Wow! as of the 27th we will have been living in Portland for month! Time flies!
Also, we are excited to say, we already have our first visitor coming to stay with us in September, so we cannot wait!
As many of you know, Nick landed a job his first week here, and has had a few other job offers as well! He is currently working as a care provider in an assisted living home. This is Nick's first time working with an older population and it definitely has had its challenges. One of the many reasons I love Nick is for the way he looks at life and the genuine way he cares for people, many of you know this about him, especially if you've had the great pleasure of being his friend! Nick has a philosophical way of thinking...I mean why not...he does have a bachelor's in Philosophy =) Listening to Nick talk about the people he cares for at his job, to talk about nearing the end of life and quality of life versus quantity. You can hear his passion for people when he talks and it is beautiful. Now of course I am typing this while Nick is at work, having no idea I'm sitting here about to share my views on the many reasons why I love him for whoever wishes to read. So I will stop here, and if he wishes he can share any more thoughts with you about his job!
As some of you know a few months ago while still living in Michigan, I interviewed for a position here out in Portland with the Health Department. I did not get that exact position due to not being a certified medical assistant. But was told they were super impressed with my interview =). Last week I accepted an on call position with the Health Department in the needle exchange and Naloxone (Narcan) refill and training program. So we've been here less than a month and we have housing, and jobs! Yaay!....now to start studying for the GRE and thinking about that grad school app...ughh.
Some other great things that have been happening in our lives. Bernie Sanders came to Portland....and we got to see him...whaaat!! It was a great event, completely maxed out....people outside the arena listening on speakers because there was no room inside. For people back home, think of the Van Andel completely filled and then more people outside listening! It was awesome!
We've also joined a meet up group and have been to a couple events, mostly board game nights, it's been a lot of fun! Slowly starting to meet people! I think our favorite hang out time is getting to spend time with our fam! Hanging with Heidi and Mantu and the girls is wonderful, and of course Lake and Polly. We love them so much and are so grateful to have them here. I am already excited for spending Halloween and Thanksgiving with them, and we've already discussed Christmas baking and decorating! I love theeee Holidays
We got to dogsit this weekend for our friends. It was great because it was a small glimpse into what having a dog would be like....one dayyyy. If you are our parents you can just skip this paragraph and go onto the next;)......okay...now that they are gone......I want a dog!!!...there...I said it. Actually I am pretty sure everyone already knows this about me....I am an animal lover....always have been, it runs in the family. My mom always says, this will be the last animal...no more dogs.....but we all know this isn't true! ;) I mean she told me once she almost bought a whole heard of alpacas! I grew up raising dogs, it's just in my nature. I love you mom =) But mom's know best and that is why they tell me to wait....ughh I know...and I will. See I can be an adult? ;) I know that right now we are still getting settled, we don't know what type of time commitment we can give to a dog yet, I mean I will be in grad school next year. We need to be sure we are financially ready for a dog as well.....and there is always the fact that my dear lovely husband is oh so allergic to animals. BUTTTTT he loves dogs too!...he wants one....he does.... he's just a bit better at being the adult in this situation. Another reason I love him, he keeps me grounded...well for the most part...until I drive him insane and he gives in. But I will do my best to be good and wait it out.
I think in reality it's life way of telling me I need to get out of this house and meet some people. I haven't started working yet, and our house is a bit far out, not really a lot to go explore. I love our house, it is so adorable and affordable and even has a fenced in backyard (see perfect for a dog ;) ) But when you think Portland....this is not the area you think of...at least we didn't. It's not that hip, fun...have to say it....Portlandia feel to it =P. We are more towards the suburbs....we live near a Walmart....uggggh and several fast food places, not really what I want to be out exploring. And yes there is the bus, so I really don't have much of an excuse, but it still takes about an hour to get almost anywhere by bus from here, yep that's me whining. So currently most days I sit at home until Nick gets out of work....ummm yep I definitely need to get out more...I need a bike! I promised Nick we would see a movie today since we discovered we do actually live in walking distance of one. But maybe tomorrow we will go see the Columbia Gorge as that is something we've really been wanting to do. In more depressing news....it's been hazy here and you can smell the smoke from the forest fires. We need rain...desperately, this heat is bad and these fires are devastating! Prayers and thoughts for rain and safety for everyone out there doing there best are much appreciated!
