A Hotel Review

In my sales job, I spend a fair amount of nights in random hotel rooms around the midwest. It isn't my first choice to stay in a hotel by my lonesome, and I'm thankful for opportunities to stay instead with friends and family. But I don't happen to know anyone in, say, Springfield, IL or Cleveland, OH. So hotel rooms often enter the picture for me. Not a huge deal.

I happen to be sitting in one at this very moment.

And, during this past year of frequent hotel stays, I've developed a favorite.

Now let me just say that most of the time, I can't stay in posh places like The Peabody. My expense budget can't handle swank like that. So I'm talking here about the mid-level standard type. No Super 8's thankfully. More like a Hampton Inn.

My favorite, favorite hotel chain in that price range is the Hyatt Place. Why, you ask? Well, let me just tell ya.

-They're new. Now, I can't promise that for all of them. But it is pretty new chain and every time I've stayed in one either the building has been recently built or the room has been completely updated.

-They're always well decorated. I'm totally a visual person, and appreciate the attention to well-chosen colors, materials, and lighting. They really seemed to nail down the details, down to the fashionable throw pillows.

-My room has always been clean. Need I say more?

-The lobby is very welcoming - and even stylish in its design. Functional, innovative spaces. A specialty coffee bar where they serve Starbucks. I must say that it is nice to walk into an inviting space after driving for hours on end. Many hotels of a similar price range sport dated, stained green carpeting and a tunnel-like entry. And a desk I don't want to touch with my bare hands.

-Each room has distinct living and sleeping spaces. But they don't have that seedy Extended Stay feeling to it. I appreciate the ability to sit on a couch (as opposed to a bed) with my laptop and work... er... I mean blog. Apart from sporting a design I could choose for my own living room, it is big, comfortable, and comes complete with an ottoman. There's also a nice desk area, kitchen-ish area, bathroom, etc. The whole room is spacious and designed innovatively. (Is that a word? If not it should be.)

-The beds are comfy.

-Free WiFi. This is pretty standard at this level of hotel. The more expensive ones, on the other hand? $10 per day, easy. Yuck.

-Each room is equipped with a 42" flat screen HD television. This is Josh's favorite part of the Hyatt Place experience.



So there you have it. My reasons for choosing this hotel whenever possible.

And yes, I've written this entire post from a nice tan couch with my feet up and while glancing occasionally at the big TV swiveled in my direction. Thankfully Lombard, IL had a Hyatt Place option for me tonight. It makes life on the road that much more enjoyable.

South 'til you smell it, East 'til you step in it

In case you're unfamiliar with this delightfully refined insult, it is the way Wolverines like to describe that despised scarlet-and-gray city in central Ohio.

And that is where we're moving in May.

Us - moving to the Den of Sin, the home of the Ohio State Buckeyes. Or as one friend put it, Wolverine Hell.

But you know what? We're really excited.

We visited this past weekend, courtesy of Josh's soon-to-be employer. They put us up in a hotel, sent us around town with a realtor, and set up dinner reservations for us with young couple from the company. AND when we got into the hotel room, what was there but a bottle of wine, flowers (addressed to me!) and chocolate truffles?

You had me at chocolate rum truffles.


It was fun being spoiled, that is for sure. But more than that, we really appreciated the opportunity to get to know the area. It is a bigger city - I think 1.5 million in the area - and it seems like there is a lot going on. Darling neighborhoods, sweet malls, great-looking restaurants, all kinds of things. Now we're itching to get back and explore more!

Some of our favorite, albeit somewhat shallow "discoveries?"

1. Short North - A fun, trendy neighborhood for a night out - complete with tons of little restaurants, shops, galleries, and even a gourmet dog treat store. Riley MAY have gotten a souvenir from that place. We looked for a stuffed buckeye he could immediately tear up, but couldn't find one.  

