We've survived the first week. Survived the spiders, mosquitoes, and humidity. They are still here, but we've survived the first week, so I figure we can probably keep going a bit longer. The first week has also been a learning experience. I've learned that pretty much everybody who said good things about the area was telling the truth, and everyone who said negative things lied to my face. This place is as green as I heard it was. It is, however, not flat! There are hills and hills and hills. No mountains around with snow capped peaks or anything, but hills galore! Poor Alex was looking forward to an easier bike ride to work every morning, not the case. The people here are also so warm and welcoming. They speed like mad people on the freeway, but they are so nice about it. A woman cut me off the other day while I was waiting to pick up the two boys I'm nannying from school. She pulled over and got out of her car, walked up to my window and apologized for doing that. I've never in my life had a driver apologize to me. It's almost scary how cordial these North Carolinians are. My Portland sarcasm is going to be a shocker.
Our jobs are going well. Alex fits right in with his new work team at Starbucks in Cary. And the family I'm working with is very fun. The boys are...well...boys. I'm accustomed to boys though, four brothers will do that to you! They told me they want me to pick them up from school for the rest of their time at the academy - that they don't want to have to start taking the bus next year because they like me better. Score one for the nanny.
We are still painfully poor. We were able to pay for all of our moving expenses and our August prorated rent, but the next month is almost upon us, so we are scraping together all of our pennies to make end's meet. Alex wanted to rent a Redbox movie last night but I told him we couldn't afford the $1.29 until our next paycheck. *Sigh* so pathetic. I'll admit, I have been stressing about it a bit. I want to tell myself that I trust the Lord to have brought us this far and not leave us now. I want to tell myself that He'll give me that peace that passes understanding...but I simply don't right now. I won't fake it 'til I make it. I don't believe in that. I'd rather be honest.
So, honestly, I was crying last night thinking about how we can't even buy laundry detergent right now. Fortunately, our team has been so great to let us come over and use laundry machines, or make us dinner. Anyways, this morning I woke up a little depressed. I had watched Becoming Jane a few days ago (oh I do love girly movies) and there's a line where Jane's father is encouraging her to marry a guy she doesn't want to but he is wealthy: "Nothing breaks spirit like poverty." I thought about that when I woke up with a small grey cloud over my head. I don't want that to be true of me. I want to have the same fervor for Jesus that I do when things are going smooth with my life circumstances. Then Alex texted me from work with a verse he had read today. It is Romans 8:32 - "He who did not spare His own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will He not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" I don't know an onomatopoeia for conviction. But if conviction makes a sound, it rung loudly in my ears as I read that out loud. Ok, Jesus, you've got this.
I am sincerely looking forward to watching how this all works out for my good...and His glory.