Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

I guess I'll start his post like I have most of my posts on this sorely neglected blog... Man it's been a long time since I've written on here!

A lot has happened in the last few months. As per my usual, I will list it for you:

• I took the GRE in August. It sucked, but I should get my scores in any day now, so fingers crossed for a score good enough to never have to take it again. That's all I ask for.
• I started a new class this fall, and it's not only [literally] double the work of the last one, it's boring. Like, mind-numbing sometimes. It's called Program and Policy Analysis. And it's almost over.
• My boss had her baby in late August and went on maternity leave. I have taken over the majority of her duties at work, and it's a lot to manage at times. I think I've done a good job, but I do miss her guidance at times.
• Caleb and I decided this fall that we were ready to start the process of eventually moving to the Des Moines area. We were half-heartedly looking for jobs, when my dream job came along! I applied, had a bunch of phone interviews and a half-day in-person interview, and got the job! I will start at the ISU Foundation as Development Coordinator for the College of Business on November 28. (One nice tidbit that I calculated - I will be making 55% more at my new job! Woohoo for a salary that reflects my work!)
• With this job change came a lot of heartache for me, and tons and tons of guilt. I am cutting my boss' maternity leave short (but only by a couple of weeks), and leaving my office in a bind. We were really moving forward with our lean team of three, and me leaving really sets them back. But I have been learning to set aside my guilt and realize that I have to do what's best for me, and I know in my bones that this move is the right thing to do. Everyone has been supportive and encouraging, and it's helped me put aside my self-deprecation and be happy for myself.
• Caleb is still job hunting, and we are hopeful for a position at Principal that is opening up this week. He interviewed a few weeks ago for a position with them, and had great feedback, but was not the right fit for the position. But this new one is sounding good, so fingers are crossed for him to land a job so we can travel south together and not be apart for too long.
• I broke my personal record for the half marathon, and ran it in under two hours! It was hard, and I wasn't sure I could do it for a while, but I came in at 1:58:32, which is a 9:03 pace. I'm incredibly proud of myself, but glad to be done running for a while. We do have Living History Farms Race in a couple of weeks, but that is a fun run with no expectations for me.
• Caleb and I are currently apartment-hunting, which totally sucks and is stressing me out right now. As in, in less than three weeks, I start my new job, and I don't have a place to live! Ugh...

Well, that is most of the large updates on my life so far. I can't make any promises, but as we figure things out on this new chapter of our lives, hopefully I will update this blog more often for my faithful three or so readers. :)