Well, it was another AWESOME weekend with Rich here. I’m so glad this will be our last week having to do the long distance thing. It has truly sucked all month long. It’s like the ultimate roller coaster – bummed during the week, getting teary every night having to say goodnight over the phone, then so happy during the weekend, only to end up depressed Sunday when he has to leave again. It’s hard not being there for him during the week, too, knowing that he’s got a ton to do at work. It’s also tough to remember how stressful leaving a job really is – tying up loose ends, trying to make sure you leave the best impression behind, dealing with the stress of who is going to take over what to keep customers happy because you never know who can end up having a say in your future career so you really don’t want to leave anything hanging, then suddenly waking up one morning realizing it’s just impossible to do it all…but still hoping a miracle will happen that lets you DO it all. Vicious cycle. Then, suddenly, it’s all over. It’s just crazy. But the happy news is…Rich will be here Friday night, and we won’t have to say goodbye Sunday afternoon!!! HURRAYYYYYY!!!!!

This weekend with Rich was a little longer than most because he came with his sister, Val, and her kids Thursday night. I did have to work Friday, but got home somewhere around 4pm to hang out with the family. It was great seeing Nick, Val, and their kids! I was sad I didn’t get to hang out with them at the Pacific Science Center – I would have LOVED to see the nephews going through the exhibits there. It’s a fun place. By the time I got off work, everyone was starving, so we walked down the piers for seafood and hit some of the shops. Rich kept telling me I could NOT buy Seattle souvenirs now that I was an official resident of Seattle. Dang it.

The Kunde family left Friday night, though we were expecting them to stay at our apartment overnight and leave Saturday. The boys were exhausted from walking ALL day, though. I was so sad to see our oldest nephew, Mason (7), just start crying about leaving Richie’s. Rich is a very fun uncle – he has all the games! Mason started crying when Val announced they had to go home, and just kept crying through the packing of the car and leaving! So sad! I’m sure he was going to miss Rich far more than me, though. I didn’t play with them nearly as much as Rich did. So, it stunk for me, but they’ll be up again later, and, hopefully by then, I’ll be able to take some time to hang out with them more.

Saturday was spent on the road, looking for a place to call “home” for more than a couple of months. We ended up applying for one house that’s actually very close to my work, very close to South Lake Union and downtown Seattle. It’s not perfect, but it’s the best we’ve found so far!! We actually could see our stuff fitting into the house, though it’s only a two-bedroom house. You’d think 2 bedrooms would be enough for Rich and I (it IS only the two of us, after all), but we do have a guest bed, and all the games, and the computer. But it did seem large enough to be able to fit our tall dining table (without feeling cramped), and there was built-in shelving in the downstairs bedroom that looked absolutely PERFECT for the games. And the place had been updated pretty well – brand new carpet, recently painted, new stove, BIG open kitchen – we really could see ourselves living there. OH – and off-street parking (it’s on one of the bigger roads, so that was important). So, the application is in, we have the rental tour with the rental specialists (part of the relocation package) this weekend, and we’ll see if we find anything better from that. If not, at least we have an application in for this house. I see the light at the end of the tunnel for the housing search, and it makes me VERY happy, though also VERY nervous about signing an agreement for a house that isn’t absolutely perfect (though the it’s by FAR the closest we’ve seen yet) and VERY nervous about signing for it while the house back in Pasco still hasn’t sold.

Anybody want to buy our house?

Please?

Another fun thing about the weekend — the debate over who gets to drive the XTerra once it’s here this coming weekend. I REFUSE to drive that while we live here, because going to work is all uphill. The gym is ALSO an uphill drive. So NO, not driving it. I told Rich tonight I’d rather walk to work than drive the XTerra, even if it’s raining outside.

Of course, he said that was fine with him.

Seriously, though, I’d much rather walk or take the bus than do uphill driving on the XTerra. I’m sure I’d scream all the way to work and to the gym. I’m sure the people driving around me would scream, too.

So, another fun week of work ahead – and the last week of having to be apart from my hubby!! WHEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!