Back At It

I grew up in a very health conscience family. My mom is a nurse practitioner and also has a masters in nutrition. She is very into fitness and got us engaged in it at a very young age. (As punishment we had to do push-ups, no joke). I am very grateful for it too and have carried my habits that I learned long ago with me throughout my college years. However, I was recently injured or rather told that I had a condition that would prevent me from heavy lifting (or lifting anything over five pounds). Let me tell you people, costochondritis is no joke. I felt like I was dying if I breathed too hard or even turned my steering wheel. I don't recommend. However I was cleared to be back on the floor today and couldn't have been more excited! I was only out for two weeks but I felt so tense and stressed without my workout. It's like my own personal high with all the endorphins that I release. It's such a routine that my life feels incomplete without it and I'm thankful my injury wasn't more serious. 

Whoa, life is actually happening

I suppose that I have locked myself into a college bubble acting like I'm so young and that life isn't really happening. Marriage, kids, big kid jobs are still far away. Except they're not. This week I've received 4 save the dates, 2 bridal shower invites, a bachelorette weekend what-to-bring list and a baby shower invite...all from people who are my age. And then I hear about my friends who are moving to Sacramento, Cinncinnati, and Baltimore for their new job. I guess it's all taking me by surprise but it's kinda exciting. I still have a little gap before it all hits me since I'm taking a year off before grad school and then at least two more years of school before my big kid job begins but I'm excited to see where life takes all my friends and celebrate these milestones with them. 

Weekend of Peace... I Mean Pee

So I was so excited to be able to go home this weekend and get some peace and quiet. However I arrive home to a house of chaos. My brother had arrived with his newborn baby and his wife's two shih tzus. Add that to my house where we already have 4 pups. However I cherished the time I had with my brother and new niece. And the mutts too. It was the part where I woke up to an empty house that wasn't so grand on Saturday. Empty meaning no humans, the dogs were alive and well. As I walked around the house I noticed that every corner of every piece of furniture had a small dribble of something. Take a guess as to what it might be. I was less than thrilled. Way less than thrilled. Our dogs have been house trained since they have lived with us.. However they're like children and when their routine isn interrupted (such as sharing their space with two new doggies) they tend to act out. So my Saturday consisted of chasing my cairn terrier around with a fly swat in hopes of deterring any more dribbles on the funrniture. Luckily the dogs had made friends by Sunday and they were content with simply chasing one another up and down the stairs and through the various rooms. 

Is it really over?

I can't believe Spring break 2015 has come to an end. I would love to say that I relaxed for on white beach with crystal blue waters and fruity drink in hand. However, I found myself in the middle of sin city fighting for the right to walk down the street without having pictures of strippers thrown at me like baseball cards. Viva Las Vegas, right? I'll admit, it was definitely a once in a lifetime experience. My friend and I scored a great deal on rooms at the Bellagio (thank goodness for parents and their former college friends) and were right in the middle of the strip. By day I spent my day sipping mojitos and being waited on hand and foot by the cabana boys, and by night I attempted to avoid the masses. To be honest, it was really fun but three days of Vegas is morre than plenty.. And we were there for five. By the end, I needed a vacation from my vacation. I am thankful for the days off and am refreshed and ready to get through this last half! Two more months until graduation! 

Oops...I lied.

So about last week, when I said that I loved my roommates puppy. I retract that statement. I've never met a more misbehaved puppy. Waking at 7 to puppy kisses might be cute. If said puppy didn't have a mouth full of Kittylitter and poo... That's how my morning began and I was none too pleased. Then I walk downstairs and find she had managed to get into the half bath down stairs and tore up alllll the toilet paper. Perhaps what makes it worse is when you tell the owner she laughs and acts like its the cutest thing ever. And it's not. Maybe I'll cool off today and like her tonight. Maybe not. 

And It Goes On

One of the hardest things about getting older is all of the changes that life brings. I don't want to graduate, I don't want to move to another continent, I don't want my friends to move to different states, I don't want my parents to retire and move to Montana. But that's the way it is. And like it or not I have to like it. Or at least deal with it. Change is hard. But I know that with change comes growth. I know that a caterpillar will never reach its full potential if it remains the same. And I know that any time I've faced a major change in my life, it's always worked out for the best. Coming to college was hard. Experiencing a breakup freshman year was hard. Getting sick junior year was hard. Making life changing decisions is hard. And yet, every single one of those events has impacted my life in a spectacular way. I've become more confident in who I am, I've created friendships that will last a lifetime, and I've seen just how far I can be pushed and how much I can take and still come out on top. Change is hard, yes, but I'm realizing that stagnation is even harder. 

Blessed in Denver

I should be on a flight heading to Dallas right now. However I'm in Denver International Airport sitting in the food court. I spent the weekend in Boulder and was looking forward to finally getting home (even though Boulder is absolutely phenomenal). Due to winter storms, Dallas is shut down leaving me to wait for the 4:00 flight to Charlotte. However this delay did not end being a total disaster. As I sat here waiting for my mom to return with Panda Express, I felt something touch my arm. I looked to the left and was shocked by the sight. It was a little girl around the age of 4. Her hair was cut in a short bob and her face was covered in red splotches all over. She wore bandages on her arms and hands. She asked me my name and I told her and began looking around for her parents. When I looked around i noticed there were three other kids of various ages who had the same bandages and splotches. At that time I heard someone calling for an Alexis. I waved my hand to indicate that she was with me. When the older lady approached us, she began telling me sorry for the intrusion in an embarrassed way. I told her not to worry about it and introduced myself. She told me the story of the kids and how they had been left to die in a burning house by her heroin addicted niece. They were just released yesterday from the hospital and she was taking them to her home to Seattle to raise. My heart was shattered and my moms eyes filled with tears as she had joined us. Stories such as these affect me in a personal way as I too had a drug addicted mother who abandoned me. I am grateful for people like my mother and like Johanna who reach out and take in those children. As I watch Johanna push one child in a wheelchair while herding the rest towards their gate, I can't help but notice the look in her eye. It is not a look of exasperation that one would expect from a lady who took on 4 children who were not her own. I saw a look of love and compassion and strength. And I knew that I shouldn't worry about what would become of those children. With that combination and her determination, I knew that, like myself, they would be just fine.