It's becoming real

And the countdown is... 6 WEEKS until we take off for Alaska! If you had asked me a few months ago I would have said that I truly believed that time would just creep on... but it has absolutely flown by. It's great in the sense that I am so excited for Alaska, and that it has been wonderful for the semester of classes to go by quickly, but now I'm thinking woa there... there is much to be done. I do not want the time to slow at all, rather, I think that I need to slow down a bit. I have 6 weeks to enjoy my favorite Iowa places, people, feelings, sights, and yet I have trouble slowing my thoughts and days. The fact that we are moving so soon is becoming extremely real, as we now have a house lined up to live in, and it is time to start packing things up from my apartment, deciding what we will/can bring, and what will stay. It is such exciting stuff to think about, but at the same time a tid stressful because the reality of it is that we will not have much. It's so fun to think of the home just coming together and looking exactly how I like to imagine it, but obviously that process will take what may feel like ages to come together. With the finances of a college student being what they are, it could take a few ages.
But I will keep my thoughts where I like them and think of all the lovely colors the walls could be, what art would look good where, and how happy I will feel to have these new surroundings, a large yard to watch Finn explore in, and fabulous people to share it with. I'm starting to mentally prepare for all of the changes, but think it would probably be best if I stay focused for a few more weeks on school, as there is much to be finished, and who am I trying to kid, much to be started too :) Anyway, just a little peak into my current flood of thoughts. I officially have a new address as of May, so if any of you would like it, I have it to give, just let me know!
Until next time

One more tidbit on that note...

I was just laughing as I looked through my previous posts to the one where I wrote about the stiff neck and headache... I KNEW something was wrong that morning, now I'm not a hypochondriac like that post suggests... though I'm sure you'll all argue that for fun eh? it just took a while to figure out the issue :) Whew!!

I'm Back... kind of

Hello to all! It's been a big few weeks which would explain my absence on here... I don't even know if anyone has been looking, but if you have, I'm back! For the most part. I'm kind of here, kind of in some other place, who really knows. The past few weeks have certainly been interesting. Two weeks ago I woke up feeling quite crummy, to the point where I wanted to go to the doctor the next day for some relief. He drew blood, tested me for mono and decided that I just had a virus (hardly convincing in my opinion) 4 doctors appointments and lots of symptoms later (I'll spare you all of the long story of doctors and misdiagnosis yada yada) turns out-- YEP! I have mono. It's putting me through the ringer but I keep reminding myself that it could be so much worse and then I am calm. I missed last week of school, and then I was doing a bit better for a few days so of course I just bounced back to my normal routine... They aren't kidding when they say mono has a hold of you for at least a month! Anyway, Eric, Jonathan and I headed down to Jackson/New Orleans for vacation which was a really wonderful time, but also landed me in the hospital for a day with disgusting mono rash. Any of you who did not have to look at it should consider yourselves lucky, and those of you who chose to keep me despite seeing it (Thank you Eric, Jonathan, Mom, Denny...) are not as lucky, but much appreciated. :) I was a bit slow during our vacation, staying out of the sun, hobbling around but despite that we had a really wonderful time. It is such a different feeling/atmosphere in the French Quarter. It feels like somewhere far away, it's beautiful, there is so much to see. To me, the doors and windows and cafes are the best thing to look at. So many colors, so much character, it's just fabulous. We did a lot of strolling, listened to some live music, and ate great food. My favorite meal was at a place called mojo's, which was reccommended by a local there who had great ideas for us. He was a foodie. It was the evening after the hospital and I said I wanted steak, so he suggested this small place where we were able to sit at a table outside on the corner and people watch. At the time we thought it was so slow but looking back I'm so glad it was. It was the most relaxing part of the trip for me. Great food, great prices, just overall so enjoyable. We also had beignets every night which was a highlight for all, and we found some cajun favorites like rabbit jambalaya (I did not partake) and crawfish, cajun delicious shrimp, bananas foster etc. We got great photos, and fun memories so I'm thrilled! Dad also took some engagement pictures which was fun, and now it is back to reality which has fallen on me like a 300 lb bag of bricks. There is so little time left in the semester, and the time I have feels stretched to capacity already. It's all so exciting because I know it will all get done and then we get to head off on our next big step, but until then there is just so much to be done. I am wishing I could exercise, somehow release all the anxiety so I could calmly take every day on it's own and plug away at these things, but I am trying to not act like myself and just take it easy to allow the mono to finish and scidaddle. If anyone knows me at all you must know that this is not easy for me. My batteries do not run slowly but I'm doing my best! I had a very productive day today, met with professors, did some work etc. Eric and I just went for a little walk and have been chatting about all of the exciting things that come with a new place to live, and so on that note, I'm going to head off for some relaxation and more thinking. Hope all of you are doing well, happy monday to all!

