Accepted!

I got into Graduate School!

So of course, I promptly practice procrastination by playing tennis (and alliteration apparently, ohhhh, it's neverending) and blogging!

WOO! So it's the graduate program for speech language pathology in the communication sciences and disorders department in the College of Education and Human Sciences of Longwood University!

Located in lovely Farmville, VA, Longwood is home of the Lancers. Boasting the colors lancer blue and white, they do NOT have a football team.

U.S. News & World Report ranks Longwood University one of the “Top Public Universities-Master’s” in the South at the number 11 position.

I'll start the program in the Fall of this year. I'll probably take two more pre-requisite courses this summer prior to starting.

28, 1, 12, 10, 2, 101, 24, 16, 18, 6, 5

Mike's age, the hours I studied, the hours I should've been studying, the hours I worked in a day, the nights Mike was out of town, the points UNC put up on Duke, the roses I received, the miles I ran on Saturday, the tulips I received, the white rose-tinis I drank, the hours I slept during the day on Sunday. Last week was wild!




Mike's birthday was fantastic...I surprised him by inviting Josh, Kristina, Chase, Lara, Adam, Ashley and Ben up to join us for dinner at Red Hot and Blue. That's where he wanted to eat, and to double the surprise, it was all you can eat rib buffet night, yummmm. We also had some awesome birthday cake (thank goodness for training!)

Mike was gone for two nights and three days last week, so I decided to spend time with him before he left, not a bad decision, but it came at the expense of my studies. I've also been working longer hours. We added a class, I have an 18 month little girl with moderate to profound hearing loss twice a week now, on top of teaching the kindergarteners in the afternoon, and my normal therapy kids. We're also getting more referrals, which means more evals, which means more paperwork. But wow, I love it. I really do. But my classes for Longwood? I ended up procrastinating ALL week. I didn't feel good one night, Carolina played Duke one night (and put up 101 points, woooooooo!) and then Mike came home early on Friday. Books? Untouched.

Friday Holmes sent me flowers at work! They were these beautiful assorted rainbow of roses, 2 dozen! and candy! I loved them. Although, I do think roses smell awful.
I brought them home that afternoon and he was very disappointed to see they were the WRONG flowers! He ordered 18 assorted tulips in a great polka dot vase.They were delivered the next day. Our dining room table is so beautiful!

Saturday morning, I had a long run scheduled, as usual. 16. SIXTEEN. I was really really scared, especially after how horrible last week's long run was. I have a fuel belt I wear on my long runs. It has two 8 oz bottles. I need to get one with four bottles. I decided to run two 8 mile loops, so I could swing back by the apartment and fill up my water bottles if I needed to. I think that was my saving grace. Running 8 miles, NO BIG DEAL. Knock it out, then just do it again! Mentally, it worked for me. If any of you think that running is NOT 85% mental, you are WRONG my friend. I knew where mile 15 started on my route, and when I turned that corner, I was grinning. Smiling after running 14 miles, I love it! There were even a couple hills left in the route. A neighbor waved (for the second time that morning) and asked how far in I was, I yelled back with the utmost pride, one more to go and I'll have done SIXTEEN! I felt great. I mean, really great. It was so fantastic. Holmes had gone out for his long run, five. The longest by a little bit after his 8k in November. He came back grinning as well! He ran it straight through and also felt great. WOOOOOO!

Holmes' fraternity was having an alumni function Saturday night. We hadn't planned to go but last minute, Chase made us an offer we couldn't refuse! We got to get dressed up and spend time with some good friends. were making these cocktails called White Rose-tinis, irish creme, vodka and creme de menthe. Oh they were so very yummy. I had too many. and paid for it dearly on Sunday (see hours slept). I'm too old for that! But the "date" was worth it, we had a blast!

i wanted to...

but i didn't.

I wanted to quit.

I wanted to walk to the end

I wanted to find a ditch and throw up

I wanted to 'accidentally' step in front of a car, just enough to get clipped by a side mirror and get out of RUNNING THIS MARATHON

But I kept going. 14 miles. Never been that far before. I went slooowwwwww. It took me 2:54:34. It hurt. My ITB was acting up, my arches started hurting and that's never happened before, so I was freaking out. I was SHUFFLING, not really running. But gosh darnit, I finished it.

Next week, I have to do it again, plus two.

WHOSE IDEA WAS THIS?

tennis, acc basketball, and training

to start: Holmes is so incredibly patient with me.

We're playing tennis. At least twice a week so far. I'm really enjoying it. Holmes is MUCH better than me, and has this awesome cut shot (I think that's what he calls it) that he could burn me with EVERY point, but I fussed one game and he hasn't hit another one. He's too good to me. And he hits boring shots at me so I can practice my backhand.

It was 30 degrees tonight and we still went and played. I love us. HA. We're crazy, but it's fun.

ACC Basketball is AMAZING. Every game is exciting. I don't follow any other conferences, but I can't imagine they have anything on the ACC. Conference play starts off with BC knocking down the #1 team in the country, UNC. BC then loses to Harvard. Carolina follows that loss with another conference loss to Wake who eventually takes their place at #1. Wake proceeds a few games later to get waxed by Virginia Tech. VT also beat BC but lost toDuke. (The UNC VT game is coming up next month, that'll be a good one) 5 OT games so far. Georgia Tech gets waxed by everyone, then takes State and BC to OT, only to lose both but follow up and beat Wake. Duke cruised along with all wins, albeit under the radar, to get it handed to them by the deacs and then Clemson. Virginia well, they just suck. Miami beat Wake but lost to Maryland who lost to FSU. The 'noles kept it close withUNC but was worked by Miami WHEW. fortunately for me, the 'heels got their swagger back.

This is gonna be an exciting month! I plan on catching as many games as I can

Holmes and I are doing really well with our training. We are trying to incorporate core work into our week's routine, but we keep forgetting. The tennis helps though. We both start really ramping up our mileage this week!

Speaking of our training, I'm fascinated by the number of new people all the time that contact me about starting running. I LOVE IT! I think EVERYONE should run. YOU. and yo momma. seriously. Running is quite possibly the best thing that has ever happened to me (to clarify and appease you romantics, Holmes is the best PERSON that's ever happened to me ;)
Anywho, I hope anyone who is the least bit interested in running will feel comfortable coming to me with questions or just to talk about it. I still remember what its like to think three miles is a HUGE MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT...because IT IS and always will be. Shoot, some days one or two miles is a big deal! So, please PLEASE if you have the slightest inkling to get into running, please let me know. I might not be able to join you on a Saturday morning or anything, but I can be your moral support or coach!

to complete my randomness, class is HARD! these two classes are only pre-reqs. I'm scared for real school! Thank goodness it actually interests me, so it's not hard to push myself to study, but wow. I'm in class right now, actually, using Blackboard chat. But it's slow as molasses and I actually studied well enough that I understand the things that my classmates are asking questions about! In fact, I'm slightly annoyed at the fact, that mostly they are asking what kind of questions are going to be on the quiz, instead questions about actual concepts.
I got a 100 on my first quiz in the other class. Someone got an F. After the age of 20, I DON'T understand getting an F. Or even a D. I thought I got a 72 on my very first quiz and I cried. Ask Holmes. It ended up being a 92. Phew. Anyways, so an F. This is a completely voluntary, non degree seeking, online, paid for by cash class. WHY would you let yourself get an F. Oh well, none of my business I suppose.

ps...Holmes' blog is good times. :) hokiefied.blogspot.com