WOW-zers!

I have failed miserably at being a blogger.  It has been almost 2 months since my last post...but I've been so busy!

Ireland was fantastic.  We were told before we went that the hardest part of the trip is that when you get back you will want to tell everyone everything that happened...but most people won't WANT to hear everything that happened.  This is so so true.  I feel like I could talk all about it, but most people just ask "How was it?" "Did you have so much fun?" "What was the food like?" "Did you get to meet any cool people?" And all of these are really simple questions that require really simple answers:  "It was amazing!" "I had a blast!" "The food was pretty much the same as ours, but the fish there is awesome, nothing like Kansas! haha" "We met random locals, which was a lot of fun.  We also got to meet John Hume and the Right Honorable Lord Alderdice, as well as the High Sheriff of Belfast! Woah! (go look them up, I know you have no clue who these people are!)"

I did keep a journal while I was there, and I'm debating posting it.  Would you like to see what we did and what I thought?  I would have posted it daily while we were there, but internet access was sloooow!

What else has happened since then?  Well, I've been so busy with school and trying to survive that I have lost touch with friends and family.  Every time I talked to my mom I would say "I'm drowning.  And just trying to keep my head above water..."  which is so true of my life.  I have been so busy that I don't have time for text conversations, phone calls, or quality visits.  Every time I tried to do one of these things, it was always half-hearted.  I apologize for that...but you all remember what it was like to work full time and go to school full time and attempt to pack and prepare yourself for a missions trip, right?  Stressful.  Luckily, I'm almost done.

Can you believe it?  (Okay, it's probably more unbelievable to me than anyone else) but I am 2 finals away from graduating college.  My time at K-State is coming to a close, and I don't know what I think about it yet.  I've been so busy and sleep-deprived that I'm really just stressed out and numb to everything else.

In case you would like to know what I've got coming up:
This week:  Working, studying, and packing.  I've got 2 finals, and they are both on Thursday.
The following week:  Apply for jobs like crazy...because I'm going to need a way to make rent in OP! It's also my last week at the middle school.  This is going to be a very bittersweet week for me.  They technically get out of school on May 25th, but my last day is the 20th because....
May 23-30:  Mission trip to the DR!  This doesn't seem real to me yet.  Probably because I don't know hardly any logistics...such as what time I have to be at the airport on Monday.  I am NOT prepared for this trip in any way.  Emotionally, mentally, physically (I still haven't gotten my shots or meds yet! uh-oh!), or spiritually.  I just have NOT had time to prepare or even think about it.  So please please please pray for me.  Nor do I have clothes to take.  What does one wear when you can't wear shorts but the weather is going to be HOT?  AAAAnd I have no money to buy clothes, so I've got to get creative here...
May 31-June 1:  Pack, clean, and move!  I'm excited for the next step in my life, but nervous about packing, as I've never been good at it, and even more nervous that I am blindly moving to a new area.  I have an apartment, but I don't have an income to pay for that apartment yet.  Hopefully things fall into place...I'll keep you updated ;)

WOW!  Long post to make up for the past two months :)

It's here!!!

The week I've been waiting for is here!  Not only are my sister and baby-love in town (I had so much fun with them both this weekend!), but I leave for Ireland on Wednesday.  I feel like this whole semester I've been waiting for spring break so we can finally leave, and it's finally here.  I have to keep a journal of the trip for my class, so I might try to sneak in a blog post of it too :)

On another note, I've also decided to go on a missions trip to the Dominican Republic this May.  I'm going with a college group from TBC and FBC in Topeka.  The cool part about this is that I sponsor a little girl in the DR, and there is a chance I'll be able to meet her while we are there.  I've very excited for this opportunity to do God's work.  If you want to learn more about the group we will be helping while we're there go here.

So check back for updates about Ireland!

Randoms

So my beautiful sister tagged me, so here are my 10 things you may not know about me!

1.  You know how we all have crazy dreams of what we want to be when we grow up?  Well when I was little, it was ice skater.  The funny thing about this is that I have NEVER in my life gone ice skating.  Not once.  Luckily this changed to photographer when I was in sixth grade, stay-at-home mom for a minute in junior high, teacher for a year in high school, child psychologist my freshman year of college, audiologist my sophomore year, and finally I'm now stuck on anything involving underprivileged or disabled kids.  Wow how our lives change...

2.  I secretly (or maybe not so secretly) want to have a vlog.  I think it would be SO COOL to have a youtube account and make videos every day and such.  The reason I haven't is because I have no idea what I would say on it that people would want to listen to haha

3.  I love baking.  I don't, however, love going to the grocery store.  Partially that's because it's so expensive, and partially because it takes so much time to do.  However, if I had lots of time, and someone to do the grocery buying or clean-up for me, I would bake all the time.

4.  I am very quick to trust people.  I also give second...and third...and fourth chances.  I want to believe that people change and are genuinely good.  This isn't always the case...but I still have faith in people.  I consider this both a good and bad thing about myself.

5.  Growing up, our family rarely went out to eat.  So on those special occasions (like mother's day and father's day, or whenever I completed a piano book haha) when we got to go out to eat it was really special.  Especially whenever I was out doing something with mom or dad and we would end up going somewhere for dinner.  This is something I want to do with my kids someday too.

6.  I do not like scary movies.  I love action movies, and I can handle suspense...but I just do not like scary movies.  I will watch them if someone I'm with realllllly wants to, but really I just prefer not to.

7.  The more I work with kids, the more aware I am of how blessed my life has been, thanks to my family.

8.  To mimic one of Jessica's...I think everyone deserves a sister!  We didn't get along too well until I was a teenager, but I can't imagine how different my life would be without her.  She is to this day one of my very best friends.  So when I have kids, I desperately want to have two daughters (maybe more...we'll see!!) just so they can be each other's best friend someday :)

9.  I wish I hadn't given up playing the flute after sixth grade.  I actually liked it, but quit because I didn't like my band teacher.  I stuck with the piano for years, but still wish that I knew how to play more instruments.

