Living Arrangements

This year is a bit of a wild card for us. I applied to grad school on a whim on a Tuesday night in March just because YOLO and ended up being accepted. Don't really know what I had planned if I hadn't gone to grad school, but it has worked out really great for RG and me. I'll finish my MSW in August and, by then, we will be all settled in our new home!

Our current home happens to be RG's parents' home (where we have separate rooms, to those who may wonder... I have been asked a lot! haha). I am so grateful that I haven't had to worry about paying rent for the past 7 months and that I've gotten to spend so much time with RG and eat lots of Sheryl's fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. I moved in initially because I didn't know what my fall living arrangements would be and my summer internship was located close to their house. Free rent and lots of time to hang out with Ryan and quick access to Raising Cane's kept me there once my internship ended. I really am grateful that I don't have to think as much about finances and bills on top of grad school this year. Also, Ryan is currently working 3 different jobs -- in the ER in New Braunfels, substitute teaching, and twice a week at HEB -- so sometimes we go a week or so with almost completely opposite schedules. It's nice to be able to see each other most days, even if it's just for 20 minutes or so.

My main thoughts about living arrangements are about the future; I can't wait to have a home with RG! When we went to Target to make our registry, it was a lot of fun talking about what color the bathroom will be and what kind of placemats we want at our kitchen table. As much as I am looking forward to the wedding, I am really looking forward to our first few days in our home together. We'll watch too much Netflix, play Scrabble, decorate, and cook. Actually, it would be wonderful to go "unplugged" for the first few days to really just take it in.

My thoughts about living arrangements are based mostly around being inside our home, not necessarily where our home will be located. A lot of friends have been asking about where we'll be next year and what we'll be doing. The answer:

Okay, well I do know how butttt I just love Zooey Deschanel in "New Girl." 

We may be in a few different places. 

Maybe Galveston? Ryan had an interview at UTMB in Galveston a few months back. We stayed with my awesome friend Laura who is going to OT school there right now. We loved it! Also, best frozen strawberry mojitos in the world...so delicious.

Maybe El Paso? Ryan interviewed there last year and has another interview for med school there in less than a week! We think it would be an awesome program to be a part of because of the Spanish curriculum. I like to think that my formerly magnifico Spanish skills would come rushing back if we moved, or I'd at least be able to pick it up again and build on what skills I have left. Spanish is such a valuable skill that I think I would use a gold font color on my resume to list it as a skill.

Maybe Houston? Ryan has an interview at Baylor in less than a week as well. I have never been the biggest fan of Houston after a summer internship sleeping on an air mattress and navigating with a faulty GPS... but I think the job market there would be really good for social work. We have some great friends in Houston as well that I would love to be close to.

When it comes down to specifics and locations and figuring out where I'll do my MSW internship over the summer, I don't care where we go. I have always loved Ruth 1:16-17 and I think that it is very applicable to our relationship at this point in our lives:

[maybe these verses are what gave Pam strength to move to Austin with Jim? hehe]

I am so excited to share a life and a home with Ryan. I can't wait to put really pretty contact paper drawer liners in and he can't wait to set up his surround sound thingy. Less than 140 days left til the wedding! Whatevs.