Settling In

The past few weeks have been filled with unpacking, job searching, hiking, and generally getting settled. I wish I could say we've unpacked everything, but I can't. Since we haven't really had a summer in over 16 years because we've been in school, teaching summer school, or on contract, I think we've enjoyed being without agendas and timelines for a couple of weeks.  That's all coming to an end, however, as I make revisions to an article to get it submitted and plan for my classes in the fall. I'll start on those things next week so we hope to get finished with our unpacking (or most of it at least) this weekend. Jeff has a few job interviews in the next two weeks, so we have our fingers crossed that something pans out.  It's quite different here when it comes to finding a job, but he's done a great job of putting his resume out there and pounding the pavement to meet people.  Having left an area of people who knew him well and his abilities as a leader and moved to an area where we know nobody, we're both thrilled that he has interviews for administrative jobs.  Just interviewing will even get him "known" so that's good news. We were told that many of the questions will be "situations" and we had to ask ourselves if there's really anything that they can throw at him that he hasn't handled in the past 11 years as an administrator ... especially considering the entire town here is the size of just the school district we left. Amazing.
Thomas is adjusting well. He has a few "moments" here and there but overall he's very happy. There are a few things "at play" with him. First, he's always wanted a summer where we were all home together and he didn't have camps, caregivers, etc. and now he's got it ... and he's anxious and needing mental "stimulation" constantly. He has voluntarily washed off the sidewalks, washed the dishes, washed the clothes, washed the deck with a sponge on his hands and knees, and much more. These things are all in the midst of the many activities we do as a family and stopping to play games together. Whew ... the boy is intense! He has recently taken up riding his scooter again.  We even got him a Malibu scooter this week with bigger wheels so it goes faster down the hills.  The second thing "at play" with Thomas is leaving so many friends behind and not making any here yet. I don't know why, but the children here are "to themselves" in many ways. I've signed him up for VBS at the Lutheran Church this coming week. We missed the Catholic one.  He's also signed up to go to Zoo Camp in early August.  I think he'll meet friends at these places. Thomas has also always been a very "anxious" child with a lot of emotional intelligence and that has begun to manifest even more as his new school year nears. He talks a lot (nonstop) and is very "clingy," not wanting to be in a different room from us. All in all, though, he's doing well with the change and is very happy. He loves to hike and go to the mountains, so hopefully once we get past the interviews for Jeff, etc. we'll be able to take time and get in the mountains on a camping trip.
    Our second night here was July 4th. We spent it on the neighbor's roof watching the most beautiful fireworks we've ever seen. It's aptly titled, "The Biggest Show in Idaho."   Our neighbors are really nice (older couple with grandchildren) and are sweet to Thomas. We met the neighbors on the other side today and they are also grandparents who seem to really like Thomas as well.
    We closed on our house in Conroe this week so it was a relief to put "to rest" one of the big "things" about this whole transition. Once Jeff finds a job, we'll really be "settling" in.  The closing has gone relatively smoothly and I'm happy for the young couple who purchased 21 Lancelot ... they got a great home with super neighbors ... neighbors we miss dearly.
     Our neighborhood is great for walking with wonderful, challenging hills. Thomas loves to ride the hills on his scooter so the three of us mapped out a 2 mile trail and we take it at least twice daily. Hopefully we'll walk off some of the pounds we've put on in the past year or so. Thomas is a great motivator ... begging to go on a walk throughout the day. The weather's perfect here all day for a walk, so there's really no excuse.
     It's bright here! The sun rises around 6:00 AM and sets around 10:00 PM. Our entire "pattern" was thrown off and we're just now adjusting to a new one. It's 11:30 here right now and when I lived in Conroe, I would have been asleep long ago! We sleep with the windows open to allow the 50 degree temps to fill our house at night ... love it! With the open windows, though, comes bright sunshine in our faces in the mornings! I love that, too. Jeff ... not so much!
    Shopping here is a bit different. It's not crowded!!!  The clerks and checkout folks are so friendly and attentive to shoppers' needs! I went to the mall today (only 2 anchor stores ... Sears and JC Penney) and there was nobody there! I was in and out in no-time with exactly what I needed. I'm not a huge shopper to start with, so this suits me! I do like to have access to high end clothing, so I'll need to figure out where to find that here, but all in all, love it! Walmart never has a rush! It's busy ... but there's no rush and no rude people running over you! Nice. Oh ... the funny one for me was the carwash! My car was full of mud so I pulled into what I thought was a full service car wash ... not so.  Patrons vacuum their own vehicles then pull through to the next station ... where one is handed a towel and a bottle of cleaner to use as they help you drive onto the track of the automated wash. The cleaner is to be used by the car owner while in the automated wash. Once the car is through the wash ... a couple of college kids towel dry it. I felt so incompetent at the car wash! Crazy! At least they were friendly ... all I say is "I'm new here, I just moved from Texas," and people give me all kinds of help ... thank goodness! It's the little things, you know?
      Pocatello has a fabulous farmer's market. We already have a Saturday routine! We start at the farmer's market, then to Elmer's (a 60s style diner that serves an awesome all-American breakfast), and wrap up at A Fish off the Old Block for fresh meats for the week. We are loving the transition to organic and fresh foods.  With that, I'll close ... because tomorrow is Saturday and I want to be ready to get to the market early ... we didn't get there until 11:00 last week and they were sold out of many things I hoped to find.  So ... it's off to get rest.
    

