived at the school, the principal came to tell me that Mr. Newman had passed away the night before and that as October 1 I would become the new salaried junior high history teacher. It was a rough first day, I'll tell you that. To start the day they gathered the 6-8th graders in the chapel room and updated them about Mr. Newman. They had options after that - they could go to the grief counselor, they could stay and talk with their friends, or they could go home. I sat with the students for a while and listened to stories about Mr. Newman before we went back to the classroom. For the rest of the day, as classes changed, I introduced myself to the students, let them talk about themselves for a few minutes, and then spent the rest of class just chatting with them about the school, their lives, etc. By the end of the day I was exhuasted, but so glad to be in a school.
The last two weeks have been much easier. I am settling into a routine with them and we are moving right along with the material. All of my classes have already taken their first test with me! I teach 2 classes of 7th grade World History, 1 class of 8th grade U.S. History, and 1 class of 7th grade Math - Pre-Algebra! Who ever thought I'd be a math teacher??
I love teaching more than I thought I would. It's a lot of work, at school and at home, but I wake up every morning and thank God that he made me wait for this job. I know that He knew the plan all along, even while I grumbled and asked why He wasn't giving me what I wanted. I appreciate my coworkers and students (and my paychecks) more than I ever would have had I gotten the job over the summer. I feel like a new person now that I get to do the work God has called me to do.
Last weekend, in the midst of getting settled in my new job, I got to get settled in my new house! I moved into the duplex next door to Luke and in about 6 weeks, my neighbor will be my husband! Exciting, huh? The house is really nice and it's fun having my own space to decorate and settle down in. I had a cleaning day this Saturday to get everything straight and nice and it's amazing how fast that goes when the only person to clean up after is yourself! A couple spritzes of 409 and Windex and you're done! The only things left to do are buy bedroom furniture and hang the pictures on the walls. Oh... and buy shelving. There isn't much storage space in this place, so everything is either in stacks in the spare room or sitting on the cardboard box bookshelf I built. Not too shabby, really. It hasn't fallen down yet!
So today on this Monday afternoon, I am going to go home and take a nap because after a weekend of cleaning, errands, and prepping for this week at school, I'm exhausted. Later this afternoon I'm riding to the dump with Luke and maybe conning him into fixing or buying me dinner. We'll see how that goes! All in all, life's great. My only wish is that you could all come out here and enjoy life with me in person. See you all soon!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Proposal
The last post brought us up to last week so this will bring us up to today...
Last weekend Luke and I attended a wedding in Oregon so while we were there we decided to sight-see. We went shopping in a huge outlet mall and saw Salem, the capitol. Then we saw Portland, which was on the way home, and stopped to visit a Chinese garden that was smack in the middle of the city. I was amazed at how beautiful the garden was with all the traffic and industry surrounding it. It really was a little oasis in the hustle and bustle of Portland. Our tour guide was wonderful! She told us all about how the garden came to be, the symbolism of individual plants, the layout of the garden and its rooms, and the history behind the decor. Luke and I had a wonderful time - we even stopped to have a pot of tea at the garden tea shop!
After such a busy weekend, by the time Sunday night rolled around we were both exhausted. Luke asked if I wanted to go for a walk with him before he worked out. Of course I was game for that - I like exploring the neighborhood trails with Luke. We walked to a place about 2 miles from the house where you can see the Puget Sound. Instead of stopping where we usually do, Luke wanted to keep walking to a place he'd seen last summer. We had to climb down to the shore which required some basic mountain climbing gear I'm sure, but somehow we made it down - all the while Luke was barefoot because flip flops weren't working for him. We made it half way down where it levels out for the train tracks. After walking along the tracks for a few minutes we thought we could hear something. A yellow light came on behind us and we guessed a train was on its way. We climbed down from the tracks in time to duck behind a bush as the train rolled past. I looked over at Luke there, kneeling beside me in the thorns and dirt, smiling at me like a little kid and I felt like a kid too. We were playing in the dirt, exploring in the woods, hiding from the adults, possibly trespassing, and loving every minute of it.
We continued on for a few more minutes until we reached the place where most people climb down to the shore. There's a small little beach area where others have been, so you'd think the well-path would have been easy, but it was not. Luke slipped and slid all the way down while I stood at the top refusing to continue. He coaxed me into coming down, but it took a while, because I was not ok with sliding down the whole way. I did however slip - both legs right out from under me, and I have a rather painful bruise now to prove it.
We finally reached the bottom as I was on the verge of tears because now we had to turn around and make it back to the top - in the dark. I walked to the water to wash off my hands and rinse the dirt of my scratched legs. We sat for a minute and when I stood to find our way back up, I heard Luke behind me say "Hey Jackie..." I turned around to see Luke on one knee with the most beautiful ring I've ever seen. It was getting dark so I could barely see, but the ring still sparkled in the sunset.
We sat for a few minutes in the sand while I cried from happiness and dread of the hike back up. At that point, I was content to stay on the beach until help arrived, but we decided to hike back up before it got too dark. The hike up was much easier since we found a rope and then an easier trail with massive tree roots to use in climbing. We finally made it to the top and walked the sidewalk to his house hand in hand.
So now it's official. I have a ring, a dress, a wedding date, and a groom. I can't wait for November 20th!
Last weekend Luke and I attended a wedding in Oregon so while we were there we decided to sight-see. We went shopping in a huge outlet mall and saw Salem, the capitol. Then we saw Portland, which was on the way home, and stopped to visit a Chinese garden that was smack in the middle of the city. I was amazed at how beautiful the garden was with all the traffic and industry surrounding it. It really was a little oasis in the hustle and bustle of Portland. Our tour guide was wonderful! She told us all about how the garden came to be, the symbolism of individual plants, the layout of the garden and its rooms, and the history behind the decor. Luke and I had a wonderful time - we even stopped to have a pot of tea at the garden tea shop!
