Rachel visits!

Rachel came to spend thanksgiving with me and Michigan! She was here for a total of 10 days... Let the cat fights begin!!
We had so much fun, and I got to show Rachie my fav spots and my favorite guy;baby J and she of course explored on her own while I was working.
We tasted wine in Royal oak, did some shopping in Brimingham, settled in Troy and travelled to Canada!



For thanksgiving, we headed to Canada, Windsor. Explored the shops, streets, water, sites and ended with a fancy dinner! Luckily, Canada's thanksgiving was back in October so everything was open... score!

 

We started our adventure in downtown royal oak followed by a romantic dinner:)

I then showed her some local places, and some we just stumbled upon

 

 

  Canada in Windsor

 Canada tunnel

 Windsor outlook

      At one our favorite bars we were in for a treat... it was live entertainment night. This guy tried out for American Idol,But didn't make it. He starts singing us his try out song; family matters theme song. Rachel, being the fan of family matters that she is, starts singing along... which, by the way was the ONLY person. And well, the picture tells the rest...

Windsor Bridge Point 

Crossing back over the border

  GMC riverfront overlooking Canada

Happy Thanksgiving

 The sites here reminded us of the eco bondi crane movie!

And here is how Rach helps me watch the boy...

 

 

Give Back

Christmas is right around the corner and I have some great gift ideas for your friends or family!
My church is partnered with an African mission and women and children over there make jewelry. Keep in mind that just one bracelet that you purchase can feed one child!... wow!
I really like the style and it is affordable! So if you need some gift ideas, search this site

Merry Christmas!

My new pad

1285 kirts blvd # 205, Troy Mi 48084

My new Place! It is starting to fill more and more like home! Although, I do not have any of my furniture yet...sad... so I am sleeping on an air mattress, eating of plastic wear and sitting on the floor to watch TV... but at least I have that! My apartment is in a nice, safe, quiet neighborhood.The unit itself is huge for a one bedroom, one bathroom. So many closets in this space that I actually need more clothes to fill it up:) The complex pays for the heat and water... which is huge! All apartments here in Troy are "older" type places so it is a different feel that I have to get used to.
The weather is getting cooler as we speak. It has snowed off and on, but not for too long. I am still dreading the mornings where i will have to shovel snow off and out from under my tires!... Wonder if I can pay someone to do that?!
I am still going to the church that i have mentioned in earlier post and will usually tag along with people I meet afterwards for lunch, a girls gotta eat!
I have been having to adjust to the limited of things that I can do outside when its 20 and below. Now when its 30 I ... and the rest of Michigan are outside taking advantage of the weather! Way different than Texas and its heat index of 107... ouch! Good bye floating the river with a beer and hello drinking cider by the fire! I feel like this is the life and weather I was made for! Fire, coats, board games and coffee!!
I miss you all! Sholam
Below are some pics of the new place

10 Hippest spots

I have lived here for a little over a month now, here are some of my personal fav spots!

1. Downtown Royal Oak. I could be here every day, food, art galleries, shops and movies... what more do i need.? Here is a list of all the places you can go
2. Geniuses. This is currently the church I attend.
3. Holiday Market. Discovered this market today. It is just like the central markets we have in Texas and we all know my love for central market!
4. Eastern Market. At this market you can purchase the freshest fruits and veggies for super cheap! It is only open once a week on Saturdays located in mid town Detroit.
5. Somerset mall. This mall is literally one of the best malls that i have been to. True, only rich people shop here... but a girl can dream and window shop... right!? Also, this place is a block away from my new apartment... uh oh, Pops send money ASAP :)
6. Detroit Riverfront. Beautiful here! Baby Jonas and I always try and venture out in the cold to walk along the riverfront
7. The Green Dot. This place is walking distant from our current house. It is a bar/ pub... my kind of place!
8. Astros Coffe. It is a coffee house that is located 2.5 mins away from us, corktown.
9. CiderMill. Michiganders are HUGE on cider and doughnuts around here. There are several cider mills; where they make the cider... pretty cool to watch and taste delicious! On the link you will see several images!
10. Olgas. Amazing food

There you have it !

The place I call home

What a few crazy weeks!
Michigan is wonderful, of course I'm lonely here and there and miss people terribly... But I've been experiencing some kind of thrill being in a new place knowing nothing and no one!
For the past few weeks I've been living with the lee family and it has surprising gone well, am getting extremely close to them, which I know now that it was in Gods plan all along.
However, on November 9th I will have my own apartment! Whooo:)
It is in the town of troy very close to royal oak, Birmingham and Franklin ( where the lees have bought a house)
Troy is an awesome area, has one of the biggest malls in the nation and shops and eats are all up and down the street. I can walk 2 streets up and be on the main st, called big beaver( ridiculous name, i know) it's a 1/1 and has huge living space!

New address is 1285 kirts blvd , troy Mi... Send gifts! Ha!

What I love about Sundays...

This Sunday I tested out a new church in the royal oak area. The church is called Genesis and it is a mixture of people my age and families. It is a smaller church compared to the one in Austin, but I like it so far.
After church I started chatting with a girl and she walked me all along the royal oak downtown and gave me pointers of what's good! People are so friendly here- overly nice if there is such a thing!
I then walked across the street and grabbed lunch and came across the most AMAZING cupcakes; taste love.
This place won the 4 th season of the food network show "cupcake wars"!
Amazing!

