Visit!

Guess who came to see me last night?! How sweet is he?! I got a call at about 5:15 that he was leaving work and traffic was really bad going home. I jokingly said, well then just come south. About and hour and a half later I got another call and he was here! He'd actually planned it and had his clothes and everything with him for today. I just love this man.

Hmmm, I don't think one of us was too awake yet!
Leaving me...again. Luckily we get to be together tonight or I'd probably be in tears again! He even parked next to me...our cars kind of match...aren't we cute!
Off he goes to fight traffic...
...leaving one very happy girlfriend behind!

I am so, so happy he came. I needed that really badly.

Graduation!

So it's confirmed: Once I finish this semester and with 16 credits in the spring I'll be graduating in May!!!

Anxious

I am waiting rather impatiently for 10am to roll around. Why you may ask. Because I am going to meet with my advisor to hopefully be told what I already know: I'm enrolled in the classes I need to be for the semester, that the remaining classes I need will be offered next semester and that I am on track to graduate in the spring.

We went over this in April when we figured out what classes I needed to take this semester and I took the online summer class I needed (or else I would have been 1 credit shy of graduating) and we established which classes I needed to take in the spring, but still.

I want to cross off the classes I completed last semester and the summer one so I can physically see the ones I have left to take. I'm weird I know, but I want to absolutely guarantee that I will graduate on May 9th, 2009!

There shouldn't really be any question because I have 94 credits completed, and enrolled for 18 this semester which equals 112 leaving 16 needed to come to the 128 required to graduate. Makes sense, right? Let's hope so. I'll post an update to if I'm correct and on track or not. Please keep your fingers crossed! Thank you!

Missing Him

Sunday evening was one of the most difficult time periods of my life.

My mom, Andrew and I packed up all my stuff and off we went down to school. I really didn't want Andrew to come because I knew it was going to break my heart into pieces to watch them drive away. He, of course, insisted that he needed to come to help me carry all of my heavy things into my room (which I really appreciated as it was pouring down rain and I have some heavy stuff).

We got down here and got most everything situated then went out to get some dinner. When we were finished we went over so I could get some food for the week then came back to school. My mom stayed in the car and Andrew helped me take my stuff up (he got to carry the case of water, isn't he a lucky guy?).

Then it was that time. The time that is making my have tears in my eyes just writing about it. He had to leave. It was the moment I'd been dreading all summer. I held onto him and cried. And I am not a crier. What else could I do? I'd been somewhat prepared for it, but my gosh, it killed me. I felt physically ill, like I was going to throw up watching them leave.

The rest of the night was horrible. As was yesterday evening which is why I couldn't post much for the last few days. Sunday night was absolutely miserable, we hadn't slept apart in months and that was so strange for me and from what he said that night, him too.

Classes at least took my mind off of everything for a little while, but as soon as I was back in my room alone a had that sick feeling again. The one that says "this is going to take a while, but you can do it". It's a little better today, mostly because we talked for almost an hour last night and again this morning, but it's still so hard.


I've gotten so accustomed to our routine: We get up, he gets ready while I make his lunch, he goes to work, I get ready and go to work myself, we email a bit throughout the day, we meet up at home, do something outside until it's dark, make dinner, watch some tv and go to bed. Together.

This is just ripping me apart this year. Last year was difficult on the first night when they left after moving in, but after that I was fine. I am so thankful for email and cell phones I can't even begin to describe it.

I guess I didn't realize how attached to him I really am. I have always known that I love him, but I wasn't expecting this wave of emotion to hit me like a freight train.

I miss him desperately, I love him deeply and Friday seems like it's eons away. Like he said in an email, the countdowns to Friday have begun. 3 days, 8 hours and counting.

Back to School

It's that basic. Back to school.

Classes so far appear to be tollerable. Tomorrow when I have the remaining three will be the deciding factor.

Everything is moved into my room and unpacked. It amazes me that it took us about two hours to unpack things and get set up, yet when I move out of here it takes me about a week to get things out. How does that work?

