It’s time for the first month recap. Ta da!

Pictures to hopefully follow- still looking for the cord that inputs the pictures from the digital camera to the computer.

The first week actually went by pretty fast. Josh being Josh made sure we had internet access four days after we arrived, and me being me (and newly addicted to Jon and Kate plus 8) begged for a new tv and cable access. Missions accomplished. We could email, twitter, keep in touch with everyone and enjoy watching the twins and sextuplets. 

We attempted to buy some cheap camping chairs or bean bags to use as temporary furniture until our stuff arrived. Four hours and five stores later, we had discovered the world’s most crowded Walmart (seriously, it was so insane we walked in the door and right back out when we saw the lines.) But we did not find any chairs. Josh had a brilliant solution and moved the air mattress (which we brought on the road trip with us) into the living room. Our bed/couch.

The second week was when Josh went to California for training. Since we didn’t have any of our kitchen supplies, I spent that week eating microwaved meals from Trader Joe’s. I recommend the potstickers and chicken/bean burritos. 

Oh, another thing that stands out from that week was when I was watching a late night movie on T.V. All the sudden, as the credits were still rolling, it cut to a preview of the next show. Which was about children who claim to be psychic. One kid was saying how he could see shadowy figures around him that no one else could see. The t.v.  showed their version of hooded figures  standing in a room. I was fumbling in the dark hitting every button on the remote except the one that could change the channel. I wasn’t fast enough and the words/images made their way into my brain, officially creeping me out.

It took everything I had in me not to move Remy’s bed right next to the air mattress. I was thanking God for not only his protection, but for providing us with a Jack Russell who yaps and barks if he hears anything that sounds remotely like someone trying to come into his territory. Including shadowy figures, I presume. All in all, that was a fairly slow, relaxed week.

Then a whole bunch happened all at once. Josh came home on Friday. Yay! The movers called Saturday morning and said they were downstairs WITH OUR STUFF. Yay! OUR STUFF ARRIVED! The first boxes I unpacked were anything marked “kitchen.” I missed home cooked food so much. It was beautiful when I made that first meal. I could have wept with joy. The joy of cooking- I finally get that title now.

And just as our third week was about to get underway- da da  da da daaa !!! We had our first guest! Beau was in town due to a work related trip and we got to hang out with a family member! Then- ta da!!! Jeanne came the next day. We got to go out to MEALS with PEOPLE we KNEW. It was awesome. And we felt our first pride in our new town as we got to show it off.

The rest of that third week we were able to have a few more meals with Beau and Jeanine. Jeanine was even nice enough to spend a whole day helping me unpack and organize our new closet.  Josh started working at the Seattle branch and of course, loved it. I continued to unpack and organize. Which is pretty much how we spent the next two weeks. Josh going to work, me unpacking, cooking, (Hooray!) and exploring the area.

Then…this past week…the Heat Wave hit. The good people of Seattle don’t believe in installing air conditioning. “It’s so cool here, you’d only miss it a few weeks out of the year.” Well, this past week was one of those weeks. We’re on the fifth and top floor of our apartment complex and it was like an endurance test every day from about 11 am until 6 pm. Yesterday, which was a Sunday, Josh and I left the apartment to go for a long drive just to feel the AC in his car. By the evening, half the traffic lights were out in the city due to power outages as every store in the area cranked its AC up. The city is not prepared for hot times such as these.

A big part of the heat wave is the fact that despite my expectations, it’s barely rained here at all. The rainy months aren’t expected until October or so. I’ve been watching the weather reports like a hawk. And today, wonderful today, the predictions came true- it rained this morning and the temperature dropped into the low seventies. I am so happy I wanted to write and let everyone know. Everyone- I am so very comfortable right now.

So that’s about it. We really like our new city and all the parks here. We’ve met some amazingly nice and friendly people through the church.  All in all, it’s been a great month and we’re really close to being settled.

But we’re not ready for pictures of the apartment yet. They are coming. =)

Most Google campuses allow dogs any day of the week, which is pretty cool. However the one I’m currently at in Kirkland is leased and the landlords don’t allow them. Once we move into our own campus in February, being built just down the street, we’ll be able to have dog day everyday. Until then, we have annual events in which Googler’s dogs are treated like celebrities. The highlight of the day, is the dog massage. Yes, a specialist–if that’s what you want to call them, came in to give out free dog massages, as well as special sessions on “accupressure, communication and energetics”. Just reading the email announcing the day made me burst out laughing.

Here’s a little video from the day… more on the massage later. That video is still needing some crafting…