Are we still friends?

Hi.  Remember me?  I used to blog here.

Let’s just be honest.  I’ve been busy.  I know…I know…we’re all busy.  But I’ve been REAL busy, and blogging has been the last thing on my long list of to-do’s.  And I know there are literally tens of you out there…maybe even dozens…who have been waiting with baited breath to see when my next post would appear on your screen.  Well…here it is.  I’ll allow you a moment to go change your pants.

Anyway…since my last posting, a lot has changed in life.  There’s been so much change, in fact, that I’m even considered a name change, just because.  What do you think of Sergio Hernandez?

The school year ended very well with all kinds of goodbye celebrations and festivities, as well as the usual stress and chaos of finals and closing down the hall.  Oh yeah…and I also had to write a reflection paper and take a final exam for my Church History class…which I finished with a B+, thank you very much.  The highlights of those last few weeks included a surprise goodbye party for me and my partner Susie planned by a handful of students; giving the benediction at the baccalaureate service for the graduating seniors (and maybe tearing up a little bit while I did it…which was both unexpected and absolutely typical); an incredible last gathering with the Emerson PA staff where we enjoyed chocolate fondue and about four hours of the best affirmation time I’ve ever been a part of; and, of course, the quietness of an empty residence hall once all the kiddos moved out.  The major low-light was saying goodbye to so many amazing students, and wondering when (or if) I would see many of them again (tear, sniff).  That, and also having to face the repugnant stench that lingered in some of the male rooms while I was doing my final walk-throughs.  Yes…even though the rooms were completely empty, some were still drenched in the scent of moldy food, gym socks, unwashed sheets, and good old-fashioned BO.  Lovely. 

After all of that, the pace of June only quickened.  Here’s the quick and dirty:

 

• Started to pack our apartment and realized how much STUFF we have.  Wow.  
• Took our first apartment-hunting trip to Vancouver and learned that it’s nearly impossible to find a good rental apartment in the city.  Unless, of course, you desire to live in a small hovel or a dark, dingy basement suite that is infested with disease and smells like pee.  If you like those things, and want to pay big money for them, move to Vancouver!  Yeah!
• Flew to Pasadena for Lisa’s graduation from Fuller Seminary.  Go sweetie!  She still has a few classes to finish this summer, but it was fun to watch her cross that stage and accept her diploma holder thingy.  It was also nice to get re-acquainted with the sun.  A few specific high points of the trip included:
  • Enjoying maybe the best salad ever at a restaurant named Houston’s.  Thai Steak Salad…I dream of you.
  • Our hotel in Pasadena had a FREE happy hour with an open bar from 4-6pm every day!  Happy graduation!
  • Watching with wonder as a man came down to the lobby in a t-shirt, boxers, and black socks to enjoy the aforementioned happy hour.  Classy.
• Returned to Seattle for more packing.  There were days where we didn’t even leave our apartment…we just packed and packed and packed.  Like I said…LOTS of stuff.  Luckily, Lisa did convince me to release my white-knuckled grip on all kinds of stupid junk that I’ve been hauling around for years.  I even gave away my big bag of skit clothes, including my white snakeskin shoes and my adult learner costume.  That was hard.  Tear.  Sniff.
• Took a second trip to Vancouver to find a home, which ended happily with the signing of a lease!  HOORAY!  We’ll be living on 12th and Fir on the fourth floor of a great building in a teenie tiny apartment that is currently being remodeled from floor to ceiling.  We can walk everywhere and we’re only two blocks away from both of our friends in the city!  We can’t wait to host you whenever you want to visit, as long as you don’t mind sleeping in the standing position next to our vacuum cleaner in the closet.  Seriously.
• More packing.
• Enjoyed a glorious five-day sailing trip through the San Juans with Lisa’s family on their sailboat.  Seriously, folks…this was legit.  The good Lord was benevolent and allowed the sun shine in the Northwest, so we enjoyed 80+ degrees every day.  We visited a handful of islands (Sucia, Stewart, San Juan, and Orcas), hiked, kayaked, ate, napped, drank, laughed, and relaxed.  Also, Lisa fell asleep in the sun and got a sunburn on her bottom lip, which swelled quite seriously overnight.  I woke up the next day and found I was married to Angelina Jolie, which reaffirms how strikingly similar I am to Brad Pitt.  Unfortunately, this caused a space issue on the boat and we had to make Lisa’s brother swim behind us.  And we ran out of chap-stick in, like, 15 minutes.
• Came back to Seattle for a few days to finish packing, only to load up the car and drive south to Pasadena.  Over the next two weeks, Lisa and I are taking an intensive New Testament course at Fuller.  Lisa needed the class to finish her graduation requirement, and I can easily transfer the credits to Regent, so we’ll be study buddies.  We left on Thursday and stayed with our friends Amy and Jason in Portland.  Last night we stayed with Leif and Caryn (and Andres and Thoren) in Danville, CA.  Today, we head to Santa Barbara to see Lisa Holmlund again.  Sunday, we’ll arrive at the Tremper’s where we’ll stay for the next two weeks while they are out of town.

So…consider yourself caught up.  And consider me back to the blogosphere.  Lucky you.