Now!

Photography by: Leah Hope Photography

Dress: c/o Aeropostale (on sale!); Necklace: c/o Ettika; Bracelet: XO Veronika (on sale!); Heels: Nine West

Are you the same person you were a year ago? 

I think back to one year ago when Ben and I made the long, hot drive from Tacoma to Portland, and think about what has changed for us, with us, and inside of us. In 2013 when we made the move, medical school was still this great unknown. I was embarking on a new job with trepidation. We moved into a seriously upgraded apartment and our cat finally had a low-to-the-ground windowsill to watch birds from. I remember exploring Portland thinking it was this massive city with endless shops and restaurants. While I am still convinced that the restaurant roster is never-ending, Portland seems so small now. We've been to each corner of the city and much of the in between. 

Now, half-way through 2014, we're engaged and planning a wedding. We're ready to move to the next step of the medical school cycle (year two, here we come!) and I'm six months into a new and really awesome job. We've moved to a new apartment in January and it has finally come together in terms of decor. I think that beyond all the material things that have changed, we've come into our own here in PDX. The streets feel familiar. The buildings look like home. The air smells and tastes sweet. We've made great friends here that are sure to be lasting. And I think that Ben and I have settled into a pretty comfortable life (besides my endless neuroses), where we both know our place within our tiny little world.

I don't think we're the same person we were a year ago, individually or as a unit. And we've had some makeovers along the way - in the apartment, our closets, and in our heads. I was sparked to reflect on our own personal changes when Aeropostale, that brand you don't often think of as being modern, revitalized their brand and relaunched today. They're not the same brand they were a year ago and you should give them a look. Not just to find a cute dress like the one above, but their amazing selection of boots and sandals for the summer to fall transition. 

To conclude my nostalgia, let me know... are you the same person you were a year ago? What's changed?