Remember when we were thinking about going to Montana?
To live there?
Forever and ever?
Well, if we had gone to Montana, this morning would not have gone like it did. No quiet Sunday music while preparing RS stuff for church. No leisurely walk to and from our building (1 mile and 48 perfect degrees away from home). No perfect lesson provided by Katie. No thought provoking comments from ward members. No joking about "penalty for noisy baby" with Medinas.
None of that.
Of course we could've listened to our music in Montana, but I bet we wouldn't live a mile away from the church and I know it was not "48 perfect degrees" there.
Besides, Josh is a total stress case when he's acting as the Regional Operations Supervisor, and having that be his permanent job would not be good for our marriage.
Showing posts with label Montana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Montana. Show all posts
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Montana
WAAAAHOOOOOO!!!!!!! We've made our decision about Montana!
This whole Montana saga has been an interesting one. We've been back and forth, excited and scared, going and not going, everytime we think we're sure.....we're not. Until now.
Here's what happened: (If you are a "read the last page of the book right when the plot is thickest just to find out what happened" kind of person....I'm warning you....skip ahead and die...OR, skip ahead and I'll never know the difference. Whatever.)
June 14: Josh and I abandoned all responsible things and went to Montana for a week. We had a blast. Felt good about being there. Loved the area and thought maybe it would solve all of our "what to do when the baby comes" questions.
June 19: While sitting in the Pizza Hut parking lot we decide that we're going to go for it.
June 21: We come to find a letter on the table from SLCC where Josh applied for the nursing program 2 or 3 years ago. He was put on the waiting list. This letter said "Welcome to the Nursing Program! Classes start August ____. Come to orientation July ____. Tuition is due __________ let us know by June 15th that you've accepted your acceptance." We'd already missed the deadline (who does that?) but were confident that we could weasel our way back in since we were out of town, and the letter was postmarked June 14th.
Jun 23: Josh officially applied for the job feeling great about it.
Meanwhile: Corporate people sat......for....weeks....I suppose I can understand, I spend more weeks sitting, but come on!
Sometime mid-July: Josh had a phone interview with a lady who made him feel stupid. She quizzed him on computer stuff and Redbox parts. She called an hour earlier than she said she would and caught him off guard. It wasn't the worst interview ever, but he didn't feel too confident about it.
The next day: Josh had a phone interview with some guy who make him feel REALLY stupid. He asked him about his leadership experience and at the end of the interview told Josh that he sounded nervous and unprepared.
Meanwhile: Josh had 4 massages in one week. He loves it. He loves everything about giving massages, he like feeling like he's helping people, he likes feeling like he's good at it (he is good at it in case you wondered) and he likes the flexibility of working out of our house anytime he wants. (Call him. He'd love to work on you.)
The next morning he talked with the Regional Manager about some things he should know for future interviews. They reviewed spreadsheets, numbers, reports, technical issues, and what would be expected of him as a manager. Josh hung up the phone (after two hours) and looked totally depressed. I pointed out to him that usually these kinds of meetings and converstaions do not get him excited about life and his options. We both sortof realized that he was applying for a position that was all about the stuff he hates in Business.
This is when we start to doubt the whole Montana thing. The position would require a lot of travel, a lot of nights away from home, and a lot of time spent doing things he doesn't like to do. It puts him on the path to becoming a Corporate Dummy which is not something he's ever been interested in. At all. Even remotely.
July 27: Josh flies to Chicago for the big interview and presentation. He gets good feedback except that one guy who tells him he looks nervous because he can't sit still. Josh somehow resists the urge to say "Nope. Not nervous. I'm always like that. You think it's annoying now....just WAIT!"
July 28: Josh comes home from Chicago feeling like the position is probably his if he wants it (unless "nervous guy" can't get over the chair bouncing). I tell him that I'm not even thinking about it until they offer it.
July 29: Josh's dad dies. The next days are a crazy whirlwind rollercoaster of feelings, meetings, and funeral plans.
August 1: Josh talks to the Regional Manager and tells him about his Dad. Regional Manager ends the conversation with "well, on a positive note I've heard nothing but good from corporate offices about you." Great. No pressure. Josh tells him that with everything that's going on he may decide to stay here to be with his family and "take care of" Meleta since she'll be on her own once Little Brother leaves. (You have to know Meleta to know how ridiculous it is for anyone to think they're taking care of her.) Regional Manager tells Josh to take his time, and he'll keep us posted when he gets the official OK to hire him.
Meanwhile: We spent every day last week hanging out at the Egbert's and have never had so much fun there. I've always felt uncomfortable there and all of a sudden that feeling is gone. We're having a great time. I feel like we are suddenly allowed to have really great relationships with Ben & Meleta. I feel like we can enjoy their company and I want Baby Thomas to know that family. If we move to Montana I know Thomas will know his Fugal and Reilly families because I can see them coming to visit and when we come to Utah we'd stay with them. But I couldn't really see us spending a lot of time with the Egberts if we're 9 hours away. Us moving away would pretty much seal the deal and Thomas may never know how cool his Egbert relatives are. That thought sorta breaks my heart. On one hand it seems heartless to abandon Meleta, on the other, it breaks my heart to miss out on that relationship for any more years. These are all things we've been talking about all week.
