Time is flying now. We will be leaving in a week and a few days for Phoenix. We are back to a one car family for now and that could be a challenge in the coming week. The van ended up being totaled out. We got a check the other day - a little more that we would have gotten from Mr. Drunkie McDrunk out of pocket, so that was nice. We had to turn in our rental van the day after we received the check so I tried to run as many errands as I could beforehand.
Leaving Texas is bittersweet. I will miss a few things, like being only a few hours drive from my parents is a big one. And there are a lot of things I won't miss at all, like living on a frontage road. It was wonderful when we first arrived and I was able to stay home and be with my baby Claire. Then Noel came along. He has been such a blessing as well. I'm so grateful to Aaron and the difficult decision that he made to leave Michigan so that I could leave work and stay home with our sweet babies.
Then Aaron's job and Aaron's acceptance at the University of Texas turned out to be things that just didn't seem right for our family. He found a new job quickly in the public sector and found that it was where he wanted to be. Money has been so tight for us here - but I have learned to be savy in planning meals and buying groceries, I have learned to control my urge to shop till I drop. We have even learned to live without cable television! I never thought that would ever happen! Most of all Aaron has had the desire to go back to school and has made a decision about a career path that he is excited about.
I was feeling really great a few weeks ago about living here and was even kind of sad to leave.
Then I got my first hospital bill....
Then my walking buddy moved away...
Then the van incident...
Then Aaron learned that the people replacing him - yes, there are two - will both be paid about $2400 more per year than he did to perform his job. They had an auditor come in and compare what private sector economists make with public ones and decided to bring them up to speed. Good timing...
Then another thing happened that made me feel kind of unimportant to people I look up to. I won't discuss it because it's silly - but little things are getting to me.
I was having a conversation with a friend who is leaving around the same time as us the other day about all the crappy things that have been happening to us lately. I tried to speak words of comfort and say that it usually means that something really good is on the way. I'm feeling like I'm the one needing words of encouragement now. Anyone have any?
5 comments:
Crunch time is definitely a good title for this post, Sarah. We're feeling it, you're feeling it, Kristi and Blaine are feeling it. One positive thing for you guys is that you'll get the move taken care of earlier than we will and it will all be over and you'll have time to settle into your new situation in AZ before we even get started. I don't mind being in a transitional state all that much, but Janssen really dislikes it.
Not helpful? How about the fact that where you're going, it'll still be warm all year round? And the fact that Aaron's new career path means neither of you have to worry about it anymore and can focus on just getting it done (it has been great for us to be in that situation for the past 1.5 years).
Anyway, moving from here has been made slightly easier knowing that some of our friends are moving away, too. There are still tons of great people staying, and we'll be sad to leave our ward and everyone, but there are adventures ahead for all of us.
Other words of encouragement: Janssen made your pizza recipe again the other day and I couldn't get enough of it. You rock for having passed that gem on.
Man, that is a lot of stuff happening all at the same time. I'm sorry your time here as of late has been so dippy. The only thing I can think of is that maybe it will help you be more eager to make a fresh start somewhere else. I know that's kind of lame, and I wish bad things weren't happening, but for me if things just aren't going right, it makes me really jump at the chance to make a change and start over. Never the less, your recent string of events have just sucked, and all I can say is "That totally sucks. I hope it gets better for you." I don't know that that's really encouraging, but sometimes it's nice to to just hear that someone else agrees.
I'm with Sheyenne...that stinks! I am excited for you and your new adventures. I think you had a wonderful idea to start a preschool, you would be so great at it.
I've been thinking a lot of new beginnings and chances to start over and try again.
I am very much not looking forward to going, but I am excited for a chance to try again with new people, to try to be a better person and a better friend.
I am so glad for blogs and facebook so we can keep in touch. Chin up!
Sarah. . . I wish we had more time together! My girls adore Claire and what will John do without his model? :) And we are leaving town in a few days, so I'll have to say goodbye early. . . so sad! You will be missed! I'm so glad to have known you and had you as a friend!
Thank you friends for your kind words! I will miss you! You know, things will get better! Bart - It will be so nice not to worry about Aaron's career choice anymore that he can just focus on getting through school to get there. And I'm so glad that you like the pizza dough recipe. I'm still under the assumption that good things are on the way! Sometimes you just need someone else to say it out loud - so thank you!
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