Little Update

I thought I was going to have to take a class at UNLV or wait until summer to finish my classes, but after several days of obsessing over it, and worrying and stressing…I figured out that I had read my graduation requirement report wrong. The classes I’m signing up for next semester are enough. I will be absolutely done with classes after next semester and will be student teaching in the fall. 

I found out that I can’t student teach in New Mexico. I’m required by the state to student teach here. If I wanted to transfer all of my school credits to New Mexico, then I could student teach there. But in reality, if I student teach here, I can take my license with me to NM and just take their law class to get a license there. Then, I would have a license in 2 states and if we end up moving back to NV, then I will be covered.

After next semester, I’m planning on spending the summer with Josh in New Mexico. I have no idea what I’m going to do for 3 months. Maybe find a summer job, or take a fun online class, or something. Then I will return to NV to student teach. Josh is concerned I won’t be able to find a teaching job in New Mexico afterwards. I’m crossing my fingers that jobs will open up in a year and a half. The next year and a half to 2 years is going to be interesting. I’m trying to not let it stress me out. I will continue with my mantra: “One day at a time.”

Josh and I may take a trip to New Mexico to check out the town of Alamogordo and/or the base to check out housing, etc. 

I’m just anxious to register for classes on November 7^th. I feel that registering for classes is the first step into the future that is New Mexico and finishing up my undergraduate class work. This anxiety is sucking the motivation out of to work on essays and projects that are due soon. I have an essay due on the 5^th and 8^th. My group in my online class is sending me their research on the 8^th for me to compile into a PowerPoint presentation due on the 12^th.

I told Lisa that it’s my day off and I should work on something school related, but she said, “it’s Funday Sunday” and I should chill out today because we are going to dominate our school work tomorrow. This made me laugh. I have not done any schoolwork today, but I’ve somehow found comfort in doing housework. I’ve done laundry, unloaded the dishwasher, picked up the place, made the bed(?!), and have white chili bubbling away in the crock-pot, and have done the dishes resulting from that as well. I plan to vacuum before Josh gets home too. I’ve also continued my first cross-stitch project…and find a sense of calm in that too. I find it so odd that I find comfort in these domestic duties. Whatever works to deal with the stress and anxiety, I guess. I can’t wait to get my new sewing machine on Tuesday. I have no idea what to make with it first. Hmmm….

New Mexico FAQ

The New Mexico FAQ

            For those of you who have not heard, Josh got orders to move to a new base in New Mexico. Ever since I’ve announced that we’re moving, I’ve had a slew of questions. Some I know the answers to, but most I don’t. All of the questions can be very frustrating. I’m not upset at the people asking questions, because I know they mean well. It’s that I don’t have the answers. So I’ve decided to write up an FAQ of all the details I actually do have.

Where in New Mexico?

The base is called Holloman AFB. It’s about 25 minutes outside of a small-ish town called Alamogordo, which is about 4 hours from Albuquerque. The base is in the middle of nowhere.

When will you move?

Josh is scheduled to be there by the 30^th of April, which means he will have to leave before that, probably around the 9^th. That may change.

What about school?

Hopefully next semester will be my last for classes. Josh will leave in the middle of my semester and I will stay behind to finish it out.

How long will you have to stay behind?

Until at least the middle of May.

What about student teaching?

Best case scenario, I will be able to do my student teaching in New Mexico next fall. Worst case scenario, I spend the summer with Josh and have to come back to Vegas for 3 months to student teach.

So what about graduation?

I don’t know. I know I will get my degree, but I doubt that I will actually “walk” to receive my degree because I may or may not be in Vegas at the time of the ceremony.

Where will you stay when Josh leaves?

I will move back in with my dad and Carol.

Where will you live in New Mexico?

I don’t know yet. Possibly on base, or possibly in Alamogordo. Josh may take some time to go down there to check it out.

Who will have the dogs?

Josh will take them with him when he leaves in April.

How do you feel about moving?

I have a mixed reaction. Best way to describe it is bittersweet. I’m excited to go someplace new to start a new adventure with my husband, but I’m also sad to be leaving the place I grew up. I keep in mind that the move is not permanent, and every child leaves home at some point or another. It really isn’t much different than if I had chosen to go out of state for college.

