It's official. My diploma came in the mail yesterday. I have a Master's Degree in Health Studies from Texas Woman's University.
What a great feeling to have another thing crossed off my list. I worked hard for this degree and will display it with pride once it's framed.
Now on to my doctorate this fall...
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Thursday, May 21, 2015
"and I don't know how it gets better than this..."
I hear people saying all the time that love gets stronger with time and experiences. And I absolutely agree with that idea. I definitely love Phillip in a different way than I did when I was in high school. But what does that mean? What does that look like?
I have to pay homage to Taylor Swift for making these love songs that inadvertently make you think about things. They are playful little songs about how this guy's hair makes her love him or how talking on the phone late at night is a way to her heart. And they are catchy songs.
But then I combine her little songs with thoughts of a mature love and I wonder how I can connect to those little moments. Do I no longer get as much out of those small phone calls or how he fixes his hair? Does that mean my love for him is changing?
The answer to that question is a resounding no. Absolutely not. I do not love him any less or any differently. Just the things that make me stand back and think "man I love him" are not the same things that 16 year old Ashley (and Taylor Swift) would find meaning in.
His laughter doesn't make my heart stop as often as it once did. What makes my heart stop now is Elayne's laughter when he is playing with her.
His hair doesn't make my heart stop as often as it once did. What makes my heart stop now is how adorable it is when he can't figure out how to fix Elayne's hair and calls me for help.
His gifts he gives me on special holidays doesn't make my heart stop as often as it once did. What makes my heart stop now is when he gives me the gift of clean dishes put away or picks up the toys for me after a long day at work.
His physical appearance doesn't make my heart stop as often as it once did. What makes my heart stop now is how my physical appearance post-baby and post-college doesn't mean as much to him as it once did.
His saying "I love you" doesn't make my heart stop as often as it once did. What makes my heart stop now is when he gets Elayne to tell me she loves me.
Planning our future doesn't make my heart stop as often as it once did. What makes my heart stop now is realizing we are living our "future" now and realizing we get to have a future together.
What wonderful ways to explain how my love for him has changed. And it does get better than this.
I have to pay homage to Taylor Swift for making these love songs that inadvertently make you think about things. They are playful little songs about how this guy's hair makes her love him or how talking on the phone late at night is a way to her heart. And they are catchy songs.
But then I combine her little songs with thoughts of a mature love and I wonder how I can connect to those little moments. Do I no longer get as much out of those small phone calls or how he fixes his hair? Does that mean my love for him is changing?
The answer to that question is a resounding no. Absolutely not. I do not love him any less or any differently. Just the things that make me stand back and think "man I love him" are not the same things that 16 year old Ashley (and Taylor Swift) would find meaning in.
His laughter doesn't make my heart stop as often as it once did. What makes my heart stop now is Elayne's laughter when he is playing with her.
His hair doesn't make my heart stop as often as it once did. What makes my heart stop now is how adorable it is when he can't figure out how to fix Elayne's hair and calls me for help.
His gifts he gives me on special holidays doesn't make my heart stop as often as it once did. What makes my heart stop now is when he gives me the gift of clean dishes put away or picks up the toys for me after a long day at work.
His physical appearance doesn't make my heart stop as often as it once did. What makes my heart stop now is how my physical appearance post-baby and post-college doesn't mean as much to him as it once did.
His saying "I love you" doesn't make my heart stop as often as it once did. What makes my heart stop now is when he gets Elayne to tell me she loves me.
Planning our future doesn't make my heart stop as often as it once did. What makes my heart stop now is realizing we are living our "future" now and realizing we get to have a future together.
What wonderful ways to explain how my love for him has changed. And it does get better than this.
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Our House is a Very Very Very Fine House
Today we finish packing up our old house. Yes, it's taken us this long. It was a huge house, ok?
Saying goodbye to a house that was "ours" for two years is rough. That's the longest I've lived in a place since moving out of my parents'. Yeah. Sad truth. But I'm serious.
That house witnessed so much. Our baby coming home. The sounds of a phone call putting in my two weeks - and the sounds of a phone interview that has jumpstarted my career in Student Affairs. A soulmate for Heather found in the living room. Tears over deaths in the family. Elayne's first steps by the fireplace. Emmitt coming home. Murphy and Holland saying goodbye. A fire scare. Overnight guests. Sports games. The joy of a new washer and dryer. And so so so so so much more.
As I look around the house today, I'll be flooded with memories and nostalgia. Some of it will be good and some of it will be painful. But it's time to close a chapter fully so our new one that has begun can officially start turning pages faster. Houses are meant to be homes, and the one we are leaving definitely fit the bill.
I am so excited to see what our new house has to bring. More kids? More heartache? More pets? More milestones? I know that this adventure will be even better than the last.
Bring on the nostalgia. But bring on the hope for a future.
Saying goodbye to a house that was "ours" for two years is rough. That's the longest I've lived in a place since moving out of my parents'. Yeah. Sad truth. But I'm serious.
That house witnessed so much. Our baby coming home. The sounds of a phone call putting in my two weeks - and the sounds of a phone interview that has jumpstarted my career in Student Affairs. A soulmate for Heather found in the living room. Tears over deaths in the family. Elayne's first steps by the fireplace. Emmitt coming home. Murphy and Holland saying goodbye. A fire scare. Overnight guests. Sports games. The joy of a new washer and dryer. And so so so so so much more.
