Updates.

Well dear reader, with the customary 3 month break between posts, it came to my attention that I should probably jot down a bit of an update. I’m writing to you from the sunny terrace of Fremont Coffee Company, iced coffee in hand and post cards written – such is the life inspired by warm weather and freedom.

Today is the 12^th and we will have, thereby, been graduated all of two months. Two months of birthdays and sun and visits to distant shores and change and house drama and rides in the backhoe and cousins and…oh yea…learning how to be a grown up.

No fear, the latter lesson has a long way to go before it can be called a thing. Four weeks of applying for jobs just about had me signing my life away to a future as a Sherpa in the Himalayan foothills…except the definition of Sherpa specifies that they are “renowned for their skill in mountaineering” which may prove to be a stumbling block. But as the Lord would have it, a week ago, I became an employed teacher. A music and art teacher. A music and art teacher that instructs children ages five and under. Perhaps I won’t cross out the Sherpa idea just yet.

Misplaced humor aside, I’m very excited. I’ve always said I want to teach, so this is it! The very beginning! I’m going to get a big-person job also, I think, just for the sake of sanity balance. Today I was informed that after numbers 9, 10, 11, and 12, 40 obviously comes next.

“Really Alisha? 12 then 40?”

“Yup.”

But back to my original thought – graduation. We had a whirlwind of a weekend wrapping up shop. The biggest highlight? My kit and kin who took Seattle by storm. My parents flew in from Sri Lanka and seeing them was the biggest graduation gift I could have asked for…Uncle Ken and Aunty Kathy sped in from Portland…Cousins Kevin and Erin and Jad, Dana and Kyler decided to hop over from Costa Rica…and dear friends Glen, Anna, David and Stephen joined the festivities from across the I5. I learned that “Graduation” just means a lot of ice cream, mimosas, Frisbee, chocolate cake and catching up. Some walking I guess.

Also graduating with this bunch:

There is little I can say about them because they could take up 2 or 6 or 17 blog posts but they are the best and I am so thankful for the quirkiest, warmest, funniest, most passionate group of friends ever.

Besides saying goodbye to life as we once knew it and hello to family from all over the place and picnicking and traipsing all over the country side in what looked like batman’s grandma’s evening attire (probably my favorite part of the whole thing, if I’m honest), me and this kid (refer to picture following) celebrated one year!

How blessed I am by his company. I’ve learned more about relationship this last year than in maybe the last 20 combined, I have seen first hand how much patience and grace God can instill in one human being (him, not me in this case), I have been delighted time and time again by his wonderful balance of humor and realism and comfort in quiet, and I have a vague feeling that this whole thing may even lead to my learning how to think before I speak. Sometimes. Maybe not. Also he got me the world map poster I’ve wanted for years, what’s not to love?

This was all followed by my birthday...cue fulfillment of college-dream of going to Ivor’s Seafood House, beautiful misty walks along the water front and the best rum cake of all time...

...various visits to Trout Lake...

...and the beginning of the said life inspired by warmth and freedom.