He Did It!

Well it's been a whirlwind two weeks filled with guests, lots of nice meals out, some sight-seeing, and several celebrations-- the biggest of which was Jason's MBA graduation last Friday. Prior to the convocation, we had a little cocktail reception for our families who were in town.

Jason opened some well-deserved cards and gifts...

(Major wife points here... this is a signed and numbered print from one of his favorite street artists, selected by moi, that I am volunteering to have hung in our house somewhere. ; )

...and then afterwards, we loaded up the cars and headed up to the UT campus one last time. After a long ceremony (over two hours!), Jason was awarded his Masters in Business Administration.

It's a little blurry, but if you squint your eyes, that's J receiving his diploma.

We had planned our big graduation dinner for the next night, but still thought we would hit the town after his graduation ceremony (which was scheduled--rather awkwardly-- from 6-8pm and then of course ran late), but Mother Nature had other plans. When we walked into the auditorium at 5:30, it was gorgeous and sunny. When we left around 8:45, we exited the building into one of the biggest downpours I've experienced since we've lived in Texas. And since the auditorium was in the middle of the University of Texas campus, and our car was parked in a lot a good 5-7 minutes away, we had no choice to make a run for it. And, needless to say, we got absolutely soaked. It was so bad that it became hilarious-- and all of the 1,000+ guests at the graduation were in the exact same boat. Everyone running through the rain as fast as they could in their nice clothes. We ended up being happy we had no dinner plans. Instead we went home (my mom and I may have made a stop at the Whataburger drive through), got into our PJs, and played card games. A fitting end to a fun, crazy two years.

Congrats, J!

Children's Book Baby Shower

This past Tuesday, three friends and I hosted a surprise baby shower for our good friend Cassie. She's having a little boy in early September, but since they're moving to St. Louis right after graduation, we wanted to make sure we took advantage of her last few weeks in town to throw a party and celebrate her new addition.

Since she and her husband are moving soon (and don't need any more stuff to pack), we asked each guest to contribute to a gift card for one of her baby registries. That way, she can buy what she needs once she's settled. But what fun is a baby shower without gifts?? So, in addition to the gift card, we asked guests to bring one of their favorite childhood books to help start a little library for baby Z. Then we ordered a big LL Bean tote to hold all of the books. A few shots of the "baby book banner" we created, as well as pompoms and table decor. (Big props to my friends Alle and Erin for the creative genius-- and manual labor-- behind the decorations!)

In keeping with our outdoor venue, we kept it simple and streamlined-- paper plates and table cloths, fresh flowers in yellow, blue, and white, and a buffet of mostly make ahead salads and appetizers.

A few of the food items weren't out yet in the picture above, but I love how pretty and fresh the multi-colored salade nicoise looks. And here are two of the hostesses, Erin and Lauren, pre-shower.

Unfortunately, this is where my picture taking stopped. But the guest of honor was surprised, and I think everyone had a good time, so we fledgling baby-shower-planners considered it a success. And now that I've figured out how to make those poms, I'm totally using them again at another event!

Momentous Week

It's been a big week over at our house.

On Monday, I took my final blood test and then, on Tuesday, I received the fantastic news that my molar pregnancy is officially over. Dunzo. Kaput. It's been a long six months since my miscarriage, diagnosis, and surgery. Nearly two months of weekly blood draws, followed by four months of monthly draws. Many weeks spent feeling sad, angry, and a little bit (OK, at times, a lot) sorry for myself. Many more weeks spent trying to recondition myself for optimism and hope, while making sure to fit in at least 45 minutes of cardio 4 times a week, because my doctor said it would be the most effective medicine in battling my blues. Lots of life lessons learned-- most especially that I need to figure out how to be happy, or at least content, with the here and now because there are no guarantees for the future.

And now here we are a full six months later. I am (mostly) content with the present, and I'm cautiously optimistic about the future. I am blessed with a loving husband, family and friends who have been so supportive throughout this ordeal, and, as of Tuesday, a clean bill of health. As my doc said, we're closing this chapter of my life and hopefully never revisiting it.

Jason has also completed a huge chapter in his life-- last night he submitted his last assignment for business school, and just an hour ago he left his last class. Ever. It's kind of amazing to realize that we have finally reached the culmination of two years of blood, sweat, and tears (quite literally.) It's been a long road, but now here we are just two weeks away from his graduation. Don't get me wrong-- it hasn't been all bad. In fact, overall it's been a great experience. Jason has loved the intellectual stimulation and really enjoyed being back in an academic environment. He now has a clear vision and well defined path for the career he plans to pursue. We've also met some great friends and made a lot of fun memories along the way. And just being a part of the University of Texas community has been amazing. We are now both Longhorns fans for life. (Hook 'em!) I couldn't be more proud of the hard work he's invested in his education, and I am so excited to see where the future leads us.

