Where do we go from here

Do you ever feel like all of your friends move? Hmm, maybe it's just us and maybe we just feel that way because they all really do. We were lucky enough to get to have dinner with our dear friends whom we hadn't seen in ages this weekend who are preparing to move to Washington. They were the second couple we met in Blacksburg with whom we became very close. The first couple we met now live in Arizona.

Today, we drove back to Blacksburg to spend the day with friends preparing to move to Pennsylvania in the next few months. And have I told you about our friends who blog here who are moving to Kenya in August?

After a while, it's hard not to take it personally. We know that Blacksburg is a transient area but we haven't really made many new friends yet in Roanoke. We still cling to those in Blacksburg because they're so close and because we know our time with them is limited.

In beginning the job application process for me, Drew and I again begin the discussion about where we would be comfortable moving. Do we stay in Virginia? Do we dare venture North or West? The only place we can even fathom south of here would be Asheville but are we ready to settle down yet?

All of these questions in the midst of student teaching, finishing up my research paper to present to a committee, and applying for jobs is draining me. I see the light at the end of the grad school tunnel but what comes after it? I'm really hoping it's a job but most people are quick to tell me that normally in education that isn't the case.

But I'm willing to move, does that count for anything? And Drew is willing to go with me which makes it even better, so where do I apply? I'm open to suggestions. Roanoke and the surrounding counties but I've spoken to them and few of them sounded as if they are expecting tons of openings for the fall.

 I've said it before and I'll say it again, being an adult kinda sucks. Your friends all leave and then you still don't have a job. It's a tough world out there kiddos. I totally understand living in your parents basement and avoiding the fray. It's much less messy.

Lest I sound too depressed there is good news to report: we will have a garden plot with the Roanoke community garden this spring and summer. I can't wait to get some veggies in the ground. Fresh veggies, hiking, and camping are just around the corner. Also who could be stressed with this cutie around?

 

The last weekend

It's something like the last supper but not as important. I mean you don't need to break bread in remembrance, although that's precisely what we did this morning for brunch.

Next weekend we will be traveling home to haul about half of our material possessions to my parents and the next weekend is moving weekend!!! Therefore this was our last weekend hoo-ra in the Burg.

Unfortunately, it didn't dawn on us Friday night that it would be our last weekend so we stayed home and did this:

Saturday morning we made our usual family trip to the Farmer's Market. And Ike made it a memorable one by shitting everywhere and after Drew cleaned him up with leaves, he could not select any fruits or veggies because his hands were "contaminated." It's probably best we're moving, we couldn't show our faces at that particular farmer's market ever again after yesterday.

We should have known by him making this face for our picture that it would be a memorable trip.

After we recovered from our shame we went for a hike to the Cascades.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We hiked to the Cascades when I first moved up here and Mama's put on a few pounds since then, nothing like sucking bad air for 4 miles to realize just how far you've fallen.

 

 



Last night we stayed in and ordered our favorite pizza and watched the Hokies.

This morning we had brunch at our very favorite place. And it did not disappoint.

 

 

The rest of my day will consist of packing and attempting to get some work done but it's been a perfect farewell weekend. I love you, Blacksburg.

P.S. These farewell posts will likely go on for 2 more weeks.

Blacksburg: A Love Story

This town has been soo good to us. Drew has been here 6 and 1/2 years and I have been here 2 and 1/2. It will be so hard to leave, even just to go an hour away.

Blacksburg is where:

We adopted our puppy.
We made dear friends.
We discovered we like sushi.
We grew in our faith beyond belief and discovered our callings.
We survived a derecho.
We grew our first garden.
We became environmentalists.


There is so much that we will miss about this beautiful college town that is so filled with life. We've said all along we want to leave Blacksburg while we are still in a love affair with it, that way we always have the option of coming back.

 

The New River Valley has given us so much pride in our Appalachian heritage and the beauty that can be had when progress and heritage come together.

We can only hope that the winds blow us back here one day, it would be an honor to call this place home again.

 

 

Moving On

Past

Well first of all, we've been skunked again. Our poor Ikey still reeks from a skunking incident that happened a week ago tomorrow. It happened the morning of my meeting with my site supervisor at my blocking placement, I repeatedly apologized for the odor.

