Last Sunday marked a new chapter for Andrea and me; we left our life in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania behind and began a new adventure. I was (and am) incredibly excited as well as frightened. But I’m convinced moving to Seattle is the right thing to do.

Our church hosted a going away party for us Sunday night after church. It was a very special time. Lots of hugs, tears, and “see you laters”. I’ll miss so many people there including the Gaskins, Hulls, Crowdens, Nicks, Williams, Dan, and many others. I can say with utmost assurance that I am a better man because of these people.

I also find it amazing that, despite my most meticulous planning, that God’s plans are better than mine. I originally planned to move to Seattle directly following my college graduation. But no jobs developed and I somehow ended up in central Pennsylvania. But I learned so many things and met so many wonderful people there. During my time several things happened to me:

1. Time passed. The economy has improved. Companies are hiring. I graduated just after 9/11 if that tells you anything
2. I got work experience. A necessity in a competitive work environment.
3. I got to know my wife’s parents much better living with them for the first four months of our marriage and living the next two and a half years less than two hours away. A blessing.
4. I got out of debt. I can almost afford to live in Seattle now.
5. I found what seems to be the ideal job (for me). It was actually the first job I interviewed for in Seattle. The company is small, the hierarchies are flat, business is good, the technology is diverse and interesting, the office is in historic downtown (a block from the waterfront and close to tons of cool restaurants and such), and there are coworkers my age. Wahoo!
6. The Baeder’s bought a big house. They have space and a big mortgage. We are in need of space and have money to help pay said mortgage. So Andrea and I will be crashing the place until further notice. Essentially, we’ll be fighting materialism through community. Expect to see more on this from Justin and me in the future.
7. I became less cynical about my COC heritage. I’m able to see both the good and the bad and use that for the glory of God.
8. I got to see and work with some truly Godly elders. Not CEOs. Not rulers. Not power-mongers. Servants. I hope to be like them someday.
9. I got to meet some really, really awesome people I never would have met before. Thank you all so much for your friendship and love. Let’s continue it!
10. And finally, and most importanly to my wife, I met a baby that I absolutely adore. I now don’t find them quite so petrifying.

We’ve spent the week in Delaware visiting with Andrea’s family. It’s been totally great. Tomorrow we leave for Ohio to spend a week with my parents and high school friends. Then we make for Seattle via Nashville, Arkansas, Kansas, Denver, and Yellowstone National Park. I hope to keep a travelogue if wifi permits. Keep us in your prayers as we travel over the next two week.

Grace and peace.