Merry Days are Here Again!

Christmas has come and gone and there have been oh so many memorable moments in the making between our two treks to the coast and a trek over to central Oregon.

Just some of the awesomeness of our holly-days:
---Hub & my shopping trip to purchase clothes for the family sponsored by my work center
---Dropping off the deployment care package boxes and seeing just how amazing people are in their support of our troops
---A holiday Christmas party with hub's "family"
---An entire afternoon with one of my local hometown gals
---Two weekends of quality time with my M&D
---Two days of time with hub's father & grandmother, including a delish salmon & butternut squash dinner cooked by hub
---A most amazing dog park in the middle of Bend, Oregon
---A quasi-shower/appreciation brunch for one of my best gal's & her beautiful baby boy visiting from Georgia
---Cuddly time with said "nephew" and moments in the presence his parents aka two of my dearest friends
---A four hour drive "home" with hub & one of my best friends from high school---it was the first time we'd seen each other in three years
---Plenty of doggie smiles and excitement from the back of the Sorento
---My cousin who willingly cat & chicken fed, mail gathered, and all other things which encompass caring for our house during our adventures away
---Hub & mom's cinnamon roll making
---Christmas afternoon/night with my brother & his wife, including watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
---Two trips out to see the amazing holiday light displays at the coast; one with hub's fam and one with mine

---An incredible beach afternoon with hub, the dogs, & my two gals and their families

---Actually putting the Sorento to it's use crossing the mountains, hauling 6 adults using the third row seating, and also transporting 3 adults, 2 dogs, and baggage on a separate occassion
---Participating in the bowling fundraiser to raise money for the "Mr" competition held by our high school
---Donating change in the Salvation Army red pails
---Hearing Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer and Feliz Navidad, plus a lil Bing
---Candlelight church services (during which hub dropped his unlit candle, which rolled down the tile floor to the front of the church.....)
---Seeing some of my previous church mentees
---Facetiming with my brother in Colorado & his boys
---Christmas texts with my sister
---Hunting down snow for the dogs to run through
---Mom & Dad's gorgeously decorated Christmas tree......and watching their kitten climb up it

---Dad calling the cinnamon rolls "mixed gender" aka with nuts or without......
---Our dogs running around M&D's back yard and tucked up in their beds in the back of dad's truck at night
---Dad's tarp strung up across the patio to give the dogs shelter from the rain
---Hub taunting M&D's kitten with his remote control helicopter they got him for Xmas
---Christmas carols in Sunday morning church
---Morning coffee with two of my high school bests
---Late mornings with hub & I snoozing in our matching twin beds ;)
---Mom's hilarious stockings hung on the chimney with care....and helping to fill them

.....and the listing could go on and on. But these moments are some of the ones that make me so incredibly glad that we could be back in Oregon for the holidays. Our first married Christmas actually spent with our family and friends, and I personally think it went incredibly well. Here's hoping next year's will be just as grand!

We've still got a family happy hour tomorrow and my baby cousin's wedding this coming weekend, plus drinks out with a friend of mine in town tomorrow night. Then we'll ring in the New Year with my buddy & his gal visiting from Canada and to finalize "break" we're hoping to get in a snowshoe trip with another of our favorite Portland couples too. THIS is exactly what I've been needing after the long fall term and it couldn't have unfolded any better than it did--I feel most fortunate and blessed.

Hoping each of you celebrated a wonderful Christmas surrounded by those you love and hold most dear. What a blessed season and yet what a wonderful season full of opportunity for us to GIVE. Love and hope to each of you!

Loving These....

Some things of late that I have just been LOVIN':

--Hosting hub's friends for the weekend. Getting to have hub surrounded by a few of his favorite buddies was absolutely wonderful and it's been great to be located close enough to attend events in support of some of his nearest and dearest.

--Hiking mileage with the hub. Everytime we get to be outdoors together, enjoying nature, working our muscles and lungs, I just feel so thankful.

--The new dog beds from Costco. While maybe not the 'greenest,' they definitely were large and cheap! The cover comes off for washing and they're stuffed with cedar which is apparently a natural flea repellent (?!--let's hope, poor gals had a nasty flea outbreak a week ago!). The last one they had was ruined in the wash machine and the sheep skin they liked to sleep on isn't washable....so hopefully these will be great alternatives and they LOVE them.

