Two months Into It

I can hardly believe it's only been two months since we made our life-changing decision to move to the UP.  Looking back at everything we have had to do in the last two months, well, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

UNLESS.

The rewards are as great and immediate as they seem to be throughout our experience. 

Because, frankly, moving 600 miles really sucks.  Sorry, no better word for it.  Just DRIVING 600 miles is not a fun thing.  Then you multiply it by the number of trips you have to make to accomplish and wrap up everything back in Iowa (3), and the number of miles...well, you can do the math.  

Trying to get a house sold, also not fun.  It's an emotional thing, so I've sort of turned it over to Bob, who is less attached.  

I always said that whenever I decided to quit my job, I would want to do it quietly.  That part is good. The part that's not is how a Catholic institution can make sure to zap you financially in the end. Thanks for your 32 years of service, Mrs. Peterson.  Now we will sock it to you, because the contract you signed says we can.  I wonder how much money I contributed over the years to balls and projects and drives and fund-raisers.  Was it MANY times the amount they felt they needed to subtract from my last paycheck?  I know so.  You know, I could have done it differently, less considerately, and come out much better.  But I didn't.  Did I do the right thing?  Of course.  Still, it rankles just a little.

I'm almost to the point where I can put it behind me...600 miles behind me.  

OKAY.

Now that I've said all that, what you need to know is this.  Everything else. IS. GREAT! 

Big Things We Have Accomplished in Only Two Months:

We rented a house in Rockland from a some nice people, Darrell and Cindy.  

We rented a place for a business in Ontonagon.

It used to be a Subway/A&W, then a video store. 

We visited schools and chose (yay, Michigan Choice) Ewen-Trout Creek as Jordan's new high school.  Go Panthers!  

We made a business plan, and we are taking steps daily to get things up and running.

Added an extra room for Bob to have an office.

We bought a house in Paynesville for when our rental is no longer available (snowmobile season is coming!).

Yes, the garage is larger than the house!

We started renovating our shop in Ontonagon with the plan of inviting people in for a first look on LABOR DAY.....ahrrrgghhh!!!!!

This color is called "Composed."  I want to be a color-namer at Sherwin Williams!

All this might seem to be sorta impressive, but what I think is the best is all the little things we've managed to accomplish besides:

We found time to hit the beach.

I love love love Lake Superior!

And the mountains.

Porcupine Mountains State Park

And spend nights at our camp.

Um, yes, that is a satellite dish for internet on top of our outhouse...long story!

We've taken time to feed and photograph

The hummingbirds,

Hummingbirds puff up when it's 55 degrees outside. 

The Red Squirrels,

I love his toes.

The chipmunks.

He doesn't, however, care for raisins. 

We've spent time creating new stuff,

Winter is coming!

Watched numerous birds in numerous settings.

Cedar Waxwing Invasion Day.  There used to be chokecherries in this picture!

Red-winged Blackbird

Mister Hummingbird

Ruffed Grouse

And even discovered an oddity in the birding world.

One of three leucistic crows we found. 

We have seen some extremely beautiful examples of God's creative juice.

Lake of the Clouds in the Porkies

Entering the Ontonagon River valley.  My drive to work. 

And stopped to notice the Eden-like wonders surrounding us every day.

We've sat at sunset and listened to the small Voice in the whispering pines (and heard the wolves howl, too).

You know Bob's hands are big, right?

Bliss.  Amen.

And we know that God has brought us here to do some good things in service to others.