Destination: Golden State

It feels like ages since we last posted - and I guess it has been close to 2 weeks. But a lot has been going on, including Ryan's completion of final projects for school and the planning for my trip to Uganda for work. To top it all off, today I helped some neighbors rescue a duck.

But I'll skip all the excuses and reveal the latest turn in our adventure. We're moving to California in August! Ryan will be leaving his Sociology program at Notre Dame to attend UC Berkeley Law School. He'll start a program in Human Rights in the fall.
I'm sure many of you are surprised to hear this news, so I'll let you get the full story from him via email. Just send him an email and he'll write back with all the juicy details.

We're both really excited about this upcoming adventure and plan to move at the end of July, taking a few days to spend time with Ryan's family in Kansas City along the way.

Other things we've been up to include a "classic car" auction out in Goshen, IN a few weeks ago. We didn't buy or sell, but simply wandered around. It was great for me to reminisce about the many times in Jr. High and High School that my parents and I joined our family friends at these classic car shows and auctions. Here is a model A that we saw - right before my camera battery died.
I've also been working on a mother's day project that I can safely reveal now that the day is nearly upon us. I founds some great linen fabric online (imported from Japan) that I knew would make a great apron for my Mom. Several years ago we both bought garden aprons that we use in the kitchen. Over Christmas she commented that she needed a new one so I decided I'd just sew one for her using mine as a template. Here is the fabric, which although it may look somewhat childish up close, is VERY COOL when you see it as a whole.
I never seem to have the appropriate workspace so I often find myself using the floor. That's my green apron serving as the template.
The original apron uses grommets and a sturdy linen ribbon to tie it on and I decided to use the same design. Here are the practice grommets:
Sadly, I didn't take a final photo before wrapping this up and sending it in the mail. I'm hoping my Mom will model it for me instead!

Speaking of my Mom - she sent me a very funny (but appropriate) email the other day. I had sent her an email letting her know that the Uganda trip for work had come through. It went something like this:
ME:
hi mom,
just wanted to let you know that your mother's day gift was shipped yesterday. also, i found out yesterday afternoon that I am going on the Uganda trip!!
hooray!
love you,
Elizabeth

MOM:
Do tell more about Uganda – do not send information like this without details! We must know more! Hurry with your reply! Loves

The message gave me a chuckle and she had every right to say "do not send information like this without details!" I would probably throttle my own kid if they sent me a message like that! And then I'd probably ask them to bring back a cool souvenir for me.

And now the story of the duck - because I know that somebody will ask. Our apartment sits on a man-made lake/pond and this is the time of year when little ducklings and goslings are hatched. Ryan went out on a bike ride with our friend Bruce today and while I was at home quietly reading my book Snow. A duck-sounding ruckus was taking place outside so I took a look outside and found that some of my neighbors were throwing rocks at the ducks. I mistook their gestures as an attack only to later realize that they were in fact trying to chase off the mallards in an attempt to rescue a female that was being killed by the 15+ males.

Somehow she wound up in a box on my back porch and this afternoon we took her to the humane society. All in all a successful day.

While we know that there is a lot to be done before our big move, but we are confident that there will be a lot more fun and tomfoolery before July is over. We'll keep you fully posted.