Eye of the Hurricane

Things have been mass chaos, but now, there is a stillness. All the boxes are packed, and all cleaning has come to a standstill. We pack up the truck tomorrow night and leave this gorgeous city that I have come to know as home the next day after.

I am sad to leave these gorgeous city lights, rushing traffic, towering buildings, the varieties of people, the utter chaos of this city. I will not miss the months of negative degree weather, snow emergencies, wailing sirens of the hospital a block away, the endless stories of why I must give this random person $23.75, and fearing that my car window will be busted out by morning. I will miss my junior high girls that have left a deep mark on my heart, the many tears I have cried over their struggles and triumphs. I will miss the landmarks that signify the budding and growth of a loving relationship that will stand throughout time.

Through all this time here, in this beautiful city that will always have my heart, I have healed to the point that I can now return home.

And, I am anxious to return... to my dearest family and bestest friends, those humid, hover hills that roll through the backdrop of the place in which I learned how to hurt, how to overcome. and how to become myself. I am ready for the southern twang, endless restaurants, and tooth-rotting sweet tea, family gatherings on the back porch that last until all the fireflies have been captured in pickle jars. Even more so, I am excited to make my own memories, with my husband and the family that we create together.

I anticipate starting my career, finding out who I am and what my passions are, seeing my husband adapt to southern life, and raising our puppy :)

So, here we go. Pack each box carefully, then unload our precious cargo, and begin to start life anew. Missing the good, thankful to leave the bad, and ready to start a new adventure. Missouri, here we come! :)

4th of July...

Ben and I went back home to Missouri for the 4th of July. The 4th July is my favorite holiday. Yes, even more so than Christmas. My 4th of July is filled with homemade ice cream, lots of explosive fireworks, and even a little music this year. It was relaxing and refreshing to sit around with all of my extended family, watching the beautiful colors light up the sky, and of course to be able to share it with my hubbyman.

We were also able to spend lots of time with our new puppy, Snoopy! He is smart. We taught him to sit, come, and even worked on fetching this weekend. He does really well on walks, and we hope that house training will be fairly easy. We also found out that he doesn't do well on long car rides. The two hour trip into the windy Ozark Mountains was rough on all of us, but the views were worth it! I had never been to Roaring River State Park, so that was a fun adventure.

Ben and I also went apartment hunting. We found the perfect one that had all the amenities we were looking for: a pool, exercise room, dishwasher, cable, internet, etc. I can't wait to move in!! It's way better than the apartment we are living in now and almost $100 cheaper! But, I will miss my Minneapolis skyline view.

Yesterday I had the beginnings of an interview for an Assistant Editor position. I did well on the testing section and am now waiting to hear back from the PR department about a more in depth interview. Keep praying that it works out. Ben is also finding lots of job possibilities, so that's exciting. Basically, we will officially be moving back to Missouri at the end of July. I'm excited to see where this adventure takes us and what jobs we end up having. :) I'll keep you updated!