Meanwhile: We spent every day last week hanging out at the Egbert's and have never had so much fun there. The relationship with Ron has always been a little....strained. I've always felt uncomfortable there and now that feeling is gone. We're having a great time. I feel like we are suddenly allowed to have really great relationships with Ben & Meleta. I feel like we can enjoy their company and I want Baby Thomas to know that family. If we move to Montana I know Thomas will know his Fugal and Reilly families because I can see them coming to visit and when we come to Utah we'd stay with them and see them a lot. But I couldn't really see us spending a lot of time with the Egberts if we're 9 hours away. Us moving away would pretty much seal the deal and Thomas may never know how cool his Egbert relatives are. That thought sorta breaks my heart. On one hand it seems heartless to abandon Meleta, on the other, it breaks my heart to miss out on that relationship for any more years. These are all things we've been talking about all week. Meleta insists that she's fine and we should do what's best for us. Because...well she's tough like that. What I think she may not know is that even though she doesn't need us, we need her.
August 4: Josh is officially offered the position in Montana.
Later August 4: Josh calls me at work and says: "I'm going to turn it down. There are too many reasons to stay here." I have a little party in my head and in my most composed and professional voice say "Fair enough. I can certainly support you in that decision." and then jump up and down and scream and squeal and do the "beauty queen eye fan" in my head because I'm at work and I think Aundrea will make fun of me if I do it outloud.
More Later: Josh calls me at work and tells me that he did it. He officially turned down the job. Regional Manager totally understood and it was a great conversation. I can't keep the celebratory party in my head anymore and I tell Aundrea and we have a tiny little party at our desks - I may or may not have beauty-queen-eye-fanned.
So, just like that, the decision is made. It took 2 months, 60 hours of driving through Montana, a trip to Chicago, lots of fasting, prayer, and time in the temple but it is finished and I'm thrilled.
There are still a million questions unanswered - what are we going to do now that we're staying here? But I'm so relieved to finally have this decision made that I don't care.
Plus the "no buying anything big for the baby because we might be moving" ban has been lifted! KSL Classifieds here I come!
This whole Montana saga has been an interesting one. We've been back and forth, excited and scared, going and not going, everytime we think we're sure.....we're not. Until now.
Here's what happened: (If you are a "read the last page of the book right when the plot is thickest just to find out what happened" kind of person....I'm warning you....skip ahead and die...OR, skip ahead and I'll never know the difference. Whatever.)
June 14: Josh and I abandoned all responsible things and went to Montana for a week. We had a blast. Felt good about being there. Loved the area and thought maybe it would solve all of our "what to do when the baby comes" questions.
June 19: While sitting in the Pizza Hut parking lot we decide that we're going to go for it.
June 21: We come to find a letter on the table from SLCC where Josh applied for the nursing program 2 or 3 years ago. He was put on the waiting list. This letter said "Welcome to the Nursing Program! Classes start August ____. Come to orientation July ____. Tuition is due __________ let us know by June 15th that you've accepted your acceptance." We'd already missed the deadline (who does that?) but were confident that we could weasel our way back in since we were out of town, and the letter was postmarked June 14th.
Jun 23: Josh officially applied for the job feeling great about it.
Meanwhile: Corporate people sat......for....weeks....I suppose I can understand, I spend more weeks sitting, but come on!
Sometime mid-July: Josh had a phone interview with a lady who made him feel stupid. She quizzed him on computer stuff and Redbox parts. She called an hour earlier than she said she would and caught him off guard. It wasn't the worst interview ever, but he didn't feel too confident about it.
The next day: Josh had a phone interview with some guy who make him feel REALLY stupid. He asked him about his leadership experience and at the end of the interview told Josh that he sounded nervous and unprepared.
Meanwhile: Josh had 4 massages in one week. He loves it. He loves everything about giving massages, he like feeling like he's helping people, he likes feeling like he's good at it (he is good at it in case you wondered) and he likes the flexibility of working out of our house anytime he wants. (Call him. He'd love to work on you.)
The next morning he talked with the Regional Manager about some things he should know for future interviews. They reviewed spreadsheets, numbers, reports, technical issues, and what would be expected of him as a manager. Josh hung up the phone (after two hours) and looked totally depressed. I pointed out to him that usually these kinds of meetings and converstaions do not get him excited about life and his options. We both sortof realized that he was applying for a position that was all about the stuff he hates in Business.
This is when we start to doubt the whole Montana thing. The position would require a lot of travel, a lot of nights away from home, and a lot of time spent doing things he doesn't like to do. It puts him on the path to becoming a Corporate Dummy which is not something he's ever been interested in. At all. Even remotely.
July 27: Josh flies to Chicago for the big interview and presentation. He gets good feedback except that one guy who tells him he looks nervous because he can't sit still. Josh somehow resists the urge to say "Nope. Not nervous. I'm always like that. You think it's annoying now....just WAIT!"
