Slowing down...

If you have been following me around the past few weeks, you may find it difficult to track where I have been and where I am going or what my plan is for the next few months.  It may not come as a surprise, but I do not really know the answers to those questions.

I left Portland on May 14th to fly to Denver for graduation associated activities.  These included, but were not limited to: presenting my capstone project, celebrating marital engagements, attending lectures on various topics and just genuinely celebrating the accomplishments of the last three years. Then there was graduation!  And the days that followed that I got to spend with my parents showing them around Colorado.

BBQ for Preston and Ashley's engagement

Lattes with Kristen

Then I flew back to Portland for about 36 hours of catching up with friends and meeting/spending quality time with my sweet nephew.  Then repacked and took the train to Seattle to spend the weekend with Kristen.  As always, my time with her was well spent and this time... productive! We spent all of Friday outfitting her apartment with various furniture and decorations and I have to say- it turned out pretty well (look out HGTV)!

Train leaving Seattle

Saturday night, I loaded the train again, this time bound for Montana.  The tracks played host to some fabulous views of the Pacific Ocean, Cascade Mountains, Columbia River and finally the Rocky Mountains.  Sleep is always hard to come by on the train and I caught a cold sometime in the last few days, so when the train pulled into Whitefish, I was more than excited to be on solid ground... at least for now.





I get to stay in Montana for the next ten days! In which, I will spend the majority of my time studying for the boards exam (which I will take July 2nd).  I brought my bike home, so I also hope to get in some good rides to break up the long hours of studying.  True to fashion, I decided to come up with a list of things I want to do while in Montana:

1). Relax- truly breath in the fresh mountain air and slow down

2). Bike/exercise daily

3). Take a break from social media (cross off #9 on my list)

4). Study up to 6 hours per day (but no more- allowing myself to maintain boundaries and sanity)

5). Begin cleaning documents off my computer from grad school

6). Begin photo book of graduate school pictures (#76)

7). Have individual adventures with each of my parents

8). Write. Reflecting on the past few weeks and years

9). Discover one new place in my town

10). Read a pleasure book

Pulling into Whitefish on the train

Looks like an intimidating list, but I think most things are very doable in the next 10 days!  I then will head back to Portland with my parents on June 13th and get to spend more time with my little nephew and brother and sister-in-law!  The 15-17th I will go to the beach with Raynelle (effectively crossing off #44) in preparation for her wedding on June 23rd!!!!!! I am so excited about their wedding (if you couldnt tell with all the !).  And then, with all the abundant time I have left, I will continue studying for the boards exam and continue the job hunt (more on these possibilities later).

I am hoping to write more in the next few weeks, but of course that will be time allowing!  Keep checking back for updates on the list of Montana things!

Litte man James