Time and reflection go hand in hand

Wow, i haven't posted in over 2 months.

I have been busy with school and work and planning a birthday/graduation party. I will be officially done with school in 14 days. I'm really excited to finally be done.

While I sit here in my bed, with my cats snuggling by my feet, I am so happy to be done with school. I started right after High School, 9 years ago. I thought I wanted to be an interior designer, so I went to school for graphic design thinking it was the same thing. Turns out it is not.
After wasting a whole year on a degree I wanted to do, I changed to Administrative Assistant A.A.S, with a diploma in Medical Office Assistant. I really wanted to do what my mom did.
In my second year of school, I thought that a boy was more important than school, and got on academic probabtion, then suspension for the Spring semester. Only being allowed to return in the fall at part-time, I realized that school was more important than anything and worked to finally get my degree, all while working a full-time job.
I finished my associates degree 3 years later, and decided to take a year off to work and see if I wanted to go and get my bachelors. I decided to go back and finish what I started. Now, after working really hard, taking MORE than the max credits per semester, working full-time and trying to have a semi social life, I am proud to say that I am so close to being done that I can taste it.

I have been able to do a lot of different things, and learn so many different things.
I have experienced heartbreak, loss of loved ones, gain of loved ones, my first ever move, and many other firsts that have shaped my life to what it is today. I am ready for more firsts and for someone to share my life with.

I want to thank everyone who has helped me on my journey, and put up with me, I wouldn't be here without you all. Especially my family, immediate and extended, who have supported me no matter what I wanted to do.

Here is to hoping the next couple of weeks go by quickly!! <3

-A

She keeps on running....

I ran my first 5k with my sister on this past Sunday at the Susan G. Komen's Race for The Cure. I finished with the time of 41 minutes and a couple seconds. My sister finished much sooner than me, but she's been running for longer.

A few minutes after finishing

That is really not that bad considering I had barely trained the last month. Also, I had set my bar very low with the goal to finish within an hour, and I did. So I'm going to call that a win. I will be trying to beat that time from now on.

Charlie being cute during the walk

Afterwards, my sister and I walked around the area that you can get free stuff, and got a bunch of free food, water and COFFEE. It was amazing. We didn't have much time to soak it all in, because we were also doing the 5k walk with our other sister and niece. It was so packed for the walk, that we weren't able to walk very fast, but it was nice to stretch out after the run.

The crowd behind up

The crowd in front of us

After we finished the walk, it was actually one of my other nieces' birthday and we were having a party later that day at my sister's place. It was fun. I took a small nap on the couch while everyone else was talking. The nap was glorious. The beer that I had with our dinner was even more glorious. My niece got her own "smash cupcake" to eat. She loved it.

Clara eating her cupcake!

We didn't stay too late, and I went to bed super early to go back to reality.

-A

P.S. I was SO sore on Monday.

Update

So, I have been a little busy with the end of the semester and all, but I have been working on some of the items on my list. Such as:

I have bought a sky-diving Groupon to go sky-diving with my cousin.
I have registered for my last class, which I will be completing this Summer and then I will be done with my bachelors. (super excited)
I have my first 5k tomorrow (May 10th), that I will be trying to run the whole thing.
I put 5 inspirational messages inside books at my local Barnes and Nobles, in hopes that people will buy the books, find the pieces of paper and feel good.

I'm still looking for people to help me with some of the things on my list, even if it's recommendations on where I should start looking or where I should go to do the activity.

I'm looking forward to having some more of this "free time" everyone keeps talking about, and exploring some new "hobbies" (whatever those are).

Now, I'm going to bed before a big day tomorrow!

-A

Book signing

On February 15th, there was a special screening of The Princess Bride movie and a book signing by Cary Elwes (aka Wesley). It was my FIRST book signing, which was on my list. I went with some of my friends and my sister.

The showing of the movie was scheduled to start at noon, and the passing out of the wristbands that allowed you into the theater started at 11am. We got to the Mall of America (where it was showing) around 9am, and there was already almost 200 people in line. We sat down and got as comfortable as possible on a hard, marble floor. My sister and I went to get coffee and some food, which took way longer than expected. When we got back, our other friend, who was supposed to meet us there, still hadn't shown up and it was after 10am.