So that’s it. I apologize if your question was not on the list. That probably means I don’t have an answer for it. Keep in mind that this move is six months away, so many of the details will not be worked out for a long time. And it means that things can change. These are all the details I know for now. Hope it satisfied some of curiosities and whatnot.

Venting

     Is there a way to vent calmly? I feel like I have to get something off my chest before I can focus on school work. Maybe this is a new kind of stress I'm encountering? I don't know.

     Last semester, I didn't put much heart into my school work. I was stressed with the wedding, and honestly, the wedding was higher on my priority list than school...mostly because I was so incredibly over being in school. But this semester is different. I recently got an A on an essay from my ENG 298 class. This is the first A on an essay that I can remember getting in a long, long time. It made me proud. I was honestly working very hard at that essay and felt like I knew what I was doing. It felt great to get an A on my writing again. I've been settling for Bs for so long, it seems like. "Oh, I'm in a 400 level English class, a B is still good," I would tell myself. But after getting that A, I feel like I could do way better than a B in all of my English classes this semester. I'm taking 477a, 449a, and 298. Three English classes has led me to a terrifying upcoming week. I have 3 major essays due in a matter of 10 days. All of them are 5 days apart; it's crazy. I have one professor who is amazing at helping out panicked essay writers, haha. I emailed her a few hours ago with ideas and a rough thesis statement, and she has already written back with a closing comment that made me smile and gave me motivation from out of no where: "Good luck, keep going, and trust your instincts - they are quite good!" To get a compliment from a professor I respect so much means a lot to me. Feels great.

You know what also is extremely motivating? Josh told me he would take me back to Disneyland for a day if I got straight As this semester. He even suggested making an epic double date out of it and inviting Deanna and Daniel along with us... and that was even more motivating. I feel like I just want to camp out in front of my computer and finish all of my essays and assignments for the rest of the semester in one marathon sitting.

You know what else is motivating? The possibility that next semester might be my last semester before student teaching. I've been anxious to get the class schedule to see where I stand, but registration isn't until November 8th...after talking to a classmate who has the same major that I do, she has reassured me that the education classes that I need will be offered, and taking the 2 remaining English classes shouldn't be a problem either. So, theoretically, I should only have one semester left. I can't really wrap my head around it, and I am certainly trying very hard not to get my hopes up that it works out that way...because even though the Education classes will be offered, that doesn't mean they won't conflict with each other...(i.e. having them start at the same time on the same day....I can't be in two places at once, unfortunately). I'm not worried about the English classes too much. I can possibly take whatever they don't offer online at CSN instead...maybe. That light at the end of the tunnel seems to be getting brighter and the likeliness of it being a train is also diminishing, haha.

But most motivating of all...getting school stuff done so if Josh gets orders in December to be in South Dakota by February... I can go with him. Being left behind is not an option...if I can help it.

Frustrating

I was soooo tired today, yet here I am, up at midnight...again. I don't understand why I can't go to bed before midnight. Luckily, I get to sleep in for the first time this week tomorrow.


Also, I've been working really hard at working out and eating better. Yes, I've still continued to work out at least 4-5 days a week for at least 30 minutes each time. BUT I haven't lost weight. I still can't get below 147, and it's getting discouraging. Josh thinks I'm building muscle, and that's why it doesn't seem like I'm losing weight. I hope he's right.


Also, the future of my education. People keep asking me when I'm graduating or when I'm going to start student teaching. I'm not frustrated that people ask. In fact, it's nice how many people care about my future...or are at least curious enough about it to listen to me talk about it. What's frustrating is all of the unknowns. I don't know when I will graduate. I don't know when (or where) I will be student teaching. I don't even know where I will be living by the time 2012 rolls around. Josh's job has so many unknowns that effect my future too. I'm not resentful or angry with him or the job...it's not under his control. I just hate not knowing. I can't see past February! ...or even December. This living day by day thing is exhausting. Maybe that's why I've been so tired lately?


