3 Weeks and Counting, and the Introduction of Tito Buddy

Well, we move in exactly 3 weeks today, and it is really unreal. It is amazing to me how fast our time in Marysville has gone, but we are also so excited that it seems a little far away. For now, we are just trying to pack up our apartment, and enjoy our family and friends. We can't really spend enough time with everybody before we leave. It is one of those very bittersweet events in life, yet I can't help but to look forward to where life is going to take us from here. We have some very exciting things planned, but if it is God's will, we will hopefully experience everything we hare hoping for.

In preparation for our move, Luke and I made a rather large purchase today, and spoiled ourselves. We bought a 2007 Buddy scooter... and fell in love with it. We both learned to drive in the parking lot of a school in my parents neighborhood, and let all of our family members drive it around too. Needless to say, we put nearly 60 miles on it today, just in a parking lot! But, we had a lot of fun. There is something so terrifying, yet so free about being on a bike. I was terrified that I was going to tip it, but quickly got used to the idea. What a great day!

Long time, no blog

Hello all! It has been so long since the last time that I have posted, and that has probably been because life has been slightly crazy. But, I felt as though an update on life was due.

Luke and I both graduated from college on May 9th!!!! It was a very exciting day for us, and we got to share it with our parents and friends. My grandparents also had a wonderful graduation party for us on May 10th. While graduation was exciting, it was also very bittersweet. The day after graduation, Luke and I moved back to Marysville, and I am now teaching at Dublin City Schools. We had to leave our apartment, our friends, and our town... but now have more time to spend with our families!

In April, Luke and I traveled to Madison, Wisconsin (our new home) for the first time, with my 2 little brothers. We fell in love almost instantly. As soon as I hit the water, and looked out over the lake, I felt at home. I have never lived on the water before, but there was something very comforting about it, and I felt very settled about our upcoming move. As soon as Luke saw the art building, and met with his professors, he was immediately in love as well.

Just a week ago, my mom and I traveled to Madison, looked for jobs, and signed for our new apartment, which I love. It was really nice to have my moms opinion on the city, and on the apartment, and we had so much fun traveling together.

Luke and I will be moving July 18th, which is like 3 weeks earlier than we though. Everything is happening really fast, and I haven't had much time to process, but in some ways that is probably best. We are so excited to make our new home in Madison, but secretly terrified!!!! AHH!

Please keeps us in your prayers. This is a big time for us, and there are so many emotions! We are super excited, and will keep you all updated throughout the whole process!

We are moving to Madison, and becoming flower children!

It has been a long time coming, but Luke and I made our final decision about where we are going to move.... Madison, Wisconsin, land of the hippies! The move for us will be bittersweet. This is a chance for us to start over, live someplace new, and meet new people. But, leaving our family and friends behind is going to be one of the hardest things that we have had to do.

Luke and I will be leaving to visit Madison for the first time ever on April 8th, and will be returning on April 11th. We will be looking for jobs, looking for a place to live, and exploring the city. We are so excited that we can hardly contain ourselves!

Here are some fun facts about Madison that Luke and I have learned through research"

• Madison has the largest fruit orchard in the country
  
• There are 1050 miles of great lakes, and 250 miles of shoreline
• Madison was titled "Best Place to Live in the United States"
  
• Madison is the #3 safest city in the United States
• State Street (which is comparable to an upscale high street in Columbus) is a walking district only. No cars allowed. Only walking and biking.
• Madison is the biking capitol of the country... Luke's dream come true
• Madison has the #8 best public schools in the country... my dream come true
• Madison has 16 dog parks... Coopers dream come true

Those are just some fun facts that have helped Luke and I get even more excited about our move. Please pray for us, and for our move. It is extremely exciting, but extremely terrifying all at the same time.

Economy Buzz...

What kind of world do we live in, where in one single company a CEO can make $20,000,000.00, and the people below him can make $20,000.00? What kind of world do we live in where children in poverty no longer have opportunity? What kind of world do we live in, where a mother of four has to worry about job loss because her company can no longer afford her.

