The big move to California and my birthday!

I'm finally settled into my apartment in California after a week of being here. It's been a long process to get my apartment in a live able condition, but all the hard work has paid off. But, I'm getting ahead of myself...I'll back-track to leaving Missouri.

So, I left Missouri bright and early on Monday, August 4, with my parents. We took Buddy to Lucky Dog, his boarding place, where I said good-bye to him. (I'll really miss having my dog to pet and love on!). Then we took my parents' car to the Tulsa airport parking lot so that it would be there for them when they flew back in. From Tulsa, the long journey continued in a blurred fashion. We drove so fast through so many cities that I hardly paid attention. We all took turns driving and cramming into the backseat of the Mustang. We drove through some pretty areas, like Flagstaff, Arizona, and some really desolate areas in New Mexico and especially in the desert in California. We finally arrived in the L.A. area late Tuesday night.

Wednesday morning we went to my apartment complex so I could get my keys and check in with the apartment manager. After I got my keys, we opened the door to my apartment, and we were faced with the reality of my living situation. The apartment was absolutely filthy! There were cobwebs everywhere, the kitchen walls and stove were covered in grease, the shower was rusty...it was dirty all around. (Another highlight of the apartment was my gas stove from 1957, which is thankfully going to be replaced soon!) We immediately bought tons of cleaning supplies and started deep cleaning the apartment, which took two days. And, this whole time we were sweating to death because..and here's another perk of the apartment..there is no air conditioning! So we finally got it all clean and then the fun of unpacking began.

Thankfully all of my boxes arrived and amazingly only one thing was broken in transit. (The one thing was a gift from someone who is best forgotten anyway, so it was okay.) It took awhile to get unpacked. I realized that I have tons of shoes and clothes! I'm a very blessed person! We also added some homey touches to the apartment. We put a cute tablecloth and place mats in the kitchen and pretty bathroom accessories with a matching rug in the bathroom. We also rearranged some furniture to create a cozier atmosphere. Now it really feels like a home instead of just a place to live. I just hope that my roommate feels the same way when she returns from Korea.

My parents and I worked really hard last week getting me completely and comfortably moved in. After slaving away, we did manage to have a little fun. Saturday night we went to Downtown Disney with my cousin Greg, where we ate dinner at a really nice Italian restaurant, Naples. Then, Sunday I took my parents to LAX. They returned to Missouri, while I embraced my new California life.

This week I've been able to have some fun. I've hung out with my new neighbor, Jackson, who's a really nice guy from Alabama and will be a seminary student at Talbot. And, one of my classmates, Charis, arrived from Malaysia on Monday! Charis and I have had fun spending time together since then. It's been fascinating to learn more about Malaysian culture and introduce Charis to American things like tacos and sunbathing!

Today I thoroughly enjoyed my birthday! This is the first birthday I've been able to spend on the beach!! Charis and I went to Huntington Beach today where we enjoyed watching surfers, taking a really long walk on the beach, and walking along the pier. I also got my iPhone today! And I had some Coldstone ice cream tonight with my friend Jackson.

So, things are going pretty great for me in California. In spite of not having air conditioning, I'm enjoying my new apartment. I'm learning my way around the area and really enjoying all of the shopping centers and restaurants that are close by. The next big thing this week will be finally meeting my roommate on Friday!