My Home

What have I been doing for three months that I could not even update my blog, you may be thinking. Good question. Moving to Seattle was a huge adventure for me. I have never moved out of Colorado. The farthest I had been from my family was a 6 hour car drive to Durango from Evergreen. So when Matt and I decided it would be a great opportunity for him to attend Mars Hill Seminary, the move to Seattle consumed me (you can read previous posts and see it was on my mind a lot). I pictured my new home to be a huge, busy place, full of millions of people. I was scared to death of city life. I did not want to live in the so called concrete jungle, because I had always had mountains, and fresh air. How would I survive. I feel bad for the countless nights I kept Matt awake because I was so upset we were moving.
Flash forward: We found a great little duplex house in Fremont. It is off the busy street, we can park in front of our home, we have a small front yard and a good size backyard. There are trees all around us, and I even spotted a rose bush on the side of the house. I live near I park I can walk to where I can sit, look to the left and see the Olympic Mountain Range, and right in front of me is a lake with sailboats, kayaks, yachts, and propeller planes that take off regularly. If I go in the evening, I can watch the sunset, see the moon rise, and watch the lights in downtown Seattle turn on right in front of me. I enjoy this park, it has offered a sense of peace and belonging.

So, as I explore the city, I learn so much about how cool Seattle really is. There are not only huge Mountain ranges that I was so afraid I would miss, but a vast amount of water. It is a unique combination of scenery that I did not imagine. It is so pretty. Matt’s parents visited and took us on a sailing trip out in the bay and to be able to see where I live from the water was even better. It was a great treat.

Is moving to city life all that I feared it to be? In some ways yes, in some ways no. I am enjoying it so far, and some of my fears have been wiped away. I miss my family and friends a lot, but I have a sense that they to will come to find Seattle an OK city to live in.

Welcome Back!

Wow! I know, I know. It has been a long time since I have updated. A lot has changed in my life since June when there were only twenty days until I was to be married. Yes, a lot of change. I hope to recount all this change in the next few blogs to help you get up to date with me and see what happens to me in the future. For now I will give you a quick rundown.

I married Matt in the best and most fun ceremony of our lives. We will never forget the memories we have with all of our friends and family in one place.

We had a great honeymoon in San Diego, ate at fancy great restaurants (for probably the last time in 3 years!), went to the zoo, toured Catalina island on foot, and relaxed.

Matt and I packed up our life as we knew it in Durango, Colorado, said goodbye to our friends and drove to Seattle, Washington.

After twenty-two hours in the car, a week at my cousins, we found a cute little one bedroom house just North of Seattle in a neighborhood called Fremont.

We sold or got rid of everything in Durango, so we went shopping for everything new. After many trips to Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, and most importantly IKEA we have a house full of great new stuff to start a home together.

Matt looked and found a job quick. I, however, looked and looked, interviewed and interviewed, felt horrible and rejected, and finally after two and a half months found a job. I start Tuesday at a banking institution.

Matt started grad school, I started to figure out how to entertain myself without the company of friends or my spouse. I thank God that our dog, Basil, is still around because without her I truly think I would have gone crazy here.

To end: moving to Seattle, while it has been a challenge to me, has caused self-doubt and struggle, will turn out to be one of the best things to happen to myself, Matt, and us as a couple. I can’t wait to share more of my experiences of our move here, and what is next to come in my life.

Being an Adult…

Lately I have been feeling really down about a lot of things.  It always seems that everything happens all at once, and boy for me it really has.  It hit me very hard that being an adult can be hard sometimes.  I have enjoyed making my own decisions, really taking charge of my future, but lately all the responsibilities have been overwhelming.  It has been bill after bill, job after job, and more things to deal with than I like to think about.  I am in the process of moving out of my house, which is both exciting and really sad.  I am having a moving sale Saturday and as I try and pack up my house it has made me very emotional.  I am selling virtually everything I have grown up with and lived with (furniture wise).  I know that all of my items are all material, but there are a lot of memories attached to my things.  It will be hard to sell it all, but I am also very excited to start a new life with Matt in Seattle.  I am trying to be positive about things, but sometimes it is all so much to handle.  

On a lighter note… Our dog Basil had some good news that her leg is almost all healed up, which means no more cast and no more vet bills (I pray!!).

The End.

It is my last day at my teaching job, it is supposed to be a teacher work day.  However, I finished all of my work already, and am just left to ponder the end that has just occured in my life.  Yesterday was the students last day, and it turned out to be surreal.  It was very hard to say goodbye to some of my students, because I had really formed a bond with them.  One girl left the room crying because she was going to miss me, since I was not coming back next year.  It brought tears in my eyes because within this one person I saw that I had an impact on her life.  She was crying because I was leaving, it was so sad.  My students are all gone today, and I sit here all alone in my room.  The only memory I have left of my first teaching gig is the sign on the white board that says: "We love Ms. Rieger and we will miss you!!"  My students wrote it yesterday, and the janitors were so nice to leave it up for me to look at today. 

Now I am left to look back on my life, and wonder what God has in store for my future.  I don't have a clue what is to come.  Some days I accept it, and other days I freak out wondering why moving to Seattle can't be easier.  I sat in my room this morning looking at the note from my students, looking at the beautiful scenary out my window, the flag in the corner of my room, and the emptiness that now lives here.  I prayed that I will get another chance to teach in Seattle, that I will make more connections with my students, that I will look out the window and see water and mountains, that I will have another room with another flag in the corner, and the my classroom will be filled with the joy from students learning History.