Regardless, I will push on and keep working out and working hard in school. Working out will have to pay off eventually. I may have to kick it up a notch and start working out for 45 minutes at a time as well as paying even closer attention to my caloric intake. As for school, I think signing up for Spring 2012 might relieve some frustrations about my future, hopefully.


Apart from these minor frustrations, there is a bigger picture here...and it's a beautifully happy one. I find these moments during the day where I ponder about where I am in life and find myself saying, "Life is good" and meaning it from the bottom of my heart. I have an incredible husband, and I can't wait to see what adventures life takes us on. I have a fabulously amazing family, both biological, extended, and in-law. I have friends that are so close that calling them just "friends" doesn't do our relationship justice. "Blood is thicker than water, but love is thicker than blood." -Garth Brooks...  I couldn't be more blessed, seriously.

Time Flies

Wow, it's been a while. Six months and 23 days, to be exact. Yes, I counted.

We've been married for 5 months and 9 days. Yes, I just counted. The passage of time between then and now seems...disjointed? I don't want to say that it feels like we just got married yesterday, because it doesn't feel that way. But it also doesn't feel like a long time ago either. It just feels...right. I don't think I could be any happier.

Well, if I could be done with college and finally have my own classroom...that would be the cherry on top. But I just have to keep in mind that's what I'm working for...my motivation for school is dwindling. Luckily, I have some great friends in my classes with me, keeping me motivated. I've been in enough English classes now to recognize many people in class. I mean, I've taken enough classes to have two professors 3 times. I think the two of them are the only ones that teach the upper division classes, so I will probably have them for the remainder of my English classes. No complaints here; they're awesome. Anyway, I was surprised how many fellow English majors came up to me (and Lisa) at the beginning of this semester to say hello. I'm not particularly social, but I guess I actually have managed to acquire several future colleagues from my English and Education classes. That is what's great about Education majors. Everybody is pretty friendly (there are exceptions, of course) and willing to help and bounce ideas off one another. And it's great to talk to other people who have the same passion that you do about working with kids. Not to mention we can exchange hilarious stories and battle scars.

Also! I've been working out on a regular basis, and it feels fantastic. I know at the beginning of the year I told myself I would work out more, and needless to say...that fell through. But somewhere in the midst of this summer, sitting on my ass watching movies all day I realized I could be doing SOMETHING. I don't know how, but it just clicked. I've been working out at least 5 days a week, for a minimum of 20 minutes to a max of 35 minutes. And it's not all the same routine. Some days I will walk on the treadmill, or use the elliptical in our fitness center. Other days I will walk the dogs (depending on the weather) or just do an intense workout on the Kinect UFC game Josh bought. I've also been more aware of my calorie intake, which helps. I don't eat until I'm stuffed. I eat until I'm comfortably full, and no more. Snacks have consisted of fruits or Special K bars. I'm feeling very proud of myself. While I haven't lost a ton of weight, I have lost inches. I read an article to not only track your weight, but of inches around waist or thighs. This is because you could be building muscle while losing fat, so your weight might not change a lot. However, that doesn't mean your waist or thighs aren't getting smaller/more fit. So! Long story short, I'm losing inches and not torturing myself by weighing myself a million times a day. Just once, in the morning. Longer story short: I feel great, and I'm very proud of myself. I know I will keep this up because I feel guilty if I don't work out, and I actually feel like I WANT to workout. Weird, I know. 0.o

Also, I'm ahead in my classes, and it feels good not to stress about that. I will stay ahead this semester too. I'm trying to avoid unnecessary stress.

Currently, I'm enjoying a Disney movie marathon. Tangled is currently playing. There is something about Disney that just makes me happy. I guess that's why I almost cried happy tears on several different occasions when I was in Disneyland with Joshua. Being there with him was a dream come true for sure. And as soon as they finish Cars Land, he will love it there just as much as I do, haha. Can't wait to go back.

Oosa Oosa...

