New year, new start, new love, new home, new life ;)

Well its a new year and with that new year have come so many new wonderful things to my life! It all started last year really, but has only grown :) I found the person that I am meant to spend my life with, and she is wonderful. I could not feel more blessed :) Its not what most people thought or wanted for me but that doesn't matter to me, I am happy and life could not be better. My sisters and my father have all been very supportive and open to my new love and my new life!

Sharing her with those that I love has only added to greatness of my life and the wonderful aspects of life that i cherish and love so much!

Well the year has started back up again for all Texas State bobcats, and for me it starts off with a lovely new staff!! Im moved in and my staff has arrived!! San Jacinto Hall will never be the same!! They are all very unique in their way and in the only way they know how!! Its been a tough couple of weeks for us, but its all coming to an end with move-in, and boy have they arrived!! Out of 469, we have about 90 to go, which isn't bad!! And may I add that I wouldn't have been able to do it without the lovely people you see in the above picture!! THEY ARE AMAZING!!

It took us a little while to be complete (all 12 of us) but once our Situation SR arrived we were golden!! They are all very hard working and are very dedicated to their job!! Tehy make my job so much easier, and the year has only begun, so I am looking forward to all of the "easy" tasks that are to come. I'm also looking foward to setting a routine, and getting to know my staff even better. I know that with time that will happen, but it will most def be fun getting to do that!! I am also looking forward to having more time to spend with colleges as well as residents!! Its going to be an exciting year!! Looking forward to it!!

Don't think about it, just do it...and do it for you!

So I'm running a 5K in September and training has begun! With training I have since been made aware that new running shoes are necessary. Not only that but I was fitted for them as well!! Who knew you could be fitted for running shoes, but let me tell you it makes a difference!! The shoes in the picture is what I ended up getting, after the assistance of my coach and the lovely staff at RunTex!! Stylish and the feel so light! Love it!

This mornings' run was a total ass kicking but I made it!! 30 minutes of running 2 mins and walking 1....AND it only gets harder from here on out!! Think it sounds simple...try doing it and get back to me!?

Running is something I used to do to de-stress, and I have to say that I am so excited and happy that this is no longer the case. This is something that I am doing for me and something that I can finally say will lead to an end goal!! Today as it was getting tougher to repeat my sequence of running and walking, I just kept telling myself to think of the stress that I was leaving on the pavement, and I couldn't really think of anything and I loved that! So it became, don't think about it just do it. So that is what I am going to do! I'm going to run and not think about stress. I'm going to do it for me and for the goal I have in mind. Right now that is the 5K in September, after that I'm not sure, maybe a marathon?! Ill keep you all posted!! Right now I am enjoying my stress free life, turning 25, beginning my professional career, having a new love in my life, and finally doing something for me.

It's sad to realize that I had forgotten what that was like, and while its a bit sad, it's nice to be able to do it now! I'm not sure at what point I stopped doing things for me, but the important thing is that I finally feel like I stopped doing things for other people and started doing them for me! Everyone should make sure that you are always doing something for you! You should always make time for the things you enjoy and you love. If you don't you begin to lose yourself and you feel empty and you can't give someone you don't know to someone else. I hope you can find someone to be you with and that understands and supports you doing things for you at times. If not don't worry you will!!

Well until next time!! I hope everyone is having a great day!! Much love to you and yours!

~IM

PS I couldn't have gotten through this morning without my running partner/coach!! Thanks R!! Love you!

Reunion time = Celebration Time...and the Familia knows how to celebrate...with or without grass...hee hee

So as you know i finished....school that is...for now anyway...PhD to come!! But for now im done and I can work!! Im highly excited about it!! And as you all can imagine so was my family!! We were all so excited about me moving on to my next step that we didn't celebrate me finishing the step that got me to today....me graduating from undergrad :D So this time around we celebrated it all until about 4AM June 5th!! The food was amazing and the time spent with family and friends was amazing!! I enjoyed getting to see everyone and dance and eat, but the people that i enjoyed the most were definitely my cousins! I don't think that Angle, Monce, Kico, and myself had been together in years!! Much less sat down and had a beer and a meal together. It was great to be able to do that and spend some time with all of them and their families and just catch each other up on life. They all kept telling me that they were all so proud of me and how Im such a great example to follow, but the reality is that we all have so many things to be greatful for and to be proud of eachother for. We have all made it to the point in life where we are all happy doing what we are doing and we all seem content and happy with life, and that alone is priceless. You can put a price tag on my education, but you can't put one on those moments that make life worth living and celebrating. Those moments make you who you are and make you appreciate life and all life gives you! I feel that I'm finally at that point in my life where I'm beginning to appreciate all that life has to offer and enjoying my family more...its a great feeling and if you know it then I'm happy for you and if you haven't felt it yet then its coming give it time!!