 

Almost there!

Tonight, we are in Green River, Wyoming.  It's a cozy mountain town that seems to be on the verge of making the transition from a simple small western town to a "yuppy"-type river rafting hangout.  

The past two days on the road have been long, but fairly uneventful. We've driven through beautiful country and done so with little hassle.  Only two "hiccups" with vehicles so far. The UHaul needed oil added today and the new car's tire pressure light stays on which is no big deal. We've got it so loaded, it's probably tripped something. Jeff checked the pressure in the tires and it's fine. And, while I fumbled for the number to the Uhaul place,  Jeff popped up the hood of the Uhaul and took care of the oil ... nothing the guy can't do!

The dogs have really done well on the trip and also at the new hotels each night.  We will have to have Jeff's truck "detailed" when we get settled, though ... the dog hair is unbelievable. German Shepherds shed constantly and I am the privileged driver of the truck with the dogs :) Lots of sneezes!

Jeff is tired from driving the Uhaul through the mountains, etc. but we are both anxious to get to Pocatello, so adrenaline is getting us through. Thomas has continued to be an outstanding co-pilot with Jeff as well.  He slept a lot today which was great since I think he's gotten very little in the past few weeks.  We've enjoyed swimming at each hotel in the evenings, so he's had some physical activity to help him "wind down" from the long days in the car. He's a really "easy" kiddo to travel with ... likes conversation and to look out the windows and daydream.  He doesn't get bored easily. He just needs his "stuff" which is whatever he chooses to take in the car for the day so he can make a "nest" of his toys and such around him in the Uhaul.  I tried to get him to ride with me for a while, but there's no getting him out of the big truck ... he loves sitting up high in the front seat and being "dad's co-pilot." Good times.

We drive to Pocatello tomorrow and it should take about 6 hours with the "convoy" we have. We're looking forward to getting things set up and establishing our routines as a family once we're settled after this week.  There are several 4th of July events in the Pocatello area so maybe we'll have enough unpacked and have the energy to celebrate!

I'm also looking forward to setting up my office at the university once our house is in order. I've submitted one article and hope to have another started soon. I'll be working diligently to write and research in an effort to get tenure over the next few years. Once school starts, I'm hoping to write a lot during the day and spend the evenings with Jeff and Thomas which is a welcomed change in our routines. I will teach two classes: Supervision - Monday nights and Intro to Superintendency - Wednesday nights. On those days, I'm hoping to do a little volunteer work at Thomas' school or at least have lunch with him frequently since we won't see each other in the evenings.  I look forward to establishing a routine and focusing on Thomas and Jeff and my work. 

