Our New Life in the Northwest

Well, here we are in Idaho!  We actually made it!!  After two grueling weeks of packing and notifying our friends and co-workers we were abandoning them, we set off on August 18th.  We were lucky enough to have Suddath (my employer) move us, so they loaded up our stuff on the 17th, and that night, we slept on the floor of our empty two-bedroom apartment.  We got up at 5 AM on the 18th, packed up our dog, Zack, and our cat, Emilia, and we were on the road!

Sweet Emilia was content to sit in my lap for half the trip, and sleep in her kennel for the other half

Day 1 was our longest day.  We drove all the way to Castle Rock, Colorado!  We were blessed enough to stay with my childhood friend, Angie, and her husband and little boy.  It was great to catch up with an old friend.

Day 2 was... torture.  Okay, it wasn't that bad.  But I pre-warned RJ before the trip.  I do NOT like Wyoming.  My sister and I drove through it once before when we moved from Idaho to New Mexico.  It is a sad excuse for a state.  What if I had to live there?  I shudder at the thought.  The best part of Day 2 (and possibly the entire trip) was when we crossed over the border into Montana, and suddenly we were surrounded by plush, green beauty.  Lovely!  We stayed the night in a fabulous, rustic cabin in Columbus, MT.  We walked Zack along the river and felt like we were in Heaven!

Our serene cabin in beautiful Montana

Day 3 was the home stretch.  We only had 9 hours of driving, so we took our time.  We were able to stop in Bozeman (which has the coolest downtown) and Helena (where we found an amazing Irish pub, and RJ declared lamb stew to be his favorite food).  The last four hours were spent on Lolo Pass, and the subsequent downhill drive.  It was beautiful, but we were so incredibly ready to be home by that point that it was tough to enjoy God's country.  

RJ and Zack - finally in Idaho!

Finally, around 7 PM, we made it to Lewiston!!  I cannot tell you how good it felt to pull into the driveway of the house I grew up in.  We poured ourselves some red wine and enjoyed my mom's mashed potatoes.  (I know she made some other stuff too, but all I can remember right now is the mashed potatoes!)

Since the night of our arrival, we have begun to settle in nicely.  The goal is to live with my parents for 3-4 months, then buy a house.  We have just begun the process of looking for a house, and I am actually meeting with our real estate agent tomorrow.  (Yippee!)  RJ started his new job and loves it so far.  We have had the opportunity to see my brother's awesome band, Seven Devils, play twice, including once at Hot August Nights.  They are really, really good!  We also attended a party for my friend Alison, who is getting married in less than two weeks on Orcas Island.  Other than that, I've just been looking for jobs, helping my mom out at the office, and whatever else comes up!

I'm so happy to be able to share all the joys of the Northwest with RJ.  He's like a kid in a candy store.  I think his favorite thing (besides living on two rivers) is FRY SAUCE.  Oh my goodness.  That alone is worth living here for.

Moving Back to the Motherland

Anyone who knew me 8 years ago before I left Idaho knows that all I wanted to do was get out of there.  Not that it's a bad place to live.  I guess I was just ready to spread my wings and fly.  I spent close to 4 years in California, and then another 4 in Texas.  And now I'm going back to where it all began....  RJ got a job in Idaho!  And not just anywhere in Idaho - in Lewiston, the town I grew up in!  He will be working as an Information Systems Specialist at Pathologists' Regional Laboratory.  We are leaving in Texas in 9 days!  The last few days have been an overwhelming mess of packing, giving our two weeks notice to our jobs, selling things, fielding questions about whether we like potatoes, and trying to squeeze in a last visit with all the Texans we love so dearly.  Good-bye, Texas!  I'll miss you!

RJ & me in one of our favorite cities - Fort Worth

New Mexico

Early in July, RJ and I got to take a week off work and traipse over to Las Cruces, New Mexico to see my sister, her husband Brian, and their three little kids - Jack, Kate, and Maggie.  Maggie was just born in June, so it was our first time meeting our precious little niece!  She is wonderful, of course, just like the other two.  Lis had her camper set up for us next to the house, so we got to have our own little home away from home.  

Some of the highlights of our trip:

Dance parties with the kids in Kate's bedroom

Going to the local 4th of July parade

Eating my sister's delicious cooking

Visiting White Sands and playing in the sand with the kids

Going to church with my sister

Holding little Maggie

Taking a side trip out to Ruidoso and Cloudcroft

Eating at Chope's (New Mexico Mexican food is quite different than Tex-Mex)

Visiting the Farmer's Market and trying some yummy green chile cheese bread

Watching the two older kids share the responsibility of saying grace before every meal - Jack does most of the talking, but Kate mumbles along with him and occasionally says "Uncle RJ" in the middle of the prayer

RJ's fun birthday celebration

Kate and Jack wanting to be wrapped up in wrapping paper and blankets

Relaxing, hanging out, and just getting to spend time with my sister and her family

And here are a few fun pictures:

Kate and her new microphone

Jack and Kate having a boxing match

Quiet Maggie and Silly Kate

Jack dragging Mommy & Maggie around at the Street Fair

Proud Uncle RJ

Enjoying the Street Fair

My brother-in-law Brian with the kids at White Sands

Me & my hubby

Frosting the birthday boy's cake

"Wrap me up"

A budding musician