Why you haven't heard from me lately (spoiler: double moving)

1.  Summer in Seattle
Brings boating, hiking, and a steady stream of out-of-town relatives and friends here to experience our gorgeousness.  Next to Christmas, summer is the most action packed time of year (and refuses to be ignored while I'm trying to do something productive instead of roasting marshmallows or jumping in the lake).

2.  Work
My job does allow for a good work-life balance.  But as a full-time gig with definite responsibilities, it warrants mention as something I've been spending time and energy on.

3.  Studying
After more than ten years of work, I finally qualified for the architecture exams!  So for the next couple years I will emulate a student by hanging out in coffee shops with flash cards and thick books, reading about construction contracts, HVAC systems and accessibility codes.  Seven exams later, I can finally call myself an Architect!
Well, I can now.  Just not legally.

4.  Dating
If you're on Facebook much, you may have seen that I'm dating a man whom I really like.  Purely due to my native caution and my history of the past several years, dating has been a challenge.  But my boyfriend was patient, and I'm now at a happy place.  It's amazing to be able to say that whatever comes of it, I've learned and grown positively from this relationship (particularly in my trust in God).

5.  Sorting
In May, the boxes that had been stored at my parent's since I moved to Seattle came out to become reacquainted with me.  Some I decided to continue to fraternize with.  Others and I parted ways.  A good 95% of the stuff has been considered now; it's freeing not to have those unsorted, unused things lingering.  Some of the sorting was weepy, some was fun.  Much was plain elbow grease.

6.  Moving
That is, double moving.  Yup.  I'll have lived in five places in the span of 2.5 years!
The full story is too tiresome and possibly not advisable to post.  But vaguely: my sister, a friend and I found a lovely little house in Seattle and moved in in May/June.  The situation was not what we thought, though.  The house was in foreclosure and now has been sold, so we must leave.
Because God likes to give me cool dramatic moving stories, a connection with a friend's family yielded a spacious and interesting condo for rent even closer to work.  I'm hoping we can stay there longer than four months?  Please?

Through the drama and toil, I'm thankful for the friendship and love I've received from ya'll.  And I'm sorry if I've been bad at keeping up with you lately (online and off) but do always appreciate hearing from you.  Cheers!