July 28: Josh comes home from Chicago feeling like the position is probably his if he wants it (unless "nervous guy" can't get over the chair bouncing). I tell him that I'm not even thinking about it until they offer it.
July 29: Josh's dad dies. The next days are a crazy whirlwind rollercoaster of feelings, meetings, and funeral plans.
August 1: Josh talks to the Regional Manager and tells him about his Dad. Regional Manager ends the conversation with "well, on a positive note I've heard nothing but good from corporate offices about you." Great. No pressure. Josh tells him that with everything that's going on he may decide to stay here to be with his family and "take care of" Meleta since she'll be on her own once Little Brother leaves. (You have to know Meleta to know how ridiculous it is for anyone to think they're taking care of her.) Regional Manager tells Josh to take his time, and he'll keep us posted when he gets the official OK to hire him.
Meanwhile: We spent every day last week hanging out at the Egbert's and have never had so much fun there. I've always felt uncomfortable there and all of a sudden that feeling is gone. We're having a great time. I feel like we are suddenly allowed to have really great relationships with Ben & Meleta. I feel like we can enjoy their company and I want Baby Thomas to know that family. If we move to Montana I know Thomas will know his Fugal and Reilly families because I can see them coming to visit and when we come to Utah we'd stay with them. But I couldn't really see us spending a lot of time with the Egberts if we're 9 hours away. Us moving away would pretty much seal the deal and Thomas may never know how cool his Egbert relatives are. That thought sorta breaks my heart. On one hand it seems heartless to abandon Meleta, on the other, it breaks my heart to miss out on that relationship for any more years. These are all things we've been talking about all week.
Meanwhile: We spent every day last week hanging out at the Egbert's and have never had so much fun there. The relationship with Ron has always been a little....strained. I've always felt uncomfortable there and now that feeling is gone. We're having a great time. I feel like we are suddenly allowed to have really great relationships with Ben & Meleta. I feel like we can enjoy their company and I want Baby Thomas to know that family. If we move to Montana I know Thomas will know his Fugal and Reilly families because I can see them coming to visit and when we come to Utah we'd stay with them and see them a lot. But I couldn't really see us spending a lot of time with the Egberts if we're 9 hours away. Us moving away would pretty much seal the deal and Thomas may never know how cool his Egbert relatives are. That thought sorta breaks my heart. On one hand it seems heartless to abandon Meleta, on the other, it breaks my heart to miss out on that relationship for any more years. These are all things we've been talking about all week. Meleta insists that she's fine and we should do what's best for us. Because...well she's tough like that. What I think she may not know is that even though she doesn't need us, we need her.
August 4: Josh is officially offered the position in Montana.
Later August 4: Josh calls me at work and says: "I'm going to turn it down. There are too many reasons to stay here." I have a little party in my head and in my most composed and professional voice say "Fair enough. I can certainly support you in that decision." and then jump up and down and scream and squeal and do the "beauty queen eye fan" in my head because I'm at work and I think Aundrea will make fun of me if I do it outloud.
More Later: Josh calls me at work and tells me that he did it. He officially turned down the job. Regional Manager totally understood and it was a great conversation. I can't keep the celebratory party in my head anymore and I tell Aundrea and we have a tiny little party at our desks - I may or may not have beauty-queen-eye-fanned.
So, just like that, the decision is made. It took 2 months, 60 hours of driving through Montana, a trip to Chicago, lots of fasting, prayer, and time in the temple but it is finished and I'm thrilled.
There are still a million questions unanswered - what are we going to do now that we're staying here? But I'm so relieved to finally have this decision made that I don't care.
Plus the "no buying anything big for the baby because we might be moving" ban has been lifted! KSL Classifieds here I come!
Monday, July 27, 2009
I couldda gone to Oprah
Well....I suppose it's time I say something about Montana.
Really we just don't know...we don't know anything so there's not a whole lot else to say. Josh has had a couple of phone interviews and he is currently sleeping in a hotel room in Chicago ready to go in for his interview tomorrow morning. (Which is scheduled to last 3 hours....not a typo seriously. 3 hours.)
We'll see how the interview goes, then we'll figure out what our choices are, THEN we'll make a real decision. I've been back and forth a million times about going and not going. We'll see what comes of it.
In the meantime a friend of mine at work asked me what the deal with Montana was. I told him Josh was in Chicago interviewing and his immediate response was "well, why didn't you go? You could've gone to Oprah!" I laughed out loud. Yes, if I were in Chicago I could've gone to Oprah, but the truth is that I would rather play cards in the hotel room with my best friend than go see Oprah without him (even if it were the show where she gives everybody a car or something....).
Tonight I miss my Josh. I wish he were here, I wish I were there, I wish I wasn't sitting at home blogging and watching tv. I wish I hadn't put my house back together all by myself. I wish he were here so I could tell him to feel my tummy for Baby Thomas's kicking. I wish he held my hand when we prayed tonight. I wish he were here to talk to me and tuck me in and kiss me goodnight. I wish I didn't have to go downstairs to make sure the door is locked all by myself. I want my husband back because no matter what it's always better when we're together.
