A New Life

Well here we are! At long last Seth and I have made it to Boise. I apologize for my lack of blogging. Between trying to unpack, work for Make-A-Wish remotely and trying not to freak out I have been busy!

The last few weeks at home were hard. I didn't cry much about leaving my family and friends. I suppose it is because I know I will still stay in touch with all of you - and I will be down to Salt Lake a lot. I did, however, cry like a baby when I left Make-A-Wish.


I have never left a job when I wasn't ready, or wanting to leave before. I consider myself very lucky to have worked for Make-A-Wish for as long as I did. I would have stayed a long time if life would have allowed me.

A couple of nights before I left I met up with some volunteers for a goodbye dinner at the Bohemian. It was great to see everyone.



Make-A-Wish was a special place. Seth told me that my work is MAINLY who I am. I find that to be true. Make-A-Wish was not just a job, it was a large part of me. And I feel like that part of me has gone. Make-A-Wish is wonderful not only because of the mission and for the amazing work that it does for kids, but for the people. I consider MANY volunteers dear friends and consider each staff member a dear friend.

I was on the verge of tears for the last three weeks I was in the office. Christine gave me this great framed picture collage of my days at Make-A-Wish. Ah- the good times. Posing with the inflatable dolphin, road trips for Walk For Wishes, trips to New Orleans, counting thousands of ducks, happy hours, etc. That made me cry and I don't think I stopped until I left. But nothing was as sad as walking out the doors for the last time. Chriss started crying and then we all lost it. I'll miss it so much. Thanks for such a great send off you guys!

At my goodbye lunch each staff member got me a gift (something that will remind them of me). I got a jar of pickles, a Johnny Depp poster, a monster truck toy car, etc. One of my favorite gifts was a book called "Creative Cursting". You flip two different sets of words and create new cuss words. It's hilarious. Well the night before my last day there, I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stop crying. Really. I was so sad to be leaving. I was sobbing. Finally I got out of bed and got the book to show Seth. The cuss word we flipped to was "Vag Jacket". Lets just say we laughed so hard I nearly peed my pants. Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion (thanks Steel Magnolias). It was great. That book will bring hours of entertainment.

Thanks Make-A-Wish friends for always hearing cuss words and thinking of me.

Well once I was out of Make-A-Wish I had one night to pack. We were off the next morning. When we finally pulled into Boise (U-Haul towing my Jetta and me driving Seth's truck) I was giddy! I couldn't stop laughing and singing. When we pulled up to our town house I screamed! Look how cute they are!! Ours is a tan one in the front and red in the back.


I ran through our giant house with Seth in awe. We really get to live here!? Nah - must be a vacation right? Wrong - this is our house. Like actually OUR HOUSE. I feel very lucky!

I don't think it has hit me that I actually moved. But we have. And I am so happy. This doesn't mean I don't have my "freak out" moments but I am so happy. I love cooking dinner with Seth at night in our gorgeous kitchen.


I love that he is the only one I can really lean on right now. I love going downtown and working from one of the many wonderful coffee shops here. I love the kind people. I love our quirky neighborhood. I love waking up in our bedroom, on our own bed. I love taking baths in my huge tub.

I love that we have finally unpacked our wedding gifts and are using them. Seriously our dishes are so cute! I love that Seth is finally working - and that his job seems so promising (crazy inmates excluded).

I don't love unpacking though. I don't like trying to work and having to dig through boxes to find my calendar. I am over it. I don't like carrying boxes up 4 flights of stairs from the garage to our bedroom. I don't like not having a couch to sit on. I don't like that I am sitting at home almost all day and then sitting home all night. I don't like that I can't find an NPR station that isn't full of static here. I don't like that I can't find a Bed, Bath & Beyond without mapquesting it. I don't like spending $200 + on groceries to get us started. I don't like that Seth and I are both freaking out at times and we expect each other to be the strong person. I don't like that gnawing feeling I get every night around 5:30 when I start to realize that I can't drive to Mom's if I need her. I lean on Seth now - which is great. But I think he'll grow tired of me being all needy won't he?

This picture was taken 5 years ago. Seth surprised me with tickets to see Dave Matthews in Seattle. This picture was taken on our way home. We stopped in Boise for dinner and took this picture while we waited for our table. Wow, how far we have come since then. Who knew on that trip that in just over 4 years we would be married, and living in this city when we took this picture!? This picture is now hanging in our kitchen - it serves as a sort of reminder of how far we have come.

It's an adjustment for sure. I have never lived away from home. Not only do I have to adjust to a new home and a new city, but I have to find an identity for myself that isn't "nonprofit" related.

I wonder where that will lead me?