Starting Over...Again

Monday, July 7, 2008

So, welcome to the new blog. My New Zealand Life has officially ended (although it will live on in perpetuity in cyberspace) and My Arizona Life is set to begin. The official title of the blog comes from something I read in the USA Today Weather section a month ago on holiday in Kansas City. I was checking out the national forecast, you know, Little Rock, Partly Cloudy; Miami, Sunny; Phoenix....Abundant Sunshine. I loved/love that phrase so much. At the time, we weren't sure we were moving out west, it was just a slight possibility. Now, we're westward bound (I really like saying that, too).

The Arkansas Life was altogether brief and temporary...a stopping point along the way to Arizona as it turns out. That wasn't our plan, however, I'm slowly learning that you can't plan everything. Sometimes, you just have to go where life takes you (such a hard thing for me to say, let alone practice in real life).

After many negotiations, Josh has accepted a position as Assistant Research Professor at Arizona State University's West campus. He will direct a state-wide teacher quality/teacher prep program and teach one class per semester. We are only 20 some odd days out from the actual move. It is so different from when we moved to New Zealand when we had so much time to prepare. This is such a quick and somewhat unexpected move. I tendered my resignation today, effective July 23...an act in which I am unfortunately all to familiar. I seriously look forward to maintaining a position longer than 2 years!

My job application process has begun again in earnest. I could write a book on cover letters, resumes, and interviewing skills. Hopefully, all of my prior experience will pay off again. I'm looking specifically to work at Arizona State University's West campus so Josh and I can work at the same campus. Fortunately, the Dean of the college at which Josh is going to work has offered to support my candidacy for positions on-campus. I'm also applying for positions at various community colleges in the area.

About a week and a half ago, we flew out to Phoenix to house hunt for four days. We had a great, stress-free trip and put an offer on our number one home which was accepted. The home inspection was today and there are a few things wrong with the house that we have questions about. We'll work that out tomorrow.

This house was Josh's number one pick from the houses he saw when he first looked at real estate when he interviewed at ASU in May. The house is 3 bedroom/2 bathroom, 1750 square feet, on a cul-de-sac that ends in a pond, the backyard backs to the 18th hole of a golf course, there is a fountain and there are fruit trees in the backyard, and there are mountain views from the living areas and master bedroom. The house is in Arrowhead Ranch (suppossedly a great community), 2 minutes from a shopping area with a grocery store, bank, Starbucks, and it's 6.75 miles from ASU-West. It's pretty nice but I won't believe it's ours until we have keys.

In fact, when we first met with the real estate agents, Joyce and Gary, I told them we'd been through the whole making an offer on a house several times before but we never got keys (meaning, we never closed on a house). Gary told me he would get me keys. I'm holding him to that :) If nothing else, Joyce and Gary are excellent realtors and I'm impressed with how helpful they've been. They match my personality perfectly: not too pushy...just enough to motivate me into action. Highly recommended.

I'm going to miss being in Fayetteville. Take tonight, for example. After going to recycle around 7:30 pm, Josh and I made a run to "MAVIN" 's IGA (the "R" is missing from their sign...prompting Josh and I to say how Mah-velous Mavin's is). Just as we pulled into the grocery store parking lot, so did my mom. I LOVE that about Fayetteville. Randomly running into people/family wherever you go. I'm going to miss that.

Prior to visiting Arizona, I was really upset over the whole possibility of moving. Now, I'm optimistic that I will at least like where I live. However, I will deeply miss my co-workers. Although I've worked with my department a shorter amount of time this time compared to last time when I left for New Zealand, I feel a deeper connection to my peers than before.

In part, I've given more of myself and revealed the real me this time, thinking (mistakenly) that I was in Fayetteville for keeps. I let my wall down, something I've never really done before. Previously, I'd maintained a professional distance...some might even say I was cold. This time, not so much. And, it hurts.

It comes from being a military brat and always knowing you're going to have to leave your friends behind. You don't let people in. But, this time, I did. I'm not going to regret that. In fact, I'm going to try to be the "real me" in Arizona. Yes, that means saying I like to drink beer and going to Happy Hour. I cuss like a sailor when the ship's going down. I like to dress up. I'm happy being skinny (the smallest I've ever been). What's wrong with that? I'm too old to fake who I am anymore. Yet, on some level, I'm even afraid to write this. Honesty scares me.

Oh well...here we go.