Wanna buy a trailer?

Matt bought a mobile home less than a year ago in Durango.  It was a great deal, and saved him money on rent for the time being.  However, now as we are gearing up to move to Seattle we are trying to sell his place.  It has been one of the most fustrating experiences so far for us.  We cleaned it all up, moved out all of things he is going to take to Seattle, had to take out a fence, mow, and all these other little things.  We placed an ad in the classified and thought it would probably sell really fast.  Well, it hasn't, it has just been one thing after the other with trying to sell it.  The land owners want the next person who wants to buy it to repaint it, build new decks, and re-skirt it.  So we had to lower our price.  Both of us have prayed for hours for guidance on what to do, hoping that it will sell.  I believe that it is a test of our faith.  We are not trying to screw someone out of a lot of money at all, but rather we are just hoping to make a little money to take to Seattle when we move.  Maybe I am to learn patience through all this and that God does have some kind of plan behind our troubles, but sometimes it would be nice to know, haha.  Honestly though, we hope that we can sell it, and that someone will have a home to live in for cheaper rent in Durango, just as Matt did for awhile.  I will keep you updated, pray that we can sell it!! 

Nervousness…

Yesterday I decided it was time to tell my school that I would not be coming back next year.  It was very hard, and sad to do, because I have enjoyed this job so much.  I then started to look for new teaching jobs out in Seattle.  It got me a little down as I found the Social Studies jobs are kinda few and far between.  I hope to someday get a Masters in Special Education, but for now I am limited to Social Studies, which I love a lot too.  However, I am just nervous that I will not find a job.  It is such a hard thing to think about. 

Shake…

Yesterday I wrote about the 3 points in a recent sermon I listened to.  The second point was Shake.  McManus spoke about shaking things up in our lives.   People need to take risks and put thierselves out there.  Now there is a naive view that a belief in God will protect you from failing.  However, this cannot always be true.  I think McManus rings true when he says "Are you going to fail? You betcha!!"  Just because I try and live my life for and with God does not mean I will always succeed.  I think this is important because I think sometimes some Christians feel that they have an immunity from failing if they have faith.  There comes a certain responsibitiy to live out our faith and this includes risk taking.  I can't stop thinking about the risk-journey I will be taking when we move to Seattle.  It will be scary, it will be filled with risk, but will it be good?  I certainly hope so!!

Chasing Daylight

While in Seattle, I picked up a new book, Chasing Daylight by Erwin McManus.  Last summer a team from my church went to LA to do some work for others, and I had the chance to meet him while visiting his church Mosaic.  I believe that Erwin is a wonderful speaker, and while I have only heard 2 of his sermons, his words on God have made a lasting impact on my life.  Anyway, I picked up this book at a perfect time in my life.  Matt and I's decision to move to Seattle in August has been a hard decision to make.  I love my job here and love the community.  However, this book has changed my outlook on moving.  I am only a little bit into the book, and I can't wait to see how else it changes my mind.  He writes about living in the power of every moment and making the most of every choice you make.  He talks about how important it is to live out your dreams while living for God.  You only have one life and with faith in God you can become free to sieze your divine moment.  It is very good, and I can't wait to read more.  If only I had more time to read right now……

Pray for Seattle…

Matt and I returned from visiting Seattle on Wednesday. Against all odds, I managed not to shed one tear in our future home. Amazing!! Lately, I have found myself completly preoccupied with our move to Seattle. I have so many questions and fears running through my thoughts all the time. How will we afford it? Will I get another teaching job that I absolutely love? Will we live in a safe area? What about our little Basil-Pig, how will she adjust? These questions plus about a million more are a constant burden on my ability to thrive and enjoy life in the here and now. I need to move past these worries and trust in God. I do believe that Seattle is where we need to go and what we need to do. Now, was I prepared for such a huge change in my life? No, not at all. But at what point do I stop listening to the worries in my head and start to trust and talk to God? I pray and pray, but sometimes it pushes me to more craziness and worry. All I can say in these moments is that I feel bad for my finacee who has to be the one who not only listens, but puts up with my fits of fear. With that all said, I had a moment in church last Sunday that spoke to me. We were singing the worship song, Let My Words Be Few and I really started to think about the phrase, "So I'll let my words be few". It made me remember a passage in the Bible about prayer. In Matthew 6:7-8 it says, And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. I began to realize how foolish I have been in my prayer life regarding Seattle. I am long-winded, I babble, I could pray for hours about all my fears. But for what? God knows what I worry about, I started to think and really meditate on the words from the song and this verse. Let my words about Seattle be few….No more babbling…God knows what I fear and what I worry about before I even start praying.

Seattle

Matt and I will be visiting Seattle this week.   For the first time I am actually getting excited to visit the city where Matt and I will be starting our married life.  That may be surprising, but I have been very worried about our pending move.  I have so many thoughts that always are running through my head about moving.  Most of the time, I let fear take over, but I have really been trying to be excited about what is in our future.  I will never know what God has planned for my life if I don't experience new things.  While I would love to stay in Durango for a long time, I also know that it is time for us to go.  I may find that I love living near both the water and the mountains.  So, this is it, we will go and check it out.  Seattle is going to become real for me and I will be able to picture our future life there.  Wish me luck!!