Race to the finish

Well this crazy short semester is done and the marks seem to support my feelings that while this is stressful I thrive on the pressure.  I am glad to be done and have a short break before I begin another 4 week course.   So what am I doing with my break?  Right now I'm getting up from a nap LOL late night studying plus early morning exams left me tired so I took a nice nap and now I'm forming my plans for the week or so I have off.  On Friday I'll be packing myself and a grumpy cat into the car for the road trip to Edmonton.  I promised to help get the nursery ready for peanut and I'm excited to help and it'll be a lot of fun. Allison's been told to stop working and stay at home resting so I know she's getting a little bored so I'm glad that I can come help her get ready for the upcoming arrival of this special person.  While it was a little scary to hear that she'd started having some labour pains everything is good but she does need to take it easy.  I'm so glad that her and peanut are fine because they are both very special to me.

 I'm also packing up art supplies so I hope to spend some time crafting with my mom and anyone else that might want to mess around with me.  So far I don't have plans for Canada Day but I'm sure something will come up.  I'm also bugging my wonderful youngest sister who's a physio for a backrub which I need after lugging books around for these courses.  She's been sounding a little down so we're both looking forward to some bonding time and we also have a baby shower to plan!!

I want to visit with my Grandma too while I'm home because it brings her such happiness to hear about my studies and I treasure the time I get to spend with her.  She's in such good health but I don't take that for granted I know so many people my age who don't have their grandparents anymore so I'm going to treasure any time I get to spend with her.  She's so amazing and I love hearing about her life and learning from her accumulated wisdom.

I guess my week off sounds pretty busy but it's sooo nice to be home in Edmonton and able to visit with friends and family.  I'm a little frustrated at how expensive gas is because I've been trying to cut my spending because this last year of school was a little more expensive than I figured but it's always worth the cost to go home.  I think after the summer I'll need to get a part time job just for my own peace of mind.  I have my savings but I'd rather not go through it all just to pay for school even if education is a good investment.  To settle my mind I think I'll make an appointment to see my investment banker while I'm in Edmonton.  Once again I say if you're in Edmonton you need to see this guy and I'm happy to give you his information.  It's free to meet with him and find out how you're doing financially.  The most important thing I learned after Armin's death was how important financial planning is and that it's never to early and you never have too little to chat with a professional to make sure things are all in order.

While I love Regina it's interesting that Edmonton is still home for me.  That should put people who are worried about me wandering far away at ease because while I may wander I'll always come home!

Summertime Beginning

Today I was able to cruise with the top down somehow this simple act made a week that wasn't so great much better.  I think the stress of the semester just really got to me add in I'm still recovering from the bad cold I had and it was an emotional meltdown.  I got through all my schoolwork this week and now I'm taking tonight off before beginning next week's assignments and preparation for my finals.  I've loved the classes this semester and the pace is good but it does take a toll.  I haven't blogged much because I just haven't had much to say.  I mean I have lots of random thoughts but nothing of real significance.  I also haven't had any time to spend on my art so that's been neglected.  I am working on a paper that really interests me.  While in Egypt I was blessed to be able to chat with a few muslim women and learn more about their beliefs and their choices.  Now I'm writing a paper for my religious studies class about wearing the hijab and learning a lot about Islam.  I'd like to go back and revisit these conversations now with the knowledge I have.  This has been the benefit of this course I've been learning so much about what I saw but it sure resparks my wanderlust.

Being sick sucks!

It's been a few days of spinning and I'm ready to get off this ride.  I'm better than I first was and trying to find some optimism but I'm getting tired of my apartment, ichiban, toast and oj...while smelling everyone else bbqing...it should be illegal to taunt sick neighbors with the fab smell of bbq.  My prof's have been very understanding but I have a final on Friday so no matter what I'll be there.  Then Monday is two midterms so I need to get better.  At least I can do my readings and try my best to stay on top of things.  I just want it to go away.  I'm doing some simple exercises and trying to get my balance back.

Labrynthitis

So quite a few years ago I had my first encounter with this and I hoped after so long they were wrong about reoccurrence.  However they were right....grrrr....I've now spent two horrible days trying to stay still and stare at the wall convincing my body that no we are not spinning.  Walking is torture even just to the washroom which is 10 steps away...10 very spinny steps even if I hang on to the wall.  All this spinning has my stomach convinced it needs to purge itself so I'm nauseous all the time.  I have to say this sucks and if it goes on much longer I don't know how I'm going to cope....I can't drive and can barely walk.  However today I am able to focus for short periods on the computer screen and sit upright as long as my head is supported so perhaps there's hope.
When I'm sick I want my Mom or Armin so badly...it's hard being sick knowing there isn't someone around that could come help you.
Yep I'm whining today but this sucks and I hate it.

Changes

Well life keeps going, faster than I'd like.  Sadly this means my little blog has been neglected and I've been feeling guilty about that.  I decided on a new title, I'm no longer just surviving I'm blooming where I've been planted but I know that this phase will be short and I'll be moving again.  Perhaps that's what I've learned the most over the last little while is that change is the only constant in life.  So then my life will always be a metamorphosis a process of adapting to the changes that happen.

I'm doing spring/summer classes which I'm really enjoying but they are incredibly fast paced but this suits me and my learning style even better.  I don't feel overwhelmed at all, I like going fast and longer class time allows me to really dig into the learning.  It's also nice to be using different parts of my brain.  I'm taking human biology, finite math, and religious studies.  The religious studies has been amazing since we started with hinduism.  I finally understand some of the things I saw in India in a way I didn't then.  It's been nice to reflect back on that experience and use it in my studies in a concrete way.

My feet feel itchy again...I want to be traveling but I'm committed to school for a while yet.  However, I am thinking I will take time off between my degree and my masters to travel.  With a B.Ed. I can teach abroad or in Northern Canada for a few years while experiencing someplace new.  I'm not committing to anything yet but I know more travel is in my future.  It's part of my commitment to doing things that make me happy and fulfilled instead of just wishing I wasn't single.

The biggest struggle I face is that I hate being single, I miss being part of a couple.  The little things like always having someone to come home to, talk to, do things with.  The problem is while I'm beginning to feel ready to date...there is a shortage of dateable guys in my life.  Education programs are pretty female dominated and bachelor programs are filled with guys that are just way too young.  I'm realizing that if they're single and close in age...there's a reason they're single.

I've been excited waiting for peanut to arrive but it's still quite a ways off.  Watching my sister and her husband has been so much fun, they are going to be great parents.  There is a little sadness that I am beginning to think this won't be an experience I'll get to have first hand but at least I can be the best aunt ever.

Well this post has rambled a little...if you stuck with all this thanks!  I'll try to post more frequently in the next little while.