So, here we are in Vermont. Wow, there have been a lot of changes in the last three weeks. Josh and I feel like we have been on a "highs" and "lows" rollercoaster with lots of excitements and a few disappointments. This rollercoaster is easily explained by the necessity of the ride we have been taking.
Getting on the ride- We had a great move here with only one major hiccup. We accidentally left our laptop in the hotel at Lexington and it was stolen. But otherwise we really enjoyed the drive up here with my parents and getting to do a few Burlingtony things with them. We were definitely geared up for what was ahead of us.
Hill #1- Finding a place to live. Well, things are a lot more expensive up here than in KY. That combined with not having an income over the last 3 months can tend to complicate things. But, in the end after lots of looking, making offers, experiencing competing offers, and praying we are very excited about the little townhouse that we signed a contract on and hope to close on by the end of July. If you were wondering what it looks like, well, just imagine where we lived in Lexington and change the number by one and paint the outside brown (Josh's description). Our new address will be 4-Hayes Ave, South Burlington, VT. It will be close enough for Josh to bike to work (in the summer) and far away enough to escape the busyness of downtown Burlington. The lake is about 5 minutes from our house and the mountains are about 25. Beautiful views abound.
Downhill #1- The blast of exploring Burlington and the surrounding areas. I have posted many of our pictures on Facebook, I will try to figure out how to post an album on here. Simply said, it is gorgeous. I am already looking forward to the beauty of the fall colors. We have hiked the highest and 3rd highest mountains in Vermont. We have seen waterfalls, we have been on bikepaths, we have ran the neighborhood hiking trails, we have ridden the ferry, we have savored the Ben & Jerry's Factory Tour, and enjoyed a delightful B&B, we even splurged and got the 99 cent upgrade of Pure VT Maple Syrup at Denny's.
Hill #2- Logistical transitions (aka Headaches): Getting my PT license transferred, registering our cars, joining a bank, getting new licenses, figuring out how all this home buying stuff works. Its hard to get a lot of things done because we do not have a permanent address and will not have one until the end of July (we hope). For example the DMV wants a signed lease or a bank statement sent to our VT address before issuing a license. The bank wants proof of permanent residence before opening an account. We finally got it all figured out but it was a headache.
Downhill #2- Church hunting. The first Sunday that we were here we went to a church that we both got very excited about. Withing the first 15 minutes of being there we were already invited for dinner by a couple our own age. We enjoyed the praise, the message, the fellowship, and the vision of the church. We have had our new friends Jonathan and Heather over for a good game of Settlers since then and feel very blessed that the Lord has placed them in our lives.
Well, my imaginary rollercoaster is only going to have 2 hills. Partly because that encompasses a lot of what we have done and also because I need to figure out dinner. Josh started his residency on Wednesday and I have a PRN job with a home health agency and am also investigating some other part-time options. The reality that- this is it, we are here, what is the next 5 years going to look like- is hitting. We continue to strive to rest in the Sovereignty and Salvation of our Lord and pray for patience and perseverance.
