too much time.

Wow. After all this time has passed, I know one thing for sure: I definitely do NOT win the blogger-of-the-year award. It has been waaayyy too long since I last updated this—and although life seems to have come to somewhat of a standstill, SO much has happened in the past month.

Where to start…

Got back from Maui at the end of May. After a whirlwind finals week and graduation weekend, it was wonderful to have a bit of time to just sit…to lounge…to just be. And it was an immense blessing to spend quality time with my wacky family.

Headed to Spokane to see my favorite dude just two days after I got back. We spent the week with his parents. And in addition to me learning more about just how awesome he is, I learned invaluable lessons about his family—daily interactions, conversation pieces, stories from the past. It was awesome. I met his cute grandma…we had a picnic…we went to dinner…got in the hot tub…pretty fun week with a pretty cool guy

We headed back to Richland just in time for Tayte’s birthday party. It was a one heckuva crazy time, I’ll tell ya’. She wanted a hotel room…I set up a scavenger hunt…and then about 6 more teenagers than we expected ended up spending the night. highlights from the evening:
Korryn accidentally kicks her shoe of the hotel room deck. Her and two other girls have to go searching for it in the darkness right outside someone else’s hotel room window.
My mom makes a bet with one of the girls who didn’t have a swimsuit that she would get in the pool with her clothes on if the girl did as well. The girl got in with her clothes on. My mom decided she didn’t need hers (well…except for her tanktop and underear). Best part was that the pool was exposed, via a wall of windows, to the main hallway of the lobby…AND that Jon Pritchard was also swimming with us. (I think he might be scarred for life).
Tayte and her friends get in trouble by a mean lady next door who said they were being too loud. And instead of accepting the fact that they were, in fact, being loud….they decided to make this oh-so-mean lady the topic of conversation the remainder of the night.
Jon played guitar for a herd of teenage fans. Probably his first concert debut (?). I think that the pictures explain it all…yup…they loved him
During the scavenger hunt (which was in none other than Super WalMart), the girls all had to come back out to the car before they could open each new clue. We thought it’d be funny to keep moving the car so they’d have to run around the entire monstrous parking lot. They weren’t too happy with our decision….Jon and I thought it was hilarious!!

I was lucky enough to spend the following week with Jon-- that is like two weeks straight, in case you were wondering!! (and it was awesome!) but, inevitably, the sad day came where we had to say goodbye. And holy cow it was sad. Sad…but necessary.

Pretty crazy that we’ve come to this time in our life where God is sending each of us off—in our own unique ways in order to fulfill His ultimate purpose for our lives. And you know…I never expected it to be easy—and I know in my heart that it will totally be worth it—but it is turning out to be much more challenging than I had originally anticipated.

It seems like just yesterday that I was dreaming about medical school. And today, I don’t feel like I’ve woken up yet. And it just blows my mind that everything seems to happen at once: leaving friends, moving away from family, departing from everything familiar and comfortable. But despite all the uncertainty, the apprehension, and the extreme anxiety I am feeling at the moment, I am also feeling excessively blessed, totally loved, and amazingly comforted by the fact that I know this separation is necessary.

After an awesome two weeks with Jon, he took off for Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and I headed to San Antonio, Texas to spend a week at Canyon Lake and see the Alamo and the famous Riverwalk

And from Texas, it was on to West Virginia to (mmm…deep breath) move me in!!! I feel SO incredibly blessed that I had the opportunity to visit in advance. I got a private tour of the campus, got to know one of my professors, moved in (almost completely) to my cute little house (that I love, by the way), spent some time in the incredibly beautiful landscape of the Appalachians, and mentally geared up for school (although I do have a ways to go).

i got back from WV and went to Allison’s bridal shower. I can’t believe her wedding is in 8 days!!! CRAZY!!!

Two days later I was in Yakima visiting my Dad. It was a good visit—and God definitely had his hand in my time there.

Onto a family reunion in Yakima, then to Camp Ghormley tagging along with my family as the medical team for a few days. Mt. Rainier was the next destination—enjoying the immensity of God’s creation and getting friendly reminders of how small I am

And what is on the plate next?? Just being home. And I am fully planning on soaking up each and every second of it!!!!!

(UGGHH!!! picture uploads aren't currently working. bedtime for me. i'll try again tomorrow)