Our new home.

For those who are not on facebook:

http://s976.photobucket.com/albums/ae248/michellej0925/First%20week%20explorations/

:) xoxo

Annnnd here we are.

Finally! We are now broadcasting live and direct from Berkeley, CA. Our new apartment is fantastic, pictures will follow, don't worry. We are slowly but surely getting settled into our new environment. The past few days have been somewhat tough. It finally hit me that we actually did move 2400 miles away from home. That, for me was, and honestly still is something that I am struggling with. However, day by day, it is getting much easier to become acclimated to our new surroundings.

Today we went out exploring our neighborhood for the afternoon to see what was around. We stumbled upon a really really cool area of town just a few blocks from our apartment. There is all kinds of unique shops restaurants, and people hanging out. There is even a "vivarium" there. Never heard of it? Well neither have we until we went in. It is a specialty pet store for reptiles. They have probably about a hundred different species of snakes, lizards, turtles, and other strange creatures. Veeeerrrryyy strange indeed. Fear not though, I vowed to bring anyone who visits us to that place because it is definitely an experience.

While in this area, we decided to grab lunch at a really great sandwich place right across the street from a Peets coffee shop. At the coffee shop, or rather on the sidewalk in front of the coffee shop, there was a full band just hanging out playing music. There really is nothing in the world quite like eating lunch outside in Berkeley while listening to a band play their rendition of "The Thrill is Gone".

Each day, I realize more and more that this is where it is all happening. So many big musicians come through here, and there are many more who are just getting their start. Neil Young is playing three shows in oakland next month which is just a 15 minute commute for us, and another show in Davis, CA. which is just about 45 minutes from here. The US Open is also at Pebble Beach this year, just about a two and a half hour drive down the Pacific coast from us. This really is the place. Come visit when you can, and don't forget to check the 10 day forecast periodically for 94710! Take care all, we love and miss you!

http://s976.photobucket.com/albums/ae248/michellej0925/

http://s976.photobucket.com/albums/ae248/michellej0925/Day%20Two-%20Lincoln%20to%20Rock%20Springs/

http://s976.photobucket.com/albums/ae248/michellej0925/Day%20Two-%20Lincoln%20to%20Rock%20Springs/Day%20Three-%20Rock%20Springs%20to%20Reno/

Enjoy!

Pictures can't explain.

Tonight I find myself still trying to catch my breath and take in all of the beautiful scenery we drove through today. It seems unreal that places like this exist in our country! We have driven through Wyoming, Utah, and most of Nevada and were up close and personal with places that I have only seen in pictures (which, by the way, do no justice to how breathtaking they really are). I know we promised to keep you all updated with pictures of our daily adventures but we are struggling to find the time to fiddle with this blog enough to figure out how to put them up, sorry!
We sleep in Reno, Nevada tonight which is only a stones throw from the California border. As we plan for tomorrow, our move in day, I get more and more excited/nervous/happy/proud/scared/shocked about being a Berkeley resident. The reality of living in this wonderful place instead of vacationing has not set in quite yet but I am starting to realize just how far away I am from all that I have ever known and loved in the midwest. That being said, I am also realizing how incredibly lucky I am to have this opportunity to start a new life with a wonderful man and could not imagine going on this journey at any other time in my life or with any other person in my life.

These are the days we will remember forever.

Day Two: Lincoln, Nebraska to Rock Springs, Wyoming

Welcome back readers, friends, family, and proxy travelers. Today was another wonderful day of travel. We are starting to enter the "scenic" part of our wonderful country. From the beautiful rolling hills of western Nebraska, to the Rocky mountains of Wyoming.

Before I get into the nitty gritty of today, I feel as though I should touch on yesterday a bit. Yesterday, at least for me, was a particularly tough day. I said goodbye to my wonderful family in the midwest and as all goodbyes tend to go, it was very bittersweet. My entire family has been nothing short of fantastic to Michelle and myself over the past few years spent in Cincinnati. It was however, the first day of the rest of our lives as we embarked on the great journey west.

For me, today was a day of perspective. Of course what we are doing is incredibly brave, but as you are driving across you can't help but think about the legendary explorers who made this journey with a covered wagon, a weapon for food, and a lack of knowledge about what they will encounter on the other side of the Continental Divide, let alone whether or not they would return home safely.

Our journey is of course, much MUCH different, as we are aided by GPS devices, iPhones, a plethora of fast food restaurants for "nourishment", and most importantly, an understanding of what it is we are going to encounter on the way and at the end.

Each mile we get closer to San Francisco, i feel more and more energized. It is so very exciting to see and take in this part of our great nation. I have a wonderful traveling companion (I love you, Michelle), and her parents have been a huuuuge help to us on the way out.

Time to get some sleep. Another loooong day of driving ahead tomorrow, but at the days end, we will be within four hours of our final destination and our new lives together. Until then!

Thanks for reading all! Be well.

Maybe not.

So I can't figure out how to put more than one picture on here (any suggestions?).
Plan B: here is a link to the pictures on Photobucket:

http://s976.photobucket.com/albums/ae248/michellej0925/

Goodnight!!

14 hours....800 miles

While driving from Cincinnati to Indianapolis to pick up my mom and Dennis this morning I thought it would be so great to blog and post pictures once we arrived at our first stop in Lincoln, Nebraska to update you all on our journey...unfortunately, after driving for 14 hours, through 5 states, totaling 800 miles, we are VERY tired (believe it or not) so I will post a few pictures to hold you over until we get more energy. Enjoy, we miss you all already :)

It's sinking in.

It has been so long...here's why;
We have had a lot going on the past couple of weeks including moving to Loveland with Dan's mom so we are able to sublet our apartment in Oakley for the summer (which has little to no internet connection which makes it difficult to update blogs, but is beautiful and surrounded by nature so it is ok!) Also, it turns out that there is a lot more "technical" and petty things to be done when moving across the country than we originally thought so we have been transferring addresses, making reservations, paying final bills and deposits for upcoming bills, servicing cars, quitting jobs, cleaning and organizing our lives, saying goodbye to loved ones...the list goes on and on!
This past weekend we made a visit to the beautiful capital of our country where my best friend and her fiance live. Most of the weekend was spent talking to two of my best friends (Jill and Katie) about Jill's upcoming wedding, Katie's new job, as well as our move to San Francisco. DC was a great time and brought this trip to reality for me. It is wonderful to be able to share our experiences of starting over with people who understand the excitement and fears of the unkown, which made me feel even closer to all of them. Although Dan and I are incredibly excited to start this new life in a new place, it will be very difficult to not be able to drive a few minutes or hours to see our closest friends.
3 days left as Ohians...