2. Jeni's - We'd had a couple of ice cream recommendations for a place called Jeni's, and thought we'd try it out one night. That night turned out to be a snow storm, and it took us about 20 minutes to park. As we were walking there in the bitter cold with snow blowing around us, Josh said to me, I can’t believe we’re doing this for ice cream, of all things. But when we finally made it through the door, we were shocked to find a long line of customers waiting to be helped. A full house! In the middle of a snow storm! You know then that it MUST be good. And it was – holy cow it was. They have unusual flavors, like Salted Caramel, Goat Cheese w/ Cognac Fig Sauce, and Blood Orange.  I don't think you can tell from this picture just how packed out it was, so you'll just have to trust me.  Or come visit and taste for yourself.

3. Easton Town Center – Mall Heaven. One of the nicest I’ve ever seen – seriously. I wouldn’t consider Josh or myself to be huge spenders, but we do enjoy an afternoon of browsing stores at a mall. Yes, Josh, too.  And this one has a Container Store (can't wait to get back there), Smith & Hawken (a Pottery Barnish type for gardens and patios), a Melting Pot, and oh so much more. Bloomington is a disappointment, mall-wise. But Columbus? Excellent.

4. Cute Neighborhoods - When we drove around with a realtor, we were excited to find a bunch of places that looked "home-ish" to us.  Granted, the cutest of the cute are out of our price range.  But a girl can dream, right?

5. Good steak - So far we've only been to one steak restaurant in town, but oh it was good.

6. Low cost of living - besides the pricey darling neighborhoods, it just isn't all that expensive to live in central Ohio. And even those areas aren't nearly as bad as places like Chicagoland, Seattle, etc. For people like us that try to be frugal/responsible, it is good news.

7. Two P.F. Chang's - I LOVE P.F. Chang's. Totally and completely.  We've never lived in the same town as one before, although they are usually not too hard to find (Lansing, Cincinnati, Indy).  But Columbus actually has two, one of which is at Easton.  Even Josh, who doesn't care for Chinese food too much, tolerates P.F. Chang's.  Mostly for me - he's just that sweet.


Honestly, we would be thrilled to be going anywhere. In this type of economy, jobs can be hard to come by. We're so thankful for the incredible blessing of a job. Any job. God not only provided that, but it happens to be a job Josh is really excited about. Not only that, but it is located in a place we really like, Buckeyes and all. We're so excited about our new home. Thank you, thank you Lord.

Another surprising blessing in this whole process is that some of our bestest Bloomington friends, Lora and Patrick, are moving to Columbus WITH us. How fun is that?

In describing these things I keep thinking about Sarah's cookies - that God sometimes blesses us with wonderful things (like a job) AND continues to bless us with things we haven't even asked for. 

For those of you who aren't avid Short Stop readers, Sarah is doing an incredible series on cookies, and how each kind can teach her kids about God, faith, and the Christmas season.  Each day in advent they're making a different type, and learning a lesson along the way.  Plus, the cookie recipes look incredible.  

What I REALLY Need Overnight

I was on my way to a meeting for work, a good 3-4 hours away from home, when I decided that I should stay the night in a hotel.  I had previously scheduled another meeting for the next morning, and by staying overnight near meeting location #2 I could save myself a good 6-7 hours of driving over a 12 hour period.

I mean, who really wants to get home at 10:00pm, then turn around at 5:00 the next morning and head back the same direction?  I don't know how I didn't realize that earlier and plan accordingly.   A night in a hotel was definitely my best bet for this trip.

But of course, since I failed to plan ahead, I didn't pack a single overnight item.  I sat there in my car for awhile thinking, what is the least amount of stuff I can buy to be able to pull this off?

So along with the help of my mom, I came up with a shopping list.  But first, we ran through the inventory of what I already had or could get for free. 

