Summer's almost over!

It's been almost two weeks since I posted, which is quite a bit of time during the summer when one would think I have lots of extra time since I'm not working. Not true! I have been so busy writing lately (in addition to reading) that my days are flying by.

I recently wrote a letter to Jon's company urging them to consider offering adoption benefits for their employees. A lot of Fortune 500 companies (Microsoft, Google, Motorola, Bank of America, etc) offer this because adoptions are so expensive, and I think it would be great for them to recognize and support that people build their families lots of different ways. We haven't sent it off yet, but you can be praying it would be looked at and considered instead of just being shoved to the corner of someone's desk or-worse yet-thrown away!

I also wrote a letter to President Obama in reference to the housing crisis. As many of you know, Jon and I still have a house in Arizona we lived in for 4 years before moving to Seattle. We can't sell it because we have lost so much money on the property, and we don't feel like it is ethical to foreclose (although that would be the easy option since renting a home from 1,300 miles away is a pain in the royal behind). Since we pay our mortgage every month on time our mortgage company isn't willing to work with us to lock in a lower rate. I just feel people like us are being forgotten. I did hear back from Mr. Obama-a typical form letter with him thanking me for writing in and suggestions of whom to contact for information about the housing situation in America. To be honest this is what I expected, but I secretly hoped I'd get a "real" response.

I have also been writing a ton lately on two new blogs I have started (one by myself, and one with Jon). My new blog is called Trekking Out, and I hope one day it will grow into a travel blog that people can check out to get itinerary information. I actually started this blog almost 2 years ago when I picked out the URL, but I never posted anything. I figured it can't hurt to give writing it a shot. Maybe nobody will read it (ever!), but I love to travel and I figure you can't go wrong talking about something you are passionate about because it just might show up in your writing. You can click here to check it out, but be nice if you comment! :)

My Mom came into town this past week to do nothing more but hang out. It was such a wonderful time. We saw chick flicks we couldn't drag our husband's to, we ate at Panera for lunch, we went shopping, we cooked together, we explored parts of town I hadn't been brave enough to see on my own...it was really so enjoyable. Here is a picture of us taking a hike in a park close to my house. I miss my Mom already, but I am thankful she has the time and money to be able to come out and visit me as often as she does.

We have some other news on the horizon so keep checking back here for updates.

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.  

A huge change

It is official today at 5:45 PM Arizona time.  We are moving to Seattle.  Jon accepted a job with Amazon and two months from today he will be up in Seattle working.  I will finish out my school year here and move up in May.  The details are sketchy beyond that right now, but needless to say we are excited, worried, nervous....too many more emotions to count.

It seems like God has closed doors here in Phoenix for Jon for finding new work and opened up new ones for us in Washington.  I know over the next five months I will experience a plethora of feelings about leaving my home, family, job I love, and experiencing a whole new life, but ultimately I know that God is with us in either place and that He is good.  I know that He will be faithful and not leave us.  I recognize that I will need to depend on God more in these upcoming months than perhaps I have ever in the past.  This will be a huge leap of faith, and your prayers for us would be more than appreciated.  

I'll keep you posted as I know more.  For your Facebook followers-PLEASE do not post anything about this on my wall.  No one at Jon or my work knows yet and we need to approach telling people delicately.  

Thanks for your prayers.  

End of 1st quarter

It's very hard to believe, but this is the last week of the first quarter.  This year has just flown by so far, probably the combination of learning a new job and the fact that I'm getting older so every year seems to go by faster.   This year we will be making our way out to Texas over part of Fall Break to visit Jon's family.  I haven't seen the aunts, uncles, and cousins since before we tied the knot, so it will be nice to catch up with them.  Hopefully the weather will be a bit nicer than AZ, too!   We plan to spend a few days in Austin, too, a city both of us are unfamiliar with but excited to see.   We don't have any concrete plans but to see 6th Street and get to know the general area.

Recently Jon and I heard that Disneyland is offering free admission to The Park on your birthday.  We both got very excited at this prospect because we absolutely love Disneyland and had so much fun the last time we were there together about one year ago.  Since the European extravaganza ate away our entire vacation budget and more, I think this sounds like a pretty sweet gig for a much more affordable-yet fun-alternative.  I still would like to get to Hawaii and go on a cruise, but perhaps one of these is what I can look forward to when I turn the big three zero!  

Speaking of birthdays, and subsequently presents, I just found out that Amazon allows you to put items other than those found at Amazon on your wishlist.  This is a fun option I have been wanting for a few years, and there is now absolutely NO reason why anyone should avoid getting an Amazon wishlist.  Whether it is to add items that are indeed wishes or things people could actually afford to purchase for you, I had great fun with this last night.  I got to add some overpriced jewelry from Tiffany's, some gift certificates for spas to be pampered, as well as Southwest Airlines $$$.  Jon asked me who would actually buy airline money for me, but I thought the gift of travel would be very fun and perhaps help us pay for that trip to Hawaii (I mean California!)