--Our azaleas and rhodies are FINALLY blooming and we had two legit back-to-back days of comfortable sunshine before the rain returned! Maybe, just maybe, summer might be near?!

--A quick trip back home for hub to attend his cousin's wedding and to spend a day with mom for Mother's Day. While fast, it was a great trip overall, and we're continually thankful to have my cousin and her boyfriend as ready dog/house-sitters just a few streets away!

--An afternoon digging up flowers in the aunt's yard to transplant into ours. Love getting freebies!

--Hub's dismantled the raised beds, now we've just got to get them rebuilt and get the dirt back in. Our starts are ready for some planting, but many thanks to hub for all his hard work!

--The kiwi tree is finally showing life. The landlords had drastically cut it back and we were afraid it might be a goner---thankfully it's looking like it'll be able to make it!

--Dreams of chicks. Got the book, got the kennel, got the chick feeder---just to get the lamp, feed, and peepers themselves!

--Potential neighborhood friends that live on the corner and all the friendly neighbors... Sometimes it's hard for me to be the engaging neighbor that I should be, but after reading this post I decided that next time I saw one of our young neighbors down the way I would engage them in conversation....which then led to them inviting us over for food that next day. Super sweet couple and an adorable lil girl to boot! Thinking about that post also keeps me waving and hello-ing the couple that live behind us and made me be willing to engage the lil' ol lady from down the road who came by to say hello....even if I wasn't wearing exactly the best "greeter" attire! ;) Community is important for us all however, and it's something I need to strive to attempt to encourage and maintain!

--And really I have to say all the lil' moments with hub that happen inbetween....the last two months have had their own lil share of ups and downs but overall life has is so much better here. I feel blessed, I feel so fortunate, and I am so grateful for the man who decided to share this life intertwined with mine.

There are still some aspects that we are adjusting to here, mainly attempting to grow and engage socially, attempting to get plugged in to volunteer and job pursuits, and wanting to find some sort of fitting spiritual community....but all will come in time. For now, we're just continuing to enjoy what we have, love how we can, and seek out the great things that surround. Hope everyone reading is doing the same! Sending love and prayers out for each of you! Happy Sunday!

House Update & Pictures

This afternoon I'm supposed to meet with another friend/colleague to go over course materials and thoughts for my new job. (It happens that two of my great gal pals from my MPH program are on staff also, and my new department head actually went through the program the year before we did....). Before meeting with my gal though, I wanted to upload some pictures of the house to share, as I've gotten a few requests on what it looks like and now that it looks a lil more put together (minus the master)....well no better time than now :)
GUEST ROOM

You can't see the other bedside shelf in this picture, nor the closet full of my clothes. We use separate rooms as our closets so we sort of have our own dressing spaces....maybe weird but it works for us. And here's a great way to organize some jewelery (I got it out of a magazine a few years back), just an old cork board and some push pins:

OFFICE

Hub's "new" desk found at Salvation Army: solid wood and metal.

This is primarily hub's space/closet and his bathroom is to the right of the slider. Still needs a lil TLC, but.....it's an office.

 LIVING ROOM

Hub's "new" Ikea chair & stool found at Salvation Army also. He made the shelves on either side of the fireplace using lumber cut at Home Depot, a can of white spray paint, and eight 50 cent brackets at Ikea. The only other new things in this room are the long drapes: Ikea. (PS It still needs a pattern area rug to mix up the sameness of the room...and you're getting to see the blue carpet. Oh yea, plus behind it we want an entry way table to put against the wall when you walk in: keys and such, but we might have to make one of these too....)

DINING AREA

New drapes and we're still on the look out for a new-to-us buffet/liquor cabinet to put under the mirror.

BACK HALF OF THE HOUSE: Kitchen and Family Room

Still on look out for an enclosed entertainment console base thing.... :)

BACKYARD

Covered patio out the family room slider. You can see the shed in the back corner. I might eventually try to put a chicken coop to the right of that, if we decide to take out the bush that is there currently. The two trees you can see in this picture are an apple and a cherry, although the cherry was let go and it probably should be cut down and a new one planted.

