Mid Year Postcard
We're halfway through 2026 and so much has happened!
It’s the start of July - blackberry bushes are shaking with flowers and bees, tiny tomatoes are peeking out their green heads, and I think about going swimming most days. The longest day of the year is behind us but the hottest ones are around the corner.
The first half of 2026 was monumental for me. I’ve been waxing and growing and grinding and feeling for 6 months and I’m ready to wane down a little. Spring was long and fruitful and I’m grateful for everything that grew! As part of a summer slow down, I’d like to take a moment to share some of my big 2026 moments with you.
I got married!
On May 23rd, George and I got married on an island in Puget Sound. In a historic hall on the shore of Honeymoon Bay, our friends and family gathered from different states and countries to witness our vows and celebrate love with us. It was an overwhelmingly joyful experience, filled with all the weight and light that love brings.
George and I spent a lot of time planning the day, thinking about how to represent our relationship in tangible details that we could share with our family. We enjoyed collaborating on this massive party and creating an atmosphere that felt true to us, but there were so many things we couldn’t anticipate about the day itself.
Most notably, we didn’t anticipate that a medical emergency a few days before the wedding would send my dad to the hospital for 7 nights, unable to join us in person. We spent the week before the wedding hurting and hoping that he could make it, but it was clear he needed to stay in Colorado to get well. While the timing was unfortunate, my dad was able to watch the ceremony virtually and make a full recovery! My mom walked me down the aisle and brought us the photo album they both worked on. We felt his presence and love immensely on the day.
I often tell people that I felt every single possible emotion in the two weeks surrounding my wedding. It was exhausting and exhilarating! Both George and I spent the following days reliving every moment. Leading up to the day, married friends, coworkers, and strangers would tell me how their wedding day was the most overwhelming day of their life. They’d encourage me to remember to eat (something I’ve never forgotten) and take a moment for myself. I appreciated the advice, but I underestimated what they meant. All I can say now is, they were right!
George and I were so moved by the support of our family and friends who made our day so special. From spending months making my wedding dress by hand, helping us set up, creating decor and flowers, officiating our ceremony, running the sound, writing a custom song and beautiful tributes, washing the dishes, problem solving, and holding us with so much joy and care. Our community made our day more special than we could ever plan ourselves. We are so grateful!
Here are a few photos of the day, the place, and the people we love so dearly.
I changed jobs!
At the beginning of May, I accepted a job offer from Washington Department of Transportation as a Transportation Planning Specialist on the Fish Passage team. In less technical terms, work for the state and assist with environmental permits on projects that improve river habitats under road crossings.
Last year, I finished a 9-month professional certificate in Wetland Science and Management. When I first considered the program, I tried to picture my ideal job upon completion, and fish passage projects were at the top of my vision board! I got a lot of rejections before I landed this job, but I’m so grateful this is where I ended up.
While I was ecstatic to land the new position, I realized that the June start date meant I would be changing jobs and getting married at the same time! I had to quickly come to terms with the fact that my 5 and a half years at Washington Trails Association (WTA) were coming to an end. My Saturn Return was winding down and a big new chapter was coming.
I started working for WTA in March 2021, in a seasonal position organizing gear in a garage in North Bend. I didn’t know anything about trail maintenance, but I was attracted to the position’s promise of flexibility, outdoor work, and tangible goals. I didn’t know that I’d accidentally stumbled into a vibrant, multi-generational community of thousands of active volunteers who care deeply about public land access. In that first summer, I grew close to the 3 retired volunteers who helped me pack food and maintain tools. I learned how to move multi-ton boulders with simple tools, how to cut giant trees with crosscut saws, and how community gets built through smiles and trail snacks.
My seasonal job turned into a permanent job, which eventually turned into a position coordinating projects and working closely with Forest Service staff. I traveled to remote trails on Lake Chelan, in Methow Valley, and along the Cascade crest. I worked with mules, volunteer cowboys, skilled rock blasters, retired software engineers, dirtbags, and a beautiful team of vibrant trail specialists.
I learned how the Forest Service staff has been slowly shrinking for 40 years, going from robust crews to just a handful of employees to cover thousands of miles of trails. I watched as covert budget cuts turned into overt attacks and a successful scheme to dismantle public services for political games. I thought a lot about the value of protecting public land and maintaining safe access routes that give people a chance to connect with the earth and other people.
More than anything, I grew up at WTA. I made mistakes, I learned from great mentors, and I got to connect with people outside my immediate bubble of 20-something anxiety. I am so grateful for my team and my time there. I hope to return as a volunteer and spend more time playing around with dirt in the mountains. If you want to give it a try, check out wta.org for volunteer opportunities!
I started showcasing my stained glass!
As if changing jobs and getting married in the month of May wasn’t enough, I also launched an Instagram page to showcase and sell my stained-glass pieces. I’ve been interested in stained glass for years. My parents hung an antique stained glass window in our front window, and I remember staring at it from different sides, fascinated by how the shape changed in light.
In fall of 2024, I took a beginner class at a local glass shop and I was hooked! I bought a glass grinder from Ebay and set up a small workbench in my garage. I’ve been making projects monthly and I’m excited to share them on my instagram page @HumHouseGlass.
I will be listing items for sale every week or so and posting short form videos to gain more eyes. For months, these pieces have hung on my garage window, waiting for their time in the sun. I’ve completed at least one piece a month for a little over a year, so I have a lot of pieces banked up! I’ve loved the routine and the challenge of a new medium, and I hope to write more about the process here.
If you’re interested in buying any pieces, leave a comment or send me an email at humhouseglass@gmail.com. Or, if you have an idea of what I should make next, let me know!
Now that spring is behind us,
I know the second half of the year often goes faster than the first. Looking ahead, I’m pleased to see fewer deadlines and finish lines. As a new employee, I have fewer responsibilities than I’ve had in years and planning a honeymoon is much simpler than planning a wedding. I’m ready to play and settle this summer! I’m following my fancies, keeping my eyes up and open.
I’ve spent a lot of time watching soccer, especially because Seattle has become the unexpected nexus of the World Cup for the US Team! I’ve never followed a World Cup before, but I was caught up in this global wave of competition, connection, and drama. I’m moved by Cape Verde, amazed by Messi, slightly afraid of Erling Haaland, always rooting for Mexico, and painfully attached to the US Men’s National team.
While I wasn’t in the stadium for any matches, I went to the waterfront for the USA v Australia group stage. Everyone in the city was smiling that day, even the Australians. I’ve never seen Seattle shine like that before! I stayed to watch the next game in the street with the Moroccans and the Scots, a real treat. If soccer is a spell of nationalism and cultural curiosity, then I believe in magic!
I will leave you with a poem,
One that I’ve been thinking a lot about as I see people celebrating their countries from places I have never been to.
Wow!!!!!! I'm your MIL and I didn't know some of these things. I enjoyed this so much
Congrats Erin!!!!