Missed me?

i havent blogged in forever! whoops. and i'm not going to blog much at this moment.  BUT I will give you a preview of what's to come so that maybeeee i'll do it!

first off - like my new layout/background? i've been needing a change! i'm also going to start labeling, woo!

- update on my great adventure with my mom (complete with pics!)

- follow my new adventure into decorating my new big girl apartment on a serious budget, living in a new city, and starting my big girl job!

I'm at a great place in my life right now, everything is pretty much new.  Yes i have the same friends, the same boyfriend, and the same me, but I'm at a place where I am finding out my decorating style, my work ethic, and my ability to survive on my own.  I'm really excited to be where I am and to learn and grow and change into a new woman.

Tootles!

A little bit forgotten.

Yesterday, May 7, 2011, was my graduation day.  If it had gone the way I had planned, it would have been a great day.  I'd have worn a black dress with new red high heels.  I would have done my nails, gotten my hair cut, and worn my pearls.  I would have received 2 stoles for graduating magna cum laude with 2 degrees and I would have proudly walked across the stage with my fellow communication graduates.  My family, complete with mom, dad, brother, grandmother, an aunt or two, and maybe some more would have all been there and Josh would have taken a hundred pictures.

But alas, I did not walk.  No one did.  Instead I wore my t-shirt and tempos and had my mom take me to waysider for breakfast.  I wandered around the quad in my cap and gown and pretended it was a great day.  But in actuality, I was broken hearted.  I had dreamed of this day for as long as I can remember and it was ripped away from me in 20 seconds on Wednesday, April 27.  A tornado came through my beloved town and abruptly ended my college career.  I never thought it would end this way.  I wanted to go to my teachers "million dollar lecture", then the business college party, then my senior bar crawl, the kite flight.  I wanted to spend the week with my friends enjoying a few 'last' times together.  I was going to take 3 finals, then start packing up my apartment. I had time to digest my time at college was coming to end, time to say goodbye, and time to move on.

But now, I am packing up my apartment and leaving it all behind.  I didn't say goodbye to the majority of my friends and it's making the whole process a little bit harder.  I realize I am so lucky to be here and be basically unscathed by the tornado and that I might be a little selfish in my feelings, but that's how it is.  I have had no closure to college.  And I don't know if the university understands.  I have yet to hear anything from them about ending my time here, except for a small email asking for me to do a survey.  Yes, I will be back in August to walk, but no, it will not be the same.

I am a University of Alabama, magna cum laude graduate with a B.A. in video production and a B.S. in business management.  But it doesn't feel like my time here is really over.  One day it will, but until then I will be wandering around my home of 4 years, trying to find the bigger meaning behind all this.

*Disclaimer: As sad as I was that I did not walk on Saturday, I did have a great day spent with my mom and Josh.  They supported me when I insisted on prancing around the quad in all my glory, complete with my new red and houndstooth sunglasses.  I love them both very much and I feel blessed I got to spend such a beautiful day with them.

Life and Change

Yesterday I met the most precious baby girl and cousin #16 (just on mom's side); Sophie.  She was just 4 days old and was a very sleepy bundle of joy.  I honestly don't think I have ever met a human that young.  My aunt has another baby who will be 1 on March 1 (along with her big babies of 13 and 15).  Seeing how much little Sammy had changed in this one year go me thinking: can we ever truly stop learning?  Sophie hasn't gained enough strength to hold her little head up but in less than a year she'll be chasing her brother around trying to learn new words (Sammy's favorite is "woooowww").

So much changes in a year when you are younger, but what about when you get older?  We think we have learned the major stuff, so is the rest just fine tuning?  I don't know, but we really can't ever stop.  As humans we must learn, adapt, sense, and change with our environments.

So, lets take a look at what has changed in this last year for me:
-Changed my hair color
-Trained and complete my 1st half marathon (legs and confidence in my abilities, along with the health of my knees changed significantly)
-Moved (both into my first apartment and my parents into their permanent AL home)
-Learned lots in school - finance, HR, production, storytelling, self defense...
-Got and am still learning how to use my new fancy cam
-Went from being terrified of to addicted to Criminal Minds
-Changed my watch

There are so many minute things that have changed in the last year it's almost overwhelming once you really start to think about it.  When I first started writing my list, I was thinking of major thing, then it turned into oh that's different, so is that, and that...  We truly never stand completely still

While we may not all be students forever or "lifelong learners" by name, we must be in practice.  You are a student of the world, every time you step outside something changes.  Every time you try something new, you could either learn you love __ or you hate __ .  There is absolutely no way to go through life, a year, or a day without changing or learning, whether we are conscious of it or not.  And while we all may know this, it sometimes takes a precious new life to really be aware of it.

And just in case you were wondering just how precious she really is, I've added some pictures:

 Littlest Sophie with grandmaSammy Playing 

So remember, life is beautiful and embrace each and every day you are blessed to have. 

Until next time...

Kate