Our kids are best friends and I can see the boys hanging out in high school and the girls be best friends and talk about boys they like and do everything together like sisters.

They are truly friends that we always wanted to have in California but never had the time to do meet.

This is another thing that we could not have if we did not live here in Texas, not to say that we could not find and make friends in a different place but this is where we belong. This is where we were meant to be.

I was wrong.

Back in California I would regularly have Chinese food when on my lunch break during the week. During my exploring here is Texas I was unable to find a good Chinese fast food place. It is not that there were several and that they were bad. There just weren’t any.

Until today.

I found a Panda Express in the opposite direction of were I usually go for lunch. I usually am not a big “Oh this food tastes so good” person but… The food tasted so good!

So, there you have it. I think now I can say fully –I do not miss California.

The first one was when I was just sitting still waiting to turn left. The guy behind me was not paying attention and bumped into me. Fortunately he was only doing about 5 MPH do it did not do too much damage (just a few chips in the paint on the rear bumper).

The second accident was 6 days later. I was following behind a car when it pulled to the right shoulder and then decided to try a u-turn right when I was on the side of it. I had to swerve all the way into the media (thank God there wasn’t a curb) but they still hit me.

The second one was a shock. Before the first accident I had never been hit before (I have hit a car or 2, but that is a different story) so being in 2 accidents in less then a week was just simply unbelievable.

Oh, the worst part was that I wasn’t even in my car for both accidents, I was in Elsy’s! The good news is that the Toyota Camry is pretty solid being beat up like that.

It is being repaired at the same shop for both accidents and we should get it back at the end of this week.

It actually worked out best that the apartment was not done as I would not of had a bed, a tv, or any thing else because everything else is still in California. I have all those things here in the hotel (along with internet access).

Anyway, I start my new job tomorrow so that should be fun. Go Longhorns!

I am also happy to report that I have secured an apartment very close to where our new house will be. It is a really nice brand new apartment that is going through the final stages of construction. It should be available around the time I start (I might have to hang out in a hotel for a little while until it is ready). The apartment comes with all the appliances that we are getting with our new house so we do not need to bring anything from California. It is also located really close to a brand new HEB (that’s a really nice grocery store chain for you non-Texans).

I have to say that I am so thankful to God for making everything go so smoothly in every aspect of our move. He has just confirmed over and over again that this is the direction that he wanted us to go.

So this is the breakdown of dates -

Feb 2nd – Dan’s last day at Learning Tree
Feb 3rd – Dan leaves for Austin
Feb 6th – Dan starts new job
Feb 6th – 18th – Sometime around here I move into our new apartment
Feb 10th – Elsy’s last day @ UCI
Feb 17th – Dan flies back to California
Feb 18th – The whole family leaves for Austin
Feb 19th – We are in Austin

That is it. We are all so excited to be moving. More updates will come when they are available.

I am flying to Austin Thursday night for my final interview on Friday with the company that I have been interviewing with over the phone for the last few days.

The company is called Coremetrics (their website is here). What they do is analytical web-based software that tracks visitors on a website. Companies use this information to find out what sections of their website are being visited and which are not. They also can find out what type of people are buying from their website and use that information to spend their marketing dollars better.

The position that I would have is a Product Manager Position. I would be primarily responsible for the demo software the sales people use when they go to sell to customers. I am really excited about this position because it takes advantage of my sales and technical skills.

I am expecting that I will receive and accept an offer while I am there on Friday.

It is really to the point of being unbelievable how everything is working out so smoothly. From buying our house in Texas, to selling the house in California, to getting a job in Austin. I really had no idea how all of this was going to work, but God did. He is so awesome!

I will keep everyone posted with what happens on Friday!

The difference would be paying $2500/month to stay in California in the houses that we are in right now or pay $750/month for all of us in a town home in Austin. We like the Austin idea better. What this means is that Elsy is going to quit her job and not work again until after Dan Jr. is born. It also means that all of our plans are escalated, as far as visiting people before we leave California and figuring out what we are going to take and what we are going to leave.

Also, that means that I need a job in Austin. I have already have had several phone interviews and actually have my 2nd and 3rd interview with a company on Tuesday. If all goes well (which they and I think it will), I will be flying out to Austin this coming week for a face-to-face interview and to accept an offer. The nice thing about this position is that the minimum salary for it is what I am making now, so our budget will be literally unaffected.

Anyway, sometimes things work out a little sooner then you expect and that seems to be the case here.