Adventures in Michigan

Wow- this post is a LONG time over-due. It has been a crazy couple of months getting settled in way out here in Michigan. We were sooo burned out by the time we got here, it took awhile to get unpacked- and we still aren't fully unpacked/ organized in some areas. The worst was the first two weeks where we couldn't find the bolts for the kids' bunk beds- so the kids just had their mattresses on the floor and we couldn't really organize or unpack the boxes in their rooms until the beds were set up. BUT, eventually we DID find them with our pool stuff, and life moved on! Now we are really enjoying our cute 1930's house and it's charms. I will have to post pictures of the inside when I remember to take some pictures. Although we live kind of far from everyone else in our ward (it is really spread out), I love our humble neighborhood. We live only 1/2 a mile from Lake St. Clair, so it is fun to see lake front most every day I go out!



The other major challenge was how long it took for Jon's limited medical licence to be approved in the state of Michigan. It took extra long because of the problems he had in Washington- he had to mark the box saying he was involuntarily let go from a residency program. It isn't a cut and dry application because then somebody in that government office had to investigate what happened. We turned in the paperwork literally the day we got it in mid-July (including official fingerprints!)- and it wasn't approved until September 22nd. Those first few weeks of September were really stressful and worrisome since the residency program would not officially hire him and start his contract until his licence was approved. Although deep down I knew it would be fine, there still was that side of me that worries- - seriously, what would we have done? What if we spent all that effort and money to move out here for nothing? Well, everything DID work out and Jon is now officially working and getting a real paycheck- - YAY!!

The GREAT news is that the program here is night and day different from the one in Yakima. It is SOOOOO much better!!! Not even comparable, actually. Their focus is truly on family medicine- Jon spends most of his time with the clinic (which is his interest and what he will be doing after Residency), with a few days doing something at the hospital for that current rotation. He is doing Internal Medicine right now, and truly is only working at the hospital a few days a week, and they don't expect him to work evenings and weekends. Every month or so, he will have to take a week of the clinic call and may have to go in to take care of a clinic patient in the hospital- but he does the call from home, and because he is only taking care of their own small clinic, the load is really light compared to what he was asked to do on the FMS rotation in Yakima. Besides the stress level of what he is asked to do, the attending physicians- - mainly the program director are sooo much more supportive and good to work with. Also the other huge difference we have noticed is the amount of education they focus on in this program. They have an educational lecture three times a week, often times more, and go to Lansing often for conferences. Jon feels like he learned more in just the first few weeks there than he did in months and months at CWFM in Yakima. I am sure we will still have our moments- but seriously, things have been awesome so far.

The rest of the family is doing great, though it took awhile to get there. I definitely had some rough moments where I felt sooo overwhelmed and far from home. Lillian and Marcus also seemed to have a rough time with missing their friends- Lillian still talks about wanting to go to Caroline's house, and Marcus moped around for at least a month because he missed Ethan. The worst was one Saturday just a few weeks after arriving when it was raining and we all needed to get out of the house. Jon and I were stressed because of finances, not knowing when he would actually be able to start bringing home a paycheck, and the kids were really missing their friends in Yakima. We didn't really know what else to do but just go walk around the local mall, which was even more depressing because we couldn't even pay for the kids to play on the only playground (it was inflatable jump houses, and such). I was too depressed to make dinner and didn't want to pay to go out, so we just stopped at the grocery store to get some frozen dinners and canned soup. That night I just broke down. I missed my friends, my family- - I just felt so far away! But, time has moved on and I have made some good friends here and we have a wonderful ward. Truly there are so many things I am enjoying about Michigan! The kids really love school (I have been SUPER impressed with the school, especially Marcus' teacher). Lillian also attends a free pre-school through the school district four days a week and LOVES, LOVES, LOVES it. I am truly amazing at how academic it is. She will be ready for Kindergarten next year!

First day of school pictures- I even got some with Marcus and Cynthia's teachers!






So, through the craziness of unpacking, and all the details of a major cross-state move like changing to Michigan residents (this is the first time I have had anything but a WA driver's licence because any other time we lived out of state, we were "students") - - - we have done some fun things to explore the area. So on to the more interesting part of my post!

The first week we were here we went to a neighboring part of the Detroit metropolitan area for their community festival. Warren is a little closer to the city and had a fun carnival with fire-works. Despite the crazy traffic, we had a ball! The kids had fun doing a carnival fun-house and running through the fountain! Even Tyler loved the fireworks . . .







Another great local attraction within about 10 minutes of where we live is Metro Beach- a sprawling park with a beach front, playground, splash park, miniature golf, marina, forested hiking trails . . . you get the picture. We kind of hit it at the end of the season but have still enjoyed it. The first day we went there was a historical camp set up to depict the first settlers to the area in the 17th century. As far as swimming goes, the water is pretty yucky, but the kids still have wanted to try it out! We bought a year pass because we know we will be there often.





The Library here is also really great- the kids section has fun stuff to pretend with- like this covered wagon! another place we will go often!


More fun - - -

Some face painting fun at a local doctor's park that was putting on a free little outdoor barbeque . . . Can you guess what they are? Cynthia is a cat, Lillian a puppy, and Marcus is Iron Man.








I want to end with my observations of living in Clinton Township, in the Detroit Metro area of Michigan.

Things I am 'ahem' getting used to compared to Washington:
1. the "Michigan left" - - many major roads are divided by a wide center and don't allow left turns, even at a major intersection. To turn left, a driver has to turn right an then follow the u-turn lane. To get from one business to another on the opposite side of the intersection is a nightmare since there is usually just one driveway, even if the business is on the corner. Being new to the area made this a real picnic . . .
2. More gray, rainy days (though there is a pay-off- - see below)
3. No mountains or pine trees
4. More traffic
5. It takes longer to visit people in our ward- most of my friends live at least a 15 minute drive away
6. Terrible roads (pot-hole ridden, rough, and badly patched)
7. Expensive fresh produce- - I REALLY miss the free or super inexpensive fruit!!! I miss canning . . .
8. Most of all, it is so far away from most of our family, and I miss my group of friends in Yakima (especially book club . . .). 36 ish hours of driving is just too far!

Things I really like about Michigan:
1. IT IS SO GREEN AND BEAUTIFUL! I LOVE the deciduous forest which covers most of the state unless it has been cleared for farming or city. Because of the extra rain, it is always green and everything grows super lush. I especially am enjoying the fall colors.
2. More shopping options that I could possible comprehend- - in every direction! I actually live close to MANY grocery stores!
3. Cheap gas (it's a good thing since I am in the car so much more)
4. The speed limits are faster here on cross town roads. A road that would be 35 in Spokane or Yakima, is 45 here.
5. There is SOOOOO much to do here. We haven't even scratched the surface. Besides the many parks, indoor play areas, YMCA fun, a great library, several malls and a nearby discount theater, I am looking forward to the Detroit Zoo, The Henry Ford (which is like a theme park), going up the the UP (upper peninsula which everyone raves about it's beauty), maybe a trip to Toronto in Canada and/or Niagra falls which are both about 4 hours away.
6. I love the accents people have and how they always use their hand to show where in Michigan things are. EVERYONE does this, even on official directions given on government forms.
7. I love living close to my sister in Columbus, Ohio. We have already gotten together twice!
8. MY HUSBAND IS HAPPY GOING TO WORK EVERY DAY!!!! THIS IS HUGE!
9. I feel we fit in really well in our ward- there are many other residents, interns and medical students. There are also wonderful other people (as in every ward we have lived in)
9. And last but not least, we are only 1/2 an hour from the Detroit Temple, which is next to our Stake Center.


MORE TO COME!