Updates

When we first found out we were moving, I posted on a few ways you can pray for us.  We have been in VA now for about 2 months, so I thought I would post a quick update.

• We find a house that meets our needs but is within the budget we've discussed (housing is VERY expensive).
  Check!  We love our house but are so thankful we found one that fit almost our entire 'wishlist' and was still within budget (if you call $550k any sort of budget... sheesh).
  
• The house is available soon.  If there is a gap in when the house is available and when I need to be in my new position, I will have to live in a hotel and fly back to TX on the weekends.  :(
  We were so lucky that our house was vacant so it worked out!
  
• Bryce can figure out employment options quickly
  This was a huge blessing.  Bryce works for a small software development company and they have only 2 offices.  One in Houston and one in Bethesda, MD.  Perfect!  He was able to relocate with his company.  It's a bit of a drive for him (about 20 miles) but we've worked out a schedule that makes the commute manageable.
  
• We find a great daycare for Isaac.  We are looking at one called the Merritt Academy.  It's close to the house and we had a good recommendation from one of my co-workers.
  We visited Merritt Academy during our house hunting trip and loved it.  It's a preschool and daycare (some families just take their kids their for preschool for partial days).  They only allow 15 toddlers in each year and there were over 50 kids on the waiting list!  Luckily, they are partnered with my company and if you are an employee of my company you get priority.  So we were accepted as toddler #15 for the 12/13 school year!  How lucky was that???  The enrollment goes with the school year so he doesn't start until late August.  He is currently at a Kindercare and loves it... we sort of feel bad moving him in August since he is so happy there but Merritt is a better school and he will learn more (plus, he would probably go to a preschool next year and he'd have to move anyway).  When Bryce picks him up in the afternoon, he usually smiles/waves then turns around and runs back to his friends to play... I guess thats a good thing!
  
• Our house sells!  We are lucky in that if our house doesn't sell within 60 days, my company buys it.  However there are financial incentives to get it sold, so we are hoping for that. :)
  Our went on the market mid-February, sold in 6 days, we were done making mortgage payments by mid-March and we got our "bonus" for selling!
  
• We can find a church quickly and feel comfortable in the fellowship
  We looked online for a church and had trouble finding one we liked.  Then one day, we were driving in Fairfax and saw a church called "Fairfax Community Church".  We went the following Sunday and fell in love with it!  It's very similar to our church in Houston but is a little smaller.  The paster is great and we are very happy so far.
  
• We meet new friends quickly!  I have a couple coworkers/friends that recently relocated to Fairfax so we will have a few friends but hoping to meet more soon!
  We were fortunate to have had a few of my closer co-workers relocate here in the past year.  We weren't as close of friends with them as our TX friends but are thankful to have a few friends and hope to continue to build relationships with them.  There are many young families in our neighborhood and are hoping to continue to build relationships with them as well.
  
• I enjoy my new position.  I've been in a plant environment for almost 9 years and am comfortable.  My new office is "business formal" (like, having to wear suits to work) and will be a big change.
  Still not used to wearing suits... ugh.  But oh well.  It is what it is and I'll deal with it.  :)
  
• Similar to above, my new position is called a "Planning Advisor".  Seriously... what is that????  Please pray that I can understand my new position and acclimate quickly.  (Also praise that this position is NOT on call!  Goodbye Blackberry and hello to a stable/predictable schedule!)
  I'm finally acclimating to the new position.  For the first ~6 weeks I felt pretty lost but am starting to hit my stride.  It's an office job which is very different from the manufacturing climate I worked in previously.  I am LOVING not being on call.  After 5 pm each day I may get 1-2 emails over night which is a drastic change from my previous position when I would get 20-30 emails overnight... yep, seriously!
  

We are really loving VA.  Much more than we thought.  We miss the people from TX, but really that is the only thing we miss from TX at this point... well, the people and TexMex.  Ha!