One Year Ago...

In my last blog post which was in December 2012, I summed up what had happened from graduation to the current month.  Now six months later inspired by a few friends who have started blogging again and the freedom of summer, I will attempt to regularly blog again (At least weekly).  

One year ago, I was checking edjoin.org every month in search of a school psychologist position.  I applied all over the state of California and had around fifteen interviews (or more) and was beginning to have major anxiety over the idea that I may not find a position.  At one time I went on what I called an "Interview Tour" of Northern California, with two interviews a day for three days straight beginning in Sacramento and ending in Santa Rosa.  I had the best feeling about this interview tour and could just feel the energy in my being telling me that one of these places would be the one.  

I was right!  At the end of the week I was offerred four positions!!  Hollister, Woodland, Tracy, and Santa Rosa.  I went from having a pile of rejection letters at home to four job offers!!  After carefully considering all school districts, towns we would live in, and salary I chose Santa Rosa which is a city 45 minutes North of San Francisco and 30 minutes West of where the Russian Rivers feeds into the Pacific Ocean.  It is in the heart of the Sonoma Wine Country and has been such a fun place to live with amazing people!  The end of July will mark our one year anniversary of living in our tiny cabin home and I have just completed my first year of being a school psychologist and get to experience my first paid summer vacation!

Thinking about this past year, gives me joy and reassurance that we chose the right place!  Although our tiny cabin home is difficult for me to live in at times we have discovered that it is located in one of the best neighborhoods in Santa Rosa and we have the best neighbors I've ever had in my life!  Yesterday we were able to join our neighbors at a summer kickoff BBQ and had the chance to meet more neighbors that I had not previously met before.  The sense of community in Santa Rosa is truly amazing and so many kind people have made an effort to make my husband and I feel welcome.  

Changing topics, and another reason why I signed onto my blog, is that Andrew and I are about to embark on an amazing summer road trip from Santa Rosa to Whistler, BC.  We did a similar road trip driving to Seattle a few years ago but have organized a little better this time and are so excited to visit family a long the way.  My cousin Erin and I will also be running the Rock and Roll Half Marathon June 22nd and will need as many prayers and good vibes that we can get!!  This afternoon when the weather cools down I will be running 10 miles which is a big test of what will happen next weekend!  

I can't wait to share my summer with the blogging community and have the opportunity to get back into my hobby of photography.  I also hope that once school begins I will continue to keep my blog ;) 

Below is a photo I took with my Iphone5 of the Russian River meeting the Pacific Ocean and Goat Rock State Beach.  <3