And worse than that I unknowingly gave my students suckers that both smelled and tasted like skunk on Friday. They had been innocently sitting on my kitchen counter the morning of the incident. However, when they asked me why they tasted/smelled like skunk I told them that the Dollar Tree must not keep their candy very fresh. Yes, I feel guilty. But it was much easier to lie to them knowing I'll never see them again. Friday was my last day in my high school placement.

Present

 I miss those kiddos. I had some sweet kids. I had some kids who were going through tougher situations than any 15 year old should ever have to go through and they made my days brighter. I think of them often and I hope they find their way. They are all so full of strength.

It's too early to tell how I feel about my middle school placement, suffice it to say it will be different. But I'm not yet sure if it's a good or a bad different.

Future

In more life-changing type news: Drew accepted a new position at a company in Salem, VA. We are so excited for him to begin this new job and for this to hopefully be the first step towards us moving where we feel pulled: Roanoke.

I've requested to do my student teaching in Roanoke in the spring and if we can lease our house we could be moving as soon as December. It's been a bit of a whirlwind but it has been an awesome ride. We are so grateful for God's timing and are praying that we can immerse ourselves into the community He has for us.

Also, we are signed up to run the Color Me Rad 5K this weekend with Drew's parents and sister. I'm excited for them to come visit but in the interest of full disclosure, we have done no little training. It should be interesting (read: embarrassing).

 

I hope that fall wherever you are is as beautiful as it is here in the Appalachian mountains.

 

In to and Up to

Our lives are pretty busy. Hence, the rare blog updates. I'm still adjusting to the all day every day, switching between teacher and student, and creating lesson plans which currently take me about 7 hours each to create. But I'm sleeping a lot on weekends and powering through. I love my job so much so far. I can't wait until I'm paid to do it rather than having to pay to do it.


Lately, we're very into fantasy football. Drew and I both suck but it's a great way to spend our Sundays, piled up on the couch calculating points and cheering for our guys. Here are our standings so far today....Don't let my dad's 4.00 fool you, he's just waiting for Peyton to play here in a few.

Also, at the request of my blogger friend Erika I downloaded the app Fooducate. I hadn't had much time to fool with it until this morning and then Drew and I got carried away. It grades your food by scanning the barcode. We were pretty surprised by some of the things we thought would be pretty healthy...like our bread that were not. It's free and pretty handy.

Yesterday marked the beginning of hunting season so that will be taking up Drew's Saturday mornings. And I'm preparing to switch from my placement in a high school to a local middle school. I'm excited but I know I will miss my high school kids, they have made my experience such an enjoyable one.

So in short, I sleep a lot, we watch football, Drew hunts, and we scan barcodes. You've not been missing much.

Okay, here's a few more of the exciting things you've missed:

 

Farmer's Marketing

So on the reg' we've been frequenting the Blacksburg farmer's market. It's such a great little family outing and it always boosts Ike's self esteem because people are so curious about him. "What kind is he?" "You should enter him in a contest!" "His fur is so unique." I'm not gonna lie, it gets old but after being home by himself most of the week, we figure he deserves a little pick me up so we indulge him.

Of course, everything is local which I love! That's Blacksburg's mantra after all: "Buy local. Eat local. Be local."

That's my handsome bearded man up there, pickin' apples. Our usual haul includes: bread, apples, and veggies. We have our favorite little stands but we're looking into eventually getting some meat from some of the local farms. We shall see.

I only wish I had nothing to do on Wednesdays so that I could get fresh supplies twice a week.

 

But that could get expensive. You know how normally you feel really terrible after leaving the grocery store because you just spent a shit-ton of money?? Well you spend a lot of money at the Farmer's Market but you just feel better about it. You know where the money is going and it ain't to Kroger. It's to local farmers who rely on this for their livelihood and are proud of their products. I'm a believer!!!

 

 

P.S. Take your own bag or you might be judged. I learned that lesson the hard way.

Hope you got some yummy fixin's for dinner tonight at your farmer's market. Enjoy this crisp early fall Saturday!!

 

 





Thankfulness Lately

I'm sorry for having been MIA these past few weeks. Adjusting to this new schedule with grad school and blocking has been a tough transition but I have a few moments today so I'll catch you up.

Lately I'm thankful for

• Famer's Market Saturdays and the meals that come from them.

