Living in Portland Oregon is teaching me things I don't think I ever would have learned without leaving the loving land of SLC, UT. It's a little early to get nostalgic about living here, already searching for lessons, but let me tell you what I have come to realize already.

1. I miss my family. I knew missing them was imminent as I cried when I left all of them, but not being able to drive the twenty minutes from Salt Lake is killing me. Yesterday when I called my mom she told me Grandpa T. was in the hospital dealing with neck pains from his osteoporosis. There have been numerous occasions when I have received these calls. General reaction: bolt down the the hospital to support whomever is there, mostly my mom. Of all the calls I have received of this sort, there has only been one time I was unable to drop what I was doing to get to the hospital. Yesterday put another tally on the chart. It hurts to not be able to be there for my Grandpa and my mom like you wouldn't believe. Hugs are a necessary part of my coping process, and not being able to comfort from so far away makes my heart hurt.
   
   
2. Moving up here was the right thing to do when speaking of my job. I have already been given the tools to succeed further and love the store I work at (although it's in the "hood"). My boss is awesome, as are all the people I get to work with. I know the universe delivered me to something good.
   
   
3. Having zero friends doesn't suck as much as I ever thought it could. I have read a book and a half, and am blogging again! It feels good to have time to take care of me.
   
   
4. I miss my nieces like you wouldn't believe.

In other news, I need to start thinking about what my resolutions for my year are going to be. I will recap the old post. I only failed at like one and a half things! Yay for making realistic goals!

Birthday is tomorrow. I'm beginning to dread it, which is weird because birthdays are the best holiday of the year! It just makes me sad to be so far away from home with zero hugs from friends and family. Andy and I are going to the Tillamook cheese factory and then to the beach (this feels redundant I may have already told you?). We'll take pictures, and I'll post them tomorrow night!

I love you and miss you all!