After such a busy weekend, by the time Sunday night rolled around we were both exhausted. Luke asked if I wanted to go for a walk with him before he worked out. Of course I was game for that - I like exploring the neighborhood trails with Luke. We walked to a place about 2 miles from the house where you can see the Puget Sound. Instead of stopping where we usually do, Luke wanted to keep walking to a place he'd seen last summer. We had to climb down to the shore which required some basic mountain climbing gear I'm sure, but somehow we made it down - all the while Luke was barefoot because flip flops weren't working for him. We made it half way down where it levels out for the train tracks. After walking along the tracks for a few minutes we thought we could hear something. A yellow light came on behind us and we guessed a train was on its way. We climbed down from the tracks in time to duck behind a bush as the train rolled past. I looked over at Luke there, kneeling beside me in the thorns and dirt, smiling at me like a little kid and I felt like a kid too. We were playing in the dirt, exploring in the woods, hiding from the adults, possibly trespassing, and loving every minute of it.
We continued on for a few more minutes until we reached the place where most people climb down to the shore. There's a small little beach area where others have been, so you'd think the well-path would have been easy, but it was not. Luke slipped and slid all the way down while I stood at the top refusing to continue. He coaxed me into coming down, but it took a while, because I was not ok with sliding down the whole way. I did however slip - both legs right out from under me, and I have a rather painful bruise now to prove it.
We finally reached the bottom as I was on the verge of tears because now we had to turn around and make it back to the top - in the dark. I walked to the water to wash off my hands and rinse the dirt of my scratched legs. We sat for a minute and when I stood to find our way back up, I heard Luke behind me say "Hey Jackie..." I turned around to see Luke on one knee with the most beautiful ring I've ever seen. It was getting dark so I could barely see, but the ring still sparkled in the sunset.
We sat for a few minutes in the sand while I cried from happiness and dread of the hike back up. At that point, I was content to stay on the beach until help arrived, but we decided to hike back up before it got too dark. The hike up was much easier since we found a rope and then an easier trail with massive tree roots to use in climbing. We finally made it to the top and walked the sidewalk to his house hand in hand.
So now it's official. I have a ring, a dress, a wedding date, and a groom. I can't wait for November 20th!
Catching Up
Well since it's been a month, I guess I better update you all! Lots to cover, so this will be the first of two new posts... the second a little more exciting than the first.
So last we spoke, Luke's block leave was about to start and his mom and brother were coming into town. Well they arrived safely on that Thursday and we spent the next several days hiking and exploring Washington together. That Friday we went to Mount Rainier and hiked the Tipsoo Lake Trail. I have to say, I'd seen pictures so I knew what to expect, but it was even more gorgeous in person. The hike was 3.5 miles around a lake and a little mountain (we'd call it a mountain in Virginia, but here I'm sure it's just considered a hill.) There were wildflower meadows, evergreen trees, streams, snow patches, and rocky trails. So beautiful.
The next daywe made our way to Seattle to see Pike's Place Market. That was quite an experience. Basically Pike's Place is an open market with vendor booths all down the street and under awnings and on street corners and everywhere you look really. My goal was to buy a bouquet of fresh flowers to take home and I was successful! They were so beautiful and lasted a while too. Luke picked out some cider, placemats, and a vase for the flowers and then we headed home. We stopped for a few minutes to stand and look at the water, but after being in such a crowd for a several hours, we were all ready to head out and eat some dinner.
Sunday we went to church and then had lunch with Pastor Ron and his family. It was so nice to have someone else cook a delicious meal for us - it reminded me of home! That afternoon Luke took his mom to a nature walk while his brother and I stayed home to rest. All in all, a great day.
Monday we went to the Quinault Lake and Rainforest. We saw the biggest trees I've ever seen in my life and took a nice pontoon cruise around the lake. After the cruise we walked through the rainforest and made Star Wars jokes (we all thought Yoda was about to come out of the swampy woods and invite us to train with him). By the time it got dark we headed to the restaurant at the resort on the lake to enjoy a nice dinner. The drive back was long and it was late, so I slept most of the way.
Tuesday I had to go back to work and Wednesday Luke took his mom and brother to the airport and said goodbye. It was great having them visit and I know we all had fun. I'm hoping more people will come visit so we can show them around too!
While Luke's family was in town we noticed that one of the units in the duplex next door was up for rent. We called and set up an appointment to view the duplex, assuming even if we liked it, they would probably not want to wait to rent it to us in November. After we viewed it, we found out it would cost us less than some of the smaller apartments we'd been looking at AND they'd rent it to us in October - allowing me to go ahead and move in and live closer to work and next door to Luke! I'm looking forward to having a place of my own for a while before I get married - even if it is only for a few weeks.
After we signed the lease we went furniture shopping. We had a pretty tight budget, but with the help of my mom we found a couch and end tables at the furniture store on post for under our budget and there was no tax! We're going to go pick it up a few days after I move my things into the new place, so at least I will have a place to sit!
Luke's block leave ended the day after Labor Day - the day my sisters went back to school and the day before my mom's birthday. It was a time I wish I could have been home to be with my family, but I know that they had a good time and knew I was thinking about them.
Well that brings us up to last week. More to come in the next post...
So last we spoke, Luke's block leave was about to start and his mom and brother were coming into town. Well they arrived safely on that Thursday and we spent the next several days hiking and exploring Washington together. That Friday we went to Mount Rainier and hiked the Tipsoo Lake Trail. I have to say, I'd seen pictures so I knew what to expect, but it was even more gorgeous in person. The hike was 3.5 miles around a lake and a little mountain (we'd call it a mountain in Virginia, but here I'm sure it's just considered a hill.) There were wildflower meadows, evergreen trees, streams, snow patches, and rocky trails. So beautiful.
The next daywe made our way to Seattle to see Pike's Place Market. That was quite an experience. Basically Pike's Place is an open market with vendor booths all down the street and under awnings and on street corners and everywhere you look really. My goal was to buy a bouquet of fresh flowers to take home and I was successful! They were so beautiful and lasted a while too. Luke picked out some cider, placemats, and a vase for the flowers and then we headed home. We stopped for a few minutes to stand and look at the water, but after being in such a crowd for a several hours, we were all ready to head out and eat some dinner.
Sunday we went to church and then had lunch with Pastor Ron and his family. It was so nice to have someone else cook a delicious meal for us - it reminded me of home! That afternoon Luke took his mom to a nature walk while his brother and I stayed home to rest. All in all, a great day.
