University of Louisiana- Monroe 2023 Graduate || Moving from LA to MI

I know it has been a good long while since I last wrote a blog. Since my last one, I worked at my last managed hunt in Louisiana with my friends from LDWF. I love working managed hunts because I get to talk with the hunters and see what deer come out of the woods that day. Parker was busy at our rental packing up, and that's all we did from Saturday to Tuesday morning when he left to go North (this was weeks ago). I finished up things at the rental that Tuesday scrubbing out the fridge and sweeping and moping the floors. It is such a weird feeling because it is like we were never there but that was our home for a year and a half. 

Thursday morning at 8 AM I took my last final- maybe ever and promptly drove 10 hours to my parents. I guess that technically makes me an early graduate. I figured that I could spend time with my family and friends back in Illinois before the holidays. 

Since then Parker loves his new job as a forester. I have been a full time artist while job searching and also unpacking making our new home look like our home. We have been on a few amazing hikes around our area in the UP and it helps for art inspiration. We also found an amazing church to go to called Cornerstone and the people there have made us feel welcome and like family. I can't say enough about this church actually- the music is amazing, the congregation is small but fills the church room and sooo many people sing and it sounds just wonderful because I know we are united to worship God. The pastor is very funny and preaches what we need to hear and doesn't sugar coat it. Every Sunday there is a testimony where we hear how God rescued people in the church from different situations and set them free. I just love it and I look forward to Sunday. 

I am a volunteer carnivore tracker for the state of Wisconsin. I have a survey block that takes about 10 hours to drive and I stop and record tracks I see of Canids (dogs), Felids (cats), Mustelids (furbearer type animals) and other (like bears and raccoons). It is pretty cool because I have some wolves in my block and have recorded many wolf tracks so far! It's best do go tracking right after the snow and it is snowing today so I think sometime soon I may go out and do some tracking. 

We had a lovely Christmas in Kentucky with Parker's family. It was so good to see them again since it had been too long. We drove 12 hours there and 12 hours back but on the way back we got a surprise that I'll mention in the next blog. So I have been really really busy with that lately and that is the main reason blogs haven't been frequent. I am just going to add a bunch of pictures to this blog- think of it more of a life update than a formal blog like I usually do. In 2024 I plan to be a bit better about my blogging and actually have more to say. Parker and I really have some big and fun plans for this year- God willing- so it should be a good variety! 

My verse for this blog is: “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.” -Isaiah 42:16. I love this verse because once again, Parker and I are just trusting God this is where we are supposed to be. It is so hard for me right now not really having a job, it is tight with money and it sometimes makes me feel like I am not doing anything to contribute to the family. But I am. I keep the house clean, make money from art, and right now have a very important task I am working on that is in the next blog, some of you already know what we got. So I just have to do more waiting, I hate waiting, and trust God that his timing is perfect and he has never steered me wrong.