I'm doing what??

I have been absent from blogging recently, and I have plenty of excuses. School, work, other activities, the list goes on. The truth is, I don't have much to say these days. At least I don't think I do. When I finally force myself to write something, I realize that I always have plenty to say.

We are about a month away from the arrival of little Miss Anaya, and life is getting interesting to say the least. You set goals in life, and you formulate a plan to achieve those goals, and then life forces you to change everything that you had carefully laid out. Now, all of our thoughts and actions revolve around this little being who has not even introduced herself to us. She is like a little puppet master, and we are along for the ride.

Recently, I finished up spring term at Linn Benton Community College. I got an Associates Degree there in 2010, but after I became a Legal Resident I decided that I would pursue a four year degree. I finished another year at LBCC to finish up some credits that I needed to transfer to a university. The plan was to attend the University of Oregon in Eugene. Several factors influenced my decision to go to school there.

Anyone that knows me knows that I'm a huge Oregon Duck fan; I have been for years. Ironically, I live in "enemy territory," but I have been loyal to my team through the years. When I decided to go to a four year school, I naturally gravitated towards this institution. I have gone to several football games and events over the years and I always love being on this campus. This may seem like a superficial reason to choose a school, but it was something I felt strongly about.

I also had an offer from a law firm in Eugene while I went to school. Without going into the whole story, this attorney got me interested in  becoming a lawyer. She suggested that I take classes at UofO and intern for the firm. I was more than exited about this opportunity, and I also want to go to law school at the University of Oregon, so this was perfect for me.

The plan was taking shape: I would finish my transfer degree, I would enroll at UofO, we would move to Eugene, and we are set.

Then we got pregnant.

Even then, that did not change our plans too drastically at first, but little by little things began to change. They had to. When we began to look at the logistics the plan became more unrealistic. We decided not to to move because of my wife's job and because we wanted to be close to people that would help us with the baby. Oh, and our lease isn't up until October. I was going to drive to Eugene everyday, go to school, and work somehow. We weren't thrilled with the idea, but it was going to have to be that way for a while. I've been looking for part time work, but that hasn't worked out too well either.

Then I got an interesting offer from a local non-profit organization. It was an offer to work in an area which is close to my heart. I won't divulge too much information yet because it is not set in stone, but I'm thankful for the opportunity. I wouldn't be able to work at the law firm for another year, so this is a great opportunity to help people in the community and make some money.

While this is an exciting prospect, it also made things more complicated. I would be limited in the time I could work for them if I was going to be driving as much as I was planning to. This project wont fully get off the ground for a couple of months, which is when i would be going to school. So I had some thinking to to. I weighed all the different aspects of the situation. I thought about the driving, the baby, working, and dealing with school and homework.

I came to a painful conclusion; a conclusion that will bring me grief from certain people, but I will have to live with it.

I will be enrolling at Oregon State University. I already filled out the application. This is happening. Some of my readers may not understand the magnitude of this decision. There is an intense rivalry between the two schools, and I have always been a University of Oregon Duck fan. Others know exactly what I'm talking about, and those that know me personally are probably smiling right now.

I should say that I have nothing against O.S.U. as an academic institution. I know that I will get a good education which will prepare me if I decide to go to law school. Nevertheless, the decision was not particularity easy; I was looking forward to getting  free student tickets to Oregon Duck games. Oh well.

It was all for a little girl that I haven't even met; she already has me wrapped around her little finger. In some regards this has been a weight off of my shoulders. I feel better knowing that I will be close to my daughter and I will be able to spend  more time with my family. I will still be able to work for my present employer, and I will be able to dedicate my time and energy to our new project. My wife supported my decision, which made me feel more at peace about it. Things have a way of working out.

In pregnancy related news... there is a distinct possibility that baby will come sooner rather than later. So stay tuned for that.