Goodbye Seattle - Posted by Rod

So it's done. Yesterday Clarissa, Caily and I got on an airplane and left Seattle. As we took off I was able to watch out the window and reflect on my time in Seattle. I realized that I have spent over 5 years in Seattle, that's 5 years of my 20s, and really the only home I've had since I left for college. I served my mission in Seattle starting shortly after I turned 20. I pounded the pavement in West Seattle, Renton, Auburn and Puyallup and met a lot of great people. I had a series of life changing experiences that I'll never forget and, hopefully, helped change a few lives for the better as well.

I came back to Seattle with Clarissa right after we got married for my internship at Boeing which eventually became my first full-time job. Working for the commercial airplanes division of Boeing had been a great experience. The day-to-day has had it's ups and downs definitely, but I have always been proud of the product I've worked on. I worked on the 737 for several years and so many people fly on those planes, that maybe someday what I have done will save your life. If it does, most likely, you will never know about it. On my last day working for the commerical airplanes division I took a walk through the factory and stood under those enormous airplanes and thinking of my few years there almost brought a tear to my eye (I say almost because if it had it would have been suicide around all those machinists). Mainly I'll miss the people that I've worked with. I've had great friends and mentors and while many of those relationships will continue it just won't be the same from a distance. I'm definitely going to miss that job.

For Clarissa and I, almost all of our marriage we have been living in the Seattle area. Here are some of the highlights:

Hiking around Mount Rainier,
Visiting Snoqualimie Falls,
Hiking in a rainforest on the penninsula,
Ferry rides,
Lazy days at Greenlake,
Labor Day in Leavenworth,
Almost setting a brushfire with fireworks,
Exploring the city,
Whitewater rafting (over a waterfall),
Season passes at The Summit,
The Puyallup Fair,
Whale watching,

And, of course, our most beautiful Caily was born in Seattle.

We are excited for Houston and my new job and our new house, but we are also sad to leave Seattle where we've built our family. We will miss our friends, but hope to see them again soon.

So as we fly away we say

"Goodbye Seattle, we love you."