Thursday, March 21, 2013

What I'm Looking Forward To

As work is at one of its busiest points of the year, I have been feeling a little bit overwhelmed. This feeling is NOTHING compared to how I felt last year at this time, and I am incredibly thankful to teach in such an amazing little school. However, we just wrapped up our state standardized testing (TCAP in Colorado), and it has been ROUGH. Proctoring test after test gets tiring, and the students have not been themselves. They have been bored out of their minds taking so many tests, and I can't blame them! Tomorrow, we are rewarding them with an ice cream party at the end of the day -- it should be SO much fun!

Because I've been feeling stressed out, I decided to come up with a list of things I am looking forward to in the near and distant future.

1. SPRING BREAK. It starts in less than 24 hours. I am STOKED! Tomorrow and Saturday, Dan and I are just hanging out and relaxing. We leave early Sunday morning to head to the hot springs for a day/night and then to Copper Mountain to ski for a few days. We will head back to Colorado Springs on Wednesday evening, and my mom flies in then to spend a few days here. I don't know what all we will do, but I am looking forward to sleeping in.


2. Celebrating Dan's birthday in April. He turns 24, and I love the few months when we only have a one year age difference. My birthday is in July, and then we'll be back to two years apart. I have a pretty fun gift for him this year, and I can't wait to give it to him!


3. Running a fun 5K! I get to check one off for the year in April, and I'm pretty excited! I am running The Glow Run with Dan and some people on his Flying Team. It's on April 27th, it's at night (in the dark), and lots of glow sticks are involved. I CAN'T WAIT! For fun, here are a couple pictures from The Color Run last year...



4. Engagement Pictures in Colorado! Dan and I are having our wedding photographer take engagement pictures of us so we can get to know her style, etc. I have been dying for pictures at Garden of the Gods, so guess what is in our future... ;) A friend took some gorgeous photos for us last fall at the Air Force Academy, and they turned out great, so I'm excited for this last set of pictures before our big day!


5. Finishing my novel! I actually finished writing it in 2010. I didn't look at it once in 2011. I did one edit in 2012, and that felt WONDERFUL to finish. Now that I'm in my second edit, it's tougher. I love the story. I love the characters. I am just a little bit tired of trying to make it all perfect... but it will come together. I enjoy working on it when I can find the time, and I am looking forward to several Saturdays doing just that this spring while Dan is flying. I love going to La Baguette downtown to work. The atmosphere is great, and the food is even better!


6. Spending some time at Garden of the Gods. It is my favorite place in the world (so far), and I always feel completely at peace there. I could drive through it, run, hike, whatever... it's just SO nice. Dan and I picnic there sometimes, and it's so romantic and beautiful. I could basically live there. And hey, rent would be a lot cheaper too!






7. Exploring the outdoors with Dan as it continues to get warmer. This is something we both love. Hiking together is great, especially if there is a picnic in the middle! I can't wait to take our British friends hiking in gorgeous Colorado this summer when they visit. This state is so wonderful for doing things outdoors.






8. Starting our garden again! There's nothing like growing your own food. It's amazing to watch, and it tastes ever-so-slightly better... just because you watched it grow from day one. Last summer, we got several veggies, but since I didn't move into this house until July, we didn't plant seeds until mid-July... so I KNOW we will yield even more this year. We have mapped out what we want to plant, when to plant it, and where to put it. I am looking forward to lots of fresh vegetables this year!






9. Going home to Missouri for part of the summer. I do this every year when Dan is busy. I look forward to the drive through Kansas by myself because it is so calm. I take the cats with me, and we drive almost straight through for ten hours. I stop once for gas, food, and a bathroom break half way, and I make CDs to listen to for the parts where the radio doesn't even work (gotta love middle-of-nowhere Kansas). It's always fun, and I enjoy seeing my family and friends when it's nice outside... because the only other time I go home is in the winter. I always go to a Royals game while I'm home, and I can't wait to do that again this summer!




10. Marrying my handsome fiancé in just over a year and finally calling him my husband! I enjoy being Dan's fiancée, sure, but it gets old not being able to see him during the week, not being allowed to live with him, etc. I am 25 years old, and I am READY. I have been learning how to be patient (and let me tell you -- it's gotten much better over the past few years). By our wedding date, we will have been together for five years and three months -- plenty of time if you ask me! Our wedding date is just two days after his Air Force Academy graduation. Since he's not allowed to be married while he's there, we aren't going to waste any time afterward!





