Lovely Yolo Night

This is the view from our little patio.  It was a beautiful evening.  We are quite fortunate to live in a safe and beautiful geographic location.  I hope we have as much luck as we move to the delta.

Posted via Blogaway from Mrs D's awesome telly

This is a Test

Just got a new application for my phone.  Can now post to blog from my 'Droid.  Will come in handy!

Posted via Blogaway from Mrs D's awesome telly

What a difference a few months make...

Whew! Yes, I'm still reliably unreliable in the blog-update department. These past few months have brought many wonderful events for the Domer Family. We've had some grand adventures, received many forms of fantastic news, and we're more sure than ever that we are on the right path in the general direction of exactly where we're supposed to be. Funny...if anything sums up our day-to-day struggles, lessons, joys, and celebrations, it would be:

"We are on the good and right, meandering path in the general direction of exactly where we're supposed to be." - Keira A. Domer

In lieu of the daunting task of posting every note-worthy photo and recounting the meaningful details of our tiny-but-instrumental adventures, I offer the following bullet list, in no semblance of accurate chronology or magnitude (and there may be some repetition from previous postings...my handle on the-blog-that-was is sketchy, at best):

• Paul finally was awarded his dream job...Paul is now a cowboy! He's been working as the second milker (my sister occupies the other milker position) at the UC Davis Dairy Teaching and Research facility since late November of 2009. He's lost so much weight, gained so much muscle (ooh, la la!), and feels really good about himself and the physical, sometimes-grueling, work that he does ten hours a day. I'm really proud of him!

The UCD Dairy

• My dad and mom generously gave Paul a wonderful gift...Melissa's old-reliable, Ford Ranger pick-up...Pepe. Paul is now an official driver and an OFFICIAL truck owner. He has nearly completed the checklist for full Cowboy status...a job with livestock, a pick-up truck, and now...for the flashy belt buckle!

heading off to Picnic Day 2010

• In January, Paul and I made the brave (i.e. crazy and a bit risky) decision to pull me out of work. I left my job as a laboratory manager to take-on one of the greatest and most meaningful jobs I've ever undertaken - being a housewife. Paul's demanding schedule had him rising at 2AM for a split shift from 3-8AM, eating and sleeping for about 3 hours, and then completing the work day with another split-shift from 3-8PM. His "night" after work is now only long enough to shower, eat dinner, and then pass out. The hours and physical labor have exhausted him, but they've made him so much stronger and more sure of his abilities. With all the laundry that the job generates, meals that need to be cooked, and general maintenance of our home, we decided that I could stay home and tend to our little nest (and prepare myself mentally for a new journey I was about to start...). I've been looking for part-time employment since, but I'm really enjoying being home and taking care of my hard-working husband!

• In my spare-time at home, I've started my own hand-made jewelry business with the on-line handcrafter's forum Etsy.com. I've always loved making jewelry from natural rocks and stones and fibers such as hemp, and now I've parlayed that into a fledgling business. I make a myriad of pieces, all from hemp, and have had the pleasure of doing (and encourage) many custom orders. I'm making a little bit of money but, most importantly, I'm also finally finding a creative outlet that my job never provided and exhaustion kept unattainable. You can check out my shop, A Golden State-of-Mind, and view a couple of my favorites pieces below:

• This Christmas, I received the second-greatest news I've had in a very long time - I had been awarded interviews at all three of the pharmacy schools to which I applied - University of the Pacific, California Northstate College of Pharmacy, and U.C. San Francisco. In early February, I received THE GREATEST news I've received in a very long time - I GOT INTO PHARMACY SCHOOL!!! As of August of this year, I am officially a year one student at The Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy at the University of the Pacific!!! I'll be graduating in 2013 as part of the accelerated program. Paul and I will be moving to Stockton in early August (we hope...still looking for the perfect nest!). I'm so excited to finally be given the chance to start this journey. I've been trying, to one degree or another, to commence my graduate education for over 10 years. Finally coming to fruition..I told you were heading in the generally-right direction!

One day...

• We're still living in Davis, in our little townhome on a wheat field. Melissa and Paul and I are all co-habitating well and are officially out-numbered by the animal population. Melissa's clan has grown by three kitten siblings to a brood of four awesome cats, one spoiled pooch, a magical bunny, and four very fortunate fish. Melissa takes the greatest care of her youngin's, and Paul and I love having so many critters on-rent. It's good practice, you know?!

• We were fortunate to be in San Anselmo visiting Paul's folks on the weekend that Mom's church was taking their directory photos. We all sat for a wonderful portrait session and had the opportunity to buy photos for ourselves. It's been years since I've sat with family for an official portrait...I think it was the Alaskan cruise when I was 15...long time ago! And this was my first portrait with husband and my amazing in-laws. I really couldn't have asked for a better family and for more love and acceptance than I've found with Paul's folks. I've been immeasurably blessed! Here a couple of our portraits from the day:

• Paul and I, after nearly 3 years of marriage, went on our first, official camping trip together. Motivated by the threatened state park closures, Paul and I spent a couple of nights hiking, camping, sunning, and adventuring in Calaveras Big Trees. We had a blast and finally combined our greatest loves - nature, beer, and each other.

adventure buddies for life

All in all, the past few months have been really, really good for us. These were just a few of the highlights, not a complete list of the joys and hardships we've known. We are grateful for all of the amazing gifts we've been given, the prayers that have been answered, and the doors that have been opened. We're excited about our impending move to Stockton, the commencement of my education, and Paul's glimpse into the future of his profession: house husband. He's excited! And I'm really looking forward to focusing on school and truly making the most of the blessing that I have been bestowed. This really is a huge responsibility and honor to which I am being called. I want to not squander one moment of my education and to, with all my might, attempt to remember all of the memories, milestones, and moments of the next three-year adventure of our little family...The Domer Family.

Much love,

Right back where we started from

Wow, I used to be really good at this "blog" thing. I diligently recorded our brave, new adventures, complete with photos and colorful details, and then after the novelty of blogging wore off, I let road trips and weekend jaunts, photos and witty commentary pile-up like an unbalanced check book, and I found myself unable to erase the past and in order to start afresh in the present. To ameliorate these nagging feelings, I started a new blog here on Blogger and then later, after a failed attempt on the "new" blog, I jumped ship and swam for the shores of Wordpress.com, where I had mild success in the inspiration department yet longed for the ease of the Blogger website and its adorable backgrounds.

So, we're here...right back where we started from. The Domer Family. This past year and the beginning of the new have been big and exciting times for our little family. More details to come...just wanted to say "hi" and "We're back!"

I look forward to catching up with you,