This feeling of loneliness makes me think there is no way I could handle the travel requirements that come with the Montana position. I'd rather stay here knowing that I get to see my husband every day than have the grand adventure and know he'd be travelling and I'd have to spend a lot of nights feeling like this.
Really we just don't know...we don't know anything so there's not a whole lot else to say. Josh has had a couple of phone interviews and he is currently sleeping in a hotel room in Chicago ready to go in for his interview tomorrow morning. (Which is scheduled to last 3 hours....not a typo seriously. 3 hours.)
We'll see how the interview goes, then we'll figure out what our choices are, THEN we'll make a real decision. I've been back and forth a million times about going and not going. We'll see what comes of it.
In the meantime a friend of mine at work asked me what the deal with Montana was. I told him Josh was in Chicago interviewing and his immediate response was "well, why didn't you go? You could've gone to Oprah!" I laughed out loud. Yes, if I were in Chicago I could've gone to Oprah, but the truth is that I would rather play cards in the hotel room with my best friend than go see Oprah without him (even if it were the show where she gives everybody a car or something....).
Tonight I miss my Josh. I wish he were here, I wish I were there, I wish I wasn't sitting at home blogging and watching tv. I wish I hadn't put my house back together all by myself. I wish he were here so I could tell him to feel my tummy for Baby Thomas's kicking. I wish he held my hand when we prayed tonight. I wish he were here to talk to me and tuck me in and kiss me goodnight. I wish I didn't have to go downstairs to make sure the door is locked all by myself. I want my husband back because no matter what it's always better when we're together.
This feeling of loneliness makes me think there is no way I could handle the travel requirements that come with the Montana position. I'd rather stay here knowing that I get to see my husband every day than have the grand adventure and know he'd be travelling and I'd have to spend a lot of nights feeling like this.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Thank you Montana
Dad Reilley has been planning a trip to hike Kings Peak with the boys in his ward for about 3 or 4 months. He invited Josh to go and Josh was thrilled about the trip.
He couldn't wait to get out and rough it with the boys and he couldn't wait to do a real hike that would be hard and fun and I'm sure he couldn't wait to walk up the side of a mountain without hearing "stay away from the edge please! My baby needs a daddy!" (It's a wonder this man is still married to me.....)
Then Montana happened.
Since we thought Josh would probably be interviewing with corporate sometime this week and we would probably be using his vacation time to move to Motana - he bailed on the Kings Peak trip as of last week.
If nothing else comes of this Montana business, at least it kept him from going on the hike, having a major asthma attack with no supplies, no Dr., and no concerned wife to notice he wasn't breathing (heaven forbid he mention it to a man.....) leaving him stranded on the top of a mountain somewhere not breathing.
It could have (and would have) been so much worse.
So, even if nothing comes of this Montana business, at least it kept my husband at home where I could take care of him and he could have the medication and machines that he needs in order to keep him alive. Because my baby needs a daddy with air in his lungs.
He couldn't wait to get out and rough it with the boys and he couldn't wait to do a real hike that would be hard and fun and I'm sure he couldn't wait to walk up the side of a mountain without hearing "stay away from the edge please! My baby needs a daddy!" (It's a wonder this man is still married to me.....)
Then Montana happened.
Since we thought Josh would probably be interviewing with corporate sometime this week and we would probably be using his vacation time to move to Motana - he bailed on the Kings Peak trip as of last week.
If nothing else comes of this Montana business, at least it kept him from going on the hike, having a major asthma attack with no supplies, no Dr., and no concerned wife to notice he wasn't breathing (heaven forbid he mention it to a man.....) leaving him stranded on the top of a mountain somewhere not breathing.
It could have (and would have) been so much worse.
So, even if nothing comes of this Montana business, at least it kept my husband at home where I could take care of him and he could have the medication and machines that he needs in order to keep him alive. Because my baby needs a daddy with air in his lungs.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Montana.....or not?
I'm bad at making decisions. Really bad at it. I stress, I panic, I can't function or focus or concentrate. I avoid all intellectually stimulating conversations, projects, and situations because I'm afraid if I think my brain will explode.
Once the decision is made, I'm fine. But until that happens I'm freaking out.
We had decided.
We were going to Montana.
Then Regional Manager started singing a whole different song.
"Please come to Montana and love it so you can stay forever because I need you here." turned into "Glad you enjoyed your time there. Feel free to apply for the position and we'll see who HR and Corporate like best."
So suddenly instead of aching and crying, praying and thinking, stressing and weighing our options; it has nothing to do with us or what we think, we're totally out of control and at the mercy of Corporate.
Josh has officially applied for the position and I guess now we just wait and see what happens.
As I was telling a co-worker we're wherever is before "square 1" in the decision process. "Ground zero?" she offered. Yes Tahnee. Ground zero is precisely where we are. And it's not a happy place.
Once the decision is made, I'm fine. But until that happens I'm freaking out.
We had decided.
