Friday, June 28, 2013

June 23

There's been a lot going on around here this week. I've discovered that aside from writing, this is my go-to stress relief. Also, I just like to overshare. -shrugs-
  • Last week, I cut off all my hair. Well, really just a lot of it. I hadn't exactly planned to--and it's been a big adjustment. It definitely took a few days for me to get used to it--and a few days more to figure out why it's been such a big change--and why I've had such an emotional connection to it.
    I was sitting in class the day after I had my hair cut and the prof was calling on people. I purposely looked down at the desk and waited for my hair to fall forward and hide my face. The surprise of that thought may have made me actually look up. Holy shiz, was not expecting that.
    So this past week has been me coming to terms with that idea and how it feels to be...revealed. It's been harder than I was expecting. But I'm getting used to it. Maybe.
  • One of my dearest, sweetest friends has left for the beach for the entire summer and told my friend and I that we could ride her horses while she was gone. I've only been able to go once so far...but the summer isn't over yet! I'm so excited and it seems like a good way to get back into the stable swing before I [hopefully!] start taking lessons again in the fall (the thought of it makes me want to cry a little bit with happiness).
  • The novel that I'm writing with Brit is going really well. Because we both kind of fizzled out last time, we decided to really plan it out this go-round. So far, it's been incredibly inspiring. We're both incredibly pumped (still!) and it's basically taken over our lives. I'm not complaining.

I occasionally get a little OCD. (:
  • Last weekend was Allie's birthday, so I headed down to Charlotte to celebrate with her and some of her friends from high school. It was a fabulous night--we practically closed down South Park by just hanging out and visiting. I've missed her desperately. 
    • also, it was my first time driving through downtown Charlotte alone...and I didn't cry. which is more than I can say for my first solo drive in Atlanta. (I sobbed. Holy goodness, it was terrifying.)
  • Our French exchange student, Éline, is here! Her sister stayed with us two years ago and then Mom and I stayed with her family in Paris last year. It's fantastic to have her here and I know it's going to be an incredible three weeks. We all volunteered at the local soup kitchen yesterday and she was a total champ. It's overwhelming--even when you speak the language, but she jumped right in to help and was a pro!
  • As of Tuesday morning, I am officially done with Spanish II! Spanish III starts Monday...so right now, I'm enjoying my little "vacation". Every time I get the urge to look ahead in the book (bc, yes, that's the kind of person I am), I squash it. There'll be more than enough time to do that in the next 5 weeks. 
  • The real reason I wrote this was because I remembered a phone call this morning...that I was supposed to have Wednesday afternoon. With finals and our various plans and activities and the three different families that I'm house/pet-sitting for this week, it completely slipped my mind. When I remembered this morning, I frantically emailed the woman and started beating myself up. Why didn't I set a reminder, why didn't I tell my mom so she could remind me, why didn't I... It was not fun. Or helpful.
    So, I emailed her, apologized and decided to stop blaming myself (because really, what's going to change now?). Then I put on a dress, because apparently that's what makes me feel better, and my big girl pants, and felt better. It's not fixed and I still feel horrible and completely unprofessional, but...there's nothing I can do about it now. Oh well.
Off to go cuddle some kitties to make myself feel better. Pet-sitting's the best--all of the cuddles with none of the permanent responsibility. Let's just say, I'm a fan.

xo, B.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Waiting.

I keep waiting for something exciting to happen. Something worth blogging about...something "blog-worthy". Nothing's coming. Yet.
I'm forcing encouraging myself to realize that this doesn't mean I don't have anything to say. Maybe exciting things are happening. Even if it's just little stuff.


  • Amanda is now at camp for the next month and a half ish. She's going to be a phenomenal counselor and all those campers are darn lucky to get to spend a week working with my best friend.


  • Daddy's officially on summer break (really, ISS? Took y'all long enough) and with his help, house construction projects are getting underway! 
  • (I feel like I should type this in all caps.) My best writing buddy, Brit, and I have re-started knocked to the ground and are painfully re-building a novel that we started together. We Skyped for a planning sesh the other night and after three hours and five pages of notes on a Google Doc, we're both getting started.
  • I'm 10 days away from being DONE with Spanish II and the first summer session! Just five weeks after that, and I will forever be done with my foreign language requirement.
  • Thanks to Mackenzie over at Design Darling, I've gotten the travel bug again. It would make my life if I could figure out how to spend a weekend in Charleston before heading back to school. Ugh, Paris, I miss you so.



    •  If you're not friends with me on FB, you might not have known this, but last Tuesday, Maylen turned 14. I celebrated by taking obnoxious amounts of iPhone pictures and refraining from posting/sharing embarrassing stories. Love you, baby sis.




    • Our French exchange student flies in this coming Sunday! Mom and I stayed with her family last summer and we hosted her older sister the summer before that; it'll be great to see her again. We're all pumped.
    • Saturday was the 8th Annual Backyard Ballistics Day with our homeschool group/extended NC family. We basically sat outside for hours and hours, blowing stuff up, crocheting, eating and visiting. It was Happy Soul kinda stuff.


    • It's finally hydrangea season around here (jk, it's actually almost over) and I've had to actually resist going into people's yards to ooh and ahh over their bushes. Ours are still fairly small, but they still make me smile.

    Exciting or not, life-changing or not, life is continuing on in our sleepy, little town. I got stuck behind a tractor today and also passed a goat farm, who had just let all their kids out to romp in the front field. It may be a far cry from Paris, London, or even Chapel Hill, but sometimes, Catawba County, I'm a fan of you.



    xoxo, B.