Three More Days

We have three more days "left" in Healthy U.

In three days, we do our final evaluations: pushups, situps, squats, stretches and balances, weight and measurements.

And the following week we have the Night of Inspiration, where we walk across the stage for the final time and the new class is introduced.

It really is exciting.
But also very sad.
This year has been a year of challenges, trials, learning, losing, and so much more. 

I haven't posted in a while, so let me show you what's been up: 

Last weekend, I went and picked up this sweet girl. Her name is Penny; she's a red heeler and she's extremely smart! 

She's pretty sweet, unless she's barking incessantly... or peeing on the floor... Other than that we get along great lol

We went for a walk one day and my friend Carol snapped a few pictures of us. Walking on a leash is a new adventure! 

She's really good at riding in the car! 

She even wanted to go to the gym one day lol

Speaking of the gym, I checked this goal off... I wanted my half-mile time to be below 5 minutes by the end of Healthy U.
CHECK! 

That means, if I ran that pace, I would be at a 10 minute mile.
Which.... I've never in my life done. Even in high school, I think my mile time was like 14 minutes haha (And I'm not kidding) 

On Saturday, I went with my sister to the Kansas City Symphony. I had never been before and she got us tickets as a Christmas gift to me! 

It was both of our first Kauffman Center experiences- and let's just say they run a confusing joint! But it all worked out and we got to see a really cool show: 

We watched the Nightmare Before Christmas while the symphony played the score! It was one of the coolest experiences! You never realize how much music is in a movie until you WATCH it being played!

The sunset on the drive back was so beautiful, I had to take a picture.
And the picture hardly does it justice!
Ever notice how a really great sunset has every color in it??
I love sunsets, sunrises, and stars-- especially on a clear night in the country! 

Christmas Eve this year was Christmas at our grandma's house.
It was our first Christmas without Poppy; We lost him in March to complications related to Alzheimer's Disease. I made this for Mammaw to keep in her house at this time, and the seven of us cousins (who were all pallbearers) decided we would give a donation to the Alzheimer's Association to our walk team. We came up with a sizeable donation and surprised everyone! 

After the festivities, I came home and popped some popcorn, watched a movie or two and hung out.
Today for Christmas we met for brunch at Grandma's again. 

The rest of the week I have a few days when I'm meeting up with people for lunch or dinner here or there, I have some school work that I NEED to get done including reading two books, making up some lesson plans, entering grades for grade cards, and making our power point for our Leadership Team meeting... Who says teachers don't work over breaks?? 

Next week is New Year's Eve: I plan to have a big resolution/goal setting post. I plan to still set goals and work toward them in 2018. 

I am excited for the Night of Inspiration to show off all the work my fellow classmates and I have put in this year, to say thank you to our coaches and sponsors and to introduce the new class for 2018. 

All the Pretty Dresses

This has been a huge realization of mine this past year:
I can explain how I FEEL about things, I can explain what HAPPENED in the situation, but to explain it to someone else and have them understand the (hurt/pain/excitement/whatever) just as I do is lost.

No one has been through all the experiences that I have, I have not been through the experiences that another has. It's just an interesting thing to think about.
People only understand from their level of perception and from their level of experience. 

That being said, as this year winds down, it has proved to be stressful and HARD. 

Holiday parties, treats, classroom parties, meeting up with friends, cold weather, it getting dark so early, did I mention the cold? Did I mention all sorts of good, wonderful sweets and treats?

It. Is. Hard. 

Add to that presents, secret Santa's, dress up days, family get-togethers, recitals, music programs, church responsibilities, wrapping, decorations, hot cocoa, and just SO MUCH. 

It. Is. Hard. 

So... that being said, I had to break up the monotony of my day-to-day and I went on a shopping trip with one of my dear friends: 

Megan and I met while in college at UCM.
We were instant best friends when I was put on her staff to be a Community Adviser.
I was in Megan's wedding, and I hope someday she can be in mine!
We often get asked if we're sisters and decided (during one of her wedding events) that the label "sister-friends" would be appropriate!