 

• Having a group of teenagers I get to spend 3 days a week with, whom I can lovingly call "my kids" to Drew. They are everything I hoped they would be and I am so glad I ended up in this career.
• For Starbucks, which is how I get through my Wednesdays.
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• I'm thankful for a husband who does laundry and then puts my USB in rice because he accidentally washed it.
• I'm thankful for a dog who looks like this sometimes (and is recently on a diet per vet's orders)
• 
• Music. These are the songs I listen to on repeat everyday: Unclouded Day, Methamphetamine, Still Drunk, Still Crazy, Still Blue, People Turn Around, Take 'Em Away
• I'm thankful for the uncomfortableness blogger is telling me that's not a word but I don't care of visiting new churches
• I'm thankful for fantasy football. Man that was a good idea, even though I suck.

 

• I'm thankful for phone calls to NYC to talk to my very best friend.
• I'm thankful for a husband who looks like this:
• And who the very next day, on a dare, parted his hair in the middle and slicked it down for work. Looking much like Dwight Schrute. Oh that boy.
• I'm thankful for fall and all that comes with it. Namely: cider, sweaters, boots, soup, and pot pie.

 

• I'm thankful for chilly Friday nights in Blacksburg, talking about where the wind is blowing us next.
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I promise to be more present in the future. I'm still trying to figure out how I want to talk to you about my awesome kids on here, it's gonna be a bit difficult.

 



 

Retired at 24

Our garden has grown into quite the beautiful creature lately. We have had lots o' lettuce and spinach and soon will have tomatoes. We've taken a lot more pains this year and water it and tend to it like real farmers. And I must admit I'm pretty proud when people come over and brag on it.

Where our garden is located now we can see it from our front porch or our patio. So, we can admire it anytime we spend time outdoors. Even when we spend time in our state-of-the-art Olympic size pool like we did yesterday.

He built a fire in 90 degree weather to keep the gnats off of him.

This weekend I've also been working on our guest room, sprucing it up a bit in anticipation of having company soon.

I love our house and it is so nice to have all of this extra indoor and outdoor space. But I can't help but wonder if we've got it backwards. We're only 24 and we aren't ready for a family anytime soon. I think we got this house in the hopes of lots of company which does happen occasionally but not a lot. Everyone is busy, like us and it's hard to get away.

Our lease here ends next year around the time I'll be finishing my Master's and around the time most of our friends will be leaving. So, some big changes are in store for us. Namely: downsizing and relocating.

I do promise to make the most of this place for the next year and I hope to have a place just like it someday to call our own but we aren't there yet. We need to make sure we aren't retired at 24. So if you want to experience life here on Bishop, make plans for the next 10-12 months, I've got your room ready! And these 2 are lots of fun to hang with.

Otherwise...

I can't string together thoughts today so here are some that have nothing to do with one another.

• Life now is busy. I started summer classes last week which has been like a job. I have 2 online classes and one class for 4 hours a night twice a week. Luckily, 2 of them are only 5 weeks long but they are brutal. Online classes pride themselves on having you do 10x more work than you would in-class. But, hakunah matata. It will be over soon.

• Our puppy is staying with my parents this week which makes Drew and I both pathetically sad. It is so quiet around the house and there's no one there to greet us when we return home. Sad sad.

• We are trying to make better choices food-wise ever since my run in with one piece bathing suits a couple of weeks ago. Nothing can humble a woman faster. Well maybe it can. The scales at the gyno. I've gained 20 pounds since this time 2 years ago when we got married.

• Although I love summer in Blacksburg it also comes with goodbyes. Next week four of our dear friends will be moving on from this college town. One to the army and his wife to Virginia Beach. And the other couple is heading to Ohio State for him to finish his PhD. We are so lucky to come in contact with so many awesome people here but goodbyes are hard. And they come every year. Next year will be even worse.

• Speaking of which we are beginning discussions about whether or not to move on from here. Most of the friends we have here will all be gone next year and I'm asking myself why we would stay....We will see...

Does this sound a bit depressing? That's because it is. I've been reading about white privilege for my multiculturalism class and man it is rough. That class is forcing me to be all kinds of aware. And I  pride myself on being self-aware but I'm learning about biases I didn't even know existed much less that I held them. But I love the class. I mean I'm kind of in love with it. Plus it sets up some good debates and you know I love that.

That's the haps with us lately. Maybe next time I won't be such a Debbie Downer. wah wah.