As I look around the house today, I'll be flooded with memories and nostalgia. Some of it will be good and some of it will be painful. But it's time to close a chapter fully so our new one that has begun can officially start turning pages faster. Houses are meant to be homes, and the one we are leaving definitely fit the bill.
I am so excited to see what our new house has to bring. More kids? More heartache? More pets? More milestones? I know that this adventure will be even better than the last.
Bring on the nostalgia. But bring on the hope for a future.
Friday, April 17, 2015
Different Strokes
A really good friend of mine's mom had not one, but two strokes a couple of weeks ago. It all happened right at the time Ronnie past away so I wasn't able to fully process it.
She spent about two weeks in the ICU before finally being transferred to the stroke floor at the hospital for a long journey of physical, occupational, and speech therapies to get herself as close to normal as she can get once again. I had the wonderful opportunity to visit her earlier this week and I'm so glad I did.
I must say that this has hit me a bit harder than it probably should. I think I'm beginning to realize just how old I am getting. This is the first of many incidents where my generation of friends will have to rise up to the needs of our parents as they age. The harsh reality is that we are getting older and that means those around us are too.
As we all grow up, we think our parents and grandparents are so old. We think life is guaranteed until we get to be that age. And we think we are immune from the hardships that come with aging. And then one fateful day, like the one I had a couple of weeks ago, we realize this is not the case. We are the age our parents were when they started out their "young" adult lives. Our parents are now getting to the age of our grandparents when we thought they were so old (and wise). Life is changing as we know it.
A new journey of caring for those we love is starting. But it's not a sad journey, just a little bit of a scary one. I'm not sure what comes next but I do know that I'm not ready to lose any more loved ones for a very long time. I'm not ready to mourn those who are living, but do realize that life is not a guarantee... and easy aging is not a guarantee either.
I am ready to navigate the resources available to my parents and grandparents so I can be ready to help my friends out as their parents and grandparents need services. I am ready to see what joy aging brings my parents as they get to slow down to experience every drop of family and friends. I am ready to see how beautiful my mom looks with gray hair and how much my dad still swoons over her.
I am ready to live my life like I am aging into wisdom and stability. I am ready to love life like I am a non-perishable item.
She spent about two weeks in the ICU before finally being transferred to the stroke floor at the hospital for a long journey of physical, occupational, and speech therapies to get herself as close to normal as she can get once again. I had the wonderful opportunity to visit her earlier this week and I'm so glad I did.
I must say that this has hit me a bit harder than it probably should. I think I'm beginning to realize just how old I am getting. This is the first of many incidents where my generation of friends will have to rise up to the needs of our parents as they age. The harsh reality is that we are getting older and that means those around us are too.
As we all grow up, we think our parents and grandparents are so old. We think life is guaranteed until we get to be that age. And we think we are immune from the hardships that come with aging. And then one fateful day, like the one I had a couple of weeks ago, we realize this is not the case. We are the age our parents were when they started out their "young" adult lives. Our parents are now getting to the age of our grandparents when we thought they were so old (and wise). Life is changing as we know it.
A new journey of caring for those we love is starting. But it's not a sad journey, just a little bit of a scary one. I'm not sure what comes next but I do know that I'm not ready to lose any more loved ones for a very long time. I'm not ready to mourn those who are living, but do realize that life is not a guarantee... and easy aging is not a guarantee either.
I am ready to navigate the resources available to my parents and grandparents so I can be ready to help my friends out as their parents and grandparents need services. I am ready to see what joy aging brings my parents as they get to slow down to experience every drop of family and friends. I am ready to see how beautiful my mom looks with gray hair and how much my dad still swoons over her.
I am ready to live my life like I am aging into wisdom and stability. I am ready to love life like I am a non-perishable item.
Sunday, April 12, 2015
A Weekend with Tabitha
This weekend Tabitha came to stay with us. It was a much needed break from all of the moving and unpacking and craziness that has been going on in the past weeks. We did a lot of sitting and playing with Elayne and, of course, talking.
I always love catching up with her and this visit couldn't have come at a better time. Although having an oven/stove (that will be purchased this week! Eek!) would have been nice.
More unpacking is on the radar for us this week. Graduation week is always a doozie at work and this one won't be any different. I meet with my UNT advisor Tuesday, Wednesday Phillip is going to a concert, Thursday night I will be helping with the graduation awards luncheon and then helping with check-in for the graduation banquet, and Saturday is both colleges' graduation ceremonies.
Busy busy week.
Then a massage and pedicure Sunday.
I always love catching up with her and this visit couldn't have come at a better time. Although having an oven/stove (that will be purchased this week! Eek!) would have been nice.
More unpacking is on the radar for us this week. Graduation week is always a doozie at work and this one won't be any different. I meet with my UNT advisor Tuesday, Wednesday Phillip is going to a concert, Thursday night I will be helping with the graduation awards luncheon and then helping with check-in for the graduation banquet, and Saturday is both colleges' graduation ceremonies.
Busy busy week.
Then a massage and pedicure Sunday.
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