What I like about you

You really know how to dance! YEAH!!

Jk, that's an oldies song. But lately I've been thinking a lot about how much I DIS-like my current location, I thought it was about time that I switched gears and started appreciating what I DO like. I'm not completely miserable here in Big D, and I am truly going to miss LOTS of things about it. Because this is my blog, and this is what I do, I've compiled a list.

Things that I will absolutely miss about living in Dallas: (these are not in any order of importance):

• My apartment. I wish I could uproot this place and move it with me. I love the location, I love the space I have, I love that the kitchen cabinets just happen to blend perfectly with my blue and green dishes and green sofa. I even like having my landlord's family close by to keep an eye on things and have grown a little bit attached to their 3 sweetheart babies.
• Jogging in my neighborhood. I live in a quiet pleasant neighborhood and  people are always out running/ walking dogs/ riding bikes/ mowing the lawn, etc. I like feeling like I'm a part of this little community. Somehow getting in my routine jog makes living in Dallas feel a little less like a rat-race.
• Dinners at the Craddock's. Oh man, Sara and Brandon have been my life-savers in Dallas. They lived literally 1 minute away from me when we lived at the Village. Now they have their own house and they were the 1st people I called when my apartment got broken into. Sara has an entire grocery store supply of actual real people food in her freezer. Plus they're just all around good friends who I never tire of hanging out with. Which is probably why I constantly overstay my welcome and eat them out of house and home whenever I get the chance. Never-the-less, I always feel welcome at the Craddock's. I'm going to miss you so much! I can't start thinking about it too hard or I start getting teary.
• Knowing my way around. Might not sound like much, but I'm just now figuring out how to get around in this darned city and I don't like the feeling of not knowing where I am and where I'm going. Story of my life lately though. Figuratively speaking.
• Kasey Wilson. Kasey!!! I will just miss you so much! I will miss our random hang-outs that always seem to end in late-night heart-to-heart conversations, running events together, making Taco Soup, camping trips, planning camping trips, and now your wedding! I'm extremely happy for you and Nathan. I remember when we went on our last camping trip and you were so nervous about how Nathan hadn't responded to your facebook message :) Now you're getting married!!! It's encouraging to be a witness to how God's plan for you has unfolded this past year. I feel like I've made a life-long friendship, thanks for sharing your best friend with me, Erin.
• Being within a 5 mile radius of a Central Market, (2) Tom Thumbs, (2) Whole Food Markets, a Kroger and an Albertson's...I am pretty much never far away from mounds and mounds of food.
• Northpark Mall, Mockingbird Station, Lakewood Strip Mall, Preston Center, Snider Plaza, The Galleria....I may sound like a shopaholic but GOOD GRIEF, you cannot deny that this town has got some excellent shopping. This might make it on the "dislike" list as well because of all the money spending temptations.
• Having an income. NOT having a job, I won't miss that. But I WILL miss that bi-monthly deposit...
• Mallory and Jordan. My sweet little cousin Mallory, oh I will miss you! I've loved having you here close, somehow even if we don't see each other a lot, it's just comforting to know that you're here. I'm so proud of you and Jordan, I know it's ridiculous but I sometimes think it's just amazing that ya'll are old enough to be living on your own in the big city. To me you will always be my little cousin-friend :)
• White Rock Lake. I don't feel that I've taken full advantage of all that you have to offer, White Rock. But I love driving by you, and occasionally riding my bike or taking a jog about your shores. Mostly I like knowing that you're there, like a little bit of wilderness in the middle of all these manicured lawns and concrete.
• Ethnic appreciation nights with Ashley Ketchersid. This is a long standing tradition that will stand the test of time, I am confident. We're going to make it happen again before I leave this place, AK. You can bet your white butt. (Like how I censored that for my blogging audience?)
• Being near my buddies Leigh & Kelly. Oh, my life friends, you will be so missed! Sometimes you make friends in college who for whatever reason don't last. Leigh & Kelly are not those friends. I will miss being within driving distance of you both, but I'm not worried that we will make time to still get together no matter where life's road leads me. You are both so precious to me! And I'm so excited about Leigh's baby girl coming soon! She will be a welcome member of the group, I think I already love her :)
• The Village Church and Church friends. I feel so blessed to have found some really great church friends at The Village. It's a big church, and there is lots of diversity there, but somehow (by somehow I mean, by the grace of God), I found some great people who I can really relate to, and who have walked with me and grown together in our relationship with God. A lot of them have slowly dispersed this past year so it feels right that I should move on too. But we will definitely keep in touch and hopefully reunite someday! And I will definitely be keeping up with what God is doing there through Matt Chandler's podcasts. He is truly doing amazing things through Matt and the people in Dallas. If you haven't experienced it first hand you should really check it out. I'm allowed to plug on my own blog, right?