Monday we went to the Quinault Lake and Rainforest. We saw the biggest trees I've ever seen in my life and took a nice pontoon cruise around the lake. After the cruise we walked through the rainforest and made Star Wars jokes (we all thought Yoda was about to come out of the swampy woods and invite us to train with him). By the time it got dark we headed to the restaurant at the resort on the lake to enjoy a nice dinner. The drive back was long and it was late, so I slept most of the way.
Tuesday I had to go back to work and Wednesday Luke took his mom and brother to the airport and said goodbye. It was great having them visit and I know we all had fun. I'm hoping more people will come visit so we can show them around too!
While Luke's family was in town we noticed that one of the units in the duplex next door was up for rent. We called and set up an appointment to view the duplex, assuming even if we liked it, they would probably not want to wait to rent it to us in November. After we viewed it, we found out it would cost us less than some of the smaller apartments we'd been looking at AND they'd rent it to us in October - allowing me to go ahead and move in and live closer to work and next door to Luke! I'm looking forward to having a place of my own for a while before I get married - even if it is only for a few weeks.
After we signed the lease we went furniture shopping. We had a pretty tight budget, but with the help of my mom we found a couch and end tables at the furniture store on post for under our budget and there was no tax! We're going to go pick it up a few days after I move my things into the new place, so at least I will have a place to sit!
Luke's block leave ended the day after Labor Day - the day my sisters went back to school and the day before my mom's birthday. It was a time I wish I could have been home to be with my family, but I know that they had a good time and knew I was thinking about them.
Well that brings us up to last week. More to come in the next post...
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Cleaning the Kitchen
Yesterday was one of the most tiring days I've had in a while.
It started off by waking up at 5AM to get ready for my first day of nannying. Made it from Puyallup to I-5 with no problems (Luke had taken my GPS so he could get home) but then got lost on post trying to find the family's house. Finally found it, but I was about 10 minutes late. Not a good way to start the day.
The boys I take care of are great - 4 and 6 years old and well-behaved but very energetic. Way more energy than I have definitely. Maybe I will have to start drinking coffee. We started the day with touring their toys, including the new "tantastic four" action figures from McDonald's. Then we walked to the park, played outside for a while, set up the sprinkler to play in, ate lunch in the backyard, played some video games, worked on a puzzle, and started a movie. A lot of stuff crammed into 8 hours.
After I left I had to go meet a family that I am babysitting for tonight. They wanted to introduce me to the children and just meet me overall, I guess. I stayed there about 10 minutes to talk about the specifics of babysitting and tell her about my references. Then I headed to Luke's to rest for a few minutes before we headed to our first pre-marital counseling session.
We left with time to spare since we wanted to be on time. Of course, I forgot to account for the ridiculous Fort Lewis traffic just 2 exits north of Luke's. It took us a full 20 minutes to go 3 exits north. Normally on a Sunday morning it takes us 20 minutes TOTAL to get to the church. We called the pastor to say we were on our way, but we'd be late. We made it there, but we were 10 minutes late.
The session went well. We talked about how we met, why we want to get married, and our backgrounds a little. Then we took a personality inventory type test. The pastor had written it himself about 30 years ago but it's proven effective over the years. He took our booklets and is going to evaluate them and we'll meet back in 3 weeks to start our counseling. I'm looking forward to it!
After counseling we went to the grocery store where it took us almost 2 hours to find everything on my list. I am trying to cook healthy, yummy food for us, and it ends up being a lot more work and a lot more money than just buying a few frozen pizzas and ordering take out. I like to cook, it's just I wish the food was free and I had a clean up crew to help me out.
Finally by 9PM I was serving up dinner - some hastily made spaghetti - but with freshly chopped veggies and sausage in it. As I turned to present the feast to Luke, it all sloshed off the plate and onto the kitchen floor where it splattered everywhere. Needless to say, at 9PM, after a full day of work and errands, I was not in a mood to deal with this. I cleaned it up and then went upstairs to wallow in my misery. Luke came to check on me and convinced me to come downstairs and split what was left of our dinner.
After a load of dishes and two loads of laundry I could finally go to sleep, only to wake up this morning at 6 to start the whole process over again.
I'll tell you this - I don't mind housework because I know it's necessary. No one else is going to come clean the house and cook for me, so I will do it. The thing I don't like so much is waking up while it's still dark, working all day, then coming home to work all night. I know this is adulthood, and I accept it. Here's the thing though - I have picked the best mate in the world. Luke is so helpful and so understanding. Although I am realizing adulthood is really hard, I look forward to my life with him, knowing that he will be my partner through it all.
So I hope today will be a little easier, but if it's not, I've got Luke here to hold my hand, make me smile, and help me mop the kitchen floor.
It started off by waking up at 5AM to get ready for my first day of nannying. Made it from Puyallup to I-5 with no problems (Luke had taken my GPS so he could get home) but then got lost on post trying to find the family's house. Finally found it, but I was about 10 minutes late. Not a good way to start the day.
The boys I take care of are great - 4 and 6 years old and well-behaved but very energetic. Way more energy than I have definitely. Maybe I will have to start drinking coffee. We started the day with touring their toys, including the new "tantastic four" action figures from McDonald's. Then we walked to the park, played outside for a while, set up the sprinkler to play in, ate lunch in the backyard, played some video games, worked on a puzzle, and started a movie. A lot of stuff crammed into 8 hours.
After I left I had to go meet a family that I am babysitting for tonight. They wanted to introduce me to the children and just meet me overall, I guess. I stayed there about 10 minutes to talk about the specifics of babysitting and tell her about my references. Then I headed to Luke's to rest for a few minutes before we headed to our first pre-marital counseling session.
We left with time to spare since we wanted to be on time. Of course, I forgot to account for the ridiculous Fort Lewis traffic just 2 exits north of Luke's. It took us a full 20 minutes to go 3 exits north. Normally on a Sunday morning it takes us 20 minutes TOTAL to get to the church. We called the pastor to say we were on our way, but we'd be late. We made it there, but we were 10 minutes late.
