FREE!

I'm FREE FROM SCHOOL!!!

I just got done today with my last final of the semester. It took me two hours and ten minutes to complete. I was dizzy when I walked out of the room because I don't think I looked up once. Whew. It took me about an hour to snap out of test mode... Then I spent the WHOLE ENTIRE afternoon shopping!

I have seriously been holding out on my Christmas shopping for the last two weeks and it has absolutely killed me. I have felt so behind in preparing for Christmas but I just kept telling myself "Study for finals first, and when they are over you can shop til you drop." Seriously? I might have a problem ;)

But I got it all done in Under 4 hours and Under 300 dollars! Wooooo HOO! Wrapping is one of my favorite parts so I'll probably stay up all night wrapping away!

I've been thinking A LOT today about Dylan (boyfriend) leaving for Afghanistan in January... He called while I was shopping and asked if I'd help him sit down and make a list of things he'll need for the 5 months he'll be gone. I felt like I needed to take the gifts I got him back and get him things like soap, toothbrushes, sheets, candies :( etc. I want him to have familliar things around him while he's there. I want him to have comforting feelings from home... especially when he's feeling homesick or scared. I don't know how things are going to go while he's over there... He says he'll be safe and I kind of believe him but exactly HOW safe can things be over there? Hopefully he'll be ok :/

I'm just going to try to enjoy the break... no studying. Spend extra time with Dylan. Babysit when I can. But RELAX for sure!

Thankful

Thanksgiving is JUST around the corner... 2 days away to be exact.

So let me give thanks:

For my family. Mom, Dad, and Kate. I wouldn't be the person I am today with out the help of these three people.

Grandmother

It's this time of year again...
Family reunion time!!!

Every November my HUGE family meets down at Devils Den. We rent out about... 9 cabins (I'm guessing) And we stay all weekend long. Hiking, singing, EATING, listening to music, listening to stories, and just catching up with each other. Wouldn't miss it for the world. It all started about 13 years ago, for my Grandmothers 75th birthday...




Elizabeth Jane Reagan is 87 years old this year. She is my neighbor, my friend, my grandmother, and a lady I look up to. She is smart! and has become very quick witted over the years :) She audits classes at the U of A each semester. She attends 1 class 3 times a week and participates in readings and such... but she claims "I will not take their tests because I'm too old!" She also ice skates twice a week at the Jones Center in Springdale.

I look up to her and often go to her for advice. I love our little conversations - she is very honest and trustworthy. I've made memories and shared things with her that I can keep forever. I'm lucky to have the relationship with her that I do!

Lets talk about BABYSITTING...

I celebrated my 22nd birthday last month... Which was important to me becaue I figured out that I have now offically been babysitting for TEN YEARS. (Am I old?)
That's right, I started babysitting when I was 12. I've been making money and earning responsibility and my reputation for babysitting since I was 12 years old. Incredible.

These days, I take care of only a few families. Families who I ADORE. Families I feel like I'm a part of. Families that will be a part of me forever and ever. (No I'm not just saying this because the only two people who may read my blog are Christy and Denise :) (Love you both by the way)

What I'm trying to say is. I don't EVER think of babysitting as "my job" or a "chore." I'm happy to take care of children. It had made me who I am today.

I would never trade

-The conversations I have with Mia while I'm tucking her into bed.
-The way Paige hugs on me when she first wakes up from her nap.
-Talking about fashion with Abby and watching her pick out an outfit in her closet that was similar to mine because she wanted to look like me at school the next day.
-Learning about animals and wild life by Ian.
-Singing Hannah Montanta with Lia on car rides.
-Playing Patty Cake with Ali and watching her smile/giggle when I "roll the dough"
-Rocking/feeding/Smiling at Ava Kate
-Listening to Cooper tell me all about birds.
-Listening to Drake tell me all about school/video games etc.
-Watching Sophie put on "Make up" (Lip Gloss) ... even on her cheeks!
-Snuggling with Isabelle while we watch movies.
-Doing Mady's hair.
-Going on Bear hunts with Matthew.
-Letting(Except not really, they are too good!) Riley and Aiden beat me at Sorry.
-Singing to Taylor Swift on my adventures with Olivia.