The End of a Chapter in my Life & The Beginning of a New Chapter

This is us two years later and still as crazy as ever...only now we are Masters of Education, MEd to be exact, and its a great feeling!! Its the end of two long years with little sleep, stress, and hard work. But you know relfecting on that now I don't remember that as much as I do the memories I have had the opportunity of creating with some amazing people. They truly are amazing, no joke!! If you haven't met them then let me introduce you to some amazing individuals. First off we have Stacey Sparks...The big smile with the black dress...she is quite the individual. We all know this time was tough for Sparks, but she did it...how exactly I am so not sure. But she is most def one of the most organized idividuals i have met!! And im pretty organized ;) Next we have Rachel Griffey....the one in the far back in purple...Rach is quite the individual! Griffey is someone who you can always count on for whatever you need and for a surprise here and there. Griffey has most def added to the spunk and the humor in the classroom and is an absolute genuine human being!! Next we have Amanda Clay...shes the one in the cap with her hands in the air....CLAY!!! Clay is an amazingly genuine human being who loves all and loves love!! Shes a book worm and loves to learn and i truly know that she will never stop doing so as long as there are books to read and letters to put together that will form sentences for her to read!! Some day we will all be looking at one of her books, only instead of the reading we will be looking at all of her great photographs....a life long story not doubt of pictures. Moving on to Mr. Tim Swain aka lettuce face!! OH Mr. Tim Swain....here is an idividual who knows how to write and does it well. He has a book in the works and im sure a collection of writings to come. Aside from writing Mr. Swain is quite the speaker, especially when it comes to his spirituality!! Students, writing, and his faith are three things Mr. Swain lives and breathes. Speaking of the loader ones lets talk about one who's talents were hidden at first and at times we wondered if she had a voice...oh we were wrong...little did we know...Ms. Annette Levario...the one in the white at the front...big surprises do sometimes come to us in small and quite packages, and that is Annette for sure. Always the quite one, but most of the time she knew just how to bring us back or bring it back full circle...her smile is also something that you will never forget, well that and her love, or better stated her obsession with chocolate!! I can't talk about Annette and not talk about Mr. Reginald Charles Toussant, the male without the lettuce face!! LOL!! Reggie is something else...you will soon learn after meeting Reggie that what you see is what you get...like it or not he is who he is and there is no apology for it. Both qualities that not all of us are able to do and do well, but Reg definitely does. Thanks for keeping it real Reggie. Well and that leaves me with...Frog, Elisa Ramos with one R, the motivational speaker of the group. If there was ever a time i needed motivation or someone to push me to do something and do my best...Elisa was there to do just that!! She will wrtie a book someday about motivation and she will set an example for all of her co-workers and her students to come, not doubt. She has done it for all of us she has met up to now and will continue to just do it...its what she does!

Lastly but certainly not least....we have Dr. Jackie Cooper...shes the silly face right in the middle under me!! Its quite fitting that she be in the middle...she is the one that is responsible for all of us being here and has kept us together. There are so many reasons to be thankful and very little words to express just how greatful I am to Coop!! She is one of the strongest females that i have had the pleasure of meeting! She is amazing at what she does and when you have the opportunity of learning from her you know you are getting what you need, what you wanted, and then some!! I can't say thank you enough to this amazing woman...she came into my life two years ago and will never leave!! Love you Coop!!

Then there's me...im the one in the yellow if you haven't guessed already or didn't already know!! Well there really isn't much to say about me...except that my classmates would probably tell you that i seem to have spent the past two years in meetings and over working myself....but i loved every minute of it!! From class, to work, to my extra curriculars, to my personal and professional growth...ALL of it!!

My life has been blessed by each and every one of these great individuals and I can't wait to see where lifes path takes us!! They have seen me grow into the person I am today and it wasn't always pretty or great, but they were there for it all!! Thank you for being there!!

Good luck and I love you all!! <3>

Here we are a bit more composed!!

I would like to introduce you to my first staff!! Again they are the Great Eight of The College Inn!! Eight just seems to be my luck number!! For about 4 months they were my staff, and I have to say they are a fantastic bunch.  Ryan, Frank, Mike, Cody, Chelsea, Kendra, Lauren, and Allison.  Each one different from the other, but together a strong staff.  Allison helped me in adjusting myself to the staff and the building.  I don't know where I would be or what I would have done without her.  She will go on to be an amazing teacher.  I can honestly say we need more teachers like her.  Cody is a an amazing young man. He is very passionate about his job and takes it upon himself to be friendly and kind to all that he meets.  I wish him the best of luck in his endeavors with stock and trading.  Lauren is a kindred soul!! She is an amazing artist with so much talent and I am proud to say that I own one of her art pieces.  I can only hope to someday own more of them.  Mike is an interesting character. Loves his comic books, as do I, and his technology!  It took him a while to warm up to me, but in the end I am glad to say that we did!  Kendra is an amazingly strong young woman.  She is full of ambition and knows what she wants out of life, she just needs to be shown the path to getting there.  Frank is an amazing young man, full of ambition and has a plan for himself as well.  Frank is so charismatic and has such a passion for life itself that its contagious! He has become my work out buddy and my motivator when I don't think I can keep on!! Chelsea makes me smile! She is such a calm and collected young woman who I know has nothing but success ahead of her.  I don't know what I would have done without Chelsea around to talk with and vent to.  I know I will miss her.  Ryan is also a very talented and amazing young man.  I truly believe that he is an example for many of us to follow.  After his many life struggles he pushed on and came back to school and some day will be Dr. Ryan, MD.  His dedication and passion is an inspiration.  

I truly know that all of them have made my life a better as a professional and as a person!! I love each and everyone of them and will miss them dearly next year, but I am on to a new staff and a new Hall...who knows what lies ahead!!

My OG's! Original Graduates if you wanted to know what that stands for.  I am very honored to present to you my cohort!! 8 strong!! 

Interesting how 8 is my lucky number and there are 8 of us.  It's such a great number and such a fantastic group of 8 beautiful people, on the inside and the outside!! I find it quite interesting to think of when we started and where we are now.  It feels like we have all known each-other for quite some time, in the very least longer than a semester.