8.26.10

"Thank you for being born so that I could love you."

-Dustin Hill, August 26, 2010

blessed.

bellingham. gorgeous, friendly, green and uniquely bellingham. it's a city all it's own.
a.) work --> hours --> money for bills. b.) i actually like my job. and who wouldn't? they're adorable.
dustin dean hill. inspiring, encouraging, faithful, loving and sweeter than sweet.
mom and dad. they love each other, and they have for 31 years.
these are my cousins. i love family.
double wammy. wonderful, inspiring friends like Sarita, and a fab-u-lous trip to Mexico.

See? I'm blessed.

New York, New York!

"Start spreading the news,
I'm leaving today.
I want to be a part of it,
New York, New York!"

Love ya, Frank.

Well, the secret is out. I'm moving to New York in January. I bought my one way ticket a couple days ago and I'm heading out. I won't be gone long though, I'm thinking about coming home to Bellingham in June. Sooo six monthsish? Not too bad. But I feel like everyone and their mother is wondering about what this plan is all about, so this will hopefully clear it all up.

As most of you know, I have had the privelage of nannying for a great family in New York. This is the same family I've traveled with, most recently this past June and July to Italy. I love them dearly, and they treat me like gold. They are so wonderful, and I really value my relationships with all of them. Over the past couple years, Jen and I have talked about me moving out to NY. They have offered me their home, and said I am welcome to stay with them as long as I want! This summer I started seriously thinking about it, and I spent the Italy trip in prayer. I feel very confident in my choice to move to New York, and I'm really excited about it! There is no other time in my life that I can just pick up and move, so I'm going for it!

Now, I am well aware that I am dating a handsome man who lives on the West coast, and I am also well aware that New York is quite far from the little town of Sheridan, OR where he resides.I also know that both he and I are less than millionaires, so traveling back and forth will be minimal. BUT, I know that we have something pretty darn special going on, and we're really confident that we'll be just fine. (Think Skype. Lots and lots of Skype.) He has been nothing but encouraging about the whole thing. Of course we're both totally bummed about spending so much time apart, but six months isn't that long in the grand scheme of things.

In New York, I plan on doing some babysitting on the side for friends of theirs, most of whom I have already met many times over the past few years. I may also apply at the Starbucks in their town. I'm going to have to take one more class over in Westchester, so I'll get that done winter quarter. Other than that, I'll just be taking it one day at a time.

I love them.

Me and Jenny Bug in Rome.

See? We love each other.

Baby sister.

(:

Anyways, I'm thrilled to bits to be heading out and chasing this little dream of mine. Prayers are welcomed and encouraged.

You know what's funny?

I just read the blog post I wrote from the first time I visited Dustin. We weren't dating yet, and that weekend was actually relatively awkward... I had a lot of "Does he like me? Does he not? Oh my gosh- he touched my hand!" types of conversations with myself. Yet of course, I wrote about it in my blog as if it was the perfect weekend, and while it was fun, it was no where near as fun as our weekends are now.

Here's what went down last weekend:

Friday:

1:35 PM: Leave Sehome Starbucks and get on road.

1:36 PM: See a hitch hiker on the side of the freeway, realize I recognize her, pick her up.

3:23 PM: Drop her off (after some very good and much needed conversations), and begin my drive from Darrington, WA to Salem, OR.

*** As you may notice, the drive with her took me nearly an extra hour and a half, which was fine, but then that put me on a very poorly timed route..

4:19-8:27 PM: Sit. In. Traffic.

10:21 PM: Finally arrived in Salem. My legs hurt from constantly putting the clutch in and out, and my back was tied up in a huge knot.

10:22 PM: Hug Dustin and decide I never want to let go.

Saturday:

8:39 AM: Dustin knocks on my door as I'm blow drying hair. He delivers me my horrendously long Starbucks drink. I fall in love with him again.

10:01 AM: Drive to Roger's Landing and get picked up in a boat by one of his friends. Spend the next five hours tubing, wakeboarding, and roasting hot dogs in the sunshine.

6:13 PM: Go on a bike ride down to the river, just the two of us, and pick delicious blackberries. Laugh till I can't breathe any longer. He lifts me up to get the high berries and I laugh and kick and tears and mascara slide down my cheeks.

8:31 PM: Ride our bikes over to a big, empty field. Watch the sun set and spend some time thanking the Lord for each other, our relationship and the beautiful world we live in. Perfect way to end my evening.

Sunday:

9:27 AM: Walk into church, cross our fingers that Logan Martin is leading worship.

9:29 AM: Discover he's not leading today. Sigh. I guess we'll stay anyway.

10:47 AM- 1:27 PM: Coffee, lunch, antique stores. Check, check, check.

2:01 PM: Put chairs in the river that Dustin lives on, and soak our feet in the cool water.

2:02 PM: Dustin thinks it would be real funny to splash me.

2:03 PM: Dustin begins the attack.

2:03-2:09 PM: Drench each other with cold river water, laugh like a five year old. (See a theme here?)

3:14 PM: Pick more blackberries, eat more blackberries... Mmmm...

5:11 PM: Get on the road. :( Sad goodbyes.

Sigh. We had so much fun. Really, it was fun. We laughed and played for two full days and it was glorious! I miss that little fire-fighting man of mine. Can't wait to see him again!