The past 30 days...

The past month has been very... full. A feeble attempt at a recap:

Spring Break in Ireland was beautiful and wonderful and fun and needed. It did my heart a lot of good to spend time with my brother. And it was glorious being back. I don't think I can find a way around the dreaded cliche... honestly, it was like coming home. It was obviously different than the experience I had two years ago, but not in a bad way. Many times, while at the grocery store or riding the DART, a specific memory from 2 years ago would hit me, but it was more of a "hmm, those were good times" kind of memory. As I was walking around Greystones and down by the rocks, it felt so natural - like I hadn't left. It was the strangest (but best) feeling. Inexplainable. On my first day, I grabbed coffee and snuck down to the rocks. "My ritual." I snuggled inside my blue North Face raincoat and breathed in deeply. I literally just sat there, nestled inside a crooked nook, and watched the water slap up against the rocks. And I felt so ALIVE. Beauty does that to you...


Though it was sad to leave, I rather enjoyed the journey back. I love traveling with people, but I get such a kick out of traveling alone. While waiting at the Dublin airport for my plane, I scrounged up enough euro for coffee, then pulled out my little notebook and started writing... about leaving... about loving... about the ecclectic people around me... Airports are wonderful. So many hello's and goodbye's... a revolving door of emotion and adventure. Once I actually boarded the plane, I discovered I had a window seat. (Yessss.) A few minutes later, Thomas, a 23-year-old Canadian, moseyed up. He made a funny joke about us being plane buddies. I introduced myself. And then we were friends. We chattered about Ireland and jobs and risks and bad plane food. And then we landed in America. I'll probably never see him again, but how fun and thrilling is that? To meet total strangers and get to know little facets of their lives... and then part ways.

So now I'm back in the less adventurous realm of academia. And can I just say that job hunting while in school is by far the most tiring, tedious, stressful undertaking? Because it is. I'm "actively pursuing" jobs... and trying to calm my heart at the same time. Patience, Blake. Patience.

Easter was utterly glorious. It was one of those just REALLY GOOD weekends at home. I hadn't been home since Christmas, so it was extra good. (Below - fam shot, minus mom the photographer, and paul the brother abroad. And yes, James is now taller than me. Officially.)

And now I'm just in this whirlwind of school work and job hunting and impending goodbyes. I graduate in 33 days... which I could choose to be stressed about, since I have nothing lined up... but that wouldn't help anything, right? Right. We just turned in our rough drafts of our portfolios for my Senior Capstone class today... final copy due next week. Baby steps.

One more thing! A BIG THING. MY DAD IS CANCER FREE!!!! PRAISE GOD. He just had a Pet scan (?) last week that determined this... he'll have 2 more rounds of chemo and then be done, while they moniter him for every few months for 5 years (I think?). Anyway, this is the most wonderful news, so a most sincere THANK YOU for your prayers. They have been answered.

Ok. Back to the grind.