In which I bring you all up to speed

Hello to family, friends, loved ones, and strangers!
I have been reading the last blog post over and over again, and three things have struck me.
1) That was an awesome trip, and we had a great time.
2) So much in our lives has changed since then, it isn't even funny.
3) The "Stud Puffin" shirt really is as funny as I remembered.



Since only one of those things is not readily obvious, allow me to elaborate on the last 11 months of our life.
We got home from our trip thoroughly exausted, and happy to have had such a great time with family and friends. We went to the Barney Family Reunion at Island Part, where Pop shared his cold with all of us (he's generous, that one). We made a movie for his e-book, which involved a planned attack impromptu water fight.

School started. I did not go back to work (though I did go back to school). We were unemployed with late grants and student loans, which caused a lot of stress. Fortunately, just as I started looking for work, this amazing job fell into our laps. In October Josh began working as a software developer at a start-up company. He works there still, and really enjoys it.

A few highlights from the school year:
-I found that taking all the computer and math courses in the world could not turn me into a computer programmer.
-Josh found that he LOVES software development.
-Josh did an absolutely INCREDIBLE senior project. He's a Physicist, with aspirations of becoming a computational physicist. His project fit in perfectly with that - he wrote a program (PyTran) that simulated microwaves going through the atmosphere. I'm told this is very, very cool. The Airforce Research Labs recently asked Josh's advisor if they could see it - we thought that was pretty neat.

We spent Christmas in St. George with my sister, Erin, and her husband Chris. Swedish food at Christmas? There's nothing better. With the possible exception of king crab legs that your parents overnight you, straight from a fishing boat in Alaska. Oh, yeah.
Chris taught us how to roll sushi, which has become a regular thing at our place. Have you ever tried it? So, so, so easy. Maybe I'll post a tutorial someday.

In March, Josh's computer crashed, which resulted in our buying me an iPad. I love my iPad - really, really do! Josh's computer ended up being ok, but we kept the ipad (we got a screaming deal on it) because we learned that in our house, a beckup device is crucial. Plus, I would need it when I went back to school full time.

Which brings me to Boise. Josh's company ended up making him a very nice offer - and we could move to their Boise location if we preferred. After much agonizing, we decided to accept it. We are SO glad we did - the alternative, moving to Utah, would have been fantastic. There is a lot happening down there, but we find that there is a lot happening here, too. It was so much cheaper, and I could attend school as a resident (meaning no more student loans - meaning, we can start paying OFF the student loans. Yay!).

So here we are. I drove the big truck over the mountains


(24 feet long! The middle-sized one wasn't available, sad to say) while Josh sufferend in silence - he got really, really sick. We moved to Boise in the middle of May - two days before my first class began, but it didn't really feel like we had moved because we went back to Rexburg two more times in the next three weeks. No, we aren't looking for punishment! Sam, Josh's brother, married my dear friend Emily, and we weren't going to miss that for the world.

So here we are, in Boise (pictures to follow). And we love it. We miss all of you in Rexburg - we miss impromptu fires in the Big Barney's backyard (do you resent being called the Big Barney's?), we miss the nephews, we miss our church family, we miss our friends. We miss late-night Canasta. But I'll tell you what we don't miss.

We don't miss Broulims. We don't miss the way stores there make you pay through the nose. For everything. We don't miss coin-operated laundry. We don't miss the division between university and community. And we definitely don't miss the weather - it doesn't snow in June, here. And my garden is thriving. We think all of you should move to Boise!!

As many of you know, I have been undecided on a career path for some time now. K, let's be honest - a really long time. As much as I love going to school, and as much Josh loves to enable my expensive education habit, I realize this is unsustainable. Which is why I have finally chosen a short-term solution - one that can only help future long-term plans.

I haven't felt good about continuing at BSU - it's expensive, and I feel that the education (though fine) is inferior to the education I recieved at BYU-Idaho. Which means, to me, it's not worth what they ask me to pay. So I have applied to the College of Western Idaho, where I will be completing my prerequisites for the accelerated nursing program at Idaho State University, located conveniently at the campus in Meridian. That program is specifically for students who have a bachelor's degree already, and is supposed to be excellent. And I feel really, really, really good about it. My classes (both of them) at BSU have gone well, and I feel satisfied with them. So there you go - I'm owning my decision! Mom, aren't you proud? :)

Occupational Therapy was a great dream to pursue - and maybe someday I will come back to it. As it is not an option, I'm glad to be choosing a profession that will allow me to pursue that someday, if I decide I would like to. It's funny how these things come full circle - My first semester at BYU-Idaho (6 years ago!) was pre-nursing, and here I am again! I think I'm ready for it this time. Go me!
And here's the part where I promise to be a better person.... errr, blogger. :)

Till next time!
Morgen