1. A toothbrush, toothpaste, and soap can always be found at a hotel.  Check, check, and check.

2. A spare stick of deodorant and some chapstick/lipstick reside in my car 100% of the time.  Check, check.

3. I have some mascara in my laptop bag.  Check.

4. I can sleep in contacts for one night.  No saline needed.

5. Pants and shoes can be worn again, no problem.  Shirts can be washed in a sink, hung out to dry, and ironed the next morning.  Not my first choice, but do-able.

Which leaves me with my true overnight needs:

1. Clean underwear

2. A shirt to sleep in

Not bad, huh?

And once I found that shirt dresses were on sale at Target, I switched my plan to sleeping in the shirt I was wearing and grabbing a new, fresh dress (+ tights) for the meeting tomorrow.  

The customers will probably appreciate it.

Property Virgins

Does anyone else watch that show HGTV?

Well, that will be us in another few months, Lord willing. 

Josh will graduate from B-school in early May, and we'll be off to the next adventure.  After 3+ years of apartment living, we'd like to purchase a place of our own at the next stop.

But wait, didn't we JUST move in?  Our time in Bloomington has FLOWN by and I can hardly believe we're already nearing the home stretch.  We've loved it here. 

Anyway, now that a job offer is on the table (woo hoo!) it is time for us to start the process of learning about buying a house.  Josh still has at least one interview to go, so we don't know for sure about a location.  However, we should have a pretty good idea by Christmas, and we may as well start to learn about the process.

And let me just take this opportunity to say thank you Lord for a job offer, especially in this economic climate.  It is a huge blessing that we know has come directly from the hand of God.

So, Internet, because I know most of you 1) own homes and 2) probably learned a thing or two doing it, what advice do you have for first-timers like us? Non-negotiable features (two full bathrooms ranks very high on my list)? Financing pitfalls? Any and all advice - leave it here.

Stopping to rest in Pittsburgh

I’m just stopping by this little blog o' mine for a brief respite before I continue on my way.

Life has taken a sharp turn into crazy this month. It isn’t a surprise. We knew it was coming and were prepared… kind-of.

Josh has recently started interviewing for post-grad school jobs (are we really at that point already?!? I thought we just started this process), and he gets to juggle those between class, group meetings, and getting home once in awhile to let the dog out. In the past week my work has taken me to Charlotte, Cleveland, and now Pittsburgh, with planned stops in Cincinnati, Nashville, Memphis, Grand Rapids, and Chicago in the next week-and-a-half. It is exhausting to think about. Much as I enjoy my job, being gone 10 days out of 14 isn’t my first choice. Especially when it means that I don’t get to see much of my darling dog or my cute husband all dressed up in a nice suit.

But despite being away from my two favorite boys, I've enjoyed this journey so far. For one, time alone in the car is peaceful for me. I was able to rent an audio book of The Hiding Place from the library before I left, and the story, though terribly sad, is both refreshing and inspiring. I’ve read it several times before, and it has that effect every time. Here is a woman that loved God, cared deeply for His people, and was used by Him to touch thousands of lives. I love stories of God working through ordinary people. Not only that, listening to Corrie ten Boom's story of faith and courage helps me put my own life - whatever my frustrations, desires, and fears happen to be at the time - back in perspective.

On a more superficial note, I've also enjoyed spending ample time in excellent bookstores (don't worry, Josh, I only have two new books), my solo dinner of P. F. Chang's last night, and finding awesome new jeans on sale at the Gap.

By far my favorite part of this trip (and feel free to call me 75) is witnessing the brilliant array of colors along the road. Yes, it is my own mini color tour! The rolling hills of rural Pennsylvania were nothing short of incredible today, as I made my way down from Cleveland. I've been trying all day to capture a good shot but none of the pictures do it justice. Perhaps this is because I'm trying to take them with the camera on my phone. But in the spirit of cutting down on the number of electric devices and power cords I need to travel with, it is all I have with me.


Okay, so in this picture, the trees look past their peak. Some even look dead. So you'll just have to take my word for it.

Hi, my name is Jessica

And I'm a planner.