That's about it. I just keep telling myself that 9 months from now I'll have a degree. I guess the other thing that makes me yearn for these coming months to pass is that in 10 months Andrew will be finished with school, too. Hopefully, our life together can really begin.

Leaving for the weekend

Getting ready to head off for an expo this weekend. Also, a big event on Sunday: moving back to school. Sounds like fun doesn't it, Internets?

Hope you all have a terrific Thursday and I promise to have some actual content on Monday!

Is it in You? The urge to golf that is.

I've never, ever had the desire to golf. Have you?

Andrew is suddenly trying to become a golfer. He's actually not too bad really. I'm not quite sure why he seems to enjoy it now, but alas.

I took these pictures, really a video, a few weeks ago. You may notice, besides the awesome golf swings, the fence posts just standing down there. I'm happy to say that there is now a completed fence there and it looks quite nice!

I guess the reason I can't get too interested in the sport is that I really don't want to chase a ball around the course. Although many of the courses are beautiful, I'd much rather enjoy a good book.

So, here is Andrew swinging away. Keep in mind that these pictures were taken from a video so they're not that clear, but better than nothing!
My neighbor Leah.
Andrew again.
So, are you a golfer...is it in you?!

Animal Profile #1 - Molly

I've decided that as long as I'm writing a blog I may as well introduce some of the possible key characters: my animals.

I'll be doing this for a little while, so hope people enjoy.

This is our dog, Molly. She is 11 now. We rescured her from the pound when she was just 8 weeks old. She is a great dog. When we get hay in, she climbs up the stack to the top and lays down, Queen of the Hay! She always comes with me when I ride, even though now she's getting a little old to be doing that and we have to stop several times for her to catch up. She's a horrible guard dog though, would much rather just wag her tail so they'll come pet her than anything!

Molly Dog. I really like this picture. When we're outside she always lays at the beginning of the driveway to watch and see what's going on from every angle.
In her house. She loves it in there!
Always with the crossed paws!
I really liked this one too.
She and I , well, more of me I guess.
She does this thing like she's embarassed. Not sure why, but I think it's cute!

Friday Question

This Friday is a question for all you fine folks. I think I'm going to stick with going between a challenge and a question every other week. Does that work?

This week's question is:

If money and other resources were plentiful for you, meaning not a worry whatsoever, in what way would you first like to see a change in the world?

(I'm going to need some time to ponder this, so I'll have to add my answer later...!)

She's Right!

Ali posted today about Ryan Lochte.

I've got to agree with her.

Compare:

Michael Phelps on the left, Ryan on the right. I just don't see what anyone sees in Phelps, do you? Ryan has the complete package...and a gold metal he just won! Congratulatons to him!

So, what's your opinion, Michael or Ryan?

13th

It seems that many people have a fear of the number 13.

Are you one of them?

I love the number, and honestly I look forward to those months that include a Friday the 13th. I really don't know why that tradition started and can't for the life of me understand why tall buildings leave it out. I guess I feel a little left out because it also happens to be my birthdate.

I was sitting here thinking that 5 months ago it was my birthday and in 7 short months it will occur again. Time has just zipped by. It seems like yesterday, cheesy line I know, that I was sitting in a restaurant having dinner with family and friends and suddenly hello! it's August.

7 months from now, it will be my birthday and also (the better part of it) I will have less than 2 months left of school before I complete my degree. Amazing. On one hand it feels like school has drug on for ages, but on the other, it's a bit scary. What the heck am I going to be doing in 10 months? Sheesh, that puts a lot of pressure on a girl! Time will tell I suppose.

Happy Wednesday, the 13th! Don't let any black cats cross your path!

My top 5 list...

Of places to see before, well you know.

I have this book sitting on my window sill entitled 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. (As a side note, I'll be honest: 4 years of college and I still can't remember if a title should be underlined or in italics. I know.) Inside are incredible places throughout the world that would be amazing to visit. Unfortunately for us Washingtonians, there are only a handful in the Pacific North West.

