What I'm up to These Days...

First and foremost, I am finally, officially done with school! I graduate in April with my bachelors, officially. I walked in July 2010 but have taken one class each semester since then to stay on the cheap insurance. It'll be nice to finally have that diploma in my hands.

We are on food stamps since we don't have an income and are poor. :) We are "technically" a family of three so we get the funding for a family of three, which is much more than we could ever spend on groceries in a month especially with 5 WIC checks a month too. Food stamps cooking is fun! We've been experimenting with recipes and buying name brand food items and lots and lots of MEAT! I just wish we had a large freezer to stock up. We'll get a lot of food storage items the first few days that we move to Texas before Todd starts his job and we become not eligible. We can buy whatever weird ingredients recipes call for and if we don't like it, there was no dent in our account. It's great.

I've also been co-writing a story with my sister Kristin. It's been really fun. She writes a portion and stops and I continue it. It's coming together really fast and easily. We are on the same brain wave or something. She is a much more talented writer (since she wants to be an author when she graduates and for me, it's just a fun hobby right now). We are at the climax of the story right now, so it should be done soon. Then we'll edit it and wah-lah! We'll have a story worthy of publishing.

Here's a little taste of what we've been working on:
The immense oaks seemed to close in over her, encompassing her in a shady, dark tunnel, flickers of light seeping occasionally through the dense branches. She walked slowly, though acutely aware of the diming sunlight. It would be dark soon. So dark. She should move quicker, search for some place to be protected from the bitter night. But her step would not quicken. Her feet would not increase their lagging pace. She was almost frozen; not from the cold wind that slapped her face, but from fear, terror, utter terror.


Gemma had walked this oak-lined street hundreds of times. There was something about this night, this scene that terrified her. The way the elevated oak trees took on a life of their own. The way the moon eerily peered down at her as if waiting for the sun to sink deep into the mountains and finally give up the light. Night was coming and the moon would have her, all to himself. Every sluggish step echoed down the street. She grabbed her jacket zipper and pulled it up to her neck. She couldn't believe what had just happened. Maybe she was in shock. Maybe she had imagined the whole thing, but her mind played it back in full detail as she continued down the street. The sun was finally gone.

The trees pointed at her as she walked, directing the police to her exact location. Gemma turned and looked back as the dark smoke began to billow over the tree line. Even in the darkness of night she could see it, its massive shape rising and curling high into the sky, searching for her. It was dark and thick as her saliva. She shivered. The smoke rose higher. Gemma could not believe what she’d done. It wasn’t like her. Neither were her thoughts as she wondered if he had made it out alive. Police sirens grew louder and louder and Gemma was finally able to find the strength to run, leaving her hometown. Perhaps forever. The smoke, the sirens chased her.


We will be moving to Texas the last weekend in May and are excited. We have been apartment shopping and trying to find something with enough room for us and somewhere close to downtown Dallas where Todd will be working. We also think that we deserve a nice place since we've had our fair share of small, old and roach infested apartments. After renting for a year or two, we plan on finding and buying (or building) a house, especially once we know the area and where the good wards are.
I've also been really proud of myself. I started the 8-Week Slim down and I am currently on Week 3. I've actually stuck with it and worked out just about every day, following their plan. I haven't lost any weight but I feel my muscles are more defined and toned and I feel better and a little skinnier which is nice. I want to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight and size. It's hard to change my diet though with great meals provided by the government! :)