Reminder

Just a reminder to go check out the new blog design and layout! I'm in love and I think you will be too!

 www.heathersjourneytohealthy.com

First MBA Class=Done!

Last night I submitted my final paper for my first class making me officially done! I purposefully finished early because Marketing starts on Monday and from the look of things, it isn't going to be an easy 6 weeks! My only complaint with my program is that I wish there was a week break between classes. Oh and I wish there were more tests and less papers. But I must get use to cranking out papers. For Marketing there is a 2-3 page paper due most weeks.

Tonight is my rest night, so I'm going to use that time to start reading and really look into the assignments for week one. The faster I can get started, the better.

Back Into a Routine

I usually am never a fan of Mondays. This is intensified for Mondays after a long weekend. I'm struggling to be productive today!

I thoroughly enjoyed my long weekend. It was nice having nothing to worry about. I was lazy and gladly admit to it. I enjoyed spending time with family. It was very low key. Friday, my parents went out for the day (literally). They were gone from about 10 am until about 7 pm. I enjoyed my quiet time! I may have taken two naps on Friday while they were gone. And they were glorious! Saturday my sister and I went out for a mexican lunch and to see Breaking Dawn Part 2. Yes I am still very much a teenage girl when it comes to both the books and movies. I just love them! I have to say, I really liked this movie. I won't give away spoilers in case there are readers that haven't seen it yet (and are planning on it), but Oh.Em.Gee at the ending.

And on Saturday I switched cell providers (read: I joined my mom's family plan) and got an iPhone 5 (what apps do I need)? It will save me about $60 per month (I'll be paying her for my added line). I love that they can keep your original number when you switch now! And yesterday was spent playing catch up on laundry and doing homework for this week.

This is the last week of my current class. my next class is Marketing and it starts next Monday.


And now I need to get back OP. I don't have a relationship with water anymore so I'm reforming that today. Same goes for fruits and veggies. I did step on the scale (I totally failed at that not weighing until December 1st thing, but came close) and it was only up 0.4 on Friday, but my eating wasn't great over the weekend, so we will see what the scale says tomorrow..

Speaking of weigh in's, I did take about 4 weeks off from the scale and it definitely helped. When I stepped on the first time, I was exactly the same as I was in October when I took the break. So I'm ok with that. I didn't gain! I will go back to normal scale tales posts tomorrow with a fresh mind and WI tracker.

How was everyone else's Thanksgiving? Are you struggling as bad as I am at being motivated today?

I'm Thankful Day 20

Today, I'm thankful for my friends. The true ones. Jessie, Sarah and Courtney (yes my sister Courtney). Jessie lives 7 hours away, Sarah is 4 hours and Courtney at school is 3 hours away. The distance doesn't matter at all. When I went to visit Jessie, I hadn't seen her in about 2 years, and it was like yesterday. Same with Sarah, when we had girls night back in August. And of course I talk to Courtney just about everyday. I love my best friends and I really wish we all lived close. I really need to plan another trip to Delaware and a trip to Richmond! Courtney, up for a couple road trips in the spring?

Jessie and I

Courtney and I

Sarah and I

Last Political Post

Ugh, ok. This will be it (until the next stupid remark about women's rights), I promise. I just want to round up my thoughts.

I have unfriended many people on Facebook because of their comments in the past 24 hours. I have seen more racism and hate in the last day than I have in my lifetime. This is not what 2012 should look like.

I honestly don't care who voted for who. I really don't. Just respect the opinion of the other side.

One of my bosses today called the President a negro (but the other word that I refuse to use). I work for racists. Even more reason to up the job hunt.

My other boss made comments about how half of the country relies on welfare and expects to be taken care of. Some of my best friends are single moms. They work their asses off everyday providing shelter and warmth and food for their children. But some of them do need the additional help of food stamps. Believe me when I say that they would rather not have to do that, but they are being good parents and providing for their children.

Enough negativity.

I am very happy with the results. I am very excited for Maine and Maryland that voted for marriage equality! I am very glad that the extremists on women rights, for the most part, lost their House and Senate races!

Here is to four more years. Four years in which I hope that Congress can learn to work together.

Ah, The Anxiety

I'm not made for this politics stuff. I'm so anxious. I just wish they could hurry up and call more of the battleground states! I can't go to bed not knowing, but I'm getting so tired.

I was in line for almost 2 hours. It was 35 degrees outside. The line was much longer than it was in 2008. That gives me hope that the enthusiasm is still up. One can only hope!

Vote

I hope everyone votes tomorrow. I don't care who you are voting for, just exercise your right. It isn't always a right that we have always had, unless you are a white male. This is a critical election on many levels. One of those being equal rights and defending rights that some of us have the potential of losing. I'm voting for my rights as a woman and the ability to make my own decisions. I'm voting for the ability of everyone to have health insurance, regardless if they were unfortunate enough to have a preexisting condition. I'm voting for the rights of those people who want to marry, but can't. I'm voting for my rights as well as the rights of my fellow citizens.

