In Arlington [again]

That’s right my avid followers, I am back in north Texas for yet another weekend. A&M gave us Good Friday off and my lab cancelled tomorrow, so I drove up this morning/afternoon. I am very pleased with this amount of time I get to spend with my love, though it does come with its share of chores/to-dos…

Tonight we ate dinner with Phillip’s parents, which is always fun. I just love them!! Then we went to the mall so Phillip could get a new pair of shoes for our engagement party that’s coming up (yeah, what a shocker… Phillip got new shoes… who didn’t see that one coming?). Now we’re just hanging out at his apartment. He’s studying for his test tomorrow morning and I just finished up some math homework.

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day! We’re heading to Ross so I can try on the dress I believe I’m going to buy for the engagement party, since I always need second opinions before I make any decisions ever. Then we’re heading to Staples or Office Depot to see what they can do about making us stationary. We’re in need of nice paper with our names on the top (think “Phillip and Ashley”) so we can write some already overdue thank-yous. You see, we’re getting to the point where here and there people are beginning to show their love and support for us in various ways. We need to be able to thank them from both of us even if one of us is doing the writing. Having personalized thank-yous will make this an easier task. After the hunt for stationary, we might go by a jewelry store if time permits. I need to get some estimates on replacing the face of my dressy watch and adding a new stone/diamond/pearl in the ring my grandmother put my great-grandmother's diamond in.

And after all of that tomorrow, Phillip is going to go work a baseball game tomorrow night and I will spend the evening/night with my family. Hopefully Friday I’ll get to spend the whole day with my big sister. We’ll see.

Easter will be fun this year. My plans include going to church, eating lunch with Phillip’s family, dinner with my family, and then leaving short after that. All-in-all I’m ready for a nice Easter break.

All I Ever Wanted by Chuck Wicks

Girl you got me going
Yea I think you know it
Oh I’m ready for this ride
So come on take my hand
Cuz only you, you understand
How to kick this feeling into

Drive all night with me
Sing my favorite song and sleep
Under the stars on the hood of our car
It’s all I’ve ever wanted
All I ever wanted was to
See you in the pale moon light
Just the way ya look tonight
And maybe some day
If love comes our way
We’ll be walking in the meadow in the early spring
You’ll be twirling in a sundress wearing my ring
Can you see it
Girl I believe em that
It’s true
All I ever wanted
All I ever really wanted was you

If life is what you make it
Here’s my chance ill take it
You know I wanna make you mine
I have this picture in my mind
You were in it all the time
So baby hold on tight

And drive all night with me
Sing my favorite song and sleep
Under the stars on the hood of our car
It’s all I’ve ever wanted
All I ever wanted was to
See you in the pale moon light
Just the way ya look tonight
And maybe some day
If love comes our way
We’ll be walking in the meadow in the early spring
You’ll be twirling in a sundress wearing my ring
Can you see it
Girl I believe em that
It’s true
All I ever wanted
All I ever really wanted was you

All I ever wanted
Was to see you in the pale moon light
Just the way ya look tonight
And maybe some day
If love comes our way
We’ll be walking in the meadow in the early spring
You’ll be twirling in a sundress wearing my ring
Can you see it
Girl I believe em that
It’s true
All I ever wanted
All I ever really wanted was you

Sunshine

Today is the first day of the year in which it’s so sunny and so warm. It’s supposed to get up to 80 degrees today. I feel like celebrating this wonderful weather! I’m not going to sit around in my bed all day and watch it outside my window. But now to find something to actually do outside…

In a little while, I’m going to go lay out by the pool. I need to get some color in before the end of the weekend and today seems like the perfect day. I suppose I’ll do that from about 12:30 until 1:30 or 2.

Does anyone else have ideas for what other outdoor activities I can do after that?

Anatomy and Wedding Season

So it seems lately that I cannot for the life of my avoid wedding talk to and from everyone! Everywhere I turn, someone’s getting engaged, or finding THE DRESS, or sending save-the-dates. It’s like someone flipped a switch and decided that now’s the time to distract me with tales of tulle and love and something blue…

So just for grins and giggles, I looked at my facebook friends to see what percentage are actually engaged or have gotten married. Here are my findings:

Friends Engaged = 18 (11 of them since I got engaged)

Friends Married = 48 (20 under the age of 25, and 3 of them since I got engaged)

Friends Getting Asked Any Minute = 30 (28 of them under the age of 25)

Misc = 1 was married and 2 were engaged

So you can imagine how hectic my life gets when everyone starts asking me questions or bragging about their upcoming nuptuals (not a complaint…they DO have every right to). I find myself overcome with all over-the-top emotions. I start planning a little here and there, but then get thrown into a vat of unanswered questions and frustration with the fact that we do not know our official “date” yet. And then there’s the whole over-a-year-away thing. I’m so happy for those around me that get to have those short engagements when compared to mine but then I get antsy and a little jealous. I have to remind myself that the hardcore planning and excitement hasn’t even started yet. And to top all of this off, I have school to worry about and am reminded that I need to put this all on the backburner to concentrate on graduating in December.

