Remember when...

Remember back to last March, of 2009 and THIS was my kitchen?? Lovely light fixture, motorhome cabinets on the top left, fake marble backsplash, awkward pantry, poor use of fridge space, shallow sinks, fake wood countertops, sick ugly tile, horrible wood trim around the outside door, a leaky faucet, a hole through the siding that let in cold air, and oh-that pesky MOLD?

Another lovely view

Yeah, I remember all of that. And I so do not miss any aspect of it. Yes, my kitchen has been completed since last September, but I just got this new fangled system to go between my wall cabinets so finally, the kitchen feels finished.

My, have we come a long ways.

And in other home improvement...
This was our front yard. We can't grow grass because these 2 huge trees give so much shade that grass won't grow. I haven't known what to put down, because the trees lose so many leaves that I needed something hardy to be able to rake over.

Looking the other direction

Our solution: rock!
We are super happy with it!
I still haven't heard from Portland Public Schools, so that is getting really annoying. I need to start looking for other things now. Well, I need to get off this computer and go enjoy the sunshine. Its finally arrived!

Graduation!

Well I did it! I graduated college! It is amazing to say that I have a degree. 4 years of hard work certainly paid off on Sunday when I got to cross that stage and get my (fake) diploma. It felt so good! I have, for the most part, really loved college and the knowledge that I've gained. I have had some really great teachers and some really horrible ones too. I know that I will never regret my decision to go back at 26 years old...and now that seems really young anyways! I definitely feel like I picked the right degree for myself, and I'm so happy I didn't do finance! There were times when I would get so frustrated-when I was a poor college student and my friends with good jobs were spending money like it was going out of style, when there were times when I had to stay home when everyone else was doing something fun, and the times when I didn't understand the material and I'd get so frustrated I'd feel like crying! But now, it is all done! I never could have made it through the last four years without the support of my friends and family, and especially the last 3 years of school with Rick's support. Rick's last girlfriend was in college too, getting her PhD, and he has endured YEARS of a partner splitting their time between him and school. Hopefully he's happy to have me all to himself! I know he'll be REALLY happy when I get a job and start raking in the dough :) I also have to say, I never would have decided to go back to school if it weren't for Adam. He was just weeks away from graduating college when he got sick. He would have been the first of his siblings to get a degree. I was so heartbroken that he never got to walk across that stage and receive that diploma. BYU was kind enough to give him his diploma after he died, but it just wasn't the same for me or for his family. Adam worked so hard at school, he was a great example for me, of the kind of student to be. Its times like these where I feel mixed emotions, knowing I would never have this life if it weren't for his death. So, this degree is as much for me as it is for him. I just wanted to make that known. I guess I should also mention that I ended the semester with 3 A's and one A-. That's a 3.89, rounding out my PSU GPA at a 3.69, which gives me the great pleasure of graduating with honors! That'll look nice on my resume I hope!
So, I suppose I'll move onto the pictures!
Pre-graduation with my friend Constantine, who I met back in my first semester of PSU in a finance class.
With Yuliya and Josh, Supply Chain friends

Yuliya and I with Lee Buddress, the head of our department-one of my very favorite teachers.

My buddy Josh again

My favorite cap decoration

The view from my seat on the floor. The Rose Garden was completely packed! This was the largest ever graduating class in the state of Oregon with around 5100 students. However only around 2000 participated in commencement.

During the ceremony, which was terribly boring

And after! All graduated!

With Rick's parents, Dick & Peggy

The graduate :)

With my parents after a nice dinner at Stanford's

With my Aunt Linda, my Dad's sister (if you couldn't tell!)

My biggest fan :)

And of course, with my adorable Grandma

One last one!

In many ways, its hard to believe its over. I'm actually feeling a little down this week because of it. School has been my number one focus for 4 years and now I have to figure out something new to fill my time up with! Hopefully I can get some new hobbies!
On the job front-I still haven't heard back from PPS. Last Tuesday they said they'd make a decision between me and one other person. I emailed yesterday and nothing back :( I'm starting to feel not-so-confident about the whole thing. The prospect of looking for a job is a bit daunting, that is for sure.
Well that is it for now. Hope you all have a nice Father's Day this Sunday!

