The End . . . and the Beginning

Well, everyone, I'm in Idaho! I left Sunday after church and drove like crazy until yesterday afternoon. I counted how many times I stopped, including stops for the night: six. That's it. No wonder I was tired when I got here!

So the trip was uneventful, for the most part. Monday I stopped for gas about 1:00 and discovered my car's coolant was leaking all over the ground. Fortunately, there was a Ford dealership across the street. So I poured some more in and drove over there. I suspected it was just the lid not being on tightly enough, but I had to make sure of course, since I was in Seward, Nebraska, and didn't want to get stranded. Anyway, after waiting for three hours, they determined there was no problem and agreed that the cap must just have been a little loose. I didn't have any more problems with it.

Yesterday, I woke up in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to a frigid temperature. But the sky was blue, so I just started moving. About an hour later, I was stuck in the middle of a fairly nasty snow storm. It wasn't actually the snow that made it bad, though, it was the blowing. The road was difficult to stay on with the wind blowing so badly, and my visibility was limited to a couple hundred feet. Fortunately, I got stuck in a convoy of vehicles moving at a sensible pace. So I made it through, but it was a little scary, since I'm not used to blizzards any more. Anyway, the snow fell on and off throughout the rest of the drive, but never that bad, and I made it through okay.

One thing that surprised me was how huge the mountains seemed to me. I mean, I grew
up here, you would think I would know all about the mountains. But it's been too long since I've seen them, and I'd forgotten how massive and lurking they feel. I actually felt a little claustrophobic for a few minutes. Then I remembered how utterly beautiful they are, even when there aren't any trees, and I felt at home again.

Pocatello, by the way, is so tiny! We drove across almost the entire thing in fifteen minutes, and laughed a little bit at the tiny little stores. But I am totally getting Jamba Juice for lunch today, and that makes it all worth it.

Love to all!

On the other hand

Today is Wednesday, and I am sitting at work for the third to last time. I just can't believe my last day is the day after tomorrow. I can't believe I'm leaving Columbus! We've lived here since June 2008, and so much stuff has happened, so much of my life has changed in our time here. It's so weird to think I'll be going back to the city I lived in before, as though our time in Columbus was nothing but a dream. Of course, I know it's not a dream, because I'm a different person than I was when I struck out the first time. A better person, I hope. At least more confident and accepting. I have loved Columbus almost from the first moment we pulled in. It's been home to me, complete with a surrogate family and new friends.

There's a huge selfish part of me that wants to sneak out without having to face any of my surrogate family or friends. I've never been good at goodbyes. I hate the idea that I won't see people whom I've grown to love. It's so much easier on me if I don't actually have to face them to say goodbye. But I've done the sneaking out thing before, and I've been told it's not terribly helpful to the people I'm leaving behind. So this time I'm doing it right. I'm going to church for one last Sunday to say goodbye.

Just don't be alarmed if I keep the actual goodbyes short!

We will miss everyone in Ohio so much. It's been so wonderful. Thanks to all our wonderful friends and surrogate family and support group. We love you!

The Verdict

Here it is, our big news of the year.

Steve has accepted a position as an Intensive Behavior Therapist in Pocatello, Idaho. He is already on his way out there, with all of our belongings. He will start on Monday, October 11, living with a family member until he's able to find a place to live. I am staying in Columbus until October 24, to train my replacement at work and tie up some loose ends at church, after which I'm going to drive out there as well.

We are very, very excited to be moving forward with life. It's been pretty emotional, working on leaving Ohio, because we love it here a lot. We've made such wonderful friends and worked with such great people. And I will miss the trees! But we are excited to be back near our families, and to have Steve gainfully employed. We hope that things can get a little settled and life will become a bit more calm. But for now, off to the adventures!