Basically, I’ve got wedding on the brain and am desperately trying to expunge it. I wish everyone (me included) would just hold off on all of the talk for now so I can focus on Anatomy and at least get through the end of this hard semester. I need to relax and concentrate my thinking on Anatomy – not wedding plans that won’t be utilized for at least another 6 months or so.

Tonight I had an Anatomy exam, and tomorrow I have an Anatomy lab quiz. This is such a hard class and I’m trying harder than I ever have to achieve the grade I want. When I study, I pretty much lock myself inside my room with absolute quiet. This is what I need to be doing – not looking at magazine clippings or anxiously checking my calendar to see if another month has gone by yet.

The beauty of having a long engagement is being able to take a sabbatical from wedding ideas and thinking. When things get to be too crazy, I get to step back and relax. No issue is too pressing and the details will be able to come together at a slow and easy pace. Yes, a longer engagement is the way to go.

I’m going to take it easy for the next couple of months and try to enjoy learning everything I can, spending as much time as possible with the love of my life, and taking in my last spring semester at Texas A&M. :)

P.S. We found THE church! We looked at it over Spring Break, and I’ve completely fallen in love! It’ll be at the First United Methodist Church of Irving. See you there. ;)

P.P.S. One of those previously mentioned engaged friends was my first new friend at A&M. She recently got engaged and they are getting married June 11, 2011!! That’s Phillip and I’s first-choice date! I could possibly have the same anniversary as someone I know. Isn’t that kind of cool!?

Goodnight everyone!!

Good Morning!

Is Spring Break already almost over? It seems like it JUST started. I’m not finished doing all of the things I planned on doing. There’s so much to do in such little time.

I’m currently laying in bed, wondering when I’ll get up enough motivation to go get a cup of coffee – maybe someone will just happen to bring it to me??? Wishful thinking. So eventually I’m going to shower [p.s. Heather just brought me in a cup of coffee!!!] and get ready for the day. What’s on the agenda you ask? Well, nothing pressing at the moment. I want to spend some time outside today, but I don’t know what.

I bet you all are wondering what that fiance of mine is doing this week (afterall, this is a blog about US). He is doing a whole lot of nothing. UTA’s athletic team is still having games this week, so he’s done some work. Oh and a video game came out one night, so he played that one evening – anyone actually surprised about that one? And he and I have spent quite a bit of time together. I like that last part.

Well, enough of my boring life and a boring update… I guess I’ll go back to relaxing and laying around. My stomach kind of feels unsettled now, but I’m probably just hungry. Sorry for the absolutely boring and pointless entry!

Engagement Party Craziness

Yesterday I finally got the engagement party invitations in the mail. So for those of you wondering – they should be in your mailboxes soon. I must address a concern that I know is going to be brought up over the next month – the guestlist. Since deciding to hold an engagement party, Phillip and I have decided (along with our families) to make this an intimate family affair. Therefore, we are now going to have two separate parties – one in about a month for our close family and family friends, and the other sometime in May for our friends from high school. [P.S. If anyone is compelled to host the said friend party, please let me know.]

Saturday my parents, Heather, and me joined Cameron at the lake house for a walkthrough. We got to take in the layout (it’s even bigger than I remembered) and make plans for where everything is going to be set up. I’m excited.

Yesterday Heather and I were thrifty and purchased VERY REASONABLE centerpieces for the tables and today, Heather is diligently working on nametags. We have decided to go with nametags so that everyone can have “cheat sheets” when trying to remember everyone’s names and it’ll hopefully start some conversations. Tomorrow we’re going to finish the nametags and make some playlists.

Basically, we’re getting ready for the engagement party this week so we can just show up that weekend and set everything up. It’ll be fun and Heather’s done such an INCREDIBLE job planning this event. I’m excited!!!

Home Sweet Home

Well I’m back home for Spring Break this week. We got in about 4:00 yesterday and I’m so happy to be back.

Yesterday: As soon as I got back from dropping Phillip off in Arlington, I rushed home to go with my dad and Heather to look at a potential car for her, which was so cute. After that, Samantha took Heather and I to get sister pedicures and then it was cicis for dinner and and an early night to bed.

