We started the year with all dreams and no plans.

(We also started writing this in early December, but alas…)

Neither of us had a job (since April 2022), and neither of us had any idea what that was leading us toward.

Lee J had applied for some jobs he was sort of interested in, but no one bit (which we discovered in May was ok).

At Jordan’s (inspired) recommendation, he applied for graduate schools in exercise physiology, and was admitted at several, including BYU, where he accepted admittance. He’s on track to graduate in 2025, and has been loving every semi-psychotic minute of it. Since May, he’s finished a 10k on crutches (while a research subject) and spent a week in a wheelchair (again, as a research subject).

He’s happier than he has been in years, and is appreciating the rigidity of a schedule, but the flexibility of not being overscheduled.

Jordan applied for several jobs in August and received multiple offers. She is now an environmental compliance inspector, which means she works construction hours (read: lots and lots of hours), ensuring major construction projects follow the environmental guidelines required. The big plus is she’s spending lots of time outdoors. However a lot of her time is spent driving around.

Both Lee J’s schooling and Jordan’s job have demanded that we be more diligent about calendaring time for each other, and we haven’t found that perfect balance yet.

But we’ve tried to make time for hobbies (where possible) and sometimes we end up successful. Lee J harvested a bison for our meat this year (first archery harvest), and he’s looking forward to elk season in 2024.

Jordan loved going to Yellowstone in July with the extended Hinkle family. We ended up with a bison outside our window. And she also was game for an unexpected Christmas trip to California. (We left on Christmas Eve and drove the entire 12 hours straight.)

Overall, we’re grateful for a year that ended with more direction than it began. We have jobs and a direction and a plan. Still no children on the horizon, but we’re grateful for what we have and try to share what we have with others.