I'm Still Here!

Jus tpopping in VERY briefly to say that I'm still here! I'll update soon, but hope all is well with you!

Catching Up

Catching up...it seems like I find myself trying to do a lot of that lately. The summer semester is almost finished! I am writing my research paper this week, and on Saturday morning David and I head to San Francisco for our annual trip to visit the cooler weather. (Much appreciated this year, too!)

Last week was hectic...lots of school work, Hospice stuff, SafeHaven stuff, and family stuff. We made a quick trip to Houston because an elderly cousin passed away. It was good to see family, but it's hard to make road trips like that.

I'm going to Puerta Vallarta in November, and I am really looking forward to that. I'll be meeting David's cousins down there for a week of relaxing. (David has to work, so that's the bummer part of the trip.) After that, the next trip will be December 2012 for our next Cruisemas! Yay!

Speaking of travel, 2013 will bring wonderful things! I will be doing a study abroad trip to London for a couple of weeks to work on some master's level coursework. David is going to fly over for part of it, and on a weekend we're going to venture over to the Isle of Man!! Now, to know me means you need to understand that I am a large percentage Manx. (That's what they call the people from the Isle of Man.) We have very strong family ties there, and I am going to fulfill a dream of seeing where I come from!!! (Thank you to my wonderful husband!) We can fly there from London in about an hour and spend the night. I want to visit Kirkmichael, which is the village my family lived in/lives in. Yes, I still have family there! (I don't know them, though...perhaps I should try and send a letter to introduce myself?) So while a trip to London all by itself is wonderful, getting to visit my roots is off the charts amazing! This is absolutely the trip of a lifetime for me. I cannot believe how lucky I am to have the opportunities that I have had, and will have in the future. Trust me, I don't take them for granted.

So I have so much to look forward to over the next couple of years! And to cap it off, I'll almost be halfway finished with grad school by the time I go!

So things are really going well for me, and life is good. Am I loving my job? Nope. But I am doing the best I can because it gives me the chance to get to do what I love. And that's worth something!

Happy July!

I'm always amazed at how fast the time goes. We're over halfway done with the year now! Lots has happened...it's been a busy year. School is still going well, and I am enjoying my Hospice work. David and I couldn't be happier in our home, and we're really enjoying the pool this summer. (I have a great tan!)

I've started my early morning workouts again this week, and so far, it's really going well. It helps me control my work stress, so that's a very good thing. However, I do feel sleepy. I need to get to bed earlier.

I'm looking forward to a week in California next month. We'll be spending time with David's cousins and Aunt out there, and I love visiting them. They are so much fun and it's such a nice change of pace for us. I have to come back a couple days before David because of school starting up, but that's ok. It gives me time to recoup. I usually need a day or two after a trip to readjust.

Not much else to tell right now. David travels often and I have lots going on with summer school and Hospice, so things are busy, but good. I had a lovely birthday and it was nice to be surrounded by friends to celebrate. :)

Hope all is well for you, too!

Welcome, Summer!

I may be one of the few people excited for triple digit temperatures, but it's only because we have a pool. And we are getting good use out of it! I have a tropical looking tan, and I'm totally loving that I can go float around my pool after work!

I'm looking forward to our first full summer of pool fun. I think I need some new floats to lay on, so I'll be hitting up Overstock.com! How are you keeping cool this summer?

I really have very little news. Summer school began this week, so I am excited about moving forward. May 11, 2012 is my graduation date, so every day gets me closer to my goal. Where do I go from there? Graduate school!! :)

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far! Have a good Thursday...and GO MAVS!!

Where Have I Been?

Wow, time flies!

The semester ended successfuly, and I am thankful! And after all my celebrating no summer schoo, I decided to take a social psych class anyhow. I graduate next May, and doing this will lighten my load in my graduating semester, so it just makes sense. I'll take a summer off after graduate school!

Things are okay...I really dislike my job, but it pays the bills so I'll hang in there until I graduate. But at least it's summertime and the pool is heating up and I can get in there and swim my stresses away!

I don't have a lot to report other than all that. I've just been so busy with work and school that I think that's all I do.

Hope everyone is well! I promise to blog again soon!