For now that is all, enjoy :)
<3 <3 Abbie
Monday, August 24, 2015
Sunday, August 2, 2015
We made it!
We have officially been in Portland for a week now. The drive out was beautiful...and long. We arrived in Seattle on Saturday morning and got to meet up with some of our friends and congratulate the newly weds! On Sunday we headed to Portland. Our wonderful cousins let us stay with then until we signed our lease. Our family here has been wonderful and so incredibly helpful. It's been great to have a support system, someone else we know out here!
Actually everyone has been so kind, people at the grocery store love to talk and are so helpful!! We signed our lease on Wednesday....we were a little hesitant. The neighborhood is quite a bit further out from the city then we wanted. Only about 15 minutes by car but 40 by bus. This neighborhood is right next to the expressway, quite a bit of fast food chains and not really any of the "hip" coffee shops and bars we were hoping to walk to....after I (Abbie) spent some time thinking about this I realized I was too easily becoming comfortable and even expectant of gentrification. I mean why not? Grand Rapids is huge on gentrification and I can't say Portland is any better. That is not the type of person I want to become. I am learning to embrace my neighborhood and so thankful for its diversity in terms of disability, sexual orientation, race and income. And as far as the neighborhood goes...our neighbors are lovely! Everyone has been so welcoming! The property management has been great and even the owner of the property is out here all the time doing work. He put in new cabinets and countertop tiling before we moved. All of our neighbors know and love him and there is even talk of putting in a communal fire place!
So we are finally starting to get settled. Our little place is coming together. Nick had 2 job interviews this past week, one at a bar and one as a care taker in a youth boys home. So please keep him in your thoughts!! I have put in several applications and there are 2 I am really hoping to hear back on! We finally went grocery shopping and can get back into cooking! Nick has decided to go back to being vegetarian as he felt healthier when he was. I am still trying to decide. Our cousins have recently gone back to being vegan and they have provided us with some wonderful meals! For now I think I will stick to mostly vegetarian unless I partake in a farmshare. I'll let you all know how that goes! =P
Today we get to meet up with some friends of ours who recenter moved out of Portland over to Eugene. My biggest fear in moving is what if we don't make friends. I know many of you have told me I'm silly for this. But it's a fear I have all the same. Soo I am excited to get out there and hopefully meet some new people today!
That's all for now!
♡♡♡
~Abbie
Actually everyone has been so kind, people at the grocery store love to talk and are so helpful!! We signed our lease on Wednesday....we were a little hesitant. The neighborhood is quite a bit further out from the city then we wanted. Only about 15 minutes by car but 40 by bus. This neighborhood is right next to the expressway, quite a bit of fast food chains and not really any of the "hip" coffee shops and bars we were hoping to walk to....after I (Abbie) spent some time thinking about this I realized I was too easily becoming comfortable and even expectant of gentrification. I mean why not? Grand Rapids is huge on gentrification and I can't say Portland is any better. That is not the type of person I want to become. I am learning to embrace my neighborhood and so thankful for its diversity in terms of disability, sexual orientation, race and income. And as far as the neighborhood goes...our neighbors are lovely! Everyone has been so welcoming! The property management has been great and even the owner of the property is out here all the time doing work. He put in new cabinets and countertop tiling before we moved. All of our neighbors know and love him and there is even talk of putting in a communal fire place!
So we are finally starting to get settled. Our little place is coming together. Nick had 2 job interviews this past week, one at a bar and one as a care taker in a youth boys home. So please keep him in your thoughts!! I have put in several applications and there are 2 I am really hoping to hear back on! We finally went grocery shopping and can get back into cooking! Nick has decided to go back to being vegetarian as he felt healthier when he was. I am still trying to decide. Our cousins have recently gone back to being vegan and they have provided us with some wonderful meals! For now I think I will stick to mostly vegetarian unless I partake in a farmshare. I'll let you all know how that goes! =P
Today we get to meet up with some friends of ours who recenter moved out of Portland over to Eugene. My biggest fear in moving is what if we don't make friends. I know many of you have told me I'm silly for this. But it's a fear I have all the same. Soo I am excited to get out there and hopefully meet some new people today!
That's all for now!
♡♡♡
~Abbie
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