The sun is shining

I feel the need to acknowledge how happy I am that today is such a beautiful day. Because I've found myself complaining a bit this morning and walking around hunched over holding my head, as if that would somehow magically remove the ache, I am now feeling guilty for carrying around the pity rather than paying attention to what is going so wonderfully... the weather!! I tend to get warm easily and today I was essentially in sweats with the temps pushing 60 degrees... but I'm not complaining!! We have not had a full chance to enjoy it yet today, but Finn and I enjoyed one of two trips to the dog park today, and I'm looking forward to the next. Lately I have been feeling so lucky when I'm at the park with him. He has the happiest look on his face when it's nice out and he is just so anxious to soak it all up. He grabs this toy, that ball, chases someone, wants to be chased, and all the while (miraculously) he has been listening to every word I say. For the past few days I've been asked all the details on him, what breed he is, how old he is, and other owners have commented on his good behavior and the fact that he seems so devoted to me. This naturally makes me happy, and I feel SO very lucky that on days like this (and every day) I get to enjoy the outdoors with such a curious and enthusiastic friend. I feel better about whatever the day has held once we get to the park, as Finn starts rolling around or somehow cracking me up, many issues seem to fall away. Who knows, maybe I will be found later today rolling in the grass as well, just to soak up the full effect.
The sun is shining...

Be Calm...

Let me start by saying that somehow my computer configured itself so that I wrote the beginning of this blog in Hindi... Wouldn't it have been fun if I left it like that for you all to figure out? Well today I was torn between a calm center, and my old slightly hypochondriac ways. I woke up with a very sore neck and a bad headache, neither of which I get often, and so all day I battled all of the worst possibilities against reason. By the end of the day I was quite sure that I had a case of meningitis, which made me feel both nervous and absolutely ridiculous, and quite frustrated that I found myself looking it up on the internet and allowing it to consume my thoughts where better things could be. As I am still sitting here at work, conscious, and not in much pain on the whole spectrum of things... I have decided that in fact my vaccination against the infection probably did it's job after all- Thank you doctors, scientists, brilliant folks. I am currently sitting with a mug of green tea, very thankful for my health. Not that I actually had a scare of course, but when something feels off I feel very lucky for the things that feel right...
I have now officially bared my neurosis with you all, so at least be proud that I have for now decided to remain calm... Until next time.

Dream Job

I have had a pretty solid idea of what I would hope my career would be some day... But this year I have been thrown into a whirlwind of possibilities as I finish the coursework in my major (1 class and an internship to go!!) and my eyes have been opened to all the directions I could go. I think I have come full circle, but during all of that, I have learned so much more about what I would want to do, and the vision of this dream job has become so much clearer. I'll start from the beginning. Leading up to college I was sure that I wanted to some day start my own long term health care facility, small and family based, and focusing on alternative forms of preventative medicine (ex: yoga therapy, pet therapy, massage therapy, support groups etc.) With a major in Family Services and the masters I have always hoped to go for (public administration/health) I would hopefully be qualified to make this happen someday. I LOVE my coursework. However, had UNI offered nutrition and dietetics as a major, I would have definitely gone into that field, and recently I have realized that I could incorporate that in the work that I'm qualified to do by going into family nutrition. But here's the exciting part... A few weeks ago I found a family wellness center in Anchorage where they focus on all of these things, and I am hoping to apply for an internship here during the summer, we'll see how that goes. Seeing the website gave me hope that a clinic like the place I would ideally work really does exist, and it gets better. I happened upon an article the other day that literally hit so close to home I was just on a high for days after, reading it to everyone I passed practically. It was a story of a farm where they do horticultural therapy for people with various mental illnesses. It's a small place, maybe 10 people live there at a time, and they are all responsible for caring for a garden, animals, chores, and they cook one night a week for the other members of the house. I will tell more to anyone who is interested because I can tell I'm dragging on and on (this happens when I'm excited about something). But honestly, it came back to doing EXACTLY what I wanted to do, but in a creative way that tied in all of the other areas I have wanted to get into. Now I just need to learn more about gardening or hire a horticultural specialist (Aunt Deb help!) Anyway, just wanted to share that with you all... I would be so excited to be a part of something like that at some time in my life, whether or not it was my own.

The countdown begins!

I decided it was a bit ridiculous that in the month and a half that I've had this blog, I've written absolutely nothing of importance or of interest. I guess I got a tad anxious to start the blog and share all of the travels with you all (that I have not yet left for!) But the exciting news is this... The travels start THIS MONTH!!!!! While Alaska is still a little over 2 months away, I officially have a trip planned for every month leading up to that. In just under two weeks I'll be heading off to New Orleans with Eric and Jonathan, and I'm extremely excited for that trip. I spent some time there last march as well and it was so fun and relaxing--can't wait to go again with these two and experience all the fabulousness that is New Orleans. After that, school yada yada, followed by my trip to New York City to see TIFFANY!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm really looking forward to going back to the city because realistically it will be quite a while before I get to go again, but as you can probably tell the real excitement is that I get to see Tiffany again, who has been gone for a few months in South Africa doing all kinds of wonderful exciting things... And then... drumroll... The take off for Alaska will be almost exactly one month after I get back from that and slave away with school work. While I have so much to do, lots of big assignments, work, volunteer hours to complete, and nothing has been organized for the trip yet, I still cannot be bothered by it because the fabulous adventure starts in 10 weeks. I cannot believe the time has gone by so fast.
I hope this starts a string of posts that I'll write and share with all of you... We need practice for when we're apart!
Ciao