The Little Blue House

 

I close on the sale of my house today. I signed all the documents yesterday. It took less than 10 minutes. The whole process was really pretty easy. My realtor/friend Chris already had a buyer when we first met. He was working with some people who had been trying to buy into Sherwood but the market is so crazy right now they kept losing out. He knew they would like my house and the opportunity. My house is perfect for a first time home buyer - small, low cost for this market,  good school district - a lot of perks. It ended up being a good deal for both of us. I didn't have to put a ton of work getting my place ready and having lots of people walk through and they didn't get outbid in a crazy market. I still will be renting here for another month until I get married and move to Newberg with Dan.

I didn't expect to be quite as nostalgic as I am about leaving the little blue house but I am. I have many good, hard memories in this house. It is the only place I have owned on my own. When I moved into the house I was starting over. I was overwhelmed. I spent many late nights hanging from the top of a ladder painting, fueled by wine and M&M's. It's kind of a miracle I didn't injure myself when I think about it. I had dear friends insist on coming to help me because they knew I wouldn't ask. I learned how to replace a toilet, remove and paint doors, rip out a shrub that had taken over the entire front yard and had a life of it's own, and assemble furniture. I started a new job and then changed clinic locations since I moved in here. I sent a kid to college. I helped another navigate high school during covid. I hosted a covid friendly prom and homecoming. I hung up my friend's art that she made for me. I ran an ultra marathon. I adopted Chewy Lewis. I fell in love.

I love the new house that Dan and I found in Newberg. It is in a neighborhood but it has beautiful backyard views of hills and alpacas. We can hear the crickets and birds that live in the marsh just off our backyard. I have found a new running path. We are putting together our library. I have an entire room devoted to a library! It will be amazing. But still I am so grateful for my time in the blue house.

It is here in this house that I remembered my strength. I took up trail running. I remembered I was brave enough and had enough support to try oncology - which is the perfect fit. I had incredibly honest conversations around the dinner table with my kids. It cracks me up when I see articles talk about "conversation starters with your teen." Nothing is off limits here. I imagine at times my kids would like a reprieve from the life discussions. They know it's a safe space here though and I will do my best to create that in the Newberg house.

The next chapter will be good. I know it and I am looking forward to it. But, I will be forever grateful for this 1000 square foot space that was a learning and loving place for me the past three years.

The Next Right Thing.

 So.....I have been taking a COVID mental break and realized I had not written in quite some time. The last time I wrote I had finished my 30 mile Wildwood trek and it took a minute to recover....and then Covid went on, and on, and on. And then all the political division. And then we were all just trying to get by, to get through, to wear our masks, to do our best.

2021 came and with it the promise of new leadership and VACCINES. One of the brightest spots in a long time are the vaccines. I have worked at several vaccine clinics because I like being part of the light, the promise, the hope. People who come feel hopeful. I soak it in.

There have been losses. Oh so many losses. But there is some light. Some hope. And....some love. One of the biggest surprises for me has been love. 

I met Dan when we were just learning more about Covid last spring. It was April. I met him online - which is a entirely other post because I still can't believe that I was even online and I have thoughts about that. Even so, there I was and we had enough of ...something....to meet in person. But I was VERY clear with Dan. I am an oncology nurse. Covid is real and I take it seriously. If you actually want to meet me in person we will be masked and maintain social distancing. Dan wasn't phased. He was in. He was still in when I told him before we were to meet that if he wasn't really interested or was going to stand me up, not to waste my time. He was undeterred, even intrigued perhaps that I was someone who wasn't afraid to speak my mind.

So we met. We had a lovely walk across the Tilikum bridge. It is more fun for him to tell the story and if you get to meet him some day, maybe you will hear it. Apparently I made some sort of impression. So we walked again. And again. And again. We did a lot of walking Dan and I. Eventually he made his way into my bubble but it took some time. There is a lot more to this story but to highlight - we have weathered Covid together. He has seen me tired, discouraged and disheartened. He has seen me hopeful. He and Jenny were my primary support system during my 30 mile Wildwood trek. He has shown up for a tired, at times disgruntled, oncology nursing again and again and again.

In some ways we are very similar. We both have a crazy love for books, red wine and coffee. In some ways we are very different. He will talk to anyone, is always enthusiastic, is a hopeless romatic and is ahead of me by about 20 tattoos. But, in the midst of COVID, we started a love story. An unlikely, quirky, lovely love story.

He had not been snow shoeing as an adult. I almost did him in taking him up a very steep hill on his first snowshoe this winter. Yet, he was good natured and went with me again. As a matter of fact, he has been up for every crazy adventure I have suggested. And today, as we stopped to take in Mt Hood while snowshoeing around Trillium Lake, he asked me to marry him. And I said yes. 

So, the story continues. My kids were in on the plan and are excited for us and the next chapter. They are part of it. So is Chewy. He's ecstatic. It was perfect - adventure, sunshine, outdoors, hope.

As I reflect on today I think of Mary Oliver's famous words  "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" Well, I plan to marry Dan.