In Which: Life rolls right along!

Well I have to say, life is Salem is pretty great. It is feeling just like home at last! I am able to go most places without consulting a map beforehand, which is a great victory! Salem is a beautiful small town, and while we might not stay forever in the city proper, there are some nearby places where I could imagine living for a long time. 

Scott is still working for Tandem Northwest as a caregiver for the developmentally disabled. He has gotten a lot of high praise from his supervisors and is one of the favorite workers. The people he cares for seem to really bond well with him, which is understandable! He is kind and caring, and always has the best interest of others in mind. He always goes the extra mile, which I know is a big deal in the eyes of the Powers that Be.

We are continuing to research grad school programs and their prerequesites, but the future is looking bright! Scott has caught his second wind for school, and is ready and motivated to put in the long, hard days ahead that grad school brings.

As for little ol' me, I have accepted a job offer with Salem Health! (The same hospital where I am doing my internship.) I will be working the graveyard shift, which offers extra pay and a 7 on, 7 off schedule; both of which I am excited about! The night shift will be hard, but it will be great to have two full weeks off each month to spend with friends, family, and my cleaning supplies! Neeedless to say, Scott has narrowed his grad school search to local programs (with a few others, just in case) so that I can work for a while during his upcoming school years. Looks like we are Oregonians for good!

In other news, we have finally gotten rid of the extra residents of our home: Termites! What terrible pests!! A couple weeks ago, Scott and I noticed some odd dirt accumulating around some holes in the ceiling above the window seat in the guest room. I was pretty sure I knew what it was, but a few days later, the exterminator confirmed it: Termites! Appparenly a rare kind to have in your ceiling: Ground Termites!

We had to live with our unwelcome guests for a little while longer while we waited for the blessed day when the exterminator came back. Scott had the duty of knocking down the nests every few days and killing the bugs inside. I couldn't even go in that room for weeks! Just the thought of those termites building their unsightly nest in my window just made my skin crawl. I think I was able to peek in one day and take a picture of a nest... let me see if I can find it...

Finally, the exterminators came! They had to drill holes in our wall and windowseat and pump the wall full of chemicals to get the bugs out. One of the guys went down in the crawlspace under the apartment and did more spraying, and yet another one was on the outer wall doing more spraying! And at last we were termite-free! Unfortunately the wall and ceiling are still full of unsightly holes, but at least there are no creepy-crawly nests!

I got my guest room back JUST in time for Felicia to pop in, fiance in tow! (Pictures of our hike at Silver Falls to come in the next post.)

Speaking of fiances, two of my girlfriends are getting married a week apart in August, with my graduation in the middle!! I am so excited for both of my gals, so I am getting in shape for the wedding season!! I joined a gym, and am feeling pretty great. I am just so happy to have the brain power and the time to spend on myself for a change. Just two more months of school!!! I am happy to be on the home stretch!