Another Pocatello "activity" we plan to get involved with is through the Episcopal Church which feeds the hungry every Sunday afternoon.  The meal is prepared by parishioners and available to anyone in the community. The three of us plan to volunteer to be a part of that each Sunday and I think it's a great way for Thomas to understand "service" and also witness those who are truly in need and what we as a family can do to help.  He's already a very empathetic child and I think he's ready for "the next level" of understanding and experience when it comes to societal issues. He knows "needs" are out there, so now he will know what it is like to do something and give of himself to help others and address the needs around him.

We'll be without internet for a few days until we settle and get services connected, so I'm signing out for a while. 

Thanks for sharing in our journey and I hope whatever you're doing, you're happy doing it!

Sarah

First Leg

Well, what a week!  The largest Uhaul didn't hold all of our belongings even after we made numerous trips to Goodwill and a few garage sales! Soooo, we had to rent a trailer to pull behind the Uhaul and ask our friend Heide to drive the new car.  I knew this would be a challenging task (packing, loading, cleaning, driving, etc.) but wow ... what a 24/7 job.  What I didn't consider was the emotional toll this would have at the same time we packed. For the past several weeks, we've been blessed with friends and loved ones visiting and saying goodbye.  Yesterday and this morning were especially difficult as we said goodbye to our good friends the Hamiltons and our neighbors, the Roccofortes and the Yorks.  I suppose we hadn't allowed ourselves to "go there" emotionally and it suddenly rushed us as we packed and rolled out these past two days.  We will miss so many people we've come to know and love these past 16 years.  Since we left Lake Charles and were "all alone" as we moved to Conroe 16 years ago, we felt prepared for the "break" from Conroe, but wow ... we really weren't.    Al and Holly York (neighbors) had us over for lunch yesterday (a welcomed break from loading) and gave us the sweetest gift ... a photo album with comments on the side that included events from our cul-de-sac for the past 10 years we've lived there.  What a treasure.  That started the emotional ride ... and I'm so glad it did. Tears are therapeutic and necessary sometimes!
Today's trip was successful. Traveling with three vehicles in a caravan with me in the lead with the GPS and pulling the camper, Jeff and his co-pilot, Thomas in the largest Uhaul pulling the largest trailer the offer, and Heide driving the Rav pulling up the rear turned out to be successful. We purchased walkie talkies at Walmart yesterday ... 4 so everyone could have one ... and our copilot kept us up-to-date (and entertained) the entire trip.  I think Heide was happy to have a "volume" button on it to tune it out occasionally. We were assigned "code names" by copilot, Thomas ... Daddy Bird (Jeff), Mama Bird (Sarah), Little Chick (Thomas), and Rubber Ducky (Heide).  Comical.
Well, time to order dinner at the local diner. We have to do takeout because we don't have a vehicle that holds more than 1 person ... except the Uhaul holds two, but who wants to drive up in that!!

Onward!

Sarah
Well, I will sign off and go swim in the fancy "Super 8" motel pool now. An interesting, aged, yet clean, stay for the evening.

Countdown!

Many things have happened since my last post. We now have a closing date for the house ... July 11. It seems we'll drive to Boise to close from long distance.  We are moving next Thursday and will pick up our rental truck on Tuesday.  We've hired Aladdin Moving Co. here to help us load. They did a great job moving us into this house 10 years ago.  They'll send three guys over for an hourly rate that's well worth every penny for their labor and expertise in packing a truck.