This is the view out the dining area window and that deck is accessible from the slider in the office. Near the fence in the left of the picture you can barely see the waist high raised beds and the fenced yard also continues the length of the house down that side too. The white wood back there has a swing and is the support for a kiwi tree.

The kitchen window is one of those that lets you have house plants/herbs in it. The beautiful camellia is in bloom and the tree you see to the left is Anna's favorite: it is home to a squirrel. ;) You can see the fence is really short in the back and we can see directly into our neighbor's and vice versa. While they are a very nice couple, there are three juniper bushes in front that are getting too large for that area so we're hoping to transplant them along the back fence.

AND yes, both the cats have all settled in rather nicely too:

Needing an Organized Routine

The days seem to be out of whack lately with late nights leading to sleeping-in mornings. I haven't slept this much nor this long since college, but somehow I feel like it must be good for me?! I'm sure it's a by-product of a) time changes b) stress (both from pre- and post- move) c) the reality that I'm using my brain power a bit more and in new ways d) travel and e) a change or lack of any real routine....

SO a couple of my newest goals should be: to develop a new routine and to get a bit more organized. An established routine should probably reflect on my health background and include set sleep schedules, consistent exercise, and proper nutrition---as it's dawned on me that recently I have not been focusing on balanced nutrition either. On a positive note, I've gotten in four 3-4 mile runs since being in Oregon so far though.

In the course of 10 days that we have been in Oregon, I feel like we have done much, but scattered--ly. ;) Hub took a weekend trip to our hometown this last weekend to see many of his friends and family that he hadn't seen in over two years, and I held down the fort while completing three social/family outings of my own and taking a day trip to meet family at the beach house. We've had a couple afternoons working in the yard, several trips to Home Depot, and a great recent visit from my brother. I had a meeting at my new job and hub met a friend for lunch while checking out the commute to downtown via public transport. We've set up all utilities, installed a new thermostat, researched the kiwi tree out back, ordered a replacement dishwasher for the rental, and run numerous errands.  Somewhere in the midst of all the other daily details and social visits, we're also attempting to relax....I think.

Today itself was a pretty productive day all around, even if it took until about noon to actually get motivated. The hub finally found a decent wood source on craigslist and bought/hauled/stacked half-cord that he can use to heat the living room. I got tired of having little odds and ends and half un-packed items lingering all over the house, so I finished unpacking 3 more boxes, hung the rest of the pictures on the walls, rearranged and updated a few picture collages, organized our living spaces, and did three loads of laundry. The hub organized his office area while I set up my syllabus for my class, introduced myself to the online system, and took care of some other needed online details of life. This evening we went on our first Oregon run together and then hub made dinner while I vacuumed the house. And I'm pretty sure tonight was our first real meal eaten at the table together in the new house---finally. In fact, it finally feels like our house is a home...and that in a sense we have settled.

We still have much to do--people to see, work to get started, and the entire yard to start on....but I'm pretty sure I need to be starting my days off with a check list of things to get done and an earlier start time that includes a better balanced breakfast. :)

Hope each of you has been well and blessed!

Monday Perks

Yesterday was one of those slow starting days. I'd stayed up late the night before (partially to attempt to help me with adjusting back to the Pacific time zone) and so remained zonked out until late in the morning. The hub adjusted many of our accounts to reflect our new location and made several other calls to make sure utilities were set up correctly. We still need to set up garbage and recycling service, but intend to just do a monthly pick up...and when we called we needed more information than we had in that moment.

In the early afternoon we finally headed out for some errands. Hub needed to mail some paperwork into the Army and our old modem back to the company, so we found the local post office. The extra modem that we have wasn't compatible for some reason with the internet hook up here, so hub wanted to go look at new modems (as we're currently renting one from the company here). However in the process of organizing ourselves, we decided to head over to Costco and look into getting a membership there....