This & That

Well, hello there. Somehow three weeks have passed in the blink of an eye... and with no blog posts. Unfortunately, I don't have anything terribly exciting to share from my absence. What have I been up to? A little of this...

• A work trip NYC. I attended a loooooong, 8-hour conference for one of my new clients, but it wasn't all work. I managed to enjoy a few good meals at Abe & Arthur's in the Meatpacking District and Cookshop in Chelsea (definitely the winner of the two), some free time spent wandering around Greenwich Village, a delicious Belgian pear cider and dark chocolate ganache cupcake pairing at Sweet Revenge. Really... cupcakes paired with adult beverages. Does it get much better?
  


• Gaga, oh-la-la! Yes, we did. Buy tickets to and proceed to rock out at the Lady Gaga concert, that is. There are really no words. Or maybe there are just too many... amazing, perplexing, awe-inspiring, disturbing (at times), and always entertaining. And just sitting around in the arena waiting for the show to start? Definitely the best people watching of my life.
  
  
  
  (Our seats were kind of off to the side, so I had better luck with pictures of the big screen vs. the stage)
  

... and a little of that:

Acupuncture. I've had chronic knee pain for going on 10 years now, and there doesn't seem to be a cure. I've seen multiple doctors, had MRIs, and several rounds of physical therapy. The doctors all say there is nothing wrong with the structure of my knee, and the physical therapy kinda helps... for a while. Then I go through another 3-4 month phase of knee pain until it decides to go away again. My diagnosis is officially patella tendon syndrome and a tight IT band, which basically means I have tendinitis in my knee. The pain comes and goes, but when it's bad, it's hard to do much more than walk to and from the car or around the apartment. So I started acupuncture last week, and after just one treatment I could see an improvement. I don't think it will "cure" me, but I believe it can be a great tool for pain management and hopefully alleviate some of the inflammation that is causing the problem. I just went back for my second treatment this weekend, and am really loving it so far.

(Not) stressing about the future. No updates on the job/moving/major life changes front. Trying to remain peaceful and zen about it. Trying to also remain supporting and encouraging for my hard-working husband who is slogging through the build-up to finals, while interviewing regularly (and traveling regularly for said interviews.) Fingers crossed we have some positive news to report by the end of the month when we have to make a decision on whether we give notice on our apartment!

And, that's about it folks! I hope you're all out enjoying a beautiful Easter weekend!

Patience

...Unfortunately it's an attribute that I really struggle to cultivate. Being my type A/Virgo/gotta-make-plans/gotta-check-that-item-off-my-list self, it's been a struggle for most of my life to slow down, calm down, relax, and be patient. And, boy, life these days is really testing my ability to chill out. I've mentioned it a few times on the blog, but J has been interviewing up a storm for a new job after business school. With graduation officially two months away, we're starting to the feel the pressure a little bit. And it doesn't help that about 60% of his classmates already have jobs. Many of my girlfriends (mostly wives and girlfriends of other students) are already starting to plan their moves to new cities and look for housing. Meanwhile, our lease is up June 30th, and we have to give 60 days notice. Meaning... we need to know what's next as of April 30th. Yikes.

But, like I said, J has been blessed to receive numerous interviews, and while he hasn't found THE job yet, all signs point to the fact that he is a desirable candidate and it's just a matter of finding the right opportunity. He's got 3 interviews next week at a West Coast MBA recruiting forum, so I am trying to remain calm, yet optimistic-- not gnaw my fingernails in stress or obsessively stalk Craig's List for apartment listings in a city that we don't yet have a job offer in. Patience. Patience. I think the Big Guy Upstairs is trying to teach me something. Ultimately, I know it will all work out and everything will be fine, but keeping myself calm and centered during this season of our lives has been a challenge for sure. Ever so slowly, I think I might be getting a little better at it. Here's hoping this crash course in patience is nearing completion.

(Oh, and we wouldn't mind any thoughts/prayers/good vibes you can send J's way next Friday...)

