Saturday, May 29
Friday, May 28
the horror
We're packing. Slowly. It's a maze of cardboard boxes, misplaced furniture, and apparently my purse and computer bag.
I try to close my eyes and ignore the mess, knowing that it will be over soon. Monday night we can dip our toes in the Atlantic ocean and sleep peacefully knowing that the worst is behind us.
Sunday, May 23
the lists, they are a changin'
Moving has thrown a wrench into my 101 goals in 1001 days.
95. Have a fully staffed children's ministry will be difficult since I'm no longer a children's pastor.
93. Organize/paint/redecorate the office won't happen because I no longer have an office.
16. Learn to play Rage is no longer possible because that awful card game got tossed in the Great Purge of 2010 (also known as - We're Moving and Need Less Stuff).
14. Guest room and 15. Home office space are up in the air since we're downsizing to a one bedroom apartment with this move (or possibly a studio. oy.). We might move into a two bedroom before the challenge is over so I'll leave them on the list for now.
And now, as I'm flipping down through the list, I realize have a few more to check off! Woo!
70. Pay for the person behind me at Tim's - Some friends pulled up behind us while we were ordering at the drive through and they hollered out the window telling us what they wanted for breakfast. I laughed it off, they ordered for themselves, but I payed for them at the window. Cost me $7 and change... quite possibly the most I've seen two people charge at Tim's ever, but it was so worth it.
79. Couch tables - I wanted a coffee table at the least, but was hoping to score a set of three so I could have the coffee table and two end tables. I have since come to realize that real wood is expensive. Tres expensive. I gave up on that hunt, but eventually found leather-like storage ottomans on clearance for $50! It's perfect in front of our couch and provides some much needed storage space. We bought one, and then a few weeks later added a smaller cube ottoman in front of our chair for video game storage, and eventually bought another longer ottoman to put at the foot of our bed. I'm obsessed.
87. Travel by plane - the flight to and from British Columbia definitely counts and we'll be flying again in August when the BFF gets married in New York.
55. Own my car was checked off, but since said car died and we purchased a new one, I own nothing. The Accent is 100% Fitz's. I'm leaving that goal on the list though because I DID own it, however short that time period was. (And I really don't have the energy to come up with one more goal since I have so many to revamp.)
I have several new recipes that deserve and honorable mention, but I'll save that post for another day.
95. Have a fully staffed children's ministry will be difficult since I'm no longer a children's pastor.
93. Organize/paint/redecorate the office won't happen because I no longer have an office.
16. Learn to play Rage is no longer possible because that awful card game got tossed in the Great Purge of 2010 (also known as - We're Moving and Need Less Stuff).
14. Guest room and 15. Home office space are up in the air since we're downsizing to a one bedroom apartment with this move (or possibly a studio. oy.). We might move into a two bedroom before the challenge is over so I'll leave them on the list for now.
And now, as I'm flipping down through the list, I realize have a few more to check off! Woo!
70. Pay for the person behind me at Tim's - Some friends pulled up behind us while we were ordering at the drive through and they hollered out the window telling us what they wanted for breakfast. I laughed it off, they ordered for themselves, but I payed for them at the window. Cost me $7 and change... quite possibly the most I've seen two people charge at Tim's ever, but it was so worth it.
79. Couch tables - I wanted a coffee table at the least, but was hoping to score a set of three so I could have the coffee table and two end tables. I have since come to realize that real wood is expensive. Tres expensive. I gave up on that hunt, but eventually found leather-like storage ottomans on clearance for $50! It's perfect in front of our couch and provides some much needed storage space. We bought one, and then a few weeks later added a smaller cube ottoman in front of our chair for video game storage, and eventually bought another longer ottoman to put at the foot of our bed. I'm obsessed.
87. Travel by plane - the flight to and from British Columbia definitely counts and we'll be flying again in August when the BFF gets married in New York.
55. Own my car was checked off, but since said car died and we purchased a new one, I own nothing. The Accent is 100% Fitz's. I'm leaving that goal on the list though because I DID own it, however short that time period was. (And I really don't have the energy to come up with one more goal since I have so many to revamp.)
I have several new recipes that deserve and honorable mention, but I'll save that post for another day.
Thursday, May 20
in with the new
2010 Hyundai Accent
After my initial "what are we going to do" melt down Sunday night when the Camry died, Fitz and I pulled ourselves together and decided car shopping was the first thing on our to-do list for Monday morning. We planned to buy a new/used car when we settled in British Columbia so this incident just sped up the process.
Hyundai has been at the top of our list for a while - they are getting great reviews from Consumer Reports (my go to guide for big purchases) and the opinions of friends who own them has been very positive. With their 0% financing for 60 months it made more sense to buy brand new than to finance a used car at 8.5%. The warranties and roadside assistance were just a bonus with the new car.
Now if I could only master the art of driving standard. Fitz picked it up fast and I'm at his mercy to drive me everywhere until I can figure out how to drive without stalling at every intersection. By the time we make our cross-country trek we'll both be pros!
Tuesday, May 18
out with the old
My first car, my beloved Camry with all it's quirks, is nothing but a shell of her former self. No motor, no life left in her, she is destine for the junk yard to be torn apart and sold piece by piece. Generally, I am not a sentimental person, but I shed a few tears when I signed over her title and pocketed the $300. She and I were together for 45,000 miles in the last two years... we've seen a lot of roads and taken many adventures. She will be missed.
