So, I guess I've been sounding decidedly sad lately on Facebook about our move. Please, don't get my lack of internet connection wrong... I am extremely excited for this move! I'm excited about the opportunities this wonderful city has in store for me, personally and professionally... But also for our little family.
I'll briefly talk about the drive: It was exhausting and wonderful! I still maintain that if we didn't have so many pets on the drive with us we would have seen some REALLY incredible things! But I also believe that if people just left their comfort zone... if they traveled to NEW places... we would all have a different perspective -- which could give us a better perspective in political matters too. I saw a beautiful part of the country that was barely populated. I realized that if a child got hurt in the middle of Wyoming, their commute to a hospital might be hours long! On a personal note, I'm actually really excited to visit Yellowstone and the like when we don't have a bunch of dogs (but maybe instead, a bunch of kids).
Our apartment: On Wednesday while we were packing up the truck and hoping to get on the road we got a phone call from our property management office. We aren't sure what's going on but what we do know is that the people who were supposed to move out of our apartment... did not. The management company is taking them to court this Monday and provided they don't lose... We should be able to get into our apartment by July 1st.
Our current apartment isn't at all bad, but it's lacking the things we were excited about. The apartment that we were contracted to have has a 27 ft long fenced in (and covered) deck. Whereas the one we have right now is a small slab of concrete. The other apartment has a full sized washer and dryer. The one we have now has a stackable "Slim Twin" washer/dryer. It can hold a pair of jeans and maybe a towel. So everything we have right now is FINE and if that's what we were expecting, it would be absolutely fine. But we were expecting more. The worst part about where we currently live is that we are right next to the management office. Which puts our renegade cats in danger of being found out. That is the biggest reason why we didn't just submit to being in this apartment even though we were promised another.
PDX in general: I'm a little overwhelmed by the driving here. It's been a REALLY long time since I've been around so many interstates. And I'm not quite use to Portland drivers yet. My current opinion is that they are a little aloof until someone is trying to merge. I think I know how to get from my house to the grocery store and back. I also know how to get to the dog park. I need to take the bus and the MAX down to PSU next week to just start exploring ways to get to the building I need to get to (so I don't look like a total fool on the first day of class). I also have a lot of odds and ends that I need to start ironing out: health insurance waiver, signing my financial aid, hearing more about the GA (please continue to keep your fingers crossed for me and that!)
We have some things that we're excited to start too! Eating healthy (we're trying to get all those unhealthy things out of the way: The Original Hotcake House, Burgerville, Bagel Land...), joining a crossfit gym that is less than an hour away from our house and my personal favorite: REC SOFTBALL!
Well, that's kind of the update. I've been sidetracked by my dogs making a mess in the Flock back yard so I don't remember if I had anything else to say. But over all, I'm very happy and excited!