Focus

It's hard to concentrate...there is just so much on my plate right now, and I'm exhausted. School is closing in on a month left (yay!) but I have projects due. I am trying to do one of them now, but you can see that I'd rather blog than do it. I just feel tired. Work isn't my favorite...started my new position this past week, and as predicted, I don't love it. But I can suck it up and get myself done with school. Which actually brings a joy - Spring 2012 classes posted online and everything I need to graduate is there, so I am DEFINITELY graduating in May of 2012!! (And then right on to grad school!) My Christmas gift this year is going to be my college ring. And I am VERY excited about that. So good things are going on. I just feel so busy all the time! I did get to have dinner with Kim last night, and that was great! We ate and then went to the MAC store, so I got a couple new eye shadows and a lip gloss. Hey, a girl needs treats! I am restarting my workouts tomorrow. A week off after the relay is plenty. Time to get back to it. I went to the store this week and found myself buying up lots of vegetarian frozen meals for lunch. Not sure why I'm on a no-meat kick, but I'm just going to roll with it. I did pretty well this week, so I'm really trying to refocus. I've been having protein shakes for breakfast and they really are filling and seem to stick with me all morning, so I'll keep that up. It's all good! So I guess that's about it. I really need to get my economics project done. I just have to focus!!

Digging Deep

I spent my Sunday doing something I was sure I couldn't do right now. Kim and I did the Dallas Rock n Roll Half Marathon Relay. Kim took the first leg, which was 7.1 miles, and she totally rocked it! But I was really anxious about my part. I had 6 miles in front of me, and when Kim and I exchanged the baton, I took off at turtle speed. I knew I couldn't run it. I wasn't even sure if I could walk it. At each mile marker it still felt like an eternity away. Wasn't the end ever going go arrive? I plodded along with people passing me the whole way. But here's what's really cool: People would walk with me a short ways and encourage me. They would tell me I could finish, and they would share their weight loss stories with me. It was amazing! And even though my calves were cramping and I was exhausted, it was the encouragement of others that kept me going. That and my desire to finish, which only grew strong with each step. By the time the finish line was in sight, I called my parents so that they could encourage me over the finish line. And then there were the tears...so I was sobbing, listening to my parents tell me how proud they were, and lumbering across the finish line. It wasn't pretty to see, but I don't care. I did it! I actually did it! I was so scared when I set out, but I really finished it! And Kim and I cried together when we found each other. She knows how hard that was for me. But she knew I could do it. It's so awesome to have so many people believe in you! This was physically the hardest thing I have ever done. But I did it, and I am proud! I ordered my finish line photo, so I will post it here when I get it. Next year? I just might do the whole thing myself! With friends along side me and family at the finish line. That would be the best ever!

The Merits of Grief

People sometimes think that some types of loss are more important than other kinds. I don't think that way. As a future grief counselor, I see all kinds of grief as valid and important. This comes to mind because today is a particularly sad day for two friends, and while each loss is different, they are both equally heartbreaking to me. If you don't agree, that's okay, but I would ask that you withhold that particular opinion. I normally wouldn't say that, but today I would ask that my friends' heartbreaks be respected.

My friend Christie (not my Matron of Honor, but another friend I've known since high school) unexpectedly lost her husband, Antonio, yesterday after a routine shoulder surgery. He left behind his lovely wife of 15 years and two children ages 13 and 11. He was her soul mate, and I cannot even pretend to know what that pain must feel like for her.

The other heartbreak belongs to my very dear friend, Kim. Her sweet kitty, Simon, went to the Rainbow Bridge this morning. He had been fighting cancer for a little while now, and this morning he joined my precious Cleo in Heaven. Letting your furbaby go is a very difficult thing to do, and Kim was selfless and brave and loving.

If you add in the devastation in Japan this morning, it just feels like a terrible day, and I am looking to God today for comfort for everyone. Please know that to all my friends and family, I love you all and will be thinking of each of you especially...I hope you feel the hugs I am sending out!

Back in The Saddle Again

Okay...now that my blogging time for Woman's Day Magazine has come to an end, here I am trying to get back in the groove of my own blog. It has been a total whirlwind since January. While my job is changing, I am spared from being laid off. I interviewed today and feel like it went well, but I won't know for sure until I get (or don't get) an offer. I am optimistic, though, so I am hoping for the best. If I don't get exactly what I want, I will be very glad to at least still have a job.

