Foreigners In A Strange Land

We survived the holidays in a strange land.  Christmas did not completely feel like Christmas, but we made the best of it.  Kids are amazing.

Ryan is digging into his new job.  I am so proud of his efforts and success in his career.  I have dubbed him Mr. Amazing.

It really does seem to rain a lot in Oregon.  The rocks are so mossy.  The grass is always so soggy.

I still love it, and am so grateful to have my beautiful little family together.

A Different Kind of New Beginning

We landed in a nice house on a Forest Service compound in the middle of Oregon.  The compound is located directly across from a man-made lake that some other federal agency uses to prevent flooding in the valley below us.  The town has less than two-hundred (yes, that is 200) year-round residents.  Very secluded.

The teenagers are not so happy about this.

Online school seems to be the way to go.

Teenagers are not so happy about this either.

I, on the other hand, love it.  It is peaceful.

Ryan loves his job.  His supervisors are mentoring him well.

Hopefully, the teenagers will adjust.

A Decision Made Together

So, in all of our adjusting to being a family of five, not counting the furry family members, we decided it was a good time for Ryan to make a career move.  This is not just any move.  It is a move that will take us physically 12 hours from our hometown, and all that we know.  It is a necessary move for Ryan to move foreward in his career goals.  So, move, we will.

In the beginning...

 On October 12, 2013, I married my friend of more than 30 years:  Ryan Wellings. 

I tried for years, even decades, to convince him that my life (and me) would be too much chaos for him.  You see, he is the quiet type of guy... he enjoys calm and quiet at home... even at work...  I on the other hand, have 3 children, an ex-husband, and a big, crazy biological family of my own.  There are always extra people at my house, and I always have too much going on!  I was worried my life would either traumatize him or drive him crazy!

We were walking one summer evening, by a cool creek in the woods, when he asked in his quiet way "Are you ready to give me a chance now?".  After a minute or two, I responded with a nervous "Yes.".  You see, this is my best friend.  If things go wrong, I would lose the person I talk to, cry on, laugh with, and relax with.  I was risking more than I was sure I was willing to lose.  However, he had been so persistent, and insisted that I would not run him over or drive him crazy.  He promised me that it would be ok, and I know I can trust his promise. 

A few short months later we were sitting on my front porch (on my porch swing), where he proposed to me, and gave me his mother's ring.  The stone in the ring is alexandrite.  It was brought back from Africa during World War II, by his grandfather, for his grandmother.  Ryan's mother had it set into the ring that I now wear proudly.  At one point he talked about getting me a diamond engagement ring, but I told him that no diamond could ever mean as much to me as the ring that was already on my finger... so that was that. 

We were married in our home church, and the kids and I moved into his home.  We are all settling in nicely.  It's been a shock, and we have had some tough adjustments, but all is well.  Now that we are settling in, and things seem to be calming down, I am ready to get back to work online. 

Internet marketing has been such a learning experience that has offered me so much freedom!  I think I am restarting at the beginning.  Free ways to make money with Google Ads.