It's always sunny in Arizona...

So, tonight, I'm on my own. A lot has happened since our last posts in February...to which I will outline below, eventually...but right this very moment, I'm lonely. So I thought a great way to temper that loneliness would be to update our blog :) After all, there's a lot to talk about...it's just finding the time to write it all down! So now is the time...

The reason I'm so lonely tonight is that Ryan has taken on a new job. Well, an old job for him, really. He's working back at Best Buy. A place he once knew so well before his mission...and has returned to what he loves. You might be wondering why he's working at Best Buy...well...quite honestly, University of Phoenix isn't all it's cracked up to be when it comes to a young 23 year-old guy, who has the opportunity to go to a ground campus. Online learning just wasn't for him...he didn't quite feel like he was getting the education or knowledge from his online classes as he would be able to get going back to a campus (Ryan excels at learning, and the kind of teaching/learning they do at UoP isn't the kind of intellectually stimulating courses he is used to in a classroom). And his job wasn't much better (as many people who have worked at University of Phoenix can probably attest to). After talking and thinking it over, we decided to send Ryan back to MCC for his Associates, and on to ASU after that. We figured he could get a part-time job, while going to school full-time. We felt good about this decision for him to quit University of Phoenix, as I would continue to work full-time until he got out of school in a few years.

Well...the very week we decided to send Ryan back to school (which was such a completely random idea for us), his mom was offered a position teaching at BYU-Idaho (we had called to tell her of our decision, and found out about her job offer). She hadn't decided on taking the position yet, and had done some of her own soul-searching/praying over the matter. While she was mulling this decision over, it seemed almost like divine inspiration as we called her and told her of all our happenings and decisions that week. She mentioned to us that Ryan would be granted free tuition as her son, if she took the job. All three of us had a lot of thinking/praying to do over the situation. This would require ALL THREE of us to move from our respective homes and jobs (she from California, we from Arizona) to the small town of Rexburg, Idaho...home to cold weather, snow, and a very small community! But as soon as we got off the phone with his mom, it made great sense to me and Ryan that this would be a great opportunity for him, and for our future. It's not like the old Ricks 2-year College it once was...this is now a bonafide 4-year college, really making a name for itself, due to it's current President...a man who was the Dean of Harvard Business School. He has brought a lot of great opportunities and internships to the college, due to his notoriety in the business community. This is such a great opportunity for Ryan to really find something he enjoys, and get a good jump start on a career. While neither Ryan or I ever expected to go to one of our religious schools (yes, we gawked at the idea of ever going to BYU-Utah just a few months before), for some reason, this opportunity feels SO right. It's amazing how Heavenly Father seems to always find a way to get us back on the path that is right for us, and how aware he is of what we are experiencing and what we desire in life. Even though things might be scary (I won't say I didn't have any hesitation about leaving my beloved Arizona, and my job I have made for myself, which keeps us taken care of) he has a way of letting you know everything will be ok, if we just take that step of faith into the darkness...the light will soon follow, and we will eventually see why we have taken the paths we did in life. I truly believe this will be the case with Ryan and me. Some day, years down the road, we will see how the paths were prepared for us, to reach our ultimate destinations. It's exciting to think that our lives are really just starting as a married couple, and this is the first big journey for us. Who knows...while I always said I could never live in the snow, I just might come to love it...and small towns :) And maybe, just maybe, Idaho could become our permanent home. But there is always the possibility that Idaho is just the beginning of our life-long journey. That's the exciting part.

So, December 2008 is when we are planning on packing all our stuff here in Arizona, and heading to the deep cold of Idaho. Ryan's working nights at Best Buy, and attending both summer sessions at MCC, as well as the Fall session, to get really close to finishing his Associates degree. I'm proud of him. And of his desire to gain a great education, and ultimately take care of our little family :) He is ambitious, and I love that about him. He's just getting started...I can't wait to see what he becomes when he really gets to where he wants to be. He'll be amazing at whatever he chooses to do.

As for me, I can't wait for December to come soon enough, so we can get out to Idaho, get me set up on insurance out there (I'm going to try to transfer to another Wells Fargo, if they have any openings when I move out there...) and start trying for babies :) I think Ryan is more excited about the babies than anyone :) He's cute. He'd have one now if we could. And quite honestly...so would I.

It's so weird how fast life can change...especially after life staying completely stagnant for 9 years! It's hard to wrap my mind around it sometimes. But it's exciting for change, too. I always said I could never be one of those girls that just picks up and moves to a different state out of the blue...with no job or anything...but here I am, doing just that! It's kind of empowering :) I like seeing that I have more courage than I give myself credit for sometimes...

It's getting late...Ryan should be home in about 30 minutes (he gets off at 10 p.m.). I need to go find my way into the kitchen and make him something for dinner...he never takes a break at work, so he's usually exhausted and HUNGRY when he comes home :)

I'll leave this for now, and tell you all how much I love and miss you...all my girlfriends are moving on right with me! Which it's good for all of us to be preoccupied now with our new lives, but sad that we lose touch. We've made some good memories together as single women, and have so many more to make with our new loved ones/friends/family members. So tonight, this blog is for you, girlfriends :) I miss and love you.

Pammy