Week 1 in Walla Walla

About 3000 miles and seven days on the road.
American Pickers and s’mores to order in Nashville, Tennessee.
Probably the fairest trade coffee and three bird whistles in Little Rock, Arkansas.
The rise and fall of Route 66 in Clinton, Oklahoma.
Dinosaur fossils and a pioneer town in Canyon, Texas.
Stucco and petroglyphs in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Fine orange-red sand and rock arches in Moab, Utah.
Flurries and the Snake River Canyon in Twin Falls, Idaho.
Snow chain warnings and a sloooow 20-mph trek on Interstate 84 in Oregon.

And, finally, we’re here in Walla Walla!

In the week since moving in, I feel we’re adjusting well considering the changes our family has experienced. The day I drove to the laundromat with a week’s worth of my family’s dirty clothes while the temperature ranged between 24-27 degrees and swamped in an icy blanket-fog caused me to feel like I was trapped in a Stephen King novel or The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was a highlight. I don’t know if it was folding my family’s underwear in public or finally being able to wear my thick, burly Georgia Southern hooded sweatshirt that’s way too hot for the South, but I was feeling rather tough. I was totally roughing it. 😉

We’re not feeling very tough with our propensity for an early bedtime. It’s dark before 4:30 pm here, and we’re usually fighting sleep significantly prior to 8 pm. We actually won the bedtime battle Wednesday night when we had fellowship with our church plant’s core group. They have made us feel so welcome, and we’re looking forward to partnering with them in the challenges and triumphs ahead.

Major praises:
– Dia has been talking a lot and much clearer. (After traveling through 11 states in 12 days, I assume survival mode kicks in, and you’re forced to ramp up your communication skills.)
– Our first week officially homeschooling since leaving SC went well considering the crazy of moving/settling in.
– My Raynaud’s disease has not been acting up! This is HUGE. Cold has brought growing pain and discoloration in my hands progressively worse each year, but I have had no symptoms as of yet here. Winter isn’t officially here, but the freezing conditions we’ve experienced since Oklahoma City have been no joke and far from my normal. If I was going to have an episode, the conditions have been more than favorable numerous times over.

Prayers:
– Patience and kindness as we continue settling in and learning about the where and how of this area. (We are getting our licenses this upcoming week. Blech.)
– Clint starting his job search and the upcoming challenges of bivocational ministry.
– Growing and strong relationships anchored in reflecting our Savior for our new church family.
– Boldness and purpose in our interactions that bring glory to our God.

Thank you to all who have helped us along the way in getting to Washington. Please continue to keep us in your prayers, and please do not hesitate to contact us about how we can pray for you or simply to let us know how you are doing.

Did you know you can receive texts via Wifi even when you have no phone signal?! Well, I’m still living in 2005 because I didn’t know until our internet was up and running. So feel free to send a text. 🙂

We also have a landline (so weird) since we live three miles from available cell phone service. Let us know if you would like that number.