Avalanche Lake in Glacier National Park
Casey and I at McDonald Lake in Glacier National Park
Beautiful wildflowers at Glen Lake in the Bitterroots
Glen Lake
Hiking buddies going to Glen Lake
25 September 2011
Fall is upon us
Once again, fall is upon us. The weather is still warm on most days, feels almost like summer sometimes, but it was officially fall a few days ago. I absolutely love all the things that go with fall...leaves changing, chili, pumpkin everything, crisp mornings, wearing scarves, etc...you get the idea. It just makes me happy. I try to take time every day to really soak it all in, because before we know it, it will be winter again!
The first four weeks of school have flown by! Sometimes, during the weeks I feel like I'm dragging, but looking back, it went super fast. Funny how that works out that way. Now if I can only remember that in the middle of the weeks when I feel like I am dragging! Nevertheless, school and my projects are progressing. I'm enjoying classes. I of course miss Casey, but we are doing our best to enjoy this time in our lives. For example, the last three nights in a row I rented a chick flick out of the Red Box and watched it in bed. Now, those are things I can't really do when Casey and live together...at least not three nights in a row! And he is enjoying working extra hours (since I'm not there to come home to), and just got back from a "guy's" trip up the Snake River. So, we are enjoying ourselves, and for sure remembering to live each day to its fullest. But, we sure do love the weekends we get to see each other! Last weekend we went to Glacier National Park north of Missoula. It was our first time making that drive, and it was absolutely beautiful. Flathead Lake on the way up was magnificent, and huge! It is the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River. We stayed the night in Kalispell and ate a lovely dinner at a downtown restaurant. Then Saturday in GNP we went on a short 2 mile hike in to Avalanche Lake, which was beautiful! This weekend I am planning on driving to Clarkston, and we have a quick trip to Joseph planned. I love the fall in Joseph, too, so I am excited to see it one more time before the winter snow falls. And, hopefully we will make it down to the Wallowa River Camp to check out what it will look like this time of year next year...on our wedding day!
That reminds me, just a few days ago we passed the "one year away" mark for our big day! I can't believe it! We have already been engaged six months...12 more months to go. It will be here before I know it, seriously. Luckily, most of the "big" planning is done: location, caterer, dress, etc. Still some things, but we have a pretty good idea about everything else!
Today I went on a 3 mile hike to a lake in the Bitterroot Wilderness southeast of Missoula. That was also beautiful, and my grad school buddies and I had a great time. They sure were going at a fast pace, though! But very beautiful and perfect weather for a nice little hike.
Back to my review of literature for my professional paper (I switched from a thesis to a professional paper). It is so close to being done, I can't wait! Just a few more sections and a little more reorganization, and I will be ready to e-mail that bad boy to my committee chair!
The first four weeks of school have flown by! Sometimes, during the weeks I feel like I'm dragging, but looking back, it went super fast. Funny how that works out that way. Now if I can only remember that in the middle of the weeks when I feel like I am dragging! Nevertheless, school and my projects are progressing. I'm enjoying classes. I of course miss Casey, but we are doing our best to enjoy this time in our lives. For example, the last three nights in a row I rented a chick flick out of the Red Box and watched it in bed. Now, those are things I can't really do when Casey and live together...at least not three nights in a row! And he is enjoying working extra hours (since I'm not there to come home to), and just got back from a "guy's" trip up the Snake River. So, we are enjoying ourselves, and for sure remembering to live each day to its fullest. But, we sure do love the weekends we get to see each other! Last weekend we went to Glacier National Park north of Missoula. It was our first time making that drive, and it was absolutely beautiful. Flathead Lake on the way up was magnificent, and huge! It is the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River. We stayed the night in Kalispell and ate a lovely dinner at a downtown restaurant. Then Saturday in GNP we went on a short 2 mile hike in to Avalanche Lake, which was beautiful! This weekend I am planning on driving to Clarkston, and we have a quick trip to Joseph planned. I love the fall in Joseph, too, so I am excited to see it one more time before the winter snow falls. And, hopefully we will make it down to the Wallowa River Camp to check out what it will look like this time of year next year...on our wedding day!
