The Next Step(s)

I'm going to stop apologizing for my lack of entries. I really wish I was the kind of person who could sit down and slam out an entry in short time -- there are often a handful of things I would like to write about floating around -- but I it almost always takes me for-EVAH to start and finish these dang things. Oh well, I hope I'm at least getting to the stuff I want to have recorded for posterity's sake. And I hope you'll keep checking in!

So, we're nearing the end of our time here in Maryland, something I'm increasingly trying to ignore. Don't get me wrong, I am excited about what's around the corner for us, but our lives have become so closely knit with our friends here and we have had such an overwhelmingly awesome experience at the church and with everything we have learned, it is reeaaally sad to think about leaving!

I know we are all meant to go our separate ways, and that we have made many life-long friends, but I also realize that this year was just for this year. We won't ever experience it again, things will never be quite like this and it is even possible that we won't see some of our friends ever again (one couple is returning to a very difficult situation in Myanmar). I think I am doing a good job overall, keeping everything in perspective, enjoying the time we have remaining and having faith for whatever the future may hold.

I'd be lying though, if I didn't admit to a liiiittle anxiety/panic occasionally welling up in my chest. I've never been a big fan of change. Spending the first 23 years of my life in the same town, attending the same church and not traveling a whole lot didn't exactly help me in that arena. I am a completely different person in that regard since getting married and living all over the place, but wanting to feel in control and everything to stay the same same same (at least in terms of where I live -- I'll never want to stop traveling!!) will always be something I struggle with, I think.

Those feeling quickly pass though, when I think about living close to our families again, and moving to SF. We've had to get used to living so far from our loved ones, but in some ways it has gotten harder as time has gone by. Anyhow, we're coming around the bend and our final destination is (almost) in sight!

So, what exactly is the next step for us? Well, T will graduate from the Pastor's College in almost one month exactly. Most of our belongings are still in storage from our HORRIFIC move last year. We're checking out those "pod" things, where you load your belongings up in a storage box thing, and the company picks it up and moves it to wherever you're going. We are still not 100% sure if we are going to drive Arizona, or fly. This is dependent on whether or not the friends who have lent us the car we have used this year are able to sell us the car. They WANT to sell it to us, but their finances are very tight and they may need to sell their other car and drive this one.

If we drive, and we're pretty sure we will, we have started to plan a really great road-trip from NY to AZ. So far, we plan to stop in:
1) Akron, Ohio - where our pastor from our old church in Brooklyn is relocating in the next few weeks.
2) Muskeegon, Michigan - where T's aunt and uncle and second-cousins. We've wanted to come to their place for years and years and now it looks like it is finally going to happen!
3) Wisconsin -- We're finally going to see the dairy farms T's family and also spend some time with friends from the PC who live in Kenosha.
4) CHICAGO! - TFY ladies, our visit a few years ago left me dying to return to Oprah's hometown. I can't wait!
5) South Dakota - Mt. Rushmore, etc.
6) Jackson, Wyoming - I intend to learn how to fly fish. And I DON'T plan on setting my camera down for one second while we are there.
7) Billings, Montana - I have wanted to visit this beautiful state for years and years and years. I can not wait to finally look upon it's spectacular mountains, streams, valleys and star-lit skies. I think I am most looking forward to this stop over all the others.
8) Vegas, baby! The summer we moved from San Diego, we drove from AZ to T's parent's home in NV and spent the night at the Paris Hotel. We had so much fun, we're gonna stop there again. Woot! =)

Please, if you have any suggestions about things we can do at any of these locations (local restaurants, things to do with the kids, places to stay, etc.), pass them along! And if we're coming close to your neck of the woods, please let me know! It would be fun to try to meet some of you along the way. =)

As for Arizona, we don't know for sure how long we will be there, but we would love to leave there for San Francisco around Christmastime. It's POSSIBLE we'll be there as long as a year, but we really, really hope that's not the case. We're dying to be living back in our home state again!!

Alright, it's one in the morning, so this is going up as is. I want to answer some of your questions from my previous entry next time, and any you may have about our future plans as well, so please ask away! God bless, my friends ...

Comments

[Holly]

Rebekah,

I can't believe you're leaving so soon!!!! We should definitely get together again before you go - is there an evening when you all could come for dinner?

As for your trip - if you go to Akron, the zoo has been completely redone since I was a kid and it is a wonderful family zoo. There's also a great science center, which is a bit old for R, but everyone else will love it. Depending on when you're actually going, there are a number of local goings-on that are great too. And Portage Lakes is a wonderful place if you like spending time out on a chain of lakes. I'm sure I'll come up with some other ideas, so I'll just email you.

[Jenn]

Billings is a four hour drive to my house! That is just too close. Sure you don't need a detour:)

So why are you going to AZ -- I don't even know this!

[KathyK.]

Hi Rebekah,

Remember me? I see you might be traveling very near by my area! I would love to see you and your family if possible. :o) I think of you and all the other TFY ladies often. I just do not post much anymore... life gets so busy. E-mail me and let me know if I could meet you somewhere near or in Kenosha.(It is only 40 minutes from my home and I am always in Racine - my home town. :o)

(((HUGS)))

KathyK. with Seth and Taryn :o)

[KathyK.]

Hey Rebekah,

I sent you an e-mail when I saw you were looking for mine. In case you did not get it here is my e-mail addy. kathey29@yahoo.com I saw you were having problems getting it off of here. Hope to hear from you soon. :o)

(((HUGS)))

[MereMortal]

wha? wha? you are moving here to AZ? more details please!!!
girl, you have alot of plans coming up. i think your adventures sound grand.
glad to peek in on you. :)
xoxo