If you're wondering what Costco is....it's sort of an oversized discount warehouse. They usually sell bulk items at reduced costs and they have a variety of items. An annual membership is $50. While neither of us has had a Costco membership, we've talked frequently about whether or not it would be to our benefit. One concern I had at first after we purchased the membership and were walking around the store taking it all in, was whether or not they would have organic and/or any more natural products (aka cleaning products, etc). I was happily surprised to see local cheese and bread available, multiple organic options throughout the food areas, and a few greener cleaning alternatives. The biggest perk to our membership so far: 52 pound bags of the dog food we purchase for $24, 20 large bones for $12, and flea treatments at a reduced cost. We purchased toilet paper that will last us for six months and the Ecos brand of laundry detergent (210 loads for $13, the cheapest option on the shelf, and only with understandable ingredients listed). And the one thing we really wanted and of course forgot: 6 pound bags of frozen fruit for smoothies! We also got a new HP (photo) printer/scanner/copier for under $90--something the hub will need for school as he's been battling with the printer we had (and I've greatly missed the availability of my parents photo printer). (And something we used his Iphone barcode scanner to determine if it truly was a better deal than elsewhere.) To be honest, I'm pretty sure that we'll make up the membership fee just in dog food and bones alone this year.

Costco surprisingly did not have modems however so hub went to Best Buy to price check items and then ended up ordering one from Amazon at a cheaper price with his free shipping. While he was in Best Buy, I scurried down to Ross (one of the only stores that the hub greatly despises) to check out their home goods section for my ideal area rugs(FYI if you've never looked....Ross is a great place to get amazingly reduced bedding.....). Our family room is pretty set up but I have this West Elm inspiration for our living room and our entry way that I'm envisioning.....but not willing to spend much on. :) I already have most the items to get the flow I want, but with the older blue carpet in this place another area rug or two wouldn't be bad ideas. ;)

From the shopping center we spied an interesting, quick, and cheap looking food option, as we both were really hungry at this point. The Pita Pit proved to be amazing, fast, and pretty darn healthy! In checking out their website today, I even was able to view the complete nutritional break down of exactly what I ordered for dinner yesterday. We got them to go and brought them home.....

Which allowed me to take a quick lil run around the neighborhood prior to eating. My first run back in Oregon---definitely a bit harder at first after not running for a week, but felt pretty darn good by the end of the 3 miles. Hopefully hub and I will get back into it shortly!

Not too bad of a Monday to start the week off right! Hope y'all had a great Monday too :)

New to Us Finds!

The hub and I have been on the look out for a new to us dryer. I'm sure I've mentioned that the last set we had was purchased for $100 from another soldier's wife. The set was pretty old but for $100 they definitely served us well! Although the last year, the dryer suffered from an extreme shriek and eventually the door was held shut by applications of duct tape. ;) We attempted to "door prize" purchase a new energy efficient set via the after Christmas sales, but didn't make it in time to Sears (apparently 4am wasn't early enough!!). So we've soldiered through with the old set and decided we'd keep our eye out on craigslist for a new dryer once we'd returned.

Well, the hub was talking about craigslist as we laid in bed waking up yesterday morning, so for the first time I set up and searched using the craigslist app on my Iphone....and what do you know....an unmatched but fairly new washer and dryer set for sale $350 for the both and within a 10 minute drive of our home. Hub put in the phone call and within an hour we drove over to check them out! The gentleman selling them had several other appliances for sale and is an appliance repair man by trade....he guarantees his used appliances for up to two months, switched out the plug on the dryer to the one we'd need for this older home (for free), taught us a few basic fixes that he gets a lot of calls on, AND told us where we can drop off (and get paid for) the old washer and dryer set.  A deal or what?! Needless to say, our new washer and dryer are amazing....and I don't know that we've ever enjoyed catching up on laundry as much as we have the last two days! Did I mention they both have increased energy efficiency features as well?!

Our second awesome find so far happened when we stopped off at Goodwill to look for some used furniture (we're in the market for a buffet/liquor cabinet option, a solid desk, and an entry way table......). One of the things I always used to look at in thrift stores/Goodwill was the art selection....and in this particular store we happened upon two faux paintings of Italy (which was where hub was stationed originally when he joined the Army). $11 later and we now have two decent pieces of "art" that hold meaning for the hub. LOVE IT!