Where I live

Where I live cows graze in the pasture across the road. 

In my neighborhood we are the youngest residents by at least 30 years.

Where I live our shirts say "a drinking town with a football problem."

Where I live we are a well-to-do bubble in an impoverished area.

Where I live the locals pray for summer/winter breaks so we can go downtown.

In my neighborhood we all walk/run down the middle of our curvy road without a worry.

Where I live I'm the minority because I'm not working towards my Doctorate.

Where I live I'm the majority because I garden.

Where I live the motto is "buy local, eat local, be local."

Where I live coffee shops serve as second homes.

Where I live bicycles are more common than cars.

Where I live there aren't enough homeless to warrant a shelter, but there are enough to weigh on my heart.

Where I live the mountains haven't been raped.

Where I live the river is our summer haven.

Where I live people are in and out as a revolving door.

In 2 years all of the friends we have here (with few exceptions) will have moved on from this college town.

Where I live no one is here to stay.

Where I live churches cater to the college crowd.

Where I live, three hours from my hometown, my accent is mocked.

Where I live I am spoiled by warm cookies delivered to my door, great sushi, and no shortage of things to do.

Where I live is comfortable and it is the place that I love.

But where we live isn't what God has for us, it's much too easy here.

God is revelaing where he wants us to be and we're certain that it's close to here but probably not in this sweet college town. We've been fighting it for a while and we ask for prayers as we seek our new "where I live" story.

 

The original Where I live post is here: The Domestic Fringe. Click on it and read her story. It's better than mine.  

 

 

 

God has chosen me for here and now

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. Acts 17:26

I knew I loved Blacksburg but it's nice to hear that I'm not in this beautiful place by coincidence. I'm here at this time in this place for a purpose.

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise form another place but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for SUCH A TIME AS THIS. Esther 4:14

I am so blessed to be a part of Northstar and to hear Jeff Noble give this message this morning. August is such a special time in our town. We go from being a small community of eclectically different people to a full-blown college town. I love it. And what an opportunity to serve.

It is hard being away from family, that is no secret. But I have felt in my bones for the past year that Drew and I belong here. God has placed us here for such a time as this. I'm excited to be in Blacksburg for the changes that take place in our town through the month of August and hope that Drew and I can use all that we have been blessed with to help others.

God has sovereignly placed us in this place for His glory. As Jeff said this morning there is unprecedented opportunity to reach such a large group of students in the coming weeks. And my hope is that as a church we could do just that. Northstar has been such a blessing to us and I hope that we can step outside of it and now be the church. As is our mantra.

Oh and here's another big reason to love this town in the coming months:

 

I'm counting down the days until football season.

A Night Out in Blacksburg

Drew and I are trying to embrace this college town we live in before we leave. Drew lived like a hermit his first 4 years here so I am trying to bring him out of his shell. This past Friday we vowed to "buy local eat local be local" which is the common bumper sticker of this college town.

We started our evening downtown at the theatre  The Lyric it was built in the 1920's and opened in 1930. I have always admired it as one of my favorite buildings downtown but had never been in it before. We saw J Edgar which was much more riveting for Drew than I because, bless his heart, he hardly knew who the man was (he admitted to me later the only knowledge he had Mr. Hoover came from Public Enemies). Had it not been for my college professor Dr. McKnight I wouldn't have known all of the "secrets" of J Edgar's life but nonetheless it was a good movie.

After the movie we walked across the street to my favorite restaurant in Blacksburg: The Cellar. It is a Greek Restaurant and it has such a cool vibe. They have amazing alfredo and spinach dip (oh and wine). And just to give you an idea of their portions, I made three separate meals out of my linguine alfredo.

We ended our night in true college style by going to the local Hookah Bar: She-Sha. We tried the peach tobacco but the inevitable headache I acquired about 3 minutes after walking in only allowed us to smoke the hookah for a short time. But it was certainly an experience.

This was a tough shot considering I never had enough smoke to get a picture of, this was about our 40th try and Drew was growing impatient so this is what we ended up with.

Oh and we played SORRY! while we smoked ha!

Here's to trying new things and gaining new experiences. I have fallen in love with this little town, it has so much to offer and I am having fun discovering it all. I sure wouldn't mind to end up here again one day.

P.S. My new computer is ordered so soon no more blogging on an "engineering computer" blah!

Jesus Never Fails.