Vegas Baby!

Olivia flew in on Monday night, and her flight was smooth sailing. Olivia kept saying how beautiful the weather in California was so beautiful, and how it was Sunny with a breeze. I picked her up from the airport, and we grabbed a quick bite from Chevy's so Olivia could have a strawberry margarita! We headed back to the apartment, and packed up everything, and tied any loose ends up before going to bed.

We woke up yesterday morning, and had to go to UPS to ship all my clothes to Alabama. By the time we got to UPS, did last minute errands, and grabbed breakfast we didn't get on the road until 10:30AM. We stopped off at a road side fruit stand in Gilroy, and bought fresh fruit for the ride. We drove all day, and as I looked at the map I realized the Grand Canyon is right next to Vegas. So we changed our plans of staying in Flagstaff, AZ to Las Vegas.

***Fun Fact*** Olivia said she has no interest in stopping at the Grand Canyon, and said I don't want to go to the DAM! I was like, "Ok, it is the Grand Canyon, not the Hoover Dam, and how do you not want to see it?" and she replied "Um, OK what is the difference between them anyway! What the hell is the Grand Canyon?"...A canyon.

Our cellphones died and the car charger broke, so we were without cell phones for most of the drive. By the time we made it to Vegas which was about 10 hours of driving, we were hungry, tired, and annoyed so we were at each others throats. We kept bickering towards the end, but once we got into our hotel and ate dinner we were fine.

After dinner, we walked the Las Vegas strip, and we caught the show in front of Treasure Island. Sonny (my dog, for those who do not know) kept crying really loud when we left him in the hotel room. So we took him with us, and walked the strip. We were able to exercise him, and see the sights. There were fireworks that go off throughout the Treasure Island show, so he would start barking but other than that he was fine.

All in all it was a solid stop. We are packing up the hotel right now, and heading the Grand Canyon. I took TONS of pictures of the ride, Vegas, and random stuff but OF COURSE Olivia's laptop can't read my memory card! So from now on we are using Olivia's camera or my cell phone from here on out. Pictures to come....

It is a journey not a destination...

Well, this is when my blog entries are really going to start picking up! My last night at LB Steak was last night, and I leave for Alabama Tuesday morning! My sister Olivia flies in to California tomorrow night to help me make the drive back to Alabama. We are going to get some sleep, and wake up bright and early Tuesday morning and hit the road! Everyone keeps asking if I am excited, I am not really feeling anything. I don't think it is even hitting me that I am really moving. I started packing my car today, and tomorrow (Monday) will be full of last minute errands. Sonny is coming with me, so it will be Olivia, Sonny, and me on the wide open rode. The first night we are staying in Flagstaff, Arizona so we will see the Grand Canyon!

For those of you confused on why I am leaving California, and why I chose Alabama here is the breakdown:

I moved out to California 2 years ago for school. The state schools out here were not taking transfers, so I was taking classes at a junior college to buy time until I could get into San Jose State. After applying, I received a letter saying I met all the requirements of admission, but due to overcrowding they had to wait list me again. After 2 years of waiting, I knew I had to move out of state, and my other sister, Olivia, lives in Mobile. The tuition is cheap, and it is BEAUTIFUL down there. So it was an easy solution. I start at the end of this month as a Junior at the University of South Alabama. That's it!

So as for the drive, it is a 36 hour drive from San Jose, California to Mobile, Alabama. We are trying to do it in 3 days...hopefully! We will be driving through California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, and Alabama.

I really want this move to be positive. I want to get healthy both mind and spirit, and graduate from school. I love moving because it really teaches you how strong and adaptable you are, and allows you to start fresh.

You know when Rachel and I told people in Michigan 2 years ago we wanted to move to California, they called us nuts. They said we wouldn't be able to make it, and I would be back in Michigan in 1 year tops because it was so expensive out here. I am here 2 years later, happy I moved, and not regretful at all. I met SO many great people, and saw some of the most beautiful places on earth.

I hope that if you want to follow you dreams, don't let other peoples opinions stop you. LIVE YOUR LIFE!! It is YOUR life. Seize every opportunity. You will always regret more what you DON'T do, then what you do.

It was an awesome ride California! I am off to conquer the Dirty South! Check my blog everyday to see updates and pictures of our road trip, and updates of my new life in Alabama!

Catch you on the flip side!

The latest and greatest...

Hey everyone,

Well it is my second to last night in Mobile before heading back to California for 1 more month. I registered for classes, signed my apartment lease, and today was hired on the spot by two fine dining restaurants. Everyone here is SO nice...like SO NICE. I can't stress that enough. No matter where you are, people make eye contact, wave, and ask how you are. Today this old man held the door for his wife, and then for me, and Olivia was a little ways from the door and he waited and held it for her and said "Come on out of the rain Miss." So sweet <3

When we took a tour of the campus, my back was REALLY hurting, the most it has hurt in a while, and so I was limping. Some guy I didn't even know walk up to me and said "Is your knee bothering you Miss?" and I said "No it is actually my back" and he said "Well, I hope that gets better for you Miss. You have a nice day"...Yeah! SUPER POLITE! I honestly am in shock at just how much manners people have.

