Unemployment to Oak City

Well, I thought I would be done with my blog since I was done with AmeriCorps, but guess what...I'm back in AmeriCorps!  Let's start from where we left off...

Chris and I traveled back to South Carolina in my jam-packed Mitsubishi.  We arrived home after three days of travel that consisted of a lot of bathroom breaks and country radio.  I definitely could not have made it without Chris.  He did most of the driving and kept me company when I was doing the driving.  It was cramped, but fun.

We tried to do as much as we could in a two week time span while in my home state.  Mom, Dad, Doc, Chris, and I spent a few days in North Myrtle Beach.  I was so excited to be the one that got to take Chris to experience the real beach for the first time.  We spent pretty much everyday out on the beach, me laying on the beach and Chris flapping around in the water.  He was loving it, and I loved watching him.  We also spent some time with both my grandparents and my Aunt Sandra.  It was great being home and spending time with them.  One of the things I had missed while I was gone was Sunday dinner, and I enjoyed being able to share that with Chris.  We also stopped in Spartanburg on our way out of town, so I could see Arlyn and Mama Baer.  I missed them as much as I had missed my own family, so it was wonderful to be back in the Baer's home spending time with them.


Chris and I flew out of Charlotte and headed back to Minnesota, so we could spend time with his family before he started his new job in Charlotte.  We did a lot of traveling while there.  We went to Duluth and visited with his grandparents at their cabin.  It was beautiful there.  The cabin was right on a small lake, and his grandparents feed all of the local wildlife right outside their front door.  It reminded me of going to Aunt Sandra's when I was younger and seeing all of the squirrels and raccoons.  We all went into town and walked around.  I got to see some ships leaving the harbor and walk on Chris's version of the beach on Lake Superior.  After we left there, we went to Grand Marais where Chris would vacation when he was younger.  We were only there for an evening, but we spent some time in town exploring the shore line and having dinner.  We lost Chris for about half an hour, but no worries, we found him.

When we got back to his home in Oak Grove, we were still busy with plans.  Chris and some doctor's appointments to attend so that took up some time.  We also went to visit his friends Nick and Nate and some other friends from the golf course he used to work at.  Most importantly, we visited the Mall of America!  I got to see the Lego's store and get a general idea of the mall.  It is HUGE!  I would never want to shop their without a map and a game plan.

Leaving was hard.  Chris and I were driving his car back from Minnesota, so he would have transportation in North Carolina.  His mom hated to see him leave, and I felt bad for taking him away.  However, now that he is closer I selfishly never want to let him leave again.  We took three days getting home on this trip as well.  We tried to stop in Baraboo, Wisconsin the first day of travel so we could visit the Circus Museum, but sadly it had closed about thirty minutes prior to our arrival.  We got a good look at it from the road though, and it looks just the way I would imagine a circus in the forty's and fifty's to look; right along a creek with huge tents and rings.  Pretty cool stuff.  I am definitely hoping to go back and visit on one of our future journeys. Chris and I parted ways in Spartanburg where I had left my car.  I cried like we weren't going to see each other for months.  I am such a baby at telling him goodbye, but in my defense we had spent every minute for the last month together practically.

So, Chris started his job in Charlotte, and I continued my search from home.  When I wasn't looking for jobs, I spent my time working on refinishing a table and four chairs, volunteering at the Arts Council with my friend Grace, the new Director, and helping my brother coach tennis.  After about a month, I was losing hope, so Chris encouraged me to look on the Habitat Website.  I found a couple of positions, AmeriCorps and full-time, so I went ahead and applied to those.  Now, I am working as an AmeriCorps National member with the Wake County Habitat for Humanity.  Chris and I visit each other every weekend, and I am adjusting to living by myself in my new apartment.  Chris loves his job and his affiliate in Charlotte, and I am so glad.  I would have felt bad if he had moved down here to be closer to me and was miserable with his new job.

I moved into an apartment about three weeks ago now.  It is the top level of a two story house.  I have the basics; a living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom.  I like the place, it has character.  I am not too crazy about the maintenance man's solutions to some problems here and would like to have it a little more weatherized, but what can you do I guess.  Perhaps I will bring some stuff home from work and make some improvements.  I am not completely alone in the Big City.  One of my friends from college, Weezy, lives in Cary, so we have weekly Glee dates.  It's nice to know that someone is close enough to just go over and say hey.

Ok I am sure I have overloaded you with information at this point.  So tomorrow, I will tell you all about my new position and my fun weekend I shared with Tate and Chris this past weekend.