Today. We woke up pretty early to go test drive the car we looked at yesterday and get it checked over by our nextdoor neighbor mechanic (who has done some work on all of my family’s cars in the past – including my Jimmy). Then it was driving to Saginaw to go check out the lakehouse Phillip and I are having our engagement party at. It was even more perfect than I had remembered it and I can’t wait to see it all come together! After that was meeting Samantha’s boyfriend, Gary's, kids. We went to the mall, ate fajitas, played tons of games, and had some ice cream sundaes. In there somewhere, Heather got her car too!!! I would have to say it was a VERY successful night.

Tomorrow. First of all, I’m going to be sleeping in. I haven’t gotten to really do that since last weekend (unless you count yesterday morning when I strangely woke up before my alarm wide awake). Then it’s hanging around the house a bit and going to walmart with my mom for some necessity shopping. Dinner with Phillip’s parents tomorrow night and spending the night in Arlington will round out my second full day of Spring Break.

Now for the rest of the week, I don’t really have set-in-stone plans. I have some things I’d like to do but for the most part, I’m just going to relax and enjoy being home with my old friends, family, and love of my life. Yay!

P.S. On another note, Ben and Amanda (Phillip’s cousins) found out Friday that they are having a boy! I’m so excited for them! I just love babies!! :D

P.P.S. Heather just saw that they’re building a BABES in ARLINGTON!!!!

Update!

So it’s been quite some time since the last time I updated this blog – so sorry! I’ve been swamped with a crazy amount of midterm stuff. I had four exams, a project, and a paper this week. I’ve been studying harder than I ever have in college and so far the grades show that. :)

Yesterday after my final test, I came home to clean our apartment (which was beyond disgusting due to both my roommate and me having a crazy week – I think we ate 10 bowls of cereal for legitimate meals in the past week), and started laundry and packing. Oh and Phillip came in to see me! It happened to work out where the tournament in Katy finished up right as my tests ended so Josh dropped of my love to me last night.

And today, I’m going home – with Phillip as a bonus passenger. I have to facilitate my weekly class (aka work) and then I’m heading home!! Tonight I get to meet some new people that I’ll hopefully be seeing more of in the coming years. But before that is a sister pedicure party. Yay! What an exciting start to my relaxing and way overdue Spring Break!

I love life!

Just for a Little While

I get to see Phillip this afternoon, but only for a small amount of time. He is going down to Katy (with Josh) for a UTA basketball tournament. Luckily they get to drive themselves, so they’re making a pit-stop in College Station to see me and eat some delicious Laynes chicken strips.

I was excited when Phillip told me this might be a possibility last week. However, my hopes were crushed after a meeting he had in which they told him (much to his dismay) that he would be riding on the bus with the team and that Josh would have to stay in Arlington to cover other sporting events. But alas, plans changed again yesterday and they’re both able to go – and see me on the way!

Phillip’s job is perfect for him and I’m excited for him about the prospects of his future career. He’s getting to do now what he wants to do for the rest of his life. Getting to travel with a team and stay in nice hotels (all expenses, including food, paid) is awesome! He’ll take pictures and write stories at the game of course, but lots of down time will let him have fun and hang around.

I think he chose the right career path, and I also believe 100% that he is doing exactly what he needs to be doing right now. Working for UTA’s athletic department is the opportunity of a lifetime. Not only does he get to “try out” the profession before going out in the real world, but he also is working for someone that can give excellent recommendations and is in a position that has potential to eventually become full-time. It’s almost a guaranteed job after graduation! Perfect!

I’m so proud of him for doing what he loves and already putting a foot in the door. :)

Time to Myself

Over the past few days, I’ve had quite a bit of time to myself. I must say that I’ve enjoyed being lazy, laying in bed while watching TV, and having time for some introspection. I’m not really the philosophical type, but I’ve certainly liked keeping to myself and doing exactly what I want to do when I want to do it. Being lazy without having to do anything has been pretty relaxing too. I feel rejuvenated and ready to face this terrible week ahead and then SPRING BREAK!!

The Extraordinary Adventures of Ashley

So tonight has been quite the night – with most events unfolding in the last hour and a half. So I lay out all of the wedding stuff I have so far (clippings, the ballpark contract, timelines, etc.) to combine into a nice sized binder. Surprisingly, I did a pretty good and through job. Everything is categorized, neat, and won’t have to be shuffled through when talking to friends and vendors about the vision.

But I digress. So I have it all spread out on the kitchen table and start putting in the finishing touches, when my roommate walks in the door and I’m suddenly reminded that all of her freshmen are coming over to spend the whole evening at the apartment. Therefore, I quickly pack up my laptop and school bag to abandon my dwellings for the time being.