School is keeping me busy. And by busy I mean that I feel as if I am hanging halfway out of a tornado. It's crazy! But I am getting through. What I love is that I am doing an internship with Hospice, and I just finished my training. Now I will get to start visiting patients and families, and my hope is to be able to help bring comfort to those who need it. It's my first step toward being in a helping profession, and I am excited. I am surrounded by people who are encouraging and uplifting, so I think I am in the right place.

Things at home a great! We are still loving our house so much! I'm ready for warm weather so we can enjoy our pool! Still doing the half-marathon relay at the end of the month with Kim, but I tell you...I am going to have to work hard to even be close to ready for that! One day I'll complete one on my own...someday.

So that's about it in a nutshell. It's been a busy first quarter of the year, and I am ready for the semester to end. As soon as it does, David is taking me to Las Vegas for a short vacation before summer school. I can hardly wait!

BRRRRR!!!

Okay, it's really cold here! Much colder than what I experienced in Europe! I've been home from work the last two days, and if things don't thaw, which they won't, I doubt I'll go tomorrow. The roads in my neck of the woods are a thick sheet of ice. Ugh!

However, I don't mind not going to work. While I have a job, it's not one I want. I should be careful of what I put out there, but it's true. But it will do until I graduate next year. Perhaps it will help me stay motivated with school.

I don't have much to share. It was supposed to be an exciting week here in DFW with the Super Bowl, but the winter storm has squashed that. We're going to try and go downtown to enjoy the excitement Saturday night, though. It's going to be a celebration on David's birthday, even though it's a week late. I was sick to my stomach on his birthday and couldn't eat, so we'll make up for it this weekend. The ice should all be melted by then. I hope!

Everyone stay warm! It's cold out there!!

A Lot on My Plate

Wow...my classes are going to be tough this semester. But I am most looking forward to starting my Hospice training tomorrow night. I think it's a good start for me since I will be getting my masters in counseling. I'm a little nervous, but I'm not afraid. David has expressed concern about how I will handle it emotionally, but I think I'll be okay. There is something about knowing that your job is purely to be there for someone and to help them and their family deal with end of life issues. I was there when both of my grandmothers passed away, and death isn't frightening to me. It's part of life, and since it's going to happen, I want to be there to help make it peaceful for others.

On a different note, I discovered that we're going to owe the IRS this year. UGH! I'm not happy about this, but I should have seen it coming since we took money from my 401K to put the down payment on the house. Oh well...it happens. Next year will be much better!

That's about it for me. I've got a Skype date with Chris...she and I are talking about recipes so I don't want to miss it!

Coming Up For Air

Wow! So I have been a busy gal! School is back in session, so I have classes, one of which is a counseling internship. This is really neat! I'm going to be working with Hospice doing home and inpatient visits, as well as learning to lead bereavement groups. It's not an easy job, but I am excited about taking a step in the direction I want to go. I think that while it's going to be a very busy semester, it's going to be very rewarding.

Still in limbo with my job. I'll be interviewing next week for a new position, so I hope it works out. Otherwise I will be employed until March 31st and then on to 5 months of severance. Seriously, I'm just feeling okay about all of this. I know that the right thing will happen, so as soon as I know about my current job, I can start to move forward however I need to. It's all good. :)

David's travel began again today, so after being together for a long time, it was hard to let him head out today. But he's back on Saturday, and I'm excited about that.

In his absence I am filling my time with family dinners and a Friday night date with Kim. :) Dinner and a movie are always a good night out with her! I had to cancel last weekend because I was feeling crummy, but I am back to good health and ready for some girl time.

I think that's about it for today. I'm still blogging for Woman's Day, and check out the spread in the February issue...I'm in there! (They have it on their website, too! www.womansday.com)

A New Year Is Coming!

Whew...after a 17 day tour of Europe, I am beat. Still having trouble with jet lag, but I think it's getting better. (Lord, I hope so!) I went back to work yesterday to find out that my team has been eliminated. Yup...If I don't find something else within the company, I'll be out of a job on March 31, 2011. I'll have a good severance package, too. This news stung a bit, even though I was kind of prepared for it. The good news is that I have a fair amount of time to prepare, and there are a few things within the company that I plan to apply for, and I think i have a good shot at. So while I am a bit stressed about this, I also feel like things will be okay. I'm not panicking yet. :) So any prayers you can spare will be greatly appreciated.

