adventures in va - part one

Well, it is official. I have my own residence in Virginia! No more living out of hotels and eating out. Although I am still "commuting" back and forth, it is nice to have a place to call my own and feel welcome.

My adventures began on Monday. I finally made it to VA about 9am after a very long day playing with the SCA and night traveling from Vegas to DC. On my drive to the office, I thought I would make it without my GPS turned on, partly because my phone died and I was feeling lazy, partly because I thought I was amazing, and having driven that way three times already, I could surely do it again...right? Well, if I would NOT have missed my exit, all would have been well. Having missed my exit, I got so turned around I really had no idea which way I was heading. Was finally able to pull off the freeway, plug in my phone, and get back on the right track. I was an hour late getting to the office, but I don't think anyone noticed. I worked for a couple of hours (until I couldn't think straight anymore) and then drove to my new....very empty....place.

But Ann made sure that I felt welcome.

Although I had a key to my place, I didn't actually stay there until today. I needed a bed. I was offered a mattress to stay on the floor but couldn't get my achy bones to agree with that idea. So, I stayed in a hotel until last night. Today, I unpacked the kitchen and bathroom stuffs I had brought with me and waited for my bed to be delivered. I was lucky in my bed shopping. I was able to get a platform bed (love the clean look of the lower foot board) with a sleigh headboard (another style of bed I love) and two drawers (can we say yay for storage!). The beauty of a platform bed is that you only need one mattress, the bed acts as the foundation. But alas, when my bed was delivered, this is what I got.

Yup, that sucker is about FOUR FEET TALL!! I have to use a chair to get on it. I knew immediately the person who put my order together messed up. I thought about making the delivery peeps just take it right back out the door but I wanted to make sure I could return it without any problems so I needed to call the store, and not wanting to hold up the deliveries of other people waiting on new stuff that I day, I just signed the paperwork. I was on the phone with the store before they even pulled out of the driveway. And, I was able to get a full refund for the unnecessary mattress and schedule a pick up.

What a week!

today was just one of those days...

Yup, one of those days where everything goes wrong and the stress builds up until...



I know it will all pass. I know things will get better. I know that this is not permanent. But still. I don't love days like today. I'm tired, I forgot to eat lunch, and I haven't exercised for over a month (so much for my foundation for fitness). I'm really looking forward to the weekend. Who knows, I might even do something quite dangerous. :)

sometimes it is not worth coming home...

Wow, what a week. Seriously, I am only in Logan for one week and so much has happened.

First, it has snowed EVERY. SINGLE. DAY! And, we are not talking a little bit. I've moved at least six inches of snow every day. I know this area needs to moisture. I know everyone has been praying for it. I just need to let it happen. If I could just hole myself up in my house and watch it snow I wouldn't mind. Unfortunately, I need to be out and about and driving around in this mess. Here is a picture of what fell last night. This is day 5.

Second, I get a NEW FURNACE! Yup, that's what I said, a new furnace. I kind of figured that something was wrong but didn't know how serious it was until I had someone come out and look at it. 1. The filter design is severely lacking. As in, it doesn't actually filter what I needs to. So, the furnace is dirty and that was causing problems. 2. It has a prolonged flameout, which means that the flame is coming out as far as the door and shouldn't be working as it is a HUGE fire hazard. The safety measures that would prevent the furnace from working with such a flagrant fire hazard were never installed...like ever.

And now, tonight I travel to Savannah, GA for five days. Back to Logan for 2. Down to Vegas for 3. Back to VA for three weeks. YaY!!

feeling blessed in so many ways

When I was offered this job in Virginia, I was very apprehensive about moving that far away from family. Kaitlyn said she felt like I was abandoning her. Wells said he expected random packages to show up on his doorstep (now that he is only 1.5 hours away).

However, I felt like I was being led in this direction. Everything seemed to just work out. I took a deep breath and accepted the job knowing that things were never going to be the same. I am now in week four of the craziness that is 2014. Here is an update.