That reminds me, just a few days ago we passed the "one year away" mark for our big day! I can't believe it! We have already been engaged six months...12 more months to go. It will be here before I know it, seriously. Luckily, most of the "big" planning is done: location, caterer, dress, etc. Still some things, but we have a pretty good idea about everything else!
Today I went on a 3 mile hike to a lake in the Bitterroot Wilderness southeast of Missoula. That was also beautiful, and my grad school buddies and I had a great time. They sure were going at a fast pace, though! But very beautiful and perfect weather for a nice little hike.
Back to my review of literature for my professional paper (I switched from a thesis to a professional paper). It is so close to being done, I can't wait! Just a few more sections and a little more reorganization, and I will be ready to e-mail that bad boy to my committee chair!
02 September 2011
Happiness
On a brighter note, Casey and I had lovely engagement photos done by Josh Whiting Photography in Pullman, so I thought I would share a couple of our favorites!
Suck it Up
Sometimes you have just got to suck it up and do it. I keep telling myself I'd rather be in Clarkston, blah, blah, blah. But honestly, if I was in Clarkston, I would probably be telling myself I'd rather be in Missoula. I suppose that is just the way the mind works. So, I just need to suck it up, and get crackin' on my thesis! It will be a tough road, and I am sure that I will want to give up more than once. But, it will all be worth it in the end, and I will learn so much about myself, life, and helping others along the way. UGH, why is it so hard to just suck it up and do it sometimes?!
26 August 2011
I'm BACK!
Despite the anxiety, nerves, and upset stomachs, I am back and rearin' and ready to go. Missoula is such a welcoming place, it is really hard to stay anxious for long. There are so many unknowns with this school year, specifically regarding my thesis and thesis chairperson. However, I feel motivated to kick it into gear and "hit it with my purse" (special thanks to program planning partner K. Hart for that little line--it got us through many tough program planning moments)! Knowing that this is my last temporary transition for a while and that next summer I get to move in with my best friend (and marry him!) gives me all the external motivation I need! And, for you frequent blog followers, I am extremely motivated by extrinsic motivation. I also believe that my internal motivation is at an all-time high right now, I feel like I want to show myself that I can and will do this! And I will rock it!
This year will without a doubt be full of ups and downs, but a few potential "ups" to highlight are:
1) I will propose and defend my thesis. This will potentially have many downs leading up to it, but after each presentation will be a huge UP! I can already anticipate the relief and sense of accomplishment that is to come. Those feelings are more things that keep me motivated.
2) Wedding invitations! I am so excited to HAND-MAKE them and add mine and Casey's own personal touches. This will likely happen over Christmas break, with the help of my family. It may seem silly, but I really am excited.
3) Road trips back and forth to Clarkston and Missoula. While the actual drive itself is less than exciting anymore (especially in the winter), the feelings leading up to getting to see Casey and the feelings once I reach Clarkston (or he reaches Missoula) are quite exciting. I know that our relationship becomes stronger every other week when we see each other, as well as growing each day we are apart. Distance not only makes the heart grow fonder, but it also improves our communication skills immensely! We like to look at the positives of our situation (there certainly are many), and that is one of the best. If we can communicate during these many transitions back and forth, I am confident that we can communicate through anything!
4) Visits from friends and family. I love showing off Missoula-it is a great place to hike, drink coffee, shop, eat, and hang-out. I really can't wait until mom, dad, Nat and whoever else make it over to beautiful Montana.
5) Courses- Health and the Mind, Body, Spirit Relationship, and Community Based Participatory Research are the two courses I am taking this semester, and they are sure to be amazing (just like all of my other UM courses). The first one is pretty much the reason I started looking at UM, and the second one will give me huge skills that I will most likely use everyday in my future life and career. Looking forward to both. I thrive in the classroom and off of researching for papers, writing papers, etc. I am a nerd, yes. Also, this semester I will be teaching Stretch and Relax to 55 UM undergraduates. I look forward to this challenge and being able to relax at least 2 hours every week in this class!