Between craigslist and the major availability of Goodwill and thrift stores around here I have no doubt that we'll score some more great deals on the other items on the list.

The other awesomeness about the visit to Goodwill was that I asked the gentleman at the front door to verify that Goodwill accepts functioning and broken electronics for re-use/recycling. His response was that indeed they do and in fact, it's a necessity to keep electronics out of the landfill as harmful chemicals can easily leach into the environment.....SO GOOD TO BE BACK IN OREGON!!!!!

Food, Food, Glorious Food

Last night I wrote about how in awe we are of all the local beauty and greenery. We really didn't mind our location in Louisiana as being from a rural area in Oregon, we're used to having to drive most places. The biggest draw back was the lack of availability of resources, especially in terms of food selection and attempting to live a sustainable lifestyle. Being back, we're in awe of so much and we're constantly noticing the differences!

Our first night back we enjoyed the local food and brew at one of our favorite PNW breweries. McMemenamin's isn't especially known for it's customer service, but compared to the local eateries near where we were in Louisiana, the waitstaff was quick, helpful, and incredibly friendly! The food was also amazing. (First time I'd had a garden burger on a menu in almost two years......have I mentioned the joy at having vegetarian options on every single page of menus??!!)...

We have been checking out our local area and are finding it a relief to have access to amazing food options (just even from the grocery stores) all within a 10min drive and we could even walk to the nearest Albertson's! While it's totally nerdy....here are a few pictures that just made me oh so happy by a trip to our local grocer:

LARGE ORGANIC SELECTION---in every single grocery store!

Large BURTS BEES selection and other more "natural" beauty products!!

75% of these are local brews produced here in the PNW!

FOUR cases all of Amy's organics (in comparison we had 4 Amy's box options in the entirety of our grocery store.....). Not that I intend to really need these here, but they are great options for a 30 minute lunch break with only a microwave available for heating.

I didn't snag a picture of the bulk bin selection (the first I've seen in two years!), nor the $2 cage free/free range egg selection, nor the local meats for sale in the local grocer, nor a picture of the produce section that is probably 6x the size of the one we've had available....but I did snag a picture of the cutest lil carts that are perfect and completely in use in most the grocers around here:

The hub came back from the regular grocer last night with organic sour cream, local cheese, and it's amazing to hear him on the look out for a local meat source (plus back to our gun debate.....he intends to get a gun and hunting license this year.....did I mention the rental also has a standing freezer we can use in the garage?!).

And all this....and we haven't even started planting/growing our own nor have we frequented the farmer's market nor the "true" organic grocers. There are still plenty of restaurants we are hoping to hit up for good eats, but for right now we've been focusing on eating at home. It feels good to be back indeed!

Move Time 2011

Approximately 2400 miles traveled
Over 10,000 pounds hauled
$1750 spent on gas
And four days of travel......

AND we made it from Louisiana back to Oregon!

We spent our final Friday finishing loading, packing, and cleaning the place up rather nicely. All four of our lovely critters were relocated down the street to our friends, and once we had "outprocessed" housing, we joined them there for the weekend as well. We spent our final weekend in Louisiana eating out with friends, running our favorite trail, and resting up from the full week we had just had and in anticipation of the week ahead. Monday morning, the hub signed out and finished up his final paperwork and about 10am we finished putting our bags, animals, and selves in our vehicles...and headed off down the road.

Day #1 We didn't make quite as far as we would have liked due to getting hung up in rush and accident traffic around Dallas, but we still got in a full day of travel and spent the night in Amarillo. Day #2 started off well with Starbucks and the dogs making a new friend who they played with for a decent amount of time in the morning. However the moving truck had it's oil maintenance light on, so we ended up spending most the day (until 3pm) waiting for the truck to be serviced at a truck servicing stop. However we still made it across New Mexico to Gallup by the end of that day----and New Mexico is by far my second favorite state due it's climate, culture, and terrain. BEAUTIFUL!