Sometimes I'm organized, and every now and then I have a clean house. I try to be responsible with time and money. And I always want to plan ahead.

We're moving? Where? I want to know all of the details years ahead of time. What kind of place will we live in? Let me get online so I can analyze our options. What kinds of jobs will we have? When will we have kids? I want to know so I can plan our lives accordingly.

I think this is probably normal. I mean, who doesn't like to know what to expect in the coming months and years?

For me, however, it gets in the way of trusting God. When I don't know what to expect in the future, I often turn to worrying, making arbitrary lists, frustrated crying, and peppering Josh with questions he doesn't know how to answer. As a result, I'm miserable.

Wouldn't you know, God keeps putting me in situations where I don't know the outcome. I can think of many times in just the past five years that I've had to wait and trust. Most of the time I've been pretty terrible at it. But I think that God, in his love, is going to continue to give me opportunities to trust Him. Goodness knows I need the practice. Now is one of those times.

We know very little about what our life will be like after May 2009. Josh will graduate from Kelley, and we'll move away from Bloomington. This much is relatively clear. But beyond that, like a location? Jobs? Friends? No idea. It is difficult for the compulsive planner within to come to terms with that reality.

But this fall, I'm doing my best to choose trust. God hasn't deserted me yet, and I believe he never will. He hasn't promised that life will be easy or absent of suffering, but He has promised that nothing will separate me from His love. He has bigger and better plans for my life than I could ever dream of, so instead of getting in the way with my limited comprehension and incessant need to know what is going on, I'm going to stand back and let Him lead us. Yikes, it isn't easy.

This passage, from a Reformed theological document known as the Heidelberg Catechism, has been a favorite since I was young:

Q. What do you believe when you say, "I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth"?

A. That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who out of nothing created heaven and earth
and everything in them,
who still upholds and rules them
by his eternal counsel and providence,
is my God and Father
because of Christ his Son.

I trust him so much that I do not doubt
he will provide
whatever I need
for body and soul,
and he will turn to my good
whatever adversity he [allows]
in this sad world.

He is able to do this because he is almighty God;
he desires to do this because he is a faithful Father.

Q&A 26

Fashion Help Needed

Dear Internet,

As I was trying – and failing – to pack for a quick business trip I embark on tomorrow, a few fashion-related questions cropped up that I'd like to ask...

1. What color of pants go best with a yellow dress shirt?

Is khaki enough contrast? Does black look too bumblebee-ish? Does navy make me look like a walking advertisement for the University of Michigan (not that I mind that too much)?

2. Can I pull off light blue pants after Labor Day?

They aren't white, but they're pretty light.

3. What color of shoes should I wear with navy pants?

Black is out. This much I know. And I refuse to buy old-lady-navy-pumps. So... Tan? Brown?



Now that I look back, these are all pants-related.

As much as I enjoy warm weather, I'm ready for some cold - when I can break out my awesome wool dress pants that I love. But since it will be almost 80 degrees in Kentucky tomorrow, I'll leave those in the closet for now.

And I'll probably end up in all black again for my meetings tomorrow and Thursday. But I'd appreciate your advice for the future.

A Positive Travel Experience

I'd just like to commend the Denver International Airport and Southwest Airlines for getting a couple of things right...


I find myself travelling a lot these days, especially for work. My laptop, iPod, cell phone, and new Sony Reader are never far away when I jet around the country. I don't know how I'd get by without them! But to use them effectively, I need a couple things:

1. Power. Has anyone noticed how very very few outlets there are in airports? And my laptop has pretty terrible resolution when it isn't plugged in. My iPod tends to go dead every once in awhile too, and needs to suck power from the computer. So outlets are my friends.

2. Internet. Free Internet. I refuse to pay for it beyond what gets pumped into my house. So a TMobile Hot Spot doesn't cut it for me. But I really appreciate the ability to keep tabs on my ever-expanding inbox while I'm waiting for a flight.

