"Is this real life?!"

Please tell me you've seen this video... well this is how I feel .... "IS THIS REAL LIIIIFE?!"

No, I didn't get a tooth pulled.... the thing is ... WE'RE MOVING TO NEW YORK!!! That is right...

T.J. applied for a graduate position at Cornell University in April- we saw the opportunity probably in March and thought "WELL THAT WOULD BE A DREAM OPPORTUNITY!!!" He applied.. and we waited... May rolls around and we hear that we will be informed of the top 3 candidates by June... June rolls around and low and behold T.J. made it to the TOP 2!! So then we're supposed to hear who the candidate is by July... as you can tell we didn't hear until TODAY, August 4th that HE MADE IT!!!

I actually found out first- I was at my computer at work and checked his email (for the 6th time that day) :) and saw the email immediately (first of all who emails someone this kind of news?!?!?!) So I proceed to FLIP OUT and hyperventilate and realize I have jumped out of my chair and am doing some sort of weird pacing- holding my heart- not breathing thing. I don't know why but I convince myself that I can "trick T.J." on the phone into checking his email- about 5 seconds after he answered I just blurted it out "YOU GOT IT, YOU GOT IT, I PROMMIIISEEE!!!" okay :) sorry- after that is was just a blur. I just remember T.J. saying "HOLY SMOKES, HOLY SMOKES, HOLY SMOKES" hahaha. I run to my boss' office and look like a crazy lady- I don't think he understood me for 30 seconds and he made me sit down to calm down and breathe :) I COULDN'T stop shaking. Luckily my boss is REALLY nice and very supportive- VERY IMPORTANT! ;)

So... right now my cheeks are killing me- I feel like I did after my wedding day with 1,000 pictures taken- I can't smile one more time tonight or my cheeks will explode!!! I think I'm coming to my "calming" stage- it's not even 8pm and I'm about to go get my book and get in bed- waaaay to much excitement for one day!!!

We haven't made our "game plan" yet but as of now we will probably move a week from this Thursday... we are guessing. CAN'T TALK ABOUT THAT YET OR I'LL CRY :) this is so bittersweet- the only time I really almost broke down was when I called my mom- I literally don't know what I'm going to do without her so close to me- okay DONE can't talk about that anymore or I'll start crying right now.

We do have a house ready for us there! :) God worked this out SO PERFECTLY and we had already put a first months rent down to be safe!! This house has ROLLING ACRES (PERFECT FOR THE DOGS), the landlords are letting us take the kitty- which they normally never allow, and even reduced the price for us (which includes snow plowing!) :) It is so evident that the Lord worked this out b/c this family even stated to us they NEVER would normally do this (hold a house for complete strangers) but they just "had a good feeling about us" :) (AKA GOD!!!) I've already done some looking around job wise and I'm seriously considering nannying again for awhile- I loved it the first time, so I might just try it again! :)

You guys- T.J. IS SO EXCITED. AND I'M SO PROUD OF HIM. He truly is so smart and driven!!! The professor that accepted T.J. told him that this really was a "once in a lifetime opportunity and he would've died for it at his age" hello Ivy League school- here we come! :) I'm just going to live vicariously through T.J.- I've never known this "smart life" ;) His masters will be in fisheries aquatic ecology in the Natural Resources department. He basically be be doing a 2- 2 1/2 year long project on trout in cold water streams- he is PUMPED and is bringing a lot of his own ideas into it.

I literally don't even know what to think, I go into these crazy "OH MY GOSH" phases, and then like... wow... I have to pack up a whole house in a week :) :) :) Troy and T.J.'s mom are for sure going to travel with us there (Thank you Lord!) so that will be nice!!! Not excited about the HUGE prices on the U-HAULS though!!! Booo.

If anyone has any advice with moving, leaving your family, etc. GIVE IT TO ME- b/c I'm a homebody and I don't think I realize what's about to happen!!! I'm trying to continually give it over to the Lord b/c I know He has HUGE plans for us!!! We are so happy!!!!

I think I covered all the bases... but if you have any questions you can still ask me :)

Also here are just some wonderful pictures I found of Ithaca!!! And if you didn't already know I'm not sure HOW I'm going to handle this cold weather... I'm already a baby as it is!! Did you konw that in Ithaca, NY (where we will be living) they had a "hot spell" the other day when it was in the UPPER 80'S?!?!?!?! HEELLLOOOOO Literally almost no houses in Ithaca have AC!!! This will take some GETTING USED TO :) and I'm sure we'll be snowed in all the time!!

Also- MOST IMPORTANTLY :) I'm going to TRY MY HARDEST to blog AT LEAST once a week if not more when I'm in NY- I mean don't you want to know what we're doing every day!?!?! :) So "FOLLOW" my blog- you can do that by literally clicking "follow this blog" on this page. If you don't have a gmail account it takes like 5 seconds to set one up- if not... you just won't know what's going on in the Ross household!! :(

Thank you Lord for this awesome opportunity- Guide us through every moment!!! We can't do it w/o you!!!