OPERATION Get All My Friends to Live in Kansas City

Three years ago, I emigrated from Oklahoma City to Kansas City. Graduation left me at a crossroads, deciding if I should make a drastic change like moving to NYC or Chicago for a few years before returning closer to family, stay in OKC where I had job security and friends, pursue a career in pr for the music industry in Nashville or go somewhere different-yet-appealing like Denver or Kansas City. After tons of praying and job searching, I landed here. And what a perfect decision that was. I quickly (as in, within a week), confirmed that this city is my cup of tea (or coffee). I was having a blast living the single life, exploring all the unique neighborhoods here and decorating my apartment. Then…in the midst of my “single” state of mind, I met a guy with a magnetic personality and kind way about him. And now we’re getting married! Soon, I’ll get to experience this vibrant town as a newlywed.


Who doesn't want all of their friends and family to live near them? Well, some might exclude the second group of my previous statement. For me, friends and family are a blurry line, so I want them all as close as possible. However, when I decided to leave Oklahoma for new territory up north, I thought I was giving up that dream.

So this brings me to the purpose of this post. Through several conversations with my best friends, I've found that hope remains. Below, I will give my list of potential immigrants and a few extra tidbits. I have my work cut out for me, but I think by 2016, Kansas City will be filled with a Who’s Who of Rachel’s favorite people.
Timeline, current location and what needs to happen before they can move.

• 1 year – Loren & Penelope O’Laughlin
• Jonesboro, AR
• structural design job for Loren and ESL or refugee program position for Penelope
• 1.5 years – Tara McComas (and her bf Kevin Heeney)
• Tulsa, OK 
• finish med school, apply & select residency program in Kansas City, find job for Kevin
• 2 years – Kevin & Whitney [Pettyjohn for now] Sterling
• Brooklyn, NY
• wed one another, get their fill of Brooklyn, graphic design job for Kevin and pr job for Whitney (non-profit preferred)
• 2 years – Ryan Yeakley (brother)
• Wichita, KS
• Find a job in IT/computer software
• 2-3 years - Julia Kaissling
• Chicago, IL
• get her fill of Chicago (not rushing this one too much, because I love that she lives there right now), then find a teaching or other equally fitting job here
• 3 years – Anna Vinzant (cousin)
• Searcy, AR
• Graduate with a degree in interior design & find rock star position in KC
• 3-5 years – Adrian & Katherine [Roland for now] Milton
• Houston, TX
• Gain valuable experience at respective law firms in Houston before finding positions in Kansas City pre-babies
• side note--this one is going to be harder to wait patiently, but the pay-off will be worth it
• 5+ years – Mark & Kimberlee Yeakley
• Wichita, KS
• Realize life will be incomplete unless they live next door to their grandchildren. Oh, and find a way to make money here.

• Undetermined timeline:

• Stephanie Mester – after she’s gathered some speech therapy experience in Amarillo.
• Jennifer Pekrul – after I find her a job here
• Lyndsay Suttles (soon-to-be Davis) and her hubs, Andy

If you’d like to register with the RRP (Rachel Relocation Program) or know of open positions that would be a good fit for any of the above names, please email rachel.yeakley@gmail.com.