10.  Fear prohibits me from doing things in life, so I'm attempting to be a more bold person.  And my first decision as a new, bold person?  Well...you'll have to wait and see about that one ;)

The End of an Era

Ok, so I'm not doing great at posting numerous times a week...but I have done once a week so far, and that's not too shabby.

I have officially ended my stint as slave to the retail world.  My official last day at "the pier" was Sunday....and it was bittersweet.  I really do love the store manager there.  She is such a fun person, and honestly the best manager I've had through all of my retail experience (which has been the past 5 years of my life...plus one in high school).  I think it's really hard to find a manager that is a good boss as well as a good friend, but she managed to become both.  It's also sad that I have made such good friends there, many of whom have moved on, but left a lasting impression.  So for my last day, I worked from 7pm-230am doing our fall transition.  Basically that meant combining all of the Christmas merchandise and moving it to the back of the store while moving all of the ridiculously heavy furniture to the front and prepping it for spring/summer.  I love that my boss can tell me "this is what needs to happen" and trust me to do it, and do it well.  I love that I had the freedom to be creative through setting up displays and organizing the store.  That level of trust and freedom is not something you gain immediately at a new job, it comes from being there long enough and proving yourself...and now wherever I go I will have to bide my time before those things come.  So that's what I'll miss...along with my 25% off ;)

(this is what I wanted to buy, but never did.  Maybe someday it will go on clearance and then I'll suck it up and buy it.  Cross your fingers!)

BUT!  I am now free every weekend.  FREEDOM!  Isn't that exciting?  No more wondering if I'll be able to get off work and go to family events or weekend trips to visit friends.  I am looking forward to this immensely.  But now that I have all this free time, what should I do with it???  Suggestions?

perhaps a trip to visit this adorable face?  ...hopefully soon :)

Miscellany Monday 2!

I didn't intend to only post on Mondays...but I just forget, and before I know it, it's Monday!

1.  Watching Across the Universe with the parentals....I'm pretty sure that I've just verified that this movie really is about the music and not really the plot.  So you could just get the soundtrack instead of watching it.  Just a suggestion.

2.  Christmas!  It was fabulous.  My grandparents gave me a beautiful set of red luggage (among other things) that I am so excited to use on my trip to Ireland.  My parents got my a Nook!!!  I have joined everyone else and am now the proud owner of an e-reader.  If you have any book suggestions, I definitely want to hear them.  I'm a big reader, and am always looking for new things to read.

3.  My roommate and I are having a little New Years soiree this year.  I have never hosted a New Year's Eve party, and we have never had a party at our apartment...so hopefully it all works out.  We didn't invite a ton of people, and are hoping it's just classy and fun.  I've never really had a great New Year's before, and I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much, but it's hard, ya know?

4.  It has been a lot of fun being with my family this week.  Playing games, doing puzzles (ok, that part has been hard, not exactly the funnest), and eating a ton of good food.  It really makes me question if I want to move away in a handful of years.  Do I want to have to fly to come back on holidays?  Oh well, I suppose I have a while to think about these things.  

Hopefully I'll post again before next Monday!

Miscellany Monday

What a fun thing to do on my second blog entry!

1. I have such a crazy schedule this week.  Work Monday and Tuesday mornings, home to see my family after that, back in Manhattan for work Wednesday night, and back home Thursday for ridiculous amounts of Christmas festivities.  I'm just praying that I can find time to enjoy everything, and not get too worked up over my schedule.

2. I love Netflix.  If you don't have it, you really should. I'm on a "How I Met Your Mother" kick right now, and LOVE LOVE LOVE getting the new DVDs in the mail.  And I'm watching the new "Alice in Wonderland" movie on my computer as we speak (I haven't seen it before...I'll let you know what I think next time).  And no late fees is fab for me, because I'm pretty sure Blockbuster won't let me come back from the ridiculous amount of fees I've acquired :)

3. I have completed all of my Christmas shopping except for one person:  My 5 year old nephew.  I've plenty of vague ideas roaming around in my head:  Transformers, Bakugans, Iron Man, Legos, How to Train Your Dragon....but no concrete ideas.  I believe a trip to the toy store is in my future....

4. It is very refreshing to only have one semester of school left.  It's like there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel.  I'm also very aware that I will be on my own very soon.  Five short months and my life will be take the biggest turn it has made yet.  I'm oddly unemotional about this idea.  Not necessarily scared, or anxious, or excited.  I'm not quite ready for it to happen, but feel like in five months I will be.  This is a very refreshing state of mind for me, because I have always struggled with complacency.  

5.  I get to see my adorable little nephew tomorrow for the first time since around Thanksgiving.  It seems like a month isn't too long, but when they are only 3 months old, a lot can change!  I just can't wait for Colty-Megan bedtime bonding.  I just love love LOVE holding that little guy.  

That's it for now, so thanks for stopping by, and the more you comment, the sooner I'll repost! 

It begins!

The beginning...introduction...commencement...launch...kickoff...
I HAVE A NEW BLOG!!!!


That's right, kids, I have reentered the blogging world.  I say reentered, of course, because I am no stranger to a blog.  Back in my high school days I had quite the incredible xanga.  I was never any good at posting on it though.  But I'm older, wiser, and taller now (but I still haven't met my lifelong goal of being taller than my sister Jessica.  She beats me by a half inch!) So with those things going for me, surely I will be able to reach my goal of posting three times a week.  It seems simple enough, right?

So get ready, folks!  (Or Jessica and Kelley...my only two followers) Megan is back in the blog world!!!