That Time We Lived in Louisville

Week 3: November 18-25 The Facts I am terrible with US geography. Actually, I'm terrible with all geography. (I mean, wouldn't it be weird if I could identify all sorts of things about different parts of the world and not my own country? Hah!) Over the years, I've gotten familiar with the Midwest, but it's a very general knowledge. Basically, I can label Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin on a map*. And now Kentucky. And New Jersey because of Jersey Shore , but I'd rather not get into that. I had to google what region of the US Kentucky was in. I've never lived outside of the Midwest before. This is so exotic! Oh! I can also name some of the West Coast too because of our train trip this summer, but don't ask me which states we traveled through to get there and back. *I'm being a teeny bit extreme here, but you get the point. I was contacted about two of the jobs I applied for. I went in for an interview and got one. My family came ...

Week 2: November 10-17 The Facts Joey has spent every weekend in Michigan since moving. The house in Rouge provided what we needed for our time there, but it was just too stinking big for the two of us and somehow it ended up being filled to the brim with things. I thought I did a good job purging for the last several months, but there was more crammed in than I realized. When we lived in our first apartment right after getting married, I would stand at the door with my eye glued to the peephole eagerly waiting for Joey to return from work. I'd open the door when I saw him reaching for his keys and he would have a slightly disturbed, yet pleased look on his face. Then I would follow him around til he got annoyed. I didn't have a job yet and we didn't have pets or friends back then so I was very lonely. There was a day this week where I waited for him at the peephole and beat him to opening the door that felt like straight up deja vu. I applied for some jobs in the e...

Week 1: November 2-9, 2018 The Facts The day before we left was packed (pun originally unintended, but I'm leaving it so I guess now it is  intended) with loading the storage unit Tetris-style, dropping off Spike, organizing the remaining piles in the house, and actually getting some sleep before the drive. All the prep leading up to this day was smooth and surprisingly stress free. This day-- the very important last day in Michigan before seeing our new residence for the first time-- was not smooth or stress free. But you know what, everything still worked out. Our basic goals for the day were accomplished (with a very last minute request for help--thanks, Van and Justin!) even though it wasn't on my anticipated time schedule. People must have been praying for us because through all of this busyness (and especially the chaos of that last day), Joey and I have been getting along swimmingly. I'm guessing this is also partly to do with the intense (in the best possible way...

I knew this fall would be different. Joey and I knew leaving Michigan for his vehicle launch would be a possibility for almost an entire year before launch actually rolled around. It was a tentative plan and we often told others (and ourselves) something along the lines of "we might be going, but don't count on it because Ford could always change their mind and send someone else." As it got closer, the more the idea seemed exciting. We were coming off a difficult year of marriage and a difficult year of service. We were totally drained and the possibility of a fresh start was looking better and better as each month went by. I decided to resign from teaching so I could go with Joey to Louisville. I had one small moment of doubt in the process, but the decision was actually pretty easy. I miss my students and I wish I had a chance to tell them goodbye. (I was going to tell them on the last day, but school ended up being canceled so students and their parents had ...