So, my sister-friend came with me to shop for some general clothes that I have been needing for a while and to find "the dress"

For the Night of Inspiration, we get to walk across the stage and show off the hard work that we have been putting in this last year. So I was on a mission to find the dress.
I bet I tried on 100 dresses, and I'm really not making an exaggeration. 

It was pretty eye-opening to say the least.
The way our clothing is sized in this country is INSANE.
I think anyone reading this will agree: Women's clothing is insane.
When I tried on dresses, I was anywhere from a size 8 to a size 14.
Pants were size 10 to a 14... shirts was like anything! A small fit, so did a Large.. 

We started at Old Navy and I got a few pieces just to add to my general wardrobe: Some sweaters, pants, a few shirts and dresses from the clearance rack!

Then we went into the mall.
Looked around JC Penny, got a few clothes off the clearance rack there as well
And... we took over a dressing room. We pulled in a ton of dresses (Megan brought me a ton after I tried on "normal" clothes) and then we inherited a dressing room where a girl had just left a ton of dresses in there and SURPRISE! They were all my size hahaha

So I would try on a dress, and then toss it to Megan if it was a "no" ... she would put it on the hanger and hand me the next one-- this went on for about an hour or so haha
We narrowed it down to three dresses, which I took pictures of and sent out for people to vote on on Snap Chat LOL:

I REALLY liked this one. The bottom was a scallop-look, the high neckline, cap-sleeve, the lace. It's just a great dress! 

And then there was this one!
The interesting neck line and back ... and the sequins! Sparkly! 

This one was fun, a good shape, interesting neckline and a little sparkly (and was the People's choice winner of the Snap Chat Vote)

So we put those dresses on hold, decided to go eat some lunch and let my mind process.
After lunch, we went into a few more stores and then decided to go to Dillard's to look around.
So many beautiful dresses!
(and a little more expensive than what I was looking for)

But I picked out a few and found one the Megan really liked: 

Megan really liked this one- And it's not a bad choice by any means ... I just wasn't really feeling it.
The sleeves were nice. I liked the sparkle factor, and the length (I had only been trying on short dresses before) And it was sort-of a mermaid cut, which was flattering. 

But THE dress. THE dress came just after this one. And I am SO excited about it. But I'm not going to put any pictures publicly (Unless you're my SnapChat friend) until Night of Inspiration when you can get the entire feel of the dress, because let's just say it's awesome.

I didn't even let people vote.
Ya know, what they say is true: When you find "the one" you just know! ;) 

Aside from that, we went to Sam's Club, and I got this: 

It's literally duffle-bag sized! haha it came with food containers, blender bottle, ice packs, and so much space for meals and snacks! It will be helpful when I have to take 5 meals with me for long days! 

Megan gifted me this print for Christmas... it's just perfect for me, I love it so much!



I will leave you with this:

Be kind to one another.
Be grateful in all things.
Be still and hear God.

All things I'm working on. 

It was the best of times; It was the worst of times

This year has seriously held some of my happiest and saddest moments. 

Even as I think of all of those things now, it brings tear to my eyes. 

My 2017 year started off spectacularly!
I was on a roll!
And then, like dominoes, everything started falling.
And falling so quickly, I couldn't catch everything and put it back up. 

I'm a "fix it" person.
I'm a "everything's fine" person.
I'm a problem-solver. 

And these problems that have arisen don't have black-and-white answers.
I am realizing the life is just full of "gray" areas.
Where there aren't rights and wrongs; it's more like "ish" 

And as I sit here this evening, I realize that I'm still here.
I can still do good.
I can still be "fine."
And that's going to have to be good enough for now. 

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Photo from Thanksgiving with my Cousin's kiddos.
I just thought it was a fun picture.

My niece! (She's in the middle)
She had a dance recital on Saturday-- isn't she adorable?!

Friday's outfit. 

Getting ready to sing the Messiah on Sunday. It was such a great performance! 

A full shot of Sunday's outfit :)