General factual bulemia right now :)

I'm in the binging part; on Thursday we'll start the purging. Doesn't that paint a lovely picture? ;)

So we're moving back to Seattle from the Raleigh area where we are now. Like, Thursday. Five freaking days. I'm not really sure how I feel about things - I think it's happening so fast I'm getting kind of a ripping off of a bandaid effect - quick and shocking, but without much time to think about the pain (or anything else).

Kev starts his new job on December 3. I have a few days to play when we get there and catch up with some friends and an old boss of mine, and then it's off to find a full-time job. It's insane. Our house hasn't sold yet but we are hopeful it will soon - we've had good feedback so far. We'd also like to get into a house in Washington somewhat soon as well. We won't be able to afford anything like we have here, but at least it'll be a place of our own, and should start appreciating again relatively soon.

Christmas is coming - got main presents for Kevin, his mom, his siblings and their families, and myself. Still have a lot to do. Not sure how we'll pay for everything this year - finances are stretched really tight - but we'll manage. It should get a little easier when I start working again.

We have a showing for like 30 realtors Tuesday morning, and then the movers come on Wednesday and Thursday. We leave Thursday afternoon, so still need to get someone to supervise after we've gone to the airport and find a good reputable place to come after we're gone and do a thorough cleaning of everything.

Adoption stuff is slow, but we might be taking in an 18-year-old if all works out that way. Still in the very beginning stages on that, and Kev wants a little time to think about it as well, understandably.

AND, I'm starting to prepare for my GRE. Hope to take that in late spring or during the summer, but have months of studying to do between now and then.

My mom's still not talking to me. We're on our third month right now. I'm sad she feels the way she does, but I really don't think I could take the extra pressure trying to keep her happy entails right now. But I want to have a better attitude that way.

Last day of church in NC tomorrow. No idea what ward we'll be in in WA. Still don't know where Microsoft is putting us up when we get there, but if push comes to shove we can move in with Kev's parents for now.

Sheesh - when I type it all out (and this is only a partial list, though it's all the big stuff), no wonder I feel like I want to hide my head under a rock for the next six months. How in the world is all this going to come together?

*sigh* I hate stress. Unfortunately, stress seems to love me.

Yummy!

You Are Mud Pie

You're the perfect combo of flavor and depth. You are overpowering and dominant - and that's what people like about you. You bring energy and a new direction to most interactions. People crave you in a serious way. You're that important to them. Those who like you give into their impulses. You don't represent reason. You represent pure temptation. People get addicted to you rather easily. You offer people a dark side that is very hard to resist.

What Kind of Pie Are You?

What's a good moving song?

Life's crazy right now. We're moving back to Washington state very soon - in fact, Kev's scheduled to start work back at Microsoft on December 3. So that means these next few weeks are going to be somewhat intense. :S

But there's also wonderful stuff coming up - my friend Jennifer is coming to visit next week (hooray!) and we'll be having Thanksgiving with our friends Robin and Mike and several of their relatives. So it'll be busy - which is a good thing, since I tend to become a bit of a snapping turtle when it's moving time. It's a defense mechanism I've picked up from all the moving I've done in my life. But I'm trying really hard not to pull into my shell right now, to keep talking with friends here even though I know it'll hurt more to leave them. I don't want to exist; I want to live. And part of living means experiencing hurt. And that hurt is just a sign of the wonderful things you had beforehand. So I'll try!

Have Bunko on Friday - my turn to host - and our realtor will be coming by on Monday to get the measurements for our house and get everything done that way. I just keep telling myself it'll all be done soon and out of my hands. Although I'm stressed, I'm not nearly so flustered as I was before Kev got his job offer when I didn't know what was going to happen. Thank you God for small blessings to get us through the difficult times!

So I told Jennifer I'd put up my version of her "Crazy 8s" entry . . . guess now's as good a time as any!

8 Things I'm Passionate About
1. The true meaning of and need for feminism
2. Adoption
3. Teaching
4. Psychology and sociology
5. My husband <3
6. Developing my artistic gifts
7. The genocide in Darfur
8. Loyalty towards those I hold dear in my life

8 Things I Want to Do Before I Die
1. Visit the Middle East (Afghanistan especially)
2. Serve a humanitarian mission
3. Adopt children
4. Learn American Sign Language
5. Learn Adobe Photoshop *laugh*
6. Walk along the Great Wall of China
7. Get a tattoo
8. Get my Master's Degree

8 Things I Say Often
1. Be safe!
2. I love you.
3. Rad!
4. Does that make sense?
5. Nanaaaaaaa . . .
6. How's it goin?
7. I understand.

8 TV Shows I've Recently Watched
1. Robin Hood <3
2. The Office
We don't have cable right now and we don't get much reception, so those are it - I watch them online. *laugh*

8 Songs I Could Listen to Over and Over
1. Walkin' on Sunshine
2. Somebody
3. My Immortal
4. Because of You
5. White and Nerdy (yes, I'm a dork)
6. Call and Answer
7. Fields of Gold
8. Out is Through

8 Things That Attract Me to My Best Friends
1. Their willingness to laugh at the world and themselves
2. Each of their gentle spirits
3. They share of themselves and are there for me to do the same
4. They're introspective
5. They're quirky in wonderful ways
6. They're opinionated
7. I can be at surface with them and they with me
8. They are trustworthy and loyal

8 Things I've Learned this Past Year
1. Antidepressants can be a wonderul thing.
2. Hives are NOT a wonderful thing. ;)
3. Don't count people out - just because they might not completely understand you, many still care and want to help as best they can.
4. Pregnancies and miscarriages can take multiple forms.
5. I have the power and the opportunity to be a source of goodness to those I care about. I can help lighten another's load even when my own seems unbearably heavy.
6. God remembered Rachel - and I have to have faith He will remember me too.
7. My relationship with Kevin is immensely strong, and is a sense of security for both of us when the world around us seems so dark and frightening.
8. Gardening is not my strong suit, but I can make annuals look pretty. *laugh*