We're moving back to Texas! Back to DFW, our old stomping grounds. Back to the (general) place where we met and fell in love. Back to the place where our families live. Back to the world of Blue Bell and Pantera and Dubya.
Andy has secured a job with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), where he served as an AmeriCorps VISTA member before coming out to Pittsburgh. It's a full-time position in Dallas, working with many people he already knows from before, including his former supervisor / mentor. And so, finally, we don't have to worry about what will happen after graduation (at least, that is, Andy doesn't), or that maybe grad school was a mistake, or that we'll just have to spend the rest of our lives biding our time until something happens to come along.
It feels strange.
It's the first "career" job either of us has had, and it feels strange to know that it won't just end after a year, or when we graduate, or after a semester, or anything like that. It will be there, indefinitely. So surreal!
He begins on March 12, and will be flying out on March 9th. We are very excited!
The sad part of our story is that I will be staying in Pittsburgh until the end of July, to finish out my AmeriCorps service year. I've so enjoyed my time at Prospect Park, and I don't want to abandon my post and put my colleagues in a bind. Besides, the extra few months give me time to earn income while I figure out what to do once I get to Dallas myself.
So, we'll have 4.5 months of a long-distance relationship. This is the part both Andy and I have been trying to forget. I keep reminding myself that people do this sort of thing (deployments are a good example), and that we have phone calls, emails, Skype, snail-mail, and a million other ways to keep in touch in this day and age, but when I think about coming home to an empty apartment, and not having anyone to talk to after work . . .
Tears have been shed. But we agree that this is the best for us in the long-run, and it's worth it to both of us.
Plus, you know . . . Blue Bell Cookies 'n Cream.
Yay! I get you back. And you get Blue Bell back!
ReplyDeleteThat's so great, Rachel! A real job is so fun! Dave has been in TX since Thanksgiving while the kids and I are here it UT trying to sell our house. It definitely hasn't been easy, but we've muddled through. I highly recommend HuluPlus and Netflix as your new best friends. :) Make sure you let your RS Pres, HTers and VTers know. My ward has been amazing for us. You can do it! -georgia
ReplyDeleteThat's fantastic, Rachel! I'm so excited for you guys. The 4.5 months will be over before you know it (which is not to say that it won't go by slowly at times), and your marriage will grow because of the separation. Hello, developing different forms of communications! Take it one day at a time, indulge in some good ice cream and bad tv, and shed all the tears you need. Being apart is hard, especially the first time, but you'll be great and have exciting things to look forward to that mean you'll be together again. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's super exciting. Although that stinks that you'll be apart for so long. I know lots of people do it, but it doesn't make it easier. But knowing there's an end date hopefully helps. Good luck with all the transitions, for both of you.
ReplyDeleteAs my cousin from Texas stated it.."Blue bell icecream is the best icecream there is!!"..of course he sounded like a hick when he said it and it became an item of mockery but these words were immortalized because they were so true!
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