Our trip was amazing! I saw small Austrian and German towns that looked like they came right off a Christmas Card, and of course I was so happy to be back in Paris! It was wonderful! I swear, I just love that city! As I walked around I would think to myself about how Kim and I were here before. I told Kim we need a girls' trip to Paris again. Even for a long weekend...she and I just seemed to fit right in there!

London was lovely, but by the time we got there I was feeling a little homesick, so when the day came to come home, we were happy to head over the pond. Our precious kitties seem to need to keep us in their sights at all times...I love those little babies! They keep bringing David their toys and putting them in his shoes. It's VERY cute!

So I hope you had a beautiful and blessed Christmas, and that you will have a safe New Years! 2011 is going to be a great year!

MIA Again?

I know, long time no blog! However, I am currently on vacation and out of the country! If you want to follow my travels, go to www.schmoopiesabroad.blogspot.com. We've been running around Europe, and are currently in Paris. By the end of the week we'll be in London, but this is all following a week of Austria and Germany, so check it out! I've not been able to post pictures as I wanted, but I'll be doing lots of that when we get home.

I'll be back to blogging here in January! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Long Time No Blog!

If that tells you anything...it's been crazy busy! Work is a mess (going through yet another reorg...hoping to come out of it with a job I can at least stomach until I graduate!), school is frying my brain (finals next week!), and so much to do to get ready for our trip it's not even funny. I don't know how we're going to get it all in, but somehow we will. And somewhere in all this, I have to get packed for our trip. I haven't even had time to get excited about that! However, I was watching Christmas in Europe on PBS last night, and they showed a BUNCH of the places we're going and I did get pretty pumped up about that. :)

Right now I am supposed to be writing a paper that is due tomorrow. I am having trouble with that so I thought it might be nice to get caught up here. Thankfully the days of papers and tests and homework are coming to a temporary close. But the break will be nice!

We leave on vacation December 10th, and I'll post the link to our travel blog then. We're going to a lot of wonderful places, and I am excited to share them with you!

Be well, friends!

Thank You

This is just a quick post, but I want to thank all of our veterans. (My Dad especially!) What all of you do or have done has made sure that I get to have the freedoms that I do now. I am so thankful that there are women and men who are willing to go out there and fight for those in other places who need help. We are a very lucky country, and we often take that for granted.

So thank you to all those who have served in our military. God bless America!

Inspired

So I am working hard to feel renewed and energized. One of my fellow Slimdown bloggers suggested a Couch to 5K program to help me prep to conquer another 5K, and I'm going to put it into action this week. I'm feeling inspired by others around me, and this is good. :)

Kim and I have decided to do the half marathon next March as a relay. She'll do the 7.1 mile leg and I'll do the 6 mile leg. I think this makes the most sense with my fitness level right now, and it sure feels more manageable. Once we get that under our belts we'll look at a 13.1 mile journey together. For right now, this is going to be good. Besides, she's been the one to do most of the 5Ks with me, so it really feels like our thing, you know? So we'll be the two rock stars getting our groove on. I love it!

The house is good. We had our housewarming a couple of weeks ago, so now we're taking it easy. Our new dining table and buffet are due to arrive the day before Thanksgiving, which is good since we're hosting my family!

Also, if you haven't picked up the November 17th issue of Woman's Day magazine, you should! I'm in there on page 104. It's just a short interview about my weight loss, but hey, I made a national publication!

Have a great Tuesday, friends!

Nothing Like Feeling Less Than A Person

I don't know if many of you have read the recent blog post on the Marie Claire magazine website. There is a good chance you've heard about it. The blogger wrote a whole post about how disgusted she is by overweight people. I'm not linking to the article here because I don't care to ...just take my word, it's a mean article. It's great to find out that my mere presence in a room physically disgusts people, simply based upon the fact that I am not a size 4. Did I let this ONE PERSON bring me to tears? Yes I did. It hurts. It's painful enough to deal with being overweight, and it doesn't help to be reminded by outsiders who are unable to see a person for who they are. While I know she wasn't writing it about me specifically, I'm part of the population who is set in her target. And while I celebrate free speech and believe we are all entitled to an opinion, when is it okay to just flat out be so blatantly ugly to other humans?