The downhill slope

Yesterday J started his last semester of business school. It's been such a crazy ride-- incredibly stressful and anxiety-provoking at times, and yet also frequently exciting and very fun. Moving cross-country and embarking on this journey has most definitely been the biggest adventure in our marriage to date. And now we have only four months left! It's hard to believe. I'm sure there are still numerous stressful moments ahead (like, you know... the job hunt... the waiting... the wondering... and possibly moving across the country again... ), but there are still lots of fun times to be had as well. We've been fortunate to meet a great group of couples to share this adventure with, and hopefully we'll be able to squeeze out lots of good times with them in the coming months. In the meantime, J continues to impress me with his never-ending hard work, his fantastic grades, his diligence throughout the job search process, and his ability to push it all aside and still put on a smile at the end of the day despite these daily stressors. We are officially on the downhill slope... hopefully it will be a smooth ride!

Holiday Gruene-ery

That (bad) pun won't make much sense to anyone outside of central Texas... for the rest of you, Gruene (pronounced Green-- haha, get it??) is a tiny, scenic town about an hour south of Austin whose motto reads, "gently resisting change since 1872." True to this statement, the town looks like it's straight out of an old west movie set, with a general store, a few saloons and restaurants, numerous antique shops, and Gruene Hall, the oldest dance hall in Texas. And around the holidays, Gruene oozes charm.

This past weekend, we were invited down for the night to celebrate my friend Cassie's birthday with three other b-school couples. We bunked up in cabins at the Gruene Mansion Inn, strolled the festively lit streets checking out boutique after candy shop after boutique, enjoyed a delicious birthday meal at the Gristmill River Restaurant & Bar, and capped off the evening with lots of pool and live country music at Gruene Hall. I love exploring the little historic towns that make each region unique, and this was no exception. We had a great time.

The birthday girl, and her husband, Dan

The girls goofing around outside the dance hall

Cory Morrow on stage at Gruene Hall

Serious fans

Dan and Alle shootin' pool

J and I enjoying the show

Settling back in

We're back! South Africa was amazing... Truly one the most beautiful, unique places I've ever been, and I would highly, highly recommend it as an awesome vacation destination for just about anyone. Of course getting there isn't super easy... over 40 hours each way. Painful. But it was more than worth it! I will be back later this week with a full recap and pictures. I need to go through start organizing and editing our hundreds of shots.

These past few days we've just been busy getting adjusted back to normal life... lots of laundry, grocery shopping, trying to get our bodies used to this time zone, and of course work (yuck.) On Saturday, J moved to Charlotte, NC, for the rest of the summer, where he'll be doing his MBA internship. I've known since we started school that we'd likely be apart for the summer, and I'm really happy and thankful that he found a great internship that will give him more experience in his field of interest (plus the additional income will be kinda nice...), but I was definitely a little sad to drop him off at the airport. The house has been so quiet this weekend, and I'm not used to spending so much alone-- particularly after two weeks of togetherness during out trip.

But I know that two months apart (with a handful of visits in there) is absolutely nothing compared to what military families and so many other couples deal with. So I'm thinking positive and getting excited for all the things I can do with my new found free time... I'm hoping to spend a lot of time with friends, work on my writing, and be super productive around the house so I can wrap up some projects that have been lingering on my to-do list for months.

First up? Crashing in front of The Bachelorette tonight with no judgement. ; )

Random Thursday

With the departure of one of my colleagues last week, I've taken on not one, but two new accounts. AAAaaayyyy-eeeee-ieieieie! That's me yelling, doing a crazy dance, and pulling out my hair. But let's look on the bright side, shall we? Say it with me people, "JOB SECURITY." Job security, job security, job security. A very good thing in a one-income household. I just keep reminding myself of that. I'm a little crazed, so in lieu of a real post, I give you a string of random, completely unrelated thoughts:

- I've been fighting off a cold since Sunday. I have managed to not "officially" get sick, but I haven't managed to kick the headache, sore throat, and fatigue that has been hanging around. I'm not sure if it's better to avoid a full-on cold, but kind of feel crappy all week despite it, or to actually get sick for a few days and then get better. The jury is still out.

- I only buy lunch once a week (for both budget and health reasons), and I always look forward to the day that I don't have to make my lunch: a.) because it's annoying; and b.) because I get to get out of the office and have a quick change of scenery. However, on the day that I actually do get to go out and buy my lunch (ahem, today), I can never figure out what I want! Do I go with soup and a half sandwich from Whole Foods? Or maybe a burrito bowl from Chipotle? Or a fancy deli sandwich from the cute bakery down the street? I have no idea. And it's lunch time right now.

