Life Update: 👋 Bye Texas, Hello Washington & Oregon!

This past summer, my husband and I decided to uproot our lives and move from Texas to Southwest Washington with our two dogs.

This was far from easy.

The past several months have involved intensive preparation—packing our belongings, selling our home, finding an apartment, moving everything into storage, house hunting, purchasing a home...and finally, moving again!

We had been living in a one-bedroom apartment while we settled here. I struggled with not having an office and most of my stuff being in storage for months. I took the challenges of the moves in stride, but honestly, it was exhausting.

Despite the stress of the move, we love our new home!

We live on the border of Washington and Oregon, in the Portland metropolitan area.

Let me backtrack to explain how we got here. We visited Portland and Seattle in June last year. Neither of us had been to Washington or Oregon before, so we arrived with open minds for whatever adventure unfolded.

Flying into PDX, we were immediately struck by the majestic mountains and winding rivers.

Portland's lush greenery is gorgeous—trees and flowers bloom everywhere.

The highway is unlike any I've seen in other U.S. cities, lined by mature trees and plants.

We explored neighborhoods filled with charming craftsman houses, their gardens overflowing with roses and peonies.

Houses perched on verdant hills reminded us of Bergen, Norway.

Mt. Hood's presence was visible as we drove through the city, taking our breath away.

The Oregon coast felt magical, like walking into a scene from "The Goonies."

What made us fall in love with the Portland, Oregon area:

• The vibrant food scene offers countless local, farm-to-table, vegan/vegetarian options, breweries, and wineries.

  
  

• The incredible access to nature—we're an hour from mountains, ski resorts, and beaches. Plus, we have lakes, the Columbia River Gorge, waterfalls, and endless hiking and camping opportunities.

  
  

• The variety of social and community events--unique and quirky gatherings adds community to city life.

  
  

• And finally, the weather! While some complain about the rainy season, I'm embracing it. After years in the south, I've missed having distinct seasons. The cool temperatures, autumn foliage, and winter activities like skiing and snowshoeing bring me joy. Then come the glorious, rain-free summer months when everything bursts into life.

Though the move has temporarily disrupted my comic's timeline, I am working tirelessly to catch up. Now that we are settled, be on the lookout for more updates!

While we're still settling in and managing the challenges of such a significant move, I'm grateful and excited for this new chapter.

Cheers!

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