I think that pretty much sums it up. Get ready for lots of highs and lows and I will keep you all updated as I can!
This year will without a doubt be full of ups and downs, but a few potential "ups" to highlight are:
1) I will propose and defend my thesis. This will potentially have many downs leading up to it, but after each presentation will be a huge UP! I can already anticipate the relief and sense of accomplishment that is to come. Those feelings are more things that keep me motivated.
2) Wedding invitations! I am so excited to HAND-MAKE them and add mine and Casey's own personal touches. This will likely happen over Christmas break, with the help of my family. It may seem silly, but I really am excited.
3) Road trips back and forth to Clarkston and Missoula. While the actual drive itself is less than exciting anymore (especially in the winter), the feelings leading up to getting to see Casey and the feelings once I reach Clarkston (or he reaches Missoula) are quite exciting. I know that our relationship becomes stronger every other week when we see each other, as well as growing each day we are apart. Distance not only makes the heart grow fonder, but it also improves our communication skills immensely! We like to look at the positives of our situation (there certainly are many), and that is one of the best. If we can communicate during these many transitions back and forth, I am confident that we can communicate through anything!
4) Visits from friends and family. I love showing off Missoula-it is a great place to hike, drink coffee, shop, eat, and hang-out. I really can't wait until mom, dad, Nat and whoever else make it over to beautiful Montana.
5) Courses- Health and the Mind, Body, Spirit Relationship, and Community Based Participatory Research are the two courses I am taking this semester, and they are sure to be amazing (just like all of my other UM courses). The first one is pretty much the reason I started looking at UM, and the second one will give me huge skills that I will most likely use everyday in my future life and career. Looking forward to both. I thrive in the classroom and off of researching for papers, writing papers, etc. I am a nerd, yes. Also, this semester I will be teaching Stretch and Relax to 55 UM undergraduates. I look forward to this challenge and being able to relax at least 2 hours every week in this class!
I think that pretty much sums it up. Get ready for lots of highs and lows and I will keep you all updated as I can!
03 August 2011
Anticipation
Here I am again...getting ready to take a big step, move away for eight months, and attend grad school at UM while leaving my fiance, kitten, house, family, and friends in Clarkston/Lewiston and Joseph. And here I am again, second guessing myself. Even though I am second guessing myself, as soon as I consider the alternative (not finishing/quitting/dropping out), I immediately "buck up" and realize this is what I want to do and have to do. Ok, so I don't HAVE to do it, but in my mind, I do. I want to, and I want to show myself I CAN. AND, most importantly, I thrive on learning new things and it excites me when I think about the ways I could use this degree and my growing knowledge base to help communities and individuals. So, when all of that is taken into consideration, it sucks moving away, but it is what I want. I don't want to leave everything behind, but I do want to go...talk about mixed emotions.
These emotions are so similar to the ones I was experiencing last year at this exact time. However, the circumstances are a little different. I am no longer worried about not knowing anyone, because I now have some amazing friends in Missoula (they are one reason why I am not dreading going back). I am no longer worried about being in a new area, because I know Missoula pretty well, and absolutely love it. And, I am no longer worried about how Casey and I's relationship will survive, because over the past year we have grown 1000 times stronger, and are both more self-confident as well as more confident in our relationship. We know that we can do it, and that we will do it! However, I now am leaving not just a boyfriend behind, but a fiance. I am no longer just leaving my family and home in Joseph, but also my new home in Clarkston. I am now leaving a kitten. I now have the huge task in front of me of writing my thesis...which will consist of implementing and evaluating a mentor walking program in the community [Whew, that'll be interesting!].
Basically, right now, I am just a bottle of different feelings, both good and bad. But like I told the blogging world last year, I will of course make it though with flying colors...because there aren't any other options. There will be tears, laughter, joy, and fear...all part of normal human emotions.