The session went well. We talked about how we met, why we want to get married, and our backgrounds a little. Then we took a personality inventory type test. The pastor had written it himself about 30 years ago but it's proven effective over the years. He took our booklets and is going to evaluate them and we'll meet back in 3 weeks to start our counseling. I'm looking forward to it!
After counseling we went to the grocery store where it took us almost 2 hours to find everything on my list. I am trying to cook healthy, yummy food for us, and it ends up being a lot more work and a lot more money than just buying a few frozen pizzas and ordering take out. I like to cook, it's just I wish the food was free and I had a clean up crew to help me out.
Finally by 9PM I was serving up dinner - some hastily made spaghetti - but with freshly chopped veggies and sausage in it. As I turned to present the feast to Luke, it all sloshed off the plate and onto the kitchen floor where it splattered everywhere. Needless to say, at 9PM, after a full day of work and errands, I was not in a mood to deal with this. I cleaned it up and then went upstairs to wallow in my misery. Luke came to check on me and convinced me to come downstairs and split what was left of our dinner.
After a load of dishes and two loads of laundry I could finally go to sleep, only to wake up this morning at 6 to start the whole process over again.
I'll tell you this - I don't mind housework because I know it's necessary. No one else is going to come clean the house and cook for me, so I will do it. The thing I don't like so much is waking up while it's still dark, working all day, then coming home to work all night. I know this is adulthood, and I accept it. Here's the thing though - I have picked the best mate in the world. Luke is so helpful and so understanding. Although I am realizing adulthood is really hard, I look forward to my life with him, knowing that he will be my partner through it all.
So I hope today will be a little easier, but if it's not, I've got Luke here to hold my hand, make me smile, and help me mop the kitchen floor.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Settling In
About time I update you all on my settling in process.
First - the weather here has been great. It's cloudy in the morning until about noon and then the sun comes out. At night it's usually down in the 50's and then by the afternoon it's up to the 60's or 70's. This weekend is supposed to be a hot one though - almost to the 90's! Doesn't sound too bad for those of you back home in Virginia who are enduring the 100 degree temperatures, but we don't have air conditioning here, so 90 degrees isn't pleasant.
Second - I have really enjoyed experimenting with cooking! Last night I made Tammy's "Little Cheddar Meatloaves" and Aunt Nancy's "President Reagan's Favorite Mac & Cheese." Both were a huge success and a big hit with Luke and his roommate. The night before I made Creamy Chicken Enchiladas which so far are Luke's favorite. Tonight I am making Mary's Mexican Vegetable Soup, which I know won't be half as good as when Mary makes it!
The downside to all this cooking is the cleaning up. It's not too bad but I feel like all I do every day is cook, do dishes, switch laundry, and put things away. Not too bad, but I can see how after years of this, I might go insane.
Now, the only reason I've been doing all the cooking and cleaning is that I haven't been working HOWEVER.... I got hired to nanny for a family on post with two little boys. I am looking forward to actually waking up and heading to work every morning. I didn't think I'd miss working, but I do. I start nannying on Monday and will probably be with this family through the school year. I am also going to add my name to the substitute teacher lists in the area so that on my days off I can make a little extra money at the schools!
This Sunday I move in with the Hickok family. They live in Puyallup - about 25-30 minutes from Luke and my job on post. The drive won't be pleasant (I'll have to leave the house by 7AM), but I am really looking forward to spending some time with the Hickok's. They have gone above and beyond in generosity and there's no way to thank them enough.
On Monday, Luke and I start our pre-marital counseling with Pastor Ron Kearns at New Hope Community Church in Lakewood. Last Sunday, Luke and I went to church there, but were 30 minutes late, so we may have missed a decent chunk of the singing and sermon. On our way to church, Luke's car was making an awful noise, almost like a helicopter was hovering over us. I thought it might be a flat tire so we got out and checked, but it wasn't. Luke said his tire was loose and shaky so we turned around, took the car to Jiffy Lube and took my car. I was determined to make it to church, so we went even though we were late. We talked to Pastor Ron after church and set up pre-marital counseling and were really blown away by the welcome we received. We're both really looking forward to spending more time getting to know our new church family.
Luke's mom and brother arrive a week from today. We're both really excited to see them and explore the area together. We are planning trips to Tacoma, Olympia, Seattle, the San Juan Islands, and some other little places around here. Should be fun! There will definitely be a blog post updating everyone on our explorations!
For now, I should go get some fresh air. The sun finally came out and I want to go for a walk... maybe even a jog... around this beautiful neighborhood. Have a great weekend, everyone!
First - the weather here has been great. It's cloudy in the morning until about noon and then the sun comes out. At night it's usually down in the 50's and then by the afternoon it's up to the 60's or 70's. This weekend is supposed to be a hot one though - almost to the 90's! Doesn't sound too bad for those of you back home in Virginia who are enduring the 100 degree temperatures, but we don't have air conditioning here, so 90 degrees isn't pleasant.
Second - I have really enjoyed experimenting with cooking! Last night I made Tammy's "Little Cheddar Meatloaves" and Aunt Nancy's "President Reagan's Favorite Mac & Cheese." Both were a huge success and a big hit with Luke and his roommate. The night before I made Creamy Chicken Enchiladas which so far are Luke's favorite. Tonight I am making Mary's Mexican Vegetable Soup, which I know won't be half as good as when Mary makes it!
The downside to all this cooking is the cleaning up. It's not too bad but I feel like all I do every day is cook, do dishes, switch laundry, and put things away. Not too bad, but I can see how after years of this, I might go insane.
Now, the only reason I've been doing all the cooking and cleaning is that I haven't been working HOWEVER.... I got hired to nanny for a family on post with two little boys. I am looking forward to actually waking up and heading to work every morning. I didn't think I'd miss working, but I do. I start nannying on Monday and will probably be with this family through the school year. I am also going to add my name to the substitute teacher lists in the area so that on my days off I can make a little extra money at the schools!
This Sunday I move in with the Hickok family. They live in Puyallup - about 25-30 minutes from Luke and my job on post. The drive won't be pleasant (I'll have to leave the house by 7AM), but I am really looking forward to spending some time with the Hickok's. They have gone above and beyond in generosity and there's no way to thank them enough.