So, to begin, please note that there are not just 5 places out of the entire book I'd like to see, but possibly over one hundred little flag scattered throughout the pages. Two more lists of places 6-10 and 11-15 are to come in the following few posts. And, please also keep in mind that this is if there was no budget in place.

1. The Northern Lights - Tromso, Norway
"The same extreme reaches of northern Europe that provide endless days of summer sunshine promise something just as remarkable during the otherwise daunting winter months: the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights, an eerie, silent display of dancing lights in the heavens above." Evidently, as the book goes on to say, that on most clear winter nights Arctic winds collide with the electron-charges atmosphere of the earth, creating an aurora of these swirling apparitions around the magnetic North Pole.
It just sounds like it would be amazing. I think I recall seeing glimpses of them on TV, but to see it in person would be incredible.

2. Sydney Opera House and the Harbor - New South Wales, Australia
The Opera House was a design chosen in 1957 and took 15 years to complete. It was such a controversial project that during the construction, designed Joern Utzon removed himself from the project, never to see it completed.
I would love to someday cross the Harbor Bridge and at least see the opera house. It is such a symbol of Australia. Andrew really wants to visit the land down under, too, so hopefully someday we'll make it down there!

3. Queenstown, South Island, New Zealand
Welcome to the home of bungee jumping and jet boating! In this location you can do many things. First, the bungee jumping. There are many high bridges here that drop you down into an oasis of plants, and jungle of species or over a waterway. As the book says, at least at publication time, everyone had lived to tell about it! Next is the jet boating. This seems to pretty much be like white water rafting. It says they take you over steep rock walls, and white-water rapids in flat bottom boats. I'd just be going for the bungee jumping, though!

4. Horseshoe Bay Beach - Matangi Island, Figi
What part of that doesn't sound enticing? Beach, Fiji...sounds great to me! This location is a horseshoe-shaped, 240 acre island that is the remains of an ancient volcano that fell into the sea creating one of the finest beaches in Fiji. The thing I love most about the island, is that the accommodations were built to house only 28 people at a time. There are 14 circular Polynesian-influenced bures and also three honeymoon tree houses built in enormous almond trees. This place sounds like the best getaway yet, I may have to slip this one into first place!

5. The Great Amish Country Auction- Pennsylvania
We were just so close to it, too! Unfortunately, not enough time reserved in our trip to make it up there bust next time. The Amish just fascinate me. Mostly because they are still using horses for transportation and for work.
The auction the book talks of occurs weekly and people begin to arrive before daybreak. People come to purchase other people's items, sort of like a big rummage sale. Things range from kitchen items to hand powered tools, horses to antiques.
I would love to just take a day and be a tourist here. Although, it would be even more amazing to take that day and be on someones farm and see what really goes on. Probably not too much of a vacation, but rather a learning experience.

So what about you? Even without the book, or with it if you own a copy, where are your top 5 travel destinations?

U-S-A...U-S-A

Are you chanting, too?

I've never been too much of a big fan of the Olympics. I'm guessing because they don't come around too frequently and honestly, I'm not that old to have seen many of them. But, when Apollo Ohno, also from Seattle, was skating I watched then and it was quite exciting.

This year however, I'm kind of getting into them. The synchronized diving was incredible. I mean these girls are perfectly inline. I couldn't do a fraction of what they're doing. All the time that has gone into their practicing is unbelievable.

I must say though that the Chinese gymnasts that competed last night could not have possibly been 16. Could not. A few of them looked like they were hard pressed to be 12.

Anyways, I'm off to watch more. Let's hear it for the U-S-A!

Part 2 of many (many) pictures - New Jersey

I suppose the title is a bit misleading since I don't really have too many pictures of tourist things in New Jersey, rather just the town where we stayed. Neighbors of mine have a home in NJ and they generously let us stay with them. They have a beautiful home and it was like staying at a resort. We loved it! This is in the town square. It just struck me as a great angle for a photo.

Also in the town square, the local cafe.
This is the backyard and a fraction of the gorgous flowers they have planted. It seriously is the definition of a manicured yard.