Some people say I do and always will have an impact on the kids I work with. I can believe that...

But it goes both ways...

The way these kids make me feel, and the way they bring SO MUCH meaning to my life will always always always have an impact on me.

So if you are reading this, and you're a Mom I babysit for - I just want to say thank you... for letting me be apart of your lives and the lives of your kiddos. Love you all!

So What do I do?

I have always been against facebook. Didn't want my information out there. Didn't want my pictures out there. Didn't want someone to have the ability to write whatever they wanted on MY page. Weird maybe. But for all these years, I've stuck to my guns. My sister got tired of me sneaking onto her account and looking at old friends and such :) So this past month, she was sneaky right back, and created me a facebook account.

I was mad. Real mad. Deleted it.

A couple days later, I came home from lunch... and reopened that account. For no good reason that I can remember. I just did it. And since then, I've been strong. I've been confident. I've let people in that I normally wouldn't. And I've had many discussions with friends, coworkers, and family members about my little adventures on the infamous facebook.

A friend of mine from work said: "When I find myself online, 'stalking' friends on facebook for hours - I always feel so down about myself whenever I'm done. like they have something I don't."

I said something like this: "OMG I usually feel the SAME way!"

She said back: "You know why? Because People don't put 'real life' on facebook. They post the happy pictures. They post all the GOOD pictures of themselves. They sugar coat everything so everyone will have to think that they are... in a way... 'perfect.' It is all for show."

And you know what? She's right.

But sometimes I still can't help but feel down on myself. Like I don't have anything to look forward to. like my life isn't good enough. Which I know isn't true.

So I still don't know about FB. I may give it a little while longer... But so far it sure isn't doing anything for me except wasting my time and pulling me down.

Rainy Tuesday

Let's start this off on a good note...

The weekend was good! Dylan came home from Vegas (He'd been there since October 8th... and yes, right through the 14th which is my BIRTHDAY) on Friday afternoon. We spent Saturday afternoon together. We went on a drive almost all day Sunday to look at how NW Arkansas is turning into Fall. Then we found a pumpkin patch and spent 19 dollars on two large pumpkins. We carved them that night and had so much fun!

Annnnnd we fast forward to Tuesday... It is raining outside. It's raining and I only have one class today that is and hour and a half long. It is the most boring class on my schedule. When I opened my eyes in bed this morning, I heard the rain and said to myself... I will not get out in this weather. I feel a little bad. But I will study and read today to make up for it. Oh well.

Have a Happy Tuesday!

Dylan

The Boyfriend.
We met in middle school YEARS ago. He can describe to me the class we were in and where I sat on the first day he saw me. He claims "I've had a crush on you since that day." We went to different junior highs but the same high school. We were two very different people. I was quiet and reserved. Did my work, followed the rules etc. He on the other hand, would hang out with the "Agri boys." They were always causing trouble. My memories of him in high school were scary! I would avoid him at all cost. He and his friends would tease me in class and he admits now: "It's because I liked you...DUH!"

Anyhow..

On May 16 2009 I went out with some girls to Dickson Street for my friend, Jodie's bachelorette party. AND THERE HE WAS. At the piano bar. Us girls were on a bachelorette scavenger hunt so we were having some fun! I caught him as he was walking out the door and asked him if he remembered me. He said "Why yes I do, EMILY REAGAN!" I wrote my number down on a napkin for him and we've been talking ever since! In July we made things "official." ... That means I can call him my boyfriend ;)

He really is the sweetest guy I've ever dated. We are so different , and so much alike at the same time. I'm thankful I found him, even if it WAS in a bar ;) ... (He gets so mad when I tell people that's where we met. hehe)

Thursday

Alrighty...
I'm new at this.
But I have a goal here... I LOVE to write. I'm one of those people who wishes she could document everything that happens so she'll never forget anything. I have a drawer full of journals I've been writing since I was old enought to write. It destresses me. Helps me to figure out how I feel when my emotions are all over the place. I still have a journal that I write in, but why not try something new and jump on into the blog world?