On Monday, Luke and I start our pre-marital counseling with Pastor Ron Kearns at New Hope Community Church in Lakewood. Last Sunday, Luke and I went to church there, but were 30 minutes late, so we may have missed a decent chunk of the singing and sermon. On our way to church, Luke's car was making an awful noise, almost like a helicopter was hovering over us. I thought it might be a flat tire so we got out and checked, but it wasn't. Luke said his tire was loose and shaky so we turned around, took the car to Jiffy Lube and took my car. I was determined to make it to church, so we went even though we were late. We talked to Pastor Ron after church and set up pre-marital counseling and were really blown away by the welcome we received. We're both really looking forward to spending more time getting to know our new church family.
Luke's mom and brother arrive a week from today. We're both really excited to see them and explore the area together. We are planning trips to Tacoma, Olympia, Seattle, the San Juan Islands, and some other little places around here. Should be fun! There will definitely be a blog post updating everyone on our explorations!
For now, I should go get some fresh air. The sun finally came out and I want to go for a walk... maybe even a jog... around this beautiful neighborhood. Have a great weekend, everyone!
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
He's Home
After waiting for a 359 days, he's home.
We'll start where I left off last week...
Monday I took Dad to the airport. It was sad to say goodbye, especially after 5 days together on the road. Driving away from the airport I couldn't help but cry realizing that this really is it. I am here now. After resting at the house I went to visit Mr. and Mrs. Hickok, the family that I will be staying with until Luke and I get married. I am so grateful to them for opening up their home to me and answering a very important prayer of mine. The rest of the day I spent shopping, exploring the area, and unpacking my things.
Tuesday I woke up and got started on unpacking and cleaning right away. It took me all day, but by dinner time, the place felt like home. Jeff (Luke's roommate) graciously let me rearrange the entire house (except his room) and even helped me move some of the heavier furniture. It seems crazy, but even just moving a sofa around made it feel like home. I hear it's called "nesting." Tuesday night I picked up Allie from the airport. Allie is Mark Seelen's girlfriend. Mark and Luke have been platoon leaders together this year in Iraq. Thank goodness for Allie! She and I kept each other busy and commiserated with each other when we found out they'd be in later than expected.
Wednesday while shopping around Target with Allie I got a Facebook message from Luke saying they would not be in on Thursday as expected, but probably on Saturday. I was sad, mostly for them, but I knew he'd be home soon anyway. Allie took it harder, since she has to go back to Connecticut on the 4th. She switched her ticket though, so now she can go back on the 6th. Yes, two more days are worth the $264.
Thursday and Friday was just more time-killing. We shopped, explored, cleaned, cooked, and watched movies and TV. All in all, it was nice to have a "battle buddy" (as Luke calls it) during the wait.
Finally Saturday arrived... the day I'd been waiting for for a loooooong time. It felt like Christmas. I woke up with a stomach ache from the nerves, but I got to work doing some final prep work for the boys' return. I chopped veggies for fajitas, Allie iced the cupcakes and started the guacamole, and I did some final cleaning (vacuuming to be exact - yes Mom, I figured out how to vacuum). Then around 2 we headed to the gym on post where we were to meet them. We stopped for lunch at the PX but I was too nervous to finish my lunch. We got the gym and sat in the front row near the band. Only minutes after we got there a live feed of the plane landing came on. I teared up right away knowing Luke was on that plane and he was really home now. We watched the plane land, watched them deboard, and then watched them stand in lines to do some inprocessing. I saw a close up of Luke in the medical line and teared up again. Finally we heard the bus was on it's way and the music started. When they got there they walked in, stood in formation, and I immediately spotted Luke. Seeing him in person didn't even feel real. Finally there was a 3 minute little "welcome home" speech and they were released. I have never seen him shove people out of the way like that! (For those of you who'd like to see, there is a video on Facebook). We hugged for a while, mostly because I couldn't believe he was home, but as soon as we found Mark and Allie he was ready to go home, take a shower, and rest in his own house. I don't blame him.
So now he's home and I couldn't be happier! Thank you so much for all your prayers and support. We're both grateful. More updates later. Love you all!
We'll start where I left off last week...
Monday I took Dad to the airport. It was sad to say goodbye, especially after 5 days together on the road. Driving away from the airport I couldn't help but cry realizing that this really is it. I am here now. After resting at the house I went to visit Mr. and Mrs. Hickok, the family that I will be staying with until Luke and I get married. I am so grateful to them for opening up their home to me and answering a very important prayer of mine. The rest of the day I spent shopping, exploring the area, and unpacking my things.
Tuesday I woke up and got started on unpacking and cleaning right away. It took me all day, but by dinner time, the place felt like home. Jeff (Luke's roommate) graciously let me rearrange the entire house (except his room) and even helped me move some of the heavier furniture. It seems crazy, but even just moving a sofa around made it feel like home. I hear it's called "nesting." Tuesday night I picked up Allie from the airport. Allie is Mark Seelen's girlfriend. Mark and Luke have been platoon leaders together this year in Iraq. Thank goodness for Allie! She and I kept each other busy and commiserated with each other when we found out they'd be in later than expected.
Wednesday while shopping around Target with Allie I got a Facebook message from Luke saying they would not be in on Thursday as expected, but probably on Saturday. I was sad, mostly for them, but I knew he'd be home soon anyway. Allie took it harder, since she has to go back to Connecticut on the 4th. She switched her ticket though, so now she can go back on the 6th. Yes, two more days are worth the $264.
Thursday and Friday was just more time-killing. We shopped, explored, cleaned, cooked, and watched movies and TV. All in all, it was nice to have a "battle buddy" (as Luke calls it) during the wait.
