I'd like to start off by giving a shout out to my wonderful parents..Hey moms. Hey pops. (since you're probably going to be the only ones reading this anyway :) Thanks for all your help with the insanity that consisted of our 3 days trek to this new place I call home. Looking forward to journeying this chapter of my life with your love, guidance, and support all the way from cali.
Second order of business to attend to. Dear Chicago: you'll never guess. You know the girl you said you'd meet one day? Well, i've got something to confess.. For those of you who are wondering why I would ever subject myself to temperatures in the single digits and give up the wonderful WARM side of the pacific, here's your answer. Very long (and super rad God filled) story short, I got accepted into Moody, but rather than sending me to their Chicago campus, they thought i'd be much more legit in Spokane. So, thus the switch from surfboards to snow chains. (not that there's much surfing in chicago.. but all the same i'm still not 100% over the fact I just gave up California... for the abominable snowman none-the-less.) (my mom and dad are probably cracking up as we speak because yes.. that was an inside joke.... with my parents of all people.)
So Washington, yes. Here's what my time here has consisted of thus far;
The journey here took a little longer than anticipated with extreme ice and snow conditions that cut our mobility down to next to nothing. We stayed in oregon for the night and after a few puzzled minutes of my stupid smart car going into lock mode due to a loose air filter cap, we were able to resume commute to the land of spokompton.. that is until my alternator went out in the middle of nowhere and my car lost all power shortly after in the butt cold. My parents left carmen and I alone on the side of the road with few indian blankets.. but not to worry, my father also left in our possession his fully loaded firearm. Carmen and I spent the entirety of those two hours discussing everything from how to justify explaining to the nice police officer that we were fully armed to what we would do if some cowboy who knew my fathers name were to roll up with his posse insisting on helping us out. I think it's safe to say we were prepared for anything. However, amongst all the discombobulation God was faithful and quite favorable on our situation i'd say. There was never a dull moment or even a moment of fear.
We eventually made it to the closest town where my ever crafty father who is quite literally a JACK-of-all-trades ;) replaced my alternator single handidly in the napa parking lot of some ho-dunk little town. I know i know, he's wicked cool. After we made it here we unloaded, had a farewell dinner at sherri's diner. (probably the equivalence of our denny's?) (we go all out) and bid our goodbyes. Carmen and I then spent the next few days exploring life as I had come to know it. There is one store in the entire town i've been able to identify.. walgreens. Everything else is foreign. It took me 20min to locate a grocery store, and well.. it was sheer bliss once we got there. We trekked over to idaho and did the coeur d'alene thing.. (it was tahoe pretty much dead on) and then we got the pleasure of exploring Seattle. (my now favorite city.) There we partook in ferry rides, sight seeing, pikes market (obsessed), the freemont troll, and dinner on top of the space needle. OUR BAD! When it was time to bid farwell to my beautiful and patient best friend, the pass was too far gone due to a storm that had blown in (again another reason to hate the snow.) Unable to head back to my abode, I made other arrangements. So thankful for my dear friend brandon babcock who had my back and supplied me with a surplus of amazing intern friends that i had the pleasure of sitting/sleeping/worshiping in the company of. Even if it was just for the evening that was all the more reason for me to love seattle.
So here I am in my new apartment, in this big city that has the largest small-town feel i've ever experienced. Everything about this place by very definition is the oxymoron of life as i knew it a week ago. However, due to the insane amount of circumstances that God threw together to make this transition so taylor-made for this 22 year old, i'm pretty sure i'll do just fine. I live in a cute little house in downtown spokane. It has been converted into three separate apartments, all of which have the cutest doorknobs i've ever seen, and are inhabited by wonderful christian roommates. The girl across the hall from me is a younglife leader so I can't wait to pick her brain about that. I start my job nannying the most adorable little 2 1/2 year old (aside from caden) next week for .. you guessed it.. ex young life leaders. I think it's safe to say our God more than provides. I also think it's safe to say I am more than undeserving in regards to the insane amount of spoilings he's been pouring onto his daughter.
Currently I am going all out for dinner and cooking up some meat to throw together for my sloppy joe feast. I figured I ate insane amounts of fudge and such over the break so why not stretch out my poor eating habits one more night. I have yet to finish unpacking and my walls are bare but that's what the rest of the week is for :). I'm loving every minute of being here and can't wait to see what the Lord has up his sleeves come the start of the semester.
Here is a picture documentation of the trip up here just for grins. More pics to come. Love you family. Can't wait for easter! Thanks for all the prayers and support!