And you know what? Kudos to DIA and Southwest. Not only does the airport provide free wireless (if you don't mind watching a quick commercial), BUT Southwest has these incredibly wonderful little stations set up near the gates. Not only are there outlets a-plenty, they also have USB power jacks for devices like iPods. Incredible. And they wrap it all up in a little desk. With a stool. I almost jumped for joy.

I'm totally flying Southwest whenever possible. Into Denver whenever I can.

... And now I'm off to clean up that horribly messy desktop you see there.

Ducks in O-Town

I'm in Orlando for work for a large part of this week, and for the next few days I'll be staying at a hotel where this is the main attraction:



Yes, it is true. Ducks get extra special treatment around here - they hang out in the lobby fountain, get to ride on the elevator twice a day, and even get a red carpet rolled out for them. The march of the ducks happens at 11 and 5 each day, so I hope I'll catch it sometime between now and Wednesday. From what I hear it is quite exciting.

Thankfully the hotel is nice to human guests as well. There is a second T.V. in the bathroom and they gave me two "complimentary" bottles of water. No red carpet, however.

Say Goodbye To Hollywood

[Other possible titles for this post: Califo.rnication (just as a joke, I promise!), California Girl, and California Dreamin'. There are lots of songs about this state.]

So I was at a big book trade show in Los Angeles this past weekend with work. The weekend, for me, has been broken down into two parts: great moments and bonehead moments. (Wait, I think that could be said about most weekends, but anyway...) Bonehead might be a stretch, but there were certainly lessons learned during this trip.

So here you have it:

Favorite Moments

5. Just cruising around town (in the pimp'n ride you see below.) No, I wouldn't choose LA as a place to live, but there is a certain amount of excitement to drive down Sunset Boulevard and spot the Hollywood letters up in the mountains.



4. In N' Out Burger, baby! I managed to get in two meals in the four days I was in town. About a month ago I had a severe craving for one of these guys, but alas, there were none closer than Utah. I got my fix this weekend, however.



3. Star-spotting! BEA is a place for actors/television personalities-turned-authors to show up and promote their new books. I saw Ty Pen.nington (very perma-tan, perma-grin) and Alec Ba.ldwin (who even looked at me!) while strolling around. Saturday night I even got to go to a party where many more stars showed up. I was like, what AM I doing here? This is nuts!

2. Getting to know my co-workers. Yes, I realize this sounds kind-of weird, but I now work offsite and don't get the chance to get to know people. There were a few there that I hadn't even met before. I think it is important for me to get to know work people on a quasi-social level. It helps me to understand what they do (and vice-versa) and I think can lead to working better together.

1. Meeting my cousin Rebecca and her cute fiancee out for dinner! They selected a great french steakhouse in a trendy part of LA, and I loved getting to spend time chatting with them over our delicious food. I hadn't had the chance to meet Mike before this, and I really like the guy. What a catch, Bec! Can't wait for the wedding later this summer.

Bonehead Moments/Lessons Learned

5. How to say "we're not interested in your book" to wanna-be authors. It sounds mean, I realize, but there are lots of people (some crazy, some not-quite-as-much) that want to publish books. Not all of them will work for us - actually most probably won't. One guy from a fellow publishing house relayed how conversations sometimes go, and he hit the nail on the head.

First of all, they're super excited to talk to you and make immediate eye contact. This is how you know they're not a bookseller in the first place. Then:

Wanna-be Author: I'm looking for someone to publish my new ero.tic novel.
Us: Do you realize this is a Evangelical Christian publishing company?
[awkward silence]
Wanna-be Author: Well, this a very spiritual ero.tic novel.

Yeah, not so much.

4. Always bring cash with you when you travel. You'll need it for parking, tolls, tips, valet parking, and cab fare. How did I miss this, or think $20 would cover me when I made my first ATM stop?