Meet Dexter!

Meet our new little guy, Dexter, or Dex for short. We got him through a friend of a friend who took in a stray pregnant kitty. She had 2 available males and I chose this little guy to be the newest member of our family. He is 8 weeks old and full of kitten antics and energy. Rocco was not at all a fan the first couple days, but he is slowly warming up and I think they're going to be good buddies in no time at all. Rick is definitely in love with Dex, so I think I made a good choice. We still miss Penny a lot, but we are used to 2 kitties, so I'm happy to take another in and make a good home for him.

He's awfully adorable!

Cabo!

I don't know if I said before, but Rick and I took separate Mexico vacations this May. Becky and I planned a trip to Cabo to celebrate her 30th birthday and my early graduation. Then some friends of ours invited us to go to Puerto Vallarta with them, and since it was the week before I was going, I couldn't go, but Rick decided to go since the entire week was only $75 for the room. So Rick went the week before I went, came home Friday night at Midnight and I left the next day at 11am. After doing this, we realized we should never go on back-to-back separate vacations again, because 2 weeks was definitely too long to be apart. Now we know! Rick had a great time on his trip, they had a totally different vacation then Becky and I did! Rick and our other friends went out every night, stayed out really late etc and Becky and I were in bed by 10 pretty much every night. Becky and I really did nearly nothing, besides laying by the pool reading, taking the occasional dip...one sunset cruise and a beachside massage. It was heaven! So because of this lack of activity, I don't have all that many pictures. So few, that they can fit into one post! So here are my Cabo pics!
Becky and I, first day
Very happy feet

Pathway in front of our hotel

Zocalo church in San Jose del Cabo

Inside of church

We stayed at an all-inclusive so we ate dinner every night in our hotel. This was supposed to be the "fancy" restaurant. The food was definitely lacking at our hotel, especially compared to the one Rick and I stayed at in PV.

The marina in Cabo San Lucas

Pina coladas before our sunset cruise. Poor Becky got pretty burned :(

A seal in the harbor

Leaving the marina and heading to sea

Approaching land's end and lover's beach

The famous arch

Besties!

My idea of a really, really great time is a sunset cruise. I like to do it every time I'm on vacation and I am never disappointed!

Becky doing a little boat dancing

These two older ladies were our favorite. They were having a blast. Becky and I aspire to be just like them when we're that age!

By sunset the entire boat was doing the Macarena and a congo line. It was so fun!

Crusin' by the hotel zone

Fireworks from the pirate ship

Proof that I danced too :)

Back at the hotel, our nice pool

The beach on our last day

The waves were too big to swim in

And finally, adios from the Mexi-Twins!

So in catch up around here...things are really great! It is finals week for me, and that just means one final Monday and one final Thursday and I am done FOREVER! I don't have any regular classes-no more 4 hour night lectures three times a week. It still hasn't sunk in that it is almost over. Graduation is in a week from tomorrow and that is absolutely amazing to me. I have worked so hard to get here, and this is truly my greatest accomplishment. I don't think I ever would have chosen to go back to school if it weren't for Adam passing away, and he was only a few short weeks shy of getting his degree when he died, so I truly feel this degree is as much for him as it is for me.
I have been looking for jobs, but have been so busy the last couple weeks, I haven't done much for searching. I had an interview with the Portland Public Schools for a Purchasing internship and I am REALLY hoping to get it. I just found out that I am in the top three candidates, so that is good news, but I am hoping that I come out the clear winner! Having a job so soon after graduation would be a huge blessing. I am stressing a little bit about finding something full time before I have to start paying back my loans in 6 months. Plus, Rick and I are really outgrowing our tiny 720 square foot house. We are hoping I get a job so we can fix the yard up here and move next Spring.
So, that's about it for now. Hope things are well for all of you!