Greetings from Delaware

Internet. We Meet Again.

It's been a long time since I last blogged. And, I don't mean a just a few months or a few years. I mean ten years.

I had a blog in high school called "Don't Just Imagine", which I thought was a pretty edgy title. The page was a Blogspot site (does Blogspot even exist anymore?). I posted long posts about everything: politics, current events, my personal adventures, apologetics, faith. I don't know what happened or why I stopped posting. It was probably when I left for college. Which, believe it or not, in August, will have been ten years ago. Anyone from Joy Christian Academy (Decatur, Texas) want to have a ten year reunion?

Back in college, I thought was so busy. Some people actually work their butts off in college, working full-time or several part-time jobs, maybe juggling kids and other responsibilities along the way. I only thought I was busy. I worked as a resident assistant (or RA) in the honors dorm. It's not that it wasn't work, but if there was any job out there for me that fit well with my undergraduate lifestyle, it was being an RA. Sure, classes weren't easy, but they were simple to balance alongside a full schedule of hanging out with friends, playing card games, watching movies, trekking to the dining hall, and drinking coffee. So yes, I thought I was busy.

So, I probably could have kept blogging all this time, which -- even if no one read it -- would have been good for me. It's okay though, there's no better time than the present to pick it back up again.

This time, I'm actually kind of busy -- full-time doctoral student, graduate assistant, part-time emergency manager, wife, friend, active church member -- but writing is worth the time. Here we go again!

Hello, My Name Is...

If you've made it this far, I assume you know who I am, but -- just in case you don't -- I'm Julie. I currently live in New Castle, Delaware (30 minutes from Philadelphia) with my husband (Connor) and our two cats (Leo and Vela). I hail from rural north Texas, an hour and a half north of Dallas/Fort Work. I am a Christian, I read a lot of non-fiction books, I love cooking, I play piano, and I am fueled by coffee and tea. I am inconsistent on social media, bad at texting, and a relatively inept communicator when it comes to telling people about my life. So, the remainder of this post is going to be used to give some life updates!

What Are We Doing Here?

In July 2022, we moved from Texas to Delaware. If you had told me where Connor and I would be today when we got married nearly 6 years ago, I wouldn't have believed you. But, here we are: Living in the second-smallest state, learning a new culture, finding our way around the mid-Atlantic, each pursuing passions.

When we got married in 2017, Connor was studying art at the University of North Texas. Within a few months, he was working full-time as a graphic designer. He enjoyed the work, but wanted a change. A long story later which I will save for another time, Connor is now working as a flight instructor out of Wilmington, Delaware. His goal is to become an airline pilot. I am immensely proud of him and am so encouraged to see him love what he is doing. Of course, he still designs on the side!

Maybe you are wondering, why Delaware? Well, this is where my side comes in. I am studying Disaster Science & Management at the University of Delaware. UD is home to the Disaster Research Center, placing it among the best institutions to study disasters.

After working at UNT for three and a half years as an emergency manager, what made me decide to pursue my PhD was teaching an introduction to emergency management class. My dream is to teach, research, and write about disasters and emergency management full-time. UD is preparing me to do this.

So, that's why we're here in the First State.

How Are We Doing Up Here?

We are finally feeling settled in our quaint townhome. Just down the road from us is historic New Castle, an adorable downtown area along the Delaware River where William Penn took his first steps in the New World. We love being so close to so many historic and cultural landmarks. In our short time here, we've made sight-seeing trips to...

• Manhattan, New York

• Baltimore, Maryland

• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Lancaster, Pennsylvania

• Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

• Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

We've seen the ocean, we've seen skyscrapers, we've seen broadway shows, we've seen farmland, and much more. Connor's seen even more from the sky. As I write this, Connor is flying with one of his students to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

More important than seeing sights, we've found a church. The first church we visited is the one we plugged into. We feel immensely blessed to have found a community here so quickly. To kick off 2023, we went on a retreat with our small group and came back inspired, refreshed, and with vision for the coming months and years.

I was disappointed to learn Delaware does not get much snow every year. While Delaware can see blizzards, heavy snow is no guarantee. In fact, Texas has gotten more snow in 2023 than Delaware. We did get a light dusting here last week, but that sounds like it may have been it for the entire season. All the winter gear I bought or was gifted back in Texas may or may not get to see any action while we live here.

What's Next?

That is the question. While we have some ideas, we don't know yet what God has in store for us. In 2023, amidst work and school, I plan to read more, play piano more, write more, and exercise more. But, who knows what's around the bend?

I have three semesters left of classes and then I will turn my focus entirely on my dissertation. I am currently planning my dissertation, which I expect to center on nonprofits and faith-based groups in disaster response and recovery. This summer, I am planning to attend several emergency management conferences and begin working on my dissertation proposal. I also have a very tall stack of unread, non-fiction disaster-related books in my home office; I'll be cracking those open sometime this year.

In the interim, Connor will continue flight instructing. It won't be long until he is eligible to fly for a major airlines. So, the next chapter will come soon!

While we're eager to see what's next, we are intentionally embracing our new community here and trying to seek the Lord in the present.

Thanks for reading! Send me a note if you want to chat.