This country was founded on the basis of equality. It is now 2012 and we are far from being equal. I'm voting for equal.

What a week!

Oh.em.geeee.

I ended up being awake about 22 hours yesterday. Sadly I ended up at the emergency vet about 10pm with Spin. I went to let him outside around 9 for the last time and he couldn't pee. He was hunching his back and definitely wasn't himself. Having had Dalmatians for about 12 years, I knew he was blocked. Mom agreed with me so off to the emergency clinic we went.

A little backstory. Dals are the only breed to have an automatic high uric acid concentration, which can lead to urate stones. Not all will form stones or block, but blocking has a higher occurrence in males because of the narrow urethra.

Until last night, we had never had a dog block. Spin ended up having emergency surgery around 2 am. One incision at the penis to get the blocked stone out and then another at his bladder to clean it out, as he had a ton more stones.

He was in obvious pain and discomfort last night and I hated seeing him like that. He will now be on a special diet and medicine.

I'll just be glad when he gets to come home in a few days! I miss his antics and talkative ways (he loves to carry on conversations with his people)!

Strength

I've learned a lot about myself over the last few months. Mainly that I'm much stronger than I ever realized.

Yesterday should have been my wedding day. I honestly wasn't sure how I would be feeling emotionally. It was a much easier day than I expected, proving to me how strong I really am. I have definitely had my ups and downs the last few months, but I think I have come out on top. I feel stronger and more confident.

I know a lot of people would have done things differently than I did, but I can, with 120% confidence, say that it was absolutely the right thing to do. Not many people would have been able to make the choice I did to end my relationship and call off my wedding 3 months before the big day. I was told by multiple people that they didn't know if they could have done that. One person in particular told me that what I did took balls. I giggled a little when she told me that.

I am truly much happier now. I'm not worried about doing something to make someone mad all of a sudden. I'm not worried about missing an impromptu family function because I already had plans and making people mad. And I'm not worried about seeing text messages or wondering what someone is doing when hanging out with a certain best girlfriend.

I'm definitely concentrating on me. I start my MBA program in one week. I've started a nice workout regime. And I'm taking time for myself, whether it is window shopping, a nice workout, or dinner with friends, I'm doing things for me. And being able to spend my money on myself is nice again, too!

It feels good to feel in control of myself, both physically and emotionally again.

Social Issues

The VP debate just finished. I'm glad that one debate finally included a social issue. Especially glad it was on abortion. It is something that is personal to be because I'm a woman. This was my facebook post tonight on the subject.

Here's the thing with abortion. 1. Politicians shouldn't be able to tell me what I do with my body. 2. I'm not catholic (or religious for that matter), and don't believe that life begins at conception. It's called separation between church and state. You can't make policies based on your religious faith, because not everyone believes the same things 3. I wouldn't use abortion as a means for birth control, but if a woman chooses to, it isn't mine or anyone else's place to judge that person. It is her decision. I don't feel like this should be a political platform in 2012. I just don't understand why politicians, mainly republican men, feel like this is ok. Why they feel like women aren't smart enough to make their own decisions baffles me every day. I will always be vocal on this issue, because it is personal. It is personal to every woman in America. I could possibly be about 3 months away from losing the right to make the decisions about my own body, and that is just not ok.

News!

I received my acceptance letter for Averett University's MBA program today! I'm beyond excited! Two years ago when I graduated with my undergrad degree from VT, I never imagined going back for my MBA. Thanks to some wonderful advice I received from wonderful people, I applied. I'm so excited to see what opportunities are ahead of me!

Reunited

It has been way too long since I have seen her!

And her baby is adorable, and it is the first time I've met him. I'm going to steal him.

And can I just say how being around babies makes my uterus want one. Blah.

Road Trip!

This coming weekend will be another busy one. I'm leaving Friday morning and driving 7 hours to Delaware to visit my best friend. I haven't seen her in two years-when I graduated from VT. So a visit is very long overdue. She's one of those that no matter how little we actually see each other, we pick right back up where we left off. She also had a gorgeous baby boy last December that I need to meet!

Brides Against Breast Cancer

For a few weeks now, I had been trying to figure out exactly what I was going to do with my wedding dress and flowers that had been purchased well before calling off the wedding. I had remembered hearing someone talking about donating it, so a simple google search brought me to Brides Against Breast Cancer.

They sell the donated dresses they receive at very discounted prices for cancer survivors/current cancer patients. I knew that would be the perfect cause to help.  So I sent them an email asking if they could use the silk flowers (bridal bouquet, toss-away, 3 bridesmaids bouquets, grooms bout, 4 groomsmen bouts, and 4 coursages).  And they can! They said that anything wedding related they can sell at their events.

