Scribbles from Emily: Phoenix at Last!

We totally brought the rain with us, all the way from Iowa to Arizona! Most of the time the clouds were right above us, as if they were leading us to the promised land :) But other times they were off to the side, so we could actually see the rain coming down, like in this picture

This is the beautiful sunset we watched last night, after returning from a long day of apartment shopping and checking into Arizona State University. I wish I had pictures of the campuses .We went to two, and were sent from building to building at both, making for a very sweaty day. And I now have a massive blister on my heel. I could barely walk at the end of the day! Both campuses were very interesting, very different from Iowa State, but really cool buildings. Polytechnic Campus is where I'll be, it's about the size of ISU but the student population is about 11,000. Unfortunately, after all of our driving and walking in the 113 degree heat (Plus humidity), the advisor I needed to talk to was busy, and so I'll have to call her Monday probably, after I finish applying.

I took a video of the model apartment, but I held the camera sideways apparently. If you put your head to the side, you'll get a dizzying idea of what our apartment is like.It has a fireplace. I know what you're thinking, "Why would you need a fireplace when it's hot in Arizona???" Well, it gets really cold at night, especially in the winter. Since there isn't usually much humidity, there isn't cloud cover, so the sun beats down in the day and with no clouds, the heat all escapes at night. I've been told it can get below freezing even. Plus, it looks cool :) And we can roast marshmallows!

Of all the apartments we looked at, this was by far our favorite. It's in a very nice neighborhood, plus it's gated, and I think it's very safe. It's in the back corner of the complex, so it will be quiet also. Although, the whole complex is really pretty quiet anyway. There's a strip mall close by, with some very high-end stores, as well as lots of dental surgeon, pediatric, and orthodontist offices. We drove around in the evening, and close by found a residential area where we think the people who worked in the nearby dental and pediatric offices live. The homes are gorgeous, and most had green grass lawns, which is saying a lot. I am pumped to move in. Today we got a call from the agent we'd worked with yesterday and she told us that we were approved, and we could go ahead and call the electric company and get renters' insurance. Unfortunately, they're closed on Saturdays, so I'll probably do that on Monday.

After all the driving and walking yesterday, today Brian and I are taking it easy. We haven't left our hotel room yet, and we might not for a while. It's really nice to take a breather! We're planning to run some errands and see a movie tonight. It's between Toy Story 3, Despicable Me, and Knight and Day.

Thank you for all your prayers! I can't believe we've already found a place to live! As my dad said, God has His hand on us, and maybe that's why it's so warm! ;) But seriously, God answers prayer!