Bought my plane tickets yesterday and I was floating on cloud nine the rest of the day... until 2am!

I'm going to New Zealand - then Australia for a two-week break - back to New Zealand - then stopping in Hawaii for a week before coming back home.

Sweeeeeeeet!

I don't think the life of relaxation agrees with me. I've been much too bored.
Aya and I have been cleaning house, fixing up a few things around the house, running errands, and playing Scrabble (that was me last night *sigh*). But most and Champions of Norrath on PS2... hours and hours... yes... we've been THAT bored.
Luckily school starts back next week; she has a class and I have a job.
In other news, my mother is flying up here in July so she can drive back with me. She just couldn't stand the thought of her baby driving all the way back to TX by herself :)
I'm excited to show her around - since she didn't see ANYTHING when she was here for graduation :( Being sick suxors.
Ten weeks. 10 weeks... and I will be in New Zealand! It seems very unrealistic. Surely something will happen - I don't have my plane tickets yet - going today to do that. Perhaps they will decide they don't want me... Ugh I hate voicing/writing my fears. It makes them seem that much more likely to come true.
No. Deep inside I know this WILL happen, because it was meant to be. I have worked hard to get to this point in my life and many different choices I have made have led to this possibility. So it WILL happen. And I will have the time of my life and learn everything I can about teaching in those 14 weeks.

Yes! I am going to New Zealand!

Wahoooooooooo!

Now, I'm off to talk to a travel agent about plane tickets!

I made it.
I walked across the stage without tripping and I shook the proper hands... I have officially "walked" in a college graduation ceremony. Now all that's left to get my diploma is to complete my student teaching - in NEW ZEALAND!
Woot! Woot!
I am settling into Aya's mom's house and enjoying the beautiful MN Spring. It sure beats TX!
I think my parents enjoyed their trip up north, except for mom getting so so sick :( She's decided to come back up in July though to help me move home. I'll get to show her all sorts of good stuff then!
I already miss my friends. The reality of leaving is settling in and bringing with it a pang of sadness. I know now why I focussed so much on having my parents come up. That gave me something to think about other than leaving so many people I care for. I made it through dorm check-outs, graduation, sick mother, graduation party, moving, and all sorts of other stresses and now... now I have nothing to do. I don't start work for another two weeks. I'm mostly settled into my new place (for only a month and a half) and I really don't have anything pressing. It's odd, but I long for something to do. It would keep my mind off of people and changing situations.
Don't get me wrong, I'm INCREDIBLY excited about going to NZ, it just seems a ways off and I'm so nervous about it. Anxious and nervous. Sad and happy. Yeesh. Throw almost every emotion possible into a pot and I've experienced it at some point during the past week.
Lots of changes in store.
Ok now I'm just rambling. I'm going to go clean house or take a walk or something. Enjoy this BEAUTIFUL Tuesday!

I'm graduating.

I need to go buy groceries for tomorrow.

I'm walking accross a stage in front of more than a thousand people.

I need to check someone out at 9:30am.

I'm graduating.

Don't forget to fill out the room inventory sheet for next year.

It is finally sinking in.

I hope mom can make it through the graduation.

Don't trip.

I hope it doesn't rain, or we won't get to do the traditional "walk."

Please don't have a boring speaker who drones on for hours.

Don't fall asleep.

I wonder who all I will see, who will I walk with?

Don't catch what mom caught.

I'm graduating.

Yep. These are my thoughts. I can't seem to put more than a few sentences together of the same topic. My poor mind is racing like crazy.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Life, THE Emotional Roller Coaster...

My parents arrived yesterday, much to my delight. I have wanted them to see where I've been living for the past three years and finally they have. They flew in at 11:30 yesterday morning and I took them out to lunch, showed them around town, and then we had dinner at a friends home. My mom was tired so they left early, but all in all it was an excellent day.

Cut to: This morning my dad calls me to say we need to take mom to the Dr. and three hours later we come out of the office with the diagnosis of a virus. A very nasty virus. She was scaring us all, especially when she passed out for a bit. She's back at their hotel now resting. However, unless she makes a remarkable recovery I'm not sure she'll make it to my graduation tomorrow afternoon - their reason for coming up here.

Now that I've done all I can to help her I need to continue packing and checking out my residents.

Oofda.

Eeep! That's a frightening site... Logging into something COMPLETELY different from what you're used to. Interesting new look Blogger has chosen.

Wowsers
In two days my parents will be here, in four days I will walk across a stage signifying the completion of my education, and in five days... In five days I will say goodbye to some of the most awesome people I have ever met. Without a doubt, this will be the hardest part of my week. (that and not tripping in front of hundreds of people) I am trying to look to the future, to New Zealand and the wonderful adventures which await me, but I must also reconcile with my time here. I must say goodbye to this wonderful chapter in my life and close a scrapbook in my mind and heart, reserved for all the great memories which have been made.

I'm excited, sad, glad, anxious, anticipatory, happy, angry, nervous, and even relieved to be graduating. There was a time in my life when I had some doubts, I always swore I would continue until I graduated, but after being put on academic suspension at my first University I wasn't sure I'd be able to. Coming here gave me a new outlook and a new drive. This place, the people in it, and my family and friends are the reason I have succeeded. My supportive family and friends who were there for me all the way, who wanted nothing but my happiness, they are my support structure and I love them and appreciate them more than they know.

Thanks to my TX friend for calling me tonight :) I'm sorry I missed your phone call and I'll call you back this weekend. I'm doing ok, it's just a nasty cold with fever and sore throat. Not fun, but I will survive!

Four days until my parents arrive and SIX until graduation!

Perhaps I swallowed a gallon of acid?

Ugh, throat hurts, tired... Very fitful sleep last night, even with the Nyquil. Was running a fever most of the night. I really hope I can beat this thing before next Wednesday when my parents get here, and certainly before Friday which is graduation.

I'm very glad to have almost everything done. I just have one final left, on Tuesday afternoon. I need to finish packing and check out all of my residents. Also, I need to find time to clean Aya's mom's house in preparation for the party next Saturday.

That's not too much to do... Thank you God.

I finally did it... I got sick.
I haven't been sick all year - which I attribute largely to my nasal sniffing flu thing my parents insisted I get & my Flinstones vitamins.
Therefore, I must blame my illness on stress and lack of rest.

/sigh
I really didn't want to get sick now, not during finals, not for the RA banquet today which I am helping to set-up for, not for when my parents are up here, and certainly not for graduation.

On the up-side, I'm almost done.
I need to finish packing this weekend.
I have a final next Tuesday afternoon.
Parents come next Wednesday around 11:30ish.
Taking them around town & to the State Park.
Friday is Graduation.
Saturday I finish checking people out and then I have a party at Aya's mom's house for my graduation.

I'm glad all but one of my finals came early. Less stress for the sickly person.

Friday night camp-out was fun, but didn't get much sleep. We played games, had smores, talked and then six of us piled into Aya's tent to "sleep." It was in the 20's so we were packed in there trying to stay warm.
I gave up at 6am and came home for an hour of sleep and then I was off to try my hand at paintball. I'd never been before and they were scaring me with tales of bruises, welts, etc. I had so much fun though. It was sunny, breezy, and the perfect day for some outdoor fun. There were twelve of us running around shooting at each other. I was only out four out of 7 games and my team won 4 out of seven. I would definitely like to try it again.
I have been running errands today and now I'm off to see Pump Boys & Dinettes to support a friend and have some fun!