To settle in, or to remain on extended vacation?

I have been wondering if I should settle in here and make friends, or act as if I'm still on an extended vacation. I've decided that since the girls and I might be here until school gets out, I might as well make friends. I haven't been very happy just being in limbo, and trying to fly under the friend radar.

So what I've been doing is making coffee (Chai Latte Tea) dates with friends, and this weekend I'm going to go to a women's retreat for church. This retreat is specifically made to make friends. It isn't a retreat with a speaker. We are just going to chill out and enjoy each other's company. There are some amazing women coming to the retreat and I look forward to relaxing and getting to know them. :)

I'll post pictures of the girls on Halloween next week. Well, Jamie won't be dressed up, but Faith is going to be a dog! :)

Back to School!

It sure has been a long time since I posted last. I haven't had much to say this summer. Just a lot of hanging out with the girls and traveling around the Northwest to say goodbye to friends.

School has started and the girls are so excited to have great teachers this year. And to be back with their friends, of course. :) They both have men teachers, which is new to both of them. I hope and pray that they have a great year.

It has only been a week since school started, so I haven't subbed yet. I've been checking out what I need to renew my teaching certificate, and get a new teaching certificate in Arizona. There are a lot of hoops to jump through. I hope to have it all done by Christmas. We'll see.

Graduation pictures!

This last weekend I graduated from Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho. I am particularly proud that I graduated with a 3.9 gpa. It was hard and I'm soooooooo glad that it is done now. :) Here are some pictures of the fun weekend.



Joe, the girls and I



My parents and I

Big announcement!

I have a big announcement. Most of you already know this. We're moving to Phoenix!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are going to live up in Arrowhead by my mom. That way I can be closer to my brothers and their family, and the girls can go back to Legend Springs Elementary where they went last year. It is an excellent school. Joe is going to be commuting to the Chandler area, which will not be very much fun for him, but he is willing to do this so we can be by family. What a great guy! It was either he commutes to work, or we drive up to my mom's a lot.

We aren't sure when we're going to move. It will depend on when a machine is done being made in The Netherlands. It is due to be shipped to the US towards the end of the year. I sure hope it happens before Christmas, because I don't want to miss another holiday. Especially since my sister will be there this year. Too bad we aren't moving this summer. That would have worked out so much better. But as I learned growing up a WalMart daughter, I know that you can't exactly choose when you're going to move. It is often decided for you.

Phoenix Adventures

We just got back from an incredible trip to Arizona. I'll start from the very beginning, a very good place to start... Can you hear me singing that? :)

Let me just tell you, if we end up staying up here in Portland, we are flying down to Phoenix, not driving! What a long, long, long drive that was. On Friday we drove to Sacramento, CA. I think it took 9 hours or so. We were glad to get to our hotel. Faith tried to swim in the outdoor heated swim pool. I forgot my suit, so she had to go alone and got bored rather quickly. Can't blame her. The next days trip was 11 hours or more and took forever! Especially between LA and Phoenix. We've seen all of CA now and it is quite a beautiful state.

We finally made it to my parents house in time to see my brothers, sister-in-laws and nieces and nephews before they had to go home and put the little ones to bed. It was so nice to have a welcome party for us. :) I have the best family. :)

My mom and dad decided that next year for their 25th wedding anniversary that they are going to renew their vows. So my mom, sisters and I planned for their wedding! We went to a bridal fair (which was lame) and to David's Bridal to try on dresses. We even went to the church that I got married in. We're unsure if they are going to let us have the ceremony there since we aren't members. We're hopeful though because it is a cute church.

My mom had her 60th birthday when we were there, so we celebrated that. It was fun. She got to have one dinner with all 5 of her kids there and their families, except for one spouse who wasn't able to make it. She was missed.

We left there missing my family bunches. I really was hoping that Joe would be able to move us down there in a few years. When we got home, he checked into it and guess what? We might be moving to Phoenix!!!!!!!!!! HOLY COW! I'm sooooooooo happy. He put in for a position down there that would potentially further his career and get us closer to our family. :) We are all so excited at the possibility. This means we can actually take vacations, and hopefully Joe's parents would want to move to Phoenix since it is so warm down there. That would be even more awesome!

To blog, or not to blog

My life is kind of on an even ride right now and not very interesting for blogging. So do I blog that I just took some hamburger out of the freezer for dinner? Do I blog that I sat and listened to a kid read a state assessment this morning and almost feel asleep? I'm afraid if I blog about my mundane life, you'll fall asleep. I'll just give you a quick update on us, and let you go on with your cyber surfing. :)

Jamie: back at school and almost done coughing. She loves playing piano and plays every chance she can get. Even when Joe is sleeping, which he doesn't mind. That means she's playing that expensive piano that we lugged all the way from Boise. :) Well, we had movers to move it. :)

Faith: is going amazing at reading! She's getting so much better. I'm so proud of her. She still doesn't want to read, but at least it isn't as hard for her as it was a year ago.

Joe: is shift lead at work now. He is on his way to being a supervisor. :) He likes work, and is working the shift he wants. Life is good for him. :)

House: people have looked at our house, so that is good. I hope that someone wants to put an offer on it soon. It will be good to be over that part of our lives and move on to the rest of our lives.

Me: I'm another year older, and hopefully wiser. Just subbing as often as I can, which is most days of the week. I have a few teachers here and there that request me for jobs, which is nice. It is good to be wanted, professionally. I know I'm wanted at home. :)

Thanks for reading!

She's doing better!

Jamie is doing so much better that she went to school today. :) And she made it through the whole day. :) I'm so glad that she is doing better. :)