Somebody close to me recently lost their job... she had been with the company for 7.5 years, and was treated very poorly. Apparently, because of the economy, they could no longer afford her. So what do we do? How do you find a job when there are no longer any jobs available? These are the questions that I find myself asking day in and day out.

I currently work with a population of students whose entire families are in serious poverty, and some of them are on the line of being homeless. I have students who commit crimes, just so they can spend a night and jail, and have a warm meal to eat. I teach seniors in high school that tell me everyday that they don't know what they are supposed to do after graduation, and I find myself not having any answers. What are we supposed to do?

I honestly do not have a solution. If I did, I would be a wealthy woman... and if I was wealthy, I would owe my country a favor... Let us hope, and hold true to that hope, that with our new president, and a new way of thinking, we can find some answers. Let us hope that someday I will be able to tell my students that they will have opportunities. Let us hope that someday, a mother of four will not loser her job, simply because the company can no longer afford her.

Something to sleep on....

Where are we headed?

My husband and I have decided to move away for awhile to someplace new, so that he can go to grad school. It was a long process for us, and we are actually still in the process of making decisions. Everybody keeps asking us where we are going, and what we are doing, and unfortunately, the answer is still "I don't know!" I wish I knew... I really do. It would make life much much easier, but easy isn't always best.

Luke applied to seven schools: University of South Florida, University of Wisconsin, Ohio State University, Illinois State University, Virginia Commonwealth, University of Texas, and Minnesota State. We have news so far that he has gotten in to University of Wisconsin, and has not gotten in to Minnesota or Texas, both of which had tough competition.

This is a very exciting time for us, even though it is a time of unknowns. We are ready to start new somewhere, and to see what changes that brings to our lives (maybe a family??). I will keep everybody updated as we go, and will give a weekly report on where we are, where we are going, and what we will be doing. Thank you to all of you who have given us support and encouragement through this process, it has truly helped!

Day 1

It seems like everything we do now involves a computer, a cell phone, or some other piece of modern day technology.... including journaling.

This morning I woke up and read my brother-in-laws blogspot post, and decided that it was time to start my own (thanks Rob!). My husband and I are about to make some big changes in our lives, and what better way to stay connected, than through the internet.

I have decided to start my blog with my "25 Things" thanks to Facebook...

1. I miss home and I am absolutely terrified of moving to a different state... we will be moving this summer for my husband to go to grad school.
2. I am truly ready to have a baby, but am being patient for the day when we can actually afford one.
3. I have been married for a year and a half and have enjoyed every single minute of it.
4. I am a liberal democrat and proud of it!
5. I love to read and I make time for it every single day.
6. I should be medicated for anxiety.
7. I love to cook but I do not have the space for it.
8. One time I made high altitude cookies even though I only live on the 3rd floor of a building.
9. I am graduating college in 82 days, and have no idea what is happening to me after that!
10. The best Christmas gift I ever got was a brown leather bomber jacket when I lived with my parents on Milford Ave.
11. Sometimes I still cry because I miss my mom... lol. I know, pathetic.
12. I have a dog named Cooper, and Luke and I treat him like a child.
13. I love to pack my lunch... I think I get that from my Papa.
14. Sometimes I like to dance around the living room, and especially do the robot, just to make my husband laugh.
15. I wish I was skinny again... I am actually starting Weight Watchers TODAY!
16. Luke and I have named all of our children, and we are still like 3 years away from even trying to have a baby.
17. I am absolutely addicted to Gilmore Girls, Will and Grace, and Friends.
18. I am student teaching, and working with kids who are going to a special school as an alternative to jail.
19. I can't wait for my husband to be a silver fox. I totally have a thing for older men. Weird? I thought so too.
20. My little brother is my best friend... who would have thought?
21. My favorite meal is Sunday lunch and I cry on Sundays when Im not in Marysville.
22. I don't have cable or internet, and Luke and I are still striving for the "simple" life.
23. I need to put child safety locks on my cupboards because my cat has figure out how to open them and break things.
24. I am proud to call Barack Obama my president and hope he changes things before I bring children into this world.
25. I love my family.

There is a lot to learn about me, and I still have a lot to learn about myself, so here we go!