Does Winter Never End?!?

so yesterday it was around 40 degrees. It was cloudy and drizzled/misted rain and wetness pretty much all day. The snow was slowly melting, and the overall weather was pretty crappy. Even with all this, I was so happy to see a temperature above freezing that I was more then happy to walk in the melting snow and misty rain. I preferred it even to the days of blisteringly cold wind and mind numbingly cold temperatures. I was hoping that I was in the clear, that winter was coming to an end and spring was around the corner. I didn't expect temperatures to stay above freezing, but I also didn't expect to drag back out the long underwear and face covering scarves and layers upon layers of clothes just to keep my body temp at 98.7.

so to my horror I woke up to a frigid 9 degree temperature this morning. The sun was shining and it didn't look too windy, so I had hopes that it wouldn't be too bad. I was horridly wrong. The wind got stronger throughout the day, and it seemed to get colder, not warmer as the day went on.

I so want it to be warm and to be spring that I refuse to pull out the long underwear and insane layers again. Its time for it to warm up, I can't stand the never ending cold!!

Your Friends make the man (or in my case, woman)

So I have been rather busy the past two days with homework and other related activities. However, I was able to get a break from it all both on Friday night and on Saturday night.

As everyone knows, Friday was that rare day that happens every four years - leap day. So my wonderful friends (who happen to be mostly male) decided to have a leap day party. Upon much struggle in finding a location, we ended up in the club room of my building. I have to admit I went into it not expecting to have that much fun. I knew it would be a nice break, time to hang out with my friends, but I wasn't expecting much else. Well eventually about 12 people were there and we ended up playing Apples to Apples. I wasn't feeling it, and so myself and another friend sat around on the outside of the circle of people playing and talked. It was so nice to just have a real conversation with someone. Amidst all the craziness of classes and work and homework and maybe finding time to breath and shower, its hard to get genuine conversation for any extended period of time. It was greatly appreciated.

After the game ended and a few people left, I made some cookies (pre-made, nothing fancy) and watched all the guys play hacky-sack (which I gladly sat out because I have no coordination). Eventually more people left and I was left with just a few of my closest friends, and we talked, watched "Whose Line is it Anyway?" and ended up taking some wonderful leap day leaping pictures. I laughed so much and it was so much fun just to be silly and goofy and not have a care in the world - if even for a moment.

So I just needed to take the time to say, that I truly love my friends. I love the person that they have made me, the person that they push me to become, and the person that I am when I am around them. I feel blessed to have them in my life. I guess what I'm saying is that our friends shape us, and make us who we are ... so without our friends, who are we, really?

O-M-G ... I'm going to die of Cuteness

So it has come to my attention, that one of the cutest baby animals in the world is the baby polar bear.

Stuttgart's Wilhema zoo has recently announced its very own "Wilbaer" the baby polar bear. Born in December, he has been kept from the press until now. I'm pretty sure that this may be one of the cutest things that has ever lived.

Check out this article - one of many

An Escape to Warmer Climates

I've been rather blessed in my life in the fact that I've traveled a lot in my 19 and a half years on earth. My family camps, and we've traveled all over the Northern United States. I've also been all over the state of California: from LA and San Diego to Sacramento, Napa Valley, San Fransisco and the mountains. I've been in Colorado almost every year for the last 7 years. I've been on a cruise, been on a plane more times then I can remember, and even traveled to places such as Mexico for mission trips.

Why is it then, when I'm stuck in the cold, long winter in Minnesota and my boyfriend has traveled to Vegas and Florida in the past two months, why is it that I'm angered by his escape from reality?

I think something interesting has happened because I am used to traveling. Since I've reached a point in my life when I'm not traveling (for many reasons) I have an extreme itch - a need almost - to escape, to retreat and relax in a place very unlike my own. When I'm used to traveling, but am not currently doing so, and then have to hear about someone else's travel experiences - especially someone close to me - its hard to not get angry that I am not having these experiences myself (or at least sharing in them).

So what is a girl to do? Its not like I can up and leave, escape from reality and runaway on a plane. Daydreaming about it only makes matters worse. So with no money and no time. I'm stuck in the seemingly never ending winter cold that is Minnesota. Left to only dream of far away lands where classes, homework, stress, and cold don't reach. All that exists is relaxation and fun ....

Hello world, here I am again

I've been getting the itch for awhile to start writing again. In high school I was all about livejournal and loved to write and journal. Since senior year and college life I have totally abandoned pretty much any writing that isn't academic or facebook related. I always found writing therapeutic and therefore I feel that even among my crazy semester and incredibly busy life I should start writing again. What better place to do it then on the web, for all to see. I'm interested in magazines and publishing, so putting myself out there is something I am getting used to.

So this is my vow, to myself, and to any readers that might stumble upon my humble, amature blog. Between classes, work, Bible study, working out, friends, family, daily devotionals, my long distance relationship and the rare time that I find to breath or eat - I vow to come back to writing and back to the creative part of me I pushed aside when life became too busy.