Permanent Residence

How time flies when you are sitting home all day in your yoga pants eating Thanksgiving leftovers and job searching. I wish I were kidding. So, here is the quick 411 on what's going on here in East Texas. 

Chris arrived Saturday, November 17th around 10:00pm in a 1978 Minnie Winnie. In our Minnie Winnie I guess I should say. That he bought just for the trip down here. It was a good deal. It has a 440. I don't know what this means either, but it's make for good resale value I'm told. Since then we've continued to stay with friends an family. In guests rooms and on couches; sharing pots of coffee, stories of farm living, and dreaming of the future. 

So, what are you going to do now?  What brought you to East Texas? What kind of job are you looking for? As helpful and nice as everyone is trying to be, I'm sort of tired of hearing these questions.

We finally settled down at my sister's home. She and her husband have generously offered up their guest bedroom, guest bathroom and an entire shelf on the pantry to us. And until we have jobs and direction and a place of our own, Chris and I will be living with them.

We have been welcomed back with open arms. Strangers and friends are willing to help and offer what they can. It is still difficult, nonetheless, without a car to get places or an address to give, but I have hope. I know that I want because I'm human and I'm jealous of what others have. God will provide for us, but this intermediate stage (however often I've been here) is not easy. Applying for jobs online is tedious and timely. And it leaves me feeling overqualified, under-qualified and annoyed. I've never found a job by applying online, (yet I sit here doing it anyway...?!) but through connections and people and friends of friends.

I've been reading and writing and thought about posting several times, but with nothing new to say, I have opted not to. So, even without good news, or event-filled days I will write. I've made some new friends, been welcomed by old ones and feel at peace jogging and biking in the neighborhoods of my family members: Eustace, Lake Athens, Flint. We are getting to experience a second fall full of red maple trees and pine-cone filled yards. 

Thanksgiving morning I did a 5k Turkey Trot in Tyler before showering and driving home to Athens to spend the day with my family.  I am proud to say I was able to (barely) run the entire way, even without really properly training or doing much cardio for the past eight months. All thanks to the encouragement of a dear friend. I have much time in my life currently for afternoon walks, journaling, and cooking dinner (for my hosts of course.) Yesterday I got my beach cruiser off the trailer Chris pulled from New York and did laps around my sisters housing addition for over an hour during the evening. 

I've made homemade ornaments, decorated Christmas trees and painted festive designs on wine glasses. And I'm job searching. House searching. Considering some part-time, holiday sort-of job during this next month, but the idea of all that hoop jumping and back-flip bounding and training and rigamarole for a temporary job that I intend to quit as soon as I find something more permanent wears me out...

I can't believe I've been here three weeks already!