Two years of love, laughter, and learning.

It was a little under two years ago, when my mom and sister packed me into a mini van and took off for the city of Pittsburgh.  I still can't believe that this was two years ago.

TWO YEARS AGO when...

I joined this program, PULSE

Met these women.

And found a city that I will be able to call home forever.

Today is my last day walking into the PULSE office for work. I can't believe that the last year went so quickly, but I'm so excited for the next chapter of my life. I gave my love to The Boy in Pittsburgh and for that reason alone this city, program, and people that we've met, will always have a place in my heart. 

So here's to today... the rainy Friday that it is, the last day in the office, but just another day I get to adore this city.

Thanks Pittsburgh and PULSE for giving me two years of love, laughter and a lot of learning.

Leave.

My Megan posted this on her blog this morning. 

I think she knew that I needed to read it. 

Thanks Megarah. :)

M.E.H

Country Roads.....

:) 

It's vacation time!  I'm thrilled to spend a few days in my mom's Laughing Place and more importantly excited to introduce one of my favorite places to my love. 

Around Easter, my sister bought us all the book, Take Me Home, Country Roads. It has lyrics to John Denver's song and illustrations to go with it.  I just read through it 3 times while I was packing.   

Country Roads... Here we come! 

Everybody's Got a Laughing Place

When I was little, my mom use to sing this song. (It's from the movie Song of the South, which isn't PC anymore and I don't think you can find it anywhere... but that song will get stuck in your head if you let it.)

Everybody's got a laughing place
A laughing place to go
Take a frown, turn it upside down
And you'll find yours we know
Honey and rainbows on our way
Where everyone is worth his weight
Boy are we in luck
We're visiting a laughing place
Everybody's got a laughing place
A laughing place to go

Mom always says that her laughing place is in West Virginia. Something about the mountains, bends in the road, and the smell. It also helps that our family is in WV.  Well, this coming week, we're going to that laughing place and I cannot wait. It's the one place that I wont get cellphone reception, where I can spend my day sitting on a front porch swing with a glass of sweet tea. 

Laughing place, here I come. 

"Love can be hard. Love requires you to be kind when you are angry, patient when you feel anxious, compassionate when you judge others, caring when you feel apathetic, trust when you've been wronged, let go when you want to hold on, know that the other person is you, take risks when you're scared, to always see the lesson and never look back once you've decided."

- Jackson Kiddard

Decisions

It's hard to make decisions... especially when there isn't a right or wrong answer. 

Sneak Peek to Summer

Today. I had my sneak peek of Summer.


Recently in Pittsburgh the weather has been a little bit crazy. It has gone from 80 degrees to low 50s very quickly. Today, I walked out of my house to that smell of West Virginia air. Anyone in my family knows what I'm talking about. It's a light, cool, mountain air. I love that smell. I would always yell through our screen door when I was little that, "IT SMELLS LIKE WEST VIRGINIA OUTSIDE, MOM". She would always nod her head and walk out to breathe it in.  That was our summers. The week long vacation at Aunt Marie's house. Camping outside with Lisa and Lori. Walking through Twin Falls, hoping that there would be water pouring off of the stones. I closed my eyes for a minute and smiled as I thought about those days.

As I was sitting next to Joel tonight coming home from the grocery store, I couldn't help but smile and stare out into the place I call home now. The sun was setting and the lights from all of the businesses on Penn Ave had that florescent glow. As we drove through the light I peered into the side mirror and watched the sun fade behind me. My arm resting outside of the car, reflecting in the mirror. It was in that moment when I caught my first glimpse of Summer in Pittsburgh. I don't know if it was the way the breeze was blowing, or the peaceful smirk that Joel had on his face, but I could picture Summer in that moment.

As much as I love Summer, the activities, the vacation, the people outside, I also love Spring. I am not wishing it away at all. The flowers, beautiful flowers, the image of growth and life. Who wouldn't love it??


So, for right now, I'll take my sneak peek to Summer and I'll smile every time I think of it. I'll store it away for a rainy day when I can bring it out to look forward too.

Here's to the West Virginia air and a glimpse of Summer.

ap

April 11

April 11th 2012 was a day I'll never forget.

It actually started off as a day that I never wanted to remember... but I'm getting ahead of myself.

I woke up on that Wednesday morning feeling incredibly rested. Anyone that knows me, probably can realize the issue with that statement immediately. My alarm didn't go off, so I have a very nice sleep, waking up around 9:30. I had planned to be in my office at 9 that morning, just to finish some preparations for the annual fundraiser that we were getting ready to have on Friday. I was already a tad bit stressed, but I took a breath and jumped into full "get ready" mode. As I ran downstairs to grab a lunch and brew some morning coffee, I started to put away the dishes. (The night before I noticed my favorite mug was dangling off the edge of the drying rack.) I immediately grabbed the mug and set it on the counter, apparently I didn't set it completely on the counter and I watched in slow motion my favorite mug fall to the ground. I had the coffee pot in one hand and spilled water everywhere trying to catch it, but the mug shattered.

To remind you, this all happened before 10 am.
Here are my Tweets from that morning...

