Waiting

Coffee shops are great for writing. I don't know what it is about them that just inspires creativity. Hence why I'm sitting at Daily Grind, sipping water, and making funny faces at my good friend Sarah Pollock. Coffee shops are one of my favorite environments; they have been beloved by me since I first began inhabiting them in college. The good ones are relaxed, warm, and have cool artwork on the walls. Serving good drinks is an absolute must. Seattle definitely had a plethora of excellent coffee shops; I miss them. But Pullman certainly has a few, Moscow even more. So I'm not coffee shop-less here, which is good, because I would probably go crazy if there wasn't at least one quirky coffee shop to occupy.

Enough about coffee shops.

Work has been really good lately, if slightly crazy. One of our therapists left at the end of December, and another one has been on leave since the middle of December. We still have three therapists working, but scheduling is significantly harder when you go from five therapists to three in a matter of weeks. So it has been a bit hectic around the office lately. Don't mistake this for complaining - I'm not. This is me just stating the facts of what has been happening. But my co-workers continue to be awesome, my bosses continue to be incredible people to work for; all in all I am one happy camper.

The one difficulty to suddenly working full-time is the loss of time outside of work to do...well, anything, really. I work 8-5 Monday through Thursday, and 8-4 on Fridays. I get picked up for work at 7:40 am; I get home from work between 5:20 and 5:50, depending on if I get a ride home or ride the bus home. That wouldn't be bad, if not for the fact that I get up at 4:45 am to work out. Which means that I need to be in bed around 9 pm. That means I have around three hours after work to cook, clean, relax, hang out, read, play with Evie, hang out with Phil and Brooke, etc. It's just not possible to do all of those things in the short space between leaving work and crawling into bed. I'm slowly learning better time management, and also learning to choose on which days I will do which things. It's slow going though. I don't like to give up my liberty. I especially don't like having to say no to doing something with friends because it starts too late. But wanting to live life well, wanting to eat well, and wanting to take care of my body, which is God's temple, means sacrificing some pleasures during the week. I'm happy to make those sacrifices for the end goal, but that doesn't make them very easy at times. Nor does it make getting up before 5 at all easy, but I know that I love the feeling later when I realize I already got in a good workout so I don't have to worry about it after work.

I've been thinking about adoption a lot lately. It's always been in my heart to adopt several kids, but I've always put it in the category of "someday, after I'm married". Yesterday I decided that I need to stop thinking like that. I refuse to have my dreams for life be contingent upon the day I pledge myself to someone. Dreams like becoming an interpreter. Dreams like adopting kids. Dreams like backpacking in Europe. Dreams like living in Italy. Dreams like going on a road trip to Niagara Falls. Why should I keep my dreams on hold while I wait for God to bring me my 'somebody'? Me. I am the only thing holding myself back. Yes, I am young. Yes, I am a girl. Yes, I am single. But those are only excuses for not doing things. Things like adoption will wait till I am more completely financially stable, but it will not be waiting for me to get married. Life is too short for me to wait for a mysterious someone before I live my dreams.

I'm going forward with my life hand-in-hand with God. I'm going to chase my dreams, go on silly adventures with friends, live outside of the U.S., adopt a bunch of dogs, adopt a bunch of kids, and just try to live life well and to the glory of God. Honestly, what more could you want?

New Beginnings

I've been meaning to start this blog for over a week now. I never knew quite how to start it, or even what I would say to fill the pages (plus naming a blog, who knew how difficult that could be..). So I'm just going to write, and hope that something coherent comes out. Lots of people who don't live here in Pullman have asked to be kept updated on how I'm doing over here. Sadly, I am terrible at keeping in communication with people not in my immediate sphere. So my solution is a blog. Anyone who wants to keep updated on my doings can come look at my blog, on their own time, at their own place, and get a quick update on me. Voila. Problem solved, more or less.

Now, where to begin? Hrmm...Well, I graduated from UW in March of 2012 with my B.A. in Linguistics. I got a call from my brother Phil about that same time asking me if I would be interested in coming to live with him, his wife Brooke, and their daughter Evie once they moved to a larger apartment. I prayed and prayed and God gave me nothing but a green light, so say yes I did. July 23rd my parents and I packed up a car and drove me over - I was officially no longer living on the west side of the mountains.

Let me just say right now that that was probably one of, if not the, best decision I have ever made.

It took a little bit for my room to really feel like it was my room, not just the one I was staying in while visiting, but then again the whole apartment took a bit to feel like my home. But if got there. Then adjusting to living with Phil and Brooke and Evie took a bit of time, but we got there. They're pretty awesome roommates, I have to say. And little Evelyn is so hilarious and happy. It did take a while to fully understand that I am one of her favored playmates, and heaven forbid I stop paying attention to her for 5 minutes while she's awake and wanting to play. But really she's darling, and I can read my book or watch my show while she's sleeping or before I go to bed. For now I'm just learning to soak up the time I have with her while she's this little; she won't always be this little.

I was really hoping to find a job within the first month after I moved here. God however decided to have me wait - for 4 months. I never questioned the move to Pullman, I was completely confident about that being God's will for me, but it was frustrating waiting for a job. I had rent to pay, loan payments to make, and I was quickly running out of money. But I managed to make ends meet while I waited...and waited...and waited. If there was anything God was really trying to drive home to me it was probably that things will happen in HIS time, not mine. December 3rd I began working at a physical therapy office as a receptionist/office assistant/billing assistant. It basically means I do a little bit of everything that happens at the front desk, as well as some billing stuff. It's full-time, with benefits, and my co-workers are all really great. Everyone is very upbeat and willing to do something because it needs to be done, not ignore it because it's not part of their job description. I don't dread going to work, and they really seem to appreciate me, which is always nice. Because of basically being broke by the time I started working I've been basically living paycheck to paycheck while I get on top of my bills. But within a few more checks I won't be behind anymore and I can start saving - yay!

I've been here for a little over five months now, and I don't have any intention of leaving anytime soon.