Happiness is...

...a warm belly to bury a tired head in.

...a Gramma's lap to sit in.

...a friend to learn to crawl with.

...hugs, hugs, and more hugs!

Already?

I can't believe it's been two weeks since I've been on here! A lot is going on (as usual), so here are some of the highlights:

• I'm loving my job at Microsoft! Even though I said I never wanted to sit all day in front of a computer, that's exactly what I'm doing and very much enjoying it. Of course, it's not just data entry or mindless work...my mind is constantly occupied. Which we all know is a very good thing.


• I'm very happily dating a wonderful man named Blake (yes, he's the one I mentioned a little while ago when I said "I met someone."). It's been almost two months, which isn't very long, but when you haven't gone past a first date in almost two years, two months is monumental. Plus, he's amazing in every way possible, and everyday I find out more to adore. I know. Vomit now. We're THAT couple.


• Along the same lines, last week was the 2 year anniversary of D-Day, Independence Day, the day of the big breakup. Last year I celebrated with a few drinks with my mom and a few friends. This year? I ran a 15K and cooked dinner for my boyfriend, and completely forgot about the anniversary. Which, in my book, is a HUGE milestone.


• For the entirety of my life I have bitten my nails. Nothing has worked. Manicures, horrible tasting nail polish, fake nails, promises from people to buy me jewelery, ridicule-I stay true to my stubborn Andoga roots and refuse to curb the appalling habit. Then I started dating someone who likes to kiss my hands, my palms, my wrists...and my fingertips. All of a sudden pretty hands have become priority number one (right next to moving out of my parents' house). So far I have a 60% success rate. And it's kind of bizarre to have nails long enough to feel when I type. They're not super long, they're definitely not pretty, but they're healthy(er), and best of all I'm losing the urge to pick or nibble at them. Yay for personal progress!


• Yeah, did I mention the 15K? Philip and I completed the third of of our four races, the Rockledge Rumble 15K Trail Run. 9.9 miles of hiking trail (unpaved, in some places not even fit for running, and slightly longer than the posted 9.9 miles since, as the race coordinator said, they "just estimated the distances with their best educated guess."). So now we're mere weeks away from running our half marathon. For any local readers who want to come cheer us on, the race is The White Rock Marathon, December 13th. Let me know you're coming so I can keep an eye out for you as I cross the finish line!


• I know, I know, I still haven't posted pictures of my nephew. So if you want to see them, go visit my Facebook page, there's some there.
  

All right, that's it for now! Blogs will be coming more frequently when I have finished my marathon and exited the cocoon phase of my relationship (which, I admit, may be some time). Happy start of the Holidays!

Overwhelmed

Today is one of those days I'll remember forever. I have witnessed and participated in history. When I think of "history", I think the JFK assasination. The first moonwalk. Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech. The bombing of Pearl Harbor. In my lifetime I can remember only two moments that were truly stunning...so stunning that I can remember (even though for the first I was very young) every single detail of those days. The first was the explosion of the Challenger with Krista MacCauliffe on board. The second was 9/11.

And now I have today. The day when America seemingly rose as one and said, "We're scared. We're not sure where we are. We're not sure where we should go. But above all we are hopeful, and we believe that CHANGE is all those things." Today was the day that more people than in the history of our country chose to exercise their right to vote. Today is a day we can and should be proud of.

My cousin Rachel is ridiculously smart, funny, and has summed the history of Obama's election up so well that I can only refer you to her blog. I think she pretty well expresses what our generation is standing for, and it's a generation I am finally proud to count myself one of. Congratulations to us all!