Well, I have loved my Mini Cooper Clubman for the past year, but it seems it's not practical to keep it. I think it would do pretty well, but I'm not one to be inconvenienced or patient when I need to get somewhere and can't, so I figure I should get an all wheel drive vehicle in preparation for the winter ... and since there are only 2 Coopers in Pocatello (according to my new State Farm agent) and the owners discontinue their insurance coverage in the winter because they park them ... I shouldn't plan to rely on the Mini.  Doesn't seem the resale value would be so great there either ... so decided to see what I could get here before we leave. I don't want to pay an arm and a leg for an all wheel drive (I love the Jeep Wrangler XL) or the gas bill that comes with it, so we settled on a Toyota Rav 4. Returned to Fred Haas Toyota to work with Jimmy Jones, a fleet manager who sold us Jeff's truck, and he has worked to get us an all wheel drive Rav 4 ... he's having to fly to Oklahoma City Saturday and drive it back ... then send it for leather on Monday. The color is "black forest" which is a dark green…really nice. When we were in Pocatello in March, we rented a Mazda CX 9 and after a few sightseeing ventures on the dirt roads and snow in the mountains, we got it filthy ... so cloth seats are out with 2 big dogs! Huge thanks to Jimmy. I'm sure all the trouble is included in the price :)

Packing is progressing but one would never know it to look at our house. I'm so tired of packing! We're probably 75% packed and it's the last 25% that I'm ready to throw away!  We have a moving sale Saturday, so hopefully after Saturday we'll be even more prepared for the move. We plan to "stage" everything in the living and dining room by Monday evening. Wish us luck! Jeff will be driving the U haul and pulling a trailer with the new Rav 4 while I drive the Tundra and pull the camper.

We've enjoyed dinners with friends many nights this week and have plans into the weekend. We look forward to stopping and cleaning up each evening to spend time with folks before we leave. Thomas has especially loved it. 

Thomas has been spending a lot of time with our neighbors who have 2 children he has played with since he could crawl! They are moving as well, so it makes our move a little less painful for him (and them).  They are all Lego fans and have a lot in common. Many sword fights with plastic light sabers have taken place in the Lancelot Cul de Sac over the past 6 years ... all great memories. Lots of bike riding ... and falling ... as well as "defending."  Thomas let us know at dinner with the Yorks last night that some of the other neighborhood kids who weren't so nice don't come to our cul de sac anymore because he and Nick and Mary "successfully defended it and won the rights to the land."  How funny. Good for them ... those other kiddos played pretty rough. Funny how kids work things out on their own. 

Well, enough escaping. Back to packing.  Just 6 days till move out!

  

Getting Closer!

A lot has happened in the short time since I last wrote. There is now a contract on our house by a sweet couple Jeff was at CCHS with as their administrator (they were students) and we've already had the inspection and passed with no major defects :)   Continued investigating the Atlas POD idea for moving and discovered that our bookshelves wouldn't fit and it is really just more economical (and more space) to rent a 26 ft. Uhaul. So.. we went today and reserved one.  We are officially Uhauling it!

Central Listing called today to ask if an agent could show the house tomorrow ... it was such a relief to say "no, it's under contract" so we don't have to go through the routine of preparing it.  It would have been the 19th showing in under 40 days ... that's busy!

Well, will be packing for the next several weeks.

It's all working out and the excitement is setting in!

Contract

....and we have a contract on the house. We'll see how things go. Any more "concessions" and we'll be giving it away and might as well donate it to charity :)  The BIG news of the day: Jeff got his braces off and now he has nice, straight pearly whites!

Moving Date

We have a date .... The Sanders Family is moving on June 30 and should arrive in Idaho by July 3.

Patience

This evening has brought an offer ... and from us, a counter .... what will come of it? This impatient party is glad she has a good realtor and a patient husband who will make sure we walk away with a profit! I hate to wait!