I took the fiscally responsible route of parking my rental car in the garage across the street from the hotel (which cost $16 per day instead of $40). So far so good, right? Until I was 3 minutes away from needing to pick up my boss and his boss for an important party, and the attendant wouldn't let me out of the garage because I didn't have cash to pay for the parking. Seriously people - who doesn't take a credit card in this day and age? So, on the verge of panic, I called my boss and asked if he would just meet me down there. Embarrassing enough. But then who comes to bail me out? His boss. *Sigh*

On a related note, it WAS pretty funny to drive up to this posh party in a Cobalt, sandwiched between Rolls Royces and BMWs.

3. Ask your female co-workers what to wear. I had asked about dress code to only guys, and was told to wear a suit the entire weekend. I didn't bring anything else, and was bummed to see my female co-workers in cute dresses and skirts all weekend.

2. Leave in plenty of time to get to LAX to catch your return flight. I had three hours before my flight left and thought, hey, I have time for one more In N' Out! See #4 in the last list. Well then I got caught in LA traffic (who'd have thought?) on my way to the airport. After a completely exhausting four days I didn't handle the stress well. Here I was, pulling off the expressway just an hour before my flight was scheduled to leave. After filling up the car with gas, getting yelled at by a guy after I refused to give him money, returning the car, and hopping on the shuttle bus, I was greeted by the sight one NEVER wants to see when running late:

A super long check-in line.

But, praise the Lord, the plane was delayed and both me and my luggage made it on no problem.

1. Bring flats when you know you'll have to stand a lot. Remember these shoes? Well, they sure were cute - for about 4 hours. By about 2pm on the first day of the show I was DYING. Yup, they were terribly, terribly painful. And of course, I had failed to bring back-up shoes. So on a break from booth duty I took a cab to the nearest shopping center (after walking an additional 3 blocks to find an ATM) and bought myself a pair of cheap $20 black flats. Pure bliss.

Not My Day

Well, it started out okay...

Woke up at 7:59 and started working. I was looking forward to the projects I had planned to during work, and really looking forward to a fun-filled weekend we've planned.

Then the Excel project I worked on all morning crashed, and somehow hadn't saved. So I started again at square one. Sigh. But Josh came home for lunch and helped me with a few spreadsheety problems, and I was able to send it where it needed to go. Not too painful.

After lunch, however, I started to feel yucky. Nothing life-threatening, just yucky. I figured I'd lie down and get some energy back, so headed upstairs with Riley for a nap.

Then my phone started ringing. I stumbled out of bed, but couldn't find it anywhere... not in my laptop bag, my office, under couch cushions... and yet I could still hear it ring. The sound was coming from the kitchen, but again it wasn't anywhere to be found. After significant further investigation (and another missed call) I finally found it.

In the trash.

In an old Wendy's bag.

And who had been calling me? Oh right, the coworkers that I'd set up a meeting with. Had I remembered that I had a Friday afternoon meeting? No. Had I prepared for it? No.

*Sigh*

Thankfully they were gracious and rescheduled for Monday. Hopefully I'll be able to get my head on straight again soon!

Looking to Rent - St. Joseph, MI

So we found out that finding an apartment to rent in St. Joe for the summer is easier said than done. For one, we are not ideal tenants. True, we don't smoke, we pay rent on time, and we don't play loud music. However, we're finding that we have two significant strikes against us:

1. We only want to live there mid-May to mid-August.
2. Riley is coming with us.

And something I didn't think about: St. Joe is a resort town! EVERYONE wants to be there for the summer. There are tons of vacation rentals, but we certainly don't need a new 2500 sq. ft., 3 bedroom, on-the-beach, with-a-pool, type of place. Not by a long shot. AND we don't want to pay vacation rental prices.

