Isabella Maria

Isabella Maria
Her 3 week pictures... such an angel!

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Arizona or Bust?

Disclaimer: I do not feel good at all. I am on lots of meds, including half a vicodin for the unrelenting sore throat and general muscle soreness that is accompanying this cold from hell. Oh yeah, AND I had a tooth pulled this week too. This week has been kinda crappy. At least right now it doesn't feel too bad. I am getting a little sleepy though. So if blog is goofy, it is because I am blogging on meds.

Last May Aaron applied for a position with the Border Patrol. With his background we figured hey, great job, good pay, no worries of layoffs, we can't go wrong?
Last week Aaron got a phone call from someone in Washington DC that said his application was completely processed and it looked good, now we are just waiting for the final/official offer. HOLY SHIT. This job will definitely move us out of state, to the Mexican Border. He put his preference in for Tucson Arizona. The man from DC is talking to the hiring center about our house, he will hopefully find a way for us to get out of our mortgage so we can move. We simply can't afford to go to AZ and pay for our mortgage here too.
I know virtually nothing about Arizona. I just googled different stores I go to, and yes, they have a Target, Kmart and 13 Walmarts. However, no Meijer or Kroger. Where will I buy food? I talked to the lady from the Chamber of Commerce there, and I think she thought I was a dumbass. I asked her if there were scorpions. Heh, she was like, "Yes, honey, we live in the desert." I act cool like, oh, OK... but inside I am freaking out. DESERT? People really live in deserts? I used to live in New Mexico when I was a young child but 1. I lived on an Air Force Base, and 2, I moved to Michigan before my 6th birthday and I have been here ever since. I remember having grass in New Mexico. All the pictures of houses for rent I see in Tucson just have dirt, bushes, gravel... no grass. I guess that is cool for someone who doesn't like to mow the lawn (i.e. Aaron and I). But if I see a scorpion I will definitely, without a doubt in my mind either shit myself or scream. I am leaning toward a little of both. I don't like creepy crawlies. Oh and PS- she said they have Black Widows there too. Great. Fan-f*cking-tastic. Every time I have been bitten by a spider in the past I end up in the ER due to the swelling of the area that gets bitten. So why don't we add a spider with poisonous venom into the mix. Awesome. Will I need an epi-pen? :/
On the bright side when I was looking for houses for rent, they have a WHOLE lot of new houses for rent, bigger than our current house, well kept (at least it appears that way on the 'net...) for hundreds less than we pay for our mortgage now. I mean sure, we could get one that costs more, but that would just be stupid. Plus, I like the thought of making more money than we do now and spending less to live than we do now. It won't make up for being essentially alone in a strange place, but at least maybe we can get in a better place financially, which sounds great.
The thought of being without my families (my own and Aaron's...) and our friends is depressing as hell. I don't want to miss my sister grow up, or Sadie and Juniper (that's what I will call her until I know what her real name is). I love my job, I like my house, I have great friends that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world... and there's a really good chance I am going to leave it all. Sounds horrible. But at the same time, with the economy the way it is, passing up a job in the Border Patrol could very well prove to be the biggest mistake we ever made. AND, if we have the opportunity to get out of our mortgage and just rent again and not have all the worries home-ownership entails, that would also be a huge blessing. I just hope all our friends and family keep that in mind and instead of making us feel guilty for leaving they wish us well instead. :( And I hope they all move with us too.
Don't you all want to live in the desert with me? Cue in Sam Kinison's stand up comedy "YOU LIVE IN THE FUCKING DESERT! IT'S SAND!" LOL.
So, can anyone tell me anything about Tucson? Have you ever been there? Would you live there? What parts should I avoid? Which hospital should I try to work in? Are they nice there? Will I be a minority being non-Hispanic? (better known as pasty white girl) Fill me in!
OK, I think it's about time for me to flop on the bed and get some much needed rest. So friends, please consider moving with us. It'll be fun! It'll be an adventure! Please don't make us do it alone!! :(

6 comments:

kimberkara said...

I'd consider giving AZ a try. I would have the same issue getting out of my house too, so if your friend can help me too I would REALLY consider it.

