mare, i like your new blog template.

what?
oh, hello people.
i'm back.

i woke up at 3:00 am and then again at 4:00 am so i give up. i'll blog and then i'll clean until i get tired again. why do i randomly wake up like this? i'm not sick and there's very little stress going on here, so the usual reasons aren't working. who knows? and furthermore, who of you, dear blog readers, actually care? moving on...

it has been awhile, hasn't it?
let's see, what has happened since i've written last?

we have a sweet new nephew (with completely chubby cheeks, which i shall kiss to no end!), who i can't wait to meet (hopefully in october!!!).

and we've been to colorado (for matt's cousin carlena's wedding) thanks to justin and mom and dad edwards. what a fun trip! good visiting with family and chatting and eating and jumping on a trampoline (or rather, sitting on a trampoline and being bounced around while someone else jumped--hilarious!!!).

i've been working quite a bit. more than i planned, actually, but it is really fun and i think it will make the transition back to work in 2 and a half weeks (what???) a little bit easier. usually, i'm off all summer and then my body and brain go into shock for the first month or two of school. i hope this helps me ease back into it. and i hope i'm not tricking myself :) heehee! i did get a full time job offer at my part time place of employment, which i entertained but will not be taking.

i finally got my hair trimmed (first time since december-ridiculously lazy!), so i feel much better about myself and my hair isn't all wild and flinging out all big everywhere.

matt and i celebrated our 3 year anniversary of living in san diego! the other night (august 10th) we took some bread and cheese and a bottle of champagne to sunset cliffs and recounted the highlights of the past three years--there are so many amazing things that have happened--and thanked God for fulfilling our dreams. it was so much fun! tomorrow is our 2 year anniversary of being in our condo!!! the time has gone so fast!!! and we love living in this home--i say it at least once/week and more than that when we come home from a trip!

oh! exciting news! we never could decide on a summer vacation place so matt and i are planning a trip to ireland in late june/early july 2006. anyone is welcome to join us. we'll be doing some backpacking and staying in hostels and bed and breakfasts. we'll have a general itinerary planned out, but we're going to be playing some things by ear, so you can either be flexible with us, or we can meet up with you for a more structured part of the trip! we can't wait!!! i'm starting our ireland savings account today, with my first paycheck (which is for 1.5 hours of work-ha!). any recommendations from people who have been there? we want to go the the aran islands, ride bikes around the dingle peninsula (teehee), and see the giant's causeway.

hilarious conversation overheard:
matt's old college friend gabe is getting married this weekend so somehow he and matt were talking last night.

gabe: so when are you and tracey having kids?
matt: uh, we don't know, we're having too much fun right now.
gabe: (long pause)
gabe: seriously???
matt: yeah.
gabe: (longer pause)...oh!

ha! so funny that he thought matt was joking! matt thinks it is because he can't comprehend having that much fun! heehee!
by the way, a little lesson for those of you who don't know the etiquette: don't ask someone when they are having kids--it is just bad manners! #1, you don't know if someone has been trying and you are going to hurt their feelings by asking (this happened to my mom and several friends), and #2, it is none of your business! sorry, just have to get that out there--we've been asked too many times lately--and not really by you readers, but in case you readers were thinking of asking us or anyone else, there is my opinion! ha!

by the way mare, i like your weather and other random alaska updates--i want to know everything that is going on up there with your new life--nothing is boring or insignificant, so quit saying that! and yes, i do have the new over the rhine, and i really like it. in fact, i will end this blog with a lyric from said album.

like an ocean without waves
You're the movement that i crave
and in that motion
i long to drown
and to be lost
not to be found