Finally Saturday arrived... the day I'd been waiting for for a loooooong time. It felt like Christmas. I woke up with a stomach ache from the nerves, but I got to work doing some final prep work for the boys' return. I chopped veggies for fajitas, Allie iced the cupcakes and started the guacamole, and I did some final cleaning (vacuuming to be exact - yes Mom, I figured out how to vacuum). Then around 2 we headed to the gym on post where we were to meet them. We stopped for lunch at the PX but I was too nervous to finish my lunch. We got the gym and sat in the front row near the band. Only minutes after we got there a live feed of the plane landing came on. I teared up right away knowing Luke was on that plane and he was really home now. We watched the plane land, watched them deboard, and then watched them stand in lines to do some inprocessing. I saw a close up of Luke in the medical line and teared up again. Finally we heard the bus was on it's way and the music started. When they got there they walked in, stood in formation, and I immediately spotted Luke. Seeing him in person didn't even feel real. Finally there was a 3 minute little "welcome home" speech and they were released. I have never seen him shove people out of the way like that! (For those of you who'd like to see, there is a video on Facebook). We hugged for a while, mostly because I couldn't believe he was home, but as soon as we found Mark and Allie he was ready to go home, take a shower, and rest in his own house. I don't blame him.
So now he's home and I couldn't be happier! Thank you so much for all your prayers and support. We're both grateful. More updates later. Love you all!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
The Trail West (5)
Today was the final day on the road! Only one state to chronicle today...
Washington -
Today we started in Spokane and drove 5 hours to DuPont. The drive wasn't bad and I was glad to finally arrive at my new home. We ate breakfast at a diner that used to be a train car - very cool. We didn't stop for lunch but snacked along the way. We stopped at a scenic overlook today too. It was a canyon where the Columbia River runs. SO beautiful. Here are some pictures.
When we got finally here we rested for about an hour and then headed out to Tacoma to a restaurant called Sushi Revolution and had dinner. It was great - a whole new experience! When you call come visit, that will be one of the first stops! Then we walked around the little shopping area outside the neighborhood and came back to the house. It's a great neighborhood. I'm hoping after Luke and I get married we'll be able to find a place in this neighborhood.
Well there isn't much to update really. I am so glad to be here and not be on the road. I wish Luke were here, but there's lots to do so I will be busy until he comes home, for sure. I am so grateful for all of your prayers, emails, texts, etc. I am glad to know I have so much support and love coming my way. I will update more this week as I get settled and learn the area. Love you all and see you in a few months!
Washington -
Today we started in Spokane and drove 5 hours to DuPont. The drive wasn't bad and I was glad to finally arrive at my new home. We ate breakfast at a diner that used to be a train car - very cool. We didn't stop for lunch but snacked along the way. We stopped at a scenic overlook today too. It was a canyon where the Columbia River runs. SO beautiful. Here are some pictures.
When we got finally here we rested for about an hour and then headed out to Tacoma to a restaurant called Sushi Revolution and had dinner. It was great - a whole new experience! When you call come visit, that will be one of the first stops! Then we walked around the little shopping area outside the neighborhood and came back to the house. It's a great neighborhood. I'm hoping after Luke and I get married we'll be able to find a place in this neighborhood.
Well there isn't much to update really. I am so glad to be here and not be on the road. I wish Luke were here, but there's lots to do so I will be busy until he comes home, for sure. I am so grateful for all of your prayers, emails, texts, etc. I am glad to know I have so much support and love coming my way. I will update more this week as I get settled and learn the area. Love you all and see you in a few months!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
The Trail West (4)
Only three states today - and the last update that will cover more than just Washington!
Montana -
Still as beautiful today as it was yesterday. It was Dad's favorite state thus far. Lots of mountains, trees, and rivers. While driving through the mountains there would occasionally be a little stream running beside the road and several times we saw people fishing and swimming off the side of the road. We wished we could stop, but we were trying to make it to Spokane today with enough time to relax and eat dinner, so no stopping to swim in the streams or fish with the locals.
Idaho -
We only drove through Idaho shortly, but what there was of it was VERY mountainous. It was my turn to drive and honestly, it was a little scary. I drove well below the speed limit (which was 75) for a while because the road was just so scary. There was also construction every few dozen miles so we'd have to slow and merge and all that. It was quite beautiful though.
Washington -
Seeing the "Welcome to Washington" sign really was like coming home (a new home of course). I know I've never been here and it's not home yet, but I have been so focused on planning the move, finding a place to live, finding a job, and learning about my new homestate that it felt nice to finally be here. We're staying in Spokane tonight so our drive is only 5 hours tomorrow. When we got to the hotel we checked in, swam, and then went out to eat at a place called "The Onion." I'm sure my sisters are jealous (they love onions). What they don't know is there is a special gift from the restaurant that will be heading their way as soon as I can get to a post office... :)
So tonight is my last night on the road. The trip has actually gone by quickly, which is nice, and it's been really good getting to spend quality time with my dad. I'm looking forward to arriving in DuPont (right outside Tacoma) tomorrow and getting some things unpacked in Luke's place before he gets back. He should be arriving Thursday or Friday, so I will have a few days to orient myself, explore the town, rest, and get things ready for his big return. After tomorrow blog posts may be less frequent, but please don't stop praying for me, emailing me, calling me, and thinking of me. I miss home very much, but I'm excited about establishing a new home here. I love you all and will update you tomorrow! Goodnight!
The Trail West (3)
So last night when we got in I was too tired to write the blog of the day, so here it is! On Friday we covered three states...
South Dakota -
One of the highlights of South Dakota was the mystery behind the "Wall Drug" signs we kept seeing. Literally for hundreds of miles we kept seeing signs that said "Homemade Ice Cream at Wall Drug" or "Get Your Leather at Wall Drug" or "Dinosaurs at Wall Drug." As you can imagine, we were intrigued. When we finally got there what we saw was not what we'd expected. It was like coming up on an old western town - the saloon, a place to water and tie up your horse, a leather store, an ice cream parlor, and lost of bars, restaurants, and little shops. It was really cool - definitely a good stop! We got some ice cream and wandered around the shops and I ended up buying some little turquoise earrings from a Native American jewelry shop. It was definitely worth the stop.
It turns out "Wall Drug" was the last stop before the badlands back in old western days. It had everything the people needed to get through the badlands or everything they needed after coming out the other side. There was even a little chapel there that was so beautiful - the picture doesn't even capture it. All in all, very neat place to visit.
