38 Days

I have just 38 days left until the day that they will likely be calling me half-way around the world. I'm sitting here tonight and while I should be going to bed, I just felt like I needed to write first. All because of wanting to update my facebook status. I have 38 days left and 18 of those are filled with plans with various people.

7 amazing, fun filled days with the two best friends a girl could ask for! BTW, we're going to sunny San Diego! I'm so excited to get in the car with those two! I will try to post the last of the clues tomorrow!

1 day celebrating not only graduating from Concordia University's Graduate School with a 4.0, but also the fact that I'm leaving for the next three years. Hopefully I'll have an abundance of family and friends surrounding me.

1 day floatin' down the river with my brother, his wife, and son as well as my mom. It's been a couple of years since I last ventured out with my brother, but this time I'll make sure I buy the spendy sunscreen that can be used in the water.

1 day spent with a friend who I would have died to have met earlier in life. I can't believe that when I come back she'll be a momma and her baby with be almost 3 years old.

2 days spent with my life long mentor going through classroom stuff to help me be ready for those first days of school. I'm so blessed to have her in my life. She is the reason I became a teacher. If it weren't for her I don't think I would have worked much at all this last school year. She's come through for me time and time again. Starting when I was just 10 years old.

? Time spent with a friend who is always there for me unconditionally it seems. He changed a part of me that has made me a much stronger and more independent person. His ability to make me feel better is something that has gotten me through some very tough times the last three years. (Wow, I can't believe that it's been almost 3 years!!!)

? days spent with my dad. These aren't included in my count because they're much harder to come by. Though I can't wait to go fly kites on Sunday!

This is not to discount the last two trips I took. 6 days with Gramma along 101, the Redwoods and various coastal towns. 6 days with Mom in Bend, exploring all over, 1 of which in Klamath Falls with Brett.

My time left in the states is slipping by quickly. I can't believe that we started at 16 weeks and now we're down to less than 6. If you're reading my blog, please comment, it'd be nice to know who's reading, just say hi! You could even email me, cnstars23@gmail.com

A week of clues!

 This is what I consider a game of catch up! Starting on the 18th as I packed up to go visit with my mom. Tuesday I opened another clue that corresponds to our Road Trip Rules 101! We always have to have a Cosmo to read aloud in the car! We have SO much fun laughing at all the craziness! Current Deduction: Undetermined... other than we have to spend time traveling.

June 18th - Cosmo

Wednesday I opened strawberry lemonade air fresheners. My thoughts on this were hilarious! I haven't hid the fact that I don't really want to ruin the surprise so I end up trying to come up with deductions that are SO out of the box that they'd never be the truth. Current Deduction: We're going to Red Robin for Strawberry Lemonade...No that doesn't work... Oh, I know, we're going someplace that smells really bad and need to bring our own air fresheners!

June 19th - Strawberry Lemonade Car Air Fresheners

This one leaves me a little perplexed when it comes to a witty comment. It's just a true statement. Current Deduction: We're driving to our destination.

June 20th - Road Trip Experts card

Friday I opened a rockin' pair of spectacles. I'm quite excited to find my friends matching pairs so we can all rock them waterside (I don't know the water source). Em of course promptly informed me that she has coordinating pairs for Jess and herself! Current deduction: We're going to a tropical bird sanctuary.

June 21st - Awesome Parrot Spectacles 

 Saturday, a day I would spend almost entirely outdoors, I opened the best protection a friend could provide! Current deduction: We're driving to the SUN! YAY for being the first best friends to drive to outer space together! Man I have the best friends!

June 22nd - Coppertone Sport Lip Balm SPF 30! 

I got my swim trunks, I got my flippee floppies! Current deduction: We're goin' on a boat!

June 23rd - Flip Flops!

This one... well it doesn't really give me any hint as to where we may be going, but it's my favorite clue I've opened so far! Jessica and her family introduced me to letterboxing and it has been quite a game changer in my life. I have spent many a quality hours with my mom, gramma and even Melanie letterboxing! I have SO many memories when it comes to various stamps! Current deduction: Someplace amazingly awesome!

June 24th - Letterbox

A Contradiction!

