Trying to Improve...On So Many Levels

For any faithful readers out there, I must apologize for slacking in my blogging duties. Honestly, I quite enjoy the blog thing - it keeps family and friends updated if they want to be, and it also functions as a type of journal for me. Alas, although I love to write, I've always had a very difficult time writing in my journal - I think the most common line I have in my journal is something to the effect of "so, it's been a long time...". The whole thing is especially silly for someone like me - I was always very excited at the idea of finding an ancestor's journal, but alas, I think all of my ancestors must have had the same problem I do - getting too caught up in daily life to stop and write about it. I'm making a commitment here and now to be better at not only recording things in my journal, but updating my blog as well - fellow readers, you must hold me to it!

So, since my last update was in early November (good grief!), I have been mulling things over in my head to try and decide what is of most importance to report. In this contemplation, I've found that it all falls pretty neatly under the general theme of today's blog title. So, here it goes - the news of November and some of December...

1. Adam got into business school at University of Washington Bothell Campus! We are so excited! It seems as if most of our married lives, the focus of his schooling and our overall plans have been leading to this moment. It seems as if a new phase in our lives has now begun - and we are so grateful! Adam will be starting at the business school in January, and hopefully, graduated within a couple of years. I'm so proud of my baby!

2. Being the nerd that I am, I have been quite jealous that Adam has been going to school and will continue on, whereas I entered the phase of "no longer a student" a couple of years ago. Although I have a great job and life is really good right now, I would be content to be a student for the rest of my life. Alas, such dreams call for much moola, which is not always (if ever) readily available. The plan has been for quite some time that once Adam is done with school, I will return to get my Master's, and then Ph.D., in History. Then I will become the awesome history professor who gives great lectures and gets to spend time in her office researching and writing papers/books. Awesome! However, as of late, my immediate plans have changed a bit. I've thought quite a lot on teaching history at the high school level. Although I will not give up on the dream of obtaining my Ph.D. (I WILL get it), obtaining a teaching certification would have many more immediate benefits (quicker/possibly easier to obtain, a great schedule for when the kiddies come). So, in pursuit of such an idea, I attended an information session at the UW for the Masters in Education degree. I was hooked! So, the plan for now is that I will start gathering everything together, and if all feels right, apply for the program this spring. It's a 2-year program, but I think it will be well worth it. Hopefully in a few years I will be teaching history/social studies at a local high school, raising some kids with Adam, preparing for more graduate school, and writing my book on the side (I have the feeling I won't be sleeping much).

3. Fitness. So, I am ashamed to say, as much as I have tried to improve my fitness goals over the past years, I haven't done that great. When I first went to college, many friends and family warned me of the "freshman 15". I was determined to not fall into such a trap, and thanks to an aerobics class that I took that year, I remained trim and fit. Even though once I moved to Salt Lake I did gain some weight, I stayed pretty trim for the most part because I walked almost everywhere. I think the culprit for the weight gain in Salt Lake was too much eating out. Sadly, although I have had many good intentions and tried many times to reign in my diet of fast food and little to no exercise, I have failed miserably since moving to Seattle. I admit, this seems a little ironic - I always thought of Seattle as a rather "fit" city - I don't know if that's actually true, but it seems that people are pretty health conscious here. Anyway, although I'm ashamed, I must be bold and say it...I weighed 125 my first year of college, and now I weigh 164. I know - pathetic. I wouldn't say that I look overweight - maybe I do - but, I think it's more a matter of that weight has went to my chest, stomach, and bottom - of course! So, the overall look is of a very curvy (somewhat too curvy) woman. I'm okay with curvy - I love my curves, but not to this extent. I DEFINITELY do not want a curvy tummy (unless it's a pregnant tummy), so I need to start fresh in my goals. Happily, my amazing friend Janetta has agreed to help me train (she's a personal trainer - nice!). She's been meeting with me once a week for approximately a month now, and then she gives me two workouts to do on my own. It's been wonderful! Although I still have my struggles and I have to recommit to my goals every week, overall I think it's going quite good and I'm definetly feeling (if not yet seeing) improvements. Thanks Janetta for all of your help, patience and persistence - you're the best!

4. Babies! No - not mine. :) I'm happy to announce that I will be a proud aunt - twice - in 2009 (who knows - maybe more!). My sister-in-law Kyrenia and her husband Alex are expecting a baby girl in April, and my little sister Kearsten and her husband Neal are expecting a baby in July. I'm so happy for both of them and am so excited to be an aunt! In keeping with the general theme of this blog, I feel that I've drastically improved on this level. For quite some time now (three years to be exact), Adam and I have been hoping for some wee ones of our own, but have yet to receive this blessing. Despite disappointment, I've come much more to terms with the fact that things don't always happen when we want them to, nor in ways that we expect. At least I get to be an aunt! And I will be the BEST aunt!

So, there you go...my longest update yet...it's been a happy, eventful month with lots of improvements, or at least, attempts at improvements... :)