I will try not to guilt you about leaving, but I'm still going to make fun of you for worrying that you will be too white or that they don't have grocery store. :0P

I'm Scooter, but I might be a troll. said...

Arizona? There's no hockey. Andrea, you need to do what is right for you and Aaron. Your friends wouldn't be very friend like if they held that against you. Besides, you would meet interesting and new people, and you could visit back here.

In this economy, you should do what is safe and stable. Anyone that would hold that against you probably is very childish.

cassdawn said...

i would TOTALLY live in arizona. and i say that despite it being the state where i was rejected by the grad school of my choice and my leg was irrevocably ruined and i almost died - in fact i think of it often and if it were ever and option you might well see someone you know there after all. although if i were going to arizona i would go to tempe but if you don't have a choice well . . . tucson has a huge university and as a result of that there is actually a fairly vibrant community going on there.. go 45 minutes into the desert and up the mountains and omg - that reminds me the mountains - you've never seen something so beautiful. anyway; 45 minutes out and up and you are in a little town called bisbee that winds itself around a mountain. i totally fell in love with it. i will say yes, it's hot / it's hotter than hot. the fact that t is a dry heat DOES make a difference but it's still hot. now, me, i loooooooove that. can't get enough. in fact after three days of being there i was starting to wear a coat at night because 70 was too cold. on the upside there is no question of 'does this place have ac. every place has ac - in fact it would be best if you looked for a place with central. it shouldn't be that hard to find. i think my ex still lives there. i will email him and see - ask him what he thinks and then i will find you some pictures and post them.

as for your personal life. you have a very tight circle and support system and i imagine that will be nearly impossible to lose. but hell, kim and i have talked about going to arizona before maybe *you* could get her to go although i know mark loves michigan. autumn said she wanted to leave . . . maybe you could get her to go :)

there are a lot of hispanic people but i don't think you will be the only pasty face. if nothing else there is the aforementioned university full of white folk haha

anyway - definitely pray for arizona NOT NOT NOT texas. or as i like to call it satan's taint.

by the way - i was thinking about you cuz you never answered me about the spell. also, i will get you that list of herbs today.

Kate said...

Starting a new life in a new place knowing NO ONE....hmmm...take it from me, it is NOT as bad as you think it can/will be. It is hard but almost every day I think about how bad things could be if we were back in Michigan. I miss EVERYONE and everything back there BUT this is an incredible experience, starting a new life. I am still new at it, but it is sinking in and I know this is the best opportunity for both of us. Try to keep the positives of this in the forefront. Deal with the negatives later. And, if anyone gives you crap about leaving, they are the ones with issues and they are deflecting onto you. Feel sorry for them, don't let them get you down. I still feel like I am living a permanent vacation looking out my windows at the beautiful scenery. Oh, and we have black widow spiders in Colorado too :)

Cat's Litterbox said...

My brother and sister-in-law live in AZ and LOVE it. My brother HATES the cold and said he'll never move back because it's so nice out there. You'll adjust to the heat (believe it or not).

The Tucson area is beautiful (my uncle lives there). My mom was raised in Tucson and has fond memories.

As for the Meijer thing, dude, there's no Meijer here either. I know there are other grocery stores there that you'll love though. ;)

As Kate said, moving to a new place without knowing anyone is VERY stressful on a marriage, but it can also strengthen it beyond words. You're both great people and will have no problem making friends.

There is something called Meetup.org and you can join to meet friends. They do casual things and you might make some great friends that way.

Anyway-- good luck!!
:)
Cathy

Booya said...

Ok, in no particular order. I will take the dessert over the cold any fucking day. I hear their housing market is in the toliet so don't be so quick to think that you don't want to buy, trust me the housing prices will come back up (can you say profit). You got like bears and shit in MI right? Shit, I can step on a scorpion and kill it, try steping on a fucking bear. And when your family and friends come to visit you, it will totaly rock. And I got a buddy out there, who is from Detroit non the less, who loves it. Oh and there are plenty of grocery stores (and golf courses, get a job there, the tips are incredable). Oh and it's a dry heat ;)