 Today I opened "June 17th" written by who I assume to be Jess. (based on expert handwriting analysis.)

 It was a beautifully wrapped "box" and envelope. Lifting it out of the basket was a little easier said than done, but I only dropped the "box" once. Now once I had the "box" in my hand I knew that I was holding some kind of soda can, it helped that they were upside down.

Once I had them open I revised my list of things I "know" to be true. I "know" the following to be true:

1. I cannot take my brand new 29'' spinner I bought for my overseas trip.
2. I need a swimsuit.
3. We'll be gone for a week.
4. I have the items for one of the top "Road Trip Rules 101" Cheeze-its and Pepsi!

**My current deduction: We're taking the Weasely's flying car to Hogwarts! You guys are going to make me a wizard so I can apparate home!

Photos, Photos, Photos!!!

Yesterday Jessica came up and instead of doing CityScape we spent the morning and afternoon scrapping! It was a blast to get some things finished that I've spent the last few gatherings working on. I'm still one layout away from being completely done with the project, but only because I came across the photos later!

After scrapping, we had plans to meet up with Emily and Shelley for a best friends photo shoot! We met at George Fox and I was presented with my basket of clues. See the girls thought it would be really fun for me to open a clue each day about our trip! So here's my basket with all my clues!

 There was one package that I got to open before we started off on our photo shoot. It was necklaces that Em had made for us! How special to have such a treasure to keep with me. It's an infinity symbol and three beads, two amethyst and one opal representing all three of us!

 Here are a couple of previews from our AWESOME photo shoot! It was so much fun spending the evening with these ladies and Shelley as well!

 I love these two ladies SO much and I can't wait for our trip!

It's a Surprise!

I've always loved being surprise, but people around me have never been good at it. I always know about it ahead of time. Well this one started out without any knowledge on my part. Jess and Em were planning on whisking me away for my 30th birthday. Well... they were until I told them I was leaving the country. They decided to spill the beans and then change the surprise to something this summer instead. This means that I know the surprise is coming and even have the time set aside. In the few times we've hung out since I found out about the surprise I've listened to my friends talk about our trip without really talking about our trip. Here's what I know:

1. I cannot take my brand new 29'' spinner I bought for my overseas trip.
2. I need a swimsuit.
3. We'll be gone for a week.

That's not much to know, but Emily did say that if I could fit in my big suitcase it might save money, this leads me to think that we're flying somewhere... but where we might be flying to? I have no idea!

Graduate Again

It's not quite real yet. Maybe it's because "graduation" isn't until December. Stupid programs finishing between semesters. Can I just say how thrilled I am to be completely finished. One friend asked, "So, what's next? Ph.D? Doctorate?" I say an emphatic NO! That's not for me. I learn so much more from application that I can't ever see sitting through a series of classes.

Getting through my portfolio was a daunting task to start. There were three of us in my cohort who wanted to push through to finish the week that school got out. This meant that we were taking a class and doing our portfolio at the same time.

I sat down and made a calendar to map out how much I needed to accomplish each day in order to not have to work on it on days that I already had plans and to get done in time to present it to my peers. I started out way behind schedule. Procrastinating as much as possible. Then one meeting at the library with a classmate and I was back on schedule and stayed at the library for much of the day. I finished the bulk of it way early and was even able to keep all of my plans I had made before I realized that I had to do my portfolio.

Tuesday evening I sat, for what will hopefully be the last time, in a high school desk and waited my turn to present my portfolio to my peers. Heidi even texted me to check in while I was siting there. I gave my presentation and handed over my binder. That's it, I'm all done.

Class was followed by an fun dinner out with my cohort and my instructor. It was a great evening, and I know I'll miss my classmates, even if I wont miss class.

It's a great feeling knowing that I'm done. That it's all 100% out of my hands. Let's just add to the fact that this girl is graduating with a 4.0 GPA and that feels great!

The Waiting Game

My docs are in the mail, on their way to Washington D.C. It's now all about waiting. I'm waiting for my security clearance and waiting for my docs to make the rounds in DC. 

So this is me. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. I know this is a short update, but there's not much else going on. It's the start of my summer and the most I have to do is PACK!