I'm starting a blog!: March 2014

Most people know already, but I suppose it's time to officially share the news here! Jim has accepted a tenure track position as Assistant Professor of Music at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana! The next couple of months are going to be sooooo crazy for us, I can hardly believe it! He's working frantically to finish his dissertation and remarkably his advisor has read all three chapters since November (amazing considering it took him nearly 2 years to read the first chapter). Jim will walk in graduation in May, however it sounds like he won't be defending until mid June/ early July. His appointment starts August 15th so we're hoping to get out of Wisconsin sometime in July because we're hoping to see some sights (Yellowstone, etc.) before school starts. I've been quiet about it on my facebook account because I'm waiting until June to tell my employer. It's been a challenge to not share this happy news with people I see most everyday, but considering I just started at this job last August, I think it's best to keep it from them at this time.

There's such a rush of emotions with something like this. The most bizarre is how incredibly fast it seems to be going (never-mind the fact that he's been working toward this for the past 9 years!). Finding housing has been a headache since we hope to find something without actually having to go out there before we move. So far the plan is to rent a year in order to learn the city/school districts and then we'll think about buying. I can't believe we're thinking about buying a house in Montana!!?!!?!!? I've always wondered where we'd end up, but I really never imagined Montana! Did you know the whole state only has 1 million people??!?! Billings is the biggest city in the state with 106,000! That's SOOOOO insane!?!?! I'm having a hard time believing it. And here I was thinking Wisconsin/Minnesota was the middle of nowhere.

February and March were very stressful for us. Jim interviewed at Rocky Mountain College (RMC) on Feb. 14th then they turned around and offered the position on Feb. 17th. Initially they gave him a week to decide, which would have been Feb. 24, however he was to leave on Feb. 23rd to interview at Nazareth College in Rochester, New York. He was able to push the Rocky Mountain deadline back to March 7th, but that still complicated things because he was scheduled to interview and Louisiana State University on March 10th and then SUNY Fredonia later in March. He ended up cancelling those interviews because it felt too risky to turn down RMC waiting for another offer. And really, what can be better than Montana?!?! We will be one hour from Red Lodge which looks amazing - see a quick link here: http://www.redlodge.com/
We'll be about 3 hours from Yellowstone. Wow! Come visit, we'll be your own personal tour guide :)

Don't get me wrong, it will be hard to leave Madison. We've loved this city from the very beginning, so it's hard to imagine not calling it home. Words can't express how much I'm going to miss our hockey league and then I find myself missing ridiculous things like not being able to find my favorite India flat bread (Paratha - try it - it's amazing) or Trader Joe's Lavender filled dryer bags (there's not a Trader Joe's in the entire state - *sniff*). The thought of looking for a new job that fits our needs makes me anxious - not to mention figuring out childcare. Change is hard and uncomfortable, harder when you have a little one in the mix. There are lots of silent pep talks going on in my noggin.

Another interesting tidbit that's surfacing as I mentally prepare for this move, is the very obvious traits of my Dad manifesting within me - as a professional worrier. I can't help but think about my childhood and all the shenanigans we drummed up in Northern Minnesota. Aly Smith and I would scale every acre of woods around our "neighborhood" and I can't help but think of Little David and the mischief he could get into in the mountains. Nothing bad can really happen to you in Nevis, MN but I find myself worrying about David falling off cliffs, waterfalls, getting lost in the wilderness, getting eaten by a bear. I joke (kind of) about getting a tracking chip implanted. Is that legal?

We're trying to squeeze as much family time in as we can before we move. David and I are looking forward to a 5 day visit at my brother's in April. Fortunatly my mom with be there too. In May my mom is going to Pennsylvania with us for a five day trip. We're going for the wedding of a friend, but we'll be taking David to Sesame Place (http://sesameplace.com/en/langhorne/). He loves Elmo and is hopefully going to LOVE IT! I've been wanting to take him to this since I saw this article more than a year ago! (http://www.ivillage.com/must-see-places-take-kids-theyre-grown/6-b-454632#461297). How convenient to have friends who are getting married in Reading! And isn't it cool that Yellowstone is #2 on the list!?! In June, Jim's mom (and hopefully sister and niece) will be going to Green Bay for a Thomas the Train event. David LOVES Thomas so I'm really looking forward to talking him to this. There's a life sized Thomas - how cool is that!?!? David will freak - it's going to be sooooo awesome! Here's the link: http://www.nationalrrmuseum.org/dowt/main

Then I think we'll take it easy until we move. :)

Since the last post we've been keeping ourselves busy doing the same ol' things: Children's Museum, "Pay Pace" (toddler free time at Legacy Academy), hikes in the arboretum. We're really enjoying the warmer weather. Following are some photos of that last couple of weeks.

The ice castle I built for David. It helped me to not be so miserable during those -20 days. This is me making "mortar" out of a slushy snow/water mix.