Grateful Monday

To start my week, here are five things I'm grateful for:

• Andrew submitted his thesis last night.  He. is. done!  I am so very happy for him.  I know how awesome it feels, and it's such a huge accomplishment.  He makes me very proud.
• Tomorrow night is my last graduate class ever!  I am so excited to have my evenings free again.  In the future, if I'm in a class, it's because I'm teaching it!  Fun, artsy classes will be an allowable exception, of course.
• I was also hired to teach an undergraduate course this summer.  I'm pretty excited to teach again!
• I am truly looking forward to some quality family time now that the graduate school craziness has settled down around here.  Life is good!
• On Saturday, I took Liam to the Tons of Transportation event in the city where Andrew works.  He got to see a real, live helicopter.  He can't stop talking about it.  So very cute.

Have a wonderful week!

xoxo

Busy busy

We have had a very busy couple of weeks!  Here is what we've been up to around here:

• I recently traveled to Washington DC for a quick trip to visit the National Science Foundation.  It was a whirlwind trip, but I came away with such invaluable knowledge about the grant writing process.  I may be writing a grant proposal with my PhD adviser this summer, so this experience could be rather helpful.

• I then traveled to Nashville, TN to meet up with my roommates from college for a girls' weekend.  I'll be writing more on that soon!  Here's a sneak peek:

• I submitted my dissertation proposal to my committee on Tuesday.  I have been living and breathing this proposal for the past six weeks so it feels really good to have it done.  I honestly can't believe I met the deadline.  It seemed so crazy when I first started, but somehow, I managed it.  It ended up being 85 pages long and included 97 references.  The craziest part?  I read most of those 97 references during the last six weeks while writing.  I'm pretty sure my brain is maxed out for awhile.  I have to defend it on May 13th.  Then, hopefully, I'll be free to start collecting my data.  In any case, it feels good to step away from the reading and writing for a bit!

• During this busy time, Andrew has taken on the bulk of the parenting duties.  I'm so grateful for his support.  I must say, I was really starting to miss Liam while I was gone.  It reminds me, once again, how blessed I am to be able to stay home with him part-time.  Today was my first day at home with him in a week, and it was such a treat. We spent most of the day playing.  I just love days like that!  Sometimes the simplest things are truly the most precious.

• Liam has learned how to count.  Here's a fun video of him counting to 10.  Of course I think he's a total genius!

Things should be settling down for awhile, and I am definitely welcoming the break.

I'll be back with more soon!

xoxo

Grateful Monday

To start my week off, here are five things I'm grateful for:

• I'm currently in Washington D.C. attending a meeting as part of my fellowship from the NSF.  I am feeling very privileged to be part of this group!
•  I just got feedback from my advisor on the first two chapters of my proposal.  I have some revising to do, but nothing serious.  I. am. oh. so. grateful!
• Deadlines are getting closer for both Andrew and I.  That's kind of scary but also super exciting because it means that the end is truly in sight.
• Green.  We have gotten lots of rain recently, which means that things are finally turning green.  I love how lush it's starting to look outside!
• Warmer days means that Liam and I get to be outside.  A lot. There's just something about getting a toddler outside to burn off some serious energy!  It makes both of us happy! Here he is in his new sandbox.....do you think he likes it?!  

 

Have a wonderful week!

xoxo

Grateful Monday

Things have been quiet on this end as I frantically try to get my dissertation proposal written.  I'm in the process of revising today so I can send my advisor what I have.  I have written 6 out of 7 sections!  Only one more to go!

So to start my week off on a gracious note, here are five things I'm grateful for:

• My darling husband who brought these cherry blossom branches and flowers home for me last week.

