Thursday, July 26, 2012

Garden City

  On the second Sunday we were here, the 15th, we started our search for a church home.  We did a super judgmental drive by of a church close to the apartment, but didn't even go in.  Then we looked up the list The Village had given us of Acts 29 churches (I think that's the network) and found the closest one which met at 4pm.  That's not a great time for us, but wanted to check it out anyway.  The kids didn't want to go to their classes, but we walked by the kids part just so they could see it and then headed around to the front.  We weren't even all the way to the top of the steps before someone had come out to greet us.  It's a small church plant so I think they have a pretty easy time telling who's new. As soon as they heard we were from Texas they said we had to meet Matt and Faith which we did about 3 minutes later.  They transplanted from Austin 3 years ago, although Matt is Cali born.  We stayed after the service to have a picnic on the front lawn with everyone.  By Tuesday I was at the beach with Faith and three other girls (I use the term girl very lightly, they're all grown women) from the church.  By Wednesday we were at our new home group, at Matt and Faith's house, where most of the faces were familiar which is crazy cause we have been here 3 weeks!

   Tonight was our 2nd home group and we combined with another group for "Fun Wednesday." No Bible Study, just hangout time. I know no one believes when I say I'm not outgoing, but I don't love to do the whole big group get to know you thing.  I must say though, it is an absolute answer to prayer that finding people who will eventually be our Cali family has come so easily.   Faith and I get along smashingly.  She understands the hole in my heart for a Sonic beverage and Blue Bell ice cream.  We've been meeting at Rio Del Mar beach on Tuesdays (well twice we've done that).  But I love her for not going in the ocean and for it being important that you don't have to carry all your junk down stairs and that there's a functional bathroom in her beach requirements.  
   The other thing is the amount of kids that are the same age as our kids is splendid.  Even better than that, there are all these newly weds or young singles that adore all the kids.  We were all hanging out and there are just relative strangers absolutely loving on our kids like they were their own.  It's ridiculous.  The second time we were meeting everyone they were offering to babysit which is yet another huge prayer request answered!  Our kids have really only stayed with family or those that we consider family so moving out here we were very curious how the babysitting side of things would go. You know mommy and daddy need their date nights.  Here we are 10 days in and God has answered that request.  I love when He answers requests you haven't technically asked for, they've just been a concern in the back of your mind.  
   So we've found our people, hopefully they feel the same way about us, and we're gonna be ok.  We might even be great.  A girl could get used to 80 degree weather and a beach nearby.  

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Hello

For the past 10 days we haven't been doing much of anything.  We've been finding a place for everything in the apartment.  Gone to the beach a couple days.  The last time there was a giant dead seal washed up on the beach.  As you might imagine it wasn't a great smell so I think this week we'll be trying out a new beach.  I'm trying to find a decent salsa at the grocery store.  Also, I have learned that Blue Bell isn't sold in California, meaning, there are dark days ahead, my friends.   Caleb is working really hard now that he's in the office all day.  I think he had forgotten what it was like to have to go to work every day.  We're all adjusting.  I actually really like the apartment.  As soon as I get things hung on the wall I'll take some pictures.  The last room is the guest room which ended up being where we put everything that didn't immediately have a place to go.  So hopefully this week I'll get it ready for an actual guest bed because we've got our first visitor coming August 1st!  We're extremely excited to have Mama J come see us.  We still need to get dining room chairs and another bed and we'll pretty much be ready for company!
I have officially commandeered the new car we bought to replace Caleb's truck.  They delivered it the first Monday that we were here and that night we put the baby seats in it to take a family test drive.  That ended up being a dire mistake on Caleb's part as the baby seats have never been taken back out of it.   It's cute and smallish and white, much like me, and I'm pretty sure he's not getting it back.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Not Much News

  It's our last day in the hotel, and I think I speak for all of us when I say we are extremely excited to move into our new apartment and get settled.  The kids and I have gotten into a little bit of routine over the past couple days.  We've been checking out parks in the morning, grabbing some lunch, taking naps, and then swimming until Caleb gets back from work.  
  We did go check out a school for Blythe which wasn't anything spectacular, but it's the only place I can find that has a 2 day a week option.  The people were friendly and sweet, just no one seemed very excited to be there.  I don't think we'll really know how it is until she's actually going there, so we're gonna go with it and we can always change our minds later.
  Our apartment looks out over the complex playground and the kids mostly just want to play there.  Yesterday we met a mom and daughter who don't live in the apartments, but her son is being tutored by a teacher who lives there.  The little girl was about Blythe's age, and the woman and I talked for almost an hour pretty easily so that's exciting.  They said they are there twice a week for the rest of the summer and they would come knock on our door the next time they were out there.
   That's about all we've been doing.  Hopefully, once we actually move in I'll have more to report.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

We're Heeeeere!

We arrived in Santa Clara around 6 last night after what was my favorite day of the trip!  Yesterday we woke up in Mammoth Lake, had some breakfast and took the gondola to the top of the mountain.  I think this face explains how Blythe felt about the gondola ride...

 Here's everyone checking out the view...

 We rode back down and stopped in town to pick up some lunch for the road when along came this guy...

      He very carefully looked both ways before crossing the road and heading up some stairs towards an Italian restaurant.  I assume he was going for pizza.   Everyone acted like this was perfectly normal.  They just stopped where they were and let him go by.  
      Then we hit the road which just so happened to run straight through Yosemite National Park.  I will admit I've never given it much thought, but it is truly incredible.  This was just one of at least 50 lakes we drove by that all looked like this.
 We stopped to play for a bit.  Joe could've stayed there all day just splashing and throwing rocks.

We are all very glad to be done with the driving portion of our adventure.  Today we are heading over to the apartment to see our new home for the first time.  We've got some errands to run to get a little more settled before Caleb goes to work in the morning.   Now on to the actual living in California part!!