I won't give her the satisfaction of saying how I'll show her and get the weight off. I'm already doing that on my own, she didn't light that fire. But she did open my eyes to the fact that size-ism is the last acceptable prejudice allowed. I'm losing weight because I want to do it for me. I agree that obesity is an epidemic, and it's unhealthy. I'm not arguing that point at all. But some people are completely happy at a larger size. I am all about loving ourselves for who we are, and no one has the right to take that away from us. This particular blogger must not love herself very much to be able to thoughtlessly spew that kind of venom out on her fellow man. So perhaps instead of being angry at her or being hurt by her words, I need to take a different avenue and pray for her. Maybe I need to show the compassion she wasn't able to show. If I don't, I am no better than she is.

So my point is this: Whenever we run across people who have no filter and feel free to say hateful things to others, no matter what it is, we need to show what love and forgiveness look like. Let's be the change we want to see. I'm tired of living in a mean world where people take others for granted and forget that people have feelings. Have I shed tears over this article? You bet I have. But I refuse to hate her. I'm angry about her words, but I am going to breathe deep and let go. And put good and healing thoughts out into the universe for that author. Because at the end of the day, if I carry a grudge I am only hurting myself.

And this girl is all about trying to enjoy her inner happiness. :)

It's The Little Things

I got a treat in the mail yesterday! I had ordered a new knit cap for winter (you know, the ones that keep your head warm when it's cold!) and it arrived yesterday!!! I love it because it's knit to look like a pink cupcake! LOL! Yes, I have a sickness when it comes to anything cupcake related. And no, I don't sit around and wonder why I have weight to lose! (I know why!) I got one for my friend Diane who is going with us to Europe in December. It will be a surprise for her...she loves cupcakes like I do, and I thought we'd have some funny pictures of us in our cupcake hats all over Europe! I can't wait to give it to her. :)

Tis the season for one of my favorite treats...honeycrisp apples!!! They've been on sale at Target for $1.50/pound, and they are delicious! Sweeter and jucier than regular apples, so if it's a healthy treat you're craving, grab one of these babies! They're delicious! (No, this is not a paid endorsement. I just love apples!)

I'm dying to decorate our house for Halloween except that we're having a housewarming party and I seem to be spending money on all the things for that. I have to finish ripping out wallpaper this weekend, and get the guest bathroom painted. It's halfway done (the wallpaper part) but I need to get to it. I'll work on that this weekend. I still need to pick out paint, but I think I want a new shower curtain first. I saw one at Bed Bath and Beyond that I like, so I will probably go pick it up Friday and get some paint matched up with it. Once I get that bathroom finished, I will be cleaning like a madwoman this week! With all these people coming over, I need to look a little more like Suzy Homemaker and get my laundry up off the floor in the bedroom!

I think that's about it for now. I have to finish a paper that's due tonight that I couldn't seem to finish last night. I had some major writers block, and I sat staring at my laptop trying everything I could to get inspired! Some days it just comes easier than others. *Sigh*

Have a great Thursday, friends!

Hello!

No, I didn't fall off the planet. I have just been swamped! Between work, school, and house, I don't have a lot of extra time. I am midway through the semester, and classes are good! I have all A's right now, so I am pleased. I am in the running for Psi Chi, which is the psychology honor society. If I'm not eligible this semester, I absolutely will be next. So I am happy! My official graduation date will be May of 2012, and I can't wait! I have all my courses planned out from now until graduation, and I am VERY excited that I do not have to go to summer school next year!! A whole summer off...my first one in a while, and my last one in a while, too. Grad school is year round, so for another 2.5 years after I graduate I will be a year round student, but at least I'll be working on my Master's Degree and then I get to pursue what I want to do...counseling!!!

The Woman's Day Slimdown challenge is going well. I wish I was losing weight faster, but I'm doing the best I can. At least I'm losing weight, right?

I have been going nuts working on the house. We have a gathering coming up soon, and I want the house to look great! We've been painting, hanging curtains and pictures, and cleaning. We still need a little more furniture, but that is just going to have to wait a little longer. (And I need that money tree to start growing!) But I am loving the house. I had something closely resembling an anxiety attack the day I paid our first house payment, coupled with the new and increased electric bill, cable bill...etc...not that we can't afford it, it's just more money than I am used to seeing flying out the window. But it's all good! We're going to have our credit cards paid off very soon, and that will put us in a VERY good spot, so I am very pleased. We have been using that Home Depot card, and now I'm ready to put it away!

So that's about it. I hope all is well for you all! We're gearing up for our big trip to Europe in December, so look out Europe! Here come the Willises!