We were going to Montana.
Then Regional Manager started singing a whole different song.
"Please come to Montana and love it so you can stay forever because I need you here." turned into "Glad you enjoyed your time there. Feel free to apply for the position and we'll see who HR and Corporate like best."
So suddenly instead of aching and crying, praying and thinking, stressing and weighing our options; it has nothing to do with us or what we think, we're totally out of control and at the mercy of Corporate.
Josh has officially applied for the position and I guess now we just wait and see what happens.
As I was telling a co-worker we're wherever is before "square 1" in the decision process. "Ground zero?" she offered. Yes Tahnee. Ground zero is precisely where we are. And it's not a happy place.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
putting that on my faith shelf
Yesterday Josh and I were sitting in the Pizza Hut parking lot in Missoula talking about "when we live here we can ______" and all of a sudden I looked at him and said "wait. Did we just make a decision? Are we officially gonna go for this?" and he looked at me and smiled and said "kinda sounds like it huh?" and that was the moment the official decision was made. It's a very refined process. I know.
We spent the rest of the day talking about what that means. Our to-do list just grew 10 miles long what with all the packing, moving, and changing. We talked about how much we'd miss our families. We talked about how if we stayed too long Baby Thomas might have to attend "Hellgate Elementary" (dead serious...and what I wanna know is what is their mascot? Satan? Gooooo Satans!!!!" teaching the premortal life experience might be harder with this one....) We talked about getting stuff out of our house to get it ready to rent (or sell). With nothing to do all day but drive around and talk, we pretty much covered it all.
Then we started looking for places to rent. Josh needs a garage, so an apartment probably won't work. Plus we sorta feel like we need to bail somebody out who is trying to rent out their townhome so we can rent out ours. Pay It Forward....in reverse. So, we drove around looking for "for rent" signs and calling on them. Not the most efficient way to get things done....but we got to know "the hill" verses "down in the city" really well.
The hardest part of the whole thing is having faith that the situation with our townhome will work out. Whether that means getting it rented (or sold) right away (please oh please!) or carrying it, totally depleting our savings and teaching us a lesson on being prepared and being humble (and probably a major lesson in budgeting).
Misty has a phrase for situations like this, "I'm just gonna have to put that one on my faith shelf for a while...." and I suppose that's right where we are. Standing under the faith shelf trying to reach high enough to stick stuff on it, I hope we grow tall enough to put things there - otherwise we'll have to find a ladder.
We spent the rest of the day talking about what that means. Our to-do list just grew 10 miles long what with all the packing, moving, and changing. We talked about how much we'd miss our families. We talked about how if we stayed too long Baby Thomas might have to attend "Hellgate Elementary" (dead serious...and what I wanna know is what is their mascot? Satan? Gooooo Satans!!!!" teaching the premortal life experience might be harder with this one....) We talked about getting stuff out of our house to get it ready to rent (or sell). With nothing to do all day but drive around and talk, we pretty much covered it all.
Then we started looking for places to rent. Josh needs a garage, so an apartment probably won't work. Plus we sorta feel like we need to bail somebody out who is trying to rent out their townhome so we can rent out ours. Pay It Forward....in reverse. So, we drove around looking for "for rent" signs and calling on them. Not the most efficient way to get things done....but we got to know "the hill" verses "down in the city" really well.
The hardest part of the whole thing is having faith that the situation with our townhome will work out. Whether that means getting it rented (or sold) right away (please oh please!) or carrying it, totally depleting our savings and teaching us a lesson on being prepared and being humble (and probably a major lesson in budgeting).
Misty has a phrase for situations like this, "I'm just gonna have to put that one on my faith shelf for a while...." and I suppose that's right where we are. Standing under the faith shelf trying to reach high enough to stick stuff on it, I hope we grow tall enough to put things there - otherwise we'll have to find a ladder.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Hotel Living
We checked into the Staybridge Hotel in Missoula on Monday night.
It was beautiful. Lovely. Of good report. And yes, even praisworthy. There's a kitchen area with full fridge, microwave, stove top, dishes and dishwasher. It's new and clean and beautiful and inviting and that scratchy hotel bedspread is nowhere to be found. We were happy.
Then we went somewhere else, paid a little more, got a little less.
Then we went somewhere else, paid even MORE and got even LESS.
Tonight we're back at the Staybridge because...well....why would we go anywhere else?
Only now we're those high maintenance people.
We paid with 3 different gift cards.
We needed to use the computers to scan a document and it didn't work, so we asked for help.
We didn't feel like going out for dinner so we asked what frozen food we could buy from them.
We wanted to watch a movie, so instead of going to Redbox we borrowed one from them. Josh and I stood there for like 10 minutes trying to decide what to watch. Now we're watching something about General Patten on the History Channel.
I had an unplanned vomit incident just as we were leaving last time. (Do they leave notes in your file for that kind of thing? I hope not....that's embarrasing.) I did the best I could to clean it up, but really.....there just aren't appropriate supplies for that kind of thing. (PS Free laundry facilities in a hotel might be the best invention ever.)