- I haven't done anything after work this entire week except eat dinner and watch TV. And I'm totally, 100% fine with it. Ditching the to-do list once in a while is kinda nice.

- I didn't move to Texas for 29 degree temps. Thankfully, the weather is cooperating once again. It's not sunny, but I'll take 60 degrees any day.

- Um, going to a school /rooting for a school that is uber dominant in sports is fun. The UT men's basketball team is now ranked #1 in the country. J and I are going to the UT vs. Texas A&M game on Saturday night. I've always enjoyed March Madness, but my new found interest in sports may now also encompass regular season college basketball games. Who knew?

- MBA internship recruiting season is picking up steam... J had an interview yesterday for a position in Dallas, and was in San Francisco last week meeting with a bunch of companies there. Business school is kinda like law school, where you get a paid internship in the summer and, if you're lucky, that translates into a job offer at the end of the summer. Obviously, you can get an internship and then get a totally different job afterward, but the whole internship recruiting process will give us the first glimpse of a.) what the economy is really like right now for newly minted MBAs; and b.) where the heck we might wind up after this whole crazy adventure. The whole "where are we going to be moving in a year and a half" question gets me all worked up and more than a little panicky any time I start really thinking about it (because I have some definite preferences), but I just keep reminding myself of my New Year's resolution to take it one day at a time. So here I am, practicing some calming yoga breathing, and telling myself I won't worry about it... just yet, anyway...

And there you have it folks. Hope your week is trucking along smoothly! TGI... almost Friday!

Catching up...

A little behind with my weekend update... I can't believe it's already Wednesday (although I'm definitely not complaining!) A few highlights from last weekend:

• Group dinner at our friends' Alle and Dan's house with a few other friends. I love getting together and socializing with friends over a dinner party at someone's home. It's so comfortable and laid back, and yet feels so grown up! Plus it's fun to check out someone else's cooking/decorating/hostessing style. Alle pulled out all the stops with juicy grilled steaks, cheddar polenta, amazing brussel sprouts sauteed with onions, carrots, and feta, and an arugula salad with grilled pears. Mmmm.
• The 'Horns BARELY making it to the National Championships. They gave us all a little scare, but came through with a field goal with 1 second left in the game. So now I get to cheer on two of my favorite teams in Pasadena.
• The marquee in front of Docs, which read "Prime Longhorns vs. Canned Corn." Love that place.
• Christmas shopping! I'm by no means finished, but have made a good start and am well ahead of my typical December 23rd shopping habits.

Highlights for this week:

• Girls dinner at Cassie's. A group of 6 of us (all wives/girlfriends of b-school students) get together every few weeks for dinner at someone's house. It's always a fun night of good food, good company, and lots of vino.
• T-29 hours until Jason is done with finals for this semester! Can't wait to celebrate on Friday night!
• Christmas date next weekend. Instead of exchanging big gifts this year, we've decided to get creative (and budget-friendly) and do a stocking for each other. It's actually been really fun to plan out and purchase all of J's stocking stuffers. Thinking up several small gifts has definitely required more creativity and I think he's going to really enjoy opening it up! We're doing our stockings this weekend because he is heading back to Seattle next week (since he'll be done with school) a few days before me. So we're going to cook a Christmas feast, open up our stockings in front of the fire (and my lovely bedecked mantle... pictures coming tomorrow), and then head out on the town for dessert and drinks somewhere festive.

What do you have planned for the week? Any fun holiday celebrations?

Goodbyes

They've started, and I hate it. In addition to being sad because I'm leaving and won't be seeing many of these people for a long time, they're just awkward and depressing. Some goodbyes are teary-eyed, others are stoic and comprised of very few words, some are awkward with promises of staying in touch that we both know will not be fulfilled, and others are just plain sad. Today was my last day at work, and I said many goodbyes-- several from each of these categories. My co-workers, however, did a great job of making me feel special and appreciated with a few well timed surprises, and I know that many of them have crossed over to become real-life friends that I will keep in touch with for years to come.

We began toying with the idea of business school in November, decided that we would definitely go in March, and have been making preparations for Austin since April. So this move has been looming on the horizon for a quite a while. The anticipation has been exciting, but after months of planning, debating, worrying, discussing, and dreaming, I'm ready to get the show on the road and finally start this new chapter of our lives. Now that we've said goodbyes to co-workers, many friends, and most of our family members, I'm looking forward to the end of goodbye and the beginning of hello. Hello road trip, hello business school, hello Austin. Just T-5 days until we hit the road. Hello, adventure.