1. The job is very interesting. I'm working with some great people. The proposal process (my first assignment) is a complete mess but not unmanageable. I know what to do and how to do it. I am now just working through the many processes and trying not to get overwhelmed. This is always the fun part for me, the part when I never lack for things to do, the part where I can see huge improvements by making small, simple changes. The part where I am challenged.

2. I have been so worried about moving into an apartment complex. I just didn't like the idea...at all! All those people crammed together, noise above and below, 2-3 flights of stairs just to reach the door, the expense...all of it. When visiting with a family I know in VA, the mom talked about how she found a basement apartment for her oldest daughter. It got me thinking. Maybe I needed to find a room and not an apartment. I found several listings and even went to look at one place and just didn't feel good about any of them. I had decided to quit trying to find a share and go back to looking at apartments. Then one morning, I had the thought "check the listings today." I talked myself out of it because I was leaving the next day to go back to Utah. Again, "check the listings today." And there it was, the perfect listing. A studio apartment over the garage of a "empty nest" couple in a home neighborhood (not an apartment complex) about 1/2 block from the rail trail (45 miles of paved cycling!!). I texted them but they couldn't meet until Saturday and I was flying home on Friday. Then, they agreed to show me the apartment over skype. I didn't get a great view of it but I loved what I saw and I seriously feel in love with the landlady. I have a private entrance. I have 2 skylights. I have access to 1/4 acre backyard. I can grow a garden if I want. I can hit the trails and get lost on my bike for hours. And, only about $100 more than what I am paying for housing in Logan.  Perfection! Here is my new crib ...

3. My company agreed to pay the rent and utilities for the next five months (Feb - June). Woot!

4. I am blessed beyond compare. I know the next five months are going to be completely insane but I also know that everything is going to work out. How can it not? I am being helped every step of the way. I must have a Grandma Guardian Angel telling me to ...



You know who I'm talking about! :)

new year ... new adventures ... new me

To get caught up.... December was a whirlwind of emotions and decisions and pure craziness. After six weeks of unemployment, I found myself employed again! What a blessing to find a job so quickly. The new company is based in Virginia and since I want to do project management/process improvement kind of stuffs, I need to work in the office. In Virginia. I am very excited about this job because I will basically have a new job every 18 months (or so). My professional life will look like this...be assigned a process, work it, improve it, hire and train people to take over, move on. How perfect is that?

And yet, this is me....



Looking at what looks like a long road. This year of 2014 is going to include a few adventures.

Adventure #1: Start my new job with three straight weeks in VA. This time will let me get to know the office, visit some apartment complexes, meet my soon-to-be SCA group, and go to church in a ward (probably not THE ward) a couple of times.

Adventure #2: Use the limited time I have in Logan to pack up the house and get it ready to rent by the end of April.

Adventure #3: Get Kaitlyn on a mission.

Adventure #4: Fingers crossed I will spend Christmas in Germany.

I can't plan other adventures right now but I know they are coming!

This is going to be an amazing year. I can't wait to share it with you.

grateful for ... good friends and colleagues

I know it is not November but I still have so much to be grateful for. Four weeks ago tomorrow, I was let go from my job of over nine years with no warning. Just walked in to work, received my papers and left about an hour later. It was an interesting Friday to say the least. I took the weekend to process it all and hit the emails on Monday. I was talking to two different companies within 24 hours about job opportunities. That just doesn't happen! I have such great friend and colleagues who look out for me.

My future is unknown but I know I am being guided toward something amazing. Life is good.

grateful for ... essential oils

Yeah, I know. Essential oils are just voodoo magic stuff. They really don't work, right? Wrong! I love essential oils. I am fighting all my illnesses of late naturally and at a fraction of the cost. I love that treating a UTI only costs me about $5. I love that I can treat it at home and don't have to call or go to the doc. I love that I have control over what goes in my body. I love essential oils!