The wristband!

By around 11, everyone started to stand up and get ready to start moving and our friend still hadn't shown up. When we were almost to the front of the line, our friend FINALLY showed up. We got our wristbands and made our way to the theater and got seats.

Crappy picture of all of us

We watched the movie with a whole theater full of Princess Bride fans. It was pretty awesome. We thought that the book signing was going to be at another location, so we started to leave, when they told us to go back and sit down. Cary Elwes was going to answer questions.

He gave pretty much everyone a hug that asked a question, and I have a video of him whispering "as you wish" into a woman's ear (that I can post if you would like me to). I really wanted to ask him a question, JUST to get a hug from him, but I didn't really have a question to ask him.

After the questions, they let people file out to get their books signed. They weren't allowing pictures when we were waiting in line, but my sister actually got a good picture just by holding up her phone by her pocket. She was in front of my and got her book signed first. Then it was me.

That's when I LOST MY SHIT.

I was freaking out when he started to sign my book, so much so that he said "calm down, it's okay" and GAVE ME A HUG! I almost couldn't believe it and I couldn't even believe that any of this was happening! Afterwards, my sister shared that she was trying to get a nice close-up picture of him and got the whole interaction ON CAMERA.

When we got down to the exit, I was still freaking out, and I was crying. No idea where that came from. I had basically just met the first real-life Prince Charming that I had ever seen in a movie, so no reason to freak out at all!

Needless to say, that was probably the best day that I have had in a very long time, and it was a really good start to my week. Thank you for all that came out that day with me, and thank you to my sister who took those pictures and then sent them to me. I'm hoping that this will be an indication of how this year will be!

-A

THE HUG!

Right afterwards

He finished signing my book

Me freaking out

Another one bites the dust

I got my tattoo. For Erin. The last thing that I'll probably get done that was on my list this year.

This is a picture of it RIGHT after I got it done on Friday, December 26th. I had a friend come with me, and it was fine otherwise. I am falling in love with it more and more every time I look at it.

My aunt also gave all of us girls a home blown glass bead that has some of Erin's ashes in it, along with a necklace to put it on if we want to. They are beautiful and it was probably my BEST gift this year.

I'm disappointed that I didn't get more done on my list this year, but I have decided to roll it over to next year and continue with this blog to document the rest of the items on the list that I didn't get done.

I will write another post reflecting on this year in the next few days...

-A

State Fair and crossing things off my list!

Me and my niece on the carousal

Last Saturday, August 23rd, I went to the fair and met up with my sister and my 7 year old niece. It was the most fun and exhausting experience that I had that weekend. I got the privilege of going on 3 rides with my niece since my sister didn't want to go on them.

I was going to try and get another bucket list item crossed off and go on the "Sling Shot" ride that is almost like bungee jumping, but even though I went to the fair TWICE, I didn't do it. I wished I had someone to go with me!!

Anyways, I'm pretty sure I finished my 25 new beers, since I know I've been trying any new beer that I could over the summer! I have found a few that I like and a lot that I don't really care for.

After my sister and niece left, I met up with a friend and her husband and walked around for a while longer. Right before I left, we saw the Clydesdale's waiting to go into the Colosseum, and they were SO BIG.

On the 24th, my niece came over for a sleepover, for the first time at our new place. It was really good once we got into bed. We watched The Little Mermaid and then started reading The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland, the junior version. She fell asleep by the third chapter. She was so cute.

Now it's bedtime for me!

-A

Officiating my first wedding!

Last Thursday I was honored to officiate my first wedding, and for that wedding to be between my sister and the father of her daughter. It was a short and sweet wedding ceremony, at The Tavern on France in Edina.

They are such a loving couple and they are really meant to be together. I blessed to be a part of it, while also surrounded by a bunch of her friends and our family, new and old.

Congratulations, Sister.

-A

Pentatonix

This past Wednesday, I was able to see an acapella group sing live, with my sisters. The group was Pentatonix. They were the winners of the third season of The Sing-Off. If you don't know who they are, look them up on YouTube.

It was a lot of fun and I feel like I was the only one having fun. Oh well, but it was fun nonetheless!!

Here's a picture of them performing (even though you weren't supposed to be taking them)!