And then there are a couple of complexes that gave me the heeby-jeebies. You know the kind. And I don't mean to be snobby here AT ALL. But I don't want to live in a place that isn't both:

1. Clean
2. Safe

We've simply not found anything in between "way too nice" and "kind of shady." So the search is on! We did drive through a couple normal-looking neighborhoods and found some "for rent" signs around. I'll be making some calls this week. We don't need a large space, but would like to live in a place that doesn't smell in an area where we'd feel comfortable walking Riley around.

So...

If you know of anyone with rental property in Southwest Michigan, LET ME KNOW.

Also, I'm worried that I'm wrong in all of this. Is it being snobby to want a nice-ish place to live? A part of me thinks that white, middle class folks like me tend to insulate ourselves from the problems of poverty and hunger and homelessness by choosing to live in areas where that stuff doesn't happen as much. I think it is awesome when middle/upper class people intentionally live with and serve underprivileged folks. What an awesome way to demonstrate the love of Christ. And when I read about the life of Jesus it seems like he was often intentionally spending time with and serving the poor. Shouldn't I try to be like that?

I don't know what is the right thing to do, honestly.

One More Day!

This week I've been out of town (and yet back in my hometown) for work. I've been able to do some training, learn about some new products, and catch up with coworkers. It has been a time to get re-energized about what I do. And I love doing something I'm passionate about. I'm very thankful for this blessing.

It has also been nice to be back in the home I grew up in. Great to spend time with my parents and Benny. We even went out for sushi as a family last night to celebrate a couple of birthdays - and we had a blast!

Grand Rapids is filled with friends. I got to spend time with Kara and Natalie, am planning to meet up with a high school friend tomorrow afternoon, and tonight I spent a great time with Sarah and her family (more on that later!). Wonderful, encouraging times, and I'm thankful my business trips take me to a place where I get to see all of these people.

And I even got to take Riley with me this time.

But I MISS MY HUBBY. Can't wait to see him... TOMORROW!!

And then we'll spend a fun weekend checking out St. Joe (and hopefully finding somewhere to live all summer!) and dinner with friends we haven't seen in months. *Smiles*

Summer Destination: West Michigan?

Just as we had suspected, this past week was crazy, stressful, and difficult for Josh. He had somewhere around 7 interviews for 6 companies, and it was a roller coaster of ups, downs, call backs, offers, and rejections.

We have been thinking about and praying through this Psalm all week, remembering that we have a God keeps and watches over us. It hasn't been easy, but overall I'm so proud of him for keeping a good attitude.

And Thursday evening he got some terrific news! One of the companies he was interested in called him with the promise of an offer for a summer internship! He is SUPER excited about this opportunity and quite relieved to have something in place. We'll find more details next week, but we DO know that we may well be in a little town on Lake Michigan for the summer! And that he'll probably be doing marketing for certain home appliances... very exciting. He has a couple more interviews lined up, so we don't know for sure... but it is great to have at least one exciting offer.

Thank you Lord for your continued provision and direction!

And the Journey Continues

Does life ever get dull? I don't think mine has... it is always changing. And I'm still working on trusting God with each twist or turn.

The next one regards my job. Back in September I took a part time administrative assistant job with the local Chamber of Commerce and have really had an excellent 5ish months with them. SUCH a great group of people who made me feel welcomed and appreciated from the moment I started. And then "Big Z" (as I refer to it in my head) came back and surprised me with an offer to come back with them full time. Josh and I spent significant time thinking and praying about it, and decided it would be the best move. It is definitely an honor to be offered such a great position, and it will be a great way to grow in my career. Praise be to the God that opens the right doors at the right time.

Today was my last day at the Chamber, and I'll be back full time with Z starting on Monday. This new job will involve some travel, but not too far or too much. I'm excited to learn some new things... and I know I have a long way to go! And I'll be back in GR a little more often, which is sad in a sense as I'll be away from Josh but nice in the sense that I'll get to see family and friends a bit more.

... and the Chamber folks were sweet enough to send me off with a really nice card and gift certificate to a yummy local place. How nice is that? I'll definitely miss them.