Congratulations!!

Well, a significant chapter of life has just ended, and even though it wasn't my book of life, I definitely could feel its effects. Mike graduated this past Saturday from WMU, and the day was filled with celebration for five years of hard work. The ceremony was beautiful and I can't describe the elated feeling I got when I watched him walk across the stage and receive his degree--he's a teacher now, rather than a student. I can only imagine how incredible it must've felt. Up until this point, your life has been spiraling towards the day when you finish your education and move on to "real life." Perhaps only a few of us have ever really thought about what exactly happens after that.

Watching him leave WMU, the place where we met, fell in love, and dedicated a few solid years of our lives to, was a bittersweet, happy/sad sort of moment. I was immeasurably proud, excited and thrilled for his accomplishment. I've been at his side for three of those five years, and I witnessed first hand the effort he put into making this day happen. And yet, at the same time I realized that we had now both said goodbye to that place. Kalamazoo isn't home anymore, and WMU isn't our school anymore. The apartment we shared for practically two years is now empty, and ready to receive new tenants. So many memories happened around that campus, but now they are only memories. Eventually we'll return, and as we drive by we'll ask each other "remember when?" Every story we have begins with that university.

I took many pictures of the ceremony and the hours afterwards. The whole thing seemed surreal, but here's proof that it did indeed happen! Now that we're in this aftermath, I've made it back to Big Rapids for one more final push towards the end of my own school year. I can't wait to pack up my room and move back home for a nice long break. And I have a car!! I'll take pictures of it when school is out and I've moved. :)

Until then, congratulations Mike! Even if you don't realize it yet, you've achieved something truly amazing. I am so very, very proud of you.
:)

MIKE GRADUATED!!
and
I BOUGHT A CAR!

But I'll have to update more on these exciting things once finals are over with. O_o

Finals Rush

Oh man, many apologies to anyone and everyone who has had difficultly capturing my attention for more than a moment or two. School has been really overwhelming lately, with my professors squeezing in that last exam before the final, papers due, and presentations to prepare for. On top of it all I've been trying to pack up my room and help Mike pack up his place (because a lot of my crap is still there). I'm still looking for a car, and that's been stressful and unfulfilling as of yet. Tonight I read through an entire semester's worth of pharmaceutics notes, including forty pages of new material, only coming up for air to eat a piece of pizza to refuel. I find myself using the very wee hours of the morning such as now as the most enjoyable part of my day (the only part I don't spend studying), and as a result, I usually wind up staying up late watching Inu Yasha on Cartoon Network way later than I should. Occasionally I'll just lay in bed and listen to my iPod in the dark. Yeah I know that's weird, but that's my alone time. My time without the stupid notes and textbooks.

Needless to say, I think we're all at least a little stressed as we push through the eleventh hour here. Six more days of class and I'm home free! :D For now though, here's an unexpected new picture for my Blogger from this past summer. Enjoy! :)

I don't love you much do I?

JUST MORE THAN ALL THE STARS IN THE SKY!! :D

HAPPY 24th BIRTHDAY MIKEY!
I loveth you!
:-*

Servy-dervy!!

Ok, normally I don't like these things, but every now and then I see one that I like. This one has been appearing in Mikey J's "Friends with Blogs" list, so here's my 2 cents...