The pool! Our saving grace on those hot days!

Two of the boys! Our friends have 3 Pomeranians who are adorable.

Us in the pool!

The town is full of old houses, the one we were staying in just turned 100, but this was by far our favorite of the ones we saw when we were walking around. It was just gorgeous. A pale yellow with dark trim, the white boarder for the wrap round deck and lovely yard. We decided we could easily live there!This house was built in 1870 and was the train station for the town.

I loved this shot!

Hmmm...so I just found out that I can email a certain address and it will post my message directly to the blog...how interesting!

Just testing it out!

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Friday's Challenge

So, two weeks ago I said that on Fridays I was either going to post a question that people could just think about, and possibly leave a response in the comments or a challenge.

Last Friday I was off gallivanting around the east coast with limited to no Internet connection, and quite honestly forgot all about it. Not this week though!

I'd like to try a challenge this time. It's simple and shouldn't take much effort. READ. Sounds easy right, yes, but the twist is something not off of the computer screen. Pick up a book, a magazine will suffice I suppose, but a book is what I'm really after here.

How often do you actually have a chance to sit and take a few minutes to really read and get lost in a book. I love that and am challenging you to do the same.

Happy reading and happy weekend!

Part 1 of many (many) pictures - Philadelphia!

We began our trip with a day in Philadelphia. It was by far my favorite place.

We did a walking tour on our own because we wanted to take as much time as we wanted to see things so ended up in front of the guided tour which was great. Less lines and in a few of the places we were the only ones in the building, besides the park ranger people of course. So, here is the Liberty Bell. Much smaller than we both expected, but since it's an icon of American history, I'm glad I've seen it. I was expecting this huge thing, but it's really only about 3 feet long and probably the same in diameter. A bit of a let down, but cool to see.

This is Carpenter Hall. I love how this photo turned out while looking up the street. The Hall is where the first Continental Congress was held. Inside there is a display showing how the building was built. It was amazing to me to think of all the people that had been in the building over two-hundred years ago. That just blows my mind.

This is Ben Franklin's grave, along with his wife. We learned that the tradition is to throw a penny on his grave for good luck. If you look closey, really closely, you can see either my or Andrew's penny in motion. I'm guessing it was his since I just sort of tossed mine anywhere and tried to take the photo at the same time. In this graveyard there are four other signers of the Declaration burried there.

Here I am posing in the same spot that Abraham Lincoln once stood. Like I said before, that just completely blows me away. Even more so when we were in Washington, DC and we got to see his actual signature and those of many others.

The building off in the distance is Independance Hall. If I'm remembering corrrectly, and the odds there are 50/50, it is where the Declaration was first read to the public and Independance was declared. Again, I could be wrong about that!

This photo was taken inside on the the buildings Ben Franklin built. He was actually the person to come up with fire insurance so the point of the building was to be fire proof. This display showed how the walls were built and towards the bottom you can see some of the bowls and pottery that were found. For being over 200 years old they were in excellent shape.

Also in the same building beside a sort of indent in the building which went underground making an area to store things and make an attempt to keep things cold. There was another one of these further back in the building that had a hole dug into the ground and was used for trash. I wonder what they did when it got full?

Here we are in the same building as pictured above. The thing we were sitting in is a replica of what Ben Franklin used to get around. You may be able to see towards the back of the seat and to the sides the rails that people used to hold it up and carry him wherever he needed to go. It was actually quite roomy!

We were in Philadelphia, had to do it: Philly cheesesteaks! They were really good! And here's Andrew taking a bit out of his and enjoying it!

We saw lots of things here, many more than I have posted photos of. There may be some more to come later on!

Home Again

Andrew and I returned from the east coast last night and were somewhat happy to be home, but could have easily stayed for a few more days or weeks.

I have many pictures to share and will do so after they are edited a bit and I've had a chance to go through them all. I took 350 and Andrew took an additional 130 so it may be a few days before an are posted!

Hope everyone had a great week!