So far we've been here exactly 2.5 hours and I've talked to the nice front desk people about 10 times.....they're always nice, but I have to wonder, how bad do they hate me in real life? Do I walk away and they look at each other and go "what? did she really just ask for _______?" Cuz sometimes I hang up the phone at work and say those exact words to Aundrea.
Have you ever worked at a Hotel? Do you know what is normal and what is not (we never make the bed....or even fold our used towels, just leave them all in a pile in the bathroom)? Can you tell me if they put notes on our name that say "these people paid with 3 gift cards and puked all over the bathroom before leaving."? Do they think we're as annoying as I think we are?
It was beautiful. Lovely. Of good report. And yes, even praisworthy. There's a kitchen area with full fridge, microwave, stove top, dishes and dishwasher. It's new and clean and beautiful and inviting and that scratchy hotel bedspread is nowhere to be found. We were happy.
Then we went somewhere else, paid a little more, got a little less.
Then we went somewhere else, paid even MORE and got even LESS.
Tonight we're back at the Staybridge because...well....why would we go anywhere else?
Only now we're those high maintenance people.
We paid with 3 different gift cards.
We needed to use the computers to scan a document and it didn't work, so we asked for help.
We didn't feel like going out for dinner so we asked what frozen food we could buy from them.
We wanted to watch a movie, so instead of going to Redbox we borrowed one from them. Josh and I stood there for like 10 minutes trying to decide what to watch. Now we're watching something about General Patten on the History Channel.
I had an unplanned vomit incident just as we were leaving last time. (Do they leave notes in your file for that kind of thing? I hope not....that's embarrasing.) I did the best I could to clean it up, but really.....there just aren't appropriate supplies for that kind of thing. (PS Free laundry facilities in a hotel might be the best invention ever.)
So far we've been here exactly 2.5 hours and I've talked to the nice front desk people about 10 times.....they're always nice, but I have to wonder, how bad do they hate me in real life? Do I walk away and they look at each other and go "what? did she really just ask for _______?" Cuz sometimes I hang up the phone at work and say those exact words to Aundrea.
Have you ever worked at a Hotel? Do you know what is normal and what is not (we never make the bed....or even fold our used towels, just leave them all in a pile in the bathroom)? Can you tell me if they put notes on our name that say "these people paid with 3 gift cards and puked all over the bathroom before leaving."? Do they think we're as annoying as I think we are?
On travelling with a child....
The thing is that Baby Thomas thinks we should eat. A lot. All day long. I didn't notice how much he eats before because it wasn't a big deal. Pack some crackers, yogurt, string cheese, apples, etc and snack all day long at my desk? No problem.
Stuck in the middle of nowhere Montana with nothing but wheat thins and a half bottle of lukewarm water in the car? Problem.
On the way home from work and realize that if there is not food being digested within 90 seconds (preferrably less) someone is probably going to die? No problem. Subway is around the corner. Josh asks if we can drive the 2 more blocks to our house and get something there and is met with the totally rational pregnant lady response. "Are you kidding me? I've been growing this baby for you for 5 months! 5 months of miserable sick tired grouchy horribleness and you won't sacrifice 2 minutes of your time to drive through at the Subway which is exactly .1 miles 'out of our way' because you'd rather save $3?!?!?! NO! I. CAN. NOT. WAIT!!! TURN LEFT NOW!" Not a problem. We turn left, drive through at Subway and the entire sandwhich is being digested by the time we get home 2.5 blocks away.
Transport us 600 miles North, plant us in the middle of a beautiful canyon with not even a sign telling how far the next city is for 45 miles. Add in the fact that the next 'city' consists of 1 stop sign, 1 gas station (at 3-freaking-dollars/gallon) and a sign indicating the next city is still 129 miles ahead and we have ourselves a big problem.
Josh keeps saying things like "I eat a lot more when I'm around you" and "Really? You're already hungry? Didn't we just eat breakfast?" and "please not Subway again." But ultimately gives me what I need.
The man is a saint. He really is. so far we've had Subway once or twice, Wendy's 4 times, and only 1 incident involving "scary meat" (Jamie and Chels? I have a bone to pick with you involving Safeway Chinese....not as good as you said). Plus he's driven the entire time, and I've slept....well.....a lot.
Turns out that travelling with a child is not the same as travelling with a reasonable rational grown up who is capable of making logical decisions. I guess I can't say that definitively because I've always been on my trips....and let's be honest, "reasonable rational grown up" is probably not the best way to describe the joy that is Amy Egbert.
Turns out travelling with a child adds an hour to any road trip any time any where.
Turns out travelling with a child means less time in hotel hot tubs and swimming pools and more time evaluating the difference between the "firm" pillows and the "soft" pillows. In case you were wondering, there is no difference. Not even a little. Believe me. I've evaluated.
I can't imagine travelling with a child capable of using it's limbs, vocal cords, and free will......heaven help me.
Stuck in the middle of nowhere Montana with nothing but wheat thins and a half bottle of lukewarm water in the car? Problem.
