Moving...NY version

I don't think there is anyone alive who will tell you that moving is fun.  We may like the end result of packing up all of our shit belongings, putting them on a moving truck and unloading them at a new place but the process itself is definitely not my definition of fun.

Take, for instance, the packing part.  I had been in AZ since January, with only 2 brief trips back to NY.  I left a list for my kids to follow, of what I thought needed to be done in order to get ready for the move.  I arrived back in NY on June 3 for the movers to come and pack up the house.  Guess how much of that list was done before I got back?  Yup, just as much as you think (probably less than what you think because you may be nice and are giving my teenagers the benefit of the doubt that they don't deserve.)

So, there was a lot more for the movers to pack up into boxes than I would have liked.  That's probably something common to just about every move but I still felt bad that they had to deal with our crap stuff.  At the end of day 1, there were boxes every where!  While I was grateful that they were doing the packing (because that meant I didn't have to), there is something very weird about having someone else pack your things.

Boxes everywhere!  Nope, we didn't want to try and sit on the living room couch at all...

The dog's bed is somewhere behind and among all of those boxes.

Take out for dinner!  Can't do any cooking in this kitchen!

The first day also included taking apart Matthew's bunk beds so Trent and the kids went to stay at his mom's house while I stayed at the house with the dog.  She was so confused by all of the boxes in her way.  She was used to navigating through a maze of Hermann droppings left all over the living room but this was a bit much, even by our standards!  I think it seemed more overwhelming because our house isn't that big to start with and the boxes were spread out into every available corner around all of the furniture.

Day 2 of packing was interesting.  The day 2 guys were complaining about how much was left because they couldn't believe how little the day 1 guys got done.  By the time they left, the basement was barely touched.  So, Emily and I came back down to the house after having dinner with my mother-in-law to spend the night at the house and try to tackle more of the packing in the basement.  We made a little bit of a dent but there was a ton of stuff down there and it was late.  I was up until 2 am before I recognized that I needed to get some sleep to make it through the next day.  (If only I didn't need and like sleep!)

Day 3 was load the truck day.  The driver had told us that he was going to be there around 8 am.  Two crews showed up that morning.  A team of 3 guys were there to finish packing the basement.  The second team of 3 guys were there to start loading the boxes and furniture into the truck.  I was back in the kitchen when 2 of the loading guys came through the kitchen to the back of the house.  They introduced themselves to me and seemed like nice guys.  I thought they were going out to the deck to start moving the outdoor furniture and grills.  Little did I know that they were actually walking through the house to walk out the back door and take off because they didn't want to do the work!  I am still scratching my head at that one.  You sign up for a job as a mover - what did you think you were going to be doing?

Anyway, the driver was understandably upset and tried to get another crew to come over but summer is a busy time to move so there was no other crew.  Thank goodness they had sent three guys to pack because two of the packers became loaders and started loading the truck.  These guys were great and I don't think I could ever fully thank them for how they worked that day.

Do you see how he is carrying those boxes?  They are on his back, piggy back style!  I never could do that !

Staging area.  It seemed like there was no way it would all get loaded on the truck at certain points of the day.

I was amazed at how they stacked everything to maximize space and get it all to fit.

At 7:45pm, they were all loaded and ready to get on the road.It was a long day!

I forgot to take pictures of the empty house but it was really weird to walk back in there and see all of our stuff gone.  We spent the rest of that weekend going through the rooms, cleaning out garbage and doing the first clean of everything.  Matthew and Molly still had a couple of weeks left of school so we had to make sure that they could get in the house and have a spot to do homework.  They were very glad that I had left the wifi on since their grandmother does not have internet access at her house.  And to think that we all survived in the pre-internet days!  lol

Stocking update #1

Time for an update on the stocking I've been working on for Trent. This is the first time I have actually taken pictures after I finish stitching for the night so I can track the progress. It's going to be so cool to go back and look at them to see how much I stitched in that sitting. 

At the request of my mother-in-law, I am also keeping track of how much time I spend stitching on this project. I've never done that either. I always have a kind of rough estimate of how many months a project takes based on when I think I remember starting something. But I don't stitch every day (sometimes I don't get any stitching in during a week or two, either) so it is never an accurate accounting. I'm really curious to see what the total hours winds up being. 

