Here. Now.

We're experiencing a lot of emotions lately. For those of you who don't know we'll be moving to Hawaii in the end of the month. Christian applied for a job teaching Anthropology at a community college in Oahu a month after we moved from Santa Cruz to South San Francisco for my job. In January, when we were at Disneyland he got a call back asking for an interview. From January until June we were in this limbo, waiting, interviewing, more waiting and more interviewing, and then a whole lot of waiting. It was pretty excruciating. This is coming from the girl who was happy to receive rejection letters from colleges because that meant that I at least knew. The not knowing is so hard for me.

And there was the whole issue with my job. I like my job a lot and I don't know if this is any news to you but Anthropology professors aren't necessarily rich. Hawaii is expensive and it would be much more doable to move if I could keep my job somehow. Suffice to say everything worked out. It's kind of crazy because we would stay up and talk about all the different scenarios, draw up imaginary budgets, talk about if this or that happened, and in the end it's all working out.

Christian and I share similar philosophies which is to enjoy the process, enjoy where we are at with what we have, and not put off being happy for the future. You know how some people won't put up pictures on their walls because it's just a rental? Well I'm the kind of person that's constantly decorating and trying to make the place we live in as "us" as possible. This, here, now, is our home, where my kids are making childhood memories, where Christian and I are growing old(er) together. We try to live in the present. But living in the present, other than just overcoming the daily grind, is hard when you have this looming possibility of a big move over your head.

It's nice to now know what we'll be doing. Christian will be teaching. I'll be working remote. We'll live with Christian's mom until we can find a house. Enzo will start third grade in Hawaii. The girls will have our wonderful friend Tailee as their nanny.

We'll have to start packing soon. Maybe because I like seeing my house complete (again, pictures on the wall) or because it's just a crappy process no matter how you look at it, packing is in my top ten list of least favorite things to do.

After the 4th of July weekend we'll pack, but for now I'm living in the present enjoying:

Developing juice and popsicle recipes + having Christian's cute cousins over so they can be my models.

Our little Lêlê (Eliza) who only knows about 5 words but is so expressive nonetheless.

The weather. Picnics.

+ Maria who is almost done with her reading lesson book

+ Enzo who is on vacation and loves being home and has become really helpful cleaning and watching Eliza when I need help

+ Having Christian's cousin Noelle living with us

+ Harry Potter. I am late to jump on this bandwagon but have recently started listening to the Harry Potter books and not only am I enjoying the stories I'm also enjoying the animated narration.

+ Loot from our garden

+ The World Cup! Go Brazil! I work in a fun office where watching the games is totally o.k. We have a big screen set up in the kitchen and we've had lunches from around the world to celebrate the different teams. When I can't watch I listen to the games. Wishing desperately I could be in Brazil but feeling ok about being here, now.