On the way home from work and realize that if there is not food being digested within 90 seconds (preferrably less) someone is probably going to die? No problem. Subway is around the corner. Josh asks if we can drive the 2 more blocks to our house and get something there and is met with the totally rational pregnant lady response. "Are you kidding me? I've been growing this baby for you for 5 months! 5 months of miserable sick tired grouchy horribleness and you won't sacrifice 2 minutes of your time to drive through at the Subway which is exactly .1 miles 'out of our way' because you'd rather save $3?!?!?! NO! I. CAN. NOT. WAIT!!! TURN LEFT NOW!" Not a problem. We turn left, drive through at Subway and the entire sandwhich is being digested by the time we get home 2.5 blocks away.
Transport us 600 miles North, plant us in the middle of a beautiful canyon with not even a sign telling how far the next city is for 45 miles. Add in the fact that the next 'city' consists of 1 stop sign, 1 gas station (at 3-freaking-dollars/gallon) and a sign indicating the next city is still 129 miles ahead and we have ourselves a big problem.
Josh keeps saying things like "I eat a lot more when I'm around you" and "Really? You're already hungry? Didn't we just eat breakfast?" and "please not Subway again." But ultimately gives me what I need.
The man is a saint. He really is. so far we've had Subway once or twice, Wendy's 4 times, and only 1 incident involving "scary meat" (Jamie and Chels? I have a bone to pick with you involving Safeway Chinese....not as good as you said). Plus he's driven the entire time, and I've slept....well.....a lot.
Turns out that travelling with a child is not the same as travelling with a reasonable rational grown up who is capable of making logical decisions. I guess I can't say that definitively because I've always been on my trips....and let's be honest, "reasonable rational grown up" is probably not the best way to describe the joy that is Amy Egbert.
Turns out travelling with a child adds an hour to any road trip any time any where.
Turns out travelling with a child means less time in hotel hot tubs and swimming pools and more time evaluating the difference between the "firm" pillows and the "soft" pillows. In case you were wondering, there is no difference. Not even a little. Believe me. I've evaluated.
I can't imagine travelling with a child capable of using it's limbs, vocal cords, and free will......heaven help me.
More on Montana
So far the difference between Montana and Utah is in that all of the churches in Utah have been replaced with Casinos and Liquor Stores. I'm not kidding when I tell you that there were 2 casinos and 2 liquor stores all on one block in Missoula. (Which incidentally has been our favorite place to stay...)
Our first day was in Missoula with zero machine repairs and mostly just driving around and enjoying the beautiful area. Monday night we were ready to list our home for sale and move by the end of the week. We both loved it, it was comfortable, beautiful, and we were sure we could easily get used to this.
Tuesday we drove to Hamilton and Helena. the drives were nice, the machines were easy to fix and still the state was beautiful. We actually talked to Regional Manager in the early afternoon and told him that the only thing we still had concerns about was our house and what to do with it. That was true.
We went to St. Helen's Cathedral (so beautiful!), and the capitol building and spend the night in Helena.
We got all excited on Wednesday because we were sent to Kalispell which meant we could drive by Flathead Lake (which is apparently the most beautiful place on the planet). So, we left early(ish) and headed North for 5.5 hours. Between the construction, my constant need to pee, and Josh's desire to stop at every single indian stuff gift store/museum we added about an hour and a half to the drive.
Somehow during that drive the magic was lost. We started to get nervous about long days and long drives. We started thinking about what it really means to leave Utah. We started to wonder if Montana was really the place for us. Yes, it's beautiful. Yes, it's a promotion. Yes, it would be good for us to be away. But really? Is this how we should spend our days (and nights)? Should we commit to this when there are so many unknowns?
That excited feeling we've been praying for (if it was right) was missing. It wasn't exciting, it was just work. It wasn't fun, it was just a long drive in the mountains (which we have in Utah too). It was just.....Montana.
So, here we are. Halfway through the week with 1 "getting here" day (which doesn't count), 1 great "I wanna move here tomorrow" day, and 1 "meh....let's just stay home where it's just as pretty and a lot less hassle" day.
Today it looks like there may be a 7 hour drive through the "ugly part of the state", which I think might break the tie in a bad way.
I'm still coming back to the same problem I always have when making big decisions. When we hit the lull, the "maybe this isn't it" feeling, is that the Spirit saying "run! run the other way!" or is that a "trial of our faith" or is that based completely on other factors (i.e. it's hotter, less rain, the hotels are getting worse, and the vacation is over and the work has begun)?
It's not like I think you shouldn't take a job if it doesn't feel like vacation every day - work is work - but if Josh is already stir crazy driving all day every day (and it's only been 3 days) is it reasonable to believe this is a job he would enjoy?
Yesterday for the first time since we found out about this opportunity I actually believed the line "nothing is decided yet, we may get up there and hate it" that I've been giving all the people who would miss us if we left (gramma's mostly).
No matter what happens I'm glad we came so we could make an educated decision. I just hate having to be responsible for that decision.....don't you think a grown-up should do it for me? Mommy? Are you out there?