Another highlight of South Dakota was... MOUNT RUSHMORE. It turns out it's $10 to park and take pictures from up close, so my pictures are from the "Free Parking" area. It was really amazing to finally see it in person. It was smaller than I thought it'd be, but that may have been from where I was standing. I hope all of you who read this blog will get to see it one day - it's really worth seeing.
Lastly for South Dakota, we saw the Badlands and the Black Hills. Both very appropriately named.
Wyoming -
Well I was asleep when we first entered Wyoming, but my dad said there was a shift in the color of the dirt. All of a sudden the bluffs were red. Pretty interesting. Other than that, what I remember most was this little town where we ate dinner - Sheridan. We ate at a little bar & grill type thing on Main Street, which appeared to be their only real street. I ordered a salad which was super tiny, so I ordered the edemame (soy bean) appetizer. The few times I've had soybeans they were delicious, however this restaurant served them steamed IN the pods. Well eating the pods is like eating spiders, so I popped the soybeans out of the pods. Apparently in Virginia, we don't eat the pods... in Wyoming, you do. The waitresses all walked past laughing at us popping the soybeans out and discarding the pods. I like to think Virginia's way is better.
We also saw parts of Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons as we drove through. Both were amazing. The mountains looked so high we thought they were clouds from a distance. I can't believe there are people who have never seen this stuff! I hope all of you get a chance to see it one day!
Montana -
We were only in Montana for about 100 miles today before the hotel. My two biggest memories of Montana so far - the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen, and a narrowly avoided father-daughter bonding experience. As I was driving after dinner, I saw the sun setting behind the mountains. It was the most striking sunset I've ever seen - the colors were gorgeous and the silhouette of the mountains made it that much more impacting. I wish pictures could have captured it, but you'll have to see it for yourselves one day.
And lastly, the bonding experience. When we were about 50 miles from the hotel I realized that my estimated "miles till empty" was not keeping the same pace as my "miles till destination." About 30 miles out I decided to stop for gas, however in Montana that became near impossible. We pulled over to what used to be a Shell station, but is clearly gone now, when I was at about 7 miles till empty. Finally the counter struck 0 and I prayed hard. Seriously - I prayed that God would multiply the gas in my tank like he multiplied the fish and bread to feed the 5,000. Well he heard my prayers because after about 10 miles on empty we made it to a gas station. When we filled up, I only needed 16 gallons, meaning I had about a gallon and a half still in the tank - about 30 or so miles worth of gas. We got gas, made it to the hotel, and I slept 8 blissful hours in the most comfortable bed I've ever been in.
Now for today we're headed to Spokane, WA. Only one state to drive through today really - about 500 miles in Montana. More updates tonight! Thank you all for your prayers and emails. I love you all and will update you later!
South Dakota -
One of the highlights of South Dakota was the mystery behind the "Wall Drug" signs we kept seeing. Literally for hundreds of miles we kept seeing signs that said "Homemade Ice Cream at Wall Drug" or "Get Your Leather at Wall Drug" or "Dinosaurs at Wall Drug." As you can imagine, we were intrigued. When we finally got there what we saw was not what we'd expected. It was like coming up on an old western town - the saloon, a place to water and tie up your horse, a leather store, an ice cream parlor, and lost of bars, restaurants, and little shops. It was really cool - definitely a good stop! We got some ice cream and wandered around the shops and I ended up buying some little turquoise earrings from a Native American jewelry shop. It was definitely worth the stop.
It turns out "Wall Drug" was the last stop before the badlands back in old western days. It had everything the people needed to get through the badlands or everything they needed after coming out the other side. There was even a little chapel there that was so beautiful - the picture doesn't even capture it. All in all, very neat place to visit.
Another highlight of South Dakota was... MOUNT RUSHMORE. It turns out it's $10 to park and take pictures from up close, so my pictures are from the "Free Parking" area. It was really amazing to finally see it in person. It was smaller than I thought it'd be, but that may have been from where I was standing. I hope all of you who read this blog will get to see it one day - it's really worth seeing.
Lastly for South Dakota, we saw the Badlands and the Black Hills. Both very appropriately named.
Wyoming -
Well I was asleep when we first entered Wyoming, but my dad said there was a shift in the color of the dirt. All of a sudden the bluffs were red. Pretty interesting. Other than that, what I remember most was this little town where we ate dinner - Sheridan. We ate at a little bar & grill type thing on Main Street, which appeared to be their only real street. I ordered a salad which was super tiny, so I ordered the edemame (soy bean) appetizer. The few times I've had soybeans they were delicious, however this restaurant served them steamed IN the pods. Well eating the pods is like eating spiders, so I popped the soybeans out of the pods. Apparently in Virginia, we don't eat the pods... in Wyoming, you do. The waitresses all walked past laughing at us popping the soybeans out and discarding the pods. I like to think Virginia's way is better.
We also saw parts of Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons as we drove through. Both were amazing. The mountains looked so high we thought they were clouds from a distance. I can't believe there are people who have never seen this stuff! I hope all of you get a chance to see it one day!
Montana -
We were only in Montana for about 100 miles today before the hotel. My two biggest memories of Montana so far - the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen, and a narrowly avoided father-daughter bonding experience. As I was driving after dinner, I saw the sun setting behind the mountains. It was the most striking sunset I've ever seen - the colors were gorgeous and the silhouette of the mountains made it that much more impacting. I wish pictures could have captured it, but you'll have to see it for yourselves one day.
And lastly, the bonding experience. When we were about 50 miles from the hotel I realized that my estimated "miles till empty" was not keeping the same pace as my "miles till destination." About 30 miles out I decided to stop for gas, however in Montana that became near impossible. We pulled over to what used to be a Shell station, but is clearly gone now, when I was at about 7 miles till empty. Finally the counter struck 0 and I prayed hard. Seriously - I prayed that God would multiply the gas in my tank like he multiplied the fish and bread to feed the 5,000. Well he heard my prayers because after about 10 miles on empty we made it to a gas station. When we filled up, I only needed 16 gallons, meaning I had about a gallon and a half still in the tank - about 30 or so miles worth of gas. We got gas, made it to the hotel, and I slept 8 blissful hours in the most comfortable bed I've ever been in.
