Settled in

Well, we're here - and little left to do but wait until work rolls around.

Our apartment is a lot nicer than one would think a high-rise would be. Growing up in suburbia, and spending summers in dorms and worse, I wasn't expecting much of our 800 square feet. But we're far enough out from the city that we have some room to stretch and are liking this little cozy corner of Virginia. Mostly, I've completely underrated wall-unit A/Cs - I thought that I'd be missing the cold air from a central unit, but I have to say, it's done its job very well. I just hope it handles the winters as well as it is the summer.

We've not spent much time going into the city. Short trips around Alexandria to get our lay of the land and find out how to get around without the Garmin, if need be. We've unpacked most everything, though a few things are still looking for the right places - pictures moving around, books moving shelves, and not to mention the week-long marathon of looking for a new couch that A) is comfortable, B) will fit into our apartment, C) looks nice, and D) is affordable. Bedroom still needs work, but the living area is really turning out beautiful.

Michelle and I have kept busy playing host to our friends these past few weeks - we've got such an amazing support network out here and absolutely love being with them all. Many of them live really close (David just a few floors below us), and are some of the best friends I've had from the Bush School and beyond.

I start work next week at Women's Voices (The day after my birthday, actualy, so all celebrations will probably take place earlier than the actual day!). I feel like it's the end of summer vacation (the last one I'm ever going to have). I'm excited to get to work and meet new people and really start my career - even though I still feel like I finished high school. One of my favorite webcomics (click here until I figure out how to keep it from cutting off: xkcd.com) pretty much sums up this whole "growing up" thing.

Pictures of the apartment will be up soon - I know we've been promising them to everyone, but we're finally getting the last pieces of drapery this afternoon. Much love, and we'll be in touch!

Daniel

Introductions

I wanted to touch base with everyone since I finally feel like I am setting off on a new life. I have accepted a job in Washington DC with a non-profit called "Women's Voices. Women Vote" as a Research Analyst. It's a fairly new position, so I can't highlight anything that my predecessor would have done. I can say that it will be based around my statistical analysis skills, building voter models that help to educate groups on how to better turn out historically underrepresented voters - mostly unmarried women - during elections.

Michelle and I will be moving up there for the next week and will settle in August 5th in Alexandria, Virginia. So, since the "DC Nix" are already taken - and we won't be technically from DC - Michelle and I will happily be labeled as the NOVA Nix (NOVA is the common abbreviation for northern Virginia). We think that our cats (Messina and Albus) will be excited to be settled into a new apartment (especially after 2 days in the car - but we're not too worried. The cats are EXCELLENT travelers.)

We are both very excited to start our life on the East Coast. Michelle will be a full time substitute teacher while she certifies herself in the DC/VA/MD area. (Even though she is certified in Texas, more experience was required to transfer the certification - so she has to take a bunch of tests that are inconveniently timed for her to become a full-time teacher this upcoming school year. However, this gives her an opportunity to sample the area's school districts and find which ones she likes, where she sees significant administrative support, and is easy to travel to.)

To help keep everyone in the loop without sending mass emails all over the country, Michelle and I decided to start a blog. We wanted to make sure that we would be able to keep everyone informed of what we were doing, be able to contact us easily, and share our adventures with our friends and family. As we get better and more consistent with the blog, we'll add pictures, videos, stories, and whatever else these things can show. Please bookmark and follow us here at: http://nickeson.blogspot.com

But for now, we must finish the grueling task of packing up our life here in College Station. Despite marriage, graduate school, and even a previous job - this town just keeps me in an undergraduate frame of mind. I love Aggieland, and it's been a good home to me for the past 8 years. But I welcome this next big step forward for our family.

We love you all and appreciate all your love and support. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we hit the road - we expect to be in Alexandria, VA on Wednesday.

We're on our way!

After many months of waiting, Daniel and I are finally on our way to Alexandria, Virginia!

Daniel accepted a job offer yesterday as a Research Analyst with Women's Voices, Women Vote, a non-profit organization in Washington D.C. Check out wvwv.org for more info.

We're moving out of our home in College Station this Friday and embarking on our journey to Alexandria on Monday, August 3 with our two cats and my awesome parents Kriss and Kim. We'll spend Monday night in Nashville, Tuesday night in Alexandria and move in to our apartment first thing in the morning on Wednesday, August 5.

For the next year we will be living at the Riverside Apartment complex - check it out at riversidealexandria.com. Our good friends David Nyquist and Lisa Rios also live here and have been a huge help in the leasing process. Our other good friends Kat and Lyndsey live less than 5 minutes away, so we will be surrounded by friends in our new home!

We will be sure to post pictures of our new apartment once we get settled in as well as our adventures around D.C., so please check back often for updates!