So I am going to donate both my dress and flowers. I feel so great about the decision. Breast cancer is something that is close to my heart. Almost all of the women on my mom's side, including my 21 year on sister have had cancer or pre-cancerous tumors removed from their breasts. I remember the fear we all had when my sisters was removed (which came back pre-cancerous).  I can't think of a better way to give other brides something they can truly be able to enjoy.  If anything like me, I know the lucky woman that chooses the dress and/or flowers will love them!

Weekend Recap

I had a blast last night with my girls. Some shopping, nice dinner and ended the night with a couple fruity drinks. Nothing major, but it was a lot of fun and much needed.

I am, however, way too old to stay up until 2 am. :)

Now, I need to crack into this school work. 4 chapters plus individual and group assignments due on the first night of class in a couple weeks. Now to crack down.

Me and my sister last night

Girls Night!

First, let me back up to my WI this week. -3

I have decided to quit meetings. I wasn't usually staying for them, and that is one expensive scale! I've learned I'm either motivated or I'm not. A meeting isn't going to change that.  So I'm back to WW Online. I used my Monday morning weight for this week, so that is why it is so large. But it will even out come Monday!

Tomorrow I'm having a girls night (aka anti-bachelorette party, as my sister named it) with my sister, best friend and her sister. I'm.so.freaking.excited.  I really need a night out with my best friends. WI may not be great on Monday, but I already know that it will be completely worth it!

Not much happening this week. It's been fairly quiet. Now, I'm just ready for the weekend!

Finding Myself

In an effort to really focus on me and find out who the real me is, some changes were made over the weekend.

Firstly, I deleted the ex fiance from my phone and facebook (as well as those I was friends with through him-none of which were ever people I'd be friends with otherwise). It may sound small, but for me it was huge. If your number isn't in my phone, I don't know it. I had been battling, and failing a lot, the urge to send him texts. Even though I texted him some (during the first couple weeks post break-up) I'm glad I did. My texts always went unanswered (well until I called him a coward because I truly feel that he wanted the breakup, so was picking fights so I would do it, and he wouldn't have to...very mature, I know), which I think I needed. I had battled with myself so long that I had made a horrible decision. But thanks to his lack of care (which I should have picked up on by his lack of emotion during our last conversation) I'm ready to move on. I know it was the right decision. I'm going to stop blaming myself and thinking about the "what if's". It ended knowing that I really tried to fight for our relationship but he "wanted to be alone for a while" <--his words, not mine. And I'm ok with that now. I deserve someone who wants to fight for me.

I've been doing well with getting in activity (thanks to Zumba!) and eating well.  Yesterday I made a batch of Emily Bites Banana Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal Singles to have for breakfast this week.  Very yummy!  Two of them kept me full until right at noon today (they were eaten about 8 this morning).

This weekend is my anti-bachelorette party (named by my sister). Basically will be like a bachelorette party with good laughs, great friends and drinks, but it'll be ok if I hit on guys :)  In all seriousness, I'm really excited for a night out with my best friends. It is much needed.

WI is tonight. I skipped last week, because my home scale had me up about 6 lbs....This morning my scale was much nicer, so hopefully their scale is too!

Finding Myself

The last two weeks have been hard. Very hard. I lost the person I loved the most. Before, I was naive enough to think that as long as there was love, you'd be ok. Not the case. And deep down, I knew that. I'm not that naive...But it has been hard. I've had to stop myself from sending texts. I miss having someone to fall asleep with and wake up with. I miss having someone to hold me when I'm sad. I miss all of those things. And that is what will take the most time to heal.

I've always been notorious for holding in my feelings, usually bad/sad feelings. I'm trying not to do that this time. I know I need to get them out in order to fully heal. I know he'll always have a place in my heart and I will always care for and love him. But I will move on. I will find someone that has more of the same ambitions as I do. I will find someone that values their personal time as much as me. I will find that someone.

Earlier this week, I ran across a blog post that has really set with me. Brianna over at Shine or Set, wrote about trust and love/heartache and settling (three separate posts). All three have truly helped me the last couple days. I'll highlight some of them. But I so encourage you to read them. She's a smart lady!

Trust:
Opportunities are placed in front of us when we are ready. Sometimes we wonder why relationships don't work out. We wonder if we are the right person. Follow your instincts in relationships, even if it says to let go. The right person will come into your life when you say goodbye to the past, stop forcing things, let go and let happen and trust.

Bravest Love:
All of the moments that tug on your heartstrings are the moments that are leading you to great love. To the one person who wants to creat new moments. Moments that outweighs all of the others. Moments that heal you. Moments that make you believe in good again.

Never Settle:
We rush into things because we feel like we will miss out. Let go of the bad, and know the good will come in time. Don't settle for a job where you're under-appreciated, unfulfilled and not doing what you love. Don't settle for a relationship where you don't have butterflies, where your times are more unhappy than not.