I had my second fitting today, which went a lot smoother than my first fitting. I didn't have to pay anything! Yay! Carol and Melissa's dresses are done, and I hope they're done right this time. *crosses fingers*

Daniel, Deanna, and I went to Rainbow Gardens last Monday and did some practice pictures. Daniel is excited and not worried about the pictures. I have a lot of confidence in him, and I'm so happy he agreed to do pictures for me. :)

Deanna and Ashley are learning from my experience with planning this wedding. I get to be the guinea pig and make all the mistakes so they don't have to. I pass along advice to them whenever I can. For example, I told Deanna the other day: "Don't plan your wedding!!! ELOPE, I tell you! Plan a party LATER." That was one of my more stressful days.

"Reading for school isn't as fun as reading because I want to." -Lisa. She's 100% right. Granted, the one I'm listening to in my car (because I don't have time to read 3 novels in one week) is getting pretty good. I love that my ENG490 professor assigned a young adult novel. It's good so far. "Snow Country", for ENG481, however....sucks. It's not that interesting. Japanese novels are so slooooooow. I'll stick to my modern american novels, thank you. (I added Modern because Hemingway is American (or western in comparison to japanese) and "The Sun Also Rises" was redic...and I didn't even read all of it!!!) I can't wait for my education class to be over. This professor is so unclear and never tells us what she expects from us and our assignments...I'm not excited about doing 20 hours of observations this semester. I have no idea when I will have time for that. I have many longs days ahead of me.

Anyways, I have some stuff to get done before this ridiculous class tonight. Toodles.

Rules are Meant to be Broken

Oooo, I'm in COM250 right now, on the computer. Blogging. TeeHee. I'm not really breaking the rules...it's our breaktime right now. I figured I should update.

The healthy eating is doing nothing for me except maintaining my weight. I've been 142 (plus or minus a tenth or two of a pound according to my new bathroom scale.) pounds since the beginning of the year. I'm tired of salads already and have resorted to eating soups for big meals, and fruits for snacks.

I'm getting fitted for my bridal gown today at 2pm, and I'm so freaking excited! This time the dress that I try on will actually be MINE and not some sample all the other girls have tried on too. I hope hope hope it doesn't need major adjustments because I don't have a great deal of money. I've cut back on my spedning as well, trying to put my purchases in perspective before I buy. For example, I needed a 3-hole-punch for my work this semester. I went to Target and looked at the tiny selection they had. I bought the $17 dollar one as apposed to the $8 dollar one becuase I saw the nicer ($17) one as an investment for my future as a teacher. I want new shoes for work, but don't neccessarily need them. I would like some more work pants, but again, I don't need them. Everything in perspective, right?

I can't believe my wedding is only 2 months away. I'm not really stressed about the event itself, because most of the details have been taken care of. I'm kind of worried about the people, however. My guest count is what's stressing me out at the moment. We're on the verge of maybe not having 60 people, which I'm fine with. I wanted a small wedding, and it looks like that's what I'm getting. Sweet. I just hope and pray that douchbag I met the other week will not be meeting with me on March 4th when I have to go back to pay for everything. I may not be as nice to him....or worse....this Daddy's Girl will bring her daddy with me. ;)

Gotta get back to class.

Kick in the Butt

Miss Melissa Novak politely reminded me that I should continue to writing. Like I told her, I felt writing about my new adventures of 2011 was a little childish...and silly....why would anybody want to read my random blatherings? (See, made up a new word there. That's interesting, right? Right?)

Anyways, I'm still making healthier eating choices, and helping out around the house daily. But I'm not walking the dogs everyday like I said I would. That takes a lot more motivation than I thought it would. Not to mention it's work trying to walk them in the first place. They like to pull me along and it's annoying. Penny has gotten better but Chase just doesn't seem to get it. He always pulls so matter how much I try to correct him. So it's a chore to walk them, even if it is good for them and for myself.

The wedding is getting closer, and it's freaking me out. I feel like I still have so much to do...and I don't have a whole lot of RSVP cards back yet either. The guy at Rainbow Gardens was a DOUCHE, so his attitude made me way less excited, honestly. I had to do some research on tux rentals today, and it looks like Bowties is the way to go as far as pricing goes. But because we don't know if one of Josh's groomsmen is coming yet, I can't order them. Hell, Josh hasn't even picked his Best Man yet either. My wedding gown might be coming in late due to some storms going on from where ever the dress is being shipped from. Last I checked, it had an approximate ship date of January 31st. The lady on the phone told me that designers sometimes send them earlier, but it was a tough call due to the storms. I'll be calling on January 28th to double check on that.