Well, that was fun! I highly suggest writing out all of the things you're looking forward to the next time you're stressed. Going through old pictures makes it even better. I am in a VERY happy mood right now! I just need to make it through tomorrow, and I will be on spring break for nine days! Life is good. 

28 comments:

  1. I love this post! You have a lot of fun things coming up and I can't wait to see pictures and read about them (especially the wedding)!

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    1. Thanks, Melanie! I am so excited about life right now! I am also super stoked about the wedding... I can't believe we are finally ALMOST within one year! :)

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  2. Hi Janelle. You stopped by Girl at War so I figured I'd check out your blog and...LOVE IT! Loved this post. Thank you for sharing the fun and excitement of your engagement--quite beautiful and touching :) I see you're a writer as well. How cool! I'm working on part two of my short-short series. It's so much fun letting my fingers and imagination run rampant. I just hate the clean-up/editing I have to do afterwards. Anywho, it's time for bed. Work in the morning for me and I really don't wanna! You have a new follower here. Cheers.

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    1. Thank you for checking out my blog! :)

      Aw, and thank you about the engagement! It's a mighty fun time for sure. :)

      Writing is a blast; I'm so glad others enjoy it too! Editing is just not quite as fun for some reason... I feel you on that!

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  3. Hey Janelle! Got your comment on my blog http://mybeautifulcrazyamazinglife.blogspot.com and I thought I'd stop by and say hello and follow you back :) As a fellow AF wife, and you a soon to be one, feel free to email me anytime if you ever have any questions or need anything! We gotta stick together!

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    1. Thank you so much for that encouragement! It's a crazy lifestyle, but I couldn't imagine it any other way! :)

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  4. Thanks for stopping by and commenting on my blog!
    I followed you back :)

    xoxo Marie
    http://jenesaisquoi1980.blogspot.com/

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    1. Thank you! I'm glad you checked mine out as well! :)

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  5. Sounds like you have lots of fun things in your future -- cant wait to hear what you got Dan for his birthday :)

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    1. Definitely! And I can't wait to share that! :) Thanks for stopping by!

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  6. You have a lot of things to look forward to, it is always good to keep busy! Thanks for stopping by the blog and following! :)

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    1. Yes, staying busy is the key to a military relationship, I feel! Thank you for checking out my blog as well! :)

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  7. Thanks for stopping by my blog! Welcome to military life! It is an adventure for sure!

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    1. Thanks for the welcome! It's a crazy life, but I couldn't imagine it any other way! :)

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  8. Wow, you are writing a novel?! How cool.
    Thank you for following & taking interest in my blog.
    After checking yours out, I will also follow you ( :
    - good luck! (we should guest post sometime!)
    Charleigh - loveonthehomefront.blogspot.com
    charleighbby@gmail.com

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    1. I am! It's a lot of work and is taking forever, but hopefully I will finish it sometime this year. :)

      Thanks for checking out my blog too! :)

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  9. Hi Janelle, thank you for stopping by and following Reality Strikes Mommy. Congratulations on your engagement!

    Labrijoy @ Reality Strikes Mommy

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    1. Thank you so much for the congratulations! It is such an exciting time. :)

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  10. Writing a book sounds exciting and I bet finishing it makes it even more exciting!

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    1. Oh, I hope so! It's so much fun to write, but I can't wait to know what it feels like to have a COMPLETED book! :)

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  11. Thanks for visiting my blog! I am loving yours too!

    We just finished Terra Nova testing, so my kids are WIPED from all the tests too. They are beyond ready for spring break! (Can't say I'm too far behind them in excitement, either! lol)

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    1. Thanks for stopping by here! :)

      Congrats for making it through testing... it certainly takes a toll!

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  12. Sounds like you've got a great spring break coming up! Best of luck finishing your novel, the last bit of revising and editing is always the most tedious for me as well. It can definitely take a toll on you. Veggies look yummy!

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    1. Spring break was action packed but fun :)

      Thank you so much. It's tough to find the motivation to edit. I'm glad to hear that I'm not alone in that.

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  13. Following you right back! I wanted to do the color run this year, but was having a baby instead! The Glow Run sounds fun!

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    1. Well, I'd say having a baby is a good reason to not do the Color Run! Maybe next time! :)

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  14. Finally stopping in from Sweet Pea Pod! I love your blog! Totally enjoyed reading your engagement story! I can't wait to learn more!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by! And thank you on all counts! I love engagement stories, so I always read those too! :)

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