Updates

1. So when I went down to my car this morning to make the trek to work at approximately 7:50am, my windshield was frosted over. FROSTED over. Thank you Iowa for becomming chilly all of a sudden. If you could hold off winter through this weekend I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

2. I'm a blonde. I mean, dirty blonde. In the sense of the color not that I or my hair are dirty in any way. For those of you who have known me through my middle/high school years, this doesn't come as a shock to you because you know that my hair has been pretty much every color possible. Fo' real. Well, I went back to the lighter side and I'm lovin' it. I'm feeling more fun already!

3. I have my first painting client! A friend of a friend at work found my blog earlier in the year and loved my artwork!! I am so excited to break out a little creativity soon--it is a much needed breath of fresh air! (I really almost typed fresh of breath air there...these 8am mornings are killer.)

4. I am going to my first wedding as a spectator at Park Place tomorrow night! I cannot wait to be on the other side of things and actually be able to enjoy a wedding for once!! Congratulations Tony and Rachel in advance--so happy for you!!

5. I'm running a marathon on Sunday. And when I say marathon I mean the whole shabang...all 26.2 miles of it. And I WILL be running the whole thing if it's the last thing I do. Did I mention I'm going to a wedding Friday night, working a wedding Saturday and then driving down to Des Moines (about 2 hours) that night to stay in a hotel with Grahambo just to get up and run a marathon??? I've lost it this time. I really have, folks. Wish me luck!!

6. A week from Sunday Graham and I are headed down to Orlando, FL to meet my mom and dad and my sister's fam to go to Disney! I seriously coudn't be more excited. My two nieces are literally the cutest things ever and they just glow at the thought of meeting Cinderella. I told Graham already that I had to get my picture with Aladdin and I don't think he was too amused. But hey, who wasn't in love with Aladdin??

Even the Firetrucks are Carolina Blue!!

I still remember the joy of my first few days on campus as a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill freshman. So clueless. So little. But taking up courage in the fact that any place where the sky smiles down at you in that same beautiful light blue couldn't be all that scary. Now, 6 years later, my heart smiles at the thought of going back to that little piece of Heaven on Earth. I am so thankful that this past weekend, I got to pack my bags and head back to good ol' N-C-U for a whirlwind visit. I apologize to Laura, who almost wrecked her car several times as I let out random screeches of delight as I passed through campus, remembering the sweet smells and sights that warm my heart so dearly. Growing up, I never thought I would be able to call another place "home" but Hendersonville, NC. I never moved houses during my childhood, much less towns or states. When I moved to college, this whole "moving" thing was very foreign to me. Who would have known that a few short (too short!) years later I would be moving halfway across the country to call Iowa my new "home". Although I realize that this is my home now, in the sense that this is where I live and work and have my husband and new, very dear friends, in my heart, when I go back and see all that Carolina blue, I know my heart remains in NC.

As I walked through campus, through the quad, by the bell tower and into Kenan Stadium to watch my Heels play, I was able to remember a big piece of who I am. It is so easy to get distracted by all the craziness that life throws you, but when, for a short weekend you are allowed to just slow down and enjoy the goodness of life, that's when you realize how great we have it here. I have been blessed with AMAZING friends, an AMAZING husband and an AMAZING family. What more could I ever ask for??

After a couple of crazy days/nights with the girl loves of my life, a win for Tar Heel football and a quick lunch with my favorite sister and brother-in-law, I boarded the plane back to Iowa. And, as silly as it sounds, the beauty of Chapel Hill has carried back into my life here as I see things through a different lens. Everything has beauty and value, it is only what we make out of our time that counts. I don't know how much longer Graham and I will be in Iowa, but whether it is months or even years down the road, we will enjoy every second of our time here. And then, one day when it is the right time, we will make it back to where the sky, street signs and even the firetrucks are all Carolina Blue.

Pictures to come...