Thursday, June 23, 2016

May & June Update

Oh, hey blog! How are you? No, I haven't forgotten about you.  I've just neglected you a little...(ok, a lottle!).  Please forgive me.  And remember that my Instagram and Tumblr do get some more love than you.

Well, I actually had these pictures saved as a draft to post over a month ago.  The first three are from Welcome to Rockville, and the others are from my graduation weekend.

Welcome to Rockville - I was going to give a much bigger recap on this, but it's been so long!  It was in Jacksonville, FL April 30 and May 1.  Here is the line-up, if you want to take a look.  Now, I'll say first and foremost that this is not my type of music; it is, however Will's favorite.  He won tickets on the radio and Jacksonville is only about a 2-hour drive away, so I had no real excuses not to go.  Let me tell you, though - I. Was. TERRIFIED.  I was terrified of mosh pits and violent music and loud music and violent people, etc.  Nothing was as I expected.  Ok, the music was loud.  I think I yelled at people for a week after I got home.  But the people were beyond amazing.  I only met one rude person the whole weekend, and we talked to a ton of people (Will is a talker).  People were so nice and supportive and offered protection and assurances that I wouldn't become involved in mosh pits.  We were literally right next to one during Five Finger Death Punch, and Disturbed was insanity.  Other than that, we were far enough in the front that we avoided it.  We were even in the front row for a lot of shows!  Anyway, enough rambling.  It was one of the most amazing and life changing experiences that I've had, and I really want to go back next year!


Still not sure about all this
Front row at Enter Shikari - LOVED them
Front row at Parkway Drive - his favorite

Then, the next weekend I graduated! It's been a crazy journey.  I started at this college in August 2012.  I've gone literally every semester since then.  I was a nursing major, then a biology major, then an early education major, and finally graduated with a BSED in Middle Grades Education with concentrations in science and math, and a minor in Psychology.  And not to brag, but I was Magna Cum Laude as well!  My aunt and uncle and my brother were able to come down from New England, which made the weekend even more special.  Friday we went to a local super small aquarium and for a little nature walk, then had a pinning ceremony at school, then went out to a delicious dinner.  Saturday morning was graduation, which his parents and little brother also went to, and an amazing lunch at The Pink House in downtown Savannah.

I don't have any pictures of it here (I really didn't take many), but the next week Will and I went on a 5 day Carnival Cruise to the Bahamas.  It was so great to get away and not have to do anything.  On every break from school I've been working or dog sitting or had something to do, so to just relax with no responsibilities was something very foreign to me!

However, rest time was soon over and on June 8th I started an online program at the University of Georgia to get my M.Ed. in Educational Psychology of Gifted and Creative Students.  It's super intense, and I'm taking a larger course load than normal this summer.  It's a lot of work, but I'm learning a ton!

Dad, Mom, and my "furry sister" Savannah
Me, brother (David) and my Uncle Doug
Dad, David, Mom, me, Aunt Jean, Uncle Doug
Proud parents!
All decorated!
Teacher friends waiting to be called
Clearly, they were paying attention
Silly faces back at home!
As far as running goes, since that is the reason for this blog, uhm...I haven't been.  April 16th, I think, is the last time I ran when I did a 5k with Will and his brother Trace.  I then was just too tired, had almost two weeks of vertigo, hurt my foot (walking down a set of 4 stupid stairs), went on a cruise, then it's just been so hot!  I'm considering starting a 5k plan next week which would train me for one at the end of the summer, but I'm just going to take it as it goes.  I have been doing Crush Booty Boot Camp, though! I was doing it fairly regularly until school started and have slowed down since then.  I'm figuring out the school/life balance right now.

In August, I'll start at a local Catholic school teaching 6th through 8th grade both math and science.  Planning for that will start super soon!  I'm excited and terrified all at the same time.

So, there's an update on the past two months.

Have I missed anything big with you?
Lauren