It was not a good morning. Not at all.
That was actually just the beginning. With all of the stress piling up at work and an afternoon from Hell. I considered walking home, putting on my sweatpants and crawling back into bed. I really wanted to do that. REALLY!!

However, my evening was going to be filled with a date. I felt as though I was in not shape for a date with the boy, but we planned it a week or so before and I knew we were going to my favorite restaurant, so I was totally game. Restaurant's in Pittsburgh are a lot of BYOB, so as Joel stopped by to pick me up he had my favorite wine.  I thought he was being nice to me after my breakdown in the afternoon, but apparently he had other plans. We talked about our Easters over dinner, talked about the weather, made each other laugh and had one of the best dinners ever. I would have considered that a perfect date. He had other plans. We jumped in the car and he stopped at the house where I lived last year. The PULSE house on Stanton.  I was not in the mood for seeing people, and I knew the house was having dinner, so I was incredibly confused at what was happening. He grabbed his guitar and pulled me to the porch swing. The same swing where we started dating, the swing where I would sit and watch the world fly by me last year. I love that swing.  As we sit, he brings up a promise we made (that I hadn't lived up to yet) and said "I'm going to follow up with my end of the deal, but first...."






He went into all of the great things that have happened over the past 8 months and then pulled out a beautiful beautiful ring. After lots of giggling and smiles, I said Yes! :)

Soon after, everyone in the house ran out, and we ended the proposal with this song....




That's the story of my April 11th. It started off as a horrible day, but ended up pretty darn good.  :)

Girls Weekend.

Akron, Ohio... you better be prepared.

March 23-25th.

Hannah. Megan. Anna.


finally.



Sadly, we will be missing one, but she is a little bit farther away...
Ash, we love you!! Why don't you just move Kentucky a little bit closer?!?!

Madness of March

No, I'm not talking about basketball, however, I did fill out a bracket in which was probably ripped to shreds the first night. (I'm a big fan of the underdogs).

In Pittsburgh this week the weather was crazy. I think it was like this everywhere else too, but I just couldn't get the weather images out of my head. High of 75 and sunny, High of 70 and partly cloudy, High of 72 and absolutely freaking amazing outside. I don't actually believe weather.com said that, but that's how I read it.

I walked to work in a skirt this week, in short sleeves, with sunglasses, and sandals. I was grinning like a fool. I love this new weather pattern that you're throwing at me dear March. I'm sure that this weather isn't good for gardens or the summer, but for right now.... bring on the sunshine.

Happy Six.

Boyfriend.

Thanks for loving me.


Thanks for 2.5 years of friendship before the 6 months of a different kind of relationship.



Oh... and Happy Valentine's Day. :)


Love love love.

Moose aka Lete Lou aka Leticia aka my baby

It was a little over three years ago when I was sitting on my bed in Northern Ireland skyping with my best friend Jamie in North Carolina. We rarely used skype and definitely not when I was in NI. We communicated more via facebook. (while she still had it) This particular instance was incredibly special to me, it was after I got the email that she was having yet another baby girl and that they were going to name her Leticia Marie. I called her right before her husband came home from work and right when we saw each other we started to bawl. Seriously... half of our conversation was us crying to each other because we both just missed each other so damn much. Mia was taking a nap so we were trying to be extra quiet, but it didn't work very well. That skype date was the first time I saw that baby belly, the first time I sent a few prayers to Vinnie because he was going to have his hands full, but also the first time I knew I was going to love that baby girl like crazy.

Fast forward a few months. The weekend of January 23-25, I was on baby watch. Jamie flew home early to have the baby in Ohio, while Vinnie was driving up from NC. I came home from school to spend time with Mia, but to also be there just in case she went into labor. I believe my thought the entire weekend was.. "oh lord, please don't go into labor, please oh please oh please." We spent the weekend getting everything ready, making sure we had a bag packed, food ready, and our game faces on.

We were extremely lucky, by the time I left on Sunday to head back to school, there wasn't a baby in sight. HOWEVER, she didnt wait long. Monday afternoon, I got the phone call. It came from Jamie herself. "Well, I think it's going to happen soon. We know you have class, but we'll be here whenever you can come"
The worst part about this entire situation is that I had a presentation on Tuesday. One about my time in Ireland, so I couldn't leave, but I had my car ready to make the trip immediately after I was done.... I woke up the next morning to a picture... this picture.


It said, "hi Tia, can't wait to meet you"

January 27th, 2009
6lbs 3 oz
18 1/2 inches long

pure goodness.

I met them at the hospital at 1:30pm and stayed until the snow storm outside started to pick up and I needed to drive back. That baby girl took a piece of my heart that day and she still refuses to give it back.

Here's to you my baby Lete. Happy Birthday.

Here are some Justin Bieber lyrics just for you, baby!

"You know you love me, I know you care
Just shout whenever, and I'll be there
You are my love, you are my heart
And we will never ever ever be apart

And I was like...

Baby, baby, baby oooh
Like baby, baby, baby nooo
Like baby, baby, baby oooh
I thought you'd always be mine (mine)"