So, this was the result of the first night of stitching on this project. Lots of half stitches in this one, which makes the stitching go faster. 

Time: 1:47.09

Changes - Arizona living

Three weeks ago, I boarded a plane in Albany, NY to Phoenix, AZ with a stop in Chicago, IL. I boarded with a one-way ticket. As in, not returning. It was really weird and exciting and sad and bittersweet and overwhelming ... I think you get the picture. I was a mix of emotions!

Right before Thanksgiving, I accepted my dream job at the University of Phoenix.  Part of the deal was moving to Phoenix to work out of their offices in Tempe, AZ.  I never would have thought that I would ever pursue something like this. I am a homebody who likes to be close to family. I couldn't imagine moving across the country and being a plane ride away. But then the gentleman from the search firm called and told me that three people had given him my name and recommended that he talk to me. In September. A month after our lives were turned upside down by my brother's suicide and my father-in-law's passing. Right when I was thinking that a change would do me good. I talked to Trent about it and as usual, he was supportive and encouraging, if not a bit insistent that I pursue this.  He's always been a bit more adventurous than me and knew that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. 

So, I pursued the position. I had two great phone interviews and then a day long interview here in Phoenix in November. It was quite a trip to have a driver pick you up at the airport, take you to and from your interview and then drive you back to the airport.  He told me that he regularly drove celebrities and athletes and here he was driving me around. It totally cracked me up. 

Luckily, it all went well and they offered me the position. I am now the Vice President of accessibility and disability strategy. It's an exciting job and I am really enjoying it so far. The salary is amazing and the relocation package is fantastic. For instance, I am writing this now from my furnished apartment that I am in for two months courtesy of the university. And when we're ready for Trent and the kids to move out here after the school year ends, I will have movers at my house to pack everything up and ship it out. Pretty cool, huh?

The last three weeks have been a whirl wind. It has been crazy to start a new job, learn new policies and procedures, meet new people, and explore a new area. It's been really weird to live in an apartment all by myself.  I haven't lived by myself since I was an RA in college almost 20 years ago!  And don't even get me started on how weird it is to cook and do laundry for myself only. Most days, I really don't know what to do with myself after work because I am not getting someone to or from dance or swimming.  Of course, Trent is doing all of that and has been a rock star holding down the fort at home.  I am so grateful for his support and encouragement. I miss him and the kids like crazy - this is the longest I've ever been apart from them. Thank goodness for modern technology as we text every day and can also see each other through FaceTime. That makes a big difference. 

I have to say that I am really loving Arizona weather. I know the summer will be awful but 76 degree days in early February is pretty awesome. The scenery out here is so beautiful. I am constantly in awe of how beautiful the mountains are out here. So different than what you see in NY. I've had fun looking for houses to rent - another blog post on that later, I'm sure. :-)

This was a big, scary move for me and there were many times when I wondered what I was thinking. But it has been such an awesome move so far. I'm looking forward to what's next to come!

By the way, check out the seat I snagged on the way to Phoenix - extra leg room, baby!!  Woo hoo!

The view outside of my office window. The highway is a bit loud but the mountain is beautiful.  It will be neat to see the action when spring training starts, too. ;-)

This was taken last week when it was only 55 degrees out. But it was January so I didn't mind!

Welcome back?

It's been about 2 years since I last logged in to this blog. I guess it's about time for a come back, huh?

There's been a lot that has happened in those two years and here we are at the start of another new year. 2016 was not the best year for me or my family. It had its high points but there were a few too many low points, too. I'm looking forward to 2017. We have some exciting things on the horizon and I know it is going to be a GREAT year. 

One of my goals for the year is to finish the Christmas stockings I started stitching last year. I have finished one and in the midst of the second one. I have three more left to do after this one. My mother-in-law asked me to keep track of how much time I spend stitching a project so I have been taking pictures and timing my stitching sessions. I'm going to share those here, as it's pretty neat to see the progress through the pictures. 

The first picture is of the blank canvas. I love the start of a new project and the promise that it offers. Stay tuned for some more pics!