[Let's not add the added task of wedding planning at this point :)]
These emotions are so similar to the ones I was experiencing last year at this exact time. However, the circumstances are a little different. I am no longer worried about not knowing anyone, because I now have some amazing friends in Missoula (they are one reason why I am not dreading going back). I am no longer worried about being in a new area, because I know Missoula pretty well, and absolutely love it. And, I am no longer worried about how Casey and I's relationship will survive, because over the past year we have grown 1000 times stronger, and are both more self-confident as well as more confident in our relationship. We know that we can do it, and that we will do it! However, I now am leaving not just a boyfriend behind, but a fiance. I am no longer just leaving my family and home in Joseph, but also my new home in Clarkston. I am now leaving a kitten. I now have the huge task in front of me of writing my thesis...which will consist of implementing and evaluating a mentor walking program in the community [Whew, that'll be interesting!].
Basically, right now, I am just a bottle of different feelings, both good and bad. But like I told the blogging world last year, I will of course make it though with flying colors...because there aren't any other options. There will be tears, laughter, joy, and fear...all part of normal human emotions.
[Let's not add the added task of wedding planning at this point :)]
11 July 2011
Norway in a Nutshell
While we did not do the "Norway in a Nutshell" tour that is offered by a travel agency in Norway, we did certainly get a glimpse of Norway over the course of our 2-week vacation. It was absolutely amazing. From the steep mountain peaks, to the narrow fjords, and from the small fishing towns on the Atlantic to the thriving Bergen metropolis...it truly was an unforgettable trip. Words and pictures can't possibly capture the amazing-ness of this Scandinavian country. And, perhaps the most amazing aspect of our trip was the rich and deep history of the country and all of its traditions, architecture, and landscape. We saw things that have been there since the 12th century...keep in mind the Christopher Columbus didn't even find the Americas until the 1400s, so while the land was already inhabited before that date, there is very little (if any) written history. Moreover, Oregon wasn't even made a state until the 1800s. It was just crazy to think about and see the historic viking graves, ships, etc.
While Norway itself was amazing, it was also interesting to learn some more about myself and who I am as a person and a traveller. I have always been aware that I am extremely introverted, in other words, I get my energy from solitude, myself, and taking things in. This characteristic was highlighted on this trip! Not only am I an introvert, but pretty much my whole family is! We were perfectly content to take it all in, wander around, and kind of do whatever came our way. Also, I don't know if this is part of being an introvert, or it just being our first time out of the states, but we wanted to see and experience as much of the country as we could. We wanted to get up early and head back late. While it was exhausting, it was amazing at the same time, and we were ready for it. Our tour guides (the wonderful Welle family), however, could be characterized as extroverts. And it is also important to note that they are fairly experienced world travellers (much different than our family), therefore, they have seen more than we have (especially of Norway), and didn't really want to spend all day out and about. This didn't become an issue really, it was just interesting to note the differences.
I could go on and on about this trip...but that would take a while! I'm looking forward to putting together my photos and journal entries to have a scrapbook of this amazing trip. But, that will have to wait until after my thesis and wedding planning gets under control...
While Norway itself was amazing, it was also interesting to learn some more about myself and who I am as a person and a traveller. I have always been aware that I am extremely introverted, in other words, I get my energy from solitude, myself, and taking things in. This characteristic was highlighted on this trip! Not only am I an introvert, but pretty much my whole family is! We were perfectly content to take it all in, wander around, and kind of do whatever came our way. Also, I don't know if this is part of being an introvert, or it just being our first time out of the states, but we wanted to see and experience as much of the country as we could. We wanted to get up early and head back late. While it was exhausting, it was amazing at the same time, and we were ready for it. Our tour guides (the wonderful Welle family), however, could be characterized as extroverts. And it is also important to note that they are fairly experienced world travellers (much different than our family), therefore, they have seen more than we have (especially of Norway), and didn't really want to spend all day out and about. This didn't become an issue really, it was just interesting to note the differences.
I could go on and on about this trip...but that would take a while! I'm looking forward to putting together my photos and journal entries to have a scrapbook of this amazing trip. But, that will have to wait until after my thesis and wedding planning gets under control...
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