Day #3 started off CHILLY! We'd definitely gone from our 70 degree days to frozen puddles and left over snow. And this particular day turned out to be a long haul as we wound up with lots of energy even in the wee hours of the night, so we traveled from northern New Mexico to just inside the Oregon border throughout the course of this third day. We made it through Salt Lake City without too many hang ups and avoiding the absolute worst of rush hour. The passes in Utah were gorgeous yet clear, and we were both happy to see some wind mills poking up on the terrain. Idaho was traversed completely in the dark, but our happiest moment was stepping down onto Oregon ground again.

Day #4 started out slow as we slept in and then indulged in a real breakfast (usually we travel with a cooler and a bag of snacks). I put in a call to our landlords to let them know where we were and to coordinate getting the key, and in the process also was granted permission to have the second cat stay in the house! Woo hoo! ;) Reflecting back on the final day of driving, we both mention just how beautiful Oregon appeared. The passes had snow coming down and I stopped to let the dogs play. Entering the gorge was another great awe and each mile brought a new desire to want to explore further the areas we were passing throughout our home state.

Altogether it went incredibly well! The animals did great....and in case you're wondering how to move two cats....well, putting them with a make shift litter box in our mid-size dog kennel in the back of the car was perfect. We gave them food and water at night and then padded the kennel with extra blankets for the cold nights. They did great!

Really it was a beautiful trip overall with pretty decent weather. We made it to the rental about 5pm, unloaded the moving truck and vehicles by 8pm, situated the animals, and then headed out to enjoy a dinner of local food and brew---every bit was amazing and left us thankful to be home (but more on all that later.....)! ;)

Hope y'all have been rested, well, and fulfilled! Sending the best of everything to each and every one of you!

Balanced Re-Integration

So one thing on my mind a lot these days is how to re-integrate ourselves into our social circles back home. Anyone who has followed this blog for a while, has some knowledge that most of the hub's and my married life has been spent together here in Louisiana and that our separate families and friends have had limited exposure to the other half of our couple. Aka he has yet to meet a good chunk of my friends and family and vice versa. While we know that everyone back home is looking forward to getting more time with us, we also don't want to be overwhelmed by social obligations straight from the get go. There are quite a few things that we want to do for ourselves upon getting back and so while it may seem selfish to some, a good chunk of time may be spent initially just trying to get ourselves settled and do the things we've been wanting to do rather than jump straight back into how things were socially before relocating. We're going to want and need time to get settled and unpack, time to lesson plan and get my upcoming term in order, and time and space to take the trips to the coast, to the mountains, and the hub's week long hike that have been calling us throughout the last year.

In truth, the hub has really only been back in Oregon for maybe 60 days total throughout the last 5 years, and I personally think it's important for him to have some time to enjoy and process the change from the military back into a "regular" lifestyle. We also have gotten really good at being the other person's entertainment and social support, and while we definitely do hang out with other people, I don't know that we're as used to hanging out with a whole LOT of people nor used to having a steady stream of social engagements.  Now that being said, I'm sure we're going to re-integrate fine and I'm looking forward to being able to get together with family and my old coworkers and friends. It's going to be fun to participate in family parties, make the drive to see Granny on a regular basis, and help my gal plan her wedding---there are going to be a lot of perks to returning! But I also know that we're probably going to take some of the social integration at a slower pace than others.

We're not even back yet and the calendar is already spattered with things to attend throughout the next two months, so I don't think it's going to be that hard to keep busy and our minds a bit more engaged than they have been here. But I also am a strong proponent of having low key moments interspersed amongst those busier ones. Moments to plant, moments to play, moments to grade assignments, and moments to just relish being back in Oregon together lounging about alone in our rental home. A bit of re-integration balance is all it takes ;)

Flexibility is King

"The best made plans are those made in pencil."

This is similar to a quote that was posted on an old friend's fridge for years and it's one that has stuck with me ever since I first noticed it. It's one that I consistently tell my clients as I attempt to help them de-stress and successfully plan their own transitions out of the military.

And it's one of the first thoughts that came to mind today when the hub let me know that a slight miscalculation on the military's part has pushed back the day we'll be leaving Louisiana by a few days. So we're doing what every good military family does.....we're being flexible. Maybe the new "plan" brainstormed today will follow through and maybe it won't, but we're rearranging what we'd started out planning and changing up reservations. We'll also be spending a few days with our pals down the road.....but regardless, this weekend, we've got to start packing!