It sucks having a minor panic attack while you're home alone. Seriously. I should be getting ready for work right now, but all I can think about is how I would rather be home and getting a head on homework. Granted, I only have a 3 hour shift tonight since I have class at 6, but still! I'm so anxious. I need to find a replacement for my iPod so I can start working out. I think that's the only way I can get through this stress. Gorging on chocolate and endless bubble baths aren't going to be enough to tame this Bridezilla's anxiety. I can't put it off any longer. Gotta get ready for work. Eek.

Ouch

I knocked my freakin' hair dryer off my bathroom counter and it landed square on top of my bare right foot. And I have to be at work in an hour!

I didn't take the dogs on their walk yesterday, and I feel guilty for it. They didn't go today either because Josh scheduled them for a grooming appointment at 9am and they weren't done until 11am. But Josh has work tomorrow so I won't have any excuses.

The day before yesterday Josh and I tried this new Mexican restaurant, Laticia's. It was AMAZING. They had churros! I had 2 for dessert (yes, I know, unhealthy. But c'mon, they were CHURROS!) and they came with a mexican chocolate and a raspberry sauce for dipping! They were so yummy....oh, and the burrito I ordered for dinner was amazing too. I barely ate any of it, because I filled up on the warm tortilla chips and the amazing green salsa they had. It was spicy, but I couldn't stop eating it...I think that's because it had cilantro in it...and I can't resist cilantro. Mmmmm....

Josh made some homemade chili, and it's delicious. It's basically just tomato sauce, ground beef, a little bit of elbow noodles, beans, and seasoning. It sat in our little bitty crock-pot over night and I had some for lunch today. Mmmmm....

Josh also made a casserole out of the StoveTop Cookbook that I bought for him. It was a chicken, broccoli, and cheese casserole...that was (of course) topped with StoveTop stuffing. It was pretty yummy. Then we watched Inception. (omg, amazing movie) Then we played cards and had apples for dessert.

Yesterday Josh's co-worker came and picked up our old TV and our old couch. YAY! We have our dining room and 2nd bedroom/ office back now! I helped Josh clean up before they got here, so I'm counting that as helping out around the house...because this place looks a lot better. But there is still a basket full of laundry staring at me. *sigh* 

Now I have to go get ready for work. My foot hurts. :(

Short & Sweet

Today's post will be short and sweet.

My alarm went off at 9am. After I got up I really didn't want to take the dogs on their walk. Normally I would tell myself, "I have to work today, so I don't want to do anything else." But I also knew that was a lame excuse. So I took the dogs on their usual mile long walk. I timed us this time. With the pauses to let the dogs sniff and potty, it took us about 26 minutes from the apartment door and back. Then I had a bowl of Rice Krispies and a banana for breakfast. Now I'm sleepy. But I still have laundry to fold from yesterday (last load!!) So after that, I think I will just relax on the couch until lunch time. Hopefully work will be easy tonight. 

Snow Day

Well, it's not an official Snow Day, but I did see snow when I woke up this morning. It was a pleasant surprise. Chase didn't have a problem with it at all. Penny, however, didn't cross it until the second time we went out this morning. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a picture of them together.



But now it's all gone and melted away. After I saw the snow I decided I didn't want to take the dogs on their walk. But once inside and settled on the couch with my breakfast (oatmeal and a banana) Chase started bugging me and Penny started pawing at me. Obviously they were not going to let me out of my resolution.


So I gave in and decided to take them on their walk. But I made it a short one. I had Josh drive the path we took yesterday, and it's exactly a mile from the apartment gate and back. After walking to the office to pay rent I realized my hips were honestly sore from the walk yesterday, so I made today's walk short. It's a good thing I did because my ankle began protesting toward the end of it. My ankle feels fine now that I'm home, but my hips are still aching. I'm sure that will pass.

