First few weeks in Tennessee

So just for a quick update here's a letter I wrote to Amanda (no need to read it again sis :)). It pretty much covered my first couple of weeks in Knoxville so here's the update.....

Things are good back here. I've actually stayed farely busy. I'm really liking my new job. They are pretty easy going and are fine with me getting on the internet etc. I don't think I'll push my luck and down load IM yet :)
I spent last weekend just driving around exploring. I totally feel like I'm in a movie back here. I was driving down this road that was completely covered by trees. I was in a tree tunnel for probably 1 1/2 miles. Then it opened up and there were mansions with huges green fields, horses, white picket fences, etc.) Then all of a sudden I was driving along the river, bike trails, & parks. I happened into a neighborhood where like every other house had a play set and every garage that was open had little girls bikes in them. There were kids and families just out hanging around. I found a couple houses for sale and it just so happened that they were having open houses.
I loved 'em and so I sent Cindy the links with pictures and she liked 'em so with out here actually seeing the house I made an offer yesterday :O. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.
We've gone almost a month without a single showing on our house in Utah. Now all of a sudden yesterday a lady that we've been talking to decided she wanted to rent it for a while so I sent her a lease agreement. Now today a realtor called and asked if they could show our house. What the heck?
Now Cindy is at the house cleaning and the movers are finally there today packing our stuff. They're supposed to load up and get on their way in the morning. Then they gave us an estimate of 9/15-9/19 as the date of arrival. In the meantime I've signed a three month lease at an apartment and had to go to Wal-mart to buy: a pot, pan, air mattress, towel, food, TV, a couple of folding chairs, etc. You know, the basics :).
Kaitlyn has had tonsilitis four times over the past six months so Cindy has her scheduled to get them out in the morning. They recommend a two week recovery period to ensure there is not abnormal bleeding etc. We're going to give here 4-6 days and see how she is going and then hopefully Cindy and the kids can fly back towards the beginnig to middle of next week (which is probably good timing because I'm sure they'd all go crazy living in an appartment with no real furniture, dishes, bedding, etc.)
On Sunday Elder Bednar was in town. There are two stakes in Knoxville (the Knoxville area) and our stake has the biggest building so we were combined with another ward church while the other stake met with Elder Bednar in our building. Afterwards he met with the missionaries and I was just driving around with nothing really to do so I went over and sat in the foyer and listened to him talk. I love listening to Apostles talk, especially in person, they are so inspiring and motivating. He talked about how our lives are gifts from God and that we need to do all we can to keep ourselves clean so that we don't get in the way of allowing the Lord to bless us. He talked about how we don't really every "earn" anything but that the Lord "gives" us what he knows we need. Obviously he was speaking to missionaries but the principle really hit home with me.
After work I've kept my self busy by eating out (so that I could watch football. I don't have cable, just the bunny ears so I have to go somewhere else to get a good reception :) ), working out (mainly for the same reason, there's a TV in the fitness center :)), driving around looking at houses (not sure how I'm going to feel now that we've made an offer on a house), and shopping at Wal-mart for things that you just can't live without (can opener, bowls, plates, shower curtain, etc.), and I've spent two evenings helping some neighbors move in.
So far so good :)

ps. the offer has been accepted so hopefully we can move into our new house in a few weeks.