First stop was the Kroger parking lot. Why that particular choice for a place to gather my initial thoughts and set a game plan, I have no idea. It was just down the street and I needed to get my bearings before heading in any specific direction. I contemplate places to go and finally decide that McDonalds would be a good idea since it’s not on campus, has wireless internet, and provides food (Did I mention I hadn’t eaten yet and knew I wouldn’t have access to my kitchen this evening so I resorted to spending a little on dinner – to be removed from my $40 allocation for lent?). So I venture into the “study” area that we have instead of a play place, only to find that my computer would not connect to the internet advertised on the sign along with a frapaccino. So I grabbed the cheapest dinner possible and drove to campus (the only surefire place to have wireless internet compatible with my unimpressive lack of computer skills).

Once to campus, I parked in my usual parking lot and walked over to Rudder Tower. This building hosts the visitor center for prospective students, but has recently captured the attention of current students all across campus since our student center shut down for construction. So I probe the area looking for the ideal space to set-up shop with my laptop and a place to plug it in. A pseudo-comfy couch was it (although, in the grand scheme of things, the pea-green, conservatively stuffed, sorry excuse for a sofa really wasn’t that comfortable).

So I’m lounging on the “couch” minding my own business and I can’t help but notice this busy-body older lady watching me out of the corner of my eye. She was in one of those cubicle-looking offices that happen to have an entire wall of glass to oversee the hall wanderers. So anyway, as annoyed as I am with this lady, I go about my business because I don’t want to move. Then all of a sudden this “bird” flies right by my head. It kind of scared me and put me on edge, but I was still determined not to move. Then crazy lady comes out, walks over to me, and then turns around and returns to her fishbowl cubicle. And just as I settled back in to my relaxation mode, the “bird” flies back over my head and I realize IT’S NOT A BIRD, BUT A BAT!!!! IN THE BUILDING!!! AROUND MY HEAD!!

I packed up faster than I ever have in my life and left right away. And now I’m sitting in the building across the street (another one that has gained more attention due to our MIA student center). I will stay here (despite the mosquito-eater that seems to think that I myself am a mosquito) until my friend Grace is finished with her Wednesday evening adventures. I’m then going to tag along with her as she shops at walmart. At least it gives me something to do!

Well, that’s a lot of adventure for one evening, and I thought I’d fill you in on all of the drama.

“Don’t Wish Away 6 Months of Your Life”

I’m ready to leave here and graduate.

I’ve had that feeling a lot lately. I don’t want to leave my friends by any means, but I’m ready to be finished with college and move back home. I miss my family. I miss Phillip. I miss Bedford. I get homesick a lot more now and I’m just ready to be done.

It feels like my life is at a different point than everyone else here. I hear people so uncertain about their futures. Some don’t know where they’re going to be living after graduation, some don’t even know what to major in. It’s crazy to see such uncertainty in others when I know exactly where my life is heading. Don’t worry, I still have things I don’t understand and don’t know about, but they aren’t the big things. I love where my life is heading and don’t want to change it a bit, but I can’t help but feel like I’m at such a different place in life than my peers. Girls in my class talk about the next big party and wondering how they’ll ever graduate in time. Meanwhile, I’m graduating early and ready to begin the next chapter in my life.

A friend told me not to wish away 6 months of my life (hence the title of this entry) because I told her that once September gets here, things will really start shaping up. I’ll be so close to graduating, find out the official date of the wedding, have a birthday, be done with applications to grad school and nursing school, and get my aggie ring. There’s no doubt that September is going to be a great month and a huge stepping stone in the right direction of my future. But my friend was right. I need to enjoy the next 6 months because I won’t be able to get it back.

What do you do when you have one foot in the future and the other in the present?

Happy March

Well it looks like yet another month has gone by in this wonderful life of mine. It’s interesting how the days seem to drag on, but then whole chunks of days seem gone in the blink of an eye. Looking back, time has passes so quickly, but looking forward, it’s not going fast enough.

Phillip left about an hour ago and I hate the way I feel now. When we have to say goodbye yet again, I feel like new wounds are opened up again and the hurt from him leaving is just terrible. It was great while he’s here, and it’s good to get back into the crazy school life, but I can’t help but think how wonderful it would be if he could just stay here and not drive back. Every day would be a little brighter and Sundays/Mondays wouldn’t be regarded as the worst days ever (the days we have to part ways again). Hmph.

Now I suppose I’ll spend my boring afternoon on the couch watching TV with a blanket or perhaps I’ll clean up after Hurricane Phillip some before my roommate gets home from class. I’ll venture out to class around 2:30, but until then, I have some downtime to relax and possibly take a nap. Everything is so boring here and that probably won’t change all too much for the remainder of the week since I have no assignments or tests. I’m lulling myself into a false sense of security since next week is going to be the worst week of tests/projects/papers in all of my college career. Ah, well, I better enjoy my freedom now.