First thing I did this morning was take care of the dishes in the sink from last night's dinner. We were going to have chicken and salad, but the chicken had gone bad. I was happy with just the salad since I bought red peppers and almonds to go in it. Josh was not completely satisfied however. He wanted a burger. Go figure. So I volunteered to go get him McDonald's. I was tempted to get something for myself while I was there, but I didn't. When I got home I gave Josh his dinner and then decided to dice up some left over ham for my salad. So I ate the rest of the salad and Josh enjoyed his McDonald's. We were content.

For lunch today, I had Spaghettio's. I know, it doesn't sound healthy, but the calorie count isn't bad, as long as it's my entire meal. Normally I have soda with my lunch, but I've been trying to stick to water and juice. I think I will only have soda (Coke or a Shirley Temple) is when we go out to eat. Even then I will probably not have one EVERY time we go out. More water!

I also got a package from NSC bookstore.

I guess this is what it means to be an English Major? I have to read all of these during the 16 weeks of the next semester. And I'm still missing at least one book for that stack. Looks like I won't be reading anything of MY choosing for a long time. :(

Well, I'm off to fold laundry.

Write More: Check
Walk Dogs More Often: Check
Help Out Around the House: (almost) Check
Healthier Eating Choices: Check

It's a New Year

So. 2011.

Josh and I got into an interesting discussion on the way home from my parents yesterday. I asked if he had any New Year's Resolutions and he said no. My point was I didn't see it as a time of year to just make "resolutions" and then forget them by next month. I see it as an opportunity to rethink the goals I originally had and figure out what happened to them. Some are pretty basic, like write more, read more, and help out around the house more. Others are tougher. Like being healthier. I don't want to say "Go on a diet" because that has negative connotation for me. So I see it as a food choice change. I've always wanted to exercise more, and generally be healthier. My main goal isn't necessarily to lose weight. It's just to feel better. My problem is motivation; I just don't have it. After I thought about it some more, I got down to the root of that lack of motivation: I honestly don't think I stick to it. I'm afraid that I won't be able to indulge in the thinks I like anymore, like pasta, Mac N Cheese, chocolate, and soda. I LOVE those things. I just have to limit them...blegh. My point is, I want to stick to it this time. I was to just make better choices to make sure I live long enough to see my grandchildren. I mean, it's not like I eat McDonald's everyday or anything... But I want to be able to eat it every now and then without feeling guilty.
About the exercise: I want to walk the dogs more. The poor things don't go to the park as much as they used to, and I feel terrible about them not having a yard. So I want to walk them more, as in more than twice a week. My plan is to get up at a reasonable hour (i.e. NOT 11am, more like 7 or 8am) take them for a walk, shower, eat breakfast, do some chores around the house as needed, write (whether it's in my journal or blog), then do homework or read. It's a routine I would like to keep.

This all seems silly now. Keeping a blog to keep me motivated (and to keep up with the "write more" resolution) felt like a fabulous idea yesterday when I had this all in my head. But now it seems...stupid and silly. BUT if I stopped because it felt silly that would be giving up. I'm going to keep posting even if I have nothing interesting to day. Hopefully being able to write (something I enjoy doing) will help motivate me with my healthier choices (something I don't particularly enjoy).

So. Day 1.
I went to Starbucks and ordered a nonfat raspberry mocha with a low fat raspberry muffin. I didn't finish either one of them, but what I did have was tasty. Then I went to the store and got healthier lunch stuff. I came home, and took the dogs for a walk...I should have timed how long it took me to walk them, but I forgot. Then I changed laundry, and a basket full of clean clothes are still waiting to be folded. Then I had lunch: A Simply Apple juice with some V8 Garden Broccoli soup. I feel pretty accomplished already. The rest of my goals for today are to vacuum the bedroom and fold that basket of laundry along with what's finishing in the dryer. Oh, and attempt to make dinner. Wish me luck on that one.

Write more: Check
Walk Dogs more often: Check
Help Our Around the House: Check
Make Healthier Eating Choices: Check

So we're off to a good start.