The BIG Move

Hey there!  I am alive in the super sunny state of Florida ^.^

Bye Huntsville!

My room looked so big after all my stuff was out.

I made the trip from Huntsville to Orlando with Lamar a week ago Sunday.  We drove the 12+ hours toting all of my stuff and the pups.  Lucky for me, they slept the majority of the way.  Before coming up to Alabama, Lamar check out 2 copies of The Hunger Games audiobook for us to listen to on the road.  Let me tell you, the movie is completely different! The audiobook lasted us the whole trip, which was great. 

This cover is awesome! And the silly guy in the background is pretty cool too :)

We stopped the next morning in Valdosta to visit the $3 book store.  It was a reader's dream!  I got a copy of Commitment by Elizabeth Gilbert for $0.50! Whaaat? Yep $0.50!!  After leaving the bookstore, we went to an antique shop. There were a lot of pretty little things, but everything was SO expensive...

Lots of old tea tins.  Awesome, but too expensive for my tastes.

Antique working spinning wheel.  I want one SOOOOO bad!!!

Candy colored glass vases

I love colored glass. I'd like to have a collection one day. We'll see.

 We made it to the house late Monday night and unpacked the truck into storage a few days later.  So far, I've put in a couple job apps and have a strong shot at a photography position at the JC Penney portrait studio. (Please pray for blessing in that area!)  I also dropped an app at a nearby Animal Hospital.  I'd actually like both jobs. Kids and animals are great!  OK, that's it for this post, I think it's gotten long enough.  In the coming days, I plan to get settled into the guest room, put in some more applications, and make myself useful around the house (there will be much sweeping and dish washing).

On Moving

Hi :)

Last night (well 1:00 this morning) one of my friends asked me to pick him up from work. On the way home from dropping him off, I found myself mindlessly driving home. Past my favorite thrift store, my Alma Mater, and then along a stretch of road that is peppered with memories of ex-boyfriends.  Cul-de-sacs where my first and I had our verbal knock-down-drag-out fights and also spent time soul searching and star gazing... The path my second and I walked having our first great conversation...

Huntsville is littered with my dating past.

And I can't wait to get out.  

I didn't really think about how much the memories of old boyfriends and interests bubble up in my mind based on where I am in the city.  Even when I'm with Lamar, I'll think "Hey, that's where Paige and I had our first date." Or something like that.  I'm excited to be in a new city that will be fresh for the making of memories with only Lamar. (excuse the sappiness here please ^.^)

I'm glad for the experiences of the past, but it's time to fold Huntsville up like an old quilt and set it away in the attic.  It's been an interesting 9ish years with lots of growth.  I have the feeling now, that I get when I realize that I only have a couple pages left in a good book... I don't want it to end, but I know it has to.  Then when you read the last paragraph and close the cover, you sigh.  And you're glad it happened.

See You Later February

Wow... I can hardly believe that February is over!  This has been an event filled month for me to say the least, and it doesn't look like it'll be slowing down any time soon.  Not sure how I feel about that honestly.

As of today, I have 9 days left on my lease >.<  Last night, Lamar and I were talking about the logistics of him getting up here, where to rent the truck, when to pack the truck, and all that jazz.  It's been stressful. Sorting through all my belongings and determining what to give away, throw away, and keep.  I have 3 bags of clothes to donate and I'm planning cut my yarn/fabric stash in half.  I've told my local crafty friends to come and "shop my stash."  I'm selling furniture on Craigslist and giving pieces away. (One of the members of my poetry club told me his roommate needs a bed and was totally surprised when I said I'd give him mine. I remember that college kid struggle, I will gift where I can lol.)  I'm stalking wal-mart near midnight to pick up boxes.  But even with all that I'm doing, I feel like nothing is getting done.  Maybe it'll be better when I get all this furniture out.  I need to see my room clearing out.

Blurry photo of my box stack...

Enough of moving talk.