cha cha cha changes

I guess this is old new to most of you who read this, but a few months ago I made a decision to quit my job here in Dallas. After a week long trip home at the end of July I got to spend a lot of time with my family, as well as time to get away from work and really think about what I want to do, where I want to be, and who I want to be with.  I came to the conclusion that I needed to either dive head first into life as a permanent Dallasite, or move on to something and somewhere new. Dallas & I have never gotten along very well anyway, I'm not cut-throat enough I guess, so my decision was easy. MOVE ON! I wasn't expecting to actually quit my job the next week though. I feel the need to explain something for anyone who thinks I'm crazy for doing this.
The way my company works is different than some in that the "Project Coordinators" like me, are the main points of contact for our clients. Most of the time they don't need to talk to my bosses unless they have major issues, which hopefully they don't :). I have multiple clients who depend on me & I've formed good working relationships with through my 3 years here. When I returned to my job after Border Town Days my bosses told me that they had just acquired a new "Class A" job and one of my clients, who I've worked with since I started here, was heading it up. One of their "selling points" for getting the job was that he would be working directly with me, and went on to elaborate on how JCI doesn't switch designers mid-project, always the same point of contact, etc.... As they were telling me this I was cringing inwardly. I had already made up my mind to quit, but I didn't want to do it that soon. I've never done really well with sudden change, ideally I like to slowly & gradually ease into it. But, I also didn't want to start this huge project, knowing full well that I would be leaving before it was completed. Plus I know myself well enough to know that I just wouldn't be dedicated enough to be in charge of something like that when mentally I had already basically checked out.  I've never had a good head for business. I understand that "business isn't personal" concept, but I have a hard time putting it into practice. Because it's always personal when there are other souls involved, sometimes that's not a bad thing.
So, long story short, I talked to my bosses on the morning of my 25th birthday, August 9th. I told them about my decision to move on. And I am telling you, I've never felt such a weight lifted. We talked and decided that I would stay on until December, finishing up the existing projects that I have already been working on, then transitioning into more of a support role until the end of the year. SO....now I'm moving! Although it doesn't feel like it, I'm still here & working on finishing up some existing projects so nothing has really changed yet. And I have no idea where or what I'll end up doing. I don't have another job, and I'm still not completely sure where I'll be living (yes, I know all you Nashville family are so sure I'm moving there but I don't remember actually telling anyone that for sure). But I'm actually looking forward to my future for the first time in a while. The unknown is actually 10 times better, and 100 times more exciting than thinking about staying at the same job for the next 5 yrs. So far all I've actually decided on is that I don't want to live in Dallas anymore, but that one decision has changed my attitude so much! All of the sudden it doesn't seem so bad now :) But I know it's only because there's an end in sight. Oh, and I just want to give a shout out to all my Dallas friends who have been the SOLE reason I've even stayed here this long. Without you....I just don't know...I don't want to think about it. Anyway, thanks for humoring me with this incredibly too long ramble. If you've continued reading this far I know you're a true friend :)
Please pray for guidance in decision making for me, as well as patience to be able to finish up here with grace. Love you, Meagan