One negative is that the humidity is enough to take you out, but hopefully once I live down here I will get used to it.

I posted pictures on Facebook, and I will keep you all updated as I go along!

Kaitlin Meets Alabama...It was love at first sight!

Hey everyone! Well it is day 3 of me being in Alabama, and I fly back to California Friday. I can't attach pictures to this blog just yet because Olivia's computer doesn't take my type of memory card. Anyways, let me start from the top...

My flight was good. I flew out of San Francisco, and connected in Houston. My plane to Houston was the kind with the individual TV's so I watched the Justin Bieber Movie. I am not sure what is more embarrassing, the fact that I watched it or the fact that I cried when I watched it...moving on. My plane to Mobile from Houston was one of those puddle jumpers that was so small they couldn't even put our carry-on suitcase in the overhead compartments because the plane was that small. Nevertheless, I arrived Monday morning at 8am.

Olivia, Dave, and I went shopping at Old Navy because they bought me a gift card for my birthday! So I bought some summer clothes and then to the mall. We ate BBQ at this place called "The Shed". It was super country and I loved it.

The next day we went to the University of South Alabama and we got lost and ended up being 45 minutes late for orientation. Nonetheless we made it! The campus is BEAUTIFUL!! It is all newly remodeled, huge, and has such a southern charm about it. We registered for classes, and got our student I.D.'s. Then we ate in the new dining hall which is so huge, it you pay $7 and then you can eat whatever you want, they have pizza, pasta, salad, mongolian bbq...tons of options.

Then at night we went down to Downtown Mobile, which looks so similar to New Orleans. It has a ton of cast iron black balconies with deep red bricks it was so beautiful. It literally looks like an old southern town. We had beers at a bar with Dave's army buddy Shane, then headed home to watch The Voice.

Today was beach day. We headed to Gulf Shores, and laid on the beach for about 2 hours. We were so relaxed and got some much needed tans.

I love it here! Everyone is so friendly, the area is beautiful, and the school is really amazing. I can't wait to start the next chapter in my life.

An Update

Well, Olivia on a whim went into the leasing office at her apartment complex to ask how much a one bedroom would be for me. Olivia told the leasing agent I was moving to Alabama from California with my dog Sonny, and so I need my own place (since Olivia already has 4 dogs of her own). The lady at the leasing office told her if I wanted I could stay in Olivia's apartment, as long as I paid a small fee.

Olivia and Dave have a 2 bedroom, 2 bath apartment, so for the first two months in Alabama I am going to be staying with Sonny in her guest bedroom. It will help me get on my feet, find a job, and save up some money for my own place.

Although I don't talk about it much, I was EXTREMELY stressed. I was worried about finances, and I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to afford moving into an apartment straight away, since I don't know how much money I'll be making at my new job in Alabama, or even if I have a job!

I was stress eating (I have gained 10 pounds since I decided to move), losing sleep, and just really anxious. Now that I know I will be able to get on my feet before getting my own place with Sonny, I feel a lot less tense. I am back on a normal sleep schedule, and I plan on taking care of my body.

Moving is ALWAYS stressful. However, I think moving to a new place is always so exciting. You get to see new places, meet new people, and try new things.

I look forward to living with Olivia, so we can plan her wedding, start exercising, and studying together at our new University!!

I fly to Alabama on June 20 to do orientation at my new school, and meet with employers to talk about possible jobs.

Rachel leaves next week Thursday for Europe then Australia until October, so I won't be seeing her for a while starting next week. I have loved living with her in California, and being able to explore some beautiful and unique stuff out here. I know this isn't goodbye forever...I plan on living in her basement after I graduate college HAHA!

Olivia, Rachel, and I are on to new adventures! In Alabama and Australia!

The opening of a new chapter in my life...and blog.

Hello all! Well when Rachel and I made the decision 2 years ago to move to the San Francisco Bay Area, we created a blog so our family and friends could follow our journey so I have decided to create a blog to follow my next move to Mobile, Alabama! A lot of you who don't know the whole story are probably wondering, why Alabama? Well, my original intention for moving out here to California (besides getting the hell out of Michigan) was to go to school at San Jose State University, but due to impaction out here caused by the budget crisis, they put me on a waiting list to get in. Well, 2 years later, I am no closer to being admitted, and I was tired of waiting. My sister Olivia just moved down to Alabama, and it was a perfect place to go and finish my Bachelor's because it is cheap and beautiful. So starting in September, I am going to be attending the University of South Alabama. I fly down to Alabama June 20-25 to look at apartments, go to my school's orientation, and go on job interviews. Olivia is flying to California to help pack my car, then Olivia, Sonny (the dog), and I are driving my car across the country to Alabama in the beginning of August.

Rachel is flying to Italy and Rome next month in mid-June for a wedding, then she flies to Sydney, Australia for 3 months to work abroad for Google, then back home to California to live for at least another year.

I really want this blog to serve as an archive for the new chapter in my life. Plus, you all can read as I embark on this big move. I will try an update this thing regularly, and you can read about our adventurous road trip! We plan on driving through Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, and then Alabama! I plan on posting pictures, and stories along the way!

Wish me luck!