we are in Colorado. drive was pleasant and even entertaining. in 5 states we came up with 30 different state's plates and two provinces. N quizzed us into silliness on the state capitols and state birds. anyone ever even seen a western meadow lark?

driving around yesterday L and i were both reminded that Colorado is beautiful. it is so much easier to see when you are visiting and not living amidst it. even from 25 Denver and C/S can be very pretty if you don't have to see the up close living.

window shopped. wandered talked. i think L napped. so far this has all the hallmarks of a vacation. my parents have even told embarassing stories to the delight of L & N.

blessing of old friends tonight. i am excited. now i just have to think up a convincing argument for them to move to Oregon with us.

so monday i put in notice at work. it was very gentle and no one got too bent. not quite expected, but not out of left field for most everyone at the office.

actually telling them that i am leaving has made it more real though. i have shorttimer-syndrome to no small degree.

...well maybe not as cheezee as that, but close. thursday i found out i have completed all my qualifications and once some money has exchanged hands i will be a licensed architect.

this feels really big to me. though i have greeted it with a certain amount of calmness. i knew i would one day get to this point. and in truth i had hoped to get to it sooner. but now that i "am" instead of "am becoming", i get to look forward again and set goals around which my life can again shape. this marks the completion of a phase and the opening of another. in many ways it is as big if not bigger than graduation. though i have been through that so many times it is starting to lose its sting. maybe leslie and i should find way to commemorate this? i'll make myself a deal, when i get the paper in the mail i will throw myself a celebration.

i actually don't even have words to describe most of my feelings.

this has in many ways been the month of Darnell. though we usually like to think of May as our month, but with the evidence present i am convinced that it should probably be June.

so i am here to make my monthly update! ha... not far off though.

this has been a busy month and i have let things slide while other things have had to be given extra time. unfortunately this was one of the things to slide. well, that and everyone around me has sucked at blogging too, so i blame it on peer pressure.

during the course of the last month we packed our house and moved 2.3 miles. we are in a wonderful new townhome, living out of boxes. sometime in the next month or so we will get moved in. i celebrated my 31st birthday. it was something of a non-event. i seem to have missed the gene that builds excitement for birthdays. then there was mother's day, just one more excuse to fawn over my help-mate. around the 31st of may we celebrated 4 years of marriage. WOW! and in there was my last architecture exam, a wonderful parent/teacher conference and an avalanche of other small things.

this last Friday was the big thing that probably marks the largest beginning and ending (well, largest until i get my exam results). i was been speaking with a firm in town. one that does architecture the way i believe it should be practiced. i went in for an interview several weeks ago and was almost overwhelmed by the experience. put off balance during the conversation and worried in the wake. but then last week they called and asked to set up a second interview. i've never had one of those. so i was at a bit of a loss. friday i went in and we talked for just over an hour. it was a good conversation. it helped me to process several things from the first interview and i think it solidified their thoughts on me.

so they offered me a job. good money, great benefits. working on the kind of projects i long to work on. now i have to do the uncomfortable and give up a job i have that is good and stable and financially works for us. i have to sit with my bosses and talk to them and let them know i am leaving. i have to overcome my squirmy insides and face my decisions.

strange feelings, when i think about being the new guy again. everything new.... maybe i'll cut my hair, just to make sure its all new.