Hello. It's me.

Our little family at a recent wedding

Still here, just not having time to write like I used to. I don't know if I still have any readers since so much has changed about people's social media habits since I started this thing (more than 10 years ago) and since I update it so infrequently now.

Personal blogs aren't a thing anymore, unless you're a social media personality or if you're trying to promote yourself, your brand or do product reviews and stuff. Especially blogs on Blogspot. Like, don't people do Wordpress or Wix these days?

Somehow, I just can't let it die. It'll always have a purpose, I suppose. It will always represent something special and singular. It's this thing that has unwittingly traced my trajectory. From a single college undergrad on the cusp of graduation to a married professor mom in the thick of yet another transition.

Quick rundown of what's up:

1. I'm coming up on my third-year review. It's a pretty big deal and, ultimately, an indicator for whether you'll eventually achieve tenure. The biggest feat is writing a personal statement, which I've done many times over in many different contexts, but I just can't seem to get it going.

2. I was recently informed that I have access to a very generous grant for the purposes of research and travel. I have to take advantage of it and I already have some plans percolating in my mind. The first major one is a trip to Spain next summer. By that time, little boy will be 18 months old and I'll no longer be nursing him, which would make it easier to leave him for longer amounts of time. My husband and I have both been to Spain separately, but never together. I'll be able to bring him along and I'm looking forward to traveling abroad together.

3. P is just about finished with his dissertation. Defense in November, graduation in December. Which means he'll be on the job market this fall. We're just praying that something permanent, preferably tenure-track, with benefits, opens up in this area so that we don't have to move, so that we can start seriously paying down debt and realistically think about buying a house.

4. Having a baby is so much work. That doesn't even begin to explain how hard it is and how much it reconfigures your entire body and life. So why in the name of all things sane am I already thinking about having another one?! I don't seriously want to have another one until at least 2 or 3 years from now. But I can see how quickly my son has already grown and when I see brand new babies, it hits me right in the ovaries.

Anyway, that's kind of it for now. Our little guy is 7 months old and totes adorbs. I'm already imagining annoying little crush-laden girls coming up to me and asking,"Are you Josiah's mom?" Little girl, if you don't get up out of my face and up out of my son's face and go sit your little self down somewhere. Wow. If I'm not careful, I'm going to turn into the mom version of my dad. Yikes.