We have internet at our house! Yippee! It's sad how empty the house feels without internet. Granted, our house IS empty and will be until July 30, but still. Baby steps.
Isn't our empty house gorgeous though?! I adore it.
Since my last post, we moved to Maryland. Nadine did so well on the four separate flights. It probably helped that the Army bought her a seat on all the flights, which was wonderful.
On our way east we stopped in Utah for 36ish hours to visit Todd's family. It was a really fast but fantastic trip. I'm glad Nadine has now met most of her paternal aunts, uncles, and cousins. While there we had a BBQ, and Todd's dad bought the coolest water slide. They so didn't have stuff like this when I was growing up.
Pictures of Nadine are on the baby blog.
The rest of this post is whiny. If you don't want to read my "woe is me, boo hoo" post, stop now and just look at adorableness. But if you don't mind joining my pity party, keep reading.
I doubt I am alone in this, but I have a really hard time moving. I've realized moving gives me a major case of the blues, so I'll admit it: I have had a tough time since we've come to Maryland. It probably doesn't help that we don't have our household goods and won't get them for a couple more weeks. That's a lot of sitting on the floor.
I dread getting to know people again. Not that my cup runnethed over for a social life in Hawaii, but I at least had one person I could call who got me out of the house a few times a week. During our previous move I learned I need to be proactive instead of just sitting in the shadows complaining that no one talks to me. So I was excited to put myself out there. But I went to a church activity last night and left more depressed than when I arrived--that's never a good thing. It totally takes the wind out of my "be assertive, can-do" sails.
I understand people get busy and forget to stop and think of others (I know am guilty of it), but my goodness why don't people remember what it's like to be the new person? Again, I know I need to make the effort and blah blah blah, but sometimes it's nice when someone else is trying too. Hopefully I'll have wind in my sails again in a few days.
What have you guys done to successfully fit into a new area?
OK, waaa waaa waaa I'm done. Sorry this post is so Debbie Downer.
12 comments:
Oh, Jen. How well I remember being the "new kid in town" 22 years ago when we moved here. It was YOUR family that kept me sane. You and Matt had your family invite us to dinner and FHE the second day we were here, and your mom called and invited me to every event and even asked me to join her wallyball team. She was my own personal angel the first year we lived here. I sure hope you find a similar angel there. I'll be praying for you all!
I'm sorry Jen. Hopefully it will be better in the next few weeks when people see you around more. Maybe you could go visit Kyle and Amy? (I don't know how far they are from you but just a thought.)Sorry I don't have much advice. When I felt alone up at BYU, especially in my ward (when none of my roommates went to church), I tried sitting by and talking to people who also look alone. That was really out of my comfort zone but it seemed to help me. It's probably harder in a family ward but maybe it will help. I'll pray for you as well. Love you!
Yay! I have been blog-stalking you for a long while, waiting for a post, and now it pays off!
In other news, I love that picture of Nadine and her "entourage" in the middle of nothing-ness. It cracks me up and if it were mine I would stick it in the treasure trove that is my journal. (My precious...)
Sadly, I have no advice for meeting new people. It usually takes me months to make *a* new friend, and then I become a parasite and make friends with all of his/her friends.
But I have faith in you! There must be some sane, outgoing person just waiting to be your friend (who is probably wondering where the blazes YOU are).
That's all she wrote in the longest comment ever.
get called as the RSP! that's what did it for me!
I don't really have any good advice either. :-( But I do feel for you. I hate trying to meet new people, and I too have gotten frustrated and annoyed when I step out of my comfort zone to be assertive and it doesn't really work. I guess all I can say is keep trying... and give me a call anytime when the losers there don't realize what a great friend they're missing out on. :-)
Your house is gorgeous. I know there are mommy play groups (like MOPS or something?). Maybe give something like that a shot if your ward continues to be frosty. Doesn't a slushie sound good or a rootbear float when the glass is frosted? Yum. If they were that kind of frosty it would totally be ok. Sorry, I'm pretty much useless and have random thoughts pop into my head.
I have no advice... I've been back here since '01, and have yet to make new friends that aren't friends with me because they have to be because 1) they live on my street or 2) I'm dating some random guy in their friend circle.
Hmmm, that was a long run-on sentence.
Barnes&Noble has storytimes for kids during the day, as do the local libraries (who also usually do age-based activities). The libraries a great place, usually there's a toy/play section for the little ones too. Granted those are self-limiting to other moms with kids, but it's a start.
Check out meetup.com and look for random groups in your area that interest you. The whole point of that site is to get people together who wouldn't normally meet, but have similar interests.
Is it August yet??? I need some drool.
First off, your house is so gorgeous! I love it and can't wait to see what it looks like with all your stuff in it!
It is hard going somewhere new. I'm sorry that it sucks so bad. It'll get better (it has to right)? People totally don't remember what it's like to be new unless they were recently new themselves. Maybe find the other "new" people and start with them. People should get to know you, you're awesome!
That is always the hardest part of moving and I'm sorry you're going through it now. When we moved in 4 months ago, I had one of those RS activity experiences. I walked into the gym and there was not one familiar face. I was so proud of myself- I picked the group of girls I thought looked cool, then went over and interuppted their literal circle of chairs and asked if I could join them because I knew no one. They all ended up being pretty nice. Until they all decided I was way too old and they couldn't believe I had THREE kids. They were all early twenties and no one had kids. I am obviously a poor judge of friends!
Ah Jen! I feel for you...I have been here a year and still have NO friends..of course you know how outgoing I am. It has been a really rough transition for me ever since we left BC. For Hyun too. Even with my entire family here, I feel alone most of the time. I wish I had more helpful hints for you, but know you are not alone and you can always call me if you need to talk...once I get my phone fixed. :)
Love your house!
I've moved tons since we've been married. It's always been within 15 minutes of my last area, but it's still just as hard as moving across the country (always a new ward/stake in Utah) I've learned to just be confident and if you're not, "act" confident. I'm always the one to make conversation first and I've made some really good friends that way. You are going to make friends in no time. You are so fun, it's just never gets easier to move. Hang in there!
Good luck getting all settled in!! It is hard to just put yourself out there especially when you don't know anyone...hang in there!!
Your house looks so cute. You will have to post some pics when you get all your stuff in there!
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