Good Ol' Eugene

Many people have told us that the doctoral years are some of the best. You may be broke, but you will look back on those as some of the best. It is probably because they don't last forever. You know you will eventually have money again, so you don't mind the potlucks and penny pinching. You also know to make the most of it because you and many of your close friends will move on to new places in a matter of time.

As we start the next chapter of our lives - one in which we will raise children, live near our families, and have Sam hopefully get tenure - I wonder if we won't savor things as much when they come to us easier and when there is no "expiration date" on that phase in our life.
It was nearly four years ago that Sam and I moved to Eugene. We were coming from Prague, and after two fun-filled, adventurous years living in Europe, I was very emotional about moving back to Oregon. We had intense and amazing friendships and bonded with people in such a short time there, and I felt like we would never have an experience like that again. Although Eugene had always seemed nice, I was not that excited about moving there for four years, except for its proximity to Portland.

But in our last night in our house on Monday, with packed boxes sitting in every room, the tears came and I tried to make sense of why we were leaving a perfectly wonderful life. From everything to small-town living with a lovely river flowing through it, to fun memories with incredible and supportive friends who will hopefully always be part of our lives, to the birth of our first child, Eugene has brought us many things. I will miss so much about it, but I feel blessed that we were able to have our lives enriched by them at all. Here are some photos from all those good times.

GOOD BYE, EUGENE..............

Hawaiian Delights

It has been a while since I traveled anywhere, so going to Hawaii on a family vacation for 8 days was something I had been looking forward to for months. I knew this time would be different because we had a toddler along. I have traveled to Mexico, San Antonio, and Denver with Morgan, but as she enters each new phase and age, it is like starting from scratch - I really had no idea what to expect.I have learned, that just like teaching, the secret to parenthood is overplanning mixed with a lot of flexibility. Planning is something I am pretty good at, so I did it and did it and did it. Stuff was laid out a week ahead of time, I packed all kinds of presents and distractions for the plane rides, I had contingency plans for how to get by without a high chair, kitchen, and Morgan's favorite toys. I was set! But despite all of that planning, I didn't really realize how much I would have to continue putting Morgan's needs ahead of my own. (Duh! I am a mom - you think I would know that by now.)In reality, the plane rides, which I was dreading the most, went better than planned. Morgan actually slept for parts of them (taking off always made her crash) and between new toys and a DVD player, she was pretty occupied. Once we were in Hawaii, the 3-hour time change and weird nap/eating schedule, combined with lots of playtime with relatives and in the pool made Morgan very tired....overtired, in fact. Most days we were there we spent at least an hour trying to get Morgan to nap, to no avail. I didn't have high expectations she would sleep regularly, but when she was tired, I figured a nap was a good idea. Morgan had other ideas, however, like getting up at 4:30 in the morning. Then when she finally did sleep, Sam and I had to tag-team our activities while one person stayed in the room with her. One night I stayed home so Morgan could sleep while everyone went to a nice dinner in Kona. We all were a bit exhausted from not sleeping well, and eventually Sam and I began to realize that we had very little actual time together on this trip. I think we thought that with all the relatives along, we could be all carefree - like not even having a kid! Wrong. It had nothing to do with our family's willingness to help. They all loved hanging out with Mo and would always offer to watch and entertain her. But gradually, we had to adjust our own expectations of what kind of fun we were having with our toddler along. I finally realized that parenthood (and life, for that matter) is filled with little moments of bliss, surrounded by often frustrating, tiring, and annoying bits. It is not going to be a series of fun-loving hours to enjoy all day long. So instead, you must be aware of those little moments, like when you feel your heart warm with pride in your child, when you can't stop smiling, when you see something so beautiful you want to burn it into your memory, or when you are filled with a deep sense of gratitude at what life has brought you - regardless of how or when it got there.
So here are some of those special blissful moments I will always remember from our trip:

* Sipping yummy Mai Thais and Fredericos at the Hua Tree beachside bar and talking about life - something I rarely have time for these days.
* Despite already being awake for two hours, getting coffee and watching Morgan play on the shady sand at 6:30am before the sun came up over the hotel.* Swimming with sea turtles and at least a hundred species of fish, I was re-amazed at the huge diversity and beauty of sea life in a coral reef - it took my breath away.
* Breakfast! Everyday it was a delight to peruse the yummy buffet, indulging in Eggs Benedict, freshly made waffles, tropical fruits, bagels with lox, and topping anything off with coconut syrup and macadamia nuts!
* Taking time for a beach side yoga class, where I could gaze out at the sea or look up at the waving palm trees. It reminded me how much I miss and need yoga in my life.* Jumping the waves to get our kayak out to paddle in the peaceful bay - it was one of the few quiet moments Sam and I had together. :)
* Watching our daughter play with her parents, aunt, all four grandparents, and great-grandmother - four generations together. She delighted them all and adored being with them, especially with her emphatic shouts of "Come on, guys!"* Taking "Mimi" (the monkey harness) and Morgan for walks to see the koi fish pond and birds (parrots) that she couldn't get enough of.* Spending a wonderful grown-up night out with my husband, where I was treated to a beautiful lei, a surprise dinner, and an amazing sunset. I can't believe that after 9 years of marriage, it gets better every year.* Swimming laps across the bay in the early morning as the sun rose over my shoulder. The water was amazing and it felt so good to swim in the sea.
* Seeing Morgan and Aunt Kimmy's love and bond with one another grow with every moment they were together, whether it was going for walks, singing, dancing, visiting the Buddah statue, or just giving each other a "big hug" and a "big kiss."* Our pot-luck cocktail parties in Kim's room and beach side for the 4th of July.
* Swimming and floating and chatting in the ocean with my dad - like we used to do in Hawaii and Mexico.* Being thankful for the gift of family. Despite health challenges and life's ups and downs, I have an amazing family and am thankful for being with people who love me so unconditionally. * Although sometimes frustrated at the "inconvenience" of having Morgan along, I relished seeing her discover every little thing, all for the very first time. I continue to see life in new ways through her curious, joyful eyes.