THREE NAMES YOU GO BY:
- Amanda
- Babester
- Hunny bunny
THREE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
- I have some wicked motivation.
- I try to be as honest as possible.
- My eyes.
THREE THINGS YOU DON'T LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
- I worry about EVERYTHING.
- I’m a perfectionist, and that’s annoying to everyone (including myself).
- I’m frequently over-sensitive.
THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE:
- Irish
- French
- Jobin? I dunno
THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU:
- June bugs. Holy crap no.
- Car accidents.
- Losing people I love.
THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:
- Cell phone
- iPod
- Hairspray
THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
- My knitting-kitten pj pants.
- Green T-shirt.
- Mike’s boomerang necklace.
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE BANDS:
- Beach Boys
- Rascal Flatts
- SHeDAISY
TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE:
- I cried when Dinobot died.
- Every time I see my dog, he pees all over my leg.
- I can’t roll my tongue.
THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO TRY IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS:
- Driving all by myself.
- Joining a pharmacy organization.
- Being more independent.
THREE THINGS YOU NEED IN A RELATIONSHIP:
- Love
- Understanding
- Trust
THREE THINGS YOU JUST CAN'T DO:
- Walk down slopes.
- Make the Wookie noise from Star Wars.
- Take shots.
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:
- Painting
- Knitting
- Writing
THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:
- STOP STUDYING FOREVER.
- Cuddle.
-Eat real, home-cooked food that isn’t totally crappy for me.
THREE JOBS YOU'D CONSIDER DOING OTHER THAN THE ONE YOU HAVE:
- Veterinarian
- Artist
- Nurse
THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION:
- Mike’s Cabin
- Alabama, to visit Kate
- Anywhere with a beach, lots of room service, and fruity drinks B)
THREE KID'S NAMES:
- Not
- For
- Awhile. :D
THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:
- Travel the world.
- Raise a family (I’m sure eventually I will develop maternal instincts… still waiting on that though).
- Live happily ever after.
THREE PEOPLE WHO SHOULD COMPLETE THIS SURVEY:
- Shruti
- Kate
- Jillian (DO IT, you slacker :P)

Oh hufflepuff

The Shield is on tonight and I can't watch it because I have to study. BLAARGH!!

Gooooooooooooooooooosh. I'm so ready for this year to be over.

LESS THAN THREE WEEKS.

(happy Jill? ;) )

Seven down, one to go

Whew! Back at school. Humbug and all that.

Easter break was splendid. I've never had a spring break and an Easter break! It's like eating breadsticks you didn't realize were cheese-filled! And that's happened to me before! The Parents picked me up from school Wednesday afternoon and by Wednesday evening I was back in my old room again, with the dog dropping slobbery toys in my lap and my brother shouting "Titties!" at the top of his voice whenever he missed a note in Guitar Hero. Oh yes, and the Dad belching entire sentences while my mother wonders what she ever saw in him. Home sweet home. :)

I had my interview with Kroger Pharmacy on Thursday and I was pretty nervous, but it went ok. I must say, I've never been interviewed by anyone who was more interested in selling me the company than hearing me sell myself. I believe he asked me only two personal questions regarding my qualifications: Have you ever worked in a retail pharmacy before? and What were your duties there? The remainder of the interview consisted of him telling me what I could expect from the pharmacy followed by me filling out paperwork for a half an hour. I haven't written my social security number that many times since... well I doubt I have. The plus side is that I'm 99% sure I have a job. He wants me to call him May 1st to let him know when I can start for sure, and then he'll place me in a store as close as he can to home. I'll get paid $12/hour the first summer, with a $2 raise for each year of pharm school I complete and return. He also offered me tuition reimbursement for $5,000 a year, if I agree to work for Kroger for a year after I graduate (for each year I intern). I'm hesitant about signing any contract, especially having not worked for this particular pharmacy before, but that's $15,000 worth of tuition in three years and a for sure job for at least the next six years. I'm pretty sure it's one of those, "where do I sign?" types of situations. But I'll sit on it like I always do.

Being at home again was really refreshing. I missed my family a lot, and it was just the break I needed to push me through the remaining few weeks of school. I can hardly believe that in less than a month I'll be under that roof again, listening to my dad snoring every night and trying to get comfortable in a twin bed again. Oddly enough, I'm looking slightly forward to it. Going back to my roots will be nice I think.

In the meantime, I've got three more weeks of class before finals. Mike's birthday and graduation are right around the corner, and then we'll both me moving out of our lives and back into the old ones. Back to only being forty-five minutes away, and back to having enough money to go on dates (maybe!).

Even knowing I'll have complete and total lack of privacy once I move back home, I still think it'll be another great summer. :D

Yesterday I spent about three hours knitting the very beginning of a pretty blanket. Today, I stare at it and I wonder why I would even bother.

The Shield started up its sixth season tonight. *squeals with glee*

I have an interview with Kroger Pharmacy on Thursday--keep your fingers crossed that I rock it out and they love me. It's been a long time since I've interviewed--I hope I remember how to answer all those, "So why should we hire you?" questions.... :-/

I get to go home tomorrow to visit the family for a long weekend. Which means lots of opportunities to destroy the siblings at Mariokart Double Dash. >:D