I feel like I should write a list of March goals... I never did share my 2013 goals with you guys, forgetful me.  Well, let me share them now.  The original list had 12 goals... as you can see it's grown :) Now, it's bloomed to 20 goals & is chock full of potential good habits.  I think I'm going to go 'The Happiness Project' way about keeping these and make a chart/calendar type thing... just to keep it visible.


*Self*
-Make a budget & stick to it
-Read at least 15 books
-Volunteer at an animal shelter
-Deliberately style my hair at least once a month
-Walk the dogs twice a week

*Work*
-Find a job where I fit
-Make "work friends" that I'd actually hang out with

*Church*
-Get involved in some way
-Help Lamar with BridgeMinistries

*Home*
-Get comfortable cooking food & not just baking
-Clean the house every week
-Sweep/Vacuum 3 times a week

*Creative*
-Start my online shop
-Crochet & Knit a pair of socks
-Find a crafting group to attend
-Create an online photography portfolio

*Blog*
-Redesign Apt-203 & start the FB fan page
-Introduce more DSLR photography on Apt-203 & less camera phone-age
-Always carry a camera to take daily life photos
-Expand my reach & meet new bloggers

That's all for now. Wish me stamina in this packing game and focus with incorporating my goals!

via: We Heart It

 

27

So... I'm 27 today.
Newly engaged.
Two weeks out from quitting my job.
Preparing to move to Florida.

Birthday Girl Pin! I'm tempted to wear this to work tomorrow.

I'm nervous.  This is the biggest thing I've done so far. I think the most nerve wracking part of it all is the current uncertainty.  I have 2 weeks to land a job.  Hopefully one that won't feel like gargling scorpions... Hopefully one I'll love and flourish in.  But yeah, 2 weeks.

I'm excited.  Long distance relationships are okay for a time, if that's the way things have to be, but there's no replacement for physical closeness.  The ability to drive to his house and belly bump him like Jack and Karen...  Yep, we do that. It"s surprisingly fun, you should try.  (If you don't know what that looks like, click HERE. I had a gif, but it got annoying.) 

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I was under the impression that my lease wasn't up until March 31st, but no, I misread the renewal notice and it's up on March 9th.  BIG shock.  I'm glad that Lamar was here when I found out the actual end date because I went straight into freakout mode.  He pulled me back down to earth.  So yeah, I've got to pack up all my stuff... which, if you ask me, is WAY too much stuff for one lady... I started really packing last night, and I'm already to the point where I want to throw everything away. UGH! I HATE PACKING!

All the STUFF!!!!!!

I figure that I should just pull out enough clothes for a month or so, so I'll have things available to wear for these 2 weeks and for Florida.  That's a really good plan right... too bad every time I think about going into my closet and pulling clothes, I get overwhelmed.  I need help.

This will be my first major move. I don't count moving to Alabama, because I came here for school and then stayed after graduation (mostly because I was told that I wouldn't make it).  So yeah, I've been in Alabama for about 4 years post grad now and it's been alright. Pretty  much four years of trying to find the "right work" for myself. I have done so many different things in these four years.  Gotten so much experience... my scope is rather broad.  The only thing is, I haven't found the work that sits right in my spirit.  Does that exist, or do we all settle when it comes to employment.  Let me get off that soap box... Moving. The idea of moving to Florida is really awesome and scary. Orlando is so much more city than I've ever lived in. I keep thinking, "What if I can't make any friends... I'll be at home with my dogs all the time... I'll be the weird dog lady."  Yep... there's my fear. 

But on a lighter more positive note, I'm ready for the weather change. Even though I love my sweaters and leggings, I'm over the cold. I'm ready to be in the Sunshine State! Bring on the Sunshine!!! Ok..  Let me stop frittering about on the interwebs and go pull these clothes out.

Well I suppose this is my birthday post. Kinda boring, but it was a boring kinda day. We'll see how the next couple weeks go.  Wish me luck and blessings on this move.