First Seattle trip

I write this from Seattle, the first trip of many over the next few months before I move up here permanently.  Jon started at Amazon on Monday, and I will be here until Monday because of the long three day President's weekend.   Unfortunately I can't post about this on Twitter or Facebook because my principal doesn't want anyone at work to know.  (This is a whole different story!).  So, only you blog followers will be getting any kind of update on our moving status over the next month (at least!).

This past week was very hard without Jon, and leaving him off at Sky Harbor was pretty excruciating.  On Saturday and Sunday my goal was to stay busy and be in denial about what was happening.  With the dawn of the work week school obviously kept me busy, especially after taking an entire week off the week before to prepare for the move.  I got to talk to Jon on the phone/using the computer cam every night.  This was an improvement from just the phone long distance relationship which we perfected five years ago (geez, has it been that long!?)

So far Jon seems to be enjoying work at Amazon.  He is staying busy, working long days getting used to his new position and new city.  I have been researching apartments/homes to rent and on Sunday we will be going out with an area specialist to get oriented with the city.   I also stepped out of my comfort zone and learned how to ride the bus in order to get to Jon's downtown office and then walked around downtown and went shopping for about two hours.  

Seattle seems very different from Phoenix.  Obviously the weather is a change, and although it is overcast the clouds are high enough that some light from the sun still filters in.  It is very cold though, and I am looking forward to having a 'real' winter jacket to help keep me warm (not to mention ear muffs, scarf, hat, and better gloves).   It will be fun to find some cute winter stuff to add to my current wardrobe.  

The downtown here, where our corporate apartment is, is like night and day from Phoenix.  Downtown Seattle is bustling, huge, and full of people.  There is an International District, which is basically a Chinese shopping area, many department stores and malls, and tons of public transportation which people actually use. :)

I kinda wonder how long it will take before I can call Seattle home.  I know I need to make that my mindset, but right now it still feels very temporary.  Will the key be when we move into our new place with our furniture and pictures on the walls, when we start making new friends here, when we find fellowship with a church, when I find a job...?   

Please pray that we would find renters for our Phoenix home quickly, that we would choose a good place in Seattle to start putting down roots, a good Biblically based church, and a job for me.