My trip to Canada

Only day 2 and yes, I've gotten lost!
So I set out to attend a small group and my gps sent me to the wrong area. Technically was my fault since I forget that Detroit is huge and has different cities all around, so I assume it would be Detroit , but I have since learned otherwise!
So here I am in the wrong part of town and call the leader of the small group, type the 'corrected' address in and realize it will take me 40 mins too late. I decided to head home... An hour later I'm still driving around with two gps ( my phone and Garmin) telling me to go 2 different ways.
Some how and I honestly don't know I ended up going on the Canada bridge... And once you're on it , you can't get off! So I had to cross over into Canada and do a u turn and cross back over to Michigan.
The only issue is; when you return to the country you must have a passport and that I did not have. When I arrive to the check point , where they are to check passports and search cars I am hysterically crying and telling him I my whole situation. This sweet old man was trying to calm me down. I fortunately was able to get back into the country... Whew what a night:(
Attached is a far away pic of the infamous bridge to Canada. It's real close to our house and apparently easy access

We're here!

Yes! We made it to Michigan without any trouble! Saul , me and the baby headed to the airport around 10 am and boarded the plane around 1230! Jonas was wonderful! We put him in his carseat on the plane, he cried for a second and that was it! He fell asleep as we were taking off and after he woke up , read his books and played with some toys... And of course had snacks! 3 hours later we landed in Detroit!
I'm staying with the lee family ( Jonas, parents) until I find an apartment. It's working out pretty well. Its completely furnished and I'm on the bottom floor with my own bedroom and bathroom, the 2 nd floor is the living room and kitchen and the 3 rd floor is their bedrooms! God could not have made this Any better !
We are all adjusting pretty well, we are only an hour ahead of Texas , so no biggie!
The weather has been amazing , hitting 50-60 each day , but everyone tells is to expect the cold , it's coming soon!! I'm not sure if I'm ready yet haha! It's not even that windy here which doesn't make 50 feel like 40 haha!
People drive crazy here, which I like because I don't get honked at as much. They are very "care free"... I haven't heard one horn honk! The traffic lights are different too, I didn't realize that you get to yield on red on left turns. If the light is red and you can go , go!
I've enrolled at a gym for 2 months ( thanks to groupon) and also will be attending a small group on Wednesday... More to come on that story later! My hours are still 8-5, it's nice that I can wake up at 750, throw clothes on , walk upstairs and I'm At work lol. Then at 5 I usually try and leave the house just to get out for a bit.
Here are some pics of Detroit! beautiful:) and a pic of Jonas on his first airplane ride !

Change of plans

Wow... These past few weeks have been insane to say the least!
I packed up my entire life and am living out of three suitcases right now... did I mention that I am homeless ha!
Our original plan was to leave oct 5 th... today , we are still in Austin !
Jonas got and still is very sick... fever, vomiting, and an ear infection and is not able to be on the plane for another 10 days until the ear infection departs.

Onto plan D or E...

new plan is for Saul, Jonas and I to fly out the 16th. Meanwhile, Melody had to head to Detroit for work and Saul had to go with her so he could collect our cars and boxes which were shipped and are to arrive next week. It is just me and Jonas for the next 10 days... God help us all :)

It is cool to see how God is working in all of this and how bad the enemy is trying to throw us curve balls. not only have we had to change our flights three times due to illnesses, Saul and Melody nearly missed their plane this morning, thanks to the cabs that never showed. Baby J and I had to rush them to the airport. But they made it and we are all trying to stick to this plan!

Day in the life here...

Following the trip

whew! what a trip this was. i am returning back to good old texas.
this trip was a success in many ways. it easily won my heart with the weather, view, culture, and towns and i cannot wait to see why the Lord wants me here... not too shabby!
Although i did not square away an apartment, which was a huge stresser... i still have such peace and excitement about this move, so i am, for once in my life , going to roll with the punches! and lets be honest, that's not me at all. i like for EVERYTHING in my daily life to be planned out. i remember when i was younger i used to tell my family  my life plan, which was me being engaged by 23, married by 25,  and at least one kid by 28.. well, um... i am 24 now and i am not engaged, no plans of getting married and well, no kids of my own. HA!

WHAT IS NEXT...

We are all still on board for moving that first week in October, so like october 5th. Mel and I will take Jonas with us to Michigan, while Saul stays behind for a month to sale the house. I will stay with Jonas' family for a few weeks until I get into an apartment! I will be temporarily homeless:) can't wait haha. I still planning to score an apartment in the Royal Oak area, which is amazing and looks almost like a touch of Austin. Pictures to follow!

Visiting Michigan

im visiting Michigan and have spent the whole day travelling from plane to plane, to shuttle, to car and finally to my hotel! whew.
if you know me, you know that im not the worlds greatest traveler... im know for calling my sister the day before i board the plane and make her check me in because, yes, i still don't know how! and of course, i arrive at the Austin airport at 5am( special thanks to mal for taking me that early) and try to check in at the delta airlines with my southwest ticket... nearly had a heart attack with the lady telling me , " we dont have a connecting flight to Chicago". however, i finally made it and on the right plane!

a little about Birmingham

Birmingham is about 20 miles outside detriot and as soon as you are driving pass detriot, it is beautiful, trees, parks, landscape... just wonderful!
 pictures will not do it justice, the weather is perfect . i could live outside ( in the fall anyways). you can walk all around, the area reminds me of 45th street with a touch of westlake.  today, i walked all over the place and then drove into different areas to try and "learn" the roads... but we all know thats a joke, i cant even get myself back home without a gps! on my adventure, to my surprise i found a whole foods and wal mart... are these things chains?!