Decisions

    It appears decisions abound as we decide exactly how to move our belongings to Idaho and 3 families decide if our house is right for them. I think we have settled on "Smart Move" which would deliver 5 pods to our driveway and we load them (or hire help to load them) and then Atlas Van Lines picks them up and delivers them to Pocatello and will unload our belongings for us.  It seems to be a good compromise to the moving company pricey bids and the back breaking Uhaul route. We are allowed to keep the pods 28 days so sounds like a deal. Kudos to Jeff for digging deep into that issue and researching/getting bids for all of the different avenues. I think he has started the "save Jeff's knees" campaign to get through the move!
    The second of the 3 most interested potential buyers looked a 2nd time this evening. The realtor's email feedback said they are still interested and are just making a decision. Wonder who will make a decision first ... or if any of them will choose 21 Lancelot?  Whoever does is getting a sweet deal. It's a great house on a peaceful cul de sac with super neighbors. This family has asked if we could be out by the 28th ... ouch that would be quick, but we could do it!
    I received good news from ISU on Friday when they sent an update to the hiring process. Originally, I was going to have to find private insurance for 90 days, but the university has changed its policy and now allows my benefits to start Sept. 1. That's a relief.  My family also gets unlimited access to the Reed Gym area which has indoor tennis courts, a pool, climbing wall, fitness classes, etc. It's a new facility that is really large and extremely nice.  I'm looking forward to that. Jeff and I also get to take classes for 5.00 a credit hour. That's not so bad either. I think I'll get some art classes in eventually. Need to focus on publishing for a while, but once that's rolling easily, I would love to get back into art.  ISU also has a state-of-the-art fine arts facility we plan to enjoy when they have productions. And of course ... we get discounts on athletic events, but ISU has a little improvement to make in some of the athletic areas. We'll still enjoy cheering them on anyway.
    My first day on the job will be August 15 and there are 2 1/2 day faculty meetings. Wow ... this should be interesting. I have not attended a faculty meeting that I didn't have to plan in over 11 years. Joy! There is also a bar b que for families in the Education Department the first week. Should be fun. I'll only teach 2 classes the first semester for sure and maybe the 2nd as well to allow me time to publish. The 2 classes are at night ... Mondays (Supervision) and Wednesdays (Intro to Superintendency).  Sent my textbook request to the bookstore a few weeks ago.  Its real!

A Beginning and an Ending

Welcome to the Sanders family's westward movement blog as we leave our Texas home for the past 16 years and move to Pocatello, Idaho. I plan to share our adventures, experiences, and  frustrations here so that our good friends can make the move with us!

Today's update 6/5/11:
The house was shown to a couple for the 2nd time this morning.  We have 3 interested parties right now, but who knows if any will come through. Thomas spent the day enjoying a little fun in the sun with his buddies Brandon and Gavin while Jeff and I took a few minutes to put pens to paper for various projects we've been mulling in our heads. I finished putting together a publication I hope to move forward while Jeff went for the "softer" side of writing.

Jeff has given permission for me to share his ... a few poems (bet none of you knew he has an interest in poetry):

Poem 1: Where are You Now?

I once heard your name as if in a memory;
I waited but you never came.
I prayed but did not hear.
I searched but could not find.
I loved but never knew.
And in an instant, you were gone from me.

Poem 2: Muffled Sounds (upon reflection of losing a child, father, and other things)

I long for muffled sounds
Of saintly knees on hard floors believing all and questioning none;
Of the rays of sun that break through the window and pool beneath the pain;
Of the wind as it dances through the moss and mist;
Of the hum of tires down a shadowed road with no concern of end;
Of tender toes on woven rugs struggling to find their sense;
Of small little thumps from an eager heart that too quickly lost its time;
Of the laughter of not knowing before the curtain falls;
Why can the world continue to spin without these precious, muffled sounds?
Why can't I forget these precious, muffled sounds?

Poem 3  Chasing Birds (Thomas loves to chase birds and when Jeff asked why, he replied, "because birds should fly, dad.")

Why should a boy run?
Why should a boy grow?
Why should a boy never fade?
Why should a boy chase a bird?
Why should  man chase a dream?
Birds should fly- is the only reason why.