Our first day was in Missoula with zero machine repairs and mostly just driving around and enjoying the beautiful area. Monday night we were ready to list our home for sale and move by the end of the week. We both loved it, it was comfortable, beautiful, and we were sure we could easily get used to this.
Tuesday we drove to Hamilton and Helena. the drives were nice, the machines were easy to fix and still the state was beautiful. We actually talked to Regional Manager in the early afternoon and told him that the only thing we still had concerns about was our house and what to do with it. That was true.
We went to St. Helen's Cathedral (so beautiful!), and the capitol building and spend the night in Helena.
We got all excited on Wednesday because we were sent to Kalispell which meant we could drive by Flathead Lake (which is apparently the most beautiful place on the planet). So, we left early(ish) and headed North for 5.5 hours. Between the construction, my constant need to pee, and Josh's desire to stop at every single indian stuff gift store/museum we added about an hour and a half to the drive.
Somehow during that drive the magic was lost. We started to get nervous about long days and long drives. We started thinking about what it really means to leave Utah. We started to wonder if Montana was really the place for us. Yes, it's beautiful. Yes, it's a promotion. Yes, it would be good for us to be away. But really? Is this how we should spend our days (and nights)? Should we commit to this when there are so many unknowns?
That excited feeling we've been praying for (if it was right) was missing. It wasn't exciting, it was just work. It wasn't fun, it was just a long drive in the mountains (which we have in Utah too). It was just.....Montana.
So, here we are. Halfway through the week with 1 "getting here" day (which doesn't count), 1 great "I wanna move here tomorrow" day, and 1 "meh....let's just stay home where it's just as pretty and a lot less hassle" day.
Today it looks like there may be a 7 hour drive through the "ugly part of the state", which I think might break the tie in a bad way.
I'm still coming back to the same problem I always have when making big decisions. When we hit the lull, the "maybe this isn't it" feeling, is that the Spirit saying "run! run the other way!" or is that a "trial of our faith" or is that based completely on other factors (i.e. it's hotter, less rain, the hotels are getting worse, and the vacation is over and the work has begun)?
It's not like I think you shouldn't take a job if it doesn't feel like vacation every day - work is work - but if Josh is already stir crazy driving all day every day (and it's only been 3 days) is it reasonable to believe this is a job he would enjoy?
Yesterday for the first time since we found out about this opportunity I actually believed the line "nothing is decided yet, we may get up there and hate it" that I've been giving all the people who would miss us if we left (gramma's mostly).
No matter what happens I'm glad we came so we could make an educated decision. I just hate having to be responsible for that decision.....don't you think a grown-up should do it for me? Mommy? Are you out there?
Monday, June 15, 2009
We're he-re!
We got up early this morning and headed for Montana and I gotta say, so far there's nothing not to love.
Other than the fact that my right butt cheek keeps falling asleep. Did you know it's possible to sleep for 90% of the drive from North Salt Lake to Dillon, Montana? It is.
Some fun discoveries so far include the Wendy's in Blackfoot Idaho - which is open at 8:30am but does NOT serve breakfast. (ha ha! Gotcha!) But...since we'd been up for 4 hours already, we figured it was appropriate to eat chicken nuggets and buffalo wings anyway. Also the world's nicest man lives in that Wendy's and will not mock you for eating said buffalo wings for breakfast.
In Dillon we went to the Beaverhead County Museum which was cooler than you think it was and ate at Subway where we saw 3 men in cowboy hats, 4 families eating after the t-ball game and heard one man say to another "it's raining, must be a good day!" (in a cheerful chipper non-sarcastic voice) Plus it was "free cookie day".
Probably the fact that I'mstill in my pajamas wearing road trip clothes and listening to the rain beat down on the windshield in perfect rhythm with the squeak of the windshield wipers while driving on the virtually abandoned freeways through the mountains and forests has nothing to do with the fact that I love this state!
Stay tuned: you just might get a "guide to every public restroom between Salt Lake and Great Falls".....or pictures of Josh sitting on a 100 year old saddle in a museum.
Other than the fact that my right butt cheek keeps falling asleep. Did you know it's possible to sleep for 90% of the drive from North Salt Lake to Dillon, Montana? It is.
Some fun discoveries so far include the Wendy's in Blackfoot Idaho - which is open at 8:30am but does NOT serve breakfast. (ha ha! Gotcha!) But...since we'd been up for 4 hours already, we figured it was appropriate to eat chicken nuggets and buffalo wings anyway. Also the world's nicest man lives in that Wendy's and will not mock you for eating said buffalo wings for breakfast.
In Dillon we went to the Beaverhead County Museum which was cooler than you think it was and ate at Subway where we saw 3 men in cowboy hats, 4 families eating after the t-ball game and heard one man say to another "it's raining, must be a good day!" (in a cheerful chipper non-sarcastic voice) Plus it was "free cookie day".
Probably the fact that I'm
Stay tuned: you just might get a "guide to every public restroom between Salt Lake and Great Falls".....or pictures of Josh sitting on a 100 year old saddle in a museum.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)