Monday, May 17
Friday, May 7
it's official
It's been unofficial for a while, but last night Fitz received and accepted the formal offer for a job in British Columbia!
The journey to this point is a long story, but to do it justice I really should start at the beginning.
Fitz and I had been toying with the idea of looking for a new job, but we wanted to leave our current position with pure motives. When people asked "why" we did not want to give a run down of the less than pleasant experiences we have had here, we wanted it to be because God was leading us in a new direction. We perused a few job listings online and made several contacts, but nothing seemed right so we dropped it. If it was meant to happen something would come up. We joked about how convenient it would be if a job just fell into our laps, but we laughed it off an an impossibility. I mean, does that ever really happen? That should have been our first indication of things to come...
Sometime in mid-February, Fitz got a phone call from from brother J... I didn't hear the whole conversation, but it went something like this:
Brother J: What do you think about moving to British Columbia?
Fitz (he is so nonchalant): Sure, why not.
They discussed the details - brother J has a pastor-friend in BC who was looking for recommendations to hire a youth pastor, brother J thought Fitz would be a good fit, and wanted permission to pass along our contact information. It would be a couple weeks before we could expect a phone call from this pastor-friend, but it was an exciting prospect, nonetheless.
At times those two weeks seem to drag on, but then it was the appointed hour... the phone call would come now or never. Fitz was in his pj's, eating ice cream, and playing video games. The phone rang. It was now. Fitz chatted with the pastor-friend for over an hour. When they hung up I questioned him relentlessly; I wanted every. single. detail.
Fitz sent his resume and we exchanged pleasantries via email with this new church and then it was back to the waiting game. Just about the time I thought I might burst the next email would come. Rinse and repeat. Though I felt an incredible sense of peace through this whole process, I was still impatient waiting for that next email or that next phone call. Once the ball starts rolling I want it to MOVE. Let's just bypass the politics and formality.
Sometime in all of this back and forth, brother J's pastor-friend became our friend. We scheduled a time to visit. A seven hour plane ride, people watching in airports, spending a ridiculous $3 for 20 ounces of pop just to get that carbonated fix... this could be the standard for visiting family the rest of our life.
As soon as we landed in British Columbia we were in love with the west. The mountains, the lakes, the people... everything was fantastic. We spent seven days exploring our new home, making new friends, and dreaming about the future. It was sad to say good-bye when we boarded the plane to fly east, but we knew it would only be a few weeks until we landed again - this time to start a new life.
And so, we are finished here on May 30, will spend a few weeks with family, and then fly back to BC and have a week to get settled before Fitz starts his new job on July 1!
The journey to this point is a long story, but to do it justice I really should start at the beginning.
Fitz and I had been toying with the idea of looking for a new job, but we wanted to leave our current position with pure motives. When people asked "why" we did not want to give a run down of the less than pleasant experiences we have had here, we wanted it to be because God was leading us in a new direction. We perused a few job listings online and made several contacts, but nothing seemed right so we dropped it. If it was meant to happen something would come up. We joked about how convenient it would be if a job just fell into our laps, but we laughed it off an an impossibility. I mean, does that ever really happen? That should have been our first indication of things to come...
Sometime in mid-February, Fitz got a phone call from from brother J... I didn't hear the whole conversation, but it went something like this:
Brother J: What do you think about moving to British Columbia?
Fitz (he is so nonchalant): Sure, why not.
They discussed the details - brother J has a pastor-friend in BC who was looking for recommendations to hire a youth pastor, brother J thought Fitz would be a good fit, and wanted permission to pass along our contact information. It would be a couple weeks before we could expect a phone call from this pastor-friend, but it was an exciting prospect, nonetheless.
At times those two weeks seem to drag on, but then it was the appointed hour... the phone call would come now or never. Fitz was in his pj's, eating ice cream, and playing video games. The phone rang. It was now. Fitz chatted with the pastor-friend for over an hour. When they hung up I questioned him relentlessly; I wanted every. single. detail.
Fitz sent his resume and we exchanged pleasantries via email with this new church and then it was back to the waiting game. Just about the time I thought I might burst the next email would come. Rinse and repeat. Though I felt an incredible sense of peace through this whole process, I was still impatient waiting for that next email or that next phone call. Once the ball starts rolling I want it to MOVE. Let's just bypass the politics and formality.
Sometime in all of this back and forth, brother J's pastor-friend became our friend. We scheduled a time to visit. A seven hour plane ride, people watching in airports, spending a ridiculous $3 for 20 ounces of pop just to get that carbonated fix... this could be the standard for visiting family the rest of our life.
As soon as we landed in British Columbia we were in love with the west. The mountains, the lakes, the people... everything was fantastic. We spent seven days exploring our new home, making new friends, and dreaming about the future. It was sad to say good-bye when we boarded the plane to fly east, but we knew it would only be a few weeks until we landed again - this time to start a new life.
And so, we are finished here on May 30, will spend a few weeks with family, and then fly back to BC and have a week to get settled before Fitz starts his new job on July 1!
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