Wow, it has been a long time since either of us have posted here! A lot has changed in the last 2.5 months, but I'd say much of it was for the better.
The seasons have changed (mostly) and brought with it many experiences and major decisions. Katie has gone from having a surplus of time to being overly busy with nanny work for our cousins, and back. I have relocated my business from O'Connell and Associates to Remax Integrity, and have managed to sell some real estate in the past several weeks, too.
With the weather turning, we've been spending a lot of time outdoors. Katie and I found a great spot east of Sweet Home, OR that's right on the river. It's very private, cheap, and no reservations are required. Best of all, it's just an hour and some change from our front door. When Todd came up for a weekend, we went back to that spot.
We also went to a hotspring along the MacKenzie river with our cousins Scottie and Brandy last weekend, and are actually going back this coming weekend for a 2-night camping trip! There's prime trout fishing right outside our campsite, and lots of beautiful trails. Can't wait to get back there--I think it's a new favorite.
Our professional lives have changed a little, too. Katie has applied to several positions with the University of Oregon and, although she hasn't been interviewed yet, I have a feeling she will soon. She has been incredibly persistent with finding out who the decision makers are, getting in front of the right people, and having her name and face become known around her prospective office. I'm proud of her. She's more than qualified and really just needs to spend a few minutes with the big cheese to win him/her over.
She has also taken the initiative to volunteer her time for an organization that speaks to her. I really admire her selflessness with becoming a volunteer at Big Brother, Big Sister, especially with not having a stable paycheck right now. I'd like to think I have it in me to do that, too, but she went beyond thinking about it to actually doing it. She's got the right attitude.
In my work, I've been trying to play matchmaker between my buyer clients and with what's available in the marketplace. I felt like I was spinning my wheels for a while, but started making some traction around the time I moved my business over to Remax. At O'Connell and Associates, I learned a great deal--Uncle Mike got me started in real estate and walked me through my first few transactions, which really made coming down to Eugene a possibility. Now that I'm at Remax, I have more access to trainings and technology, which is just what I needed after learning the basics from him. By combining this with Mike's sales training, I am well on my way to becoming an UNSTOPPABLE SELLING MACHINE!
Looking forward, our wedding planning is going steady. We've had some creative ideas, such as possibly brewing our own beer for the reception, but there are still more unknowns than knowns... One thing we do know, though, is that it'll be April 27th, 2013!
My parents sent us up an "engagement gift," which was really nice of them. It was a 46" flatscreen TV! We have been using the same 32" TV since we lived in Novato, which was a little hard to see from our couch now that we're in a rental with a larger living room. Video games are now amazing, by the way...
Hmm... what else... Well, we're both going to the gym consistently and taking much better care of ourselves (no junk food!!!). We have some visitors coming up soon (friends and family from CA), and our garden out back is doing great--we have an apple tree, a blueberry bush, squash, broccoli, kale, lavendar, rosemary, tomatoes, lettuce, chives, basil, strawberries, and more. Alright, I'm running out of things to say. I'll find some photos and post them in a day or two. :)
-Nick