• A lovely visit home to see my parents.  Liam got lots of love, and I got some time to work.  I'm so happy that they are home so we can see them more frequently!
• We dodged a tornado that hit about a block away from our house last week.  Luckily, we have a basement and were able to get down there before things got bad.  My heart goes out to all of those who were affected by the storms.  It was pretty scary.
• Coffee.  We have had some rough nights around here because Liam is teething.  Last night, we were up five times in three hours. If it weren't for coffee I'm not sure how I would make it through the day!
• And of course, this little guy.  You can see that he's kind of crabby in this pic.  Teething is hard work!  

Have a wonderful week!

xoxo

Grateful Monday

To start my week here are five things I'm grateful for:

• Our beautiful weekend.  We spent much of it outside playing and it was lovely.  Liam has now started saying "outside...play!"
• A great run yesterday.  It's been a few months since I've ran.  It felt really good to get back out there.  I was reminded how much I enjoy it and I look forward to going again today!  I'm starting slow....I think I've finally learned to accept that the endurance takes time.
• Andrew had a breakthrough on his thesis this weekend.  For the past week he's been stuck on a programming issue.  On Saturday, he figured it out and is back to being excited about his work again.  I was so relieved for him.
• Five out of seven sections of my proposal have been drafted.  I still have two major sections to go, but I've made some really good progress.  I can do this!
• My parents are back in the midwest!  And Liam and I get to go and visit them later this week.  I can't wait!

Have a wonderful week!

xoxo

Soul Sisters

I recently traveled to southern Illinois with some of my favorite ladies.  Our dear friend is going through a difficult divorce, and we gathered together at a cabin to celebrate her and surround her with love and friendship.

I met these ladies nearly twenty years ago when we all worked at Camp Ondessonk in the heart of the Shawnee National Forest.  I am so fortunate to know such beautiful, strong women.  These ladies are my soul sisters, and I often refer to them as my "tribe".  

We know each other so very well.  The way that only friends who've known each other for so long can. We essentially grew up together...meeting in our teenage years and then growing into strong, educated women, and becoming wives and mothers alongside each other.  

We all share the same passion for nature and our environment.  We pride ourselves on being eco-conscious and consider ourselves tough, outdoorsy women. Collectively, we hold several graduate degrees, have traveled the world, and hiked and canoed hundreds of miles.  

Spending time with these women feels very similar to coming home.  It's always so very comfortable, as if we haven't missed any time.  They know me as well as anyone.  And I always come away from our visits feeling re-centered...as if my inner compass is pointing back to my true north.  They remind me of who I am and the kind of woman I strive to be.  Their nurturing spirits leave me feeling inspired to live more authentically.  

We are fortunate to see each other several times a year, gathering together every Labor Day and New Years eve at the camp where we once worked.  We dubbed this weekend "Shawnee Goddess Weekend" and decided shortly after we arrived that it needs to become an annual tradition.  We all welcomed the break from our lives and celebrated the chance to just hang with the girls. The weekend was intended to restore our friend who is going through a tough time.  I think we accomplished that and much more.  Our weekend consisted of no make-up, lots of comfy pants, and despite having a beautiful cabin, we were mostly outside. It was full of laughter, late nights, delicious food, lots of drinks (with little umbrellas!) and soulful conversations.

I realize that not everyone knows this kind of friendship.  I'm very aware of just how lucky I am.  I truly cherish them and all of our fun memories.  I plan to grow old with these women by my side, and I couldn't ask for a better, more beautiful group of friends to share in my life's journey.

Grateful Monday

To start my week here are five things I'm grateful for:

• We had a lovely Easter.  It was such a beautiful day.  Check out the video below of Liam playing his new guitar.  Andrew and I just crack up all the time watching him.  He is something else! 
• April has arrived....which means spring is really here...I hope.  I just love spring!
• The countdown has begun.  Andrew officially has one more month of graduate school left before he submits his thesis.  The end is finally in sight (for one of us at least!).
• I just had a long, phone chat with one of my dearest friends from college.  It's been months since we talked so it was very nice to reconnect. 
• My dissertation proposal is coming along.  I'm actually sticking to the schedule that I created.  Amazing!

Have a wonderful week!

xoxo