Jesse was accepted into the University of Oregon Industrial Master’s Program!! We will be moving to Eugene, OR this June and we will be in Eugene for the next 3-12months. It’s a crazy cool program where you go to intense classes for 3-6 months, and then complete a 9-month internship program with a company in the industry Jess is interested in. Jesse loves Polymers. After me, God, and The Packers, he loves Polymers. Polymers are sometimes plastic. Sometimes they are bio materials (like silk??) and are 100% confusing to his English Major wife. Basically he’ll get to study Chemistry and will get “real-world” experience in a company, and will network the ish out this whole shebang.

But this means leaving Bellingham. And I’ve kind of have the perfect setup right now. I have my favorite gym, hairdresser, church, lake-view from my home, and the best cake shop to work for in the whole universe. But you know in the movie Chocolat (I watched the TV version as a kid, and don’t necessarily recommend watching it now) when her Mom makes them move whenever she gets a restless feeling from the wind? Well, I can feel that the winds are changing and it’s time. (And no, I’m not talking about ACTUAL winds, just metaphorical gusts pushing you towards new things). I will for sure be visiting Bellingham every chance I get since I’ll need to cuddle and spoil my soon-to-be niece AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

We’re still looking for a place in Eugene, and it might take a bit of searching since our living place needs a very flexible lease since Jesse could get an internship offer from anywhere in the country, and the start dates depend upon the company. I’m hoping we can live with a family like we have in the past, because I’ve really enjoyed that and it’s much cozier and friendlier than a rental company. But maybe we’ve been too spoiled with great landlords. Either way, I’m trying to hold things loosely because I’ve been know to obsessively check Craigslist rental pages in the past.

Speaking of obsessive checking, I took a break from social media for lent this year, and I know it’s incredibly cliche, but HOLY CRAP IT’S RUINING OUR LIVES!! Except for seeing your beautiful faces on FB and Instagram, and the ability to post and share this blog, it’s literally a time-suck created to get you into vortex of FOMO (fear of missing out), and watching Tech Insider videos about “How Airplanes Affect Your Sense of Taste,” (fascinating, but useless information). My goal for the future is to limit not eliminate Social Media™ (it is a company, that wants you to spend as much time as possible on their app). The one surprising thing I learned was how much I relied on Social Media™ to fabricate small talk questions “Anything *NEW* in your life?” I would ask, already knowing my friend got engaged, or “Take any interesting trips lately?” ALREADY knowing that they went to the Bermuda Triangle and it was really trippy. Without this asking-but-already knowing routine, I had more awkward (soooawkward), but real conversations with casual acquaintances. It made me more vulnerable in social situations but made me work harder for real connection.

So in the void created by cutting back on social media I have started watercolor painting again (Yay!) read the entire Fellowship of the Ring book (Two Towers I’m coming for ya!), and planning to get knitting supplies. I feel like Aunts are supposed to knit, and since I’m going to be an aunt soon, I better knit! The whole knitting experiment might fail, but I’ve completed a scarf in the past so if I can upgrade to blanket level status I’ll be satisfied. I will probably not be working this summer since I want flexibility to visit said Niece who will be dressed in cute knitted garb AMAP! (As Much As Possible). I need hobbies/activities so I don’t become a netflix/facebook drone while husband is away studying his brains out. This will also, hopefully, mean more consistent blogs being catapulted into the blogosphere.

I’m hoping to write more in this next season, maybe volunteer with different ministries, and find a writing community to connect with in Eugene. And explore the Oregon coast AMAP (As much as possible, again).

Phew, I think that’s about all for now!