So we're hauling out the boxes I've used, flattened, and reused for the last 10 years of moves. We've collected extra boxes from shipments to my office and the local GNC store. We'll haul out the old packing paper I've used throughout the last ten years and we'll pull down extra towels and bedding for packing filler. We'll pack what we can now from the kitchen and spare bedroom. We'll start to clean up parts of the house. And then we'll just enjoy what we can until we can get to the next stage of the moving process. But better to start now on what we can than leave it all to the end.

Hope you each enjoy a wonderful weekend! 

A Home, A Home

So I'm a lil hesitant to post about this as it's never 100% official til we sign the rental agreement and fax it back tomorrow............BUT we're pretty sure we have a home to head toward! Many kudos to my aunt for asking for suggestions from her contacts, as it was one of her contacts who happened to have a home that needed to be rented out in the coming months. (Additional proof that it's 90% who you know rather than always what you know. Additionally, her email message may just connect and fill the need for another housing situation between two contacts--so it's sort of the inquiry that just keeps on giving!)

We feel incredibly fortunate for the flexibility being demonstrated with this rental agreement and are now able to breathe a sigh of relief and feel much more enjoyment at the upcoming return to Oregon! It feels so great to be honest about the number of pets and the upcoming financial situation and still get a positive and trusting response.

Through conversation with the home owner and pictures posted by my cousin, there are so many perks about the home that are amazingly perfect for us, even if the blue carpet may clash slightly with our red sectional. ;)
--The primary blue carpet is one they're wanting to replace so while we'll continue to be vigilant with the dogs and wipe their paws before entering on bad weather days, it is less of a headache than worrying about the dogs on brand new carpet.
--The backyard has both a covered patio and a wooden deck for entertaining.
--The square footage and space in the home will easily hold all of our furniture without having to store anything (unlike some of the other homes we'd looked into).
--Already in existence in the backyard are: raised beds (at waist level so the dogs can't get into them either!), a grape arbor, a producing kiwi tree, a compost pile, and a clothesline. Can hardly believe just how perfectly those components are for us!!!
--The home has two fireplaces to help with those cold winter months.
--A huge dog park is within easy walking distance.
--There's a cat door for Major to get into and out of the garage.
--Two aunts live within easy walking distance for those moments when I need some family involvement.
--It's a 15-20 minute drive to the campus where I'll be instructing, making for an easier commute.
--The swimming pool is within walking distance and there are a wealth of outdoor opportunities, parks, community events, and farmers markets easily accessible.
--Organics to You delivers on Thursdays.
--And the price is well within our budget!

The best part is really just the relief of having some place to head to finally, and we'll be looking forward to getting situated, reconnecting with family and friends, and hopefully getting that garden going to boot! :) Whew, a return to the community-minded, organically focused, and nature loving PNW is less than one month away!

Shout Out for a Week

It's been a week of moments, some good, some frustrating, but such it is in a normal week of this thing we call life! This week has reminded me of the generosity of strangers and the love and support that can be so evident through family & friends. The hub and I have been covered in positive thoughts and prayer from individuals I've never met and from many who so deeply know just what it is that we need.

So this evening I want to give a few shout outs:

To my brother and his wife, my dear undergrad gal, and my cousin for investigating, photographing, and exploring potential housing options.

To my aunt for contacting friends who are involved in the rental market.

To my coworkers for listening to me moan and groan when I was at my wits end Friday morning.

To my texting friends and family, who have responded to my questions, encouraged me through my disappointment, and supported me from afar.

To my parents for agreeing to cat-sit for an extended while if necessary, even when Dad just might be allergic.

To the dogs who never fail to greet me with a smile and a wag of the tail and a million tons of energy.

And to my husband, who seriously carried the larger burden of contacting SO many potential opportunities throughout the last week, who has begun to join me on trail runs, who has been much more available the last several weeks, and who continues to love me even though my melodrama has been reaching new (or maybe old) levels.

I am blessed, I am humbled, and I am hopeful. Here's keeping fingers crossed and prayers lifted....