Now for today we're headed to Spokane, WA. Only one state to drive through today really - about 500 miles in Montana. More updates tonight! Thank you all for your prayers and emails. I love you all and will update you later!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
The Trail West (2)
Four more states today (but technically I saw five). Here are the highlights...
Illinois - Left Andy and Sally's at about 9AM headed for Sioux Falls, SD. The weather was hot already but the area was pretty - definitely the flat, crop-filled MidWest.
Missouri - More flat land and more crops. It wasn't too bad though. Most of today was just cornfields and plains. Hard to really distinguish specifics between the states. I will say though, that the St. Louis arch is one of the most striking things I've ever seen. Pictures don't capture the magnitude of it - it really was breathtaking!
Iowa - My least favorite state so far - not to say it's a bad place to visit - just the least interesting out of the few I've seen. It seemed to drag forever, but we made it. While driving though Iowa, we could see Nebraska to our left pretty much the whole way. So even though I wasn't IN Nebraska, I SAW it, so it kind of makes the list.
South Dakota - Well honestly I slept most of the way through SD to Sioux Falls. We had about an hour after dinner till we got to the hotel and I dozed a little while trying to read so my memories of SD so far are pleasant ones.
We're at the hotel now and the weather seems nice and I think it's neat to be in a place I've never been. I can't believe how tired I am after just sitting in a car for 10 hours, but I also have to take into account the time difference. I am definitely ready to hurry up and get to Washington, but I am enjoying the ride and really enjoying seeing how beautiful America really is.
Wish I could bring you all with me. I can't wait to be in Washington and send out lots of pictures. Love you all. Goodnight!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The Trail West (1)
Well, in day one we rode through five states: Virginia, West Viginia, Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois. Here's what I remember from each...
Virginia -
Saying goodbye to my family - WAY harder than I imagined when I planned this move months ago.
Leaving my home state - good ole Virginia. A sad day, but I'll be back.
West Virginia -
Pretty much looks exactly like Virginia. Not sure why we split... not that I want to rejoin, though.
Kentucky -
Louisville has many large and elaborate bridges. Dad told me there is no real use for the upper half of bridges, which made me sad that Louisville wasted so much metal. Other than that, it was cool to drive through the state where Luke was born and lived for 8 years or so.
Indiana -
Ate dinner at Stoll's Amish Buffet, which was a delight and a disappointment. The delight - the desserts. The disappointment - not as Amish as I was expecting. We didn't eat by candle light, there was definitely AC, and I think the green peas were canned. Still, the food was delicious and I made room for 3 desserts. All in all, not a bad dinner.
Illinois -
FLAT... that's what I'll remember. I think I could see across the cornfields for miles. It was beautiful and I can see the draw to live in such a wide open place. I will have to take some pictures tomorrow, for sure.
Tomorrow we should be in Nebraska or South Dakota, not sure yet. The further I drive into the sunset, the more excited I am to see Luke, but I can't help but get misty-eyed when I think about saying goodbye to my family this morning. I'll be home soon though, so Mom, no more crying. If you won't, I won't. I love you and I'll see you all soon.
For tonight - it's time for bed. More updates tomorrow. Goodnight!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Stuff-less
Here's attempt number three at this blogging thing. Third time's the charm, right?
So yesterday I packed up my things with the help of my family and a friend and shipped it off to Washington. I guess I have to go now or else I will be stuff-less. Who would have thought that I'd have enough stuff to ship 22 whole boxes! A box per year of my life I guess.
Today my family and I packed up and headed to Massanutten for a week. I won't be here for the whole week though - I am leaving on Wednesday to start the 5-day drive to Washington! My dad (Rod) is picking me up in my car and we'll be heading to St. Louis, Missouri for the first night where his brother-in-law lives. We'd like to do some sight-seeing on the trip, so one of the days we will be stopping to see Mt. Rushmore - my only request as far as landmarks go. If anyone has suggestions for sights along the way, let me know!
I have so many different emotions regarding the couple of weeks. First, I am sad to be leaving my family and home, but I know it's time. I will miss them so much, but I know I will see them often and we will keep in touch in every way possible - phone, email, Facebook, Skype, blogs, etc. I have no doubt by next week when I arrive in Washington someone will have invented another method of communication we can use.
I'm also really excited, though. It's fun to think about the adventure my adult life is going to be - and it's starting so soon! Luke gets home next week and the adventure really begins then! I have waited six months to see him again and I really can't wait to just relax and spend time together. I've really missed him this past year while he's been in Iraq, but now he will finally get some extended down-time.
For now though, I am going to take advantage of the next four days with my family. No more blogging for now... there are more important things to do!
So yesterday I packed up my things with the help of my family and a friend and shipped it off to Washington. I guess I have to go now or else I will be stuff-less. Who would have thought that I'd have enough stuff to ship 22 whole boxes! A box per year of my life I guess.
Today my family and I packed up and headed to Massanutten for a week. I won't be here for the whole week though - I am leaving on Wednesday to start the 5-day drive to Washington! My dad (Rod) is picking me up in my car and we'll be heading to St. Louis, Missouri for the first night where his brother-in-law lives. We'd like to do some sight-seeing on the trip, so one of the days we will be stopping to see Mt. Rushmore - my only request as far as landmarks go. If anyone has suggestions for sights along the way, let me know!
I have so many different emotions regarding the couple of weeks. First, I am sad to be leaving my family and home, but I know it's time. I will miss them so much, but I know I will see them often and we will keep in touch in every way possible - phone, email, Facebook, Skype, blogs, etc. I have no doubt by next week when I arrive in Washington someone will have invented another method of communication we can use.
I'm also really excited, though. It's fun to think about the adventure my adult life is going to be - and it's starting so soon! Luke gets home next week and the adventure really begins then! I have waited six months to see him again and I really can't wait to just relax and spend time together. I've really missed him this past year while he's been in Iraq, but now he will finally get some extended down-time.
For now though, I am going to take advantage of the next four days with my family. No more blogging for now... there are more important things to do!
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