Gone but not Forgotten

Hello Friends!

Don't worry I haven't left you.  Just because the challenge is over does not mean I won't be keeping this updated, I promise.  I have just had a lot on my mind this past week or so.  Such as...

1. Graduate School
I am taking two classes this semester and they started last week.  So far so good.  The pace is slow to start but as I've looked forward on the course calenders, I see that it won't be that way for long and I'll soon be very busy with school work.  Keeping up with online classes has also proved different for me.  Its not that I'm not doing the work.  Its just harder for me to keep track of all the deadlines and assignments.  I guess the whole going to class thing I did as an undergrad kept it all more fresh in my mind.  Also that fact that my main focus was school at the time probably contributed to this as well.  I'm working out the kinks and figuring out how to keep all the pieces (full time work, husband, school, home & social life) of my life in order.  I also recently found out that apparently at this particular university, classes become open much earlier than at the college(s) I went to for undergrad.  Unbeknownst to me, Spring 2012 classes have been open for registration for God knows how long and all the ones I need for next semester are now closed.  Arg!  But the chair of the department is working on getting more sections added.  I'm really praying she does so that I don't get behind.  Additionally, I'm still figuring out how the financial aid system works at this particular school.  I currently have a bill for the semester however I am supposed to have enough financial aid to cover it.  I just can't remember how this worked when I was at Southern but I really hope they realize I have the financial aid because I can't pay out of pocket for my classes.

2. Work Winter Bid
Twice a year, in my department, we "bid" for a particular work schedule.  About two weeks before we actually make these choices, "bid lines" are released to us.  These are all the weekly schedule's we can choose from.  People choose based on days off, hours and location.  This past bid, I was fortunate enough to get my first choice.  However that definitely won't be happening this upcoming bid as there are fewer options in the winter.  We "bid" in order of seniority, and yours truly is at the bottom of that list.  So I've also been stressing about that.  The upcoming bid is 8 months and takes us through the holiday season so its definitely an important choice.  Also, hubs' work location is being vague about whether he is going to be switching shifts or days off in the near future, so I don't even know what days off to choose.  I really don't want to choose the ones he has now just to have them switch him next month.  Ugh.  I'll be glad when its over. (About 10am on Friday, in case you were wondering)

3. Home/Social Life
For the past year this has been a struggle for me.  I really have trouble balancing taking care of my home/being domestic, taking care of myself and hubs and spending time with friends.  It has taken me about 3 years to really make friends here in Orlando.  I had gotten used to spending essentially all my free time with the husband and now throwing a few friends in the mix is a change.  Don't get me wrong, I am SO happy to finally have made friends with some amazing people here. And part of me knows that, if I'd like to maintain these friendships, I do need to go out and be social.  But at the same time, since I know that hubs may be switching back to 3rd shift, I want to take advantage of the fact that he's awake during the day right now.  Moreover, he is starting school this week so we will not see each other at all two days a week from now until May.  Its all part of my constant struggle with balance.

Don't take this as excuses or complaining.  This is just what has been going on in my life since the challenge ended.  I'll be doing some more fun posts soon.  I'm looking forward to finishing the Best Day Ever! Series and beginning the Newlywed series.

PS. Check out and follow my husband's blog: New World 

Thanks for reading.

Blog Challenge Day 16: five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes

I am the worst blog challenge-er ever.  ugh.  Here's yesterday's post.

Newlywed: A Year in Review: One Year Later

Its our first anniversary!  I seriously cannot believe it has already been a year since our wedding.  Those five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes seriously flew by.  Its been a great year.  I adore my husband and absolutely love being married to him.  We had to work today so we celebrated over "our" weekend.  We went out to a very nice dinner at Il Mulino, an Italian trattoria (thanks to a gift certificate from my mother-in-law!) That same night, our friend was having a birthday celebration (Our anniversary falls on the same day as her birthday) so we went to a Atlantic Dance Hall after dinner to celebrate along with her. 

We then got to spend the rest of our weekend relaxing and enjoying getting to spend time together. Andddd using our anniversary gift.  Hubs got us (me) a Kindle!  I'm obsessed with it already.  We got it Friday and I've already read an entire book.

And then yesterday I came home to this.

And a beautiful card that make me cry.  My husband is seriously the best and I feel so lucky and blessed to have him.  This has definitely been the best year of my life and I'm looking forward to what the next year of our marriage with bring.  The best part is that whenever I look into my future everything is better because I know that I'll always have the love of my life by my side.

Thanks for reading.

BC16-8/14

Blog Challenge Day 8: Looking forward

After my "writer's block" issue yesterday.  I've decided that I think doing a couple of "serial" blog posts might help me find some focus for my writing.  I have two in mind that I will begin as part of the challenge and hope to continue once this challenge is over.

1) Health, Wellness & Fitness
This series in particular will hopefully be on-going as there is always something to write about on these subjects.  They are very important to me and are things that I think about everyday.  I spend time doing research and implementing the things I learn on these topics into my life.  Although I am far from perfect when it comes the my health, wellness and fitness, it is very important to me.  I also feel it is important to share the things that I learn with others and hopefully help them improve theses areas of their lives as well.

2) Newlywed: A year in review
Since I wanted to blog throughout the entire first year of our marriage and I didn't, I guess blogging about it will have to suffice.  I wanted to document our first year in this way so that I would have the memories forever.  I also want to do it in case reading about the ups and downs of our first year might be beneficial to other couples beginning a marriage.  I absolutely love being married and want to share our first wonderful year with everyone.

If you have any other ideas for a series I could write on, please let me know.  I hope you'll enjoy these and that you'll keep me accountable to continue working on them.

Thanks for reading.

BC8-8/6

So this one time I got married

For those readers who personally know me (aka. all of you) you know that I started dating my husband eight years ago at the tender age of 18. We did have a teenage whirlwind romance but came back down to earth as the years trudged on. We always knew that we'd get married someday. As the years went by, I built engagement and marriage up in my mind to a somewhat ridiculous level. I realized my guilt in doing this to myself after a few years and wondered if I'd feel a sense of disappointment once the engagement and impending marriage finally took place.

Engagement was more difficult than I expected but not a disappointment. No matter how many people tell you or many many silly wedding tv shows you watch, it doesn't prepare you for the stress and pressure of planning a wedding. And I had a lot of help. But I am happy to report that marriage is so far from a disappointment compared to what I had built it up to be. In fact, marriage has exceeded my expectations (which I honestly didn't think was possible). Eight years of build up is a lot. I will say, it is different than I expected but in positive ways. The level of comfort I feel with my husband is something I haven't really experienced with a person before. Also, marriage (so far) is much simpler than our dating relationship ever was. Of course I'm still very much a newlywed and only have about 3 months of marriage under my belt. But I believe marrying Duncan was truly one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life. And I'm confident that we'll run into struggles, road blocks and tough times but I really do have faith in our love and our marriage.

Thanks for reading.

(Apologies for the terrible grammar and bad writing in this post. This is what happens when one does not practice their craft...I'm working on it. But as promised I am posting a piece that I am not very happy with because the more I write, the better I'll get, right?)