We made it to Santa Fe Tuesday the 28th of September at 5 in the morning. It was a long drive, but the kids slept most of the way. We finally found an apartment on Wednesday, but can not get into it until Friday the 8th. We could have got into one on the 1st, but when we drove into the parking lot it just didn’t look very homey, but I thought I could get over that part as long as it was cheap enough. As I was talking to the lady in the office, I was asking her about the area and the gangs and etc. She was saying that she likes the area. Yadi-yada!! Then my eyes glanced up at the window above her and immediately traveled to the gunshot hole in the window. I just couldn’t get past that. I didn’t go back. At this point I was pretty discouraged of ever finding an affordable not ghetto place in Santa Fe. I then started questioning our decision to come here. Later that day Nate’s dad came with the Uhaul. He was tired and ornery from the long drive. He didn’t have anything good to say, so we decided we better all sleep on it. We were all so tired and stressed that it wasn’t a good idea for us to be together until we were more relaxed and rested. So Wednesday came and we started out again. We decided to check out some nicer apartments and put the price aside. So we went to Rancho Vizcaya, which Nate checked out a month ago and really liked, but the price was $1300/month. OUCH!! We couldn’t afford that, but then we found out that they give “preferred employers” a 20% discount. Which was still a lot for us, but then we went in anyways. Well besides the price, when I was there I really liked them and felt good about them. It was a night and day difference between this one and the other ones. REALLY!!!! So we put in an application and gave them our card for the app fee and the deposit. Then they told us that we get the first months rent free and that it was a $300 deposit, but then as she was running it, she found out because once again, we were a “preferred employee” that the deposit was only $50. It just kept getting better. I almost started crying and had to hold myself back from hugging the lady. She might of thought that I was weird. Then she let us know that we got $200 off our first months rent! Wow! So with all the calculations this apartment ended up costing the same as the ghetto one!! The location is GREAT! There is an LDS church just blocks away. We have a year round pool and hot tub. There is an indoor Basketball court and racquetball court. No play grounds but there are quite a few in the surrounding area. Shopping is within a short walking distance. WOW! I feel blessed and am very lucky. But I do not know that luck is the word for it. I prayed hard the night before for Heavenly father to help us find a nice place at a good price, and though it is not as cheap as Cedar City, it is the best we could find down here. We just have to learn to adjust to the cost of living down here, unless we want to get shot at. God does answer our prayers, even the ones that seem impossible and trust me at the time this one seemed impossible! Sometimes we rely on our own knowledge and understanding, which can be very dangerous, because our knowledge is nothing compared to Gods. Gods power is stronger than math and our own thinking! This was a testimony builder that if we listen no matter how stupid or ridiculous the idea may seem that God does bless our efforts! As many of you know I debated for quite sometime whether I was going to come with Nate while he was in the academy or not. I was not going to see him often and I would have no family or friends to support me and the kids. I have been praying that I would get to see him more often than they told him and at his orientation they gave him a schedule. I will get to see him almost every weekend and for Thanksgiving he has 4 days off. After thanksgiving there is one stretch that I won’t get to see him for 3 weeks until Christmas. This was another proof to me that God does answer my prayers. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want, God will answer according to what he sees fit for you! Don’t be afraid! Too, often we don’t ask because we think we are silly or selfish, or that it can’t be done. This is foolish, God can do anything, and He will decide whether He will or can do it, not us!!! He loves us and wants to love and protect us. He wants to support and guide us. He wants us to be happy and He doesn’t want us to get hurt except for our benefit. I am amazed. It didn’t make sense to me to come down here and not see Nate and do have no family or friends, but Gods plan does not make sense in our limited minds and sight. Many begged me to stay, some begged me to go, but in the end I had to block it all out and listen to the spirit. I had to settle down and put all the traffic of others aside, and sit, be still and listen. I did. I listened and it still didn’t make sense. It didn’t seem like the easiest way or the most desirable way, but I listened and look what happened. We have been greatly blessed and we have only been here for a week. I believe more blessings will come as we strive to listen. Often, when we told people why we were moving and about Nate’s job, almost all replied, “I guess you take what you can get in these hard times.” To us it seemed like they thought it was crazy and that it was settling, but for us this is just the beginning. It is only guiding us one step closer to our desires and to the will of the Lord. We are not settling. We are only beginning. Thus far, everything we have done has only been a stepping stone to something better. Thank you to all that has believed in us, we love you and are dearly indebted to your belief in us. Those who don’t believe in us, we still love you, but start believing in us or move on, because we don’t need your discouragement. We get enough of that from the rest of the world and ourselves. I think Nate is amazing and does work hard to provide for his family and will continue. Many have judged us because of our Unemployment for 10 months, luckily it is not their judgement to pass, and for a good reason! If it were up to them we would be damned! Sorry for that little soap box, but I just wish some would remember that they don’t know what others are going through and how hard they are trying though it doesn’t look like it on the outside. I am just as quick to blame on judging others too, so I am going to try harder to be compassionate and instead of judging I am going to try to love. The kids are adjusting slowly but surely. We go swimming almost everyday here at the hotel and we walk the halls a lot! And there is an outside mall across the parking lot from our Hotel, we walk that a lot too!! We will keep you updated.