Hello, California

Missed me? 

I know, I haven't blogged in forever. I fell WAY behind on my project 52, also, but for good reason. If you all recall, we were headed to California at the end of July and we ended our time with the military. So, here we are at the end of...September! Two whole months. I think it's time for a bit of a life update. By the way, I have very few photos edited and ready to share from our road trip, so there will be a separate and more detailed post to follow once things calm down even more. 

So, yes. We made it to California in 7 days, and that was with leisure time! We stopped in tons of states, enjoyed time with James's grandparents in Iowa, blasted pokemon music through Nebraska because it was so boring and flat, had a nice night for the two of us in Vegas, and literally gained 10 pounds from gorging on food we haven't had in a year and a half. We also didn't kill each other after spending 7 days next to each other in the car with three animals, so that's a victory in itself. 

Life in California has been...challenging, to say the least. We arrived here only to find that no one would rent us a house because neither of us had a job at the time and the military dropped the ball (no surprise there) on giving him proof of funds for his GI Bill and from the VA in a timely manner. Having a dog and two cats was a challenge, as well, because very few apartments allow dogs here. Renters also rarely accept animals because most of the time, their properties get way damaged. It took us weeks to find a place to live. We eventually did (and we love where we live - it somehow worked out for the best), but it wasn't without its challenges. 

I was also in the middle of my summer semester, meaning that I was taking exams, quizzes, and writing papers at the end of each travel day. Not fun and I wouldn't recommend it. 

James had his own trials with school. As mentioned before, no proof of funds or anything from the military, making it hard for him to register for classes without all the proper paperwork as "payment wasn't confirmed." We spent the better part of a week driving back and forth between Santa Clarita and Santa Barbara just to sort that out. 

On top of all that, my car got totaled. In the middle of having no home, no job, no income, finals, and trying to work out James's school (which is a big portion of our monthly income). The story doesn't need to be told again because I'm still somewhat sore over the loss of my first car so suddenly and I miss it quite terribly. Which, I know, sounds dumb and "first world problems," but it was the only stable thing I had at that point besides my husband and pets. It was also a secure car that was comfortable to drive and there's still a very strong sentimental attachment to it. 

So, in the middle of all this chaos, we had to buy a new car so I could continue to go on interviews and job hunt. Getting things like groceries and just transportation in general is kind of important, too. 

Things have settled down some, though. I have a job! I'm working part time at a kids and maternity store called Peanuts (which I absolutely love) and it's a load off my shoulders, to say the least. I probably went on about 15 interviews before I was offered a job and searched for about a month. And, we do have a home that we're renting. James's paperwork finally came and his school got all sorted out. I also started my semester and it's all going along very smoothly, even with a job and a long commute. I also photographed my first wedding (and realized I have a bigger interest and knack for it than I thought) and finally am able to get back into a routine for working out. We still have things to take care of, like finding a newer and more reliable car for me, but I'll take the small hurdles over dealing with 5 major life dilemmas at once.