July in Alton

Many of my pix are still on my phone, but here are a few fun family photos we took at my mom's garden and in my brother's yard.

Strong family visit

Our Japanese cousins came to town! As usual, their visit was too short.

June Tristen and Tillie

We took these pictures on a fun family bike ride to Mathew's Beach.

More of Twin Falls

Twin Falls has got to be one of the best hikes for families! Tillie made it all the way up herself, and I carried her back in the ergo. She slept.

Chris was here, but I think the camera lost batteries part-way through.

Buskers

We experienced a new dimension of Folklife this year, when Vicki and Tristen tried busking with their ukeleles.Tristen's class also performed with their ukeleles.

May miscellaneous

Gardening, pie-making, flower-arranging, bacon pancakes, and a visit from Abigail. We could not have asked more from May.

A new job

Plot twist! A little over a week ago I said goodbye to my INCREDIBLE friends and colleagues at PATH. Leaving them was was hard -- as was disengaging from a mission that I strongly believe in and an organization that I have put so much into.

But after eleven years, it was time for a change. In fact, at my ten-year mark I had begun to wonder, what next?! It took me about a year to figure that out -- and I am deeply grateful to you, friends and family, for listening, advising, helping me network, and otherwise supporting my exploration.

In May  I will join AdoptUSKids as director for digital media. The US Children's Bureau funds this national program. Northwest Resource Associates, based right here in Seattle, administers the digital presence, which includes marketing and engagement as well as a "match dot com" for kids needing homes and for families looking to foster or adopt. The position will play to my strengths and interests in leadership, marketing, and user experience, and I'll be learning about the field of child welfare from a cadre of experts and partner organizations all over the country. I'm SUPER excited -- my enthusiasm dampened only by the number of logistical details I have to pull together in the next week, before I start.

Stay tuned...

And meanwhile, I stumbled home from a fabulous last Tequila Tuesday with coworkers to find Tristen's best wishes taped to the front door, drawn in a style that can only be described as "Minecraft." I think the copy and emphasis reflect how hard it was for me to make this leap -- and probably also how NECESSARY.  :)